A Second Look At Chris Braswell: Success, Failure And Mystery
August 11th, 2025
On notice?
So the Bucs’ first preseason game is about 36 hours old, which means Joe has watched it a few times and taken copious notes.
Joe blasted second-year edge rusher Chris Braswell for his pass rush failures on Saturday, but Joe also must give Braswell credit for being a “hellacious cover guy” in the kick coverage game. Todd Bowles is seeking those players and Braswell blew up his defender on the Titans’ first kickoff return and made the tackle.
Job well done.
Braswell also made a play in run defense and overall looked active there.
The Bucs drafted him to be a pass rusher, but other contributions matter, too.
What intrigued Joe is official Bucs insider Rondé Barber, the Hall of Fame cornerback and good friend of general manager Jason Licht, emphatically exclaiming on the WFLA-TV broadcast that Braswell is in a pivotal time in his young career.
“Make no mistake, this is a crucial preseason for him,” Barber said of Braswell.
Ummm, “crucial?”
Is Barber trying to say the Bucs might add an edge rusher soon if Braswell looks ineffective getting after quarterbacks? Why else might this preseason be “crucial” for Braswell? There’s no way the Bucs would cut him.
Joe doesn’t think Barber tossed that nugget out there without someone planting it firmly in his head — kind of like when Barber talked about the Bucs drafting a receiver.
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