Making An Impact
May 13th, 2013
There are theories out there claiming Bucs cornerback Eric Wright will be a starter until or unless second-round pick Johnthan Banks takes over the starting job.
They may be accurate. Bucs officials believe Wright may be best suited to being a slot corner and that Banks, unless he is woefully behind others, will get the starting nod when the Bucs travel to Gotham to open the 2013 season, noted the Associated Press in a recent feature on Banks.
The Bucs are confident Banks has the skills and maturity to develop into a top-notch pro, and he is ready to take advantage of an opportunity to contribute right away.
“I’m not going to put myself out there like that,” Banks said of his chances of becoming an immediate starter in a defense that nearly set a NFL record for passing yards allowed last season. “I’m coming in here willing to work hard — special teams, defense — and do anything I can to help.”
There is also the possibility, and this is pure speculation from Joe, that if Banks needs a work before he can start, the Bucs could instead start Leonard Johnson and keep Wright at slot.
Either way, one fun aspect of the upcoming Bucs minicamp will be observing the depth-chart pecking order the Bucs place Banks — just days after he was drafted.
May 13th, 2013 at 8:21 am
I think banks eventually moves to the #2. Revis is going to take away a lot of attention from the #1 guys on opposing teams. That means the other DBS will get heavy work load of balls thrown their wy. Banks is probably and most definately more talented then any other cb nt named Revis but he’s still a rookie and will get his licks.
Look at mark Barron. Guy started out hot and playing well then hit his wall during a 5-6 game stretch then closed out the season strong.
May 13th, 2013 at 8:23 am
If he’s truly a very mature hard working young man, I have no doubt he starts very very quickly.
May 13th, 2013 at 8:38 am
Wright will be the starter this year,he knows the playbook more in his 2 year.I think he will do a great job and stun all you haters.
May 13th, 2013 at 9:08 am
How did the pop-star give Wright 8 mil a year. this has to go with one of his worst moves since hiring a Offensive Coordinator with no playbook! Now we are talking about the Pop-star’s key free agent ( last year) getting move to the slot for 50%-60% of plays. Nice moves gm…..No wonder we have finished 4th,3rd,4th, and 4th in the division.
Playoffs or the Pops-star is banished from our beloved Bucs!
May 13th, 2013 at 9:24 am
@realist
Saying Wright is the slot might only mean in nickle and dime situations, but he starts on the outside in the base defense. Similar to how Ronde played.
Also, Wright is not making anywhere near that this year.
I understand you want to get your hate on, but at least wait until you know for sure what is going on.
May 13th, 2013 at 9:29 am
the_buc_realist – Take your meds. I love it when Douches like you think that you know what it takes to run an organization
May 13th, 2013 at 9:32 am
I like Leonard Johnson but Eric Wright has better cover skills and I would be shocked if he isn’t starting at one corner spot if Banks is not ready. If we remember Johnson played alot of corner on one of the worst secondaries in NFL history.
May 13th, 2013 at 9:33 am
SUPER BOoOoOoOoOoOoOowllllll!!!!
May 13th, 2013 at 9:38 am
@Tampa2
I would even take Thomas2.2 as my special advisor, and could take this team to a 4th,3rd,4th, and 4th in the division.
May 13th, 2013 at 9:50 am
no way banks starts as the #2.
wright has more experience, knows the systems and is pretty damn gifted himself when healthy. he was a 1st round pick. not to mention he’s faster…
May 13th, 2013 at 10:04 am
Bucfan Says:
“Banks is probably and most definitely more talented then any other cb not named Revis but he’s still a rookie and will get his licks. ”
I think that statement is way too early to make. The guy has not played a single NFL game yet. To say he is the #2 CB in the league (which is what you are saying since Revis is the #1) is way out of line…at the moment.
Don’t get me wrong…I’m hoping you are right in the end. Banks was the guy I wanted all along with our first pick. But any props he gets have to be earned like any other player.
May 13th, 2013 at 10:11 am
the_buc_realist Says:
“How did the pop-star give Wright 8 mil a year.”
Wright isn’t getting but like $1.5 million this year.
.
robert Says:
“no way banks starts as the #2. Wright has more experience, knows the systems and is pretty damn gifted himself when healthy. he was a 1st round pick. not to mention he’s faster…”
Too broad a claim. Take into considering the drafting of Benn and Williams. Williams was taken is the 4th round (I think) but he did so well in camp that he advanced very quickly.
The same could happen with Banks.
I’m glad Wright resigned. Wanted it all along. But I have zero illusions about him. People are right when they say he is better suited for the slot. And he is not faster than Banks.
