Ryan Smith Expected To Start Vs. Browns, Redskins
August 24th, 2017
“Trending up.”
It’s force-feeding time for Bucs cornerback Ryan Smith.
The second-year defensive back was a safety last year until late in the season. Bucs officials were so impressed with his play in practice they thought perhaps they found a gem of a corner in their own backyard.
With Brent Grimes out now because of a nasty shin gash, he has (smartly) been shelved for the remainder of the preseason. Joe chatted with Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith after practice today and Smith believes Ryan Smith should start the final two preseason games.
To sum it up, the Bucs are trying to get Ryan Smith up to speed playing corner in the NFL, something he has never done in a regular-season game.Mike Smith noted the hope is Ryan Smith can, in the four Bucs preseason games, log 25 percent of the snaps he may have gotten if he was in a reserve role for the Bucs for an entire regular season.
So the term “force-feed” is apt.
While Mike Smith quickly recognizes Ryan Smith needs the work, he does see progress from his new corner.
“Trending up,” Mike Smith said. “I think he is progressing. He’s getting lots of snaps, which is good for him. He is going to get a lot again this week. We hope, at the end of preseason, he has played over a quarter of the season. That is what we are hoping in terms of number of snaps just to get him up to speed at the corner position.”
Ryan Smith didn’t have a good game against the Bengals but seemed to rebound against the Jags. Not an accident, Mike Smith said. It’s called experience.
“We are anticipating another jump in the right direction [from playing against the Browns],” Mike Smith said. “Every snap is an important snap for him because he has not played corner for us in a [regular season] game.”
August 24th, 2017 at 2:15 pm
A.K.A- “Trial by Fire”!!!
Look, he must be impressing coaches in practice and preseason if they keep trotting him out there with the 1st string D. This is good experience for the youngster because injuries are bound to happen at some point, even if for a play or two.
August 24th, 2017 at 2:16 pm
No complaints here. Miko will have Brent Miami ready.
August 24th, 2017 at 2:26 pm
He did look good last game but this is some poor planning by Licht not to shore up the backend when you have a guy that was not a safety which he was drafted to play and then hopefully luck out and he does better at corner, hopefully because there is a huge drop off after our 2 starters who are average at best and hargreaves needs to step up and show that he is worthy of that high pick and he has yet to do so
August 24th, 2017 at 2:32 pm
I’m tellin ya Joe CB is very mental and he just needs to get to a point where he isn’t thinking as much and understands this defense.
His break on the ball in Jville was really impressive. In general his acceleration / movement show he’s got the skills and upside to be a legit starting outside CB. In general he’s the most athletic and promising CB after Grimes/VHIII and it isn’t close really. His 6’0 frame is also a plus.
While he gave up a few plays in Cincy he didn’t get totally roasted. He also came up big on a few run plays running across the field. Pewterreport did a breakdown on that week 1 game and actually thought he didn’t play bad.
August 24th, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Smith is trending up the real concern at CB is how vh3 responds after his beating last week
August 24th, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Exactly what I wanted hear.
August 24th, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Doesnt matter Smith lines the corners up leaving thw recievers wide open, scared to.give up the big play. He will get beat on slants and everyone will blame.the him
August 24th, 2017 at 3:28 pm
lol does BucEmUp think this is 2014 or 2015 or something?
I can literally think of 2 plays off the top of my head where VHIII got his hand in on a slant pass and it caused an interception (1 against KC and 1 against Carolina). I think Grimes also had a pick on a slant against somebody; and I can recall a variety of pass breakups by Javien Elliot on slants too.
August 24th, 2017 at 3:37 pm
terelle pryor and corey coleman will be a nice test. ideally Kizer looks like RGIII did last year and spends most of his time in the grass, but Hargreaves and Smith will get plenty of reps blanketing guys downfield anyhow
August 24th, 2017 at 3:55 pm
Obviously we all hope Ryan Smith will be a quality NFL corner, but it looks fairly obvious to me the Bucs are in good shape with their starters VH3, Grimes and Elliott. However, we may be in some serious trouble if any of those guys has an injury because it looks like a position they are really thin at this year.
Even if the Bucs are Super Bowl champs this year I am confident they will be selecting a corner on the 1st or 2nd day of the draft next year.
August 24th, 2017 at 4:16 pm
@ Wausa
Don’t forget McClain who has been about as good as Elliot and can also play outside.
Philosophically I’m all about a front 7 >>> secondary in terms of draft capital. The Panthers started 2 rookies with no big name safeties and it didn’t matter because of their D-line & LBs.
Next year I hope we go DT/DE/OT with our top 3 picks – in really any order based on best value. Next year is also deep at RB.
August 24th, 2017 at 4:21 pm
#93’s eventual replacement has to be next year’s draft top priority.
