Demar Dotson: A Future Star?
May 30th, 2014
Joe knows this angers fans, but one reason Joe is very suspicious of the Bucs’ front line is because right tackle Demar Dotson has holes in his game.
He’s not bad, not bad at all, and the Bucs’ new braintrust of general manager Jason Licht and coach Lovie Smith seem to have seen enough to keep Dotson as a starter.
In fact, if left guard Carl Nicks cannot answer the bell come Week 1 — and who really expects him to? — Dotson will be the lone returning starter on the offensive line.
Dotson quite possibly is Joe’s favorite guy on the roster. You cannot find a nicer guy. He’s always willing just to shoot the breeze and talk about life. Joe’s a fan of Dotson. But Joe must be real. And Joe believes that even Dotson will admit his game needs work. He’s that much of a stand-up guy.
Don’t, however, tell this to the stat nerds over at Pro Football Focus. They crunched their numbers and believe Dotson will be a breakout star this fall.
It will be tough for Dotson to improve upon his superb 2013 season, but he has all the tools do it. At 6-foot-9 and 315 pounds, Dotson is as fluid an athlete with as quick a pair of feet you’ll find at that size. He’s tremendous in space and, one would think he could easily make the switch to left tackle if need be.
The Bucs are hoping that won’t be necessary though with new additions to the line. Left tackle Anthony Collins was signed from Cincinnati along with new center Evan Dietrich-Smith from Green Bay. Combine that with the return of former all-pro Carl Nicks and the Bucs will be sending out, at least on paper, a much-improved offensive line from 2013.
One of the reasons Tampa was able to sign all that talent was due to the contract they gave to Dotson last offseason. Coming off of his first year as a starter, the right tackle received a three-year, $4.5m extension that will keep him on the roster through the 2016 season. As the 23rd-highest paid right tackle, Dotson is far and away one of the best values at the position and a deserving Secret Superstar.
Forgive Joe if he’s not on the Demar-Dotson-is-Anthony-Munoz train. Rush blocking is simply not Dotson’s forte. This is because of leverage. Remember, Dotson, a former hoops player at Southern Miss, is 6-9. It’s no more difficult to figure out than that. It’s all about leverage.
Again, Dotson may very well become a good right tackle. But “star” offensive tackles don’t get bullrushed like below.
May 30th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Damn, looks like he got ran over by a freakin train! is Star really that good, or is Dotson not so good? I will say that I have seen McCoy do that to an offensive lineman before. Also you can see just how effective a blocker Tim Wright is.
May 30th, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Yuch. That is a bad clip. Hang in there Demar. You’re great in my book.
May 30th, 2014 at 3:45 pm
Pancake anyone?
May 30th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
That’s bullspit I’ve seen Joe Thomas get lifted off the ground and thrown into the QB and he’s the best tackle in the game…..so yes, it happens to the best of them.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:05 pm
You’re going to pick one play and make a case from it. Give me a break.
And then critique the “stat guys” who synthesize data over a whole season.
Really? Come on Joe. Be professional.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
(In my sarcastic voice) I can’t believe Glennon took that sack!!! He has to get rid of the ball quicker!!!
May 30th, 2014 at 4:07 pm
Happens to all of them I agree but that cannot become a staple of his game, I believe in Demar but I too am unsure that he’s a star in the making at this point. Love for that to happen though so, GO DEMAR.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:13 pm
Should Joe link what Belicheat thinks of the stat nerds? It ain’t pretty.
Feel free to document these guys’ football resumes. Gonna guess they don’t have much more coaching experience (or playing experience) than Joe does. Up until two years ago, they did all their research off of broadcast tape. Anyone in the NFL will tell you what a joke that is.
Do they do a nice job in research? Sure do. Doesn’t mean Joe believes everything they type is Gospel.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:25 pm
looks like one of those glennon sacks was on someone other than himself. lol
May 30th, 2014 at 4:27 pm
In other O-line news?
“Jeremy Zuttah is doing a great job,” Harbaugh said. “He’s smart – really smart, really mature (and) goes about his business in a mature way. I’m just very impressed with how smart he is. He’s very quick. He’s about 305, 306 pounds. He looks good physically in there. But he can move, so we’ll see. It’s going to be interesting to watch him play to see if he can prove himself.”
May 30th, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Meh, stats are stats and they can be spun however you please. I hope the stat geeks are right but I don’t see what they’re seeing on the field. Gladly that was Star Loutelei and not Gary Gibson doing the manhandling though.
Off topic – Damn buddha that’s my lifelong nickname and email so I hope Joe doesn’t think it’s some elaborate ruse, I only come here to bitch at Joe about QB’s lol.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Josh Freeman released from the Giants. Looks like his career is done.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
man thats embarrassing…
May 30th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
A lowlight reel is no more proof of a player’s abilities than a highlight reel.
