Cherilus Not Gifted Starting Gig
August 19th, 2015
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht monitors offensive line drills Tuesday. Photo courtesy Chris Fischer/WTSP-TV.
Scrambling for help at right tackle with Demar Dotson out several weeks (funny, Lovie has different information on Dotson than a burger joint waitress), the Bucs appeared to fill the hole signing former first-round pick and free agent right tackle Gosder Cherilus.
He would just slide into Dotson’s spot and all would be well until Dotson recovers, if he recovers. Right?
Hold up!
Bucs coach Lovie Smith isn’t willing to go there quite yet. Lovie made it clear after a rain-shorted practice Tuesday that Cherilus isn’t being handed the job.
“That’s up for grabs, but you don’t bring a player in like that unless you plan on him helping you out in some kind of way fairly soon,” Lovie said. “Again, after one practice we’ll kind of see, but we wouldn’t bring him in unless we thought he could help us this year.”
First, Cherilus has to show he is in game shape. He just got off his couch for his first practice of the year. He also later stated that to master Dirk Koetter’s offense would take a couple of years.
So first, Cherilus has to get fit — he is currently a little under the weather with what seemed like a cold — then game shape, then have a handle on the playbook.
Doubt all that can come together by Monday night’s game. We’ll see.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:33 am
Unless Pamphile, Omameh, or who ever steps up, I think he will work himself into the job. I do think having another Vet who has played meaningful games next to the man-beast Marpet is important. Just protect the Franchise guys. Mankins looks mean, Marpet should be starting over ” that guy” ( sorry joe, not going to say his name until he is gone). Let’s see how D Smith improves, and roll with them.
August 19th, 2015 at 7:53 am
It’s a good sign that the FO isn’t trying to rush Cherilus into action before he can contribute without being injured because he’s out of shape or the cause of others being injured because he doesn’t know his positional assignments.
He’ll be fine and certainly ready by the last preseason game.
August 19th, 2015 at 7:56 am
I like the moves. I haven’t seen Cherilus play much so I’m not holding my breath. And “that guy” looked pretty good to me at right tackle. We just need to keep him away from the center position. And what about Jeremiah Warren? He looked pretty good to me the other night. Why no talk about keeping him as a backup?
August 19th, 2015 at 8:27 am
On this o-line if he has a pulse and can stand on his own, he can basically beat out whatever is in front of him on Lovie’s clown depth-chart.
August 19th, 2015 at 9:21 am
Pablo could start on this Oline.
August 19th, 2015 at 10:36 am
The Bucs O line are like a box of chocolates, Lovie and the fans never know what they’re gonna get.
August 19th, 2015 at 12:30 pm
@Buccfan37
I thought you were going to say ” they melt down under the sun!!!”
August 19th, 2015 at 3:36 pm
Last season our O-Line was ranked 25th at PFF, this season we should have a top 15 O-Line. We have upgraded big time in my opinion, new OC, new linemen.
August 19th, 2015 at 4:26 pm
Apparently Lakeland Buc is a very optimistic person. Not sure how potentially having 2 rookies and a guy who was signed 3 weeks before the season started is going to become one of the better o-lines in the league but OK…