Keep Going
February 19th, 2016
Bucs GM Jason Licht should not stop at acquiring one edge rusher.
Since Joe already started the defensive end talk today, why stop there?
No, really, why stop there?
That’s what Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders asks, while pecking for BSPN. And he’s right. In short, after the Bucs acquire a pass-rushing defensive end this offseason (free agency or the draft), Barnwell writes, why stop there? Keep going!
Target a No. 2 pass-rusher. No, really. Let’s not stop there. The Bucs should be in the market for whatever they can find. Bring Jason Pierre-Paul back to Florida. Go after Tamba Hali. Take a shot on a rotational edge rusher like Wallace Gilberry. Forget the No. 1/No. 2 ordering. Just try to sign them all. Offer the Broncos your pirate ship to let Von Miller leave. The Buccaneers were 26th in pass defense DVOA last year; team up a couple of viable edge rushers with Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, and this could be a very good defense very quickly.
Well, if you believe USA Today, the Giants are not going to bring back Mr. Three Fingers. That’s all you should know about that.
But the interesting name Barnwell dropped is Wallace Gilberry, who the Bucs brought in twice during the administration of former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, but for reasons not quite clear, Gilberry never could stick with the team.
Gilberry, now 31, went to Cincinnati, where he played for current Bucs defensive line coach Jay Hayes and had a nice little career. If Hayes could mold Gilberry in Cincinnati, why not here in Tampa Bay?
February 19th, 2016 at 8:24 am
Draft, Sign free agents, sign some undrafted and have a huge try-out for DE and DT!!!
Other GMC no starting position is a given!!! Maybe Will Gholston can crack the line up if he takes another steep, physically and mentally, And Jack Smith will be a backup/rotational guy!!!!
February 19th, 2016 at 8:36 am
I need something else to read.I hate the off season,i feel ,off
February 19th, 2016 at 8:40 am
I agree with realist… cover every base and make them earn it….
It’s an exciting time.
Just remember though in Tampa being a fan favorite trumps talent
February 19th, 2016 at 9:09 am
Sounds good to me. Try to sign as many as possible and draft one. Quality will come from quantity and depth.
February 19th, 2016 at 9:23 am
Under no circumstances should we trade the pirate ship. It’s been the one constant getting me through these years. Just because you sit in fancy seats doesn’t mean those of us in the north end zone don’t enjoy it.
Besides, could you picture a bunch of buckin Broncos sailing around pillaging and goring everything in site? No-one would be safe!
February 19th, 2016 at 9:54 am
@espo
I disagree!!! The ship does nothing but shoots off a couple of smoke bombs!! (to infrequent in games of consequence at that!!)
The ship needs more meaning!!! Disney is right down the street and could make it do all kinds of things!! I still think the ship should sink when the Bucs lose at home!!! It would give the players and fans more drama at the end of games!!! Protect the Ship!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9WmKxfOHg4
demo video provided by Buc1987!!!
February 19th, 2016 at 10:06 am
@espo, @realist,
It’s Denver, Colorado, it’s a different kind of smoke (cough, cough), that pirate ship will become a high flying starship
February 19th, 2016 at 10:33 am
Gilberry reminds me too much of the sack less and ghostly johnsons. Begals DE that was a rotational guy, and a former buc. No thank you.
February 19th, 2016 at 10:43 am
D-line coach Hayes will most likely be developing 2 rookie pass-rushers from this draft…My two favorite right now are Noah Spence and Carl Nassib…
February 19th, 2016 at 11:18 am
OneBuC55
That’s an interesting take! And I tend to agree with you. As I’ve posted the lasted Walter Football has Spence going #9 to us!
Nassib is a really interesting guy…a walkon with such a motor that he set a Penn State record with 15.5 sacks. Too thin and wiry right now but I gotta believe that anybody who can walk on and set those kinds of records is a truly MOTIVATED dude. He’d bring some serious work ethic and if he bulks up a little would improve on the run.
We could probably get him with our 3rd round pick leaving the 2nd round open for our DB. And again…given the state of the QB’s around the league I gotta believe MG8 is worth at least a 3rd rounder maybe a 2nd.
If we added another 2nd or 3rd round pick to this draft and Licht works the same magic as last year it could be youuuggge.
February 19th, 2016 at 11:32 am
Realist, you’re right. It should do more. Like volley onto the opposition’s warm ups? Create better holes for Dougie or his replacement. Instead of a stern talking to without an ejection (HCSO), someone on the ship should get the cat out of the bag and start lashing Giants fans.
February 20th, 2016 at 9:13 pm
I said this in a comment a few weeks ago that we should definitely sign Pierre Paul but I also would be on board for us going after Malik Jackson in free agency or chasing after Mario Williams in a trade. The key is to not get in a long term deal this off-season with Doug Martin. I would give Martin one more year to prove it. As far as Jackson hes interesting because he can play defensive tackle as well. Free agency should go on defensive end and draft should be dedicated to corners and linebackers. Late round picks should go on a reciever or offensive line or safety.
February 21st, 2016 at 2:02 am
I agree completely with this article. Actually, call it the double, double, double. Two DE, two CB and two Safeties. Just think of the ramifications in the draft? By filling these needs we can concentrate on other needs in the draft. The problem with FA is the limited number of quality players in the position groups we need. For example notice how the Rams released three players to generate 24M in added cap space? At DE William Hayes will more than likely no linger be available. Look for the Giants and Dolphins to do the same. Which will mean DE Olivier Vernon and DE Robert Ayers will re-sign with their original teams. Which leaves the market with the likes of Derrick Shelby MIA, Jason D. Jones DET and yours truly Adrian Clayborn ATL. That illustrates how important it is to sign the Mario Williams and Jason Pierre-Paul’s. Then the draft could look like this –
R1) DT A’Shawn Robinson Alabama (6’4″ 320)
R2) WR Sterling Shepard Oklahoma (5’10” 191)
R3) OG Landon Turner North Carolina (6’4″ 320)
R4) K Ka’imi Fairbairn UCLA (6-0 183)