May 15, 2025 • 19 mins
Team Reporter Casey Phillips, Senior Writer/Editor and Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix talk about all the latest Bucs news in this week's edition of Bucs Insider. The team discussed recent roster moves, the top news from rookie minicamp and the most anticipated games of the 2025 schedule.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome into Bucks Insider, coming to you from the Buck Studio,
presented by a ticketmaster, Casey Phillips here with Scott Smith
and Breed Dix and man, we got a lot to
talk about here.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
For it to be off season.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Between schedule released last night and we had Rookie Mini
Camp and National Coaching Academy, and it just feels like
there's been so much going on in this building. And
we got to have a media availability with some assistant coaches,
which is always great that they're especially the coaches we
don't always get to hear from on a regular basis
because they're not necessarily in the you know, the coordinator
roles or that kind of thing. So a ton to
talk about before we get to all of that. I know,
(00:29):
we did have some roster moves, a wild thing. No,
we don't typically say in the offseason as much we
say it sometimes, but yeah, I'm like, h we got
we now officially have enough football happening that there are
roster moves going on.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
To tell us what we talked about the before the
Rookie Mini campeller are about thirty four players here on
tryout contracts, and that we didn't discuss any of them
specifically because most of them we're not going to be
around past the weekend. But generally every year we do
sign one or two of those guys. And in this case,
we'd signed Iowa linebacker Nick Jackson, who played something like
seventy three college games and wow, I think think five hundred.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
And fifty five tackles.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
That's so so, I mean, the guy's been productive like crazy.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
We'll see.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
And then a defensive lineman from Penn State, so we did,
you know, some big ten shopping, Devon J. Thomas, which
I think is a legally changed last name for what
it used to be.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I like that because you don't see that a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, And then to make room for them, we waved
another rookie we'd sign named Anthony Landfeir, and a linebacker
we got in January named Deon Jennings not to be
confused with Dean Jones. Yes, the veteran linebacker's still here.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Okay, yes, that's good clarification.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So now, also, you know, last show we talked about
how we'd found out some of the rookie numbers the
draft picks had chosen their numbers.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Will now we've been given them, yeah, or been assigned them.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yes, they don't always have as much choice for rookie
would just this is your jersey.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Take it early.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
So now we have some of the new veteran numbers
of guys that just joined the team. So we've got
Hassan Reddick is five, Anthony Walker is three, Charlie Heck
is seventy seven, Riley Dixon is ninety two, and Kendall Bildur,
which is still my favorite name, is twenty two.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Okay, you've already started shaking your head.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, well you just said Riley Dixon is ninety two
without saying also that Riley.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Dixon is the punter.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, you see that in college, But I don't remember
the last time I saw a punter in the NFL nineties.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, hey, I did look about big numbers too.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Then they can have numbers in the nineties. That's a
very recent change, so there's a lot wider range. We've
never had a punter that wasn't one to nineteen before,
so it's kind of crazy. Anthony Walker, I mean, three
is kind of unusual for a linebacker, but he's from Northwestern,
so I'm sure his judgment is good. And then yeah,
it's still getting hard I think we talked.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
About this the other day. It's just still.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Hard to get used to guys like edge rushers in
a five or an off ball linebacker and a three.
I mean Kendall wigldor twenty two perfect.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yeah, I don't know. It's hey, it's given them a
lot more opportunity. They can choose what they want. It's
just a little hard to get used to it.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I thought about making a joke that that's maybe as
high as the Northwestern guy could count, but I still
did it.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I decided against it, and then I decided a joke.
I'm gonna do it. I have to, Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So now we also wanted to get more into Rookie
Unicamp because last week when we did the show, it
had just started that there'd only been kind of one practice,
a little bit to go off of.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
But then there were a few other days.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
We have more news, more things we can report about
how some of the guys looked again with the caveat
that its shorts and T shirts. Coaches always give all
those statements of this is not representative necessarily, but I
know that ironically, one of the people we talked about
in that limited window ended up being someone we wanted
to talk about again, Brie.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
So, cornerback Jacob Parrish has absolutely played incredible throughout rookie
mini camp. He had two interceptions, which those are the
only picks of roocky mini camp the coaches have said so.
On on Saturday, when the Bucks moved into the indoor
facility due to weather, he had his second interception, which
(03:47):
I thought was just an incredible playing kind of.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Showcases his skill set.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
He was originally lined up inside, then quickly diagnosed moved outside,
showed kind of his fast feet and transition they change
of direction skills, and then quickly closed on the ball
to get the pick undercut the receiver. So excited to
see what he's able to do.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And then Todd Bowles.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Dubbed him the fastest player on the field on Friday, and.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I think he saw that speed.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
He was in coverage with that pick on Saturday. So
and then Jacob Parrish even said I'll be even faster
when I fully learned this scheme and kind of get
everything down and get my feet wet, so.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
He'll play faster.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
Yes, excited to see what he does throughout training camp.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
The real reason I went who was because I actually
didn't see that playment. It happened and we were running
the clip and it was the first time I'd seen it.
