Bucs you are most excited about for this season

[Jonny]

Obviously most of us are excited for the whole team, but which specific players and coaches are you excited for the most? As I struggle to fall asleep due to football fever, I am genuinely curious about responses from this community I've been a part of for 15 years now. My candidates:

1) Todd Bowles: I didn't want Bowles to be the head coach after the debacle of a full season in 22. He simply looked like he was not prepared to be a head coach despite this being his second stint. I still have many of the same concerns. But it was obvious during the draft that Jason Licht and the Glazers were going to do everything within reason to give Bowles a fair shot for redemption. After watching the preseason, it is quite apparent to me that a defensive coach who loves speed and blitzing has a plethora of new tools to get crazy with. Combine the fact that this is probably a do or die year for Bowles, with rest of the football world looking at Bucs as bottom feeders (check Vegas odds, we are back to where we belong, the doormat tier), there is strong incentive for Bowles to coach with a reckless abandon. This desperation is why I'm crazy excited for our defense overall. Since the end of dynasty D days, it was Bowles in 2019 who brought some identity to Bucs defense with his cut throat style blitzing. That was his chance to prove himself on a new team and 2023 Bucs season has a similar "new" vibe imo. I think we will see a resurgence of no risk it no biscuit on D.

2) Calijah Kancey: It's a bummer he hasn't played a snap for us yet, but his upside as far as pass rush is concerned is God level. Whether he can reach that is a different question, but I cannot think of a better pure athlete/technician combo Bucs have drafted at any position since I've started following the team (07). LVD comes closest, guy was undersized and fell to 2nd, but was explosive as a ILB with high IQ and technique. As good as Mike Evans is, he wasn't the best route runner in college and I'm not sure if he's even that now. GMC was a great athlete and technician, but I feel like Kancey has more rabid pitbull type relentless aggression to his game based on his college tape from beginning to end of games and my issue with GMC was always a plethora of passive snaps, which is why most on this board were hoping Suh fell to us in 2010.

3) Markees Watts: I haven't watched him enough outside of a couple of breakdowns on YouTube with him going against opponents 3rd tier backups. But his pass rush moves and ability to bend on the edge are very special. He doesn't have the get off JTS has, but JTS has served as a great specimen for why impressive explosion/first step is pretty inadequate to get the job done. I have this feeling that Watts will be a standout throughout the season and a diamond in the rough find by Licht during a year where both the HC and the GM are desperately trying to assert their value to the franchise post-Brady.

4) Trey Palmer: Another gem of a find by Licht. I understand it's only preseason against backups, but Palmer's strengths (straight line speed, underrated ability to high point the ball and contested catches in crowded zones) are what we would see in CFB highlight clips and what we saw in preseason. There is high possibility that there is no more upside to his game than that, but for a 3rd best WR on any roster, that is plenty enough. He has almost proven to me that his floor is pretty solid and his floor is higher than Scotty Miller's ceiling. I don't think he has much shiftiness to his running ability and I don't think he will improve much on that with coaching. Godwin is more dangerous in slot than Palmer will ever be. That is perfectly fine. Breshad Perriman in 2019 was an ultra productive perimeter receiver with just straight line speed and jump ball catching ability. If Palmer can become that 2019 version of Perriman for his whole career, he would easily be among the 32 best WRs of the league and I absolutely think it will play out that way. He also could be a very good return man, but I don't want him doing that.@MJW , what do you think the best version of Palmer could look like? .

5) Dave Canales: This is a low hanging fruit, but this is a tier below for me in terms of excitement. Mainly because I think this O-line will be a liability throughout the season and we won't get a good understanding of how good this offense is. Our RBs will routinely get tackled 2-3 yards behind los and I think the right side of the line will be a disaster, with Mauch also looking a bit like a liability lacking power. Still the guy comes with a different offensive philosophy and has to be more creative than Leftwich, which is a pretty low bar. He has a chip on the shoulder QB and an impressive roster of WRs (down to at least WR#4 in Jarrett).

6) Keith Armstrong: I'm excited for him in a different way. I'm excited that this will be the last season he will have a job, with Bucs or even the NFL. Since Gruden's firing and Bissacia leaving, Bucs always had a mediocre STs unit, but the mediocrity was more because of horrible FG kicking and occasionally weak legged punting, balancing out decent coverage units. Now it seems the opposite. The coverage units have been trash. I understand folks are high on Camarda, but the dude is inconsistent af and needs a kick on the butt as well. Anyways, this is the trashiest coverage unit I've ever seen as a Bucs fan. Why this guy wasn't fired during the off season, I don't know. But I'm excited that Keith Armstrong will be D O N E in Tampa.

