Attacks On LeGarrette Blount Continue
March 29th, 2012
As sports media critic for the Tampa Bay Times, Tom Jones dishes out scrutiny on a regular basis. Why Joe even once found himself on the wrong end of a jaded, misguided Jones hate piece.
So given that Jones is a media analyst, Joe suspects Jones would appreciate having the spotlight shined back on him.
Yesterday, Jones was a guest of Tom Krasniqi of WHBO-AM 1040 and proceeded to give muddled and somewhat bizarre takes on the state of LeGarrette Blount and the potential drafting of Trent Richardson. Joe transcribed verbatim, therefore not protecting the innocent.
Tom Jones: I think there’s a lot of things you look on tape that you probably not enamored about when you look at LeGarrette Blount. Look, he performed better than a lot of people thought he would last season, but there are also some moments. And you’ve heard the stories out there that he’s not a terribly bright guy as far as what to do in an offense, that he’s pretty limited in what he’s capable of doing and what you’re capable of doing with him. So, um, you know, if it’s a situation where, look, defenses are smart out there. If they know that your running back can only do a couple of things, then it’s easy to stop that. So, I think they’re in a situation right now where, again, I think this is what it comes down to is, ‘Can we live with LeGarrette Blount at running back and take somebody else at No. 5? Or is it such a weakness at running back that we absolutely have to have a running back to run our system?’ If so, you know, we take that. It would be so much easier if the Bucs, really for them, if they had the 15th pick and there were a couple of running backs or a couple of, you know, offensive linemen, whatever, sticking around at that spot. But if you have the No. 5 pick, you can’t miss. You have to get this right. Especially with as many holes as this team has. So, I think that’s really what it comes down to, ‘Is it worth taking a running back at No. 5 or can you live with LeGarrette Blount for another year or two?'”
Where should Joe start?
First, Jones stating Blount “performed better than a lot of people thought he would last season” is inaccurate, though Joe suspects somebody somewhere joins Jones in believing Blount overachieved in 2011.
Second, Jones referencing phantom “stories” of Blount’s lack of intelligence is reckless and irrelevant. Blount churned up 1,000 yards on five yards per carry during his 2010 rookie season as a guy thrown into the Bucs offense off the waiver wire in September. One could make a case that Blount learned damn quickly, but that’s not the point.
It’s a coaching staff’s job to get the best out of its players. If Jones is saying Blount is too dumb to master a playbook or develop his overall game in a timely fashion, that still doesn’t mean Blount isn’t capable of tearing up the league if used properly, as he was for most of 2010. The guy caught 15 balls at 10 yards a catch last season. Does Blount really need a solid Wonderlic score to catch 30 or more if the Bucs actually threw him the ball to free him up in open space? Mike Alstott averaged 28 catches a year at 7.5 yards a pop.
Lastly, Jones’ draft analysis, um, speaks for itself.
Jones and others in the media have a negative vibe about Blount that Joe just doesn’t share. Joe’s never seen a guy like Blount, who’s had great success playing his first two seasons as the Bucs’ No. 1 offensive weapon, get chewed up so badly by analysts and writers.
Blount was one of the greatest stories in the NFL in 2010, and he went into the record books as only the second undrafted rookie to rack up 1,000 yards. Last year, he had some fumbling woes but was simply misused by a Bucs coaching staff that fell apart and lost the team.
Joe’s just getting really tired of senseless reviews of Blount’s performance and ability.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:10 am
Apparently the truth hurts Joe. Every objective person knows what Jones said is accurrate.
Get over it.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:18 am
I like Blount, he has a place, but let’s face it…Fisher tried to put him on the practice squad for a reason. The excuse of ‘we tried to sneak him on the practice squad’ doesn’t hold water – every GM is looking at practice squad moves. Blount does struggle with pass protection, he does hesistate at the hole, and he does fumble a bit. Maybe coaching can help, different coaching. RB is one of the easiest positions to learn, though pass pro takes a little time…and he could learn that very well in 2 years.
I’m sticking with my ‘if Richardson in there at #5, we take him’.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:19 am
…and he COULDN’T learn that very well in 2 years.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:30 am
As far as Richardson goes, it is going to boil down to two things: 1) How he does on his proday which is today right? 2) Update on his “surgically repaired” knee as we all know the Bucs LOVE working with players (Caddy, Win-SLOW, Bowers) with knee issues. They might be the NFL experts on this.
Smokescreening aside, I am curious to see who from the Bucs will be will be attending his that for the Bucs.
If the Bucs could have their entire offense set by picking up a running back in the first round and then go and pick up a decent CB and LB (draft heavy in both)in rounds 2 and 3, then I say go for it. I think the TE position is not as bad as we may think.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:31 am
What a tool bag! Evidenced by Thomas agreeing with him. He can’t even finish a complete sentence!! Sheesh. *rolls my eyes
March 29th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Smokescreening aside, I am curious to see who from the Bucs will be will be attending Richardson’s Pro Day. Sorry about the lack of attention to detail.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:33 am
And he’s a thug.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:34 am
I pretty much give every player a “pass” for last season because they were being guided by the worst coach in Buccaneers history.
Read that again: “Raheem Morris was the worst coach in Buccaneers’ history. The WORST.”
March 29th, 2012 at 8:35 am
Joe, if a team loses 10 straight like the Bucs did after beating the Saints and Falcons, something is very wrong with the team and coaching. Blount is a pile driver and I ask – Did Mike Alstott play ever down? The answer is no. If a 250 pound person cannot block, it is because of coaching and being afraid of hitting. Blount is not afraid of hitting. So has he been trained to block at the NFL level, I don’t think so because when could he have been, last pre-season, Oh we didn’t have one, training camps, we didn’t have one. Do you think this might of had something to do with not only him but the other young troops?
I believe that with all the Pre we will have this year and the fact that they lost 10 straight, is going to make some pissed off players playing with attitude that we haven’t seen since 2002. Why do you think Rhonde came back, he wants to go out a winner and he knows what is going to happen. Oh and if draft position is so important, why is the Hall of Fame full of those that were not drafted in the top five?
March 29th, 2012 at 8:45 am
I have to say I agree with “Joe”. So many times bucs would have success running the ball with Blount, then Olsen would go with the Benn’d around. If they can’t stop the run then KEEP RUNNING IT!!!! Football is not brain surgery…
March 29th, 2012 at 8:46 am
But I thought u can get good running backs anywhere, ready to go.
Why does Blount need all this training.
Blount/schiano just not a good match.
Richardson/schiano a great match.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:46 am
@Bucfanjeff ….. I’m with ya. It’s real tough getting by with ONE RB in this league now, and Blount does have his downsides. Richardson would be a sweet compliment to Blount.
I still think Blount is a above average back, all the hate isn’t completely warranted. But dude could use some help, if not Richardson someone like our own Madu would be great, maybe someone good enough to start though..
March 29th, 2012 at 8:52 am
@ Eric – Thug’s a little harsh, man. Are all these guys supposed to be sweethearts? Blount’s never been arrested.
@Tom Jones – Glad you’re not running the Bucs draft or teaching children.
Maybe Thomas 2.2 is Tom Jones?
March 29th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Joe could you please tell us how many targets Blount had last year. I don’t remember seeing him drop many passes. I seem to remember him making plays when given the opportunity either running and / or catching the ball out of the backfield. So much hate for a guy that seems to be one of our better weapons, underutilized as he was.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:55 am
The Blount bashers proving your point already Joe. The man runs with so much heart, of course Tampa fans are kicking him out of town. SMDH EAH
March 29th, 2012 at 8:57 am
Unheralded but talented running backs are found every year. If the staff can’t develop Blount, they’ll get someone else. I think he’s done enough to at least let the staff work with him for a season.
I’ve seen holes in his game, no doubt. But, he’s also had flashes of things that most backs can’t do. He could easily be Brandon Jacobs in Sullivan’s offense, maybe more.
Now, most of the defensive backs and guy’s like Black?…we all know what they can (can’t) do.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:00 am
or can you live with LeGarrette Blount for another year or two?’”
Oh my god, he’s such a bad player!
Lmao, what a dumbarse this guy is!
We should be attacking that pu*s Quincy Black, not bashing our best offensive player!
March 29th, 2012 at 9:05 am
I agree with Joe blount hasent even had thr chance to get a full season in and people are crititics off him if i recal blount for hurt by catching a 40 yard catch and run and the fumbling realize that the only reason he usually fumbled is becauses hes actually trying to go foward not just fall down …let him get a full season with training camp and then judge him but till then he’s doing a help of a job for someone they just picked up 2 years ago
March 29th, 2012 at 9:16 am
The # 5 draft pick should be spent on the BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE.
Trent Richardson > Morris Claibourne
March 29th, 2012 at 9:16 am
Theres a certain afternoon host that knocks Blount all the time. I don’t get it.. The guy is a human highlight real and zero offseason coaching. With good coaching I think Blount can be one of the top 5 backs in the league. Now he needs to bring the right attitude and want to but I think his play that is shown on sports shows alot can be even better.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:21 am
1.) You need two running backs in the NFL right, not one.
2.) Blount has shown some flashes, but can he be counted on? What I see when I watch him is a big play runner, one who’s game is more about finding the big hole than creating one with ‘blunt’ force. He’s a big guy but runs like Chris Rainey, and that’s not good for a guy that weighs 250 pounds.
3.) Sure, running backs are found in later rounds most years – but we NEED one now, we can’t take a chance on finding a guy who might be good. Richardson is pretty much a sure thing in terms of NFL ability, by the way.
4.) A Buccaneer team with an ability to run the ball will be a much better team than one that can’t, pure and simple. Richardson would have a much bigger impact on the team than would a corner, he just would. And if he’s as good as many expect (i.e., 1400-1600 yards, tough short yardage runner, ball security, excellent pass catcher), Freeman’s job would be much easier. And remember, this franchise will rise and fall with Freeman.
5.) This isn’t a one year process, we don’t need to address every defensive hole this off season.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:29 am
These people are Idiots. The Bucs finally have a good RB that averages 4.6 yes per carry and people want him out. Cadillac didn’t learn protections or start catching the ball until his 5th year and he was a top 5 pick dumb asses.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:36 am
@ Brad,
Blount is a very good “Runner”, and may develop into a “top 5” runner, but he will never be a “Top tier RB.
Trent Richardson has a great chance to become a top tier RB.
JVATO,
Cadillac wasn’t even the 1st RB drafted from his College Team in that draft.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:37 am
It would be foolish to simply write Blount off. Teams use a running back by committee these days and Blount would fit on any teams committee. Maybe Schiano does want that Bell Cow back, however Blount can carry the ball 25 times a game if necessary. The man needs to be given a chance and he has earned that right. We have too many holes to fill to go out and draft the most injury prone POSITION with the 5th pick, what happened last time we got a guy with the 5th pick. Blounts fumbling problems are not even that bad, and that can always be fixed. Didn’t we go out and sign a really good RB coach, let him work his magic on Blount for a season. People keep talking about how the draft is deep at CB and LB, well I think the draft is most deep at RB this year, deepest I have seen in years.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Thanks jvato same exact thing Im saying some people just wont get it tho. Blount has had exactly 0 offseasons so far to study and even look at plays of who to block where to run routes too technique on working on blocking and catching. People must really be stupid because as I remember it took caddy what 5 years to catch and become a good blocker. Alot of the stuff hes doing right now is just on instinct. Watch what happens when he actually gets it. He’s a beast. Not to mention ernest Byner might be the best rb coach in the nfl I can’t wait to see what he does with blount. How many of blount’s fumbles last year were from extra effort and trying to do too much. I can recall 3-4 of them that were. He was one of the only ones that were giving good effort throughout the whole season. In 2010 the same people were saying Blount was the truth, now hes dumb and will never be a #1 back. I guess people really do change whichever way the wind blows.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:43 am
T RICH doin his thing at 11 am on ESPNU (for Brighthouse cronies like me), or NFL Network I imagine….
March 29th, 2012 at 9:47 am
I’m going to let the coaches decide this one. I’ve never thought of Blount as an every down back and since that goal line run in the 2010 Atlanta game, I’ve had some question about his judgment. But I’ve liked what I see when he gets pass the LOS.
I can’t tell if he can be coached up or he’s going to be a situational back whose number is called for certain plays. I do know that his opportunity to get past the LOS just got much better, therefore he just got better.
I know he’s never had a full off-season with the Bucs and he’s never had a complementary backfield to exploit his strengths. But, I’m uncomfortable with the thought of him as a bell cow RB and Schiano clearly sent a shot over his bow yesterday.
With that said, I’m optomistic about his ability a perform a functional role in the backfield. Whatever that is – is to be determined!
March 29th, 2012 at 9:48 am
Blount had about 4 of his fumbles trying to do too much. Thats more than you can say for half the.team last year
March 29th, 2012 at 9:54 am
lmao! “Every objective person knows what Jones said is accurrate.”
The Jones article wads nothing but subjectivity and speculation. And your assumption about “every objective person…” is subjective itself.
Thomas2.2’s objective objections sure encase an extraordinary amount of subjectivity.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:00 am
Here is the deal…IF BLOUNT FUMBLES,HE WON’T BE ON TEAM…its that simple people ! if blount fumbles 10 yrds a carry and fumbles the ball. He won’t be here. And I am a blount fan but TR should be our 2nd option after claiborne.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:18 am
I speculated objectively once, and all I got was slapped!
March 29th, 2012 at 10:26 am
As for Peterbilt Blount, he’s definately got pros and sure he’s got cons, but those can be corrected with proper coaching and techniques. With that said, we can’t rely on all those eggs in one basket though and we should add one or two more, whether through the draft or FA.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:33 am
I can see a scenario where we pick another back, not Richardson, but later on in the draft, someone like James or another 2nd-3rd rounder to compliment Blount, but we have bigger fish to fry, I would really like to see the Bucs trade out of the slot and pick up a second round pick, and take Kahlil if he’s still available, that would solidify our O line for the next 5 years, eventually Penn is going to eat his way onto the bench and franchise tackles don’t come along very often. So take Kahlil, start him at RT, keep Trueblood for depth or cut him and use Dotson for depth. Then in a few years when Penn is close to or at the end of his contract move him to LT. When Blount has been asked, which was not very often, he was able to make the plays, he has the ability to catch in the flat, remember very few if any RBs coming out of college have even been asked to pick up blitzers b/c most schools aren’t running traditional offenses anymore, the spread makes it hard to evaluate these guys’ full skill sets. YEs, Richardson is a talent, but one bad cut or low tackle and we are reliving the Caddy Williams pick.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:45 am
I like blount but that doesent mean I wouldent want T-Rich the two of them togetther would make an awsomr backfield.
Tampaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAy
March 29th, 2012 at 10:49 am
From WalterFootball directly/indirectly from Charlie Campbell:
“1. Trent Richardson, RB – LeGarrette Blount isn’t the sharpest light bulb in the tool shed, as Emmitt might say. He can’t catch the ball, and he doesn’t understand pass protection schemes. There’s a reason the coaching staff doesn’t use him in passing situations. He’s just completely lost, and it doesn’t help that he fumbles the ball at every opportunity.”
First, let me say that I don’t believe Blount is a moron, that he can’t catch (he has very good hands) or that his other limitations can’t ever be fixed…
However, I disagree with the premise that he hasn’t had enough time to “get the playbook down”. He’s had over 32 weeks to get the last playbook down and I think everyone can agree that Greg Olson’s remedial level playbook wouldn’t intellectually challenge even the most inexperienced college freshmen.
Running back is a position that you can pretty much tell what a guy is going to be right out of the gate. 23 lead is run the same way no matter where you go. Sliding over the A gap to get the first free rusher is still the same. It’s not THAT complicated. I just think Blount is what he is at this point: Good-to-great tippy toeing runner with an ability to break tackles/make occasional splash plays and bad-to-average in the passing game.
If the previous staff wanted to save their jobs all they had to do was play him in passing situations to a) show that he could be a weapon out of the backfield in the passing game or b) at least strike fear in the hearts of defenses that he could make a tackle breaking draw out of the backfield. He (most likely) didn’t show that in practice so he couldn’t do it in the game. His touches going forward need to be limited to 15-20/game.
My hope is that we draft T-Rich to fill in the gaps in Blount’s game so we can have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. V Jax, Mike Will, Benn, K2, Blount & T-Rich are all potential game changers. Defenses won’t know who to defend. Our defense will be assisted by having a ball control offense. Plus, Blount helps us protect our investment in T-Rich in limiting his carries going forward. Everybody wins if we Draft T-Rich.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:51 am
@ flmike
So if Blount goes down do you think our offense would still be as effective with LaMichael James and Madu (two smaller backs) running it?
Not trying to be an ass, I just want to know.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:58 am
@ flmike, Kalil has almost 0 chance to be available at 5, let alone if we trade down.
@ whoever said Trent Richardsons pro day matters, it doesn’t. He didn’t have some big knee surgery, it was just a minor cleanup after an injury he suffered in the National Championship game(he played the whole game, it wasn’t/isn’t serious). Not only that, but these pro days are set up so the player has almost no chance at messing up. That’s why I laugh when I see these stupid pro day stats, “QB A went 67-70 with 2 dropped balls”. All that matters is the tape.
Now, Blount. I say all of this owning a Blount jersey and liking the guy. But some of the things that the guy said are true. He has fumbling problems which means he can’t be relied on. He has not proven that he can learn how to pass protect and be a threat as a receiver(please save the “Joe saw Blount catch passes in practice!”. “I know with a new coaching staff Blount can learn!”.) It doesn’t matter what he could possibly learn. He has to prove it, and he hasn’t even come close to that. 32 games with the Bucs and the same playbook and he couldn’t learn.
Regardless of how inept our previous coaching staff was, I have to believe if Blount could learn how to pass protect and be a threat out of the backfield they would have at least given him a shot to be in on pass plays. The other team knew exactly when we were gonna run or pass because Blount couldn’t do those things(which no one seems to think about when they say “Don’t take Richardson. Take a guy like James in the 2nd or 3rd round.”. You know our offense will be just as predictable right?)
March 29th, 2012 at 11:02 am
Sensibuc,
Charley Cambell was a hack even with PR. Why don’t you read their review of our FA pickups.
They do nothing but criticize the Bucs for getting Nicks and Jackson but praise the Falcons for signing 34 yr old John Abraham at 7 million a year. Say what ???
I sure as hell won’t base my insider info over those Hacks.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:04 am
Joe, you’re right. Blount is an absolute beast if used correctly.