Wright was beat over and over when he played last year. Now part of the reason was his alleged injury, but he was never that fast to begin with.
I have no doubt Banks will make his share of rookie mistakes, but I’m hoping he is a fast learner.
May 13th, 2013 at 10:13 am
the_buc_realist Says:
“I would even take Thomas2.2 as my special advisor, and could take this team to a 4th,3rd,4th, and 4th in the division.”
Now that’s honesty, lol.
May 13th, 2013 at 10:15 am
@bonsai
I think he meant second best corner on our team, not the league.
May 13th, 2013 at 10:17 am
Bonzai…He just meant the second best on the Bucs, but he has to prove that too. I do not think he meant the entire league.
May 13th, 2013 at 10:24 am
Time to stop dropping growlers in our own backyard and get behind Wright. Last year is over. We need this guy to shine. With the Goldson and Revis adds, he just may!
How great would it be for Banks, and even LJ to have time to develop instead of being thrown into the # 2 starting spot. Understand that Banks is a high pick, but rookies are just that.
May 13th, 2013 at 11:10 am
Agreed Biff Barker
May 13th, 2013 at 11:17 am
Buccaneer bonzai:
I meant on the team. Where on earth would you get the idea I meant in the nfl? Lol
May 13th, 2013 at 11:29 am
Leonard Johnson will be the #2 Corner..
May 13th, 2013 at 11:40 am
I liked the Casserly assessment from Joe’s post over the weekend:
The Bucs will double cover an opposing team’s #1 receiver, and Revis can cover the #2 in a 1 on 1 setting.
Excited to see our new and improved defense this year, I really think we are going to win 11 games.
May 13th, 2013 at 11:40 am
@ realist Give it a break
May 13th, 2013 at 11:42 am
Let’s give Dom all the credit for signing Wright but none of it for the clause laden contract that allowed Dom to get out. Lets give Dom all the credit for “hiring a Offensive Coordinator with no playbook!” but none of it for firing him before that season even started. Lets give Dom all the credit for “4th,3rd,4th, and 4th in the division” but none of it to the coaching.
Why not bring up the Pro bowl WR he signed last year? Why not the pro bowl running back he drafted? Too convenient to overlook?
Yeah jump on 2.2’s bandwagon. He has already proven his vastly superior football knowledge (at least to us peasants) by predicting the worthlessness of GMC. Its only a matter of time before he ends up as a highly paid analyst.
You complain and moan about old stuff constantly. (You bring up an OC that never even made it to the regular season? Really?)
If you would kindly give me your address I would be more than happy to send the box of Kotex that you are obviously in need of.
May 13th, 2013 at 12:45 pm
BuccaneerBonzai— Eric Wright ran a 4.36 40/ Johnathan Banks ran a 4.61 which is a little scary. I hope he is quicker than that.
May 13th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
Nick 2,
Banks has 34 inch arms, and shows quick change of direction, and the ability to hawk the ball.
The NFL is shifting to taller, bigger CBs. Glad to see us changing with the times, I think Banks was a steal. Seriously, he was a Top 1-2 CB in the draft prior to running a 4.6 forty…
While being 40 yards slow, I bet Banks plays a lot quicker on the field.
May 13th, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Banks should be a good one. Being a Thorpe winner and 4 year starter should give him decent odds at starting at some point his rookie year. Can’t say how high his ceiling is, (he wasn’t even the highest Miss. St CB drafted this year, Darius Slay was) but his floor is pretty high.
May 13th, 2013 at 1:07 pm
If you watch Banks on film and also read the best scouting reports out there you’ll see that he doesn’t fit well as an inside cover corner (slot guy). He plays best when he’s on the outside and he has the sideline to help limit where his receiver can run. This is because he doesn’t have the greatest quick change of direction skills of a Revis or even a Wright.
If you watch Revis and even Wright closely you see that their game includes very fast feet and superior change of direction. Ronde in his prime was somewhat similar. All those guys can excel in the slot. Banks, on the other hand, needs the receiver’s directional options (amount of open space) to be somewhat limited. He doesn’t excel in the slot.
Because of this you will probably see Banks as the starter on the outside with Wright covering the opposing team’s best WR with additional help (double covering the #1 WR) and Revis taking the other guy. It doesn’t matter whether Revis or Wright are on the outside because their skills work both inside and outside. You’ll see them doing both. Banks, though, will likely be mostly limited to an outside receiver.
May 13th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
I don’t understand the issue with his speed. Richard Sherman ran a 4.56 and look at him now. One of the best CB in the league. Track speed isn’t everything football speed is.
May 13th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
Or start Wright and move him to Nickel in the Nickel package. Hmm where have we seen that from our starting corner?