Edge rusher Haason Reddick
So the Bucs are putting a lot of hopes and dreams in edge rusher Haason Reddick being able to hunt quarterbacks this season.
So it was kind of funny — and fun — when Reddick dropped in coverage today against the Titans in a joint practice and hauled in an interception.
Reddick even chuckled about that during his chat on SiriusXM NFL Radio. He was proud of his play and his read, but he made it clear he wants to rush the passer 90 or 100 percent of the time.
It struck Joe how happy Reddick sounded. It’s hard to fake that, and Reddick isn’t a blowhard kind of guy. He’s been unhappy at other NFL stops and hasn’t been afriad to let it be known.
Reddick talked about how it’s not just his friend and Bucs position coach Larry Foote that makes him feel like he has a family in Tampa.
Reddick revealed that Bucs cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross is a friend of his father and he’s known Ross since he was a child.
Interestingly, when Todd Bowles visited the Ira Kaufman Podcast last month (new epside tonight), he noted it was Ross, not Foote, who had the critical intel on Reddick having his head screwed on right after a miserable season with the Jets.
> “I knew coming down here would be like home as well, which has made the transition easy for me,” Reddick said. “Every day’s been a great day for as far as energy.”
Reddick turns 31 next month and seems to have developed a special appreciation for iconic linebacker Lavonte David, the Bucs’ 14-year star.
> “Oh, man. Just the way that he’s still out there at practice and playing,” Reddick said. “You know, even before the joint practice today, a couple days ago, like, he’s out there Year 14, and I mean he’s out there still really like thudding guys up. Like still really getting after it. It’s amazing to see. You know, when you have somebody that played this game as long as he has, to still go out there practice the way that he does, you can see what has made him a great vet and a great leader, and why he’s been around the game so long. …He’s doing things the right way and he’s still bringing that energy.”
It’s all smiles for Reddick now, as it should be.
Joe wants to see him still fired up and happy to be playing in November, December and January. That should be a huge key to the Bucs’ chances of winning postseason games.