The Buccaneers handled several veterans during the offseason, but one key player remains without a new deal: Chase McLaughlin. And in the view of Pewter Report’s salary cap expert Josh Queipo, that omission stands out.
McLaughlin may be a kicker, but he’s not being treated like an ordinary one in the conversation around Tampa Bay’s roster. The argument here is straightforward: when you look at value relative to position, he belongs in rare company. The source material makes the case that no one really argues against McLaughlin being a top five kicker in the NFL.
That’s the center of the latest Bucs Cap Convo, where Scott Reynolds and Queipo dig into how kicker value should be measured. The discussion turns on the familiar balancing act between accuracy and distance, and where McLaughlin fits when those traits are weighed against each other. It also gets into the bigger financial picture, with the rising salary cap making it increasingly likely that Tampa Bay’s top scorer is headed for a major payday.
PewterReportTV has launched Bucs Cap Convo as a regular video series, with episodes usually running eight to 12 minutes. The show is built around Queipo’s salary cap analysis, covering topics like contract extensions, salary cap cuts, player valuations, salary cap space, and the decisions facing general manager Jason Licht and assistant general manager Mike Greenberg.
The channel already has 24,600 subscribers and is also home to the Pewter Report Podcasts. Those podcasts air live at 4:00 p.m. ET on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the regular season, plus a post-game episode usually about an hour after each Buccaneers game.
The latest episode focuses on McLaughlin, and Pewter Report is encouraging fans to watch, weigh in, and share their thoughts on the kicker’s future.
In Other News...
Todd Bowles Had A Sideline Scare During Bucs' First Win
The Buccaneers first win of the season came with a brief sideline scare for Todd Bowles, who was caught up in the kind of post-play celebration that can get chaotic in a hurry. Late in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys, Tampa Bay was erupting after an interception and a run by Buccaneers players when Bowles took a shot in the stomach from a helmet, turning a moment of relief into a few tense seconds on the sideline.
Bowles was seen grimacing and dropping to one knee before being reported as okay shortly after, which allowed the focus to shift back to a much-needed victory. The incident was part of the emotional release that followed the play, though reports did not identify which player made the celebratory contact. [Read more 🡒]
Dak Prescott's Postgame Frustration Has Cowboys Fans Debating This Team
The Cowboys left Thursday night with another loss, and the postgame mood around AT&T Stadium turned testy almost immediately. Dallas dropped to 2-3 after falling to the Buccaneers, and what should have been a straightforward reaction to a rough defeat quickly shifted when Dak Prescott took issue with a stadium workers comment about the result being embarrassing.
Prescott made clear he can live with blunt criticism, but he was bothered by the way the exchange unfolded after he noticed the comment. For Tampa Bay, it was the kind of road win that does more than add to the standings, because it also leaves the opponent sorting through frustration, accountability and a little bit of drama long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Sideline Scare Added Tension To A Much-Needed Bucs Win
The Buccaneers finally got the result they needed, beating the Cowboys 24-16 for their first win of the season behind rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels. It was a much-needed lift for a team that had spent the first month looking for something to stabilize around, and getting to 1-4 at least gives Tampa Bay a little breathing room heading into next weeks matchup with the Steelers.
The win came with a brief scare on the sideline when Todd Bowles was seen down on one knee and appeared to be dealing with discomfort before getting back up and saying he would be okay. For a team already trying to find its footing, even a moment like that can add tension to an afternoon that should have been about relief, and it only underscored how much the Bucs needed a cleaner, calmer path to their first victory. [Read more 🡒]