However, I wouldn’t mind if we drafted Richardson @ #5. It would be awesome to have two beasts that are completely fresh in the backfield for the entire game. With the FA additions, I believe that the offense could be deadly with Blount/Richardson, Winslow, V-Jack/Williams/Benn/Briscoe/Parker.
Even if we don’t get Richardson, I think we should go after a solid #2 back in a later round. Somebody like a LaMichael James. Either way, I’m excited about next season!
March 29th, 2012 at 11:14 am
Joe’s just getting really tired of senseless reviews of Blount’s performance and ability.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Joe, I’m calling you out… for not calling out Tom Jones’ performance and ability. How could you let the fact slide that he rarely if ever writes his own original columns because he apparently doesn’t know enough about football to make his own opinion on it? When he does he is so often dead wrong that it is ludicrous.
I question Tom Jones’ ability to be an effective writer… as I have never seen evidence of it. While Blount has churned out a 1000 yard season, 4.6 yards per carry, and highlight reel runs…. Jones continues to publish complete rubbish that I wouldn’t like a birdcage with.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:16 am
SteveK says:
“Cadillac wasn’t even the 1st RB drafted from his College Team in that draft.”
You just brought up a good point. The RB picked before him, Ronnie Brown, WAS THE 2ND PICK, and only had ONE 1,000 YD SEASON in 7 years!
Cadillac Williams, ANOTHER TOP 5 RB, ALSO only had ONE 1,000 YD SEASON in 7 YEARS!
You Guys are f**king STUPID. You want the luxury pick, but not only is Claiborne a stud CB, not only does he plays a position we desperately need help in, he is less of a gamble than a RB that’s coming off of knee surgery whose likely to last half the time in the NFL.
For the Record, BOTH TOP 5 RBs – Brown & Williams, ARE LOOKING FOR A JOB AFTER JUST 7 SEASONS!
Blount is raw talent – the Jason Pierre-Paul of offense. With the right coach, the sky’s the limit.
Trent Richardson my a$$, f*ckin idiots.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:17 am
You people can’t have it both ways… you can’t say, “I like Blount, I want Richardson, too.” This team set a franchise record for most points given up in a season last year. They were 30th in yards and against the rush, last in sacks. This team needs help on defense first and foremost. This team needs a defensive general and playmaker ASAP. I would take Luke Kuechly over Richardson every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:20 am
BTW, Richardson won’t even be there at #5. He’s going to Cleveland.
F*ckin Idiots.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:20 am
tonytwocents showing everyone how unoriginal and unintelligent he is by saying anyone who wants Richardson is “f***ing stupid”. By your logic, since Blount had a 1000 yard season as a UDFA no team should draft a RB at all. How about since Tom Brady is an elite QB and was a 6th round pick, no team should draft a QB before the 6th round.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:23 am
FYI all you guys that think we MUST draft Richardson. The last team that won the Super Bowl that started a RB drafted BEFORE round 6 was the 2004 Patriots who started Corey Dillion.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:24 am
There is a reason he went undrafted!
Let’s see, he isn’t smart enough to learn an offense, he doesn’t put enough effort into being a professional football player, he simply doesn’t do enough of the little things right either, he can’t play on 3rd and short because he doesn’t have a burst or play behind his pads consistently, and he can’t play on 3rd and long because he doesn’t want to and probably doesn’t have the smarts to learn the protections, not to mention it seems like he is kind of a dick.
Don’t get me wrong when there is a huge hole and he can make one cut and go he is a very tough runner to bring down in open field. To me that just enough when you’re staring at mostly 3rd and sevens and 3rd and eights because your RB didn’t get a glaring hole to run through.
The ONE player who makes this WHOLE team immediately better that we can draft is Richardson. If we have no dance partners to trade down with then you have to take him at 5.
Morris Claiborne is a good CB, but he isn’t top 5 good. He isn’t Champ Bailey or Charles Woodson good. Besides if we go defense can we please TRADE DOWN, get some picks and get a stud LB we can plug in immediately like Kuechly or Upshaw and then draft a CB in the 2nd round/3rd Round. Wright/Talib/Barber is not a terrible lineup at CB. Draft a kid to play in the dime and groom a him for a year and then throw him in there when Barber retires after this year.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Blount is the biggest star the bucs have. He is the only Buc represented for the Madden Cover voting, which I guess take from that what you will. Point being, I think a lot of people have recognized the potential Blount has, but it has been maddening seeing him perform like a mediocre back.
This will be the first year Blount gets an offseason. The first year his coaches will have time to “teach” him the playbook, and the first year Blount can have enough time himself to study and figure out what he needs to learn and get better.
Blount tries to do the right thing. He shows up to press conferences, and thanks lesser workers around OBP that other players simply don’t do. Blount, like many others on this team, will benefit from having accountability and discipline instilled upon them this year, and the results could be spectacular.
Drafting Trent Richardson is not giving up on Blount either though. Richardson split a lot of carries in college, and any knowledgeable fan knows, that its rare for just 1 rb to carry the load all year. Besides, Blount would be the perfect closer (assuming the bucs ever find themselves with a lead in the 4th quarter) and I think would fit well in a thunder and bigger thunder type role.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:31 am
Unofficial 4.58 40 for T-Rich at his Pro Day. Still one more to go lol
March 29th, 2012 at 11:32 am
and unofficial 4.58 40 again. Perhaps that’ll make Cleveland pass on him 🙂
March 29th, 2012 at 11:34 am
bvert38:
OK, Joe will play along.
So if there is a reason Blount was undrafted, OK. So could you shed light onto why Arien Foster was not drafted?
March 29th, 2012 at 11:35 am
FYI, Trent is at around 70% according to ESPN. Forty times are overrated but a 220-230 pound back running a 4.58 while not being healthy is fairly impressive.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:37 am
So happy most of you clowns don’t have any say in team decisions. Giving up on Blount after his monster rookie season is outright stupidity. Of course he stumbled last year but certainly understandable when the opponent puts up 21 every game in first QTR. Yeah, we obv need another RB to solve those Defensive issues. There’s only one football on the field you clowns and unless you start addressing why the team is down so much instantly every game I don’t care if GOD is in on offense it will not matter.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:38 am
BonesMablowme says:
“tonytwocents showing everyone how unoriginal and unintelligent he is” (exactly what my intention was)
“By your logic, since Blount had a 1000 yard season as a UDFA no team should draft a RB at all.”
