Players looked to bail?
Mike Evans really wanted to get the hell out of town, though maybe not as badly as Rachaad White. Joe is beginning to wonder if Evans wasn’t the only starter.
The Bucs defense quit on Bucs coach Todd Bowles last year. If that sounds harsh, Joe will soften the statement and suggest the defense tuned Bowles out.
Five times in the second half of the season, either Lavonte David or Baker Mayfield or Bowles unloaded on the defense for playing soft, uninspired, lazy football. Bowles teed off twice, including his rare outburst of foul language after the gutless loss to Atlanta on Thursday Night Football.
David, who himself may be gone into retirement, also lashed out at his defensive teammates twice. Joe must be clear: David is tight with Bowles and has said on the record if Bowles had been fired after the 2025 season, he would have already retired.
Now, look what is happening. Evans had enough and allegedly took less money to go to San Francisco. Third-and-28, man.
Jamel Dean also left. People think Bowles and Dean were close but Joe has heard they weren’t that close lately. They had a good professional relationship but weren’t kin. Joe knows Dean was frustrated late last season. Perhaps he got fed up.
Now Joe isn’t saying Logan Hall leaving for Houston is a massive hole. But Hall was solid in what Bowles asked him to do: Eat blocks and clog holes. He got a chance to go back to the same city where he played his college ball and play for a loaded defense.
Perhaps Evans, Dean, White and Hall all coudn’t wait to get out of town?
The Bucs have been pretty quiet since Monday in free agency, other than getting starting inside linebacker Alex Anzalone, a solid pickup, and Kenneth Greenwell, a really good backup running back. Now, Joe has to believe free agents saw Evans bail for less money and thought if a Hall of Fame receiver is done with the team, maybe there is a reason and they should be careful considering Tampa Bay?
It’s hard to sign players who are reluctant to sign.
The new league year starts at 4 p.m. and there’s no doubt about it: The Bucs are a worse team than they were two days ago, with at least three holes in the starting defensive lineup that could grow to four if David hangs up his cleats.
Oh yeah, and no Hall of Fame receiver.
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“Third-And-28!”