It’s inevitable that the NFL will expand the regular season to 18 games.
Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David isn’t interested.
“I’m going to straight up say I hope it don’t happen,” David said recently on The 33rd Team podcast, via JoeBucsFan.com. “The season is already long as it is. The 16-game season was long as it [was]. . . .
“Even though it is just one more [game], it would feel like five more. It’s a physical game, football. . . . That’s a lot of added stress to the body.
“Me, personally, I hope it don’t happen. I hope, maybe I’m not in the league when it does happen. Hopefully.”
Chances are that David, 34, will be retired by the time the expansion to 18 games happens. But it will be happening.
At the latest, it’ll happen when the current CBA expires, in 2031. It could happen, in theory, at any time before that. Nothing prevents the NFL and the NFL Players Association from agreeing to any terms, at any time.
NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said last month that talks have already begun. We’ve suggested that the union push back a little harder, in order to get the best possible deal if the players agree to 18.
When the players agree to 18.
They eventually will, because the owners are willing to shut the sport down for a season to get what they want, and the players aren’t. The best thing the union can do is huff and puff and ultimately agree to the best possible deal when the owners blow down the house for 18 games.
Besides, plenty of younger players seem to be inclined to agree to an extra game. Especially since it will lead to extra money.
So get ready. Like it or not, 18 games are coming.
And then, in time, 19.
And then, in time, 20.
Earlier this year, Tom Brady kicked the door open on possibly returning to the NFL during the 2024 season. He has yet to slam the door shut.
And if he ultimately unretires for the second time, he’d be only the third person to play at 47 or older. And he’d be the first quarterback to play at that age.
He definitely still could. His arm will stay strong into his 50s. As to his mobility, he hasn’t lost much because he never had much. By the end of his career, he had perfected the art of sensing a collapsing pocket and getting rid of the ball before he got blown up by someone half his age — even if it meant throwing an interception, or two.
Brady will start working for Fox this year. He’ll have to follow current quarterback play closely. It might make him more inclined to come back, once he sees what current players are doing and he realizes he could still do it better.
Where would he fit among other quarterbacks? Former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis recently suggested that, with the 49ers, Brady would be a top-5 or top-10 player at the position. This year, however, the 49ers don’t need him. (Last year, they were interested.)
If/when starting quarterbacks go down, will Brady’s phone ring? It depends on the backup, and on other options. It also hinges on the willingness of the team to bring him in and let him play right away.
Is it likely? No. Is it possible? Absolutely.
The Buccaneers officially ended guard Sua Opeta’s season on Friday.
Opeta tore his ACL in practice on Tuesday night and the team has now placed him on injured reserve. Even if Opeta’s injury didn’t require the long recovery period needed after a ligament tear, he would be ineligible to return this year because he went on the list before the cut to 53 players.
The injury ends Opeta’s push to win the left guard job and that leaves Ben Bredeson as the likely starter at that spot for the Bucs.
In addition to announcing the Opeta move, the Bucs also announced the signing of linebacker Jay Person. The Bucs are currently practicing without edge rusher Yaya Diaby because of an ankle injury and Person gives them some more depth in that area.
The Buccaneers have received some initial positive news on outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who was carted off the field during Thursday’s practice.
Per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, X-rays on Diaby’s ankle were normal. Diaby still has to undergo an MRI later on Thursday but the Buccaneers are optimistic that Diaby avoided a serious injury.
Diaby, 25, recorded 7.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hits as a rookie in 2023.
The Buccaneers also have a bit of an injury concern in their secondary. Head coach Todd Bowles said during his Thursday press conference that safety Jordan Whitehead could miss several days of practice with a sore quad.
Whitehead, 27, is back with the Bucs after spending the last two seasons with the Jets. He recorded four interceptions with nine passes defensed with New York last season.
The Buccaneers saw a key member of their defense go down with an injury at Thursday’s practice.
Edge rusher Yaya Diaby had to be carted off the field after going down during a drill. Diaby was not putting weight on his left leg before getting onto the cart.
