A new Pewter report debuts every Tuesday at Pewterreport.com. Every week, Pewter reporters address another tough question. This week’s prompt: What can the Bucs learn from the Eagles’ success as Super Bowl LIX champions?
Scott Reynolds: The Bucks never have many good defensive linemen
Bucs DTS Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
We all witnessed the Eagles’ destruction of the Super Bowl LIX chief and how it began along the defensive line. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and Bucks general manager Jason Licht believe football is the game they won with the trench. Licht spent a lot of premium draft capital on both sides of the line of scrimmage in building formidable offensive and defensive lines.
This is clear from the facts Pro Bowler Vita Vea, Logan Hall and Caryacancy – Tampa Bay’s top picks for 2018, 2022 and 2023 – 2024 combines 20 sacks for 20 sacks. Yaya Diaby led the unit in 4.5 bags last year.
Roseman has gone to extremes to build a defensive line for Philadelphia since the team drafted defensive end Derek Burnett in the first round. Burnett was not a big draft hit and hasn’t been in Philadelphia since the 2023 season. However, since Burnett was drafted, Roseman has continued to stockpile defensive linemen at almost absurd speeds in the draft, and defensive end Josh, who had 2.5 bags in the Super Bowl in the fourth round of 2018. Sweatshirts have been added.
Since Sweat’s Choice, Roseman has drafted 12 – 12! – Defensive lineman (tackle and edge rush) over the past six years. Of these 12, seven remain on the roster, with five starting the Eagles’ 3-4 defensive front.
Defensive Lineman Milton Williams, In the third round of 2021, there were two sacks in the Super Bowl, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter chose consecutive picks from Georgia in 2022 and 2023, while outside linebacker Nolan Smith was their first pick in 2023. In the third round of 2024, there was half a bag of Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night. Licht says Hall is a contract year and VEA is just 30 years old, so he needs to continue his practice of finding quality defensive tackles.
Matt Matera: Bucs need a linebacker that changes another game
Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs and Eagles LB Zach Baun – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
Tampa Bay had a game-changing linebacker with Lavonte David for several years. The outlook for the Bucs linebacker room and its leaders must also be realistic. David is 35 years old. He still plays at a high level. This is unprecedented for his age and linebacker at the game today, but it has some flaws.
Pass coverage is one of them and if he wants to play next season it can’t get any better. What Zack Boun did for the Eagles is exactly what Tampa Bay needs.
There are so many areas where Boun has influenced the Eagles game. He recorded 152 tackles in the season and finished sixth in the league. The Eagles don’t blitz that much, but he was still able to loot the quarterback 3.5 times, a sales machine with five forced fumbles and intercepts. This led him to win his first All-Pro. These numbers were created by David.
Boun got even better in the postseason, recording wild card game interception and another in last night’s Super Bowl. Boun has influenced the Eagles’ games everywhere this season and in the playoffs. The Bucs can no longer do that if he returns, relying on David. They may have it at Sirvocea Dennis, but his injury is a concern. Perhaps the best solution is to sign Boun in free agency.
Bailey Adams: Generating takeaways can make a big difference
Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
There’s a lot to learn from the Eagles building pass rushes, but another aspect of what Philadelphia did well is that Tampa Bay needs to replicate, creating takeout. When identifying the biggest issue with Bucs’ defense in this past season and the past few years, there’s no doubt that the lack of takeout will be a big part of the conversation. Todd Bowles’ unit didn’t do a good job of stealing the ball. That’s what the Eagles did very well all year round and throughout the playoffs.
Bucs was there 18 Takeout The regular season ranked in the middle of the pack compared to the rest of the NFL. They were the third-most visible among the playoff teams, and their seven intercepts were tied to the Commander because they were the least among the playoff teams. Meanwhile, the Eagles ranked in the top five in the league with 26 takeouts. The difference in turnover rate clearly takes into account the offensive prizes, but Philadelphia’s plus 11 differential and Tampa Bay’s minus 5 mark are a severe difference.
As much as it stands between the Bucks and Eagles defenses from a regular season takeout stand point of view, the gap served as another reminder to remind us how far away the Bowles defense is from being a game-changing unit . Tampa Bay could not force sales with a wildcard loss to Washington, but Philadelphia had four Green Bay turnovers in the wildcard round, two Los Angeles sternovers in the division round, and an NFC championship game He forced four Washington turnovers and three Kansas City departures in the Super Bowl.
