Mocking: Tyler Eifert
April 6th, 2013
With each passing day that the Bucs have not signed a cornerback, Bucs fans are losing more hair and shaving months off of their lives by chain-smoking and doing shots in the small hours of the morning, frustrated that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik hasn’t filled his biggest need.
The clock keeps ticking on another (non) roster move, and it seems to have slipped past Bucs fans because they are, rightly, so focused on cornerbacks. That would be starting tight end Dallas Clark.
Just about a month after the free agent dinner bell rang, Clark remains out there walking the streets. It stands to reason that if Dominik wanted Clark back, he’d be signed by now. That also suggests that the Bucs may be shopping for a tight end in the draft, in addition to the recent signing of Tom Crabtree.
Russ Lande of NationalFootballPost.com believes this as well. He thinks the Bucs will drop their No. 13 pick on Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame, Senior: While the Buccaneers reportedly have concerns about Josh Freemen being the answer at quarterback, they have to put weapons around him to give him a chance. Eifert is an elite receiving tight end prospect who would upgrade the Buccaneers underneath passing attack and make their offense multi-dimensional.
Now Joe’s about sick of this pap that Josh Freeman needs weapons. If that is the case, what are you trying to hide? Freeman has one of the best collections of “weapons” in the NFL! With the departures/retirements that have taken place in Green Bay in the offseason, Aaron Rodgers would kill to have Freeman’s weapons and offensive line.
So let’s stop with the “Freeman has to have weapons” nonsense talk, shall we?
Joe doesn’t dispute that the Bucs may draft a tight end. Eifert at No. 13 seems a bit high. Especially for a guy who told Joe, when Joe asked him at the NFL Combine what he needed to work on to be a complete tight end, Eifert didn’t blink an eye and stared right at Joe and said, “blocking.”
Joe’s kind of thinking Gavin Escobar of San Diego State, a clone of Eifert, would be more realistic in the second round.
April 6th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
I fully agree with you, Joe, on all the points you just made
April 6th, 2013 at 3:28 pm
As talented a receiver Eifert may be, he’s to much a reach for the 13th pick. Now, if the Bucs trade down to say 20th on down, maybe?
April 6th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
With the bucs needs, drafting a tight end 13th overall would be dominick begging to get fired and run out of town…..
April 6th, 2013 at 4:00 pm
@joe.. Your off your friggin rocker. What weapons does Josh have? 1 good WR and another that would be 2 or 3 on any other club. Yes Doug Martin had a good year but after him and Jackson where the hell are these weapons? That’s just ridiculous. And knowing your dumb ass GM is creating another hole is just got me to the very end if Mark Dominik and the terrible job he’s done. I’m over this loser. To say YOU JOE apploud him if he stands is ground with Jets and Revis is just frankly stupid for you to say. Joe you are at an all time low when it comes to this GM. Personally I wish the damn Glazers could fire you for stupidity.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
I wouldn’t mind that pick, he’s a special talent from what the ND games I saw. It could make our offense downright scary, weve seen what an athletic TE can add to an offense with the Saints. I don’t buy the he has enough weapons argument either. Peyton Manning had some of the best weapons and the Colts would still take other receivers high. You always improve your situation, if you don’t you run the risk of taking a step back.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:05 pm
I hope the Bucs do not have a number 13 pick this year, for it will mean we dealt it for Revis, someone we really need.
Revis is well worth a number one pick, for if he is healthy, a shutdown corner like him is near impossible to find.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
This is a bad pick! We have 2 1,000 yard receivers already and a back that puts up 500+ yards on screens…not to mention the Bucs are a run-first offense…there is only so many footballs to go around
April 6th, 2013 at 4:29 pm
Happy Sunday, Brad.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:32 pm
I would be shocked if they don’t go dt ar 13, and if you want a 1 dimensional midrange target you can get 1 way later. As for Mike Williams not being a weapon dude you smoke crack ,name me another 3rd year wr with 190+ grabs and over 20 tds . This is a subject that Gets me hot but then there were idiots saying that mike Willy was a question mark going into last year too after he posted 2 straight 65 catch seasons. As a pair only the falcons can say they have better wrs than the bucs ( the giants and Broncos are also nice) free does have weapons however a te to keep the safeties from being able to help on our good outside guys would really elevate the bucs passing game, but I wouldn’t go any higher than round 3 and I might wait till 5 and take a guy like Fauria from UCLA.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:33 pm
I like Eifert and Escobar, but we dont need either. We need a solid blocking TE that can catch the ball occasionally.
I like Dion Sims in the 4th, hopefully.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Brad, Joe sometimes wonders how you got past grade school much less learned to type — or does your mom type for you and you just dictate?
