Guards, Guards, Guards
September 3rd, 2015
Garrett Gilkey last stand tonight?
Don’t be ridiculous. The Bucs will not play starting guards Logan Mankins and rookie Ali Marpet tonight in Miami.
No way. But guards will be very important in the coming hours.
Guard play has plagued the Bucs under Lovie Smith. Last summer, Carl Nicks retired. And then pegged starters Jamon Meredith and Oneil Cousins delivered August nightmares across the Bay area.
Just before the fourth preseason game, Tampa Bay made a smart panic trade for Logan Mankins, but he became melancholy and disturbingly barbecue-challenged and didn’t look like the Pro Bowler he was with the Patriots. Patrick Omameh started 16 games at right guard last year, and then Tampa Bay determined him to be unfit for guard in 2015. He’s now a right tackle on the bubble.
So who starts at guard tonight to protect the “quarterback of the future” (for what team?), Mike Glennon?
Here are some guards to watch:
Garrett Gilkey at right guard. At least he can play the position, unlike center. He started the preseason opener there and was solid before Marpet came in. … Kadeem Edwards started at left guard in Minnesota, too. One of the Milk Carton fifth-round picks last year, Edwards really needs to distinguish himself tonight. … Keep an eye on backup center Jeremiah Warren playing some guard later in the game. If he looks remotely serviceable there, then one would think he’s a lock for the final roster. … Converted defensive lineman Matthew Masifilo should get plenty of guard time. The regime likes him, but he has a lot to prove.
Joe chose the headline “Guards, Guards, Guards” because that’s likely what the Bucs will be pouncing on this weekend with their coveted waiver claim. If a player is waived, then the Bucs have first crack at him thanks to winning the Chase for Jameis and a 2-14 record.
Final cuts are due Saturday at 4 p.m.
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Masifilo is undersized isn’t he? can’t see him making it or Omameh or Edwards….waiver claims = edge rusher, OL help and maybe a cornerback?
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:09 pm
If Jeremiah Warren can block and play guard at a reasonable level, then it would make sense to keep him as he seems to be the only backup OL player that can snap the ball properly.
Edwards has shown very little IMO. If they still think he can develop – then he’s eligible for practice squad assuming they cut him.
Gilkey may have improved at guard – but he obviously can’t play center – so it’s pretty hard to have him be one of the 7 OLinemen that dress on Sundays because the backup interior lineman that is on the active game day roster has to be able to cover either guard or center in case of injury to a starter.
Masifilo needs to show that he has learned how to be a capable OLineman in the short time he has been trained on that side of the ball. Not sure that he has shown enough to this point to make the final roster.
Hopefully in a couple years we will have better starters and better depth on the OLine – because this unit is still obviously the weak link of the whole team.
Licht needs to continue drafting OLine players early and often for the next couple years to shore up the OLine mess that Dom left this team with.
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:09 pm
How about some freaking pass rushers Joe?! Our online is screwed even if we got some one it’s to late In the season. We need pass rushers only way we win is with defense!
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:09 pm
I have emailed the forum 2x
EVERY post i post is moderated and then removed. no matter what it says.
I think we go with the guards we have/decide to keep over someone from outside.
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:12 pm
@Pickgrin
…the mess was getting rid of the existing OL and starting from scratch…Penn and Zuttah would be strengths on this unit..
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:13 pm
@joe- Pouncing on guards? Pretty hypocritical seeing you chose to belittle the fellow bucs fans who wanted our buccaneers to puruse evan mathis!
If andy Levetine gets cut, he will be a buc.
And yes i know, mathis would have in no way shape or form signed with the buccaneers. Seems like you woke up and smelled the coffee though!!! look at new orleans, the guards there rode the pine for a little and learned from vets. worked out great.
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Gotta add a vet o-line guy with some tred left on the tires. Then draft a couple more next year. mankins is getting old and we have no draft. I think our o-line is a couple years away when you factor in depth. I’d get a pass rusher in draft early next year. I think Edwards and pampile have to prove they can play this year or they’re gone along with omaneh.
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:35 pm
I like Warren… He needs some work but he gets good push when run blocking and he is pretty quick for a large body lineman weighing 325…
Gilkey isn’t great but he is serviceable at guard…
The Miami game will decide…
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:38 pm
Marpet’s not playing tonight? Id play him and D Smith every snap tonight
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:44 pm
It’s all good in the hood. We got first waiver priority! But don’t be dumb and keep the milk cartons if there is better talent, just because u drafted them. All I hope is, is that they make the OL priority # 1 and figure out how to build a line REAL QUICK!! Seriously, real quick! Don’t give me some political mumbo jumbo on Monday Lovie, talking about we’re not concerned and were going to let these guys develop… I warned you, DONT DO IT!
