Bucs Fans’ Odd Love Affair With Michael Jenkins
February 1st, 2013
Joe has an amusing yet confused interest in the love affair Bucs fans have with some cornerbacks.
Last year, the obsession with the stiff known as Stanford Routt (pfffttt!) bordered on the lunatic fringe. Despite getting cut from the worst team in the NFL, Bucs fans hounded Joe daily about the Bucs signing Routt, even though he was walking the sidewalks for weeks before someone felt sorry for him and gave him a job.
At one point, Bucs fans were so out of control over the Bucs not signing Routt, Joe was convinced Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik would have been seal-clubbed if caught jogging in south Tampa.
Well, Routt has company, sort of. Bucs fans have had a long, yet far less senile crush on Cowboys defensive back Michael Jenkins. And with the Bucs having cash to throw around and the market for cornerbacks both in the draft and in free agency somewhat scant, the drumbeat of Jenkins is slowly growing louder.
Take this Bucs TBO Q&A for example:
Q. I have a hunch that Tampa is gonna make a move for Mike Jenkins before or during the draft. Dallas doesn’t want or need him and he is a young talented player that probably wouldn’t yield a heavy draft pick. This move would also allow the Bucs not to reach for corner in first round so we could address pass rush or something there and corner in second. What are your thoughts?
– Mike, Fitchburg, Mass.
A. I guess anything is possible.
– Woody Cummings
Joe cannot find the video on YouTube.com any longer, but Jenkins once actually gave up on a clear tackle that could have saved a touchdown; A PeeWee kid would have been benched for that stunt, much less an NFL player.
When Bucs coach Greg Schiano was first hired, he went spoke to popular sports radio personality Adam Schein and former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon, co-hosts of “The Blitz,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, and tore apart unnamed Bucs cornerbacks for giving up on tackles (it had to have been Aqib Talib?) and flatly said that type of nonense was “not going to be acceptable” on his team. In OTAs and training camp, Schiano put the Bucs defenders through rigorous tackling drills.
There is a reason Jerry Jones went out and signed a cornerback and drafted a cornerback last spring. There is also a reason why Cowboys fans loathe Jenkins.
In short, USF product Jenkins is not a Buccaneer Man. No, the Bucs can do better than Jenkins.
Yet Joe knows this strange love affair between Bucs fans and Jenkins won’t subside any time soon.
February 1st, 2013 at 9:19 am
Either way looking at our depth if the price was right I’d still take a 7th rd flyer on him he couldn’t possibly contribute less then Keith Tandy did last year an I don’t think he doesn’t have the talent and or ability to b a good run support corner it’s more of a want to an Schanio has proven thus far to b some helluva motivator…….. Ps name the last corner in Dallas that did tackle ctfu it didn’t mean they couldn’t they just followe the lead of there great shutdown cb Deion so they like to make “buisness desicions” when it comes to takling guys bigger then u Lolz
February 1st, 2013 at 9:24 am
I’m with you, Joe. The only explanation I can see is that he’s a USF product.
February 1st, 2013 at 9:32 am
The correct answer for Mr. Fitchburg is, Mike Jenkins is an unrestricted free agent and will not even be a Cowboy by the time the draft roles around. Therefore your idea of trading a pick for him makes zero sense. On top of this, Mike Jenkins has never done anything to earn anything more than a one year minimum salary contract.
Good job Woody Cummings. Way to be knowledgeable and answer that question properly.
February 1st, 2013 at 9:33 am
Cheap talent low risk/high reward potential an it’s a plus to actually have nfl starting experience even if u weren’t that great get ya rough learning years over with we bucs fan saw that first hand this year with atleast three diff corners getting roasted weekly hey realistically every corner can’t b nfl ready day 1 from school
February 1st, 2013 at 9:35 am
Fans know his name from USF and think that means he can play.
He’s not that good. I would give him a shot if it didn’t cost me anything just to analyze him up close, but that’s about it.
Like you said, the COWBOYS signed a DB and drafted a DB for a reason.
February 1st, 2013 at 10:00 am
He is better than what we have now. Like said above he can probably be had for cheap and coming back to where he played college ball. Also Schiano is a motivator and seems to get the most out of his players maybe he can turn a once promising career that has gone south back down that path.