After practice, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters at a press conference that Diaby injured his ankle. He said he did not have an update regarding the prognosis and that the team is “hopeful” Diaby avoided a major injury.
Diaby had 7.5 sacks during his rookie season and his presence became more important to the defense when Randy Gregory opted not to report to training camp last month.
Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs said that contract talks with the team were going well this week and they reached the finish line on Thursday.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Wirfs and the Bucs have agreed to a five-year, $140.63 million contract extension. Wirfs was under contract for 2024, so he is now tied to the Bucs through the 2029 season.
Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht said recently that Wirfs deserves to be the highest-paid tackle in the league and the agreement puts him in that position.
Wirfs was a first-round pick in 2020 and he helped the team win the Super Bowl as a rookie. He was a first-team All-Pro the next season, a second-team All-Pro in 2022 and he’s been a Pro Bowler the last three seasons despite switching from right to left tackle in 2023. Thursday’s deal shows the Bucs are banking on continued productivity for a player who has given them no reason to doubt he’ll remain among the best tackles in the NFL.
Buccaneers offensive lineman Sua Opeta injured his knee in Tuesday night’s practice, and an MRI confirmed the bad news.
Opeta tore his ACL and is out for the season, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Opeta was competing with Ben Bredeson for the starting left guard job, which was left vacant by Aaron Stinnie’s departure for the Giants in free agency.
Opeta signed a one-year deal with the Bucs in March after starting six games for the Eagles last season and appearing in seven others. He played 527 snaps in 2023.
The best way for a rookie wide receiver to make an impact is to form a connection with their quarterback and it appears that’s going on for Jalen McMillan in Tampa.
McMillan was a third-round pick in April after finishing up his run at the University of Washington. He hurt his knee early in his final year with the Huskies, which helped him get overshadowed by Bears first-rounder Rome Odunze and Patriots second-rounder Ja’Lynn Polk on his way into the NFL.
During an appearance on NFL Network, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said he thinks the rookie is “back to true form” and Mayfield shared his opinion that McMillan’s true form is that of “a stud.”
“He’s a guy that runs so smooth,” Mayfield said. “He does some things at the top of his routes — he’s so friendly to the ball — that veterans do.”
The Bucs have a couple of veteran stalwarts at the top of the depth chart in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but McMillan could earn playing time alongside them if he’s impressing the team’s coaching staff as much as he’s impressing Mayfield.
Buccaneers offensive lineman Sua Opeta injured his knee in Tuesday night’s practice.
Coach Todd Bowles was uncertain the severity immediately after practice.
“I’ve got to go in and see how bad,” Bowles said, via video from pewterreport.com.
Opeta was competing with Ben Bredeson for the starting left guard job, which was left vacant by Aaron Stinnie’s departure for the Giants in free agency.
Opeta signed a one-year deal with the Bucs in March after starting six games for the Eagles last season and appearing in seven others. He played 527 snaps.
Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs sounds confident that he’ll have a new contract soon.
Wirfs said on Monday morning that he hoped to have an agreement before training camp but is happy with how close they’re getting.
“It would’ve been nice for it to have been done already, but that’s part of the business,” Wirfs said. “I was here all offseason training. Everyone knows I like it here. We’re working on getting it done. It’s been good.”
Wirfs said he wants to be cautious and not injure himself in training camp, but that holding out altogether is not something he would do. Wirfs indicated that he and head coach Todd Bowles are on the same page about him getting a reduced workload while he tries to stay healthy ahead of an anticipated contract agreement.
“I talked to Coach Bowles about it,” Wirfs said. “I’ve got to be out here. It’s just not in my DNA.”
Wirfs said they’re getting closer and working on the last details of a long-term agreement.
“It’s all been good. We’re just trying to work out some little things. I think we’re moving, the past couple days have been really, really good,” Wirfs said.
Bucs G.M. Jason Licht said Friday that he’s optimistic a Wirfs deal will be done soon, and with Wirfs saying something similar today, there’s every reason to believe a long-term contract will get done.