Todd Bowles Has Brutally Honest Comment About 1 Player
TAMPA, FL - JUL 27: Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles smiles as he listens to some of his players during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp on July 27, 2021 at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It sounds like Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was not satisfied with his team's kicking game this season.
During his radio show on Wednesday, Bowles made a point to say that kicker Ryan Succop's lack of range was an issue during the season.
“Ryan was very efficient this year, but we’ve got to be able to kick longer field goals than we’ve kicked," Bowles said, via FOX Sports' Greg Auman. "I think we’ve got to get past 47 yards, be able to kick from 50, 55 yards as well.”
Succop made 24-of-25 extra point attempts and was 31-of-38 on field goal tries, but long-distance kicks gave him particular trouble.
The veteran made just 2-of-7 attempts from 50 yards or longer, which was the worst conversion rate in the league for kickers who attempted five or more 50-plus yard kicks.
Succop, 36, has kicked for Tampa Bay the last three seasons, and has a non-guaranteed salary for $3.75 million for 2023. He could find himself a salary cap casualty if the Bucs want to look for a kicker with a stronger leg.
Of course, given their overall offensive struggles, it would also help if they could find the end zone more in 2023, which would decrease their overall reliance on field goals.
