Buccaneers pass rusher Da'Quan Bowers knows his young career in Tampa has been a disappointment. He promised Thursday the team would see a new man in 2014.
"I owe it to this organization; I owe it to this team," Bowers said, per Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune. "I've been here long enough and haven't really been that player that I know I can be. So I think it's about time I really put forth the effort to be that player I know I'm capable of being."
Bowers was cited last month as a roster-bubble candidate after he "wasn't in very good shape" upon his arrival for team workouts, according to the newspaper.
General manager Jason Licht subsequently issued a challenge to the fourth-year end, saying Wednesday that Bowers needs to "prove that he wants to make an impact with this football team."
Stop us if this all sounds familiar. After all, Bowers boldly announced last season that "anything less than double-digit sacks is a failure."
He went on to register just one takedown during a listless campaign that now leaves new coach Lovie Smith with a tough decision to make.
When the front office goes out of its way to put an underwhelming player on blast, it's not hard to read the tea leaves: If he doesn't emerge in a hurry, Bowers won't be long for the new-look Bucs.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" offers up team-by-team training camp previews of the NFC East and NFC West.
