Bennett Loss Doesn’t Sit Well With Jeff Faine
July 2nd, 2013
Union-first Jeff Faine, the former Bucs captain and center who tried to sell fans that NFL players would be driven to eating Saltines and anchovies as a result of the 2011 lockout, still keeps close tabs on the Bucs.
Yesterday, Faine told JP Peterson of WDAE-AM 620 that he was in touch with Josh Freeman this week and remains connected to his buddies on the team.
Peterson hit Faine with all kinds of questions on the New Schiano Order Bucs, and Faine was upbeat about most things Bucs, including Freeman.
But Faine was down on the loss of Michael Bennett.
“I think it was a big mistake letting Michael Bennett get out of there,” Faine said. He’s a guy that I believe that’s very, very, as highly rated as he is within Tampa, leaguewide I think he’s a very, very underrated player.”
Yes, Bennett was damaged goods with a bad shoulder. But recent word out of Seattle (Bennett’s new team) says Bennett played all of last season with the injury and should be as good or better this season.
Regardless, the Bucs made a judgment call letting Bennett’s nine sacks and run-stuffing prowess walk, banking on DaQuan Bowers and rather flimsy DE depth. It’s a call that will be scrutinized all season long.
July 2nd, 2013 at 12:21 pm
I’m sorry but Bennett is not underra he is what he is.
People want to point to his 8 sacks as if it was this great number when in actuality it should have been much higher.
Bennett was left one on one through out games. Miller and McCoy ate up 2 blockers on a given play and the DEs were left one on one over 90% of the time and your telling me in 16 games he only won those battles 8 times?
The Miller’s, Smith’s, and other top DEs are beating double teams all game long getting 18 and 19 sacks. Sorry but Bennett was not worth what he was asking for when Bowers (who before a knee injury was thr consensus overall#1 pick) came in mid season and had 3 sacks and wasn’t even 100%
Bowers and Clayborn will beat one on one match ups more than 8 times in 16 games.
July 2nd, 2013 at 12:37 pm
Agreed @RCS
Also a few of those sacks were mostly struggling offensive lines and on top of everything hes injured. So for him to get a long contract extension would of been a bad ideal.
I trust Schiano, I just hope these season ending injuries to the line finally stop!!!
July 2nd, 2013 at 12:53 pm
The problem was, hi agent wanted too much money,like cloes to 10 per year… it wasn’t until after he tested free agency did he realize his true market value… and this is without Seattle realizing his shoulder.
Look how long it took Freeny and Abraham to sign.
The Bucs want to promote and start Bowers. Hard to do with other starters in his way. But yes, the Bucs do need Dline depth… hopefully we have it.
Hopefully the draft pick can provide this depth.
July 2nd, 2013 at 12:56 pm
This will only become an issue if Bowers gets injured and we have to rely on our depth. I don’t think losing Bennett and gaining Bowers is a negative change, so I definitely agree with the Bucs on that.
A healthy Bowers will beat out Bennett any day of the week. But not signing a good DE in free agency and leaving your depth to rookies and injury replacement guys who played on the line last year is not good.
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Michael will be missed and we have no choice other than to turn the page. Let’s hope Bowers and Clayborn make Bennett a distant loving memory. The fact is, that Bowers was drafted to be the eventual starter and it would not have been fair to Bennett to be relegated to back-up after his long journey to finally get there. Suppose Dominik, by letting Bennett go, was really doing him a favor. That it was for his own future benefit, even if it meant being a starter somewhere else. IDK JMO
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:11 pm
I’m not high on losing Bennett. He was a steady player for us, and that is always hard to lose. I do think, however, that we have elevated the ceiling of potential at DE with Bower & Clayborn, with Teo-Nesheim and Gholston as backups. Problem with potential is that you never know if it will ever be realized or not. The key, of course, will be health. Bowers and Clayborn healthy should be better than Bennett. Teo is a decent backup, and good depth. Gholston is an unknown.
Would we have been better with Bennett and Clayborn with Bowers as depth? Probably, but how long can we keep guys as “depth” or backups before we lose them. I’d rather let Bowers take over now and if he’s the answer, lock him up long term.
I really think depth at DT is more of a concern. GMC is solid at 3-tech, but who backs him up? Move Spence to 3? Pull a DE inside? Hard to say. Probably have better depth at NT, but not (IMO) the level of depth at DE.
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:24 pm
The defensive line really worries me.Let’s hope for the best!
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:33 pm
why they keep bring back story ????? that gone ……. were talking 2013
July 2nd, 2013 at 3:02 pm
If the Bucs had resigned him with that injury, everyone would be bashing them resigning an injured player.
July 2nd, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Schiano says he craves depth and competition. He lost it at a critical position when Bennett left.
July 2nd, 2013 at 4:59 pm
I’m thinking you could have signed him to a Revis-Style contract. It’s not like he broke the bank in the open market and it’s not like the Bucs didn’t have the Cap Room.
July 2nd, 2013 at 5:57 pm
I don’t care what Faine thinks or says. He was a horrible center. I totally understand why the Saints let him go, but Chucky must hsbe missed it. Faine was a sieve at pass blocking, and not good at run blocking. He was way overpaid, often injured with his back, and not a good leader for the O line. I was so glad when he left. I couldn’t stand him or his mouth.
I’m excited to see what the new rookie D linemen can do and Preseason is the time. Means is light and fast but he’s the one I am most intrigued by. I can’t help but think of Aldon Smith when I see his highlights. I think this D line can be top notch and I trust in what they are doing. Both front and back of the defense now should compliment the other and improve overall.
July 2nd, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Compare the depth at DE to that of DT, Joe. Teo-Nesheim played pretty well last year in place of Clayborn, has some starts under his belt and can get to the QB on occasion. They drafted Gholston to be additional depth. At DT though, they have GMC (with one healthy season in 3), a rookie NT in Spence and a couple journeymen that haven’t proven much. Landri has one full season as a starter 3 years ago in Carolina. Gibson also only has one year as a starter, 3 years ago in St Louis. Also, neither Gibson or Landri are truly 3-tech guys, so we have no backup for McCoy unless we move a DE inside.
July 2nd, 2013 at 6:54 pm
Faine needs to stick to the fashion industry. Although he maybe accurate in his assessment I find it surprising that he now cares about football. I wish he would have cared this much about football when he was a buccaneer. Stick to spandex underwear designs Jeffrey!!!
July 3rd, 2013 at 5:49 am
I just don’t get all of the Michael Bennett talk. The guy was so mediocre, he got cut, by the Seahawks and the Bucs signed him. He had a decent, not great, year. Yes, it’s nice to have depth but you can’t pay the rotational players like stars. Let’s not confuse him with Reggie White. Perhaps the Bucs looked at their own history of re-signing Marcus Jones after his 13 sack season and was never heard from again. I hope Michael does well but I’m not going to dwell on his departure.
July 3rd, 2013 at 6:38 am
In Rockstar we trust.