I was impressed by the catch that wasn't like right
here and I was out in front.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Of like this, you know, makes bulls happy, That's.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
What I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And again, I think it was maybe Kevin Russ or
Nick ropohone when the coaches were talking talking about how
Jamal Dean, for instance, had several interceptions in his hands
last year, and it's like it's been a bit of
an issue for our cornerbacks in recent years. They're just
not taking advantage of their turnover opportunities and that's one
of the reasons why we only had seven picks last year.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
So we we.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Try to find ballhawks, right, You call them ballhawks because
maybe they have the stats in college, but to see
the actual hands.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, that was encouraging, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Iluys think it's interesting During Ricky Muntiicamp, typically most people
are paying attention to the draft picks for obvious reasons,
and a lot of times undrafted guys don't really get
a lot of attention until or unless they make the roster,
unless there's something very unique or interesting about their stories.
So of course, you know, Shiloh Sanders, Desmond Watson, they
have gotten a lot more attention than the average undrafted
(05:31):
guy for a few different reasons. And of course one
like that's what Desmond Watson ends up getting talked about,
is the fact that he's so big, Right, That's been
the storyline. But I know when he addressed the media,
he talked about how he's like that that's not the
whole thing of what.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I want to be known as.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yeah, and he's obviously you said they have not variety
for a certain reason, and his was he weighed four
hundred and sixty four pounds in Florida's Pro Day and
so when he signed with the Buccaneers, he became the
heaviest player in NFL history. I mean, he hasn't played
a game yet, but you know what I'm saying, and
he acknowledged that. I mean, he's I was impressed with
his overall demeanor. He's a very very upbeat guy. He
(06:04):
wants to play football, and he was he acknowledges that
he's not running from it, that he's like, yeah, I
guess I made history, but I don't want that to
be my narrative. You know, I want to be known
as a good football player, which is something he controls. Yeah, right, Yeah,
and so it'll be good to see him pursue that goal.
And it would be nice one day for it. Thinks
it feels like it would be nice one day for
us to be talking about a player like Desmond Watson because.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Of something he did on the field, Yes, and rather
than on the scale like stopping the touch push. So
good luck for it. I mean, I think a lot
of us are wishing him luck in his efforts.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And related to that, you know, we talked about how
coaches were made available and we got to hear from
Charlie Strong, which of course a lot of Tampa people
knew him from his time at USF as well.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And so I also have to do a slice with.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Him in addition to his media availability. So we're excited
for that to come out, for you us to hear
a little bit more from him. But something he talked
about both in my slice and his open media time
was that he had actually gone to scout Elijah Cans's
high school.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Now I specifically said.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Elijah Cancey's high scho well, not Elijah Cantcy.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
That's what he discussed is.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
That Elijah brought it up to him when he came
down here, like, you know, you were scouting my high
school a lot, but not me.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
What is what's up with that? And he was like,
because I was too short?
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Huh?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I was too small huh.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
And Charlie Strong was like, look, man, if I had
known he would turn into this, I would.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Have been scout.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And I thought that I really loved the chip on
the shoulder that now to the coach that he gets
to be like, you missed out on me.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Man.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
That's a pretty well known program, right it is. Yeah,
and it produces a lot of players.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Even if it only produced Levante and Calijah, that's not bad.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Year every year.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
And yeah, and apparently Collija was not the top on
the list, and he made sure to remind Charlie Strong
of that, which appreciated. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I thought that was really great.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So, yeah, there was a lot of great things that
came out of all the different assistant coaches media time,
so you can check.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
All of those out.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And another one was we got to hear from coach
McGahee for the first time special teams coach since that
rule change.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
About kickoff at the owner meeting. So let's go ahead
and listen to what he had to say about that.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
Uh, it'll it'll be a lot more returns. You know,
the difference between percentage wise between the ball being at
the thirty and the being at the thirty five is huge. Like,
that's a big, big difference. And uh, I can promise
you head coaches are not gonna want that ball. You know,
defensive head coaches are not gonna want that ball at
the thirty five. You get a you know, you get
(08:24):
a first down here in field goal range. And uh
so it's it's it's gonna change the game a lot.
It'll it'll change how things are, how rosters are gonna
be built. It's gonna change how the game will be played.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, always great to get his take on things. What
were your thoughts listening.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
To him, Well, he said he you talked about it
a lot in a couple of different instances, But he
said something that I think you might remember me saying
when they were talking about this rule and I was
hoping that would not pass. And just to review, if
anybody doesn't remember, they kept the dynamic kickoff from last
year with the two lines lined up vegetationary near each other,
and uh, but one tweak they made was to move
(09:02):
if it is a touchback, the offense starts at the
thirty five now instead of the thirty. I'm old enough
to remember when it was the twenty. Yeah, so it's
it's changed a lot. And my opinion was that's too
punitive with the kickers nowaday nowadays. It happened in our
Dallas game with that amazing kicker that they have. They
got like one first down on the drive and the
(09:23):
guy makes a sixty two yard field goal. That's exactly
what coach t Max said. He said, offensive coaches in
particular are defensive coaches. I mean, like Todd Bowles are
not gonna want to give the ball, the offensive ball
to thirty five. They could get one first down. I
mean it would be like a twenty yard first down
and kick a field goal. And usually if you get
a team off the field after one first down, that's
a good defensive stretch. So he believes, and I think
(09:44):
he's right that the teams are not gonna be selling
for kickoffs like they did before. And he says you
could have four or five six more kickoffs a game.