Vincent Jackson, yeah, sucks.
Doug Martin, yeah, sucks.
Mike Williams, yeah, sucks.
Donald Penn, horrible, sure.
Carl Nicks, pathetic.
Davin Joseph, miserable.
Yeah, Josh Freeman is sure surrounded by a bunch of slugs, isn’t he?
If these guys are horrible, check out the Packers’ roster sometime. Don’t hear too many people crying that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have weapons. Jay Cutler would kill for those guys. So would RGIII. Or even Ben Roethlisberger.
Yet Freeman apparently has to be surrounded by 10 future Hall of Famers to be successful. What’s that tell you? Then again, Joe understands reasonable thinking is beyond your skill set.
April 6th, 2013 at 4:55 pm
It would be nice to upgrade the TE position b ut it is not as big of a need as dt cb or debateable DE ours are to injury proneplus as stated free has enough people to get the ball too
April 6th, 2013 at 4:58 pm
At least Eifert makes sense. We actually need a TE.
We continue to lose starters and all of the minuscule amount of Depth we had. Drafting a player we actually need would be rather shocking at this point .
Wonder if he’ll sign for league minimum?
And while our backup QB wasn’t a world beater- he wasn’t bad! Now we have to add QB to our growing list if needs. After 4 years of “rebuilding”, shouldn’t our list of needs be smaller than it was 4 years ago?
April 6th, 2013 at 5:00 pm
we cant allow ourselves to get distracted by all the offensive weapons in this draft. that first pick has got to be defense all the way.
April 6th, 2013 at 5:00 pm
I read an article on PFT regarding a possible Revis trade. It suggested the Bucs have said they would be willing to pay Revis 15 Mil a year but are balking on a first round pick this year.
Are the Buc’s brass that dumb.
April 6th, 2013 at 5:01 pm
Exactly who I wish we’d draft!!! Eiffert!!!
April 6th, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Last years playoffs showed how important the TE position has become in today’s NFL. Eifert would bring a whole new dimension to the offense.
I’ve given up on the defense. Dim doesn’t know a CB from a pizza delivery boy. – which is what all of ours are better equipped to be!
April 6th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
@ Capt. Tim
“I’ve given up on the defense.”
glad your not our GM. neglecting the defense under any circumstance is just down right foolish. even though we’ve had a tough go at improving this defense, thats no excuse for giving up trying.
April 6th, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Yes, Josh Freeman had weapons, the problem was simply that they were inoperable. Of the weapons we got in FA, 2/3s were not on the field. And Josh lost key personnel on defense that might have helped maintain leads that he gave us going into the 4th qtr that ended in losses.
You could say that given the team records that were set by Freeman last year with 1 pro bowl WR and another coming within few yards of having 2 1,000yd WRs, he performed magnificently – using wisely Martin and Jackson, the 2 weapons that showed up.
It’s cute to talk about all the weapons we need and all the sexy draft picks that are available, but has anybody cared to look at how the Bucs are positioned to play offense and defense this year? Whether Tyler Eifert is a probable 13 pick or not depends on how the TE is used in this offense. Not used since the departure of Winslow, will that change? You decide. It will tell if Eifert or another high pick TE is a target!
I have no idea who the 13th pick will be or even if we will have one. Doesn’t matter! We are in the unenviable position of no matter who we pick it will be a significant improvement!
April 6th, 2013 at 5:29 pm
The defense is the best it been since Dom took over . . . We just need a couple pieces add in and we will be a beastly d once again . . . We need DT , Cb’s and LB an depth around the board and we are there
April 6th, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Green Bay has had offensive weapons for going on the past 10-12 years. Maybe not quite as much for New England, but Tom Brady is Elite and in a class by himself. The Colts until recently, but Manning had all kinds of weapons for 10 years. Same goes for Brees and his stable of WR’s & TE’s. You can even go back to the Rams with Faulk, Holt, and Co. who were together for many years. Freeman with ANY weapons at all………1 year. Freeman with even an average defense……..unless you consider 2010 which I believe we were 20th then NONE!
April 6th, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Brad, you need to see that theirs play makers on the offense. Other than Martin and Jackson.
April 6th, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Brad is like one of those squiggly tri-colored cashew shaped turd nuggets with the fuzzy appearance and attached membranes that just won’t flush. Basically a P.O.S.
Eifert would be by no means a wasted pick, but surly a luxury pick. Most first round TE’s pan out well in the NFL.
