Starting OL Rookie Is Not Terrible
March 25th, 2015
Savvy drafting can mine a solid rookie offensive lineman. This was proven by the NFL’s best teams in 2014.
Bucs fans’ blood pressure is rising from the yet-to-be repaired Tampa Bay offensive line. Joe is sure Bucs general manager Jason Licht is tiring of hearing people whining about his offensive line.
(Joe knows the Bucs are tired of Joe kvetching about the offensive line. Joe has read their texts.)
Surely, Tampa Bay will address the offensive line in the draft, if not earlier. And judging by recent history, starting a rookie on the offensive line is not tantamount to assembling a matador front.
The losing team in the NFC championship game, the Green Bay Packers, tapped rookie Corey Linsley out of Ohio State to replace departed Evan Dietrich-Smith. (Trivia: Linsley was drafted in the fifth round, after the Bucs selected their two milk cartons rookie offensive linemen).
The team that beat the Packers, the Seahawks, which narrowly lost the Super Bowl, also had a rookie starting on the front line; right tackle Justin Britt, a second-round pick out of Missouri, started all 16 regular season games. While he may have struggled, it wasn’t like he was a complete sieve, otherwise Seattle wouldn’t have made the playoffs and Marshawn Lynch wouldn’t have been his beastly self.
And then there is the Super Bowl champion New England Belicheats. They drafted center Bryan Stork out of Florida State in the fourth round. He started three regular season games and two playoff games including the Super Bowl. By all accounts, Stork did not embarrass himself.
Lastly, the NFC South champion Panthers started two rookie guards, one undrafted!
So Bucs fans pulling their hair out worrying about the offensive line, don’t worry. It is not a heinous though to start a rookie on the offensive line.
March 25th, 2015 at 5:50 am
The draft is DEEP at OL. So many good prospects. There will be some very good players available at the top of round two.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:07 am
Drafting players with potential is one thing.
Developing that potential is quite another.
The Bucs haven’t shined in that department for a number of years.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:08 am
Rounds 2-5 should have some excellent prospects available.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:12 am
All of the teams listed in this article are WELL versed in not only drafting but coaching up their OL. We have Warhop and the last person we drafted that was worth a darn was Paul Gruber. Not sure Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah could touch Gruber’s Jock.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:19 am
(Joe knows the Bucs are tired of Joe kvetching about the offensive line. Joe has read their texts.) – this really annoyed me. Bucs, if you are tired of hearing people complain/worry about the offensive line, don’t field a garbage one.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:32 am
I couldn’t agree more. Poor draft choices and being unable to develop talent is what is killing this team. It starts at the top. The people responsible for the hiring of those who should infuse talent and develop it have been clueless, for the most part. I’d like to see a Parcells kind of move, meaning that maybe the Glazer ought to think about hiring a president, someone who knows football.
And I don’t get it. Licht is tired of hearing fans whining about the o-line? Well then, he better do something about it, because that o-line has been DREADFUL. I don’t mean to be over dramatic, since there’s still time to improve that unit. But as I mentioned yesterday, I expect to see some changes for the better.
March 25th, 2015 at 6:47 am
@Joe pulling out some big words, had to to pull out the dictionary on kvetching , tantamount and sieve. Got some new vocabulary words.
March 25th, 2015 at 7:00 am
We traded Zuttah for a 6th round pick, and all the lineman they got last year via FA or draft were underwhelming or straight up terrible. It’s mostly not being confident in those making the line. They haven’t exactly inspired a lot of confidence in their abilities there (and Lovie’s history of OLines well…not good)
March 25th, 2015 at 7:00 am
Stork got to win a national championship and then a SB the next season with the Pat’s. Lucky dude.
March 25th, 2015 at 7:26 am
just saw a recent pic of Winston and his big fat gut….he looks really committed LOL…maybe he can make a position switch and play Right Guard…the Winston overdose on here is laughable…he’s a con artist looking for the paycheck…at least when he plays baseball he wont have to worry about his beer gut…
March 25th, 2015 at 7:41 am
How does JOE know Edwards and Pamphile are “milk cartons”? JOE keeps saying that. In reality, one was hurt most his rookie year and the other seemed to be developing as a backup at more than one position.
Oh, now I remember! JOE says he has NFL credentials (whatever he means by that) and plenty of top notch football contacts.
We are soooo lucky to have JOE.
March 25th, 2015 at 7:41 am
You have to worry, look at the OLine coach…very limited success anywhere…why he was not fired this off season is a mystery…
So…we need to worry. Licht has a lot to prove in year two….
So far, he has no credibility……
March 25th, 2015 at 7:43 am
And we’re convinced Lovie and Licht can build a decent o-line because…….?
March 25th, 2015 at 8:07 am
Also, if the Bucs are tired of you (and the rest of the tampa fanbase) getting all worked up about the offensive line, maybe they should consider actually addressing it.
March 25th, 2015 at 8:10 am
What puzzles me is I read so many post referencing and I quote”this team had so many holes”. Really? Well when the o-line is addressed which I’m certain it will. What will you folks complain about then? What are the many holes? I see a huge amount of debt all over this defense,sure most will say DE but how many are already on the roster. Tight end deep,WR deep,running backs deep.. Sure QB,but we all know that spot is basically filled. Relax homeboys after drafting a line man or two and a return specialist this team will be set.
