What If The Bucs Go All Defense?
April 10th, 2015
Former Bucs QB Chris Sims talks Bucs defense.
It is a horrible, frightening thought for Joe; the Bucs don’t draft a quarterback at No. 1.
How could they?
If the Bucs do not draft Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota, then just look at the first-round and second-round quarterbacks the team would have passed on while sporting a Grand Canyon-like hole at the game’s most important position.
That would be nothing short of irresponsible.
However, Lovie Smith, being the defensive guy he is, and the fact the Bucs went all offense last year, could be thinking defense. It is a premise that cannot be ignored. Besides, the Bucs need a franchise defensive end terribly.
Former Bucs quarterback Chris Simms, now working for BleacherReport.com, offers his take on a defense-only draft in this Bleacher Report video.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:34 am
Then we would know that someone has lost their minds
April 10th, 2015 at 9:39 am
Again as I frequently point out, I’m totally with Joe on this.
Bill Belicheat was a LOSING coach including 5-11 his first year with the Pats after a dismal losing record with the Browns. Then he lucks into Tom Brady in the 6th round and EVERYTHING Belicheat has ever won he’s done with Brady!!!
We must take one of the QB’s this year!
Lots of defensive lineman blossom after some time in the league…in our own experience we could point to Michael Bennett, Jack Smith is finally beginning to blossom and Gholston still has upside as does Fatinukin. We can cobble together some blitz packages for this season if we don’t find an edge rusher capable of doing the job.
And as TBBF frequently points out we do not need a stud rusher with double digit sacks…we need plenty of sacks and just as importantly, QB hurries and tipped balls. If we get that from a team effort is doesn’t matter if we don’t have a single beast putting up the numbers.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:41 am
They would be fired. Point blank
April 10th, 2015 at 9:42 am
There are likely to be some Defensive picks sprinkled in – but the Bucs must draft a franchise QB and then concentrate on getting some more talent up front at OLine for this team to vastly improve. Next year will be the defensive heavy draft.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:47 am
Chris Sims…the reason Phil has a hate on for the Bucs.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:51 am
You guys. If management feels that a #1 QB isn’t there, then ya don’t draft one. Why does everyone think they MUST? Sure, they have QB problems, clearly. But if there’s a stud LB or some other position that’s a slam dunk, I say trade down and let’s build this team up! One high-risk QB picked #1 could set us back EVEN FURTHER. We could have the 80’s/early 90’s all over again.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:54 am
@Pickgrin
Our offensive line is the reason I’m all for sitting Winston (or Mariota) a year…or close to it.
There is no way it is fixed this year, and how many rookie QBs have been ruined because the team they went to had really bad offensive lines?
Because we signed no one on the OL in free agency (no one worth spit anyway), that means we’ll have to rely on the draft to fix it. If that’s the case, there is zero chance it is fixed this year.
It would mean a 2nd and 3rd rounder added to the line this year. While there is some chance the 2nd rounder might do okay, that 3rd rounder will need more time to develop.
And the only person I feel even a little confident in this year is Mankins…provided he gets help along that line.
I suppose they could move EDS to guard and hope it works out, but we would still need a left tackle and a center…and frankly, I’m not sold on our RT at all.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:56 am
85 Bears, 00 Ravens, 02 Bucs.. These teams are exceptions to the rule. The road to the Super Bowl is almost entirely paved with Hall of Fame QBs. You can try and assemble 4-5 Hall of Fame defenders and hope their primes overlap or you can try and draft one HoF-caliber QB. The choice seems pretty simple.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:57 am
Without drafting a QB first, I predict a 6-10 finish this year. Draft a QB first, one of the two and the sky is the limit.
April 10th, 2015 at 10:03 am
chris simms….jon gruden’s idea of grooming a quarterback. kinda silly thought here, as bad as the team was the defense was better than the offense easily, most of the offseason signings have been average but still mostly defense side of the ball. impossible to go all defense and honestly I just don’t think any defensive player in this draft is worthy of being drafted higher than GMC.
I may be wrong but I cant think of any team with an elite quarterback ever having the first overall pick which for instance what happened to indy when manning got injured
April 10th, 2015 at 10:04 am
“If management feels that a #1 QB isn’t there, then ya don’t draft one. Why does everyone think they MUST?”
^^This^^ many fans wanted Lovie badly, you got him. He is a guy who believes a great defense wins you 10 games a year, the Bucs defense was far from great (far from good even) last year. It’s Lovie and Licht’s necks on the block if they don’t win SOON, so only they know for sure who is #1 on their save their bacon/draft board.
April 10th, 2015 at 10:04 am
Aaron Says
“You guys. If management feels that a #1 QB isn’t there, then ya don’t draft one. Why does everyone think they MUST?”
Because the draft is a crap shoot, if you need a QB and have your choice, you take the chance. It doesn’t matter if management THINKS there is a #1 QB. Evaluators can be wrong and they just cannot take that chance.
Some look at rankings and say BPA says take someone else. Everyone goes by rankings that are created by so many individuals that they are never the same from one to the next.
Therefore, what it all comes down to is opinion, and opinions are wrong all the time.