I think how much more important that play is now.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Ye.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Yeah, And so that's gonna change how rosters are constructed.
Maybe your fifty second and fifty third guys are another
linebacker or defensive back who's good at coverage rather than
a seventh defensive tackle or something like that, or eighth
offensive lineman. So that's going to open some opportunities for
some players.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I think it's going to make end of game situations
a lot more interesting to game plan for. So I
like it in that sense of just there's a lot
more intrigue now of.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Making the decision because it used to be, especially if you're.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Facing a team that has like a Devin Hester like
potential return guy, where you're very nervous about kicking to them.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
It always will be just touched back.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
We don't want to risk this, we won't bother with it.
But now you have the other end of it, well,
now we don't want to risk that, especially if you're
only it's a three point type game, one two three
point game. And so I'm like, man, this is going
to be fascinating to see what coaches decide which is
the riskier thing in their mind of kicking it off
and giving them that chance or giving them the chance
from the thirty five and I love it.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
From that, I would suspect it will take a while
for teams to fall into what their normal pattern is
because they're gonna want I would suspect early on to
try to cover kicks and it's kind of okay, we're
good at this. We always almost always stopping four to thirty.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Then we're going to keep doing that.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
If you have a leaky coverage unit and you're giving
up some long returns, like you said, maybe they.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Won't risk it him that.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah, special teams is going to be even more important
of a kicker that can precision kick and the coverage
unit that kicks do what they need to do.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
I don't have a problem with special team is being important.
Yeah that's fine, But I just think.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, this is a lot much, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
So I know, we also got to hear from coach
Larry Foot and talking specifically about David Walker.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
So, Brie, what did you learn about what they think
of him? So the video went around on social media.
So David Walker was a fourth thron selection, So it
showed in the war room. Larry Foot gives Jason Light
a gigantic hug and then immediately yells super Bowl baby,
and he kind of emphasized and to explain what he
kind of meant by that, which Larry Foot said that
(11:51):
he was a little bit biased because he himself was
a fourth throng draft pick, but he said that when
he the first time he was in the Super Bowl
with the Pittsburgh Steelers, team was made up of a
lot of mini Ron guys, whether it was fourth round
six shron guys, even some undrafted guys. So he said,
I think if you do a good job drafting in
those middle rounds, you're setting yourself up to win a
(12:11):
Super Bowl. And he said that I was really impressed
with that we were able to get that caliber of
player in the fourth round. And then really all throughout
Rockey Minnie Camp, David Walker has been absolutely dominant, like
showing the burst off the line of scrimmage, which is
kind of the big thing in college for him at
Central or Arkansas, but just I mean quickly bypassing blockers,
(12:33):
and I'm really excited to see what he's able to
do during training camp and kind of is able to
use both the quickness and strength in his past rush repertoire, so.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be really I mean, I
did an event last night actually with Jason Light for
one of our corporate sponsors, and we talked about the
idea of how Jason Light loves to address positions both
in free agency and in the draft, and it's always
a great way to attack things from both sides. So
the signing of the San Reddick and then the drafting
David Walker, I know he was saying that they felt
really good about making a pass rush better, which is great.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
So now I know.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Also another coach we talked to is Nick Ripone, and
I think that this is going to be a really
interesting position group to watch this year is kind of
the safety position because it's like, all right, Antoine Winfield,
cool check. But man, outside of that, there's a lot
up in the air of who's going to be playing
next to him, what is that going to look like,
and how does it affect the rest of the secondary.
So he spoke about how important that would be to
(13:27):
have guys that could maybe do multiple things.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Yeah, and the Bucks and Todd Bowles's coaches have emphasized that,
I think in recent years, and you've seen it become important,
like last year as he pointed out, Christian izy and
played four different positions, So I think that means slot corner,
outside corner in that one game, and then both safety
positions at some point because we had so many guys
in the secondary getting hurt and sometimes multiple guys at
the same position, So it only makes sense if guys
(13:51):
can handle it to cross train a good number. Not
everybody like I don't. I think Jimmel Diane is an
outside cornerback, right, Yeah, but Tyke Smith is right now
training at strong safety which he may start at, and
slot corner, which he looked good at last year. Christian
is he and who we know is seeing action all
over the place, is currently training at free safety, which
he wouldn't be the starter right now because they anthwer wingfield,
(14:12):
but again you never know ye and slot corner Antoine
complain the slot. Jacob Parrish could probably play in the slot,
but guys you pointed out last se coach Bowles was
adamant that he's an outside corner first first, and then
also complain in the slot. So the more guys you
have like that, the better, and not every guy can
handle it. But if you if we could keep finding
guys like that. It gives you a lot more flexibility
(14:34):
and you can do some things even when everybody's healthy,
that you are the other that the offense isn't expecting.
