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BY IRA KAUFMAN

The final autopsy for the 2025 Buccaneers is in. It’s damning and it’s complicated.

The initial judgment is simple — two things can be true at the same time. This team was poorly coached and this roster was exposed.

Todd Bowles

First up, the coaching.

Despite all the key injuries, the 2025 Bucs underachieved at 8-9. A 6-2 club at the bye week in a lousy division has no business missing the playoffs. Even with his late-season struggles, Baker Mayfield remains the best quarterback in the NFC South and he took virtually every snap through 17 starts.

A ravaged defense was hardly decimated by injuries, yet Tampa Bay rarely made big stops in the final nine games.

Is Calijah Kancey that much of a difference-maker? Hardly.

Special teams play was a major issue, and that’s on the coaching staff. Too many kicks were blocked and too many kickoff returns went for big yardage. The game in Buffalo was a prime example. You can’t keep giving Josh Allen short fields to work with. Those gaffes cost the Bucs dearly in a shootout.

Tackling was subpar … again. There were far too many mis-communications in pass coverage. This defense couldn’t cover running backs in the flat. That issue started early in the season opener at Atlanta and Bowles never made the necessary adjustments.

This team rarely matched the energy level of the opposition, and that’s unacceptable. You’d need one heck of a memory to recall a big hit by a defender that galvanized teammates. When the Bucs played at Miami, in a game of vital importance for the visitors, the Dolphins displayed more urgency.

Going forward, this defensive scheme needs to be streamlined. Judging by the flurry of coverage breakdowns, It’s too complex. Rondé Barber, who knows a thing or two about pass defense, suggests Bowles needs to simplify the plans he’s asking his young secondary to execute.

Yes, Bowles had a bad year. He’s the head coach and this staff didn’t maximize the skill set of Buc players. The Glazers decided to give him another chance to keep this franchise relevant in the power rankings. He enters a prove-it-or-else season next fall.

And now for the rest of the story.

Jason Licht has done a lot of good things as Tampa Bay’s general manager since 2014. His first draft pick, Mike Evans, is likely to own a gold jacket. That’s a heck of a start. Licht learned from his mistakes, and that’s the sign of a sharp executive.

But he’s got a glaring weak spot that caught up with the Bucs last season.

The same guy who drafted Evans, Tristan Wirfs, Chris Godwin, Luke Goedeke, Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. has found little success drafting dynamic players for the front seven on defense.

Licht signed Shaq Barrett and Ndamukong Suh as free agents. He traded for Jason Pierre-Paul. Those moves contributed greatly to the 2020 championship run, but they’re gone and capable replacements haven’t arrived.

Here are the front seven draft picks under Licht: Kwon Alexander, Noah Spence, Devante Bond, Kendell Beckwith, Steve Tu’ikolovatu, Vita Vea, Jack Cichy, Devin White, Anthony Nelson, Terry Beckner Jr., Khalil Davis, Chapelle Russell, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, K.J. Britt, Grant Stuard, Logan Hall, Andre Anthony, Calijah Kancey, YaYa Diaby, SirVocea Dennis, José Ramirez, Chris Braswell, David Walker and Elijah Roberts.

Bucs GM Jason Licht.

Out of those 24 players, only a few have made much of an impact at One Buc Place.

Bowles has tried to cobble together a pass rush without an edge rusher that keeps opposing offensive coordinators up at night. Licht swung and missed on Haason Reddick. He’ll be a free agent again in March and there’s not a team in the league that will offer big money for his services.

The sack numbers dropped in 2025, but that’s not the end of the story. Pocket quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins, Matt Stafford, Sam Darnold and Jared Goff were rarely moved off their comfort zones. Instead of applying pressure, the Buc defense faced the pressure of trying to contest passes from a clean pocket.

A healthy Kancey would have helped, but let’s be realistic — he’s not the second coming of Aaron Donald.

The Bucs need a winning edge at the edge and a tone-setter at inside linebacker. Those are the offseason priorities and it’s up to Licht and his inner circle to address the deficiencies on this roster.

We’ve seen what Bowles can do as a defensive play-caller when he has a full toolbox. Just ask Patrick Mahomes. Now Bowles is under the spotlight, as he deserves to be after a losing season.

But Licht has some explaining to do when it comes to forging a credible pass rush. This team needs an ass-kicker up front and a rangy, physical stud roaming the middle of the field.

Coaching matters, of course. Bowles has much to prove and ownership won’t tolerate another losing season. The NFC South won’t stay down forever and the Bucs are in danger of being left behind. But in the end, its the players who are most responsible for success or failure.

There’s a lot to like about this roster, especially if the offensive line remains healthy, yet there are issues on defense that need to be addressed.

Let’s see how adept Licht is at fixing a hole where the completions get in.

One mile north of the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway!