“I Would Not Move Ronde Outta There”
September 7th, 2012
John Lynch isn’t sold on Ronde Barber the safety.
One great mystery of the 2012 Bucs lies up the gut of the secondary.
Will Mark Barron prove worthy of his draft status?
Can Ronde Barber transition successfully to safety at 37 years old?
Bucs icon John Lynch is bullish on Barron. Lynch thinks he’s the real deal. Barber? Well, Lynch isn’t sold on Barber the safety. Speaking on the Ron and Ian Show yesterday on WDAE-AM 620, Lynch said, “I would not move Ronde outta there,” referencing Barber leaving his cornerback slot.
Joe thinks Barber will do some great things at safety, just on his sheer football smarts and experience. But Joe has to agree that Barber’s seemless transition is not a given. Barber himself has downplayed any talk that it’s an easy move. Joe’s most concerned about Barber taking more of a pounding in run support.
Regardless, Barber’s presence is a big key to Barron’s development. That can’t discounted.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Joe, the run support pounding might end his streak this year.
Also alarming is the fact that Barber might be the slowest starting free safety in the NFL now.
Will he have closing speed?
Can he catch any receivers from behind?
September 7th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
I agree with Lynch.
I was never a big fan of this move because it really is a different game back there at safety from being a zone corner. Different reads, different run fits, different tackling techniques. I want to take solace in the fact that lesser talents have made the switch (Antrell Rolle & Malcolm Jenkins off the top of my head) but Ronde doesn’t have their size. He’s going to be exposed in the run game.
WIth all that said, if Ronde gets most of his PT in a big nickel package with Talib, Wright, Barron & Black I think he can last throughout the year.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Another issue is Barber has been ranked as one of the worst tacklers on PFF. I can’t speak to their analysis but it’s not a positive for sure. He hasn’t shown much in the preseason.
On Barron, he better be good. From what I’ve seen of Claiborne and Kuechly they are both top notch. Hope Barron is as good as advertised.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
I could care less about Claiborne and the Cowgirls, but top notch isn’t giving up 6 points. He got manhandled on that off-tackle TD run by Bradshaw. I guess other than that he did ok.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
I thought Lynch was talking about not moving him from that nickle spot. Lynch said he’s the best nickle back ever. Thats what I took from it.
September 7th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Barber was one of our great’s but at this point he’s a nickelback that excels at covering his equivelent.Slower vet slot reciever’s Driver,Avant,Stokley even against these quick young slot reciever I would pull him(man to man).3rd down zone coverage nickelback is his ideal spot.But the more inexperenced the opposing QB the more his role should be expanded.He just does’nt have the speed to cover that much area.He has to diaignous the play too fast to make up for the fact that most safety’s can get to that spot 1 second faster.Meaning he’ll be suseptable to double moves and pumpfakes.If I was the opposing team’s OC and Barber was at FS I’d test his range over and over.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Barber is the best free safety on the roster.
We have strength at CB, with Talib and Wright plus the backups.
Seems pretty simple to me to understand.
Who is better than Barber at free safety on the Bucs roster???
Ron Rivera even said that this was a smart move.
September 7th, 2012 at 1:43 pm
He showed against the Patsies what He can bring to the table as a safety. I believe in him. It’s not like they havent evaluated him and watched for all these above “concerns” themselves. They wouldn’t start Ronde if they thought he was a liability.
September 7th, 2012 at 2:06 pm
I knew a career blitz corner wouldn’t transition to a pure Safety.
September 7th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
I think Barber is a person that would be honest and speak up if he thought he truly couldn’t play safety. He’s a team guy.
September 7th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
U knew he wouldn’t transition??? Are you an oracle???