[Central_Buc]

I'll say I'm more excited seeing what the Rookies can bring and how the 2nd year players like Goedeke progress and show improvement (hopefully). I feel like the Running game could be underrated.

From a season prospective it's a strange because one hand you want to see the National media and doomsayers proven wrong and a good season and deep playoff run.

On the other hand, if they're right then it's all about securing that top pick to get the best QB possible with the 2024 QB class.

[Cheb]

The entire pass rush group.

Will Shaq prove that he's back? Will JTS become the player we always hoped he'd develop into? Will Kancey flash at undertackle or will he hit the rookie and injury wall? Are Nelson or Diaby going to step up as that third edge rusher, or even force JTS to the bench due to their play? How will Greg Gaines fit into the mix? Is Logan Hall finally going to learn that wasting his time handfighting is a bad thing or is he going to keep his first class ticket to Bustville? Is Gholston going to find his second wind at 32 years old and push for base DE reps again?

The only guy there who I don't have questions about is our absolute stud of a nosetackle.

Vita's gonna Vea.

[Snake]

Kancey. I need to see it to believe it that his play can translate given some of the shortcomings, so to speak. If it does, sky is the limit.

and this might be a weird one, but Zyon McCollum.

Excited might be the wrong word. But they need him to be a player, badly. The most athletic CB ever tested, by the conventional metrics. Played against absolutely awful competition. NB is a specific skillset. I’m not concerned that he didn’t earn that spot. he’s a boundary corner if everything works out. Just curious to see it.

[Bootz]

Don't know if excited is the word but I'm most anxious about Wirfs playing LT. There's so much at stake for him and the team quite frankly. He's been arguably the best RT in football since he entered the league and we're asking him to move to the other side. How quickly will he adjust? What will it mean for him at the negotiating table? So many questions there. I'm curious to see how this unfolds.

[kaimaru]

1) Todd Bowles: I didn't want Bowles to be the head coach after the debacle of a full season in 22. He simply looked like he was not prepared to be a head coach despite this being his second stint. I still have many of the same concerns. But it was obvious during the draft that Jason Licht and the Glazers were going to do everything within reason to give Bowles a fair shot for redemption. After watching the preseason, it is quite apparent to me that a defensive coach who loves speed and blitzing has a plethora of new tools to get crazy with. Combine the fact that this is probably a do or die year for Bowles, with rest of the football world looking at Bucs as bottom feeders (check Vegas odds, we are back to where we belong, the doormat tier), there is strong incentive for Bowles to coach with a reckless abandon. This desperation is why I'm crazy excited for our defense overall. Since the end of dynasty D days, it was Bowles in 2019 who brought some identity to Bucs defense with his cut throat style blitzing. That was his chance to prove himself on a new team and 2023 Bucs season has a similar "new" vibe imo. I think we will see a resurgence of no risk it no biscuit on D.
[/qoute]

He was given the job in MARCH. I am sure HE WAS unprepared by Brady unretiring. He was Also hamstrung by Arian's "keep the family together/no one loses jobs" last year is on Arians not Bowles. Fuck Arians for last year.

4) Trey Palmer: Another gem of a find by Licht. I understand it's only preseason against backups, but Palmer's strengths (straight line speed, underrated ability to high point the ball and contested catches in crowded zones) are what we would see in CFB highlight clips and what we saw in preseason. There is high possibility that there is no more upside to his game than that, but for a 3rd best WR on any roster, that is plenty enough. He has almost proven to me that his floor is pretty solid and his floor is higher than Scotty Miller's ceiling. I don't think he has much shiftiness to his running ability and I don't think he will improve much on that with coaching. Godwin is more dangerous in slot than Palmer will ever be. That is perfectly fine. Breshad Perriman in 2019 was an ultra productive perimeter receiver with just straight line speed and jump ball catching ability. If Palmer can become that 2019 version of Perriman for his whole career, he would easily be among the 32 best WRs of the league and I absolutely think it will play out that way. He also could be a very good return man, but I don't want him doing that.@MJW , what do you think the best version of Palmer could look like?

I have to assume you are not working off analysis from people who breakdown plays, bc he was used in a lot of roles at Nebraska. He wasn't a go route like Evans ALWAYS was (well 2/3 snaps) in Arian's offense. I think he has more utility than you think. More like a Godwin lite as he had to block ALOT.