February 1st, 2013 at 10:12 am
Who needs him? We got EJ Biggers!
February 1st, 2013 at 10:16 am
Jenkins? The guy hasn’t been healthy in two years. Don’t we have enough sub par CBs on our roster. Why add another?
February 1st, 2013 at 10:17 am
I hope that’s not a shot at our starting nickel??? Cuz he’s solid as a nickel he just been playing outside of his abilities an put n no win situations
February 1st, 2013 at 10:18 am
Mike Jenkins? I think I’ve heard that name before. SIGN HIM!!!!
February 1st, 2013 at 10:37 am
I feel foolish about the Jenkins comment now I should have looked into him more but honestly what other options are there? Revis is certainly out of the question for his price, the free agent market is lacking and it doesn’t appear the draft is much of an option either… They have to do something about corner I’m merely exploring every option.
February 1st, 2013 at 10:50 am
NO, no, no. I’d rather sign Sean Smith, Keenan Lewis, or Antoine Cason. Even Brent Grimes as long as his injuries are healed.
February 1st, 2013 at 10:54 am
JOE
Some will always think they know better than every single GM.
Look at all the Bucs let go when DOM took over. NONE had a job again for more than 2 minutes yet to this day some of the fans out there think the team would have been better had they all been kept. The only argument there is for Brooks.
Anyway, Jenkins cannot and does not tackle and his coverage skills aren’t much better than Biggers when Biggers has a good day
February 1st, 2013 at 11:04 am
The same people clamoring for Routt and Jenkins are the same people who would blame Schiano and Dominik for signing them for not working out. They would want to run them out of town after they conveniently forget they were the ones beating the drums for signing them.
These are the same people who constantly berate Dominik for his first round draft selections when all he did was select the best consensus player available at that draft position. They are the same ones screaming for Dominiks head for not predicting that these first round draft choices would not succumb to injuries. They trash Dominik and Schiano for every decision they make, but can you imagine what this team would look like if you let them be the general manager?
I’m with you Joe. ….It’s a joke
February 1st, 2013 at 11:33 am
Dammmm Skippy Joe,
IMO
(Boundary Cornerbacks)
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie-SIGN PHI FREE AGENT
EJ Biggers-Resign
(Slot/Nickel Cornerbacks)
DJ Moore-SIGN CHI FREE AGENT
Nigel Malone-Draft 6TH ROUND
(Field Cornerbacks)
Leonard Johnson
Terry Hawthorne-Draft 4TH ROUND
FS
Patrick Chung- SIGN NE FREE AGENT
Ahmad Black
SS
Mark Barron
Jonathan Cyprien-DRAFT 3RD ROUND
February 1st, 2013 at 11:37 am
Just sign Brent Grimes. Mike Jenkins sucks.
February 1st, 2013 at 11:42 am
Never-sign an Older corner coming off of an ACL injury(Brent Grimes). He wasn’t playing all that good before the injury.
February 1st, 2013 at 11:49 am
I SAID IT LAST SEASON LAGARETTE BLOUNT TRADE FOR JENKINS MAKES SENSE FOR BOTH TEAMS
February 1st, 2013 at 11:56 am
@dp4life22
Did you even read the article? You’re the perfect case in point. Jenkins can’t even hold Blount’s jock strap much less tackle it.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Alan Dell seems to write a column on Jenkins every other week for the Bradenton Herald. But then Alan Dell is an idiot.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:03 pm
I know with all the recent pub. It might not be in good taste to say this. But the Raiders have been throwing Jacoby Ford name around in trade talks. In with all the injuries McFadden have been dealing with. Would be great if we could swap Blount for Ford. He would make a dynamic option @KR/Slot receiver.
If not,that backup NT in Arizona David Carter, would be a nice pickup to for Blount. Since they’ve been having problems with their RB’s staying healthy. Dudes a Hog though.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:26 pm
@ 4everBucsFan
YOur right , actually he would not fit this defense cause man to man he would serve better in cover 2..
Biggers can tackle but cant cover so why is he still on team ??
