Ruud Finds A New Home
April 7th, 2012- “Still can’t believe they didn’t let me bring back my QB … and things of that nature”
Whenever Joe thinks of Barrett Ruud, Joe thinks of the simple yet poignant breakdown that former Bucs defensive end Steve White told Joe a couple of years ago. “Guys with 100 tackles every year don’t suck.”
Perhaps the Bucs learned a little of that lesson last year.
Regardless, Ruud is no longer unemployed after an injury-plagued season in Tennessee that saw him start and play in nine games, record 57 tackles and mentor rookie MLB Colin McCarthy. The Seahawks snatched Ruud up yesterday.
Not that Joe would have wanted to see Ruud back in a Bucs uniform, but the must stunning aspect to the Bucs offseason has to be lack of action on the linebacker front.
Joe’s wondering if the new Bucs coaching staff thinks they have a somewhat hidden gem in Dakoda Watson.
April 7th, 2012 at 10:36 am
Wow. I just got done watchin the 2012 Bucs Cheerleading Squad on Buccaneers.com. YOU ALL need to check out this year’s crop. Unfortunately (and I’m pretty open-minded about such things), the Bucs squad is a distantttt second away from Dallas Cowboys squad. Unfortunately, Rachel Watson, is nottt walking through that door again. ITS ROUGH.
Honestly, seems like the Bucs would be better off, just picking 20 college women from USF??, or 20 women during Spring Break on Clearwater Beach? I’m not judgmental with such things, wee bit rough this year. 🙂
April 7th, 2012 at 10:39 am
They’re up to something with the LBs. So far, they’ve attacked the other needs effectively, but seem to be playing with fire without bringing in at least one proven vet at LB to call the shots. I really like Watson and Foster. Black could be great, but he’s at the end of his rope. Hayward is a good special teamer, but that’s it. I don’t think any fan wants to see another rookie calling the plays this year unless Barber is moving to Mike. Lol.
April 7th, 2012 at 10:51 am
Is it not plainly obvious what’s happening with the LBs? Every position on the team that was an issue last year has been addressed, except LB. We have the 5th pick in the draft and are guaranteed to have the opportunity to draft the #1 LB in the draft. Pete Carroll said that teams are shying away from LBs in free agency because it’s a deep draft.
Get over your Morris Claiborne obsession and realize that the Bucs are positioning themselves to draft Luke Kuechly (and maybe another LB after him as well).
April 7th, 2012 at 10:51 am
“Not that Joe would have wanted to see Ruud back in a Bucs uniform, but the must stunning aspect to the Bucs offseason has to be lack of action on the linebacker front.”
TR3 in the first…
Lavonte David or Mychal Kendricks in the 2nd or Sean Spence/Nigel Bradham in the 3rd
and
Bobby Wagner in the 5th
April 7th, 2012 at 11:08 am
Watson is a very fast LB. Last year I saw a few times make up for his mistakes with speed. Under new coaching, he seems like a fine prospect for promotion.
April 7th, 2012 at 11:18 am
I like Watson and would like to see him get a chance to become a starter. I am not sure why he didn’t play more games last year, with Hayes, Black, and Hayward struggling Watson should have gotten more burn on first and second down not just third. As for Kuechly, I would not be upset if we took him even with the fifth overall pick, as long as Claiborne was off the board. Over Richardson in a second easier to find RB later in the draft than Great linebackers. @SensibleBuc, if we do that where to we get a corner. We need one early in the draft because we have no clue what is going to happen to Talib. However getting any two of the guys you mentioned and throwing in Tank Carder to the mix would be great. I do not think Wagner will be there in the 5th though, he will be gone second or third latest.
April 7th, 2012 at 11:25 am
The Bucs have all the flexibility in the world in this draft. It could shape up many ways, and no matter what, guys should be available to fill needs in rounds 1,2,&3. No matter what happens, I’d bet anything one of those rounds we draft a LB.
That should only leave a few depth spots left to fill, and the later rounds, and post draft FA period should cover it. I really don’t see the Bucs doing much more than that at this point.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
April 7th, 2012 at 11:47 am
Luke Kuechly is a fine prospect, but if you draft him in the top 10 you are REACHING!! 1st rounder for sure, but not a top 10. If the Bucs want him trade the 5 away and pick up a few extras and snag him a bit later
April 7th, 2012 at 11:47 am
I have always liked Dakoda Watson & he deserves a chance. Quincy Black got that big contract, so they played him. Hopefully Greg Schiano will play those who deserve the playing time & cut loose the “guests.”
April 7th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
‘Joe’s wondering if the new Bucs coaching staff thinks they have a somewhat hidden gem in Dakoda Watson.’
That’s what I’m talkin about right there.
April 7th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
I could make a solid argument that Dekoda W is their best backer.
He is versatile and athletic. I would use him in a versatile role but always have on the field. He can rush the passer and make pursuit plays.
Quincy Jane is the worst. Foster was very disappointing at Mike but I realize he was out of position. I think he will be fine at Will.
April 7th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Ruud SUCKS !
April 7th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
They haven’t addressed any issues on defense.
What have they done ? Eric wright?
