One ex-Buccaneer and one former Super Bowl winner had what felt like an online wake for the Bucs today.
It was on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long, the former Rams, Patriots and Eagles edge rusher. Long is among those that picked the Bucs to win the NFC South and now he thinks their chances are cooked. As much as Long would like to see the Bucs rise up, he said he’s not seeing how the defense can pull it off — and how the offense will recover long-term from the losses of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.
Responding on the show was former Todd Bowles Bucs defensive tackle Beau Allen. He’s a big Bucs fans and is friends with Vita Vea and other current Bucs. He talked about how impressed he is with Liam Coen and the Bucs’ performance Sunday against Atlanta. But Allen sounded in disbelief by what he’s seeing from the Bucs pass rush.
He said there’s only so much Vea can do while being constantly double-teamed.
“They need an edge rusher bad,” Allen said with a somber tone.
Allen was sort of upbeat on YaYa Diaby but down on the rest of the edge rush crew. Allen specifically noted his former teammate Anthony Nelson isn’t strong enough as a pass rusher.
While praising Atlanta, Long was clear that he doesn’t see them doing anything special because of their pass rush. Teams without a pass rusher are “anchored” in the postseason, he said.
Joe has made that point many times. It might be impossible to find a Super Bowl winner that did not have a stud edge rusher on the roster.
