Another Downer For Donald Penn
February 25th, 2014
A man who once relied on Donald Penn to cover his backside now seems to want to run him out of the Tampa Bay area.
It’s been a rough handful of days for Penn, the Bucs’ every-game left tackle since he took over the job early in the 2007 season. First, Lovie Smith offered discouraging words about Penn to Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune. Then word broke of the Bucs eagerly sniffing Chiefs Pro Bowl left tackle Brandon Albert, who could be a free agent in two weeks. This morning, former Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia piled on in a backhanded fashion, saying the Bucs’ draft priority with the No. 7 overall pick should be one of the blue chip offensive tackles available.
Garcia, when not frolicking with his amazing wife, is seen regularly on NFL AM on NFL Network and called into the Tampa-based Ron and Ian show this morning on WDAE-AM 620.
Garcia went on to say he’d recommend the Bucs address a pass rusher in the second round, such as a favorite of his, quotable Dee Ford out of Auburn, or Notre Dame’s Stephon Tuitt.
As Joe’s written previously, Joe doesn’t get all the anti-Penn sentiment. The Bucs have bigger concerns than replacing a durable, average-at-worst left tackle who earns middle-of-the-road money at his position.
You can listen to Garcia’s full WDAE-AM 620 audio below.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:16 pm
Same as the Revis trade situation… Don’t make the team worse to make it better. That’s just stupidity. What needs to be determined is the level of upgrade would Matthews/Robinson/Lewan over Penn be compared to Clowney/Mack over Clayborn or Watkins over Underwood or Bridgewater/Manziel/Bortles over Glennon. Biggest improvement is where we should go. Looking at that, it should be Watkins. But if we can upgrade WR in FA, it may be Glennon being upgraded.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:21 pm
Joe, You need to call and make an appointment with Updegraff. Your eyeball test has been way off lately. Now I will agree that we had no Tightends that would ever help and chip block with the Tackles. But Penn has been up and down the last few years. With the up being Avg and the down being down.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:23 pm
BamBam…I was warming to the idea that if the Bucs get a chance to get Watkins they should grab him. Then I saw how very deep the draft was at WR. A really good WR can be had in the 2nd round. Possibly even the 4th.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:25 pm
Trade down, trade down, trade down.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:25 pm
joe what are u looking at u can’t have the worst offensive line and I’m willing to bet the most expensive offensive line in your division and can’t block the kid the rookie who played for NO only gave up 1 sack to greg hardy penn will be a top 10 right tackle or higher because he can handle strong slow guys he no longer capable of manning the LT position!
February 25th, 2014 at 8:32 pm
I’ve tried really hard but I just can’t keep it in anymore, I HATE the new logo. Looks like a constipated alien.
Thank you Glazers for changing it, because now I can stock up on the all the sale items with the excellent old logo.
Offensive Tackle in the first round, if we can trade down to do it all the better.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:39 pm
Joe, there has to be a statue of limitations on the photos Penn has of you. Once that overpaid, underperforming, big mouth gets traded or cut I can’t wait to hear what you really think of him. I’ve stated it before, his best days are behind him and now he’s eating his way right out of a job.
February 25th, 2014 at 8:41 pm
@Joe;
“…Garcia, when not frolicking with his amazing wife…”
Good job! Way to be on top of it! My gosh that girl is freaking hot
February 25th, 2014 at 9:47 pm
Dude, have you really been paying attention to Penn’s tape? Very bad stuff. I know you love him and all, but give it a break. Dedication only goes so far. The only good players on the O-line are Dotson and maybe Zuttah.
February 25th, 2014 at 9:56 pm
Carl was injured pretty much all year, so the guard next to Penn was a back-up. Davin Joseph was coming off of his ACL and looked horrendous. Could of been called for holding every play. Zuttah is arguably playing out of position an Center and our RT is still learning how to play football. Penn is really the only one on the O-line that has no reason/excuse for his average play. This whole line could be entirely blown up. Tape don’t lie. And Licht and Lovie was watching ALL of it.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:14 pm
hey harry be carefull at the target parking lot smbdy might see you.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
Let’s do some simple math. Penn gave up 3 sacks to Robert Quinn.