August 24th, 2017 at 4:27 pm
Bucs.com is saying according their assessment it will be hard to keep Tui off the 53 man roster. This is excellent news considering when he was drafted. According to their Today’s Standout 5 from today’s Last day of camp. They haven’t seen Tui moved backwards at any point this entire training camp. Great job Licht & co.
August 24th, 2017 at 4:53 pm
He’s gotta play bottom line, he needs the game reps. I just hope for his sake he doesn’t have me saying OhhLawddy!
August 24th, 2017 at 5:00 pm
I’m still hoping he’s somehow a Ronde Barber like player – and keep in mind Barber didn’t really play his rookie year and looked like a bust, then the next year I think he started like 9 games and looked solid, then he exploded from there. Yeah a HOF career is a bit much and that’s not what I mean by the comparison, just that perhaps he takes a year to bake and then can contribute this year. His play from week 1 to week 2 was a HUGE step forward, but then again he was playing the Jags. I hope for the best for him, if he can contribute and not be a liability it’s a huge gain for the Bucs.
August 24th, 2017 at 5:04 pm
Nole – If Aaron Donald is really serious about not wanting to play for the Rams the Bucs should jump in on that and see what it would take to get him. With as good as McCoy is, and he’s really really good, Donald is the closest thing to Sapp that has been in the league since Sapp was here. McCoy still has at least 2 years left of being ultra productive, he’s built in a way that I think will let him age well and not fall off a cliff, and putting Donald and McCoy at DT – wow. Until Winston’s next contract the Bucs are OK salary wise and could carry that duo, and by the time of Winston’s new contract kicking in McCoy will probably be done – and he makes the most on the team. I’m not sure what the Rams would want for Donald but if it can be done for say a couple of 1st rounders, I’d do that in second.
August 24th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
Some one has start. No?
August 24th, 2017 at 5:28 pm
Aside from the Aguayo pick, that draft class isn’t looking too bad. VHlll, gumby, ryan smith, and Caleb benenoch are all looking good.
August 24th, 2017 at 5:40 pm
Just read Luke easterlings 2018 mock draft published on 8/15/17 and why the HE11 does he have the Bucs picking #8 OVERALL?????????
August 24th, 2017 at 5:42 pm
@Rod
I like ur thinking for once. Maybe McCoy and a 1st rounder will do the trick.
August 24th, 2017 at 5:50 pm
Smith needs all the snaps he can get. Fingers crossed that he improves rapidly because if either starting outside CB goes down – Smith will be in there as the primary back up.
We are very likely to draft a CB in the 1st or 2nd rd next year.
August 24th, 2017 at 6:52 pm
Rod,if Donald is truly adamant about not wanting to be apart of that fiasco called the L.A. rams Lichts would be sling a disservice to not be kicking the tires.
August 24th, 2017 at 6:55 pm
I kinda hope they target a Atkins or Donald type. #93 said on the episode before the last “I’m not that strong, my get off is my greatest attribute”. When that doesn’t work I need someone with some core power.
August 24th, 2017 at 8:45 pm
The Cornerback group can use some more depth with Alterraun Verner gone to Miami and Jude Adjei-Barimah out with injury. I like CB Maurice Fleming and Ryan Smith to step up.
August 24th, 2017 at 10:47 pm
It’s a nice thought. But unlikely. With a new contract, Donald would eat up half the current cap space. Remember, it isn’t just Jameis’ contract that is going be big. Kevin Pamphile and Mike Evans next year (Bucs are scared to death of losing Pamphile) and after that, Jameis, Donovan Smith, Kwon and Ali Marpet. The following year, Vernon Hargreaves.
Bucs folks are already sweating losing players because they are now being very cautious with Team Glazer’s penny jar (see: Pamphile above).
If Bucs would add Donald, you could pretty much kiss goodbye to Lavonte David. Yeah, really. The Bucs would have to turn somebody with a big salary loose and it sure sounds like Bucs are grooming Beckwith to be an outside linebacker. Do the math.
This is also why Joe has been writing (and saying on radio) for months the Bucs have a short window to make a Super Bowl run.
August 25th, 2017 at 2:02 pm
To piggy back with Donald. Paying top free agent money for a DT is bad business. If there was a WAR stat on DT in football, it would be among the lowest impacts you could make per dollar spent. Stats drive salaries and DT’s are typically not huge stat producers. The nature of that spot limits the big play impact to the game. Big plays are what typically swing the games. Thats why, pay the QB’s, LT’s and DE’s. The one exception I could make is Joe Thomas at Cleveland, but Cleveland is so disfunctional is hard to count them.
August 25th, 2017 at 2:03 pm
Sorry to disagree on this point. As long as #3 is here, the window for a Super Bowl is open.