The Lesson Of Brandon McDonald
April 21st, 2013_t607.jpg)
Raise your hand if you remember the Bucs’ opening day nickel cornerback last season.
That would be Brandon McDonald, who was cut by the Bucs after the 2012 preseason, re-signed, and later cut again in November in favor of LeQuan Lewis, who was a member of Greg Schiano’s not-so-fearsome foursome, “E.J., Leonard, Danny and LeQuan.” And oh by the way, Lewis was released a couple of months ago.
The point is the Bucs went into opening day last season, opening day, thin at cornerback. That really can’t happen again. They must learn from last year’s painful rollout of the worst secondary in Buccaneers history.
The New Schiano Order and rockstar general manager Mark Dominik have made it clear they want Ronde Barber on the roster. And Barber has made it clear his decision is up in the air.
Well, in Joe’s mind the game has now changed. The Bucs have Darrelle Revis recovering from major knee surgery and no first-round draft pick, so in Joe’s mind it’s got to be an absolute priority to get Barber committed before this week’s NFL draft.
If the Bucs really want Barber (And they should; the guy still makes plays), they must pursue him all out immediately. Pay Barber more money, if necessary. Take Revis to his house for a meet and greet tomorrow. Get on your knees and beg. Promise Barber a spot in the Ring of Honor this year. Let him pick the room temperature in defensive backs meetings. Joe doesn’t care what it takes.
Joe’s learned the lesson of Brandon McDonald. Barber’s a lot better than McDonald, and the Bucs should be moving desperately to secure his services.
April 21st, 2013 at 11:19 pm
Agreed!!!
April 21st, 2013 at 11:34 pm
Well SAID Joe! I like Leonard Johnson but I would love to have Barber for one last ride!
April 21st, 2013 at 11:40 pm
I’ll do his laundry next season….. I have dreams of a near permanent Nickle defense with Barber in Nickle/LB + David + Foster with Barber blitzing on running downs as needed. We could still add Freeney to rush on 3rd down and add some depth (yes, he’s still out there).
Barber is key though, he really is. The obvious weakness is speed, but you’ve got two outside corners to cover so now Ronde’s ridiculous versatility becomes a supreme strength. If it takes $10-15 million, get him signed!
April 21st, 2013 at 11:41 pm
Barber for nickel back ….with a lot of teams running 3wide receivers …
Honestly I think barber will retire tho…
April 21st, 2013 at 11:42 pm
Joe,
I’m not playing devil’s advocate here, I’m trying to understand your analogy with McDonald and your impassioned plea for Barber.
Are you saying that because we signed Revis and not knowing the extent of his injury and no 1st round pick that we are now worse off, hence we now need Barber more than ever?
If you are, I disagree emphatically. The best CBs may be in the 2nd round of the draft which may yield other quality players for the secondary. I don’t mind Barber, but I don’t see a critical path dependent on Barber.
If I’ve not interpreted your words correctly, feel free to set me straight. Not the first time I didn’t get it!
April 21st, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Actually, going into that first game last year, the Bucs were very excited about their secondary with Talib and newly aquired Eric Wright at the corners, and rookie Mark Barron at safety along side of the newly converted Ronde Barber. The secondary was considered a strength of the team. Then that day in New York they were exposed early as the Giants recievers ran by them all day and Eli threw for over 500 yards. Talib showed that he could not turn and run, and Victor Cruz ran by Ronde like he was standing still. Can’t exactly blame that on Brandon McDonald. Just goes to show that you don’t know what’s going to happen until the real games start.
April 21st, 2013 at 11:59 pm
The second and third rounds are the strength of this draft, and the Bucs will certainly use one of those picks on a CB. We’ll be fine. But yes, Ronde would be a nice addition for sure.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:01 am
@joe. You are dead to right about Ronde. All we have to remember is the home opener, pick off. Sure he missed some plays but he made a bunch others. The man can play! I don’t get some always wanting him gone. His work ethic, mature leadership and team spirit is worth immeasurable benefit.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:09 am
We have Leonard Johnson and Gaitor who got tons of experience last year and did VERY well in the Atlanta game. Then we have Biggers who I think will do well against #2 receivers. We will also draft a CB in round 2. That’s Revis, Wright, Johnson, Gaitor, Biggers, and a draft pick. 6 corners is enough. I would like to see Ronde for his leadership ability but I would really like to see him as a DB coach.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:19 am
“The NFC is a battlefield, and if you aren’t prepared for war, you end up bringing a knife to a Plaxico party.”
