Start Stovall; Bench Clayton
November 10th, 2009
Joe is among the legions of Bucs fans who wonder how 24-year-old Maurice Stovall would fare if he could stay healthy and get some starts.
It’s time to find out.
Stovall is averaging 20 yards a catch this season. And his three grabs for 46 yards against Green Bay on Sunday would lead anyone to believe he’s got some chemistry working with Josh Freeman.
Finally healthy and coming off a big game, Joe sees absolutlely no reason to keep him out of the starting lineup.
Michael Clayton — like him or not — is a known commodity. He blocks. He drops passes. He doesn’t catch touchdowns. He’s not a No. 1 receiver or a No. 2 on any good team in the NFL. This is his fifth consecutive disappointing season.
These are facts.
If Antonio Bryant returns on Sunday, which Joe wholeheartedly expects, it’s time to sit Clayton and go with Stovall. If Clayton is the team player his coaches and he say he is, he’ll deal with it professionally.
This season is supposed to be all about developing young talent, expecially now at 1-7. No reason to keep the leash on Stovall.
Let him start, and if he can’t hack it, at least the Bucs will know for sure.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I found it interesting on the go ahead TD to Stroughter that Clayton wasn’t on the field for the play. Seems like the coaches see what we see also, because normally you’d want a taller WR for the fade route that was thrown.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
ScottB:
Clayton would not have made the catch that Stroughter did.
November 10th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Stovall makes plays! I like him alot
November 10th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Just call Clayton a blocking tight end and be done with it.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
He catches 2pt conversions. That’s good for…well, 2 pts.
November 10th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
If Stroughter keeps showing up each Sunday and plays consistently as he has just about all season, he’s definitely in line to crack the starting lineup either late this year (depending on a lot of variables) or possibly next season. An absolute steal in the 7th round.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Dominick won’t want to admit he made a mistake re-signing Clayton, so he will keep getting run out there. If the decision was strictly football based, not monetary, then you bench Clayton and start Stovall or Stroughter or both. But that’s not always how it works in professional sports anymore.