So they see Christian isn't out there at some other spot,
like why is he there?
Speaker 4 (14:43):
What are they doing?
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah? The confusion, which you know Bowles loves to be
able to confuse that offers.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
Yeah, And I also loved that Nick opponents said that
they had kind of gone back to what they did
during the Super Bowl year where they have the cornerbacks
and safeties meeting together collectively to kind of foster that
dialogue where guys can come lean across the room and say, Okay,
what did you see here on this plan?
Speaker 4 (15:03):
What are you doing?
Speaker 5 (15:03):
And I think that's gonna really boost communication on the
field throughout the year and then being able to kind
of communicate through what they're seeing in the second area
for sure.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
All Right, and then we're gonna close with just a
few schedule thoughts that the schedule released last night. If
you have not seen it, check it out on the
Bucks Socials website everywhere. And of course, the schedule release
video that we did with former Buccaneer head coach John Grudens.
If you haven't seen that, make sure you check that out.
We thought we'd each just kind of give one thought
of something that we're looking forward to or interested in.
I know Scott and I did a full schedule release
(15:31):
reaction video that went out last night, so we gave
many thoughts there, so if you want all of our thoughts,
to visit that. But for now, Brie, tell me what
stands out to you about that of what you're looking
forward to.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
I am really.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Excited for the Week seven when Ant football game against
the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, and I just think
that atmosphere. We've gone to Detroit the last several years,
it seems like, and I feel like that's really grown
into a rivalry with that team, two physical teams going
head to head, and I feel like it has that
playoff atmosphere. And for those that don't know, the press
(16:04):
box is open air in that stadium, so I just
feel like the am Beyonce. It's a lot of fun
and I think that's going to be a really really
big game primetime stage.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
That's a game that I'm definitely looking for.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Trip to Detroit since twenty nineteen, which is no other
team outside of our division have we gone there three
times more than three times in this span, so to
create a nice little rivalry that keeps happening. And yeah,
those have been most of them been a really good game.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yes, yeah, I can't wait to watch that especially.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
I hope that just everyone is like healthy, both teams,
like you know, when we were without Tristan wurfs of
that game. It just feels like I want to see
these two teams at full strength go head to head.
I think that's going to be a lot of fun. Scott,
how about you? What game stands out.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Even before we knew what the schedule was, but even
more so now. I love the Rams game. I don't
know that game has intrigued me for a while. I
just think the Rams are one of the most interesting
teams in the NFC because last year was supposed to
be building here for them and they Yeah, they did
all that right, and they seem to have been able
(17:06):
to reinvent themselves several times. I think they're a sneaky
top NFC contender. And you know, we obviously think the
Bucks are too, and probably still not getting quite getting
the're due despite being the only NFC team to make
the playoffs each the last five years and win a
Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
But whatever.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Yeah, I think that matchup is so interesting, especially when
like the Rams for years were known for their GM
always saying FM picks right, that they just kept trading
away all these draft picks, and of course Jason Light
having the exact opposite strategy of like, we are building
totally through our draft picks practically that it's so interesting
to watch how these two teams have both been able
to kind of instead of when people expected them to rebuild,
(17:41):
been able to reload, but done it in very different ways.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I think that's a fun one.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Well, they they f to their first and their early picks.
They usually had a lot of picks, and they hit
on a number of fourth and fifth rounders, and that's
why they've been able to stay good and then but
you're right, though, they did it again this year Devonte Adams.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Now they a Cooper Cup.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
It moved on from Cooper Cup and immediately replaced with
DEFNT the ads to go with Puka and Nakua. Matthew
Stafford still get it done at age thirty seven. It's
it's a big challenge and it's gonna be on that
one's on Monday Sunday at football, right, Yeah, Sunday night football.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Yeah, which is gonna be interesting from a schedule standpoint
of then having to fly back and you are not
getting in till.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Hours of the next day. So yeah, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
And my thought was I'm excited for these Saints games
mainly because I'm just like, what is this gonna look like?
I'm just so intrigued him now that we've gotten the
official news on Derek car because we've been waiting on
that for a long time of how's that shoulder?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
What's going on?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
And then they draft a quarterback and what are they gonna,
you know, how is this gonna look? And so now
we know officially no Derek Carr. And so by the
time we play them that first time, what are they
gonna have decided? What are they gonna figure it out?
Is it gonna be whoever they decide to go with
week one? Is that still gonna be the case by
the time we face them. I just love a sort
of quarterback decision being up in the air, knowing that
(18:54):
we're gonna play them twice and who knows who's gonna
be at the helm both times and what that's gonna
look like.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
So I think that's gonna be a fun one to
to check out.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
I wish we got him earlier in the season.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Yeah, before they got.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
A chance to figure sort themselves out, I know, right.