Bones showing everyone how unoriginal and unintelligent he is see that he couldn’t see that I was giving 2 examples – off the top of my head – of Top 5 drafted overrated RBs.
And you actually added to my point that while those guys only had one 1,000yd season in 7 years, our undrafted RB already has one in 2 years.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:39 am
Brandon:
WHAT???!!!
Are you suggesting Jones plagarizes all of his own copy? That’s simply preposterous!
Joe may not agree with everything Tom Jones writes but that’s hardly to suggest he’s thieving all his work. That’s a pretty outrageous claiim.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:39 am
@ jvato24
I did see those and even though he was completely wrong on the FA pickups, I give him the benefit of the doubt with these comments because a) he’s been a practice to actually see him with his own two eyes and b) he’s got sources within the Organization thus, these observations are more likely to be objectively correct.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Earnest Byner is coaching T-Rich through the drills. Hmmm…interesting 🙂
March 29th, 2012 at 11:46 am
Who gives a f’k about what Charlie Campbell thinks. Blount was the only player on offense last year that actually earned his money.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:50 am
bvert38…..he went undrafted because of the punching incident. Think a little
March 29th, 2012 at 11:51 am
Joe- absolutely right. Like I said, it’s like talking to a bunch of rocks! My apologies to the rocks, whose IQ maxes out higher
But great news- Richardson ran a 4.58 forty today. That’s the exact same time as a current Buc all pro!!
Donald Penn!!
But Penn looked a lot more agile in the movement drills!!
Mark Ingram is a better back.
Richardson doesn’t have the speed or agility to survive in the NFL. Poor kid!
Blount will rack up about 1500 yards this year.
Claibourne will be defensive rookie of the year
Richardson will be a non factor.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:53 am
@maskaveli So it is the defenses fault that Blount fumbles constantly and can’t learn protections? Our offense is one of the reasons our defense was on the field so much. They couldn’t move the ball and turned it over way too much(Blount as much to blame as anyone). They contributed to the points allowed just as much as the defense did.
@ tony. Perhaps I could then bring up Adrian Peterson who has had many 1000 seasons as a top 10 pick. LaDainian Tomlinson was the 5th pick and had nearly a HOF career. There hasn’t been too many backs taken in the top 5-10 in the past 10 years, but that should tell you how good Richardson is that he is considered to be a surefire top 10 pick by everyone out there. The best back prospect since Peterson and he’s nearly at that level coming out. He isn’t just some RB that ran a fast 40 and now everyone thinks should get drafted high because of that(see: McFadden and Spiller). He’s the complete package.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Couldn’t agree more Joe. Often times players are victims of the system they play in and Blount is no different. Teams knew they had to worry about him on first and second down only and played close to the line. The lack of explosive plays allowed for that thinking to work. For now Blount has had to overcome many hurdles, some seif imposed, but I think he will overcome this one as well. Also a lot of rookies do not get the chance to play early in there careers for the fact that they do not pick up the playbook that quickly. For Blount to have accomplished all that he has this quickly says a lot about him. It will be interesting to see what he can do if the offense can spread somebody out.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Richardson is going to be gone. Browns will take him at #4 so we will pick Claiborne. I don’t have any problems with that. I don’t have any problems if they take Richardson either but I believe Cleveland will take him at #4 since they have no need for a CB.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
I think I’ll stick to Aaron Rodgers opinion of Blount.
Blount is perhaps the greatest combo of speed and power in the league.
I can’t wait to see him play this year
March 29th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Just wondering where all of this hate and disregard of Blount is coming from. Are you guys forcing yourselves to rip on Blount in order to justify your hard on for Richardson?
While we’re ripping on our most promising young players, let’s not forget about about Freeman. The guy led the league in INTs last season. Tannehill at #5!
You guys can’t get it through your heads that the lack of productivity last year was almost entirely ON THE MOTHERF*CKING COACH!
March 29th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
@ tonytwocents
T-Rich is the highest rated RB coming out since AD and (unlike Claiborne) he’s head and shoulders above the other runners in this class.
T-Rich out gained AD in total yards in college (4600 career all purpose yards)
If he lives up to his potential, he make our offense AND defense better by giving us a complete ball control offense.
Unlike Cadillac, T-Rich will have another back (Blount) there to spell his carries so his career will be longer. Plus, do you think Schiano & Dom care if his career only lasts 5 – 8 years? If they don’t win now, they won’t be here to see it anyway. Running backs come in and instantly contribute. CBs take longer to develop.
Not drafting Claiborne doesn’t mean we can’t get a #1 corner. Jenkins could drop. Gilmore could drop. Dennard will be there at the top of the 5th. Plus, we could come back and draft a corner NEXT year in the 1st round or grab one in free agency.
There’s nothing idiotic about taking T-Rich at #5.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
OK Bones, so what does that tell you? Two busts, and two successes. All that tells me is that there’s a 50/50 chance of this guy even matching the hype.
Other than that, I’m tired of talking to you.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:05 pm
People took him off their draft boards for a reason. One punch doesn’t do it. Just taking a guess but it was probably the punch incident, combined with not interviewing well, and a low wonderlic score.
And Joe, take a quick look at Foster’s wikipedia file and you please tell me if you would have drafted him:
Heres some highlights-
On 4 November 2006, Foster and two reserve players were arrested following a fight in a night club and were charged with disorderly conduct and underage consumption
Foster’s breakout junior season resulted in a second-round grade[13] from the draft advisory board and led him to consider leaving school. However, head coach Phillip Fulmer persuaded him to stay for his senior season, a decision Foster would later deeply regret.[14] Playing under the third position coach and offensive coordinator of his tenure,[7] Foster was utilized in a rotation following the installation of a new offensive scheme that the Tennessee coaches thought was a better fit for some of the other running backs on the roster.[9] For his part, Fulmer would attribute Foster’s diminished workload to knee and thigh injuries which would later be disputed.[7] In the end, Foster compiled just 570 yards on 131 carries with only one touchdown in his senior season
Foster’s subpar senior campaign caused his draft stock to plummet, as well as scouts’ concerns about his below-average pass-blocking, issues with ball security and the less-than-stellar reviews from Tennessee staff members that portrayed him as selfish and hard to coach.[15] A pulled hamstring also prevented Foster from working out at the NFL Scouting Combine, then he had a poor showing at Tennessee’s Pro Day when he registered a 4.71 40-yard dash, 4.50 short shuttle, 32-inch vertical leap and 9’7″ broad jump.[15] The combination of factors led to Foster being undrafted at the 2009 NFL Draft; after several teams showed interest in him as a rookie free agent, he chose to sign a contract with the Houston Texans in May 2009[16] because he thought the situation suited him.[15]
The Texans run the same system Shannahan ran in the Denver. Arian Foster is a good back, but more a product of the system that he fits perfectly in. Steve Slaton ran good in the system and so has Ben Tate (who to me, is a better RB than Foster).