March 25th, 2015 at 8:10 am
If Edwards & or Pamphile can’t start next year then either they are busts or they weren’t coached up and developed…..what make anyone think we can do better this year….perhaps choosing a player in an earlier round will help assure more success.
March 25th, 2015 at 8:11 am
Fans have every right to be skeptical and concerned after shtshow these incompetents put together last offseason. No benefit of doubt given until they prove some basic competence.
March 25th, 2015 at 8:17 am
We still have Warhop.
Dotson didn’t look that great at LT.
Mankins was not his old self and was more liability than help.
EDS was terrible.
Right guard is still a black hole, just like last offseason.
Right tackle is the unimpressive Pamphile.
Good luck fixing that when we haven’t even made a single move yet.
March 25th, 2015 at 8:24 am
Are they aware L&L are whined and kvetched over since the 2014 season opener…..My Gawd…..what about the player personal BLUNDERS….what about the shameful BLOWOUTS…..Lovie should have been fired !
Do we know which L is actually running the show ?…the HC hires the GM…SMH….azz backwards and dysfunctional frnt office…..
KVETCH this !!!!!!!!
March 25th, 2015 at 8:34 am
player development is only for players that need to be taught for instance demar Dotson with through quite a few years of development before getting his shot. does anyone really think Donald penn was developed, lavonte david or mike evans and players like that? nope they were studs and excellent picks for the bucs….simply draft players who just have to adjust to the nfl, we drafted a few projects last year. simply comes down to drafting good players, the o lineman we drafted last year are projects and who knows how long before they are ready to start
March 25th, 2015 at 8:42 am
Cry babies still complaining about results of last season. When it was ridiculously clear games were being thrown for one single purpose. April 30th approaches. Remember when the San Antonio spurs threw a season for the purpose of drafting Tim Duncan. Amazing how that worked out.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:03 am
Can you name one play either made last year?
Did you even know they were on the roster unless someone told you?
March 25th, 2015 at 9:04 am
“When it was ridiculously clear games”
plural…….I only saw the second half of the last game being “thrown”……
please list any other games the Bucs “threw”…..
everything I saw was incompetence by L&L
and unmotivated and unprepared players on the field…..
March 25th, 2015 at 9:05 am
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun….I’m one of the fans that think they started tanking at mid season. The players never tanked, but the coaches did, and Arroyo was the scapegoat for it all. So I’m not fully giving up on Lovie quite yet. How could I, if I believe the tank was in full effect.
I’m looking forward to a great season. Not good, great.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:09 am
JoeJoes Fungi Nails …maybe someone else will give you a list of games, but I sure has hell ain’t going to comb over last seasons games and pinpoint every detail to prove the tank was on. Not going to happen on this end. Homie don’t play that. It’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. If the team looks remarkably better this next season, then perhaps I was right.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:21 am
People can cling to tanking, but considering they’ve had 4 wins or less in 3 of the last 4 seasons, is it really tanking, or is this just a bad team? Yeah I think we all know the answer.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:35 am
Well spoken Bucc1987. 100% agreed with every thing you’ve said.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:36 am
It starts with ownership. Once the Glazer boys took over the decision making from Malcolm, this team has been an unmitigated disaster. The only common thread from 2006-present is the Glazer boys. I think it’s time to force a change in ownership.
March 25th, 2015 at 9:45 am
And funginail if it were clear to you tanking was going on in the season finale wouldn’t it lead you to believe it were possible in other games thru out the season?
March 25th, 2015 at 9:49 am
To JOE:
I did know EDWARDS and PAMPHILE were on the roster. I remembered last year’s draft when the BUCS took Edwards in the fifth round, then traded back into the fifth round a few picks later to select Pamphile as well. I enjoy BUCCANEER personnel activities almost as much as I enjoy the games. But of course that doesn’t prove I didn’t get this information by asking someone (????!!!!???) like JOE said he sometimes has to do in spite of his NFL credentials.
I really do want to know how JOE knows they are “milk cartons”, considering the limited amount of time the linemen have been exposed to JOE’s credentialed talent evaluation eyeballs.
Please reread what I said, JOE. I didn’t say anything about the linemen making plays last year. Reading dysfunction is not a good attribute for a professional writer like JOE purports to be. I suppose you make money doing this thing you do, so that would technically, and only technically, make you a professional writer.
March 25th, 2015 at 10:07 am
Joe….telling BUCS fans not to worry about the offensive line is somewhat strange, coming from you!!! You have harped, for months, to fix the offensive line and critical of management for not doing anything in free agency. The only other issue you are fixated on is drafting Jamis Winston on day one. STRANGE!!!
March 25th, 2015 at 10:17 am
Well once the o-line is addressed,what will all you nay sayers complain about then?
March 25th, 2015 at 10:37 am
Should be able to get a T in round 2 and a G in round 3 that can start immedietly if they pick well. And maybe a C in round 4
March 25th, 2015 at 2:24 pm
You forgot about Zach Martin from the Cowboys. Beast
March 25th, 2015 at 9:44 pm
Dick211 agreed, not to mention being unable to assess talent when it comes to not drafting anymore milk cartons.
lol it’s funny, however, that they still claim they have the draft to fall back on