In Robert Quinn’s 15 other games, he had 16 sacks, meaning all 15 other tackles on average gave-up 1 sack per game.
Therefore, Donald Penn is a below-average-at-best left tackle.
Garcia is 100% right, you just can’t win with a turnstile at that position.
Count me in for a fat guy at #7.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:35 pm
“Joe, there has to be a statue of limitations on the photos Penn has of you”
@Bucnnole
LMAO…..
February 25th, 2014 at 10:41 pm
1987: the draft is also deep in O-line. QB has a few top prospects, and deep with potential (would have been crazy deep if Mariotta & Hundley came out this year, maybe better than 1983). We can actually get 5 great prospects with 5 picks if they DO their homework well (and get a bit lucky).
February 25th, 2014 at 10:41 pm
This offensive line needs to be rebuilt almost from the ground up, sadly. Neither Allen nor Domink could ever get it built right. Sign Albert and Mack, cut Penn and Nicks and restructure or cut Joseph. Only reason I wouldn’t outright cut Joseph is purely for leadership.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:42 pm
move him to rt tackle or possibly a guard position. or, just keep him as a backup.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
@BamBamBuc
I’ve been saying this for awhile. So I’m with you
February 25th, 2014 at 10:58 pm
Put him at left guard.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:13 pm
There are multiple people that want Penn out of a starting job – the production is gone and or on the downward trend.
February 25th, 2014 at 11:38 pm
This is all a strategy to convince Penn to take a pay cut – same with the Revis rumours
February 26th, 2014 at 12:01 am
87, Im gonna respectfully disagree on Watkins. I want this guy. He’s my 4th favorite possibility for our 7th pick assuming we do not trade it. Im tempted to put Watkins higher than Matthews but after watching our abused O Line last year, I have to keep Matthews at 3. All I can say is 4.34 and 4.37. V Jax, Watkins, Mike W. We would have a ruthless WR Corps. My wish list is:
1) Manziel
2) Clowney
3) J Matthews
4) Watkins
February 26th, 2014 at 12:15 am
Cmurda…my wish list starts with O-line. You can disagree all you want, but it is a fact this draft is deep with WR. I know damn well the Bucs need WR in a big way. I just don’t consider Watkins all world.
February 26th, 2014 at 12:20 am
Im always a skill position player in Top 10 picks kind of guy. Hey, I hear you though 87. Our freaking O-Line made me want to drink ipecac syrup.
February 26th, 2014 at 2:56 am
Trade up and get Manziel,
Enough said.
February 26th, 2014 at 2:58 am
Joe, found this little nugget on Rotoworld
ESPN’s Ron Jaworski wouldn’t draft Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel “in the first three rounds.”
“I’m not crazy about him, to be honest with you,” Jaws said of the potential No. 1 overall pick. “I’ve only looked at five games. I wouldn’t take him in the first three rounds. That’s my opinion. It’s incomplete right now. But he has not done a whole lot to me.” Jaws is known for his strong — and often accurate — opinions on quarterbacks, but it’s surprising he’d go to the extreme of calling Manziel a day-three pick. Manziel has the potential to be one of the most dissected and over-analyzed prospects in draft history.
February 26th, 2014 at 8:02 am
Donald Penn is not the problem with the Bucs. They have other problems to worry about.
February 26th, 2014 at 11:32 am
Donald Penn is definitely one of the big problems along with Joseph, Nicks and a few others. If Penn took a big pay cut I would sign him & move him to RT.
February 26th, 2014 at 1:20 pm
penn is one of the player da bucs donot need to worry about.
February 26th, 2014 at 6:45 pm
Release Davin Joseph, keep Penn and draft Matthews (assuming we don’t get Manziel).
February 27th, 2014 at 5:44 am
If I hear the the name nicks ever again it will be too soon.