March 29th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
@Sensible, I’m done. Whatever dude.
Once you see T-Rich go to Cleveland, you’ll go limp, and then smack yourself for all that time you wasted on his jock.
Claiborne.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
@ Brandon
You’re the only dude on here with a strange fascination/slavish devotion to drafting a particular player (Kuechly). If you ask any of the T-Rich supporters if they’d be happy with Claiborne you’d received an affirmative response.
Claiborne and Kuechly are excellent players but T-Rich (if he lives up to his potential) is better than both of them and can come in and make an immediate impact on the entire team because we’ll be able to control TOP and keep our young but talented defense off the field.
Lastly, I don’t understand the fascination with Kuechly. Sure he put up gaudy tackle numbers but if you turn on the tape he never knocks people back and I barely saw him make a tackle behind or at the line of scrimmage. I won’t call him a glorified safety but he’s close to that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbpNkBiLDeU
March 29th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
@ tonytwocents
Hey man I’m just telling it like it is. If there’s something wrong with what I said then call me out on it or defeat it with another argument.
T-Rich makes our already good offense elite if he lives up to his potential. Mo Claiborne makes our bad defense below average. He doesn’t fix everything.
I’d rather have an elite offense and an average defense going now and slowly rebuild the D throughout the next few years. We’ve seen over the past few years that elite offenses and crappy defenses can still make the show.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Bvert38
Doesn’t matter. The best of the best in their profession, such as Bill Polian, Kevin Colbert and Ted Thompson all passed on Arien Foster (and LeGarrette Blount) not just once, but several times as did their colleagues in the NFL.
Running back is one of the few positions (if any) that you can get complete studs off the street.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
4.58? at 5? LOL.
March 29th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Thank you for the post Joe. I agree 100%
It seems so many people are caught up on the Trent Richardson thing that they are smashing Blount.
Look lets get the facts out here. 2 years in the league 2 years with out Training camp/Full OTA’s. These are the most crucial learning points for young players in their first couple of years.
In his rookie year he produced 1000+ yards missing a handful of games. Last year he still managed to produce good amount of yards, and actually INCREASED his blocking and pass catching skills. Even tho there were a handful of games he gathered no more then >10 carries in the game.
Again go look at his highlight reel. Not many players in todays game can claim to even perform some of the feats he has already done. A Few *coachable* issues will be removed and he will be more elite. Mark my words
March 29th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Joe
I’m not all for taking Richardson at #5. I really want to trade down. I think there should and will be some teams that want to make a move up for Blackmon if he is there at #5 (like Julio Jones last year). We need picks as we still have a lot of holes to fill. I would say the Mike and Sam LB positions are in desperate need of an upgrade and moving Foster back to Will would be in our best interests. Safety is another huge area of concern. I think Jackson should bounce back, but he is one blunt away from another 1 year suspension and SS is a huge concern with Grimm’s injury.
I completely agree with your assertion that you can get good RB’s late. I’m saying if you stick at #5 and you’re Mark Dominic and no one is beating at your door for the pick you have to take Richardson. He is a complete back who is physically ready to take on the NFL and doesn’t have a lot of tread on the tires. He is also of really good character. He makes your TEAM better, better at running the ball, catching passes, pass protection, short yardage, and mainly controlling the clock and keeping your defense off the field.
I don’t like Blount’s skill set, many people don’t. You are of the opinion that he can turn things around and hasn’t been coached well and/or given an opportunity. Claiborne is a good prospect, but to me he is not as elite of a CB that I would like at #5. Especially because this draft is fairly deep at CB.
If I were the Bucs I would do this:
#1 Trade down from #5
#2 No team wants to trade up then pick Richardson
#3 No trade down/Browns take Richardson, then taking Claiborne at #5 makes more sense, but I still don’t love the pick because I’m not completely sold on him.
March 29th, 2012 at 1:07 pm
I posted this a few days ago to gotbbucs but I think it bears repeating again on this whole “you can pick up running backs off the street” theory
“Also, don’t use a guy like Arian Foster as your example when you’re trying to sway people to use a top 5 pick on a RB, it pretty much defeats your whole arguement.”
Not really. For nearly every rule, there’s an exception. Foster is an exception. For every Arian Foster, how many Kregg Lumpkins, Derek Watsons, Mossis Madu, Kareem Huggins, Clifton Smiths, etc. are out there? Conversely, our “franchise” left tackle is an UDFA. Does that mean teams should never, ever draft the tackles in the top 5 too? No, of course not.
Speaking of common misconceptions, the whole “you can find running backs in later rounds” theory probably needs to be addressed as well. I found two studies that proffers the theory that “if you want a good back, take them early”:
1) First round picks are highly likely to be significant contributors: Over five years of the draft from 2006-2010, 111 RBs were drafted, 17 in the first round.
2) Successful NFL RBs are almost all drafted in the first 3 rounds
3) First and second round draft selections account for the vast majority of franchise-quality RBs; it is exceedingly rare for a mid-late round draft pick to result in a franchise-quality running back
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2012/2/15/2799451/where-do-nfl-teams-draft-franchise-running-backs
March 29th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Richardson vs. Claiborne = both would be great for us!
The assumption by many that Cleveland will draft Richardson is contradictory, just not logical. They probably should take him, and there is no way we trade up either.
Here is the illogical thing, how can you argue that it’s stupid for the Bucs to pick RB at #5 but Cleveland definitely will? They can get a HOF RB off the street as as easy as we can, right? Maybe they take Claiborne, Blackmon or Kuechly (ha ha ha! in the top 5, yeah right).
March 29th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Tom Jones is a nobody. Keep your mouth shut because nobody care what you have to say. We should stick him in the middle of the practice field and let blount have his way with him.