And a team that has that need simple cannot pass it by. EVEN if the pick is a bust, if you think about it, first round picks are busts all the time. Look at our own history. Evans and GMC. How many busts between them?
Each of them are chances taken, and QB is no different. Just as a team can make bad picks thinking they are good, they can pass on good picks they think are bad.
Total crap shoot. If it’s a blown pick, then don’t hesitate to move on.
April 10th, 2015 at 10:10 am
Laughing that JBF turned off the comments section on the Big Dog Meets Jameis story. Anybody that listens to Duemig knows his disdain for Winston….
April 10th, 2015 at 10:12 am
like BuccaneerBonzai is saying…..EVERY position is a crap shoot not just quarterback, if you think drafting a quarterback 1st overall over a defensive end is a bad idea you haven’t been a buc very long and you don’t remember gaines adams (RIP) and you need to take a look at the bucs draft history. we’ve drafted one great defensive end who was our first hall of famer, we’ve never drafted a franchise quarterback or like we have that ONE defensive end but overall we’ve had more production out of quarterbacks than we’ve had drafted defensive ends which is why we had to go out and buy simeon rice. I tend to think greg hardy is on a one year deal and will be available next year if you want a defensive end that badly
April 10th, 2015 at 10:13 am
I could see them going Mariota #1 and then taking all defense after that. Definitely possible.
April 10th, 2015 at 10:14 am
Wait for blow back in 3…2…1..
April 10th, 2015 at 10:18 am
“Without drafting a QB first, I predict a 6-10 finish this year. Draft a QB first, one of the two and the sky is the limit.”
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So says the Johnny Manziel fan base. Rookie QB = 2w-12L season, and if you’re going to sit em, don’t take em. Leonard Williams = Instant Production
April 10th, 2015 at 10:21 am
@Ufour20
Why do you think Leonard Williams is more of a sure thing than Winston? The success/failure rate for any position in the 1st round is mostly the same.
April 10th, 2015 at 10:37 am
So says the Johnny Manziel fan base. Rookie QB = 2w-12L season, and if you’re going to sit em, don’t take em. Leonard Williams = Instant Production
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everyone except the browns knew manziel was a reach even at the 20 spot. the talent of manziel and leonard Williams does not compare which is why Williams is being talked about as a top pick not somewhere around 20 to a team desperate for a qb and to please it’s fanbase. when you don’t have a quarterback you draft a quarterback. there will never be another chance for lovie to get one…..if you go on history he’s had good defenses so if he thinks he can win 10 games with a good defense how are we ever going to be in the position of drafting the best QUARTERBACK on the board? you can get a defensive end much easier than a quarterback.
April 10th, 2015 at 10:52 am
If it’s true that Clyde Christensen name is tattooed (CC)on Chris Simm’s ankle. Now that would be a man crush. I heard this rummer and kinda remember seeing the tattoo. Does anyone know if this is true?
April 10th, 2015 at 11:20 am
Hey Joe since the comments are off for the Duemig pic…can i make the comments on this thread?..LOL
April 10th, 2015 at 11:24 am
Simm’s does have tattoo’s, but I don’t believe it was CC, but was Shanahan.
“Both players remember when they went with three other close friends and UT teammates — tight end Bo Scaife, defensive back Rod Babers and receiver Montrell Flowers — to get their tattoos.
“Kyle was a real wimp about it,” Simms said. “He got a small one on his ankle. He was afraid his mom and dad would see it, so he keeps it hidden underneath his socks.”
Shanahan has a different version of the experience in which each player got the initials of the other four tattooed on his lower leg.
“Let me tell you what really happened,” Shanahan said. “Chris was dying to get a tattoo. When we got to the (tattoo parlor), I was the only one who already didn’t have one. It wasn’t any big deal for the others.
“I had to be a man about it. I got one out of loyalty to my buddies. Now, Chris, he got one the size of his calf, but I didn’t want one that big because I didn’t want to show off.”” -Chron
April 10th, 2015 at 12:22 pm
In this new age NFL, you need a quarterback than can play. Nothing below above average will cut it these days. That being said the Bucs must draft either Winston or Mariota. An edge rusher can wait in this case.
If we end up with two average defensive ends like George Johnson and Jac Smith, Leslie Frazier cant just keep doing the same thing when it’s not working. He cant just say “its the system” you got Gerald Mccoy and Lavonte David, make something happen! Blitz more. Create more sub groups in nickel and even your base and its variations! Simeon Rice types dont grow on trees. You gotta account for that.
April 11th, 2015 at 8:58 am
I love Chris Simms. Imagine an alternate universe where he does get his spleen destroyed and Gruden kept developing him. Will never forget his beautiful bombs to Joey Galloway.
April 11th, 2015 at 10:42 am
why not build your team around your best player, Gerald McCoy. We won with defense in the Dungy years, and won a Super Bowl with defense (for those who doubt me, I was there and watched the Bucs decimate the Raiders with defense).
April 11th, 2015 at 11:56 am
Joe, you are funny…..Licht says he is taking OL…you are just stirring it up….HaHa. So, here you go ‘Mr Stir’
They trade down with the Browns and take 2-OL in first round, and take DE in second round.
BOOM, Glennon is protected ….HaHa