“Suddenness, Speed, Economy Of Movement”
April 7th, 2015
The Bucs were busy with Boston College linebacker Josh Keyes
The rumor is true: Buccaneers scouts and personnel people are busy with something other than searching the globe for viable offensive lineman.
Aaron Wilson, of NationalFootballPost.com, reported the Bucs have worked out Boston College linebacker Josh Keyes.
Keyes ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds at his campus Pro Day workout. He bench pressed 225 pounds 22 times and had a 9-7 broad jump, a 29-inch vertical leap, a 4.34 20-yard shuttle and a 7.01 three-cone drill. The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder started every game last season at strongside linebacker and was named third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference as he recorded 63 tackles, 11.5 for losses and four sacks.
Keyes is a late-round pick at best. However, he’s an interesting player as it relates to the Bucs. Keyes reminds Joe a lot of Geno Hayes, Tampa Bay’s sixth-round pick in 2008.
Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian had similar thoughts, praising Keyes’ instincts, “suddenness, speed, economy of movement,” during an ESPN broadcast. Polian said if he were still working with Tony Dungy in Indianapolis, or if he were Lovie Smith, he’d be studying Keyes closely.
Polian believes Keyes is weakside linebacker material. Remember, Taser-friendly Hayes, now a free agent after seven NFL seasons, made three starts for Lovie with the Bears in 2012.
Joe’s not hinting Lavonte David is under siege, just that Keyes is a guy the Bucs may be very serious about. Depth is a good thing. And Keyes is a recently-converted safety, so there’s versatility there.
April 7th, 2015 at 9:33 am
I’ll allow my band mates to tackle this one. Have it bros.
April 7th, 2015 at 9:48 am
And in even more important news. Bucs coaching staff on a plane to Oregon as we speak to workout Marcus Mariota! I guess Jameis to Tampa isn’t a done deal as everyone would like to think huh JOE?
April 7th, 2015 at 9:48 am
Depth is a wonderful thing, especially when the temperature in RayJay is in the 90’s…having guys you can rotate in is a lifesaver.
April 7th, 2015 at 9:53 am
finally! an article that doesn’t mention jameis leftwich-winston!
April 7th, 2015 at 9:56 am
Sam…resistance is futile. They still have another visit with Winston and other players as well.
You guys hold onto any lil nugget you can…
April 7th, 2015 at 9:57 am
Lovie won’t be able to contain himself after the first pick….I can see some defensive players chosen this year…
April 7th, 2015 at 10:02 am
@TBBF – I’m not sure that I’m onboard with that line of thinking. Clearly, after an all offensive draft and offensive FAs brought in, we still need some work on the offensive side. Conversely, with just a few FA signings no defense and some time in the system, Lovie and Leslie were able to have the defense showing real signs of life toward the end of the season. I would say that lends itself to them saying that it’s more about buy-in from the players and playing within the system than about shuffling the deck again and having to re-teach the system to new players. That’s why they want to bring those FAs from similar systems in.
April 7th, 2015 at 10:10 am
Exactly.
Plus, he could be a solid contributor on special teams.
April 7th, 2015 at 10:29 am
Gonna need more than a QB drafted this year on the offense side
At least one on the O-Line (Perhaps 2)
the rest SHOULD Be on D for depth and for Special Teams help
(Maybe even a Punter as 7th rounder)
April 7th, 2015 at 10:51 am
Supersam:
“And in even more important news. Bucs coaching staff on a plane to Oregon as we speak to workout Marcus Mariota! I guess Jameis to Tampa isn’t a done deal as everyone would like to think huh JOE?”
These people need to learn the difference between “I want the Bucs to pick Mariotta because…” and “The Bucs are going to pick…” – What you want may not match reality.
April 7th, 2015 at 9:15 pm
Keep your eye on Bryce Hager, the guy is bigger and faster than Keyes, was more productive at Baylor, and his one game tape I found he looked good. THe Bucs also worked out Ben Heeney, who blew up the combine, but I found him very suspect as an NFL tackler in the one tape I saw on him.
April 9th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
played high school football with him in NY, small world. would be the first person from my high school to even sniff the NFL