March 29th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Also, if you are pulling stats and biographies of past drafted RB’s and CB’s, there is a 90% chance you are wrong. Cherry picking “data” never works, plus past draft sample sizes are way too small (even if they were relevant….. they’re NOT).
It’s even worse/more ignorant too say… this or that team won the Superbowl this way or that. It is hilarious to think that the 1 team that wins the last game of the season has the magical formula for drafting RB’s ect. 32 teams line up and play 16 games in a marathon of endurance, injuries and luck! Only 1 wins the SB, that doesn’t mean the other teams are run by dumbasses or are built the wrong way. All any team can do is get some talent together, work hard, and hope it works out.
March 29th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Bvert:
Thank you. Same here. Secondary is a grave concern to Joe (as is linebacker).
March 29th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
So let’s see. Talk about fumbles.
LGB 2010 —– 6
2011 —– 5
Josh Freeman. 2010 —- 8
2011 —- 9
I guess if we limit touches do to fumbles Freeman is limited too?? Bring on the backup.
March 29th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
4.58! Lmao. He’s slower than our fullback, Lorig!
He looked slow in college. Turns out he is
No one intelligent will spend much more time thinking about this guy.
He’ll never get out of the backfield. Blount could circle this kid!
Lmao again, at the people buying into that hype!
Last year, all the draft predictions/ mags were talking about” unique talent/ Heisman trophy winner/ best since Peterson back Mark Ingram going top 5.
He went 28th!
People with memories like goldfish are funny!
Lol
March 29th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Back to 2008 Freeman has fumbled 27 times!!
March 29th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
LaGarrette Blount’s career Stats Per BSPN
Rushing
SEASON TEAM GP ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LST
2010 TB 13 201 1,007 5.0 53 6 38 3 2
2011 TB 14 184 781 4.2 54 5 32 3 2
Career 27 385 1,788 4.6 54 11 70 6 4
Receiving
SEASON TEAM GP REC YDS AVG LNG TD FD FUM LST
2010 TB 13 5 14 2.8 7 0 0 1 1
2011 TB 14 15 148 9.9 35 0 6 2 1
Career 27 20 162 8.1 35 0 6 3 2
2 years of only 385 carries and 1788 yards 4.6 avg 11 TD 70 first downs 6 fumbles
Now that is without having any Buccaneer OTA’s and 1 Buccaneer training camp that was not a normal training camp.
Blount’s Receiving carreer Totals are not so bad to me he improved from 5 to 15 catches had 6 first down catches and has fumbled 3 times
This sure looks to me to be a player who has taken what he has been given and tried to get better.
With this off-season being his first complete with the team I think Blount will make even more improvement. Now look at the difference between 10&11 season rushing 17 more carries in 10 than in 11 and @ 4.6 ypc that is 78.2 more yards if he only gets to 201 attempts in a 16 game season. If we use his avg ypc. 78+781 = 859 yards.
We all know that in the NFL you cant run if your down by 17+ so when we look at Blounts career stats lets remember how many times in his 2 years in the NFL hve we had the advantage to run out the clock, how many times have we had to try and score and score quickly?
I am all for having a elite offense but it won’t make a hill of beans if we cant stop the other teams offense be that average or mediocre or elite you just do not run the ball that much if you cant stop the other team, you can’t you have to pass the ball. To score quick.
All that to say Lets give Blount the training and leadership he needs to be successful, and if it comes to pass that it is not getting any better then, we move on.
We need to be able to stop the WR/RB in our division First then we can work on other things because if you don’t stop them from scoring it wont matter who is the RB because you can’t run the ball anyway.
March 29th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
We already have a good and at moments great starting RB. Everyone knows the state of our D, specifically CB and safety issues. We play in a division with with Matt – Roddy – Julio // Cam with a great running game – Smith and a good WR pickup in the draft // Drew Brees and company.
We MUST have 2 solid, starting elite shutdown CB’s with solid nickel, backup CB play or we will never get off on 3rd downs. Last year sucked and I want to get off the field on 3rd downs and Claiborne will dramatically help in that regard.
Claiborne with 5th pick – Defensive Coach takes the best Defensive player in the draft (if he’s there)
RB with 2nd or 3rd round (depending on how the RB’s get picked up)
March 29th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
WHAT???!!!
Are you suggesting Jones plagarizes all of his own copy? That’s simply preposterous!
Joe may not agree with everything Tom Jones writes but that’s hardly to suggest he’s thieving all his work. That’s a pretty outrageous claiim.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Joe,
I’m not talking about plagiarism, I’m talking about the fact that most of his articles are simply links to other articles written by actual authors. The guy is a bum.
March 29th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
BonesMahoney Says:
March 29th, 2012 at 11:35 am
FYI, Trent is at around 70% according to ESPN. Forty times are overrated but a 220-230 pound back running a 4.58 while not being healthy is fairly impressive.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Big deal, Blount ran a 4.59 at this Pro Day at Oregon last year at nearly 250 lbs.
FYI, he wouldn’t have run at 70%, he would have skipped running altogether like Johnathan Stewart and Michael Crabtree did a few years back. He could have waited til a day before the draft to run if he wanted.
And further fyi, a 4.58 handtimed is equal to running about a 4.63-4.68 electronic. NOT ELITE! Adrian Peterson ran 4.38 electronic and was a far better prospect than Richardson… who has exactly as many 1000 yard seasons in the psat two years as Blount has, only Blount’s was done at the NFL level.
March 29th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
No agent would ever let their client run at 70%. It’s unheard of.
March 29th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
As I posted on another article
We own a car with a blown engine( the back 7 on defense)
But the Richardson boys wanna spend the money on a new stereo system!!
Fix the blown engine first!
It’s sad to have to explain that
March 29th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
It is pretty much agreed that most every player on the Buc’s regressed in the 2011 season.
Why are some posters arguing that Blount should have massively improved?
The whole reason we have a brand-new coaching staff was that the level of player achievement across the entire roster was unacceptable. In 2010, Blount was outstanding; in 2011, he was still pretty good. I expect that 2012 will be his best year yet.
Although I have faith in Blount, Schiano, and Byner, I still think drafting an offensive weapon at #5, might turn out to be a great idea. Those who are successful generally work to make there strengths stronger, and just minimize the problems of their weaknesses. With the additions of VJax, Nicks, and perhaps a #5 pick, whether Richardson, or someone else, the offense would be hard to defend, and even with a mediocre defensive effort, the Bucs would still win lots of games.
