Three Pro Bowl Rookies
November 12th, 2015
Jason Licht should be smiling
Legendary personnel guru and architect of the first Cowboys dynasty, Gil Brandt, is still grinding away in his 80s, traveling the country scouting players and working for NFL.com and SiriusXM NFL Radio..
Yesterday, Brandt identified 10 rookies that could possibly make a Pro Bowl this season.
Three play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. No other team has more than one.
Brandt’s favorite Bucs rookie is Kwon Alexander, who ranked sixth on Brandt’s list. He is convinced Alexander is a perennial star. Guard Ali Marpet was next at No. 7. “When you watch tape of Marpet, his man doesn’t make plays,” Brandt wrote. Is that not the ultimate compliment for an offensive linemen?
Tenth, one notch behind Marcus Mariota, is America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston. This has Joe shaking his head and fuming, but ok, it’s a senseless but minor snub.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht should be walking around town like a peacock. His rookie class, halfway through this season, is one of the best seen in the NFL in years. If the rookies keep improving, and the Bucs win, say, seven or eight games this season, look for Licht to get consideration for GM of the Year honors.
November 12th, 2015 at 8:38 am
Once again, The bucs selected #1 overall, and rotated #2 with the Titans every round. Finding better players is what they are supposed to do when you have the picks of the litter!!!!
Man, the bar is so low around here!!!
November 12th, 2015 at 8:43 am
Not sure how Mariotta got ranked above Winston considering he was out for like 3 weeks?
November 12th, 2015 at 8:55 am
@Realist,
Finding 3 starters in a draft is supposed to be the criteria for a “very successful” draft – no matter how poor the team’s talent level. We have 4+.
Yes, it is easier to be a starter when you play for the Bucs. But considering the fact that there is only a 50/50 shot at success for a player drafted in the 1st round, and we have 4+, I think that is pretty darn impressive. I have been a pretty big Lovie critic myself, but one has to give credit when it is due. I would have to say your bar is on the negative side once again.
November 12th, 2015 at 8:56 am
JMN, must not have seen that he threw 4 touchdown passes in two games this year I guess. Some of them were lucky yes, especially one this past week. But he has more touchdowns than Winston, less interceptions, and a higher passer rating. How do rank him lower on account of injury?
November 12th, 2015 at 9:04 am
I’m no mariotta fan but he’s got 2 games with 4 td passes Jameis has zero. So I get where the analysts are coming from. Jameis needs TDs in the red zones. Not sure if it’s him or the conservative play calls inside the 20
November 12th, 2015 at 9:35 am
@TampaTony
Not sure if it’s him or the conservative play calls inside the 20
BINGO!!! Or perhaps receivers with the dropsies…or a TE we counted on MIA.
And MM has plenty of extenuating circumstances as well. He also plays for a losing team.
This is a totally futile exercise at this point as we’ve discussed over and over again. Half a season does not determine a career for a rookie QB. Both of these young QB’s have had ups and downs. Both still appear to be very good NFL players and perhaps great although time and record are required to make that claim.
If both of these players turn out as their supporter believe the conversation might be comparable to arguing over his was the best GB QB…Brett Favre or MM…both wildly successful…two TOTALLY different QB’s.
Bottom line for me is that I am thrilled with Fameis. I wouldn’t trade him for MM or any other QB at this time. That is not to say that I don’t think MM will also have success…I just prefer Fameis style, personality and energy.
November 12th, 2015 at 9:37 am
Oops…see MM versus Favre LOL…see I’ve already conflated MM with Aaron Rodgers…waaay too prematurely but it’s a good example of the POTENTIAL future debate.
November 12th, 2015 at 9:45 am
The reason Mariota is ahead of Winston is because he is a media darling. Look back at the game winning drive Winston had against Auburn in the 2k13 Nat Champ. game. Look at Winston’s 10 yard run for a clutch TD in which he refused to be denied last week against the G men. Tell me Mariota could accomplish either of those tasks but if you decide to take me up, you have to do it with a straight face.
November 12th, 2015 at 9:47 am
It’s not complicated, this isn’t a list of who is going to be best long term, it’s who has had a better season. By every measure besides wins, Mariota is having a better season with a worse supporting cast. And using wins doesn’t work because then apparently Fitzpatrick is having a better season than Philip Rivers which is laughable. It’s not a snub, it’d be a snub if they were ranked in reverse.
What really sucks ass looking at that list? Seeing two corners on it and realize we have absolute trash. Be nice to have one (or both) of those corners on this team. Also the list is missing Stefon Diggs which is a big oversight.
November 12th, 2015 at 9:50 am
I don’t mean to constantly bash Lovie because if he can manage 7 or 8 wins, then he deserves at least another year but the credit for the draft does not go to Lovie. I give 100% of that to Licht. Evidenced by his inability to figure out the best secondary line-up and his deep past, Lovie has proven ineffective as an evaluator of talent. Fameis was a given but Marpet, D Smith ( I don’t give a crap how Pro Football Focus ranks him. Watch the games and you will see he has been solid.), and Kwon were stellar picks.
November 12th, 2015 at 9:54 am
The draft quality has been better since Licht arrived. Thats what Lovie hired him for in the cirst place is to handle the draft while Lovie handles the free angency side of things,but with him being so atrocious with the personel he hand picked these last two years licht needs to bee full time gm or fire lovie if he wont relinquish.
November 12th, 2015 at 9:56 am
I think Jameis needs like 1-2 TDs a game keep his int down! it sucks because ASJ gone Vjax Gone Even Murphy gone Kenny Bell Gone I was really sad when I found out Kenny was not even going to play this season I think he would have been a big help for Jameis… Next year this team is going to do damage!