All right, Well, that's gonna do it for us on
this edition of Bucks Insider. Thanks so much for being
with us, and we'll see you next time.
Welcome into Bucks Insider, coming to you from the Buck Studio,
presented by a ticketmaster, Casey Phillips here with Scott Smith
and Breed Dix and man, we got a lot to
talk about here.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
For it to be off season.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Between schedule released last night and we had Rookie Mini
Camp and National Coaching Academy, and it just feels like
there's been so much going on in this building. And
we got to have a media availability with some assistant coaches,
which is always great that they're especially the coaches we
don't always get to hear from on a regular basis
because they're not necessarily in the you know, the coordinator
roles or that kind of thing. So a ton to
talk about before we get to all of that. I know,
(00:29):
we did have some roster moves, a wild thing. No,
we don't typically say in the offseason as much we
say it sometimes, but yeah, I'm like, h we got
we now officially have enough football happening that there are
roster moves going on.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
To tell us what we talked about the before the
Rookie Mini campeller are about thirty four players here on
tryout contracts, and that we didn't discuss any of them
specifically because most of them we're not going to be
around past the weekend. But generally every year we do
sign one or two of those guys. And in this case,
we'd signed Iowa linebacker Nick Jackson, who played something like
seventy three college games and wow, I think think five hundred.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
And fifty five tackles.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
That's so so, I mean, the guy's been productive like crazy.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
We'll see.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
And then a defensive lineman from Penn State, so we did,
you know, some big ten shopping, Devon J. Thomas, which
I think is a legally changed last name for what
it used to be.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I like that because you don't see that a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, And then to make room for them, we waved
another rookie we'd sign named Anthony Landfeir, and a linebacker
we got in January named Deon Jennings not to be
confused with Dean Jones. Yes, the veteran linebacker's still here.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Okay, yes, that's good clarification.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So now, also, you know, last show we talked about
how we'd found out some of the rookie numbers the
draft picks had chosen their numbers.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Will now we've been given them, yeah, or been assigned them.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yes, they don't always have as much choice for rookie
would just this is your jersey.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Take it early.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
So now we have some of the new veteran numbers
of guys that just joined the team. So we've got
Hassan Reddick is five, Anthony Walker is three, Charlie Heck
is seventy seven, Riley Dixon is ninety two, and Kendall Bildur,
which is still my favorite name, is twenty two.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Okay, you've already started shaking your head.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Well, well you just said Riley Dixon is ninety two
without saying also that Riley.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Dixon is the punter.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, you see that in college, But I don't remember
the last time I saw a punter in the NFL nineties.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, hey, I did look about big numbers too.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Then they can have numbers in the nineties. That's a
very recent change, so there's a lot wider range. We've
never had a punter that wasn't one to nineteen before,
so it's kind of crazy. Anthony Walker, I mean, three
is kind of unusual for a linebacker, but he's from Northwestern,
so I'm sure his judgment is good. And then yeah,
it's still getting hard I think we talked.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
About this the other day. It's just still.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Hard to get used to guys like edge rushers in
a five or an off ball linebacker and a three.
I mean Kendall wigldor twenty two perfect.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yeah, I don't know. It's hey, it's given them a
lot more opportunity. They can choose what they want. It's
just a little hard to get used to it.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I thought about making a joke that that's maybe as
high as the Northwestern guy could count, but I still
did it.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
I decided against it, and then I decided a joke.
I'm gonna do it. I have to, Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So now we also wanted to get more into Rookie
Unicamp because last week when we did the show, it
had just started that there'd only been kind of one practice,
a little bit to go off of.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
But then there were a few other days.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
We have more news, more things we can report about
how some of the guys looked again with the caveat
that its shorts and T shirts. Coaches always give all
those statements of this is not representative necessarily, but I
know that ironically, one of the people we talked about
in that limited window ended up being someone we wanted
to talk about again, Brie.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (03:27):
So, cornerback Jacob Parrish has absolutely played incredible throughout rookie
mini camp. He had two interceptions, which those are the
only picks of roocky mini camp the coaches have said so.
On on Saturday, when the Bucks moved into the indoor
facility due to weather, he had his second interception, which
(03:47):
I thought was just an incredible playing kind of.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Showcases his skill set.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
He was originally lined up inside, then quickly diagnosed moved outside,
showed kind of his fast feet and transition they change
of direction skills, and then quickly closed on the ball
to get the pick undercut the receiver. So excited to
see what he's able to do.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And then Todd Bowles.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Dubbed him the fastest player on the field on Friday, and.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I think he saw that speed.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
He was in coverage with that pick on Saturday. So
and then Jacob Parrish even said I'll be even faster
when I fully learned this scheme and kind of get
everything down and get my feet wet, so.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
He'll play faster.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
Yes, excited to see what he does throughout training camp.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
The real reason I went who was because I actually
didn't see that playment. It happened and we were running
the clip and it was the first time I'd seen it.