April 6th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
@astrobuc
We have two TE’s who do exactly that in stocker and now crabtree.tho it won’t be wasted, there’s no chance we take a TE in the 1st.maybe Escobar second.its prob a cb or dt but all that depends on revis, no revis we go cb.josh will be fine and will thrive behind our line
April 6th, 2013 at 6:34 pm
Honestly freeman had better weapons than Aaron Rodgers. The difference? Rodgers elevates their play. Makes quick decisions and looks off defenders.
Freeman needs weapons to elevate his play. That tells you how bad he is. Too me josh played the exact same way he did I 2011. Only difference was his Wrs bailed his ass out several times.
April 6th, 2013 at 6:34 pm
Joe, nice take on Freeman.
He’s got some very high quality tools in the box. Problem is the guy is still easily confused by mixing up coverage schemes and he makes questionable decisions with the footbal.
I’ll skip past the mechanics and accuracy issues.
Hey, any Magoo Buc homer would be delighted with an elite tight end but it’s a reach. Flame away, but I actually think we can stand pat with Stocker, Crabtree and Nobles with the way Sully’s offense is designed.
Keep our pics…trade up or down for BPA at CB, DT, DE ,OLB.
April 6th, 2013 at 7:57 pm
Vance McDonald out of Rice, 2nd round. That’s the value pick at TE.
April 6th, 2013 at 8:10 pm
Well I was all for drafting a DT in the first but I really am re thinking now that I have seen the below video. This guy and a TE would finish off our offense.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_UNFZHSQU
April 6th, 2013 at 8:12 pm
I reckon sign Tommy Kelly and maybe trade for Revis / draft Rhodes or draft Rhodes and Matthieu and our defense will be complete. Apart from a few depth signing s which we can pickup later on after training camp cuts..
April 6th, 2013 at 8:14 pm
This team is only a few pieces away from been complete I reckon –
Offfence : TE, WR
Defence : DT, CB, CB
The rest are all depth signings. Hats my opinion
April 6th, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Sorry typo *that is my opinion
April 6th, 2013 at 8:39 pm
How does a Difference maker at the TE position “not fit in” with your offense… Seems to me when, and if, an Elite Talent happened to land at your door step… you might want to find a way to “fit him in.” It’s not like we have to many players who can change a game in 1 play…. and even if we did is it really ever a bad thing to have to much talent?.. There are other guys that may fall to us that are better overall and we should draft that are on the defensive side, but they just might not be there when we pick, but this guy probably will.. and if he is, just something to think about. I for one would not mind having this guy as Free’s security blanket… which is a need by the way.
April 6th, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Not to mention this guys blocking skill will most likely get significantly better under Bostad and Schiano…
April 6th, 2013 at 8:50 pm
@Mack that tavon video has me wanting us to grab a WR now lol. I just know it won’t happen. A lot has to happen for us to go WR, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed
April 6th, 2013 at 8:51 pm
joe freeman didnt have joseph for a singlre game this year, he only had nicks for a few. Before this year he had nothing i think you need to stop your freeman hating its getting ridiculous.
April 6th, 2013 at 8:52 pm
It is beyond ridiculous to say Freeman has one of the best weapons in the NFL. I can list 10 teams off hand that have better. We have one receiver that has ever had 1000 yards in a season, and you somehow think that’s better than Baltimore? SF? NYG,? Dallas? Atlanta, New Orleans? We have no slot receiver or Te, yet we have the best because we have a great #1? Sure, ok. Ask yourself this: where do we rank if Jackson would go down? I’ll tell you – the worst in the NFL.
April 6th, 2013 at 9:08 pm
@hawaiin Buc
Yes vjackson is the man and a great #1.drew Brees and him dominated the pro bowl
April 6th, 2013 at 9:13 pm
@hawaiian we had 2 1000 WR’s last year alone. I don’t believe Joe should bash Freeman so much, he isn’t the best QB and he isn’t the worst. I believe he very good. I’m all for Tavon Austin
April 6th, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Ive been beating the Eifert drum for 4 months now! And I think we can trade down a few spots and still land him. A great TE who’s big, smart, greta personality, and can catch is a cant miss! That being said, I wouldnt be mad if we did take him at #13, but critically thinking and playing the draft creatively, we could trade down and still land him. (Dallas)
He’s a game changer, especially for Freeman….look at how he did when he had Winslow. Eifert along with with the rest of our O completely upgrades the dynamics and sends it into overdrive…DC’s wont be able to predict as well!
Now come on Joe, you want Freeman here, you beat the drum on extending him. So what if its another weapon. Its a weapon that sends our Offense into turbo mode!! The thing is, if Freeman does flatline or regress sometime during the season and never recovers, we’ve got next year’s draft which is quality QB DEEP (another reason why I hope we dont trade next year’s 1st for Revis, just wait it out and sign him next year in FA)…and we can draft his replacement in Bridgewater or McCaron or ????.
