A brand new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts each Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Every week, the Pewter Reporters sort out one other robust query. This week’s immediate: What can the Bucs study from the Eagles’ success as Tremendous Bowl LIX champions?
Scott Reynolds: Bucs Can By no means Have Too Many Good Defensive Linemen
Bucs DTs Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
All of us witnessed the Eagles’ destruction of the Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl LIX and the way it began alongside the line of defense. Eagles basic supervisor Howie Roseman and Bucs basic supervisor Jason Licht suppose alike in that soccer is a recreation gained within the trenches. Licht has spent a whole lot of premium draft capital on each side of the road of scrimmage in constructing a formidable offensive line and line of defense.
This has been evident in the truth that Professional Bowler Vita Vea, Logan Corridor and Calijah Kancey – Tampa Bay’s high picks in 2018, 2022 and 2023 – all mixed for 20 sacks in 2024. However Licht must do higher at exterior linebacker, because the Bucs want an alpha edge rusher able to double-digit sacks reverse Yaya Diaby, who led the unit with 4.5 sacks final yr.
Roseman has gone to the acute to construct Philadelphia’s line of defense for the reason that crew drafted defensive finish Derek Barnett within the first spherical. Barnett wasn’t an enormous draft hit and hasn’t been in Philly for the reason that 2023 season. However since Barnett was drafted, Roseman continued to stockpile defensive linemen within the draft at an virtually absurd price, including defensive finish Josh Sweat, who had 2.5 sacks within the Tremendous Bowl, within the fourth spherical in 2018.
Since Sweat’s choice, Roseman has drafted 12 – twelve! – defensive linemen (tackles and edge rushers) during the last six years. Out of these 12, seven stay on the roster and 5 are starters within the Eagles’ 3-4 defensive entrance.
Defensive lineman Milton Williams, a third-rounder in 2021, had two sacks, a compelled fumble and a fumble restoration within the Tremendous Bowl. Defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter have been back-to-back picks out of Georgia in 2022 and 2023, and outdoors linebacker Nolan Smith was additionally a first-round choose in 2023. Davis had a sack in Tremendous Bowl LIX, whereas Jalyx Hunt, a third-rounder in 2024, had half a sack on Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night time. Licht must proceed the apply of discovering high quality defensive tackles, as Corridor is in a contract yr and Vea simply turned 30. And do higher at discovering pass-rushing exterior linebackers.
Matt Matera: Bucs Want One other Sport-Altering Linebacker
Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs and Eagles LB Zach Baun – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tampa Bay has had a game-changing linebacker for a number of years with Lavonte David, who will finally be within the Bucs Ring of Honor. We additionally should be real looking concerning the outlook of the Bucs linebacker room and their chief. David is 35 years previous. He’s nonetheless taking part in at a excessive stage, which is nearly unparalleled for a linebacker at his age and in right now’s recreation, however there are some flaws.
Go protection is one in every of them and it gained’t get any higher if he desires to play subsequent season. What Zack Baun simply did for the Eagles is strictly what Tampa Bay wants.
There are such a lot of areas during which Baun has impacted the sport for the Eagles. He recorded 152 tackles on the season, placing him at sixth within the league. Whereas the Eagles don’t blitz all that a lot, he nonetheless managed to sack the quarterback 3.5 instances and he was a turnover machine with 5 compelled fumbles and an interception. This additionally earned him his first All-Professional. These numbers are what David used to provide.
Baun was even higher within the postseason, recording an interception within the Wild Card recreation after which one other in final night time’s Tremendous Bowl, which led to a landing for the Eagles as they finally gained in a lopsided affair. Baun impacted the sport in every single place for the Eagles this season and within the playoffs. The Bucs can’t depend on David to try this anymore if he returns. They could have that with SirVocea Dennis, however his accidents are a priority. Perhaps simply signing Baun in free company is one of the best answer.
Bailey Adams: Producing Takeaways Can Make A Main Distinction
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Whereas there’s lots to study from the way in which the Eagles constructed up their cross rush, one other side of what Philly did so properly that Tampa Bay wants to duplicate is producing takeaways. If you happen to have been to pinpoint the most important points with the Bucs’ protection this previous season and within the final couple of years, there’s little question {that a} lack of takeaways can be an enormous a part of the dialog. Todd Bowles’ unit simply has not carried out a great job of taking the ball away, and it’s one thing the Eagles did exceptionally properly all yr and all through the playoffs.
The Bucs had simply 18 takeaways within the common season, which ranked across the center of the pack in comparison with the remainder of the NFL. They’d the third-fewest amongst playoff groups, and their seven interceptions tied them with the Commanders for the least of any of the playoff groups. The Eagles, then again, ranked high 5 within the league with 26 takeaways. Turnover differential clearly takes the offense’s giveaways under consideration, however Philadelphia’s plus-11 differential and Tampa Bay’s minus-5 mark is a stark distinction.
