Dire Need For Defensive End
April 12th, 2015
How would UCLA DE Owamagbe Odighizuwa look in pewter and red?
It simply is unreal, through three general managers and four head coaches, that the Bucs have never been able to replace defensive end Simeon Rice, who had double-digit sacks for five consecutive seasons (2001-2005)
How can a franchise shat in the bed this badly?
There is little doubt the Bucs will — once again — try to updrade the DE position in the draft next month (the second- and third-day of the draft is in May), barring something drastic happening.
In a podcast between local NFL writer Luke Easterling and Joe’s good friend, “The Commish,” Justin Pawlowski, Easterling believes the should target and pounce on UCLA defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa.
“He would come in and play defense end,” Easterling said. “The Bucs are extremely thin at defensive end. They were thin at defensive end before they cut Michael Johnson. … You have Jacquies Smith, you have William Gholston — I mean, what do you have outside of that? You not only need a starter to get after the quarterback, you need depth as well.”
This podcast, found on Scout.com, was cut before Tampa Bay signed restricted free agent George Johnson and his robust six sacks from last year. We should find out Monday if the Lions matched the Bucs’ offer.
Look, is the offensive line a sad lot? Sure is. But how many times have we heard with Lovie Smith’s defense, for it to work properly he needs heat on the quarterback?
If you aren’t going to get the man a pass rusher, then why was he hired in the first place?
April 12th, 2015 at 8:39 am
This really is a bad situation to be in. The Bucs are in desperate need at both spots. However, there is not even a left tackle on the roster let alone a true starter. With Jameis coming on board we need to protect him so I say if there is anyone decent at LT when we picked 2nd the Bucs have to take one.
April 12th, 2015 at 8:39 am
@ least 10 positions on each side of the ball that are in Dire Need……hence trade down twice in the 1st this year and stop all the school girl squealing for a pop star….QB that is gonna yet slaughter and psychologicaly destroyed
April 12th, 2015 at 8:43 am
You’re right JoeJoe QBs grow on trees and linemen are impossible to find in later rounds of the draft and free agency.
April 12th, 2015 at 8:50 am
So JoeJoes you believe we need to replace McCoy, David, Banks, and Verner on defense? Again showing your lack of football knowledge. And this folks is why coaches feel like they need to talk down to us as fans.
April 12th, 2015 at 8:53 am
Not that he was Reggie white but i would not have let clayborne get away sorta like penn and the guy we traded to the ravens. That is where games are own and loss with bone head personel defisions.’
April 12th, 2015 at 9:01 am
How many times have we heard, “as long as there is Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick, the Patriots will go deep in the playoffs.” Everything starts with a top notch QB and builds from there. We’ve seen Bill use duct tape and chewing gum to pull the team together.
I know Lovie isn’t Bill, but I think we will see much more out of him this season. With a top draft QB plus 2 OL or 1 OL and DE, the Bucs should be a lot more aggressive offensively and defensively.
April 12th, 2015 at 9:02 am
We always either try to make due with a lesser QB or we are not in position to acquire one. Let’s stop futzing around….get the best QB you can this year, hopefully he’ll be around for ten years offering quality play. But we keep delaying this and we keep being in the same position year after year. If we took Carr/Bridgewater etc last year we would be able to address these other needs. Trying to address all needs at once is not the answer. Let’s get the best QB we can and stop trying to either ignore or finesse this.
April 12th, 2015 at 9:06 am
Fungi Nails: no doubt they need help but 10 on each side of the ball is way over the top. QB, LT, DE are top priorities. Then I think G and slot receiver/returner, NB.
But it’s the NFL and every team is forced to make major changes every year. The ones that continue to stay on top though are those that have franchise QBs. That it is priority #1.
April 12th, 2015 at 9:15 am
The problem is Joe, rookie DEs don’t work out. Ever. It takes years for a DE to develop. And then, it’s really just a guess. Ref: Clayborn and Bowers. So I can’t agree that a second round one presents even a reasonable chance at developing into a stud.
Just wait and get an FA next year. Freeness is still out there…maybe he could bring his Rascal?
April 12th, 2015 at 9:18 am
No other position makes a bigger impact on the team than at quarterback just ask the Houston Texans. Quarterback first then d end. There’s
April 12th, 2015 at 9:26 am
The Bucs’s personnel/scouting/draft gurus have. Sucked for over a decade except for a precious few hits !
April 12th, 2015 at 9:26 am
Any good defense has to have heat on the QB.
If we get Johnson, our DE problem becomes a back burner one as long as the new OL can play together. We may need a LB and a DB also.
We must have a OL upgrade in at least four out of the five positions plus good backup if we are going to move forward. Nothing works without this, the offense and it effects the defense since it is always three and out with no rest for the D.
Hopefully we have a new punter and return person, I don’t care if it is a woman as long as they can yards.
April 12th, 2015 at 9:49 am
QB refers to WE like he s part of the team instead of a fat boy w no friends eatting Captain Crunch in bed checking Joe Buc Fan every 20 minutes lo
April 12th, 2015 at 10:03 am
I seriously doubt George Johnson is the answer we have been looking for – LOL
Getting talent for the OLine is the higher priority IMO. I want to see 3 OLine players drafted among the 5 picks in rounds 2,3,4,5,5. If they can find a good DE in round 4 or 5 – then great – otherwise they should make due for now and draft DE high next year.
HAVE to fix the OLine. This team is screwed otherwise. Gotta protect Winston!
April 12th, 2015 at 10:10 am
Address the offensive line in the 2nd & 3rd rounds. Go after a franchise DE in next year’s draft.
