“We Just Want Someone To Come In And Block The Right Guy”
August 17th, 2015
Bucs G Logan Mankins talks about the status of the offensive line.
Guard Logan Mankins stopped after practice today to chat with the Tampa Bay pen and mic club to discuss the Bucs and, more importantly, the state of the Bucs’ offensive line.
In short, despite the waterfall of Minnesota defensive linemen that sent a Purple Rain (Reign?) play after play after play at poor “America’s Quarterback,” Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, Mankins doesn’t believe the blocking issues are unfixable.
“We have a good group of guys,” Mankins said. “We just have to find the right five.”
Mankins also was asked about the new kid on the block, right tackle Gosder Cherilus, who the Bucs signed this afternoon. Mankins seemed to be all on board with bringing in the veteran former first round pick.
“Not sure of his status quite yet,” Mankins said. “We just want someone to come in and block the right guy and do it the right way. That’s what we are looking for.
“[Cherilus] is a big guy. Hopefully, he can help our team. I’m sure he can. We welcome him.”
Mankins was rudely awakened to the brutal Florida heat when the Bucs traded for him last August, and he hopes Cherilus is in good enough shape to avoid a physical beat down.
“It just depends on his conditioning right now,” Mankins said. “This is a place you better be in shape to come play. It is hot and we practice pretty fast. He has been around long enough to where it shouldn’t take him long mentally to catch on.”
August 17th, 2015 at 7:12 pm
Weird that this article doesnt show up in my rss feed i almost missed it.
August 17th, 2015 at 7:28 pm
Looks like they have themselves covered up pretty good on the line but I think this could be a fortune changer for Pamphile to go to RT because he clearly isn’t about to beat out Smith for the LT gig and the near future opening is at that right side period. I also think they should stick with Gilkey for the near future to bring Edwards along slowly with that RG starting spot. My thing is they should start Marpet at center and dont even play around Gilkey as a backup and maybe even let Evan Smith and his contract walk with a year remaining didn’t see much of him at all against the Vikings and he has also looked out of shape the whole camp. Gotta start Marpet at center like tommorrow though to further gain chemistry and control with this o line group because its a huge weakness for this offense once they are in passing plays
August 17th, 2015 at 7:34 pm
I swear since the game on Saturday night, all of these threads is like that Ground Hog Day movie (Bill Murray). I am thinking these are the same threads and comments are exactly like the ones this time last year….to include don’t panic.
So, if this slop continues into pre-season game 3, I think it would be safe to assume it is panic time. Botch-it for Bosa
August 17th, 2015 at 7:40 pm
Teamwide off the field activity-bonghits for bosa.
August 17th, 2015 at 7:41 pm
“…Mankins doesn’t believe the blocking issues aren’t something the team cannot fix.”.
Am I crazy, or did we not hear these exact words last year?!
August 17th, 2015 at 8:21 pm
Before everyone gets all giddy about the signing of OT Gosder Cherilus, formerly of the Colts, listen to this.
None other than Bill Polian said Gosder is a “roadgrader” blocker in the run game, but is not so good with pass blocking.
We’ll just have to see how this works out, but congrats to Jason for going out and getting a body to at least check out.
August 17th, 2015 at 8:30 pm
@Dean … “Bill Polian said Gosder is a ‘roadgrader’ blocker in teh run game …”
So now we’d have Smith, Mankins, Marpet and Gosder all classified as ‘roadgraders’. No excuse then for not being a good running team.
August 17th, 2015 at 8:45 pm
I’m just growing tired of waiting for Whitworth to be cut.
August 17th, 2015 at 8:45 pm
There is one consistent with this crappy OL play the past 2 years and it rhymes with flop
August 17th, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Another lineman brought in last possible minute, while playbook to get caught up on zero consistency, sound familiar?
August 17th, 2015 at 9:12 pm
Sorry about your precious darling getting ruffled up a couple of times Joe, but overall I gave the line a C plus.
Gilkey, except for the one bad snap, actually played well.
If you morons who want to use him as the tram scapegoat, try treatching the game like I’m doing.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:20 pm
I don’t think we should expect to much from our QB, we just need him to give us 225 yards passing per game minimum, 2 TD’s per game, gotta give him 16 INT’s for the season at the most cause he going to make a few, sign Evan Mathis lean on the running game and let the defence get a few turnovers, with all that we should average at least 24 points per game, 9-7, 10-6 wins the division get in the playoffs and try to go on s run.
August 17th, 2015 at 9:47 pm
Watching the replay of the game from the other night. I want to throw up….I keep hoping it was a bad dream I keep having over and over again….but its not. Its the same piss poor start to a new season I keep seeing over and over and over and over…….every……single……season…….Its a Bucs Life#!!!!!!!!###!!!!!!!
August 17th, 2015 at 10:05 pm
Not quite the same as last year. This year we have Dirk and he will be here all year. We’re going to be OK ! GO BUCS !!!!!!!
August 17th, 2015 at 10:12 pm
L&L are improving. They brought in Mankins last year on day of 4th preseason game. Now they bring in Cherilus 2 days after 1st preseason game. Wow, no freaking clue on either side of the ball. Meanwhile Koenen and Gilkey are still stealing paychecks among others. Get ready fans for another turd season.
August 17th, 2015 at 10:33 pm
Lovie seemed caught off-guard by the news of signing Cherilus. Almost like he wasn’t expecting it to happen that fast, weird.
August 17th, 2015 at 11:02 pm
“There is one consistent with this crappy OL play the past 2 years and it rhymes with flop”
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Warhop doesn’t exactly rhyme with flop, but I get what you are saying, lol.
August 17th, 2015 at 11:04 pm
“We just want someone to come in and block the right guy”
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That’s exactly what the fans are looking for too!!! I would also add that I would like someone who can snap the ball correctly to the QB, but I don’t want to be greedy and ask for too much.
August 17th, 2015 at 11:34 pm
Koetter had good production Offensively with as poor a line as we have right now. Lovie only has to get his defense as good as they were at the end of last season, for us to be exciting to watch. I think we will get there if our Special Teams can also show some improvement. Clay isn’t IT. We would have been better off with Soloman.
August 18th, 2015 at 9:47 am
Owlykat is right–we need special teams to be focused on once rosters get cut. Does Kenny Bell have what it takes for consistent punt returns?
August 18th, 2015 at 12:49 pm
A solid foundation is the key to any successful enterprise. Beyond the PR hype, do we have a solid foundation?
TBD..!!
Are we close?
That would depend on the demonstrable progress of the DE’s, RG, and LT. On paper, like the majority of NFL teams, we have a MOR group of players with a few exceptional players sprinkled in on both sides of the ball.
The FO has tried, in talent acquisition competition with every other NFL team to 1) buy exceptional talent in FA, 2) draft exceptional talent, and 3) train our current MOR players to become exceptional within our offensive and defensive schemes.
If you accept the FACT that we have several rookies, like every other NFL team, at positions that are key to long term success then you must accept that, like Dallas, there will be growing pains until the OL gets in-sync and becomes exceptional.
Getting the OL in sync is a matter of time-at-task. Those bonds aren’t built overnight. They are formed during practice and demonstrated and enforced during games. Despite his exceptional talent, Mankins didn’t get in-sync for several games and wasn’t effective based on “reputation” alone.
The same developmental time-at-task should be expected from our new RT and the new turnover at MLB. The good new is that our new RT, unlike Mankins, will have the rest of TC and preseason to sync with the OL, if he can stay healthy and becomes accepted by the OL as a dependable hard worker. Those are big if’s, even among professionals.