I was impressed by the catch that wasn't like right
here and I was out in front.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Of like this, you know, makes bulls happy, That's.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
What I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And again, I think it was maybe Kevin Russ or
Nick ropohone when the coaches were talking talking about how
Jamal Dean, for instance, had several interceptions in his hands
last year, and it's like it's been a bit of
an issue for our cornerbacks in recent years. They're just
not taking advantage of their turnover opportunities and that's one
of the reasons why we only had seven picks last year.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
So we we.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Try to find ballhawks, right, You call them ballhawks because
maybe they have the stats in college, but to see
the actual hands.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, that was encouraging, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Iluys think it's interesting During Ricky Muntiicamp, typically most people
are paying attention to the draft picks for obvious reasons,
and a lot of times undrafted guys don't really get
a lot of attention until or unless they make the roster,
unless there's something very unique or interesting about their stories.
So of course, you know, Shiloh Sanders, Desmond Watson, they
have gotten a lot more attention than the average undrafted
(05:31):
guy for a few different reasons. And of course one
like that's what Desmond Watson ends up getting talked about,
is the fact that he's so big, Right, That's been
the storyline. But I know when he addressed the media,
he talked about how he's like that that's not the
whole thing of what.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
I want to be known as.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yeah, and he's obviously you said they have not variety
for a certain reason, and his was he weighed four
hundred and sixty four pounds in Florida's Pro Day and
so when he signed with the Buccaneers, he became the
heaviest player in NFL history. I mean, he hasn't played
a game yet, but you know what I'm saying, and
he acknowledged that. I mean, he's I was impressed with
his overall demeanor. He's a very very upbeat guy. He
(06:04):
wants to play football, and he was he acknowledges that
he's not running from it, that he's like, yeah, I
guess I made history, but I don't want that to
be my narrative. You know, I want to be known
as a good football player, which is something he controls. Yeah, right, Yeah,
and so it'll be good to see him pursue that goal.
And it would be nice one day for it. Thinks
it feels like it would be nice one day for
us to be talking about a player like Desmond Watson because.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Of something he did on the field, Yes, and rather
than on the scale like stopping the touch push. So
good luck for it. I mean, I think a lot
of us are wishing him luck in his efforts.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And related to that, you know, we talked about how
coaches were made available and we got to hear from
Charlie Strong, which of course a lot of Tampa people
knew him from his time at USF as well.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And so I also have to do a slice with.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Him in addition to his media availability. So we're excited
for that to come out, for you us to hear
a little bit more from him. But something he talked
about both in my slice and his open media time
was that he had actually gone to scout Elijah Cans's
high school.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Now I specifically said.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Elijah Cancey's high scho well, not Elijah Cantcy.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
That's what he discussed is.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
That Elijah brought it up to him when he came
down here, like, you know, you were scouting my high
school a lot, but not me.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
What is what's up with that? And he was like,
because I was too short?
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Huh?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I was too small huh.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
And Charlie Strong was like, look, man, if I had
known he would turn into this, I would.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Have been scout.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
And I thought that I really loved the chip on
the shoulder that now to the coach that he gets
to be like, you missed out on me.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Man.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
That's a pretty well known program, right it is. Yeah,
and it produces a lot of players.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Even if it only produced Levante and Calijah, that's not bad.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Year every year.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
And yeah, and apparently Collija was not the top on
the list, and he made sure to remind Charlie Strong
of that, which appreciated. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I thought that was really great.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
So, yeah, there was a lot of great things that
came out of all the different assistant coaches media time,
so you can check.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
All of those out.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
And another one was we got to hear from coach
McGahee for the first time special teams coach since that
rule change.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
About kickoff at the owner meeting. So let's go ahead
and listen to what he had to say about that.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
Uh, it'll it'll be a lot more returns. You know,
the difference between percentage wise between the ball being at
the thirty and the being at the thirty five is huge. Like,
that's a big, big difference. And uh, I can promise
you head coaches are not gonna want that ball. You know,
defensive head coaches are not gonna want that ball at
the thirty five. You get a you know, you get
(08:24):
a first down here in field goal range. And uh
so it's it's it's gonna change the game a lot.
It'll it'll change how things are, how rosters are gonna
be built. It's gonna change how the game will be played.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yeah, always great to get his take on things. What
were your thoughts listening.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
To him, Well, he said he you talked about it
a lot in a couple of different instances, But he
said something that I think you might remember me saying
when they were talking about this rule and I was
hoping that would not pass. And just to review, if
anybody doesn't remember, they kept the dynamic kickoff from last
year with the two lines lined up vegetationary near each other,
and uh, but one tweak they made was to move
(09:02):
if it is a touchback, the offense starts at the
thirty five now instead of the thirty. I'm old enough
to remember when it was the twenty. Yeah, so it's
it's changed a lot. And my opinion was that's too
punitive with the kickers nowaday nowadays. It happened in our
Dallas game with that amazing kicker that they have. They
got like one first down on the drive and the
(09:23):
guy makes a sixty two yard field goal. That's exactly
what coach t Max said. He said, offensive coaches in
particular are defensive coaches. I mean, like Todd Bowles are
not gonna want to give the ball, the offensive ball
to thirty five. They could get one first down. I
mean it would be like a twenty yard first down
and kick a field goal. And usually if you get
a team off the field after one first down, that's
a good defensive stretch. So he believes, and I think
(09:44):
he's right that the teams are not gonna be selling
for kickoffs like they did before. And he says you
could have four or five six more kickoffs a game.
