The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gearing up for their 50th season as a franchise. It doesn’t feel all that long ago that they were playing games in The Ole Sombrero, but here we are — 50 years, 11 Hall of Famers, and two Lombardi Trophies later.
There have been plenty of great moments in Tampa Bay. From the move from Tony Dungy as head coach to Jon Gruden, Tom Brady signing with the Bucs in 2020, to the infamous shutting down of the vet on Ronde Barber’s pick six, Buccaneers fans have seen plenty.
They have also seen a slew of great players make their way through Tampa Bay. Players like Lee Roy Selmon, Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Mike Alstott, Simeon Rice, Doug Williams, Brad Johnson and James Wilder have all roamed the sidelines of the Bay in Tampa.
From the creamsicles to the red and pewter, there has been plenty of greatness in this great city.
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That is what makes this next question difficult. Who would we choose, if we could, to re-sign with the Bucs on the current squad that they currently have?
After examining the roster, it came down to two positions: linebacker and defensive tackle. Yes, one could make the case for Barber to sign, considering the unknown surrounding rookie corner Benjamin Morrison. And yes, the same could be said for outside linebacker or defensive end, considering the Bucs’ lack of actually getting to the quarterback recently.
However, we have landed here. And with further evaluation, it seemed the best fit for the Buccaneers to re-sign defensive tackle Warren Sapp to their current squad.
Sep 28, 1997; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp (99) in action against the Arizona Cardinals at Tampa Stadium. The Bucs defeated the Cardinals 19-18. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images
I know, I know, why choose a guy to play on the interior when we have guys like Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey? Let me tell you.
Sapp, a former first-round pick out of Miami, was one of the most dominant forces up the middle in NFL history. A seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and AP Defensive Player of the Year sure does sound nice, doesn’t it?
Well, what about his attitude problem? Good. Yes, the Bucs have emphasized the type of player they want in the locker room over recent years, but having a player with a mean streak, such as Sapp, would be a great addition to a room with such high character as he did during his playing days with Brooks, Barber, and Lynch.
Now, this would relocate Kancey to a backup role, but who wouldn’t want to see two beasts in Vea and Sapp attacking quarterbacks? Having Kancey slide back into a rotational role with the likes of Logan Hall, Greg Gaines, C.J. Brewer and newly acquired Elijah Roberts, who can play inside and out, would be a force to be reckoned with, especially in a Todd Bowles defense.
As mentioned, this one was tough. But I believe this would help the Buccaneers tremendously as it would take even more pressure off the edge rushers, allowing them to get back to the quarterback faster and finish plays. We could have gone with any of the aforementioned legends, but bringing in a big, ugly, mean player like Sapp would be an ideal situation for the Buccaneers in 2025.