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Most of these guys playing tonight are simply trying to make the team. I think our OL is pretty well set.
I read nothing about Donavan Smith. Does that mean he’s playing tonight or are they resting his ankle as well?
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:54 pm
I have read a couple of joe’s articles and fan post. It seems like some might actually want the bucs to have a losing season this year. I can understand this logic because there are some stud RB’s and DE’s in next yrs. draft. And if the bucs have a winning season then it makes it harder to get a couple of those players unless there are some major trades.
You can see this team rounding into form but seriously would you really want the bucs to win this division or suck one more year. Have another good draft(fingers crossed) and be ready to contend every year?
Do’t jump down my throat I’m just say’in you have your 3tech,MLB,outside MLB, corners,Free safety and nose tackles. You need DE’s, powerback, speed wr,SS,KR/PRLG(to take over for logan),center. 1 more draft, 1 more draft…..
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:59 pm
Would you take off D. Smith’s boot on his foot before you played him all night?
Masifilo has played pretty well this preseason. I hope they don’t cut players by weight. GMC has commented a few times in interviews about the guy’s strength and improving play.
September 3rd, 2015 at 2:07 pm
@newbuc
They have their power back already in Mike James.
September 3rd, 2015 at 3:38 pm
Please modify and the delete Danr’s post…..
just kidding 🙂
September 3rd, 2015 at 3:45 pm
@wausa… seriously though its like im invisible hahahaha
September 3rd, 2015 at 4:38 pm
So if we look like world beaters tonight can we say we have good coaching??? Reason I ask is cause if we get beat down everyone is gonna point at coaching… Just saying, not sure its about talent at this point… Its about development… I want to see it from the boys at this level and if I do I will be sold (again)
September 3rd, 2015 at 4:54 pm
Bucco Brice Says:
September 3rd, 2015 at 1:12 pm
@Pickgrin
…the mess was getting rid of the existing OL and starting from scratch…Penn and Zuttah would be strengths on this unit..
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Right – because 32 y.o. Penn who was due to make $8M last year and $8M this year with the Bucs and was coming off a TERRIBLE 2013 performance would have made this team soooo much better moving forward. SMH
Surprised you aren’t pining for Joseph to come back as well…. although I guess his suckitude after the injury was more than obvious to EVERYONE.
Trading Zuttah for a late round pick was a mistake in retrospect – but only because he was better at playing RG than any other player on our roster last year (or this). Well guess what – Zuttah didn’t want to play any position but Center and made that quite clear – so he painted himself into a corner. His salary of $4.5M last year and $4.25M this year – while not outrageous for a starting lineman was still on the high side for his abilities. Jeremy Zuttah is a slightly less than average talent at center and is in the same range as a guard. No more – No less. His best attribute was his versatility – that he was a capable NFL player at both positions. But he made it clear that he didn’t want to play guard – so he basically refused to acknowledge and be flexible regarding his best trait which was versatility.
The 2013 Buccaneers OLine was one of the worst I have ever seen. They couldn’t run block and they couldn’t pass block. Dotson was the best of the lot and he was/is not that great either IMO. I would have blown the thing up too if I was GM. (Would have at least cut Joseph and Penn for sure) Probably would have kept Zuttah for his versatility since the $ was available and just let the coaches deal with his attitude problem towards playing guard.
Anthony Collins was considered to be the best LT available in free agency by most “experts” (as was ghost Johnson at DE) – so its pretty hard to fault those moves just because those guys had no heart and turned into slugs once they got paid big bucks. Licht deserves credit for getting those guys off the team ASAP even though it cost $12M to do so. We are a better team with AC and MJ off the roster. (and you can add Barron and Goldson to that list as well).
The jury is still out on Evan Smith but he at least seems to be capable of calling the protections and holds his own as a blocker most of the time (if he can get the damn ball snapped correctly that is).
Licht has drafted 4 OLinemen in the last 2 years (2 were high picks). He will almost certainly draft more next year and probably the following as well. It’s the only way to make up for lack of young, affordable talent and depth.
This GM 101 philosophy somehow escaped Mark Dominick during his entire 5 year tenure. Oline players only constitute close to 20% of an NFL team’s entire roster….
The primary reason our OLine has been and still is in such pitiful shape is due to the fact that the “Rock Star” never drafted any young talent up front. Starters, developmental or otherwise. Anyone who doesn’t see or understand that…. Um – well, I guess you are entitled to your own opinion.
September 3rd, 2015 at 5:06 pm
Matthew Masifilo has the highest grade of all of our guards at PFF.. Matter of fact, he is ranked in the top 10 in the NFL during this preseason.