[MJW]

I'll give you my top ten:

1) Tristan Wirfs, Left Tackle
If he can make the transition as seamlessly as we think he can, he could end up as the best left tackle in football. No reason why not.

2) Sean Tucker
Kid is good. I watched every touch of his Syracuse career. If not for the medical flags, he's looking at 3rd Round. IMHO his skill set is closer to being Jahmyr Gibbs than an UDFA. I said when we signed him I thought he'd end up winning the #2 job (stopped clocks, I know.) I would not be shocked if he ends up #1 before it's over.

3) Ryan Neal
For a guy being counted on bigly, not a ton is known about his talents. The metrics folks love him. He's young, he's got measurables. It's not exaggerating to say his level of play will directly, materially relate to Ws and Ls, and if he bombs there's not much behind him.

4) Chris Godwin
This feels like a crossroads year. Despite respectable yardage totals, he hasn't shown nearly as much explosiveness since his injury (9.8 YPC is gross.) If he's going to spend the rest of his prime being the guy we remember from 2019, it needs to start here. It's been two full seasons. If not, I doubt he gets another deal in Tampa, which would suck.

5) Vita Vea
Why the hell wouldn't I be excited to watch one of the best two-gap linemen of his era? Not everything has to be new and shiny!

6) Logan Hall
Take note, I will never dog a defensive lineman for a slow rookie year. While the learning curve has gotten softer at other spots, it's gotten steeper at defensive tackle in this era. But you need to show something, even if it's just setting an edge.

7) Trey Palmer
Another guy I've watched. I don't think he's quite what the hype machine has cast him as this preseason. But the speed/explosiveness is legit, and it's something we've lacked - save for the odd Scotty Miller bomb - for some time.

8) Christian Izien
I was told about him by a Rutgers hardcore I'm friends with. I think casting him as a nickel is brilliant. Don't get me wrong, he's limited. But Bowles is putting him in a position to succeed and I think he will.

9) Jake Camarda
We're literally watching the beginning of the career of a guy who'll end up on our all-time team.

10) Deven Thompkins
Have we had a worthwhile returner since Peanut died?

Bonus: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, Quinn Ewers, etc.
Enough said.

[mdb1958]

Greene
Kancey
Diaby
Jarrett
D White
Hainsey
R White
Merriweather
Evans
Izien

[Grahamburn]

Rachaad White.

[Doctor]

How high is your hopium tolerance?

[mdb1958]

Fake word.

[Nobody]

I'm most interested in seeing a Mid/Outside Zone run scheme with boundary/edge fit challenging motion/action as the base substrate for the offense.

I've always been of the opinion generally that forcing the fun fits to process laterally and move laterally routinely and then going with Duo and Man/Gap doubles as a wrinkle is absolutely better than the inverse. And I would say its better in both ways; its better because Mid/Outside Zone is more technically/processing demanding for offensive players so requires more rep/mastery and its more difficult to adjust to 2 x hosses suddenly flying off the ball into your pads after you've been on skates physically and mentally trying to deal with Outside Zone run fits the bulk of the game.

And, of course, you have the shenanigans that challenge the backside and the Safety/overhang defender that is coming down to contain so they have to honor it rather than just attacking the line of scrimmage or down the line.

And, of course, rampant play action and layered passing game that threatens the entirety of the field horizontally as well as an over route for the vertical component of things.

So very interested in how that plays out. Conceptually, this offense should generate a lot more lay-ups and schematic advantages (or at least remove disadvantages of defenders not having to honor counters and just pinning their ears back with a processing-lite cognitive space) than what was going on last year.

[mdb1958]

I wonder how Charles Sims would have been in this offense. Because of scrambling I wonder if the RB's will get longer passes.

[Jonny]

I'm most interested in seeing a Mid/Outside Zone run scheme with boundary/edge fit challenging motion/action as the base substrate for the offense.

I've always been of the opinion generally that forcing the fun fits to process laterally and move laterally routinely and then going with Duo and Man/Gap doubles as a wrinkle is absolutely better than the inverse. And I would say its better in both ways; its better because Mid/Outside Zone is more technically/processing demanding for offensive players so requires more rep/mastery and its more difficult to adjust to 2 x hosses suddenly flying off the ball into your pads after you've been on skates physically and mentally trying to deal with Outside Zone run fits the bulk of the game.

