Colin Cowherd has a blunt response to Buccaneers star's comments
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not exactly being viewed in a rosy light by the national pundits, to put it mildly. Several writers and talking heads have pegged the Bucs to struggle in 2023 following the retirement of Tom Brady. It's not hard to see where they're coming from, at least on the surface. Despite […]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not exactly being viewed in a rosy light by the national pundits, to put it mildly. Several writers and talking heads have pegged the Bucs to struggle in 2023 following the retirement of Tom Brady.
It's not hard to see where they're coming from, at least on the surface. Despite coming off another playoff appearance and division title, an 8-9 regular season mark with a year-long struggle on the offensive side of the ball revealed some warts in Tampa Bay.
And what was the team's solution to the gaping hole left behind by Brady's retirement? The former #1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, who struggled mightily last season in Carolina and Los Angeles. That single decision is the main factor keeping experts jaded on the team's 2023 outlook.
It was no different for one very outspoken national radio and television host, who had a blunt response to Carlton Davis's outspoken comments regarding subverting expectations in 2023 after the retirement of Brady.
"Three wins," Cowherd said. "Four wins. Defensive coach. Backup quarterback. Four wins. Maybe five because the division stinks.
Cowherd sees Davis as a possible solution to helping the Bucs get better – but as trade fodder to build assets to help the team in the future.
If I was the Buccaneers, I'd move off Carlton Davis at the trade deadline because they have two young corners I like. He's one of them. (Jamel) Dean is the other, I think. He's gonna be an interesting guy at the trade deadline. If Tampa is bad early – Week 6 and they're one and five – you've got to start thinking about moving some of those defensive parts, getting draft picks, and getting help for Caleb Williams. Colin Cowherd, The Herd
Davis was drafted by the Bucs in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft and the team signed him to a 3-year, $44.5 million contract extension in March 2022. Davis restructured his contract in March 2023 to create almost $11 million in cap space for 2023. As a result, he currently has a cap hit of $20.5 million and a dead cap hit of $14.069 for 2024. In theory, Davis could be a trade candidate, although an additional extension or restructure would lessen that cap number.
The problem is the team is extremely thin at the position behind both Dean and Davis, with Zyon McCollum and Dee Delaney the team's top two options. Neither is a viable starter on the outside at this point.
There's trading for picks, and there's making a move that makes your team significantly worse. For what the team would acquire (likely a mid-round pick at best) versus the step backwards, it doesn't seem like a move the team would make.
Nonetheless, add another detractor to the Bucs 2023 campaign, except this one sees a season so bad for Tampa Bay that it could land the team a huge key to success in 2024 and beyond. I think most Bucs fans would happily take that.
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Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
