Watching Quincy Black
July 23rd, 2012
Yesterday Joe had the pleasure of being a guest on “The Rock Pile,” hosted by all-around cool guy and fellow beer-swilling sports raconteur Rock Riley on WDAE-AM 620. There, Riley asked Joe what he would watch for when training camp opens up Friday.
Simply put, Joe will have his eyes on the linebackers.
Joe has been over this before, but the Bucs linebacker unit was the worst in the NFL last year. One reason was the play of Quincy Black, who has yet to live up to the massive new contract he received prior to last season.
(One could argue Black didn’t live up to his original contract pay.)
It seems Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune is of the same mind. Writing about five players who need to flash this year, Cummings includes Black.
Black is a confounding figure. He looks as good as any player in the league in his uniform and pads but he has a tendency to look out of place once the ball is snapped. Last year, for example, he was among the league’s leaders in missed tackles, with a missed-tackle percentage of 17.2 according to FootballOutsiders.com. As his 3.6-percent missed tackle mark of 2010 indicates, Black is not lacking in skill. He has the ability to be a game changer, but like so many of his teammates, he has to find a way to be more consistent. This camp will offer him that chance. If he takes advantage, he’ll retain his starting job. If not, he could find himself on the bench.
Or, Black could find himself out of a job.
Look, new Bucs coach Greg Schiano has zero ties to Black. He didn’t draft him and he didn’t sign him to (thus far) an unwarranted contract upgrade.
Joe’s of the belief if Black can’t cut it, he won’t have to just worry about starting, he may have to worry about what moving service to hire.
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:13 am
He’d make a better matador
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:22 am
I think it would be foolish to release him at this point. I’m not a huge fan of him, I just think the it would cost too much to cut him. A trade maybe.
But even if he is demoted to backup, he’d be one of the best backups around. If we have to pay him either way, and he’s not becoming a distraction, then keep him for the year. It’s not like we’re deep at him spot.
Next year, round one needs to go on Penn’s replacement, but we could get a LB in round 2.
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:30 am
Joe, I really enjoy most of your reads but this one is just bad. Quincy Black is not going anywhere. He works hard, was a team captain, a leader on the team, and if we cut him who do we start… hayward or goode? please no. Im looking for Black to improve drastically with a healthy GMC
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:45 am
I’ll trust the coach on this one. Losing games will cost more than Black’s contract. If he can be coached up, play him. If not act accordingly. The best linebacker at that position needs to start. There’s no sense pouring good money after bad and hurting the defense. Assign him to the position that helps the team most – even if it’s out the door.
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:54 am
Andrew:
LEADER?!?! Leader of what, how to whiff on tackles???
Joe will give you the benefit of the doubt. Let’s say, for argument sake, that Quincy Black is a defensive leader… of one of the worst defenses in Bucs history.
What exactly is the value of that?
Joe doesn’t give a damn how hard a guy works. That’s Little League nonsense. These guys are adults and are paid for results, not for how much they sweat.
Plumbers work hard to, and Joe wouldn’t expect the Bucs to start a plumber at linebacker.
July 23rd, 2012 at 11:06 am
Not glorifying our Linebackers at all, but it is not easy to stop a 225 lb NFL Running Back, running full speed through a huge hole.
Our D Line was out of place or flat getting blown up, much of last year.
Then, with that lazy safety we finally got rid of, it made our backers look very bad.
I think this year will be different.
July 23rd, 2012 at 12:24 pm
When GMC went out Black was put into positions that even Patrick Willis would struggle in. I said he works hard because Schiano has already realized that and has grown a liking for him already. He fits the “Buccaneer Men” mentality that Schiano wants. All you look at is how many whiffs he had, not the full picture. Dont just trash Black after last year when the defensive tackles playing in front of him at times were John McCargo, Albert Haynesworth, Jovan Haye, and Roy Miller. Not even Patrick Willis could succeed playing behind those scrubs.
July 23rd, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Well, that’s cool. D. Joseph just pulled up in his big black pickup truck to get some food at the Greek Restaurant next to my business. That dude is massive!
July 23rd, 2012 at 1:36 pm
I agree on some points, Black has absolutely not lived up to his contract thus fur, not even close. However, with the mediocre coaching, play calling and overall bad D-Line, backer and safety play… dont think its fair to judge anyone just yet. Personally I would love to to see Watson take his spot but again let’s see what he can do with what hopefully is much better coaching before we decide to just cast him off. I dont think there is anyone left in free agency that is better than him and with 16 mil still left under the cap his contract isnt hurting us just yet.
July 23rd, 2012 at 3:07 pm
The part that get me is there wasn’t much talk of how bad Black was after the 2010 season…and whys that? It might have something to do with him playing at a much higher level. Granted anything would have counted as playing at a higher level than 2011.
Black isn’t as bad as last year’s version, as the case with many other players on this roster.
July 23rd, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Does anyone remember this?
http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/04/08/secret-superstar-quincy-black-tampa-bay-buccaneers/
If Q. Jane can get back any of his fundamentals, and our D-Line plays at least mediocre, his raw talent should hopefully stand out again.
While I’ve never been a big fan(and sometimes a big critic), he does have the potential to be at least a decent player-as long as he isn’t our main run stopper. If McCoy & Co. can keep running backs contained, Black can worry more about the passing game, which has always seemed to be his real strength.
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Yeah let’s see what he does. But black sucks I’m sorry. No matter how you look at it. He doesn’t get downhill, he doesn’t tackle, he doesn’t bring that tenacity that we need at lb that physical presence We need. he don’t do nothing!! No d line or not. Because if you realized it or not even when our starters were healthy he produced nothing. He’s use to being a role player instead of a stud and if he can’t cut it then he shut be demoted and if he can’t cut it as a back up he needs ta go. Hardwork is good but we also need results and he hasn’t done anything as a starter yet. So let’s see of that switch to his motor comes on and if not. I’ve been waiting ta see Dekota Watson play a full season and see what he can do. Then if he can’t cut it I’m pretty sure a free agent or a draft pick will Do.
July 24th, 2012 at 6:34 am
This is the one player who in spite of playing a predominate role is well………somewhat invisible on game day.