And, of course, you have the shenanigans that challenge the backside and the Safety/overhang defender that is coming down to contain so they have to honor it rather than just attacking the line of scrimmage or down the line.

And, of course, rampant play action and layered passing game that threatens the entirety of the field horizontally as well as an over route for the vertical component of things.

So very interested in how that plays out. Conceptually, this offense should generate a lot more lay-ups and schematic advantages (or at least remove disadvantages of defenders not having to honor counters and just pinning their ears back with a processing-lite cognitive space) than what was going on last year.

Please help a layman out by typing the above in layman.

[TonyLip]

Plain and simple

Trey

[Nobody]

I'm most interested in seeing a Mid/Outside Zone run scheme with boundary/edge fit challenging motion/action as the base substrate for the offense.

I've always been of the opinion generally that forcing the fun fits to process laterally and move laterally routinely and then going with Duo and Man/Gap doubles as a wrinkle is absolutely better than the inverse. And I would say its better in both ways; its better because Mid/Outside Zone is more technically/processing demanding for offensive players so requires more rep/mastery and its more difficult to adjust to 2 x hosses suddenly flying off the ball into your pads after you've been on skates physically and mentally trying to deal with Outside Zone run fits the bulk of the game.

And, of course, you have the shenanigans that challenge the backside and the Safety/overhang defender that is coming down to contain so they have to honor it rather than just attacking the line of scrimmage or down the line.

And, of course, rampant play action and layered passing game that threatens the entirety of the field horizontally as well as an over route for the vertical component of things.

So very interested in how that plays out. Conceptually, this offense should generate a lot more lay-ups and schematic advantages (or at least remove disadvantages of defenders not having to honor counters and just pinning their ears back with a processing-lite cognitive space) than what was going on last year.

Please help a layman out by typing the above in layman.

See that photo? That is Outside Zone from Pistol and 12 personnel (2 TE, 2 WR, 1 RB). Notice the OL are outflanking their defenders or climbing to the 2nd level to outflank LBs if the OL is uncovered (no DL across).

You’ll see one iteration or another of this a lot.

Now imagine either that Wing TE on the right side of the formation or the Slot receiver comes hard under the formation at the snap. You’ll see a lot of that sort of misdirection action. Then you might see another layer of wrong-footing the defense with play-action or play-action boot with layered crossing routes and maybe that Wing TE coming under the formation on a Slide route. Or maybe play-action the Outside Zone run, fake a Bubble Screen to the Slot and then go Screen to that TE on the left side of the formation.

Etc etc.

Expect a lot of things like that to give edge and overhang (defenders who are off-ball and somewhere between defending slot and stacked with the front 7; that “B” defender outside of the Wing TE in the diagram below) something extra to process so they can’t just get downhill.

[GreatTimes]

The scheme calls for the offensive line to be quick to get in position to block the D linemen. Last year the Nose tackle would split the Center and Right Guard and meet the RB in the backfield. Defensive linemen beating the Bucs offensive line at the point of attack happened a lot last year.

[Doctor]

Well....

[Bootz]

Looks like someone is tanking for the #1 pick next year

[Buc2]

Looks like someone is tanking for the #1 pick next year

I laughed.

[Jonny]

Please help a layman out by typing the above in layman.

See that photo? That is Outside Zone from Pistol and 12 personnel (2 TE, 2 WR, 1 RB). Notice the OL are outflanking their defenders or climbing to the 2nd level to outflank LBs if the OL is uncovered (no DL across).

You’ll see one iteration or another of this a lot.

Now imagine either that Wing TE on the right side of the formation or the Slot receiver comes hard under the formation at the snap. You’ll see a lot of that sort of misdirection action. Then you might see another layer of wrong-footing the defense with play-action or play-action boot with layered crossing routes and maybe that Wing TE coming under the formation on a Slide route. Or maybe play-action the Outside Zone run, fake a Bubble Screen to the Slot and then go Screen to that TE on the left side of the formation.

Etc etc.

Expect a lot of things like that to give edge and overhang (defenders who are off-ball and somewhere between defending slot and stacked with the front 7; that “B” defender outside of the Wing TE in the diagram below) something extra to process so they can’t just get downhill.

That is very good to know. Thank you for putting time into a second post!. If the scheme naturally gives a slight advantage to our underwhelming O-line, we will definitely field a much better offense than we did last year even if Baker is leading this one compared to the GOAT.

