Hobbled Hawk Will Play “John Lynch” Role
July 27th, 2014
Lovie speaks out
Before yesterday, there weren’t many clues offered on how Lovie Smith, Leslie Frazier and friends would use the Buccaneers’ safeties.
Many believed Dashon “Hawk” Goldson and Mark Barron to be similar players.
Lovie had been vague in previous comments amounts what roles would be assigned in the defensive backfield of Lovie’s old school Tampa-2 defense. But Lovie lifted the curtain Saturday. The John Lynch, free safety role belongs to former All-Pro Goldson.
Hawk was back on the field for the first time yesterday following offseason ankle surgery. The Tampa Bay Times typed up Lovie’s revelation.
“We had him start off and that was pretty much it,” Smith said. “We’ll continue to rest him a little bit with his reps. But I was impressed with his movement, yesterday and today. He’s a very smart football player, too. We’re going to ask an awful lot (of) our (middle) linebacker and free safety. They make most of the checks and most of the calls. They’re our Hardy Nickerson and our John Lynch.”
This is a very intriguing call by Lovie. Joe knows many thought Barron was best suited to be the (hopefully) feared free-hitter.
The Bucs are taking it slow with Goldson, so it’s unclear whether he’ll be on the field today when the Bucs will hit each other in pads for the first time under the new regime. Lovie noted that he’s absolutely certain Goldson will lower his tackling zone and avoid the wrath of NFL referees and Roger Goodell. … Wouldn’t that be nice.
Goldson, after practice yesterday, discussed how he fits in with Lovie’s defense. Click on the red button below to listen to Goldson. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
July 27th, 2014 at 8:33 am
Barron needs to show up more this season! Time for him to shine.
July 27th, 2014 at 9:28 am
To be honest, both safeties are not fit for our defense. They’re both strong safeties in the box who struggle in coverage and zone deep. Barron has shown improvement from that Seattle game but finished the year on the injury report. To me he’s looking like a bust bc he has not played to the talent level of a top 10 pick even then a first rounder.
Goldson was overrated in San Fransisco and struggled in coverage there. Then the pop star gave him 8 mm a year lol. Tandy will dip into his reps bc Tandy is a full go coverage safety who flat out played better than goldson last year.
July 27th, 2014 at 10:54 am
Joe said….
“This is a very intriguing call by Lovie. Joe knows many thought Barron was best suited to be the (hopefully) feared free-hitter.”
I’m unsure why would many think Barron was going to play FS. By design he was drafted as a SS to cover Graham and the other mega-size TE’s.
The FS typically is rolled over into deeper coverage to help out the CB’s.
Regardless, Barron and Tandy should thrive in this system. Goldson, like Nicks and Eric Wright has never played up to his salary.
July 27th, 2014 at 10:57 am
I like the Hawk’s visor.
July 27th, 2014 at 11:00 am
Barron has played better every year, stud in the making. This generation of instant gratification is a little annoying. Was Barber an all pro his first few years in the league??? Calling Barron a bust is childish. He has played better his first 3 years than Barber did his first 3.
July 27th, 2014 at 11:02 am
Barron hasn’t even played 3 full seasons. Heck 2 full seasons. He’s played no where near the draft status. Has he improved? Surely. But to say he’s on par with the makings of an elite safety is completely pre-mature.
July 27th, 2014 at 11:25 am
A simplified roll will do wonders for Barron. He’s a tackling machine and competes pretty well in man coverage. This defense will allow Mark to play more with his instincts and abilities…. Similar to his days at Bama.
July 27th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Rant alert:
Warden Goodell has basically given the same penalties to The Hawk for borderline hits that he did for Ray Rice’s KO hit of his gal. Seems fair :/
July 27th, 2014 at 1:41 pm
i always thought John Lynch was our strong safety and dexter jackson was our FS
???
July 27th, 2014 at 2:07 pm
@jonbuc, don’t you know Goodell’s rules for conduct?
If you beat your gf, your wife, or hit another player too hard, you get fined and MAYBE suspended a game or 2 (not Greg Hardy).
But if you smoke some weed, your suspended at least twice as long, possibly indefinitely. so just to recap:
Domestic violence = no big deal
Smoking herb = unacceptable
July 27th, 2014 at 2:51 pm
Domestic violence is pretty much ignored throughout the league. Even players themselves do not speak of other players who were charged with it. It is pathetic how these behaviors are not equal to PEDs and substance abuse positive results. In my opinion, you beat a woman you deserve just as much as a first offense drug test failure or more plus a fine. Aldon smith has weapons charges, illegal substances on hand and has a fake bomb threat in an airport and he avoids jail time and suspension? The nfl has become a joke.
It’s not that I don’t agree with the punishment/fines Dashon goldson has received. These are several illegal hits. It’s just measure that up against actual violence and off the field behaviors and they don’t match up.
July 27th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
Agreed. And I would say *some* of them were illegal hits. Others were the same types of hits you’ll see from Seattle, SF, and other good defenses, but they are much less penalized.
Regardless, the point is that domestic violence should not even be compared to a failed drug test for pot, let alone some how be penalized less? I don’t care how many times a guy has smoked weed, there is no comparison to violence against a female. Those men are cowards, and the NFL, especially Goodell, are cowards too.