Myron lewis I saw give up in I believe the Raider game, he pushed guy out of bounds than watched him run down the sideline for a TD..
February 1st, 2013 at 12:40 pm
I remember watching the draft and thinking the Bucs would take him @ 20 yet went with Talib instead. He flashed early in his career but began a downwad spiral once he looked like the fourth Gramatica brother on a tackle “attempt”. He was even called a coward by one of the announcers I believe.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:45 pm
WOW.
So explain again why some of you want a CB wo is overated in coverge and cannot tackle?
AND
February 1st, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Right on Joe. EJ Biggers is probably a better choice than Jenkins. That said, if Jenkins was a free agent, I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing him in for a look-see, with very low expectations. We can do better on the free agent market and in the draft, though.
February 1st, 2013 at 1:08 pm
4EverBuc said:
“These are the same people who constantly berate Dominik for his first round draft selections when all he did was select the best consensus player available at that draft position.”
With all due respect, Josh Freeman was NOT the best consensus player available at #17 in the 2009 draft when the roadie GM Dominik traded up to get him. The reason I criticize him is because the Bucs record under him is 24-40. At what point, 4everbuc, does he become accountable?
February 1st, 2013 at 1:23 pm
QB are the hardest positions to predict to do well in the NFL. At that time the Bucs needed a QB since Simms went down with an injury the year before and Dominik was uncomfortable waiting to the middle of the second round to select him, when their were other clubs that were also interested in Freeman at the time. And by the way, Freeman is still our QB last time I checked so he can’t be construed as a bust yet, and another thing if you could comprehend in reading, I said the same people advocating for Routt and Jenkins are also the same people who constantly berate Dominik. So are you one of them? If not, then this does not apply to you SA.
February 1st, 2013 at 1:23 pm
he is a poor mans Aqib Talib on the field. wont do the dirty work, not reliable in coverage, and often injured. pass…
February 1st, 2013 at 1:33 pm
I’ll take Jenkins any day over eric wright..or myron lewis. Although i would rather have my sister play corner for the Bucs rather than Lewis!
February 1st, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Eric wright can actually cover well in the number two CB position
February 1st, 2013 at 2:00 pm
4everBucsFan – Did you just write that Simms went down with an injury the year before the Bucs drafted Freeman? Freeman was drafted in 2009. Simms’ last season with the Bucs was 2006…. Seems you were in a coma for three years, friend.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:00 pm
@Jacko101 – Why didn’t he cover well last season then?
February 1st, 2013 at 2:28 pm
I don’t know why everybody is so down on EJ Biggers. For one thing, he’s not considered to be a cover corner but rather a nickleback and he led all cornerbacks with 41 solo tackles, ahead of L.Johnson our best cover corner with 34.
If we get ourselves a couple of good man corners and put Biggers back in his best position, he will be the best tackling corner again next year in a position he’s more familiar with.
The stats don’t lie, and even most talking heads agree that he’s under appreciated
February 1st, 2013 at 2:31 pm
4everbucsfan,
Dom has earned his criticism.
We should trade for Revis.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:31 pm
@Have A Nice Day
You’re right, I meant we had been searching for a QB ever since Simms went down, my bad.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:33 pm
4everbuc,
I never said Freeman was a bust. But you were spouting gibberish about how Dominik drafts the best available player, and the first player he ever drafted as a GM was a big time reach, and he traded up to do it. If you like Dominik, great. But don’t belittle those that aren’t happy with his lack of success, no matter what their reason. In our opinion, the guy sucks as a GM.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:35 pm
Plus I also think the selection of Freeman was more for Raheem Morris. Morris did have a personal relationship with Josh before the draft.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:40 pm
The idiot that wrote that says that getting him from the Cowboys wouldn’t yield a high pick… duh… he’s an unrestricted free agent. These types of know-nothing fans are why there is an NBA. Get to know the support you follow or shut up.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:46 pm
@Stevek
I agree that Dom does deserve some criticism but not the seal-clubbing like Joe referenced.
And I agree Revis Island, assuming his leg is healed, and he doesn’t cost us a huge fortune, would be great.
February 1st, 2013 at 8:32 pm
better then cb we got.