The Holy Grail
June 8th, 2015
The never-ending quest to replace Simeon Rice will be Lovie’s toughest position battle, says BSPN.
Joe has just about given up hope that the Bucs will ever find a double-digit sack guy from the edge. The team has blown God knows how many draft picks and burned through God knows how many tens of millions of Team Glazer dollars in an effort to replace Simeon Rice.
And all the efforts through three general managers and four coaches have been a colossal waste of time, effort and megacash.
Time after time, draft after draft, year after year, the Bucs are on the lookout for an edge rusher. And whether it be Stylez White, Gaines Adams, Sackless Kyle Moore, Da’Quan Bowers or Ghost Johnson, it’s been a comedy of errors that has nearly brought Joe to tears.
The lone guy that damn near had double-digit sacks, Michael Bennett, the Bucs let walk for no good reason.
So with the NFL season less than 100 days away, here we are again on this sick, twisted and contrived merry-go-round. Trying to squeeze sacks from an assortment of castoffs (yes, the Bucs once cut George Johnson before trading for him) will be Lovie Smith’s biggest position(s) battle, writes Field Yates of BSPN.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Find a pass rush: The Bucs have their quarterback of the future in Jameis Winston, and the offensive line was addressed in the draft, too. But coach Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 defense is predicated in part upon a pair of upfield edge rushers. Right now, those parts are missing in Tampa Bay. The current depth chart is led by Jacquies Smith and George Johnson.
Look, the Bucs know they need edge rushers. Some fans bellyached because the Bucs didn’t draft an edge rusher this spring. As Jason Licht said in May, you can only fill so many holes in one draft.
And boy, when you are 2-14 the previous season, you’ve got holes, brother.
Here is a little catnip for Bucs fans who tossed their bowl of cereal off the table reading this here post: It is projected that there will be a good crop of defensive ends in the 2016 draft.
Still, Joe is convinced he will see a new Rays stadium in Tampa before he sees the Bucs have another double-digit sack producer at defensive end.
June 8th, 2015 at 6:14 am
Yeah I guess it was a very slow weekend for football news. But I do agree with you JOE that’s why my popcorn is butterd and I’m ready to watch the show and see how this D-line thing works out!!
June 8th, 2015 at 6:41 am
Why did Dominick let Michael Bennett walk?
I bash the Rock Star for a lot, but his inability to bolster any kind of a line on either side of the ball is just plain pathetic.
June 8th, 2015 at 7:18 am
Mark Dominick’s drafts, FAs, Cuts & Trades set us back 10 years
June 8th, 2015 at 7:32 am
I’m predicting us going after Hardy next season if he stays clean… yes after the suspension is up. 10 games? He’ll be fresh next year. And we will look more attractive after we go 10-6
YO JOE!!
GO BUCS!!!
June 8th, 2015 at 7:49 am
I think Joe “conveniently” forgot someone when naming some DE that were “the comedy of errors”!!!!
Why would Joe forget this individual, he was drafted in the 1st round in 2011! does he still think he is “a beast” , does Joe not want to write that 3 out 5 DE were Mark Dominik’s mistakes and busts? The mystery continues why Adrian Slowborn has been wiped from Joe’s memory!!!!
June 8th, 2015 at 8:21 am
I’ll continue stressing the cowboys finish last season with a whopping 28 sacks,lowest sack total in the league. They faired just fine. Yo “tampabaysucfan” a.k.a mr. spell checker. Feel free to go through and correct any grammatical errors I might have made in this post fck boy.
June 8th, 2015 at 8:27 am
Whoooah, woooah, woooah! What is up with the name calling Nole? That is beneath you my friend.
June 8th, 2015 at 8:27 am
I could care less about the DE. We got a QB that’s all that matters
June 8th, 2015 at 8:28 am
Im all in on JW too Strider but games are won in the Trenches and right now our trenches still need some tweeking.
June 8th, 2015 at 9:00 am
I know Buc,but he took it upon his self to put me on blast over a grammatical error I made in post from last night so I had no choice but to repond. Guess I still got a lot of growing to do as a grown man.
June 8th, 2015 at 9:02 am
And I agree with you strider,elite QB play covers other deficient areas of a football team.
