Hunting For A Defensive End
September 4th, 2015
Bucs GM Jason Licht admits the pass rush needs work.
So if you believe the words of Lovie Smith last night, it sure seems like defensive end Larry English will be out for months.
We should get an update a little after noon, when Lovie holds his day-after presser from One Buc Palace.
Throw in defensive ends Jacquies Smith and T. J. Fatinikun having shoulder injuries, and three of the four top defensive ends appear out for an unknown period of time.
That means it’s a lock that either Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will be fishing for a defensive end via trade or the waiver wire in the next day or so, as teams trim their roster to the final-53 by Saturday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
In fact, Licht didn’t mince words when he spoke about the tepid pass rush of the Bucs last night during the Bucs-Dolphins broadcast on WFLA-TV Channel 8.
Ronde Barber: What are some of the things, as a guy trying to build a team top to bottom or bottom to top, however you want to describe it, what are some of the things that worry you about this football team?
Jason Licht: I would’t necessarily say “worry.” But when you try to fix everything at once, you run into things like I did last year. To try to do everything at once and think you can just mold all of these players to play great in the same system … there are some pieces that we need. And we need a more consistent pass rush, that is for sure.
And these words from Licht came before Lovie spoke about English’s knee injury, and before knowing the status of all three wounded defensive ends.
You can pretty much bank the Bucs will have a new defensive end or two in the coming hours.
September 4th, 2015 at 5:46 am
If we keep hitting the top of the draft, even Lovie can coach that up…
September 4th, 2015 at 7:00 am
It took the Lions 10 years of drafting at the top to put together a good team.
September 4th, 2015 at 7:01 am
Top of the 9th for Licht. Lets see what kind of magic we see from him.
In Lovie and Licht I TRUST!!!
September 4th, 2015 at 7:12 am
Hunting for a defensive end?
Hasn’t that been going on for about five years now?
September 4th, 2015 at 7:18 am
I would not call it “hunting” more like garbage sifting!!!
September 4th, 2015 at 7:19 am
A.week before the start of the regular season isn’t exactly the best time to discover that you have a glaring need.
September 4th, 2015 at 7:41 am
Good luck with that. No teams are cutting defensive ends worth picking up.
September 4th, 2015 at 7:45 am
682 players soon to be cut that we can choose from….surely there are two better than Gilkey & English…..
September 4th, 2015 at 7:57 am
Lawrence Okoye has been released by the 49ers.
Yes he is not a pure NFL player, but hey we are speaking about the Bucs so they can try him !
September 4th, 2015 at 8:17 am
U had one on. Clayborne but for some
Reason u give away solid players every year and bring in guys that aren’t as good as what u had.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:17 am
Christmas in September … 2 DEs and 2 OLs. Santa’s thankful I’m sure that we have waiver wire priority and a few $$$ to buy our own presents.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:53 am
I hear it’s a good weekend to go waiver wire shopping.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:19 am
Its refreshing , listenening to Jason Licht talk. He never uses the typical cliche answers, and often confirms what we have hypothezied here.
I think he is going to be a great GM for this franchise.
Now, if he can just find a couple good offensive/defensive linemen. 2 of each please!
September 4th, 2015 at 9:21 am
Note to all:
Waiver wire trash will take weeks to learn the systems…..
September 4th, 2015 at 9:44 am
@ Tom
Depends on the position…..a “plug & play” DE for passing downs….can make an impact immediately…..much more difficult with many of the other positions…I agree.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:50 am
I agree TBBF, DE is pretty much plug and play…
See the QB, Hit the QB, and Repeat!
September 4th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
I just don’t understand it. Why don’t they simply go out back and pluck a DE from the DE tree?
September 4th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
The Niners just cut Darnell Dockett,
Maybe we could get him as a situational pass rusher until we stumble upon a DE.