“You Expect To See Some Spectacular Plays”
May 17th, 2014
Lovie Smith talked about expectations for a No. 7 overall pick
When you’re drafted No. 7 overall, you better be a great player doing spectacular things.
Joe’s not talking about rookie Mike Evans this morning. Joe’s waiting on safety Mark Barron, the 2012 No. 7 overall pick, to prove he’s part of the Bucs’ long term future.
While talking about Evans’ catch that wowed all in attendance at rookie minicamp practice yesterday, Lovie Smith was clear that when a player is drafted that high, “you expect to see some spectacular plays.”
Joe agrees. So when’s the last time Barron was “spectacular?” Late in the season finale of 2012 in Atlanta? One or two plays last year, a good couple of games?
Joe’s simply setting a high standard for Barron. Being pretty good is just not enough.
It’s not just Joe setting that mark. Only a handful of 2011 first-round draft picks did not see their teams exercise the expensive fifth-year options on them this month. Adrian Clayborn was one who got rejected. Clayborn has done some good things, but he was deemed unworthy of the money and can become an unrestrictive free agent after this season.
Barron, barring a big upgrade in play, could be in the same boat as Clayborn next year. Without a very strong 2014, the Bucs won’t lock up Barron when it’s his turn next spring.
Its time for Barron to be spectacular.
May 17th, 2014 at 11:29 am
I believe we all had that moment when Barron hit Steve Smith his rookie year! I also believe with good coaching he can find his way again! Clearly the coaching well below to embarrassing last year. This will be his make or break year.
May 17th, 2014 at 11:34 am
Mark Barron better step up tgis year. Or he will fall into the BUST category
May 17th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Joe has the coaching been a problem or is it attitude? I some times wonder if the hair length is a sign of an individual and not a team player because almost all of the HOF inductee or nominees have short hair.
May 17th, 2014 at 11:39 am
@ this point safeties like Barron are a dime a dozen. Shouldn’t be hard to replace if he has another mediocre season.
May 17th, 2014 at 11:52 am
IMO…..better and much cheaper than Goldson…..
May 17th, 2014 at 11:56 am
The first mistake was drafting a strong safety with no coverage skills. None.
The bigger mistake was signing a vastly superior Strong Safety, and forcing this superior player/ hitter to free safety- because you are invested in the highly overrated bust that is Mark Barron.
But Ive been saying that.
Best option is to try to trade Barron for some footballs
Then start Goldsen at SS, Tandy at FS.
It would improve both our run and pass coverage
May 17th, 2014 at 11:59 am
While I dont think Barron has been spectactular much, he definately has not been a bust either. This may be his break out year.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
Watched baron play every snap at bama huge tide fan but I could have told u going into the draft that he was a 2-3 round talent. Man imagine David N luke k in the front 7 wow. Dom was so bad
May 17th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
He played for lousy coaches in a pathetic scheme. Schiano knows talent. He just doesn’t know how to make the best use of that talent. Same situation with Glennon. Both will prove their worth with proper coaching, improved schemes, and upgraded personnel around them. Too bad we can’t upgrade the fan base.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
I would not say that just bc someone does not play to the level of where they were drafted (i.e., #7 overall) does not make them a bust; disappointing, yes. Barron is a good player, but not a star, and he should be. Hopefully, its coaching. But he definitely won’t have that excuse after this season.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
@TBBF, totally agree. Just price alone makes him better than Goldston
May 17th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Please tell me you are kidding OB. I really hope you just have a odd sense of humor and aren’t being serious.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:27 pm
Barron was our second best player last year to darrelle revis in that garbage scheme last year. That’s pretty good imo. I saw Barron cover both te s and even play nickel some last year with pretty good efficiency. He fits this scheme imo much better. The ppl that say he’s bad in coverage have no clue what they’re talking about hes good but getting better lovie will turn him into a stud.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:30 pm
This Time I agree with you Joe. Time for Barron to show us the money worth.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
When Barron was out, we really missed him especially against the run…when Goldson was out…..Tandy stepped in for him just fine…..