I think how much more important that play is now.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Ye.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Yeah, And so that's gonna change how rosters are constructed.
Maybe your fifty second and fifty third guys are another
linebacker or defensive back who's good at coverage rather than
a seventh defensive tackle or something like that, or eighth
offensive lineman. So that's going to open some opportunities for
some players.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I think it's going to make end of game situations
a lot more interesting to game plan for. So I
like it in that sense of just there's a lot
more intrigue now of.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Making the decision because it used to be, especially if you're.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Facing a team that has like a Devin Hester like
potential return guy, where you're very nervous about kicking to them.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
It always will be just touched back.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
We don't want to risk this, we won't bother with it.
But now you have the other end of it, well,
now we don't want to risk that, especially if you're
only it's a three point type game, one two three
point game. And so I'm like, man, this is going
to be fascinating to see what coaches decide which is
the riskier thing in their mind of kicking it off
and giving them that chance or giving them the chance
from the thirty five and I love it.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
From that, I would suspect it will take a while
for teams to fall into what their normal pattern is
because they're gonna want I would suspect early on to
try to cover kicks and it's kind of okay, we're
good at this. We always almost always stopping four to thirty.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Then we're going to keep doing that.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
If you have a leaky coverage unit and you're giving
up some long returns, like you said, maybe they.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Won't risk it him that.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah, special teams is going to be even more important
of a kicker that can precision kick and the coverage
unit that kicks do what they need to do.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
I don't have a problem with special team is being important.
Yeah that's fine, But I just think.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, this is a lot much, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
So I know, we also got to hear from coach
Larry Foot and talking specifically about David Walker.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
So, Brie, what did you learn about what they think
of him? So the video went around on social media.
So David Walker was a fourth thron selection, So it
showed in the war room. Larry Foot gives Jason Light
a gigantic hug and then immediately yells super Bowl baby,
and he kind of emphasized and to explain what he
kind of meant by that, which Larry Foot said that
(11:51):
he was a little bit biased because he himself was
a fourth throng draft pick, but he said that when
he the first time he was in the Super Bowl
with the Pittsburgh Steelers, team was made up of a
lot of mini Ron guys, whether it was fourth round
six shron guys, even some undrafted guys. So he said,
I think if you do a good job drafting in
those middle rounds, you're setting yourself up to win a
(12:11):
Super Bowl. And he said that I was really impressed
with that we were able to get that caliber of
player in the fourth round. And then really all throughout
Rockey Minnie Camp, David Walker has been absolutely dominant, like
showing the burst off the line of scrimmage, which is
kind of the big thing in college for him at
Central or Arkansas, but just I mean quickly bypassing blockers,
(12:33):
and I'm really excited to see what he's able to
do during training camp and kind of is able to
use both the quickness and strength in his past rush repertoire, so.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be really I mean, I
did an event last night actually with Jason Light for
one of our corporate sponsors, and we talked about the
idea of how Jason Light loves to address positions both
in free agency and in the draft, and it's always
a great way to attack things from both sides. So
the signing of the San Reddick and then the drafting
David Walker, I know he was saying that they felt
really good about making a pass rush better, which is great.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
So now I know.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Also another coach we talked to is Nick Ripone, and
I think that this is going to be a really
interesting position group to watch this year is kind of
the safety position because it's like, all right, Antoine Winfield,
cool check. But man, outside of that, there's a lot
up in the air of who's going to be playing
next to him, what is that going to look like,
and how does it affect the rest of the secondary.
So he spoke about how important that would be to
(13:27):
have guys that could maybe do multiple things.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Yeah, and the Bucks and Todd Bowles's coaches have emphasized that,
I think in recent years, and you've seen it become important,
like last year as he pointed out, Christian izy and
played four different positions, So I think that means slot corner,
outside corner in that one game, and then both safety
positions at some point because we had so many guys
in the secondary getting hurt and sometimes multiple guys at
the same position, So it only makes sense if guys
(13:51):
can handle it to cross train a good number. Not
everybody like I don't. I think Jimmel Diane is an
outside cornerback, right, Yeah, but Tyke Smith is right now
training at strong safety which he may start at, and
slot corner, which he looked good at last year. Christian
is he and who we know is seeing action all
over the place, is currently training at free safety, which
he wouldn't be the starter right now because they anthwer wingfield,
(14:12):
but again you never know ye and slot corner Antoine
complain the slot. Jacob Parrish could probably play in the slot,
but guys you pointed out last se coach Bowles was
adamant that he's an outside corner first first, and then
also complain in the slot. So the more guys you
have like that, the better, and not every guy can
handle it. But if you if we could keep finding
guys like that. It gives you a lot more flexibility
(14:34):
and you can do some things even when everybody's healthy,
that you are the other that the offense isn't expecting.
