No Edge Pressure?
April 23rd, 2015
Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman will not play for the Bucs simply because he cannot defend the pass.
Often, Joe places more credibility on former NFL players evaluating talent versus guys who were/are just suits.
But as Joe learns more and more, being able to play football and being able to judge football talent are two very different things.
Joe used to like Bucky Brooks a lot. A former NFL player, Brooks has bloviated about football since his playing days ended. NFL Network likes to prop Brooks up as a player evaluator and, since, Joe has come to doubt Brooks’ information.
It seems Brooks doesn’t do much research. Some of his stuff just doesn’t add up. Take the case of his breakdown on what the Bucs need in the draft on NFL.com.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest needs: Quarterback, offensive line, middle linebacker.
The Buccaneers have enough weapons to challenge in the NFC South, but they need a franchise quarterback capable of maximizing the available talent. Florida State’s Jameis Winston appears to be the best fit in coordinator Dirk Koetter’s offense, but Oregon’s Marcus Mariota is also a solid decision maker with the explosive athleticism to create big plays with his feet or arm. If the Buccaneers select one of the aforementioned signal-callers, it is important to surround the rookie with a solid offensive line to allow him to make throws from a clean pocket. Oregon’s Jake Fisher, Florida’s D.J. Humphries, Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings and Texas A&M’s Cedric Ogbuehi all possess the athleticism to shine on the edge, but each would need some time to develop into a quality starter at left tackle. Defensively, Lovie Smith needs to find a “Mike” linebacker with the toughness and communication skills to orchestrate the defense. Mississippi State’s Benardrick McKinney, UCLA’s Eric Kendricks and Miami’s Denzel Perryman are ideal candidates for the role based on their experience and production as collegians.
OK, the Bucs do need a quarterback and offensive linemen in this draft. A guy walking around with a white cane can see this.
However, the analysis above demonstrates that either Brooks has done little research, or he simply does not know the fundamentals of Lovie Smith’s version of the Tampa-2.
Lovie needs pressure on the quarterback for the defense to work properly. He has zero blindside edge pressure now (sorry, George Johnson is not yet Deacon Jones). So defensive end is not a need when the Bucs very well could select a defensive end with their second pick, really?
Then it comes to middle linebacker. Is it a need? Maybe. The Bucs seem confident in Bruce Carter. Why? Because the man has wheels. That is the key ingredient for a middle linebacker in Lovie’s defense.
Now Brooks claims Miami’s Denzel Perryman is an “ideal candidate” to be a middle linebacker in Lovie’s defense. Joe almost fell off his chair.
Perryman cannot cover in pass defense. He was only a two-down back at Miami, being pulled off the field in known passing downs. Joe even asked an NFL general manager about him and was told there is a reason Perryman was not on the field in passing downs; he cannot cover well. And that is exactly the reason the Bucs let former starting middle linebacker Mason Foster go, because he couldn’t cover.
The most critical element in Lovie’s version of the Tampa-2 is for the middle linebacker is to defend deep, which Foster couldn’t do on the NFL level and Perryman couldn’t do on the college level. Yet Perryman is an “ideal candidate” to play for the Bucs?
This is either just lazy research or Brooks just knows nothing about the Tampa-2. Or perhaps both.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:35 pm
Wow…that is refreshing ! An actual article
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:43 pm
He needs a guy who can get back to his spot in pass coverage quick enough. Liked Foster, but he was horrible at doing that, thus not suited for Lovie’s defense. Carter should be able to fill that roll provided he doesn’t get injured like in the past.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:46 pm
I’m not sure that having Carter means that we don’t need to address the position in the draft. The formula, when Dungy was here, was bringing in players that could play in the system and then drafting a player behind them to grow in the system. Given the role that the MLB plays in the defense, I can see them drafting to ensure that we have solid players there and depth behind them.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:51 pm
At least Brooks did point out an obvious need.
BTW, it is very doubtful Lovie would trust Mike to a rookie– any rookie. So while I was high on taking a MLB in last year’s draft, I am VERY skeptical that the Bucs would consider one with a high pick this year.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:51 pm
Refreshing? Uh, maybe not so much. More of a rehash of what’s been said countless times before. Help me here. Seriously. Once upon a time ago I heard of successfull coaches who, at a point, realized they needed to fine tune their O or D schemes to realize the full capabilities of players who didn’t exactly fit the scheme’s perfect profile but were nevertheless damn good football players. Or, do the insiders know this is exactly what LS does but like a great politician just isn’t transparent.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:55 pm
It seems Brooks doesn’t do much research.