That QB (or Freeman next year) would be stepping into a majorly NASTY Offense. The D will be fixed. But we will be able outscore everyone as long as the good Freeman shows up….especially if we draft Eifert!
April 6th, 2013 at 9:36 pm
a catcher would be real nice, we have a big need. i just don’t see one available in the first.
i wonder if the bucs give up their first on draft day, but it costs them less overall; like just the first.
April 6th, 2013 at 9:36 pm
Ahhh, I hate it when I post before proofreading…sorry for the mistakes….I was fueled with the passion 🙂
April 6th, 2013 at 9:37 pm
I will add though….and have been saying this on the other site, if Milliner or Star was there at #13, oh heck yes!
April 6th, 2013 at 9:38 pm
I dunno. I think until this coming season Rodgers has always had more weapons than Freeman. When the Packers won the Super Bowl, they had 3 or 4 reliable receivers running around the field and a receiving TE who’s great when he catches the ball. Freeman has never had anything like that. The only advantage Freeman had was a run game. And Oline was never a concern with Rodgers because, either way, he’s holding on to the ball until he wants to throw it.
April 6th, 2013 at 9:54 pm
@ MadMax
thats all well and good, but with the defense we have right now we are not going to win many games. we are going to be able to put up 50 points on the board and still lose because the opponent is going to put up 54. As much as I would like to get Eifert, all our resources need to be put into the defense. I would be shocked, mad, disappointed, pissed, ect. if we did not go defense.
April 6th, 2013 at 10:15 pm
The bucs are definitely going defense in the first and probably second round. I agree with everyone else, Freeman has some of the best group of weapons in the NFL! I’m not a draft analyst but I’m sure the bucs will draft a CB, DT, and a LB in the first three rounds. They are by far the biggest needs as of now. A tight end late wouldn’t be a bad idea but if the first three pick aren’t the ones I mentioned…. Expect a angry bucs fan base towards our draft
April 6th, 2013 at 10:30 pm
BPA for greatest impact with need Andrew….and unless Milliner or Star or even Richardson is there, Im trading down for an extra pick and still trying to land him. The D is already upgraded with Goldson and you know we’re going after CB’s in the draft anyway..
But look at the close games we lost. That dynamic TE in Eifert will fix our stalemate at “3rd option” as long as Freeman doesnt go into a slump.
April 6th, 2013 at 10:58 pm
@ MadMax
I agree. BPA. I just think that by the time we pick at 13 that BPA is going to be a player on the defensive side of the ball.
Im not usually a stats kinda guy but there is one stat I find very important other than wins and losses, and that stat is PPG. after a quick search I found that our offense was ranked 13th in the league in putting points on the board, which is above average in the NFl, and ranked 22nd in the league in giving up points which is waaaaaaaayyyyyyyy below average if not bad.
given the offensive stat we where right next to teams who made it into the playoffs and even better than a couple of teams who made it into the playoffs when it comes to putting points on the board. so that tells me our offensive is good enough.
the stat that we where way worse than playoffs teams and near the bottom of the league in was giving up points on defense.
summary- offense and its weapons are good enough to be in the playoffs, however defense and its deficiencies are no where near good enough to be in the playoffs.
I know, all of this is probably obvious, but its still worth noting.
April 6th, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Get the bitch one more weapon if thats what it takes to finally prove to all the UNREALISTS that she sucks but either way SHES GONE after this year!LOL…
April 6th, 2013 at 11:16 pm
A catcher at that position is what we need. We know Freeman can’t throw short passes so he will be digging them out of the dirt. And he has great receivers. Watch the damn games and see the circus catches they have to make. I don’t care who you put there at TE. If the clown can’t put the ball on target where his receiver is the only one that can catch it is useless. How many times did he hang Underwood and Clark out to get plastered because of his ball placement? Hell, he did it so bad to VJ one time I don’t know to this day how he got up . He did it to Winslow too.
April 6th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
EXACTLY!!!!^^^^^^^^^^^^
April 7th, 2013 at 12:42 am
@Andrew, I am very good if we draft BPA in CB or DT @13….but trade back and grab BPA for our offense to completely open it up for us to succeed would kill any other option on D. Thats just my opinion. I know we need help on D, but talent like Eifert only comes through so much.
And to grif4 and Bucfan, if thats the case, we’re doing at least 3 trade downs and drafting EJ Manuel in the 2nd. I could handle that.
April 7th, 2013 at 1:29 am
How disrespected should Freeman feel to be mentioned in the same sentence as Rodgers?