November 12th, 2015 at 10:38 am
JOE
Cmurda posted..I give 100% of that to Licht.
I tend to agree with Cmurda but I have no way of knowing.
Have you guys got any sense of this from inside One Buc or do they keep that totally hidden.
And so Joes if somebody asked you…how much credit should go to Licht for the draft class and how much to Lovie?
November 12th, 2015 at 10:49 am
@stpetebucfan
Ask yourself this, How much scout tape would sit down and watch O-lineman during the off-season????
where lovie would have input would be on the final cuts of scout tape of defense. And then I am sure he would at least sit in if not ask a couple of questions on all interviews from college to 1-buc. Now the first overall pick I am sure that everyone in the building watched every cut-up of the top picks (JW3) as all jobs are on line if you messed the #1 overall pick up!!!
November 12th, 2015 at 10:55 am
When Winston throws more than 3 touchdowns in a game I’ll consider him better than Mariota, Mariota has done it twice.
November 12th, 2015 at 11:03 am
I’m not really worried about Mariota or Winston, both are good QBs. Mariota has had to do more to a certain extent because of the non-existent running game, however, that doesn’t make him better or worse than Winston.
Think about it; The stats would be swapped for both QBs if they were on the opposite teams. Mariota would have Evans at the very least to throw to, although his TE would be a downgrade, but on the other hand, his running game would reduce pressure. Winston on the Titans would have no choice but to throw 45 times a game, and you better believe that he would have multiple 3 TD games at the very least, as the Titans have nothing going on at RB at the moment.
Both guys are good players, but if you just use status to measure a positive or negative and fail to take everything else into consideration, you’re doing something wrong.
November 12th, 2015 at 11:12 am
^I wouldn’t necessarily say his TE would be a downgrade in Tampa, he just would never be on the field is all.
November 12th, 2015 at 11:16 am
@bucrightoff; I agree and thought the same thing when I was typing that, but ASJ has got to play more and stay healthy.
November 12th, 2015 at 12:12 pm
Put Mariota on the Buccaneers and see who the better QB is? The fact that Winston is performing as well as he has with a bunch of UDFA’s for targets is amazing. He only had his TE for two games, then losing Vincent Jackson, his number one receiver, would have been catastrophic to most other QB. Not to mention all the drops and the fumbles. The kid keeps his head on straight and stays positive (unlike some older peers) like a true leader should. I am a fan of PFF but there scoring of Donovan Smith recently has not been what I observe on film either. He has been performing very well at LT in both the pass and run. Which other than QB is the most difficult position to play as a rookie. Granted Jason Licht nailed it in rounds one through four but we sure could use one of those two WR’s he picked in rounds five and six?
November 12th, 2015 at 1:04 pm
@Joseph Mamma
The intangibles my friend that the stat geeks and media don’t take into account. Saying that, I think Mariotta will be a good QB in the NFL but I am glad the Bucs drafted Winston.
November 12th, 2015 at 1:16 pm
The Buc Realist doesn’t want to admit anything good has happened while Lovie is coach. Doesn’t fit his “hate everything Bucs” agenda.
So far as the Mariota to Bucs topic…Koetter has experience working with both types of quarterbacks, so you cannot just assume anything solely on Mariota’s merits. The right OC and a good oline (which this one seems to be becoming) could have a huge benefit for the man.
However…I’m man enough to admit that thus far, I think I was wrong to want Mariota over Winston. I wasn’t wrong about his weaknesses, but the kid has been doing well in overcoming them.
November 12th, 2015 at 1:18 pm
A lot people seem confused about the pecking order around One Bucs place. President 1, GM 2, Head coach 3. In the draft, it’s GM 1, head coach 2 everyone else 3. Lovie had nothing to do with Marpet being on our team and probably nothing to do with Kwon too. Licht is a hero
November 12th, 2015 at 1:20 pm
FYI, I have it on good authority that Lovie had the biggest say in the draft and voiced area’s of need for free agency, and Licht filled those area’s of need.
They had a plan, offense before defense. Licht found defensive FAs to fill roles within a reasonable budget.
November 12th, 2015 at 1:22 pm
@Fsuking
You are making a wrong assumption. Head coaches ALWAYS have control in a draft. Owners have to allow it so they can build around their visions.
November 12th, 2015 at 1:24 pm
I realize giving Lovie credit for the drafts doesn’t fit well with the “hate” agenda, but consider Mark Dominick.
Under Raheem, he had horrible drafts. Under Schiano, they improved. The factor that changed? The head coaches. That alone proves that head coaches have draft control.
November 12th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
I looked at JW and MM like this. MM may be good beyond the future but Jameis has a chance to be a great QB in this league. And really I’d rather have great than good. What do you think?
November 12th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
November 12th, 2015 at 1:20 pm
FYI, I have it on good authority that Lovie had the biggest say in the draft and voiced area’s of need for free agency, and Licht filled those area’s of need.
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No offense, but you have as little credibility as anyone on this site. Go ahead and prove this please, otherwise it’s nonsense Lovie apologizing.
November 14th, 2015 at 10:06 am
It’s common knowledge that GM’s are the most influential during drafts. It is their job after all!
November 14th, 2015 at 10:18 am
It’s kinda like Lovie is buying a house and Licht is the real estate agent. Lovie says he needs a run blocking G who can dominate the line of scrimmage and Licht goes out and finds him one. Trust me, before Feb or March of last year, Lovie had never heard the name Ali Marpet.