Barron can’t help where he was drafted…..a very good player, but IMO not worth the 7th pick….when a player doesn’t play up to his draft pick….you can usually blame the picker, not player.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
A lot of his “mediocrity” has to do with scheme. Put him in a deep half of the field, allow him to play downhill, see the field, and he will flash. He’s been an “in the box” Safety the past two years and it has limited his ability to play in coverage significantly. Barron was essentially an extra LB the past two years. The Bucs used a “Big Nickel” package a lot, which was 3 CBs and 3 Safeties, with Barron playing in the box as more of a LB/SS hybrid. This helped his run stop and tackle numbers, but made him look bad in coverage. When he got beat deep, it seemed he was out of place or too close to the line, when in all actuality, he was playing the role he was supposed to and Goldson and Ahmad Black were supposed to be deep coverage. He has had some decent success in man coverage against Jimmy Graham (not an easy task).
I trust the coaches to see the differences in man v. zone, deep v. in the box… and whether he was playing properly, even excelling, in the role he was being asked to play and if he can play the role they need him to play. We may not see how “special” he is playing for the team, but the staff should.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:45 pm
How one slot can change things: If the Cowboys didn’t jump the Bucs for Claiborne, we would have never traded for Revis the next year.
May 17th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Did someone say because his hair is long he is not a team player. Wow how ignorant is that. So Richard sherman earl thomas troy palamou chris johnson are not good players cause of there hair never knew you had to have short hair to be good. Joe he has been solid but not spectacular hopefully cause of coaching but earl thomas and bob sanders aint break out til there 3 season
May 17th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
“How one slot can change things: If the Cowboys didn’t jump the Bucs for Claiborne, we would have never traded for Revis the next year.”
—————————
Bucs didn’t want Claiborne. Or they would’ve taken him at #5 instead of trading back to #7 to take Barron.
May 17th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
After brawling with Brian Price over a chair, I was surprised he gave up his Jersey to Revis without a fuss. He is a prima donna, he just needs to back it up on the field.
May 17th, 2014 at 1:06 pm
@gatrbuc17
Is this gatrbuc17 from ESPN?
May 17th, 2014 at 1:11 pm
knucknbuc,
I assume you’re talking about players in the secondary? Because if not, Lavonte David and Gerald McCoy would like a word with you.
May 17th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
People love to point out what a GREAT drafter Schiano was… I beg to differ, exhibit A, rule 2 of safeties in the top 10… and he took Barron. At least he didn’t break rule 1 and draft a guard in the top 20.
May 17th, 2014 at 1:27 pm
I swear this site is populated by folk who either know nothing about football or have the worst memories. Barron was a stud last year before he got hurt.
I’d like to know how Joe’s opinion of Barron changes over an offseason when no football is played.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=103139
@KH – You’re answer is simple. You are basing your opinion by a headline, not what actually was written in that post, or in this post. Nothing has changed as it relates to Joe’s opinion. –Joe
May 17th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Earl Thomas he is not. But he is not Sabby Picatelli either.
May 17th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
should have been a late first round pick….
May 17th, 2014 at 1:33 pm
OB that might be the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a while. That’s putting it lightly.
May 17th, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Well he did just finish two years under a coach who had his players in a scheme that put square pegs in round holes. Barron can do it all – play the run, cover TEs and WRs, and blitz. Just never had a coach that was able to get the most out of his talents.
May 17th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Give the #17 pick 5 years to tank the franchise…
Give the National Champion #7 pick 2 years under garbage coaching to prove himself…..
#typicalbucsfan
May 17th, 2014 at 3:16 pm
Every time I even hear barron’s name I instantly get depressed and angry that we passed on Luke Kuechly!!
May 17th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Joe at least I got some of them to talk about something other that what could, should, ought to, had, or might be.
This is a team that plays as a team, it is not individuals. McCoy and David are great players but they need teammates to do their job so the team wins. If someone is not playing as a team level, it doesn’t work. Look at our OL last year, look at the difference in Denver and Seattle in the SB, was it the team or one person that made the difference?
Bring on playing with pads.