As a lot disparity as there was between the Bucs and Eagles defenses by way of common season takeaways, the playoffs served as one other reminder of simply how far-off Bowles’ protection is from being a game-changing unit. Tampa Bay did not pressure a turnover in its Wild Card loss to Washington, whereas Philadelphia compelled 4 Inexperienced Bay turnovers within the Wild Card Spherical, two Los Angeles turnovers within the Divisional Spherical, 4 Washington turnovers within the NFC Championship Sport and three Kansas Metropolis turnovers within the Tremendous Bowl.
All through their playoff run, the Eagles compelled 13 takeaways and turned the ball over simply as soon as. That’s successful soccer. The Bucs offense must do its half to contribute to a greater differential in 2025, but when there’s one thing that may be gleaned from the Eagles’ success, it’s that the Bucs completely want some ballhawks and playmakers on their protection. Some must emerge, some must reemerge and a few actually must be added. There’s no actual science to it, but when it’s an space the place Tampa Bay improves in 2025, that would make a big distinction to the crew’s championship aspirations.
Josh Queipo: Exterior Additions Are A Key Part to Elevating A Crew’s Roster
Bucs GM Jason Licht and QB Baker Mayfield – Picture by Cliff Welch P/R
No basic supervisor is ideal with regards to the draft. Probably the most profitable GMs miss on 50% of their picks. So, whereas “build through draft,” is completely one of the best path to create the premise for a Tremendous Bowl roster, it can’t be the one technique. Eagles GM Howie Roseman is aware of that.
Eight of the Eagles’ 22 offensive and defensive starters have been free agent or commerce additions. These included linebackers Zack Baun and Oren Burks, security C.J. Gardner-Johnson, cornerback Darius Slay Jr., proper guard Mekhi Becton, extensive receivers A.J. Brown and Jahan Dotson and operating again Saquon Barkley. Brown and Dotson have been each acquired by way of commerce whereas the remainder have been free agent additions.
Roseman paid close to top-of-the-market cash for Slay Jr., Brown and Barkley whereas he took flyers on Baun and Becton. It was a strong mixture of confirmed performers and upside performs that allowed him to go with his drafted core.
The Bucs have an identical core in place now. Nearly their complete offensive and defensive strains are homegrown. Similar with their receiver, tight finish, linebacker and secondary rooms. The Bucs beginning protection final yr was comprised fully on gamers drafted by Tampa Bay. Jordan Whitehead is a bizarre hybrid so if you wish to say 10 of 11, high-quality. Their offense featured 10 of 12 starters that have been drafted by Licht. Solely quarterback Baker Mayfield and left guard Ben Bredeson began their careers exterior away from the Bucs.
Evaluate that with the crew’s 2020 Tremendous Bowl roster that featured 5 exterior gamers on offense: Tom Brady, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Jensen, and Leonard Fournette. That crew additionally had three starters on protection who weren’t homegrown in Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett who helped push the Bucs excessive.
Licht has the core in place. He has the cap flexibility and may have the money obtainable from possession to make two to 5 key strikes that may assist complement the present roster to get the Bucs excessive.
Adam Slivon: Investing In The Secondary Actually Does Pay Off
Eagles CB Cooper DeJean – Picture by: USA At the moment
Tremendous Bowl LIX was the newest instance that defenses do win championships. The Eagles protection made Patrick Mahomes uncomfortable all night time lengthy. Whereas a whole lot of credit score should go to Philadelphia’s entrance seven for recording six sacks and never permitting Mahomes an opportunity to undergo his reads, the secondary additionally shined.
Trying again on the 2024 NFL Draft, basic supervisor Howie Roseman pulled off an absolute freeway theft by drafting cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who starred all year long. If that wasn’t sufficient, DeJean had one of many greatest performs on the most important stage on his twenty second birthday, getting a 38-yard pick-six off Mahomes within the second quarter making it a 17-0 recreation.
Jason Licht is aware of firsthand the impression of drafting a gifted younger defensive again key to successful a Superbowl, deciding on Antoine Winfield Jr. within the 2020 NFL Draft. Not solely did Winfield infamously taunt Tyreek Hill with a peace signal, however he additionally recorded an interception and was a key a part of being one other stain on Mahomes’ legacy.
Badly needing playmakers on protection, the Bucs might add life to the unit by including younger ballhawks. Outdoors of Winfield, the one different defensive again on the roster with plus ball abilities is Zyon McCollum. Whereas the Eagles had the possibility to completely tackle their secondary points within the draft because of a plus entrance seven, Licht won’t be afforded an identical alternative with the crew badly needing inside and outside linebacker assist. Nonetheless, he ought to acknowledge how a lot investing within the secondary pays off and may result in hoisting – and throwing – the Lombardi Trophy.
