The Best Guard On The Roster?
August 25th, 2014
Joe caught up to the newest Buccaneer in Buffalo
Last week’s phone call came to new Bucs guard Rishaw Johnson while he was in his car en route to work at Chiefs headquarters. “You’ve been traded to Tampa Bay.”
The words absolutely stunned Johnson, so he told Joe in a happy Bucs locker room on Saturday night.
Johnson went from Chiefs starting guard at the very end of last season to No. 1 on the Kansas City depth chart to start this season. Then he was demoted in favor of a rookie and shopped to Tampa Bay.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Johnson said. “Everything happens for a reason, so it’s a blessing. I’m just taking it as a better opportunity and a better shot for me. I just work hard every day. It’s a blessing to be here and just be in the NFL. Count on me to try to be a physical guy every day and help my team win.
“I gotta learn fast. This is the NFL, so there’s no easing in. So I gotta learn fast, stay in my playbook, and be ready when they call my number Thursday night. I gotta lot to prove to these coaches in just a few days and prove that I belong there.”
In addition to Johnson, Joe tapped sources locally and in Kansas City. All insist there was nothing sinister surrounding Kansas City wanting to ditch the third-year pro.
Johnson will suit up Thursday night for his Bucs debut, and there’s a lot of high hopes from the organization. Johnson is in shape and ready to go. He wore No. 65 in Buffalo but watched from the sidelines, only because he wasn’t ready after just one day.
Is Johnson better than Oneil Cousins and/or Patrick Omameh? It would be hard not to be. Joe would bet a few nickels Johnson is starting on opening day against Carolina.
August 25th, 2014 at 9:06 am
Bold Prediction!
August 25th, 2014 at 9:23 am
Yup. Yup.
August 25th, 2014 at 9:43 am
Cousins replacement has arrived. This is a huge upgrade. From terrible to slightly below average. Will make a huge difference after a game and some practice.
Now, they should p/u Boone from SF. That would actually be a decent line and there would be a smidge of depth. I think a 4th rounder seems fair for Boone.
Coach better learn from his past and fix this line or Josh will break and I have no faith in the Albatross, Mike Glennon.
August 25th, 2014 at 9:44 am
The guard play could not be worse right. Really the whole oline including our overpriced new FAs. All the offseason shake ups on the oline that were so widely praised now appears to have made that unit worse.
Quantity over quality.
August 25th, 2014 at 9:46 am
Could be good, but character issues are worth following: immature, could not follow directions, continually drew attention to himself by hootering and hollering, a negative quality for a non-glamour position…….also dismissed from school.
August 25th, 2014 at 9:47 am
Awesome trade! I’m looking forward to Thursday night.
The team is week by week coming together. Is great to be experiencing real football again!
Go Bucs!
August 25th, 2014 at 9:53 am
Yeah. He’s the best guard on the roster.
Your production should come true, Joe.
Unless they pick up someone else. Imagine they are watching CBs and RBs pretty closely also.
At least they got this guy. He is a good guard, and should be starting very quickly
August 25th, 2014 at 9:54 am
Prediction- not production.
Damn phone!!
August 25th, 2014 at 10:00 am
Hope this guy and someone else pans out for us. I know alot of you are upset with Zuttah and Joseph getting traded but we need that extra 10-15 mill to lock up our star players. Those guys are overpaid and not standout players
August 25th, 2014 at 10:01 am
Yeah…this guy seems magnitudes better than
either of our current guards, just judging by his
reputation.
August 25th, 2014 at 10:06 am
We’re not looking for choir boys Bob. Also, offensive linemen are not big dumb animals who will push people around in silence. I want them to be loud, angry, and physical on the line. I want the D-Line on the other side to know they are about to be punched in the mouth, and then told again when said punch in the mouth is received. If he gives some others a shot in the arm, hell I’m all for it.
I think Incognito caused a lot of people to retract into their shells.
August 25th, 2014 at 10:07 am
Agreed – he will start!!!
August 25th, 2014 at 10:28 am
Welcome to the Bucs and your future Rishaw. Tear up that other side of the line.
August 25th, 2014 at 10:43 am
After watching and re-watching our first 3 preseason games, the lines biggest problem is the LT Collins, he continually misses his block so we have been giving help with Cousins, which causes EDS to have to reach to take the DT lined up over Cousins, leaving the blitzing LB on a free run. If we had a competent LT our line would function a lot better. Not saying Cousins isn’t bad and could be replaced, but the biggest flaw on our line is LT needing help on most pass plays.
August 25th, 2014 at 10:54 am
LOL, you guys are a trip. Not one of you have seen him play, and you all say he is better. Hint: Just because he is a new face, it does not mean he is better.
He’ll have to prove it on the field, just like anyone else. This guy was not a blockbuster trade. Heck, it was barely a real trade. It was camp bait for camp bait. Opportunity to observe for opportunity to observe. Nothing more.
However, we can HOPE that he is an improvement over what we already have. Just keep in mind that the oline has improved from game to game. It is getting better. It still is not near where it needs to be, but it is improving. So this guy will have to outplay competition that knows the rule book and has already started the gelling process.
I’m not saying he can’t do it. I’m just saying he hasn’t done it YET. So stop acting like he is the savior of the oline.
August 25th, 2014 at 10:55 am
@gracelivin
Good eyes.
August 25th, 2014 at 10:57 am
Shaun King loves grilling Albatross! Go Rickshaw!
August 25th, 2014 at 11:29 am
So this guy was the starting guard for a team that had the NFL’s leading rusher last season. Sounds like a diamond in the rough to me. Lets get him out there and hope he can help us out. Hopefully some teams will have some good linemen to cut this week too. This feels like we, as Bucs fans, are flying by the seat of our pants at the o-line position.
August 25th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
I am all for replacing useless Cousins with Johnson as soon as Johnson has absorbed the playbook and proved on this Thursday that he can outplay Cousins. As to Collins, PFF found that he was good on his pass blocking but poor on his run blocking, so I say swap Collins with our best and most athletic tackle, our RT. Collins played RT with the Bengals at one time and should be able to adapt quickly. Glad to hear others are picking up on the worthlessness of our Albatross Glennon, too. To bad Lovie won’t replace him with our third string QB, Kafka, or just cut him for lack of production. I believe our other Guard, Omahmeh, has a lot of upside and will improve, so I am not willing to push for Ingognito to be signed. If we do he will be a major distraction, and could poison the good chemistry we are developing. Lovie needs to look at the film of Jace Daniels and resign him as a backup center and guard, and stop just rubber stamping what he is told by Warflop, who seems to have a personal interest in protecting his pet, Cousins!
August 25th, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Bob- I would like to see the source for that info. I don’t doubt you it was very detailed I just want to see it. The only thing I read was he was dismissed from his 1st college FB program credit card (fraud) problem that was described as a misunderstanding and later dropped.
August 25th, 2014 at 8:39 pm
I see it now Pro-football weekly. Those were all the negative coming out of college out of context, regarding senior bowl and combine.
Full: made three errant snaps when temporarily tried at center. Is very immature and character needs to be investigated. Combine workout was noticeably concerning — slipped, could not follow direction, needed directions repeated multiple times and continually drew attention to himself by hooting and hollering, a negative quality for a non-glamour position.
Positives:Has long arms and meat hooks for hands. Pops out of his stance. Light on his feet. Fluid movement skills for a big man, including terrific knee and ankle flexion. Expansive blocking range. Outstanding pulling ability — leads through the hole with speed, agility and body control. Gets on top of linebackers with ease and can even pick off third-level defenders. Has a solid base and shows the ability to sit in his stance. Plays through the whistle and flashes some nasty.