May 17th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
1bucsfan40
Yea at the time I was hoping they would take Luke Kuechly too but they didn’t. Let’s hope this year with new coaching Barron plays lights out.
May 17th, 2014 at 3:40 pm
Hard to be great when you had poor coaching, and d line in front of you that was arguably the worst in football. Barron will improve, and Lovie will emphasize his strong suits (run support, Lynch style) in coverages.
May 17th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Alabama has so much overall talent (because they give nice cars to their players), that they tend to make some of their players look better then they really are.
I think Barron is gonna fall into this category. I think he will be a starting safety, maybe even an above average one, but will never be worth what we paid to get him. I was at the JoeBucsFan draft day party on the day we drafted him, standing right next to Steve White, and we both rolled our eyes in udder disbelief. The entire room let out a WTF Moan the minute his name was called, and an even bigger downer was when Carolina took Luke Kuechly. I remember a fan actually slamming his beer bottle to the ground in disgust, and walking out of the bar.
May 17th, 2014 at 4:01 pm
Let’s see what good coaching and scheming does for him.
May 17th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
@Chris
LOL SERIOUSLY?! There are tons of sanctions against that kind of stuff and players get caught all the time so your thought process of Bama players getting cars is false.. If they do get them they get caught and lose scholarships and can lose national championships.. smh
May 17th, 2014 at 4:55 pm
Safety isn’t a position where a player is always going to have these plays everyone wants… Barron has been far from a Bust, he’s been pretty good given the 2 years he’s been in the NFL.
I would just like to point out that McCoy was being called a bust too before breaking out.
May 17th, 2014 at 7:11 pm
OB, with your first comment I actually laughed out loud. Hilarious.
May 17th, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Everyone in our secondary has looked lost since Schiano was hired. I’m sure Barron will be fine.
May 17th, 2014 at 8:18 pm
Anyone thinking Tandy can effectively replace either Barron or Goldson didn’t actually watch him play. Tandy seemed lost out there and never was close to an offensive player or the ball.
May 17th, 2014 at 8:50 pm
@Phillip, here you can see that Alabama does offer cars to players they want to attend school there http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/16/qb-says-university-alabama-offered-corvette-play-football/
May 17th, 2014 at 8:54 pm
Redemption is coming in 2014!
May 17th, 2014 at 9:32 pm
Chris you should read the article not just the headline. It was a one time accusation by a 3 star player Pat White who was not highly recruited and is not worth the risk of losing your entire program over. Bleacher Reports goes on to say it is most likely false. I’m not saying it never happens in all the big schools but your article is hardly proof.
May 17th, 2014 at 10:45 pm
In Tampa Two the two Safeties have to be interchangeable. It will not be Strong Safety and Free Safety anymore. Barron has been outstanding as the eighth man in the box but he won’t play that as much this year. But he will be able to play downhill in Tampa two and he should be able to increase his interceptions as a result. Tampa Two puts a premium on being able to be a sure tackler, and that is another strong point for Barron. If he still does not improve this year, offer him a long term deal at second round money, and if he leaves, hire a safety in free agency.
May 18th, 2014 at 10:28 pm
I’ll concede that better coaching might help.
But not about his non exsistant coverage skills.
And in the NFL- if you are a Defensive back, you will have to play coverage.
He can’t.
They put Poor Goldsen out of posistion- and then actually had him cheat up- to help cover”” always in the Box” Barron.
If Lovie and staff can teach him coverage- then it will be something Saban couldn’t do.
I doubt it.
And still wondering why we have two strong safeties.
We signed Goldsen, at the same posistion, when we had Barron.
That alone tells the story on Barron
Many of you said he played ok.
He did. Because they only had him do what he can do. They covered for him at all cost on his liabilities.
Dom traded back- because he though he could move back, and still get Claibourne. He would have, if things stayed pat.
He got outsmarted, when the Cowboys traded up.
Dom got Outsmarted (again). In desperation, he drafted a guy he had barely interviewed- much less worked out/ researched. He just grabbed off the board
And we got a midget Linebacker, who can’t cover
May 19th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
Barron gets better every year. I think he will play great in Lovie’s defence.