Freeman weapons or not will never even remotely compete with a QB of that pedigree.
April 7th, 2013 at 5:10 am
“@hawaiian we had 2 1000 WR’s last year alone.”
——
Check the stats. Williams didn’t make it to 1000 (which really isn’t a big deal in today’s NFL-WR’s are already targeting 2000 yards now). I like Williams a lot, and think he’s a great #2, but let’s not go making him into Calvin Johnson.
April 7th, 2013 at 6:43 am
Hawaiian – MW was 4 yards short of a 1000. For general discussion purposes we can “assume” he was a 1000 yard receiver.
April 7th, 2013 at 6:59 am
Joe, the ROCKSTAR label…. The more I read it, the more it seems satirical.
April 7th, 2013 at 7:50 am
Greg jennings, randall cobb, jordy nelson, james jones, jermichael finley or vjax, mike williams, tiquan underwood, arrelious benn, and dallas clark .HMMMM Thats a tough choice, joe this article is a joke
April 7th, 2013 at 8:12 am
Tavon Austin, come on down to Tampa.
Don’t worry, if our QB can’t find you enough this year, we will get a new one in 2014.
Good thing we all have enough sense to take BPA, glad we don’t adjust the player to another player’s inadequecies. 🙂
April 7th, 2013 at 9:48 am
I hear we will trade up in the draft for Ezekiel Ansah..
April 7th, 2013 at 10:05 am
@Adam
Pretty sure its meant to go both ways.
April 7th, 2013 at 10:24 am
@jarrett hit it right on the head
JOE O-line are not weapons
Hes got 1 great WR 1 very good WR and a 1 great up-and-coming RB
that doesn’t scream he’s got a ton of weapons….look at the patriots they have 2 great-very good TEs and we have none
CB is our biggest need, 2nd is tight end…if Rhodes is gone, Eifert or Austin could be the pick
need a wr in the first 4 round, patton/bailey/woods in the 3rd would be great rogers/swope/stills in the 4th hunter/allen in the 2nd
April 7th, 2013 at 10:25 am
Some of you missing the point. It’s not about putting weapons around free it’s about having the best offense possible. New Orleans is a great example. Yeah Brees is great but you look at all the weapons they and the multiple ways they can beat you and that’s what makes them dangerous. The same goes for Atlanta. Eifert makes our great offense ELITE
April 7th, 2013 at 10:39 am
Austin > eifert
April 7th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Don’t fool yourselves, Mike Williams is turning into a superstar wide receiver and could very much so be a number 1. He has been productive every season but 1 where he saw all coverage go his way case our team sucked that bad.
MW is a top 5 possession receiver in the NFL and IMO arguably one of the best at going up and coming down with the ball.
Our offense is downright scary. A third WR and a TE is all its really missing. Oh and maybe some consistency from the QB position.
April 7th, 2013 at 12:23 pm
And IMO this draft should see priority placed on the “BPA at the highest available position of NEED”.
Luxury picks will cost Dom his head
If Not CB, than DT (unless they wanna give landri a shot as their guy), than LB,
than DE, than TE, and finally OT
Obvious pattern being Defense first followed by offense. Just my opinion.
April 7th, 2013 at 8:05 pm
Hey Jarrett, good to see you woke up from your five-month nap. Let Joe help you a little: Greg Jennings is no longer with the Packers. Jordy Nelson, while talented, is often hurt. Joe will give you Finley but you think Randall Cobb — a great talent — is better than VJax? Toss up, maybe.
And how convenient you left out Doug Martin. The Packers have zero running game to speak of.
Oh, and Benn is the property of the Eagles.
Just thought Joe would help you out a little. Feel free to take another nap until training camp. Carry on.
April 8th, 2013 at 1:03 am
It appears to me that we have more needs now than at the end of 2012! Dominick is NOT A ROCKSTAR!
April 8th, 2013 at 7:19 am
joe if dumb things are said, i will be there. Was comparing the weapons of aaron rodgers last year to josh freemans. Pretty sure nothing i said was false. Peyton manning just got welker to go along with the rest of his weapons, and i am sure there is not a denver beat writer complaining that he has too many toys. Or diminishing his skills because he has so many weapons. I guess their writers are not rooting for their qb to fail, wierd huh
April 8th, 2013 at 7:22 am
joe and yes randall cobb is a great talent
April 8th, 2013 at 11:52 am
I have an under-the-radar name to throw out there that we could/should probably look at in the mid rounds:
Travis Kelce, TE – Cincinnati
Remember, our coach loves/knows Big East players.
April 8th, 2013 at 1:05 pm
I’m Back! This Shhh is comedy!