Secret Weapon
June 27th, 2014
Every good team has one or two players, or perhaps more, who surprise fans and play truly great football. It happens to every good team every year.
Take when the Bucs won their Super Bowl. Wide receiver Joe Jurevicius was a No. 3 receiver. But down the stretch, Jurevicius played like a No. 1 receiver. Who will ever forget his big time catch-and-run against the Beagles in the NFC championship game that set up the Bucs’ first touchdown?
After some research, NFL writer Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News decided to select a 2014 secret weapon from every team, and he has claimed second-year cornerback Johnthan Banks as the secret weapon for the Bucs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Johnthan Banks
The Bucs are loaded with defensive playmakers at every level. In the secondary, safeties Mark Barron and Dashon Goldson are relied upon to be the hard-hitting backbone. But post-Darrelle Revis, Banks is the ballhawking corner to watch, a perfect fit in Lovie Smith and Leslie Frazier’s cover-2 zone.
Joe knows there are a few Bucs fans out there that hate Banks and Joe has no earthly idea why. Just because some fans see a player they recognize on another team or in free agency does not mean that player is any better. Joe guesses that’s why Banks detractors don’t like him.
Look, Banks was a rookie last year. Rookie corners rarely play at an All-Pro level. When needed, Banks played well if not very good. Anyone remember when Darrelle Revis got hurt against Detroit and Banks had to cover Calvin Johnson? Banks shut the All-World, future Hall of Famer down.
Joe is bullish on Banks. Having an old secondary coach like Lovie Smith as a head coach should do wonders for Banks’ development.
By the way, this year marks the seventh straight season Banks has had a new defensive coordinator. He had four defensive coordinators in his four years at Mississippi State.
June 27th, 2014 at 7:16 am
Banks played well. His interception against Buffalo was a great play. He shows excellent speed and hands. He is no secret weapon. NFL teams will know about Banks as soon as they look at last years film.
June 27th, 2014 at 7:26 am
Banks remind me a LOT of Brian Kelly, who was an unsung hero of the Super Bowl season with 8 picks. Not flashy but very solid. Last year Banks was left on an island and was burned by quick twitch receivers. This year with patented safety help built into the scheme he’s going to do a lot better with getting help on outside routes up the field, which he struggled with. He’s not fluid like a Sanders or Revis, but playing to his strengths in cover 2 is going to make fans a whole lot happier.
June 27th, 2014 at 7:32 am
And remember one thing about Brian Kelly – he was a monster inside the red zone. That kid was extremely hard to beat due to his size on goal to go passes. Banks is going to kill it in those same situations going forward. Good luck to a QB testing him there.
June 27th, 2014 at 7:37 am
Cant wait to see what Gil Byrd does with our entire secondary.
June 27th, 2014 at 7:45 am
Great size and instincts. With the right coaching, which he now has, he is going to flourish and become a pro bowler.
June 27th, 2014 at 8:31 am
Really good kid with great character…..obviously has learned a lot with his 6 previous d-coaches….I think year two will be much better & year 1 was pretty good.
June 27th, 2014 at 8:44 am
@Jim Walker 4.61 in the 40 yd dash is hardly excellent speed. The cover 2 will hide his flaws and accentuate his strengths. He’ll be fine.
June 27th, 2014 at 8:44 am
Maybe my expectations are too high, but when a guy is drafted that high, he’s supposed to be a performer rather than some sort of “secret” weapon…..here’s another example of the word “potential” and my favorite college golf coach is rather blunt about “potential”
He tells his players: “Potential means that right now you suck”
Well, Banks doesn’t suck but his learning curve needs to shorten and as INDY hinted, coaching helps and for the first time in a long time, the members of this team will be coached by an actual “NFL” staff.
June 27th, 2014 at 8:46 am
“Look, __________ was a rookie last year. Rookie ________ rarely play at an All-Pro level. When needed, _______ played well if not very good.”
Very fair assessment
June 27th, 2014 at 8:47 am
Banks did very well as a rookie last year. He is only going to get better.
June 27th, 2014 at 9:24 am
Joe says: Look, Banks was a rookie last year. Rookie corners rarely play at an All-Pro level.
So why cant you give Glennon the same pass? Rarely do QBs play at an all pro level either.
June 27th, 2014 at 9:30 am
well played LUVMYBUCS 🙂
I actually agree with Joe on Banks, so much so that I will say “Joe knows CORNERbacks” 🙂
June 27th, 2014 at 9:42 am
We must protect MG8. We <3 him.
June 27th, 2014 at 9:59 am
Glennon is seen as a better option than both Teddy Small Hands and John Foosball.
Any word on Freeman working with Gruden?
June 27th, 2014 at 10:13 am
Brian Kelly really is the unsung hero of that Super Bowl team. That defense was so stacked that people easily forget the guy who picked off eight passes.
June 27th, 2014 at 10:24 am
I’m very bullish on Banks!
June 27th, 2014 at 10:39 am
…..and I thought our secret weapon was the cannon! Or, at the very least, the nude bomb!
June 27th, 2014 at 10:46 am
Doesn’t sound like there is a lot of hate for Banks to me.
June 27th, 2014 at 10:46 am
@dwight 40 yard dashes shouldn’t always be something to rely on when focusing on speed of a player because take for example, Jarvis jones: DE Pittsburgh steelers picked in last years draft. Didn’t have a great 40 time but looked a lot faster in games. I think that’s what @jim walker was trying to point out about banks. But other than that you guys are right, banks will be fine
June 27th, 2014 at 10:51 am
@ Rex, Uh….Banks is slow. That’s why the cover 2 will work so well for him. He has the help over the top. That’s was the knock on him coming into the draft…that’s why he fell so low. Speed is not his strength even on the field.
June 27th, 2014 at 10:51 am
His length is what allows him to make up for his lack of speed.
June 27th, 2014 at 11:02 am
@ToesOnTheLine Says:
Hat tip Sir!
June 27th, 2014 at 11:21 am
Banks will be an amazing corner just watch . Will turn out to be better then revis ! Younger faster and taller !
June 27th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
This is an article about Banks, NOT MIKE GLENNON.
June 27th, 2014 at 11:30 pm
Slow
June 28th, 2014 at 8:02 am
I liked banks a lot coming out and compared him similar to peanut Tillman as a prospect but I also said this. Give him 2 years at cb in the right scheme which is press coverage in zone and he could excell. If cb didn’t work out for him, he would be a heck of a FS. This dude has range and is a ballhawks who is a willing tackler.
Either way I think we have a Baller at cb or future FS.
June 28th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
But for the Safety from Miami hitting Megatron and knocking the ball loose for Banks to intercept, Megatron would have scored and Detroit would have won. Banks wasn’t the real hero there. He just got lucky! Hope he gets a lot better this year in the Tampa Two!