Way to be the soundbite politician equivalent of local Bucs media, Joe. Good job.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Dotson and the guy they traded were they only only who were worth their keep.
Best of a bad lot is what comes to mind.
but Dotson is young and getting better. I am a fan.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
FLBoyInDallas:
So you want Joe to lie and proclaim Dotson to be the next Dan Dierdorf?
What else you want Joe to lie about?
May 30th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Freeman was released by the Giants! Man, where did that kid go wrong…
May 30th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
thanks for the heads up Patrick. made my day!
May 30th, 2014 at 4:32 pm
I double “dog” far someone to call the 620 host and ask for take in the Josh Freeman release.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:34 pm
I double “dog” dare someone to call the 620 host and ask for their take on the Josh Freeman release***
May 30th, 2014 at 4:37 pm
It appears to me that on that particular play, other than Joseph on the right side of the line, Wright was man handled n Lorig looked dumb founded. My belief is that Dotson just got man handled on that particular play n recovered, unlike some players i.e. former BUCS tackle George Hegman n Kenyatta Walker. Dotson will b just fine, mediocre or all pro, every dog will have his day.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:41 pm
No Joe, I don’t want you to lie. But pumping the brakes on the exaggeration and drama from time to time would be nice. We all know Dotson is a top 15 RT already and has the potential to bust into the top 10. Nothing you can say changes that, and you can’t diminish our enthusiasm for our unheralded but talented players.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
That was an unfortunate play. It was not a common. Dotson played very well last year.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:51 pm
Look at that play carefully. That was Davin Joseph’s man. Dotson had to slide to pick him up and was caught off footing.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:53 pm
Uuummm… calling Demar Dotson a star, now who exactly should be pumping the brakes???
Thinking you are throwing darts at the wrong target.
May 30th, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Yeah, Davin needed to chip that D-lineman since he was lined up right on him. Dotson was not lined up on #98, Davin was. Davin completely avoided contact. That was on Davin, not Dotson.
May 30th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
And that was not the first or last time that happen to Glennon was it. But that was his fault. Because it always was. He should have seen it coming.
May 30th, 2014 at 6:41 pm
The play reminds me of the clips involving Jon Runyan and Michael Strahan. Hopefully Dotson continues to improve. Pretty obvious the new regime wants olinemen who are more mobile and less mauler. Dotson looks like a good fit.
May 30th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
It was a huge powerful DT against a tall linear RT that is better suited for the left side. I’m not at all worried. He is the LT prototype. Big maulers like Star bull rush OGs the same way. He’s getting better every year, I have total confidence in him.
May 30th, 2014 at 8:22 pm
@Jim Walker You are 100% correct sir. Watch the play to the end, it looks like Davin realizes he messed up. Kinda makes me feel a little better about the decision to move on from him.
Now I’m feeling bad for given “The Ginger Cannon” crap for taking to many sack’s…
Totally off topic, but I could totally see the Joe’s doing a Wayne’s world type video… kickin’ back at the bar.. a couple craft beers.. you can get all bitter beer face when a crappy one come’s out.. have some Hooter girls maken cameo’s.. think about it.. you can have a flash back to the draft.. slamming your beer down , when a pick doesn’t go right Hmmmm .. just a thought
May 30th, 2014 at 9:22 pm
@Jim Walker You are 100% correct sir. Watch the play to the end, it looks like Davin realizes he messed up. Kinda makes me feel a little better about the decision to move on from him.
Now I’m feeling bad for given “The Ginger Cannon” crap for taking too many sack’s…
Off topic, but I could totally see the Joe’s doing a Wayne’s world type video… kickin’ back at the bar.. a couple craft beers.. you can get all bitter beer face when a crappy one come’s out..1 Joe could be the voice of reason, the other all passionate and crazy,.. have some Hooter girls making cameo’s.. think about it.. you can even have a flash back to the draft.. slamming your beer down , when a pick doesn’t go right, then the other Joe trying to do damage control.. Hmmmm .. just a thought… sorry for repost.. in advance
May 30th, 2014 at 9:47 pm
That bull rush only happened because MG8 was the 4th best quarterback in the division.
May 30th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
Cannon had someone deep.. there was conviction in that pass and he made a split second decision to pull it and not loose the ball…IMO
May 31st, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Now pull up all the videos where he was successful and you’ll find there are many more good than bad.
I can find videos on bad plays by Lebron James or MJ but it doesn’t mean they are any less of the superstars they are.
All players have bad tape, pretty simple.