If the Bucs drafted a corner or linebacker at #5, we might be left with a fairly strong offense and still a mediocre defense, and we know what happens when you finish 10-6 in the NFC South.
You beat Brees, Newton, and Ryan by having them watch the game from the sidelines. (Not because you bribed the defensive players to take them out of the game(Saints), but by a strong offensive drives)
March 29th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
It is smarter to Draft the best player available instead of drafting for need.Thats what free agency is supposed to be for.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Capt. Tim,
He sure didn’t have a problem blowing right past Claiborne in the National Championship game, did he? As a matter of fact, find me one time when he was ever caught from behind in college. Look at his numbers. He broke of long runs in virtually every single game. You don’t do that if you are slow. But then again, you would actually have to have watched him play before to know that, which obviously you haven’t. Go ahead and lie to me and tell me you have.
Again, if we are so stupid to want Richardson, tell me almost all the experts agree??? I’ve asked you that on multiple occasions, but you have never once responded. It’s great you want Claiborne. That’s what the site is for – debating. It’s what makes it fun and keeps me here every single day. But you have never even seen the guy play and you are making as if you’ve studied tape on him.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
should be tell me WHY all the experts agree.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
“Running back is one of the few positions (if any) that you can get complete studs off the street.”
——-
That’s complete boloney! The bust percentage of RB’s late in the draft is extremely high. I looked it up and posted the stats a while back, but it is next to impossible to even get a starting caliber RB beyond round 2 (with of course the few exceptions that everyone mentions). Who are the best Rb’s in the game: AP, Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, MJD, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, Ryan Matthews, and Steven Jackson are probably considered the best. Of those, only one is undrafted and one was drafted in the third round. The rest are all first or second round picks (5 in the first, 3 in the second). So of the best runners in the game, 80% were drafted in the first 2 rounds, and 50% were drafted in the first. You really like those odds at picking up a stud in the late rounds? You must have an unbelievable amount of trust in our scouting department.
March 29th, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Hawaiian,
Our scouting department already found us a stud running back. Now we just have to use him. We can find a serviceable backup anywhere in the draft.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:08 pm
@OptimisTroll,
I think Blount is a very good RB, but he’s not elite. In order to be elite, you have to be more than just a runner. I’m sure he can improve on his pass-catching, pass-protecting, short yardage running, and overall grasp of the offense, but to think he could ever be elite in those categories is extremely optimistic. Besides, he is very prone to injury by both his general running style and his tendency to leave his feet (ahem, SF). I like Blount a lot and don’t mean this to be a shot to him, but he can’t be relied on to do everything (which applies for TR too, you have to have 2 RB’s nowadays). Having both of them would be unbelievable, and defenses would absolutely HATE playing against the Bucs. It would be a nightmare to have a running game with those 2 guys, and a talented WR group as well. Freeman should shine with that.
As for finding a serviceable backup in the draft, not really. It’s just not as easy as it looks. Besides, if/when Blount goes down, that backup becomes a starter. Then who backs him up? Haven’t we all learned from last year what a lack of depth does to a team?
March 29th, 2012 at 9:10 pm
Anyone who really believes TR really runs a 4.58 is an absolute freaking idiot! Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGS0xw6x3BY and tell me he’s slow. Watch him blow past guys by 10 yards, against SEC competition! It’s so ridiculous how some people love to watch men run in their underwear, and try to use it as fact.
March 29th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
Jerry Rice ran a 4.65 40 yard dash. It sure is a great thing we didn’t draft him. He was always getting caught from behind.
March 29th, 2012 at 10:38 pm
Blount and Adrian Clayborn were the main bright spots last year on an otherwise disastrous season.
GMC’s biceps summed up our season, “painful, shredded, and missing for the last 10+ games of the season”.
Thirdly Bucs Brethren, 1998-2001 the fifth selection in the NFL draft was spent on an RB:
’98- Curtis Enis: unfortunate injury prone (GMC similar?)
’99-Ricky Williams: damn good RB, an idiot, but was best in league for a few years.
’00- Jamal Lewis: had trouble with the law and cocaine, but an absolute stud. Won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer at the helm. Nuff
March 29th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Blount and Adrian Clayborn were the main bright spots last year on an otherwise disastrous season.
GMC’s biceps summed up our season, “painful, shredded, and missing for the last 10+ games of the season”.
Thirdly Bucs Brethren, 1998-2001 the fifth selection in the NFL draft was spent on an RB:
’98- Curtis Enis: unfortunate injury prone (GMC similar?)
Running the football is imperative in Schiano’s offense.
’99-Ricky Williams: damn good RB, an idiot, but was best in league for a few years.
’00- Jamal Lewis: had trouble with the law and cocaine, but an absolute stud. Won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer at the helm. Nuff said.
’01- LaDanian Tomlinson: wow, never won an SB, but not his fault. (ecstatic that the Falcons traded up for Vick and we didn’t have to face him in his prime).
So, I say if Trent Richardson is there at #5, the he is the choice.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:10 pm
First of all, if Richardson is really only at 70% health after a knee scope at this time then there’s a lot more going on inside that knee than what they let on to.
Second, there is absolutely no reason to ever use a top 10 pick on a RB. Period. I don’t believe for a second that Dominik will make this pick. He understands positional value as most smart GM’s do. They signed a monster Guard and a deep threat WR so that they wouldn’t have to put high value on the RB position. Systems and surroundings make RB’s, not the other way around.
March 29th, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Stevek
Was all of that nonsense really meant to encourage me to vote for Richardson?
Jamal Lewis? Really? That was the worst offense ever to win a Super Bowl. I think they went like 8 games without an offensive touchdown that year.
I’ve read it a couple times and I’m more confused everytime I read it trying to figure out your point.
March 30th, 2012 at 12:40 am
Blount was bad last year. Blame it on coaching, lockouts, blocking, or whatever else you can come up with. The bottom line is, no coach is going to continue feeding a RB the ball when he can’t trust him to run the play that is called. He wants to cutback everything even when the play is blocked. He’s not interested in 3 yard gains or in taking the punishment required to earn them. He is not physical. I’ve never seen a guy constantly attempt to jump over guys half their size. Maybe Shiano is able to fix all of these flaws, but I am not sure is even interested in trying.