Geez, he’s horrible!
Per “pro Football Focus” , based on tackling effiency,
Mason Foster ranked 27 out of 31 ILBers
Gino Hayes ranked 22 out of 29 OLBs
Quincy Black ranked 29 out of 29 OLBers.
That’s about as pathetic of a bunch as you can find.
The team hasn’t addressed the worst part of the team yet. It’s going to nauseating next year if they don’t replace at least 5 of the back 7.
Losing by 40 points is not conducive to filling up the stadium
April 7th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
What they have done Tim is subtract the worst coach and influence the defense ever had -rahrah. By virtue of that alone, they are vastly improved.
April 7th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Our LB’s were terrible last year but they were also plagued by injuries, put into a horrible defensive scheme, left out to dry by a D-front that couldn’t stop runs from getting to the second level, and led by a rookie MLB who was put into a position he never played in college. I would imagine Schiano and company have looked at the tape and decided that maybe things aren’t as bad as they looked on tape with a few corrections and a different scheme. Beefing up the D-line and having them healthy will make a big difference too.
Any news on Okoye or Landri?
Anyway, I’m gonna step out on a limb here and say that the guys at One Buc are probably aware of all the team needs. I doubt whether they plan on filling all the holes in one year. I like what they are doing up to this point and I’m sure they have a plan in place.
April 7th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Bobby wagner = beast dont trade down take BPA
April 7th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
@Capt Tim….I’m going to predict top 15 defense this year even if they don’t pick up any LB’s. We’ll see who’s right.
April 7th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Take Bobby Wagner in the 2nd if he is there
April 7th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
One of the things to remember when Sheridan was hired was when he mentioned that in reviewing the tape, the big issues he and Schiano saw were all correctable. Which leads me to think that they may believe in some of the players currently on the roster and feel things would have been better with improved tackling, coaching and game-planning. NO idea what their plans are at LB, but wouldn’t be surprised if they draft two here in a few weeks (Yeeeaaahhhh!) Definitely figured they’d have already added at least one by now though. Besides possibly having a hidden gem in Watson, they may feel they have one in Curran as well.
April 7th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Wagner is a third round prospect and we’ll pass on him and take Tank Carder. He’s being hosted by the Bucs.
April 7th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Still have Fletcher, E.J. Henderson, Hill, Crowder, McIntosh, Blackburn, Peterson, Sims, Gaither and Levy out there, so cupboard isn’t completely bare of vet LB’s yet. There are a few loaves of stale bread in there though, so be careful what you buy.
April 7th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
@Bobby,intrigued by Carder as well. He moved really well at the combine and seems like he’d be a good fit at WLB eventually. Really good LB depth in the draft this year, curious to see how it plays out. If the team doesn’t grab a LB before the draft, wouldn’t be surprised if they pick one up from the vets released post-draft.
April 7th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Let’s face it guys and let’s admit it, letting Barrett Ruud go in free agency was Mark Dominik’s biggest flub thus far. By letting Ruud go, he left the defense without a leader and a play caller, forcing Mason Foster to try and call the defenses as a rookie while learning his basic job.
On various boards some lamented Ruud’s propensity for making tackles four to six yard downfield. At least he was making tackles unlike the trio of LBs the Bucs fielded last year.
Moreover, those who lamented the “lack of real run stuffer” failed to mention the defensive line’s dismal performance at protecting the linebackers Ruud included. Part of the defensive line’s job is to occupy blockers on the LOS or to push the LOS into the offensive backfield to free the linebackers to “run stuff.” Furthermore, at least one of those d-linemen NEEDS to force a double team for the defense to really work. Otherwise, your LBs wind up getting blocked by 300+ pound offensive linemen.
Admittedly, Ruud is no Butkus, Nitschke, Singletary, or Ray Lewis, but even they would have had trouble getting free to make tackles behind the Buccaneer defensive line the last three years. At least Ruud made the stops, albeit four to six yards downfield, unlike our linebackers last year.
April 7th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
@FlBoy84. I’m sure they plan on adding LB’s somewhere. I would not be surprised if they picked up several in the draft. I look for them to make a trade before the draft that will get them a 4th round pick. If they go CB and RB in rds 1 & 2 then I would expect them to go LB and LB with the next two picks. They may take a chance on Phillip Thomas from Syracuse in the 5th but I don’t know. This kid has a big upside but has issues that I’m not sure Schiano will want in the locker room. Any way it goes it’s going to be a good draft for us. I’m excited for it to get here.
April 7th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
I do not see anything more than a special teamer and a situational pass rusher in Dekoda Watson.
April 7th, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Ruud was so impressive with the Titan’s that they benched him for a rookie then kicked him to the curb. Sad that we are even still mentioning his name!
April 7th, 2012 at 10:33 pm
When are you people going to learn???
Rookie LB’s in the NFL = disaster. Look at the Bucs and Eagles last year.
I said the Bucs should have franchised Ruud last year but nooooooooo……
Idiots.
April 7th, 2012 at 11:51 pm
seattle made a good pickup. ruud may not be great but hes better than anything we had last year or so far this year at lb. we should have picked him up this year the lb pickings are getting slim