What did the Buccaneers lose?
A loss?
Someone will have to fill Joe in. Perhaps it’s the effect of fantasy football, where names and perceptions are more important than results and statistics.
You’ve heard it, and so has Joe. Baker Mayfield’s detractors feel the Bucs will struggle this season as a result of his presence. Yeah, it sounds strange, but that’s what many prognosticators attempt to push.
Veteran NFL writer Vic Tafur of The Athletic isn’t sure whether Mayfield’s stellar year last year is a positive thing for the Bucs’ short- or long-term prospects.
Reading between the lines, you can see Tafur believed the Bucs should have been in the spring quarterback sweepstakes. But Tafur, who wrote that he believes the Bucs are an under-bet on season-win totals of 7.5 (which means he believes the Bucs will lose at least 10 games this fall), has more reasons to bet against them than Mayfield.
I also see a defence that has lost Shaquil Barrett, Devin White, and Carlton Davis.
OK, Joe believes Tafur has a point with Carlton Davis. Yes, Joe is in the minority here. Davis was still the Buccaneers’ finest cornerback. That is a hole till he can be replaced. Can Zyon McCollum accomplish that? We will see.
But those comments about Shaq Barrett and Devin White, really? Begin with Shaq. Joe thinks the world of the guy, but he only had a half-sack in his last nine games as a Bucs pass rusher, including the two playoff games.
A half-sack in the last nine games is embarrassing. What exactly are the Bucs losing besides a name there?
Devin White? Dude got benched! Does Tafur not know this? When was the last time a club was predicted to lose a season because a backup player left? A back-up!
White had 83 tackles last year, ranking 40th among all linebackers. When was the last time a club was projected to suffer a losing season after losing a linebacker who ranked No. 40 in regular-season tackles?
Joe suspects that all of his Buccaneers information came from the Red Zone Channel.