Through the playoff run, the Eagles forced 13 takeouts and flipped the ball over once. It’s winning football. Bucs’ attacks need to play its part in 2025 to contribute to a better difference, but if there is something that can be collected from the success of the Eagles, the Bucs will definitely have some Ballhawks and Playmakers in their defense It is necessary. What needs to appear, what needs to come out again, some certainly need to be added. There is no exact science, but if Tampa Bay is an area that will improve in 2025, it could make a big difference to your team’s championship aspirations.
Josh Queipo: Adding externally is a key factor to boost your team’s roster
Bucs GM Jason Licht and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo
When it comes to drafting, the general manager is not perfect. The most successful GMS missed at 50% of the picks. So “Build Through Draft” is the best route to creating the basis for a Super Bowl roster, but that’s not the only strategy. Eagles GM Howey Roseman knows that.
Eight of the Eagles’ 22 offensive and defensive starters were free agent or trade additions. These were linebackers Zack Baun and Oren Burks, Safety CJ Gardner-Johnson, cornerback Darius Slay Jr., right guards Mekhi Becton, Wide Receivers AJ Brown and Jahan Dotson and Saquon Barkley. Brown and Dotson were both acquired through trade, but the rest was added to free agent.
Roseman paid near Top Market Money in Slay Jr., Brown and Berkley while taking flyers at Byrne and Becton. A solid combination of proven performers and upside plays helped me to complement my drafted core.
Bucs still have a similar core. The offensive and defensive lines of most of them are homemade. Same as receivers, tight ends, linebackers and secondary rooms. Last year’s Bucs Starting Defense was entirely made up of players drafted by Tampa Bay. Jordan Whitehead is a weird hybrid, so if you want to say 10 out of 11, it’s fine. Their attack featured 10 of the 12 starters drafted by Licht. Only quarterback Baker Mayfield and left guard Bembredeson began their careers outside, leaving the Bucks.
Compare that to the 2020 Super Bowl roster of a team featuring five external players in the attack: Tom Brady, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Jensen, Leonard Fullnett . The team had three homemade starters at Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett, helping to push the Bucs to the top.
Licht has a core. He has the flexibility of the cap and needs to make 2-5 important moves that will help him put the BUC on top to complement his current roster .
Adam Sribbon: Investing in a secondary really pays off
Eagles CB Cooper Dejean – Photo: USA Today
The Super Bowl LIX was the latest example of defense winning a championship. The Eagles’ defense made Patrick Mahome uncomfortable all night. Many credits have to record six bags and go to Front 7 in Philadelphia to not allow Mahomes to pass through the readings, but the secondary also shines.
Looking back at the 2024 NFL Draft, general manager Howie Roseman pulled away the absolute highway robber by drafting cornerbacks Quy Nhon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean, who starred throughout the year. If that’s not enough, Dejan had one of the biggest plays on the biggest stage On his 22nd birthday, he went from a 38-yard pick 6 Mahomes to a 17-0 match in the second quarter.
Isaiah Rogers, Avonte Maddox, Isaiah Rogers, Avonte Maddox and drafted in the fourth round of 2023 did not stop Roseman from adding Mitchell and Dejan to deepen his position. . Following a similar blueprint is not a bad idea when looking at what the Bucs need to do next season to get closer to the Super Bowl.
Jason Licht knows firsthand the impact of drafting a talented young defensive backkey to select Antoine Winfield Jr. in the 2020 NFL Draft and win the Super Bowl. Not only did Winfield provoke the infamous Tyreek hills for signs of peace, but also recorded interceptions, and was an important part of their existence. Another stain on Mahomes’s heritage.
With a terrible need for playmakers in defense, Bucs can bring their units to life by adding young Ballhawks. Outside of Winfield, the only other defensive back on the roster with plus-ball skills is Zyon McCollum. The Eagles had the opportunity to fully address secondary issues in the draft thanks to the Plus Front 7, but Licht is not given the same opportunity. Still, he realizes how much his investment in a secondary will pay off, and it could lead to a lifting. And throw it – Lombardi Trophy.
