Latest news with #JennaLaine
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bucs move up ESPN Power Rankings after the 2025 NFL Draft
Bucs move up ESPN Power Rankings after the 2025 NFL Draft Power rankings are always interesting to see how they can reflect upon your team and others within your division. Following the NFL Draft, groups are re-evaluating rosters and projecting them out as they get new looks and overhauls one last time before training camp and the preseason. The Bucs had one of the better drafts, which makes their rise up the latest ESPN power rankings interesting to follow. ESPN's Jenna Laine, who is the Bucs beat reporter, wrote up their ranking as they had them going up two spots from the 14th spot to 12th. For their ranking rise, they cite their improvement along the edge positions to help their pass rush as the reason why they saw a jump. Laine writes, "This is a close call between pass rushers and cornerbacks, but let's give the nod to the pass rush here. The Bucs signed a low-risk and potentially high-reward free agent in Haason Reddick, who has produced double-digit sacks in all but one season since becoming a full-time edge rusher in 2020. On Day 3 of the draft, they selected quick edge David Walker and powerful Elijah Roberts. Walker notched 31 sacks and 191 tackles at Central Arkansas. Roberts had 17.5 sacks in two seasons at SMU, and the 278-pounder can line up on the edge or inside." The Bucs' pass rush, paired with the arrival of draft picks Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison, is hopeful to be enough to improve a 29th-ranked pass defense for the Bucs. If it is, look for them to keep rising in the power rankings as the season approaches and progresses.
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where do the Bucs rank in ESPN's way-too-early 2025 power rankings?
Power rankings are always a topic for discussion, and hot off the Super Bowl coming to a close, we are already looking ahead to next season. ESPN published some way-too-early power rankings, and the Bucs are already in the thick of them as we turn the page to next year. Jenna Laine of ESPN discussed within the rankings what the team needs to focus on this offseason to improve. She said it all boils down to improving the defense as this team takes the next step. 'With the offensive coordinator situation solidified (Josh Grizzard), the Bucs really need to shore up their defense. They've had only three double-digit sack edge rushers since 2005 and none since 2021. They also had only seven interceptions in 2024 after almost double that in 2024 (13). They gave up an average of 22.6 points in 2024. . .' The defense is expected to be addressed heavily in the NFL draft as free agency may be tough to do so. The team is epxetced to only have $11 million in cap space and they have some holes to address. Bringing back Lavonte David is one major domino, but they need a handful more to contend.