April 12th, 2015 at 10:11 am
I think some ppl on here say things just to get attention (i.e. JoeJoes). There is not an intelligent thought behind “…@ least 10 positions on each side of the ball that are in Dire Need…”. To try to argue with ppl who post such thoughtless matters is a waste of time.
April 12th, 2015 at 10:14 am
There is a very successful model professional franchise in Tampa. I only wish the Glazers would take notice. They are almost the polar opposite in many ways.
April 12th, 2015 at 10:37 am
It’s funny that we all recognized how horrible the trench play was last year….and yet they’ve done virtually nothing to improve it. If we get the same trench play again this year the absolute ceiling on wins is 5. Basically hoping GMC is such a monster that he can prop everyone else up. Of course if GMC suffers a season ending injury week 1, well, then the ceiling suddenly becomes 3 wins. Relying on lots of hopes and dreams rather than actually building something.
April 12th, 2015 at 10:39 am
CC Says:
April 12th, 2015 at 10:14 am
There is a very successful model professional franchise in Tampa. I only wish the Glazers would take notice. They are almost the polar opposite in many ways.
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The Lightning are one of the the model NHL franchises right now, but when you have Stevie Y coming from Detroit where they too are a model franchise you’re going to get that. Too bad he can’t become the Bucs GM.
April 12th, 2015 at 11:02 am
I agree we need a pass rushing end. Unfortunately I believe we need protection for our QB more. I think we can hold teams with a rotational D-line which is why I hope we get George Johnson. Yes he had only 6 “Robust” sacks but he played less than 400 snaps. Statistically (if your so inclined) he ranked better than any of our 2014 ends. Smith, Gholston, a mid round draft pick, and hopefully Johnson can help our formidable interior line with with a pass rush. What we can’t do however, is to watch our rookie QB get perpetually clobbered.
April 12th, 2015 at 11:23 am
I love Odighizuwa in the 3rd or 4th Round if he lasts that long. But I feel like it’s a risk in the 2nd only because of his 2 hip surgeries.
April 12th, 2015 at 11:24 am
Martinii I agree that o-line is the bigger need but reread your post! That is a list of practice squad guys you’re listing there. Unfortunately I think we will be excited next year this time trying to figure out which stud DE to take with the 3rd overall pick in the draft.
April 12th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
The reason for poor drafting for the past dozen years is because of Lovie and his lapdog Licht. Lovie is the anti Christmas of the Bucs.
I have that from no less than the informed source known as Tmaxcon who knows all about Lovie cause he is a closer Bears fan.
April 12th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Its Funny how everyone is acting like the Adrian Clayborn debacle never happened. To see how much of the draft resources were used to try and fix the D-line the last 6 years is the really sad part.
I look to see some player trades leading up to or at the draft. I think L&L will try to get 2 players in the 2nd round! Claim the full roster rebuild L&L. And as I have been saying for months, They will be selecting in the top 5 for the draft next year!!!
April 12th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
“How can a franchise shat in the bed this badly?”
“updrade”
April 12th, 2015 at 1:12 pm
If you draft Winston you clearly have to draft line men the rest of the draft both o line and d line ….and I say that for depth and your going to get some busts ……so this way you can get already 2 decent starters out of it
April 12th, 2015 at 3:24 pm
I hate to say it- but we have more holes than high draft picks.
We can’t fix everything that’s wrong with the Bucs in this one draft.
Last year- it was offensive skill positions
This year- think it has to be QB(finally) and O-line.
Sucks, but let DE wait til next year.,
This is a strong draft for O-linemen.
We go QB, LT, Guard, center, then Meybe OT again.
If it were me- I’d try to bundle picks three thru 7, with Glennon and Martin, to end up with another 1st and 2nd rounder.
Go QB, LT in first, Guard and center in second.
Job well done.
April 12th, 2015 at 3:26 pm
The BUCS have a new defensive strategy for 2015: I quote
“We have four of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL,’’ Licht said without mentioning Akeem Spence (four sacks the past two years).
If you’re wondering how the Bucs intend to use those interior linemen, coach Lovie Smith recently laid out that plan.
Speaking to a group of Stadium Club members Thursday at the Bucs Front Office Forum at Raymond James Stadium, Smith said his current plans call for McCoy and McDonald to start and for Melton to slide in as part of the first wave of situational pass rushers on passing downs.
The Bucs are hoping that game plan and the improvement they expect to get from ends Jacquies Smith (six sacks last year) and T.J. Fatinikun will allow them to push well past the 36-sack total they produced a year ago, when they ranked 21st in the league in sacks.
April 12th, 2015 at 5:10 pm
I do not understand ALL the concern! and negative comments from BUCS fans!!! During the off-season, the BUCS have built a quality defense, including quality depth players and fixed three major mistakes from the 2014 free agency mess!!! As we approach the draft, there are only three positions to address: two offensive linemen and a defensive end. Whoever the BUCS draft at QB will address that need and after the draft, the BUCS will continue to build through free-agency, with the right of first refusal after June 1st.
The time to evaluate Lovie Smith and his staff will begin when training camp heats up!!!
April 13th, 2015 at 3:12 am
DE IS NOT A PRIORITY! DE NOW IS ABOUT FRESH LEGS, NO SUPERBOWL TEAM HAS A 15 SACK GUY!
April 13th, 2015 at 11:34 am
That’s why we are drafting Leonard Williams in the 1st, mark it down here. Instant production versus sit and learn for a year and hopefully another “issue” won’t pop-up off the field in the mean time. Easy decision if you’re not a homer.