So they see Christian isn't out there at some other spot,
like why is he there?
Speaker 4 (14:43):
What are they doing?
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah? The confusion, which you know Bowles loves to be
able to confuse that offers.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
Yeah, And I also loved that Nick opponents said that
they had kind of gone back to what they did
during the Super Bowl year where they have the cornerbacks
and safeties meeting together collectively to kind of foster that
dialogue where guys can come lean across the room and say, Okay,
what did you see here on this plan?
Speaker 4 (15:03):
What are you doing?
Speaker 5 (15:03):
And I think that's gonna really boost communication on the
field throughout the year and then being able to kind
of communicate through what they're seeing in the second area
for sure.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
All Right, and then we're gonna close with just a
few schedule thoughts that the schedule released last night. If
you have not seen it, check it out on the
Bucks Socials website everywhere. And of course, the schedule release
video that we did with former Buccaneer head coach John Grudens.
If you haven't seen that, make sure you check that out.
We thought we'd each just kind of give one thought
of something that we're looking forward to or interested in.
I know Scott and I did a full schedule release
(15:31):
reaction video that went out last night, so we gave
many thoughts there, so if you want all of our thoughts,
to visit that. But for now, Brie, tell me what
stands out to you about that of what you're looking
forward to.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
I am really.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Excited for the Week seven when Ant football game against
the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, and I just think
that atmosphere. We've gone to Detroit the last several years,
it seems like, and I feel like that's really grown
into a rivalry with that team, two physical teams going
head to head, and I feel like it has that
playoff atmosphere. And for those that don't know, the press
(16:04):
box is open air in that stadium, so I just
feel like the am Beyonce. It's a lot of fun
and I think that's going to be a really really
big game primetime stage.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
That's a game that I'm definitely looking for.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Trip to Detroit since twenty nineteen, which is no other
team outside of our division have we gone there three
times more than three times in this span, so to
create a nice little rivalry that keeps happening. And yeah,
those have been most of them been a really good game.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yes, yeah, I can't wait to watch that especially.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
I hope that just everyone is like healthy, both teams,
like you know, when we were without Tristan wurfs of
that game. It just feels like I want to see
these two teams at full strength go head to head.
I think that's going to be a lot of fun. Scott,
how about you? What game stands out.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Even before we knew what the schedule was, but even
more so now. I love the Rams game. I don't
know that game has intrigued me for a while. I
just think the Rams are one of the most interesting
teams in the NFC because last year was supposed to
be building here for them and they Yeah, they did
all that right, and they seem to have been able
(17:06):
to reinvent themselves several times. I think they're a sneaky
top NFC contender. And you know, we obviously think the
Bucks are too, and probably still not getting quite getting
the're due despite being the only NFC team to make
the playoffs each the last five years and win a
Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
But whatever.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Yeah, I think that matchup is so interesting, especially when
like the Rams for years were known for their GM
always saying FM picks right, that they just kept trading
away all these draft picks, and of course Jason Light
having the exact opposite strategy of like, we are building
totally through our draft picks practically that it's so interesting
to watch how these two teams have both been able
to kind of instead of when people expected them to rebuild,
(17:41):
been able to reload, but done it in very different ways.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I think that's a fun one.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Well, they they f to their first and their early picks.
They usually had a lot of picks, and they hit
on a number of fourth and fifth rounders, and that's
why they've been able to stay good and then but
you're right, though, they did it again this year Devonte Adams.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Now they a Cooper Cup.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
It moved on from Cooper Cup and immediately replaced with
DEFNT the ads to go with Puka and Nakua. Matthew
Stafford still get it done at age thirty seven. It's
it's a big challenge and it's gonna be on that
one's on Monday Sunday at football, right, Yeah, Sunday night football.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Yeah, which is gonna be interesting from a schedule standpoint
of then having to fly back and you are not
getting in till.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Hours of the next day. So yeah, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
And my thought was I'm excited for these Saints games
mainly because I'm just like, what is this gonna look like?
I'm just so intrigued him now that we've gotten the
official news on Derek car because we've been waiting on
that for a long time of how's that shoulder?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
What's going on?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
And then they draft a quarterback and what are they gonna,
you know, how is this gonna look? And so now
we know officially no Derek Carr. And so by the
time we play them that first time, what are they
gonna have decided? What are they gonna figure it out?
Is it gonna be whoever they decide to go with
week one? Is that still gonna be the case by
the time we face them. I just love a sort
of quarterback decision being up in the air, knowing that
(18:54):
we're gonna play them twice and who knows who's gonna
be at the helm both times and what that's gonna
look like.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
So I think that's gonna be a fun one to
to check out.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
I wish we got him earlier in the season.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Yeah, before they got.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
A chance to figure sort themselves out, I know, right.
All right, Well, that's gonna do it for us on
this edition of Bucks Insider. Thanks so much for being
with us, and we'll see you next time.
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