[Selmon Rules]

I don't know that I am excited to see anything in particular on this team but I am interested in seeing if the right side of the line can function and at least not be a liability

[Pelagic_and_Pewter]

Excited to see Canales call his 1st regular season game and the "new look" offense.

[Noles1724]

Don't know if excited is the word but I'm most anxious about Wirfs playing LT. There's so much at stake for him and the team quite frankly. He's been arguably the best RT in football since he entered the league and we're asking him to move to the other side. How quickly will he adjust? What will it mean for him at the negotiating table? So many questions there. I'm curious to see how this unfolds.

This.. if back side protection is top tier, it'll only benefit baker/wr.

The move will have a domino affect across the board

[Brazen331]

Glad to see many are more enthused about this season than me.

[McFan]

I think Baker Mayfield is a very intriguing "watch" this season. Was never sold on Todd Bowles' motivational skills, but Baker makes this team interesting.

[Moozician]

AWJ seems to improve every game he plays...

[real bucs fan]

Kancey got me excited, can’t lie

[Terry Tate]

I don't know what I would have said before the game but after? Devin White.

He looked like his brain caught up to his feet. He made good, disciplined decisions and still had his elite physical traits. Now that it's a contract year, we might see the player we hoped for.

[BuccaNOLEer]

I don't know what I would have said before the game but after? Devin White.

He looked like his brain caught up to his feet. He made good, disciplined decisions and still had his elite physical traits. Now that it's a contract year, we might see the player we hoped for.

And this might be the only year we see it. I've seen guys like him. Once they get the big fat contract, it's back to their old ways.

[Grahamburn]

I don't know what I would have said before the game but after? Devin White.

He looked like his brain caught up to his feet. He made good, disciplined decisions and still had his elite physical traits. Now that it's a contract year, we might see the player we hoped for.

And this might be the only year we see it. I've seen guys like him. Once they get the big fat contract, it's back to their old ways.

You’re not wrong. It would make me leery.

I think it depends on him as much as it depends on the season we have. If it’s rebuild time you may let him go.

If they extend Baker maybe you try to keep Devin and Bowles’ defense intact.

[BuccaNOLEer]

And this might be the only year we see it. I've seen guys like him. Once they get the big fat contract, it's back to their old ways.

You’re not wrong. It would make me leery.

I think it depends on him as much as it depends on the season we have. If it’s rebuild time you may let him go.

If they extend Baker maybe you try to keep Devin and Bowles’ defense intact.

Which will bring them to a hard decision. Keep Devin or keep Evans/Godwin. There's no way there will be enough money for all three.

[Grahamburn]

You’re not wrong. It would make me leery.

I think it depends on him as much as it depends on the season we have. If it’s rebuild time you may let him go.

If they extend Baker maybe you try to keep Devin and Bowles’ defense intact.

Which will bring them to a hard decision. Keep Devin or keep Evans/Godwin. There's no way there will be enough money for all three.

Wirfs and Winfield also need extensions.

[Cheb]

You’re not wrong. It would make me leery.

I think it depends on him as much as it depends on the season we have. If it’s rebuild time you may let him go.

If they extend Baker maybe you try to keep Devin and Bowles’ defense intact.

Which will bring them to a hard decision. Keep Devin or keep Evans/Godwin. There's no way there will be enough money for all three.

As of today, we have $58 million in cap space for next season (10th-most in the NFL), and can create more via cuts and restructures. To pick two moves out of a hat, we clear up $20 million by restructuring Carlton Davis and Vita Vea.

We have some guys we need to resign for sure. Mike Evans, Devin White, and Antoine Winfield I'd say are guaranteed, and depending on how the year shapes out other guys could become priorities.

I am not worried about next year's cap. The only way that would change is if Baker balls out so much that he's looking at a huge extension, in which case I'd wish him the best and collect that sweet comp pick.

[Grahamburn]

Which will bring them to a hard decision. Keep Devin or keep Evans/Godwin. There's no way there will be enough money for all three.

As of today, we have $58 million in cap space for next season (10th-most in the NFL), and can create more via cuts and restructures. To pick two moves out of a hat, we clear up $20 million by restructuring Carlton Davis and Vita Vea.

We have some guys we need to resign for sure. Mike Evans, Devin White, and Antoine Winfield I'd say are guaranteed, and depending on how the year shapes out other guys could become priorities.

I am not worried about next year's cap. The only way that would change is if Baker balls out so much that he's looking at a huge extension, in which case I'd wish him the best and collect that sweet comp pick.

Let's define balling out in his quality of play, statistics, and end of season record.