———
So he’s exactly like 75% of the posters on JBF.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:59 pm
This is a very good example of why you take everything the National people say with a grain of salt. They try to cover too many teams and a lot of their info is just something that somebody else has already said, just recycled. The local media will give you more accurate info as they are the ones that are familiar with and follow a certain team.
April 23rd, 2015 at 2:59 pm
I like Nate orchard n erick kendricks. If we can get into the first 3 rounds 4 times, the 2nd round being the one twice we can get mlb ol qb n de
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:01 pm
Lol,
My brothas you know I’ve got mad LUV 4 ya’ll, But C’mon man.
Please stop comparing Denzel Perryman to Mason Foster-To completely different dudes.
Case in Point-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp7ghAf6oEM
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:05 pm
Per: Daniel Jeremiah
Concerning Denzel Perryman: “Wrote the word Drago in my notes on Perryman. ‘Everything he hits, he destroys.'” I can’t really put it any better than that.
Perryman might be undersized (6’0″, 243 lbs), but man, can he lay the wood on ball-carriers. He does a great job making contact, and while he can get better at filling gaps in the run game to purely take on blockers, he’s a monster in space and in attacking the ball.
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:06 pm
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp7ghAf6oEM
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:08 pm
Hardy Nickerson -El Dragon
Denzel Perryman-Drago
I can roll with that
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:10 pm
So many analysts simply overlook the Bucs. And because we have “no fans” they can get away with it. Hell didnt Stephen A Smith say Jameis would help out Tampa offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford? UM HELLO! Are you serious? Or that stupid “Tampa..St Pete!” Thing they say on BSPN whenever they show highligjts of the Rays, Lightning and Bucs. You know right before they make fun of our market.
So im not surprised Bucky has no idea what he’s talking about regarding our Bucs…because no one cares if he’s wrong.
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Bruce Carter is a strong side backer-He’s knows it–We know all know it.
WE NEED AN ALPHA DOG IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS DEFENSE
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:12 pm
I’m praying to the football Gods we land Nate Orchard.
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:13 pm
I would like for him to play special teams for us then learn he will be a probowler
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:21 pm
Miami’s Historically Great Draft Prospects at the Position
• 2007 1 25 Jon Beason MLB Carolina Panthers
• 2004 1 12 Jonathan Vilma MLB New York Jets
• 2001 1 11 Dan Morgan MLB Carolina Panthers
• 1996 1 26 Ray Lewis MLB Baltimore Ravens
• 1993 2 47 Micheal Barro MLB Houston Oilers
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:23 pm
• 1993 2 47 Micheal Barrow MLB Houston Oilers
A lot of scouts & coaches compare Denzel Perryman to Jon Beason
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:38 pm
Denzel Perryman’s the IDEAL Mike in the Cover 2
We don’t ask our Mike’s to play MAN-
We ask them to play 5 to 7 yds off the ball in ZONE COVERAGE
April 23rd, 2015 at 3:44 pm
90% of Mike Linebackers in the League are major liabilities in MAN coverage.
That’s why so many teams are going Big Nickel in Sub packages.
April 23rd, 2015 at 8:49 pm
@Joe
Noticed the same thing about Brooks, Baldinger, etc, a long time ago…however, I’ve found Charles Davis analysis tends to be much more honest and accurate than not in the same time span.
April 24th, 2015 at 12:25 am
Perryman is a baller… he will be a top LB in the league
April 24th, 2015 at 12:45 am
Buc4life1979:
Charles Davis is a good dude.
LUV:
Guess you want Lovie to change defenses (not happening) because Perryman cannot play in Lovie’s defense.
April 24th, 2015 at 2:51 am
Joe:
No Soup for U
April 24th, 2015 at 4:08 pm
YES!
High five and thumbs up Joe. This is the first post I’ve seen you make where you actually provide an accurate evaluation & analysis of a draft prospect. Also agree that Bucky Brooks is one of the weaker draft analysts out there.
I’m a Miami fan so I know you’re mostly wrong about Perryman being a 2-down backer in college – he was rarely taken off the field – but you’re right that he’s useless on passing downs, so who cares about technicalities? I’m just glad people have figured out that Perryman is a bad fit for the Bucs as I’ve been saying that here and on twitter since January. Perryman on the Bucs would look like Mason Foster with more hit power…pass.
April 24th, 2015 at 4:10 pm
@LUVMYBUCS
Perryman is a total disaster in zone coverage. Even as a 2-down player he would struggle in Lovie’s scheme as he’s awful at diagnosing play action & gets no depth in his drops. The seam in the middle of the field between the safeties in the Tampa 2 shell would be wide open all game even moreso than what we’ve seen with Foster/Fletcher dickin’ around