June 8th, 2015 at 9:17 am
If there is a good crop of defensive ends coming in the 2016 draft, I figure the Bucs will draft between the 10-16 spot so they may get to pick one of the tad lesser talents available. Or who knows, they may get lucky and come away with a steal of a player who exceeds his rated ability.
June 8th, 2015 at 9:34 am
We may or may not have a sack master from the End, but we are little bit better on the DL. J. Smith had 6.5 and that was thru 7 games. G. Johnson had 6 sacks as a PT edge rusher for the Lions. With GMC and the rest of the guys in the middle. We should se sacks by committee. I would just like to see all of them sacking the QB then caring about one guy getting 10 sacks. Although my money is on J. Smith.
June 8th, 2015 at 9:52 am
The Bucs will have a top 5 draft pick next year, Maybe if everything goes right and other teams collapse, then 6, or 7th pick. Of course the sheep will have the Lovie excuses ready, and say ” It takes time”!!!
June 8th, 2015 at 9:58 am
Do you guys actually holler when typing your post? Some of you go exclamation mark crazy.
June 8th, 2015 at 10:13 am
Nole
Lmao. I was waiting for someone to bring up the !!!!, lol. I use them in every post and YES I holler often! Lol
June 8th, 2015 at 10:17 am
Realist
You killing me son just killing me. Pick 6-7? So that means 4-5 wins? Come on bruh you killing me over here. Smh
Winston don’t need time! He built the national championship team in 7 days then he looked at the team and said “it’s all good!”
June 8th, 2015 at 10:20 am
nothing like complaining and being sarcastic about someone correcting their grammer, then 5 posts later complaining about grammer! LMAO
June 8th, 2015 at 10:21 am
The hiring and subsequent firing of the hand-picked pass rushing impersonator Michael Johnson and then the overly hyped acquisition of George Johnson (who?) makes it clear that this incompetent HC and his little lapdog GM are not even trying to get a pass rush for this team. Just like when you sign McCown and make him your starter in March you are not trying to win football games.
I wonder if any of the do-no-wrong Lovie fanboys on this site would admit that they bought a Michael Johnson jersey last year?
June 8th, 2015 at 10:29 am
Funny thing is Bennett has never had double digit sacks, either. 2012 was his best year, when he played for the Bucs. J. Smith only had a half sack less last year. And way less snaps.
June 8th, 2015 at 11:13 am
I agree with you TampaBayBucFan, Dummynick’s drafts were the worst..
If you want to get really angry, you should have heard the Dummy talk about when he drafted Clayborn he knew he wasn’t a digit sack guy.
Don’t get it Buc Realist, you recognize the Bucs drafted lousy for the last dozen years but then you hate on Lovie for the personnel he was left to work with.
Very puzzling.
Dallas Buc is simply a troll. Never a positive post on the Bucs.
Don’t see where George Johnson is being overhyped, even by the pro Buc media sites.
Perhaps you dislike the Bucs so much Dallas you see any positive story on a player as being overhyped.
And you are right McAlpin Mike. Despite all the hand wringing, whining and crying about the loss of Bennett, he has never had a double sack season.
I regret him being let go, but he wasn’t the second coming of Reggie White that many think he was.
And now he wants a raise after having a seven or eight sack season like Adrian Clayborn did in his rookie year.
June 8th, 2015 at 11:55 am
Not complaining about your”!!!!” home boy. I was just curious.
June 8th, 2015 at 12:07 pm
@ Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. who i will now refer to as NoS-BoS
My “apologies”, Its just a writing style to differ me from everyone else!!!!! , I also un-capitilze those i dislike, some actually pay attention, and look straight to the post, so when they see the “!!!!!!!” they know The Buc Realist was there!!!
the pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; The Realist adjusts the sails!!!!!
June 8th, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Don’t know what Nos-Bos means but I kinda like the way it sounds. Works for me bro. D@$!,I’ve earned a nick name on jbf. I’m moving up in the world dawg.
June 8th, 2015 at 2:01 pm
Ohhh Nos-Bos I get it..
June 8th, 2015 at 2:04 pm
Maybe Bennett not being brought back had to do with the draft that season. Just a shot in the dark. Could be wrong! Lol
June 8th, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Funny BucRealist, all I ever see you doing is complaining that there is no wind.
Even when it blows, you say it sucks.
June 9th, 2015 at 2:43 am
My thing is, if these kids work hard, put all the time in, who says they can’t be 12 sack guys?