Think that sums up the Bucs QB situation pretty well.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:20 am
*CB…. my bad.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:27 am
I think landing Revis ended Barber’s career in TB. …not b/c we don’t want him, because he won’t be a starter now. I think he wanted to keep his streak alive and with adding our new Safety and Wright coming back he might’ve been our no.2 CB and now that’s not gonna happen. I hope he returns for depth and leadership but don’t see it happening now.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:28 am
Biggers is on the redskins bobby
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:37 am
@Bucky23…yeah…my bad. I forgot he was a FA and went to Rah Rah. Oh well, I think a good rookie corner can come in and play as well as Biggers.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:55 am
Bobby….
E.J. Biggers signed with Washington about a month ago. Good thing you’re paying attention.
April 22nd, 2013 at 12:57 am
Lol someone beat me to it. I think they will go DT in the 2nd, or package the 2 and a 4 to trade into the end of the 1st round. Then they will look for a CB in the 3rd, or maybe even 4th if one drops far enough.
April 22nd, 2013 at 1:00 am
I’d like to see Mathieu in the 3rd, or Amerson if he drops far enough (which is pretty unlikely). If they stay put in the 2nd, Kawann Short or Jonathan Hankins please.
April 22nd, 2013 at 1:22 am
I’m hoping for Matheiu !
April 22nd, 2013 at 1:36 am
We need dline help still badly we have no backups and linebackers too..
April 22nd, 2013 at 1:48 am
Like to Kawaan short at 2
And get Kaseem green at 3 , have to move up tho.
April 22nd, 2013 at 2:03 am
mathieu will be gone in the second round…hell, kiper has him going to the falcons in the second, I believe.
April 22nd, 2013 at 2:53 am
Yea, I say we pull that trigger and get Mathieu in the second ourselves
April 22nd, 2013 at 3:35 am
@PR
Don’t get your hopes up on Honey Badger. He’s not a Buccaneer man lol
April 22nd, 2013 at 4:16 am
Joe- point well taken. It’s pretty obvious that Dom did a great job in aquiring the best defensive player in the league. And I congratulate him on a job well done.
But, as great as he is, Revis won’t put us in the playoffs. He is the best CB in the league. But still just one. We need 3 more. We don’t have one other starter on the roster
And we don’t have a nose tackle. One of the lynchpin positions on the defense. Key to stopping the run, hard to find.
We don’t have one.
Last year, defensive backs thwarted our WRs, by covering the side lines. You could often watch them breaking before our WRs did!! This is because we have no one attacking the middle of the field. We have no TE. The once great Clarke is breaking down. Stocker can’t get open, and can’t catch if he could.
We badly need a TE. A slot Wr would help too.
We don’t have a Sam ‘Lber. Quincy’s career is likely over we need a MLB, so that foster can play Sam. And I know someone will say that our Sam only played 30% of the time. That because we didn’t have a starting quality Sam. Can’t play what you don’t have.
Who is Penn’s backup? Clayborn? McCoy?
Still no depth. Dom has his work cut out
April 22nd, 2013 at 5:59 am
Mathie “Honey Badger” lost count after 10. Why on earth would the Bucs draft him after the drug problems with their secondary over the last several years???
Use your heads people.
April 22nd, 2013 at 7:30 am
Well said Bucfan238. Mathieu! didn’t get kicked off LSU for smoking a few joints. They found 10 bags in his room when he was arrested. Just hearing him talk, he oozes low class, low life idiot. Give him a million dollar payday, he will be back to his old ways, getting in trouble and failing drug tests and he will probably take Eric Wright or others with him. No thanks! He might be a good player, but we don’t need his brand of crap.
April 22nd, 2013 at 8:02 am
@Macabee – Joe’s only making a point about depth. Barber remains a playmaker — and he’s in play. The Bucs need him and want him, so they should go over the top to get him. He’s only going to play one more season and be on the cap for one more. The only point Joe is making is that the Bucs should make Barber a bigger priority now that Revis is out of the way, otherwise they’re welcome to re-sign McDonald.
April 22nd, 2013 at 8:06 am
Ronde is coming back. All the signs are there. He’s pulling a Favre. He wants to skip all the minicamps and workouts that are unnecessary for a guy of his stature at this point in his career. I’m sure he hinted at this to Dom and Schiano. They can’t come out and confirm it because it would look bad to the rest of the team. Ronde may be one of the best Bucs ever, but he’s old and he wants to make sure he’s got something left in the tank when the important months of the season come around in Dec and Jan. There’s no way he’s not on the roster opening day.
April 22nd, 2013 at 8:37 am
As usual, I totally misunderstood the point you were making. In retrospect, I totally agree!
April 22nd, 2013 at 10:14 am
Why would Barber come back if he can’t keep his Iron Man streak going for consecutive games starting.
April 22nd, 2013 at 11:57 am
I’d have zero problem with Ronde going to the ring as an active player, and starting every game in nickel.