Former GM: Mike Evans And Gerald McCoy Played Like “Pretenders”
March 18th, 2016
Another assault on the good name of Gerald McCoy
Shots have been fired.
This time they come from former Bucs player personnel director and former Bears general manager Jerry Angelo.
Over at GarySheltonSports.com, the new of home of the iconic columnist, Angelo is a regular contributor and recently engaged in a little Q & A session on Bucs free agency.
Angelo likes the moves, but insists they’re just minor, short-term improvements. The Bucs big leap, he added, must come from the core players. And that’s when Angelo slapped Gerald McCoy and Mike Evans.
… These players will help the Bucs, but they aren’t going to be difference makers. The difference makers are presently on the roster. For the Bucs to contend next year, their defense will have to be in the upper half of the league performance-wise. Winston needs to play more consistently and to do a better job of taking care of the ball. Evans and McCoy need to play like Pro Bowlers and not pretenders as they did last year. Martin needs to stay healthly and their offensive line needs to develop and play better as a unit, particularly in protection. For the Bucs to be relevant, they need to play much smarter and eliminate the penalties. …
That sure was a harsh swat at McCoy, who made his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl last season, and played through a significant injury. And look for McCoy to be voted by his peers very soon to another appearance in the NFL Top-100 on NFL Network. Also, Robert Ayers, the Bucs’ 30-year-old defensive end, just explained that he studies McCoy closely so he can improve.
Consider Angelo another name on the long list of people ridiculously troubled because McCoy isn’t a Hall of Fame caliber player. That’s just not fair.
As for Evans, well, his K-Y hands last year were one of the worst things Joe’s seen from a premier receiver, much worse than the ball-squeezing allergies of Michael Clayton.
March 18th, 2016 at 1:16 pm
He said last year, not his (their) whole career. I think you are over blowing this. But catchy headlines get clicks…
It’s very clear here that Angelo is talking about last year. Second, Joe’s not overblowing anything. A reasoned and respected former personnel guy, a guy who knows the Bucs and lives in the area, is talking here. Joe’s going to type it up and not ignore it. In case you haven’t noticed, every one of Joe’s posts gets the same play. –Joe
March 18th, 2016 at 1:07 pm
‘McDoy’?! A Nickname is Born!!!!!! Was that a typo, or did Angelo give birth to that GEM?!
March 18th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Both do have some room for improvement. Evans with the drops and McCoy with consistency. But they will be improving on Pro Bowl calibre performance, so taken with a grain of salt.
Those are all good points about the Buc’s weaknesses however. Just a tad to obvious to be considered analysis.
March 18th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
Time to unpimp der auto. Oh snap!
March 18th, 2016 at 2:32 pm
Nobody is bashing McCoy for not playing like a Hall Of Fame player. We’re bashing him because he didnt even play like a good player. Keep trying to twist it to make McCoy out to be some victim.
March 18th, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I agree with angelo. Except for jameis for the last 3/4 of the season he was pretty consistent and kept his turnovers in check for the most part. Maybe 2 games got away from jameis in that span but he’s got a competitor’s drive. That 2nd ATL win whoo angelo must have missed that one. Mccoy’s gametape was mediocre. Penalties took alot of wind out our sails too.
March 18th, 2016 at 2:43 pm
**competitor’s drive, even whilst playing with dontae dye and cameron brate as 2 of the top 4 of his options. Thats why i believe winston will have better success with bell humphries and murphy or white
March 18th, 2016 at 2:49 pm
The main problem with Evans and McCoy becoming stars is they have no help, get a bonafide threat at WR or DL to take some attention off them….like WARE does for VON MILLER or Emanuel Sanders does for dthomas, ours star players would become legit NFL stars
March 18th, 2016 at 2:50 pm
I’ve repeatedly said if our Bucs are going to be contenders, Our Defense has to return to one of the top 10 in the league. Sure, the offense has to play good. But the Defense has to be even Better. If you watched McCoy towards the end of last season, he became frustrated and was doing everything he could to..up his numbers. This lead to missed tackles and assignments. Our Defense is the key. Not the offense as a lot of you think. Offense can be slightly above average. But the Defense has to stop somebody. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. WE..shall see!
March 18th, 2016 at 3:04 pm
I agree with angelo…I want to see gmc be a fiery no bs serious leader instead of someone who just wants to have fun….evans needs to focus, catch the ball and stop whining to the refs…GO BUCS!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 3:08 pm
Other than get rid of Angelo, I wonder what other smart move the Bears had to and have to make to be a contender? Just saying…..
March 18th, 2016 at 3:10 pm
@mike Johnson…I agree…year in year out gmc is always heard saying he wants 10sacks…haven’t heard him yet say “f” the sacks I just want to win…gmc knows there no I in team, but there is a me…GO BUCS!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 3:32 pm
Guzzie, I agree with your post 100%. Football is a TEAM sport, and it obviously takes a lot of pieces, working together, to be successful.
In GMC’s case, he and Clinton McDonald worked very well together, despite less-than-optimum defensive schemes and DEs who didn’t carry their weight (at least in terms of pressuring the QBs). Once McDonald went on IR, and GMC screwed up his arm/shoulder, his performance waned. And yet he hung in there for the season, when a lot of guys would’ve shut it down. GMC’s probably not the team leader folks want him to be, but he is an excellent anchor for the middle of our DLine.
In Mike Evans’ case, a 50% catch-rate is bad for a WR … no way to sugarcoat it. And yet when I looked last year at where he was doing his best on the field, some areas were MUCH better than others for him (deep he seems to do better on the left side; short he does better over the middle and on the right side). No idea why … maybe it has something to do with which CBs were covering him where, or maybe he just sees the ball better in those areas, who knows. He also performed better when VJAX was on the field.
At any rate, I’m expecting both GMC and Evans to do much better this year. The surrounding casts should be better, and the coaching should definitely be better.
March 18th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Yep! You guessed it. It’s all GMC’s and Evans’ fault! There’s 11 guys on the field and ALL of them, LVD and Jameis included, need to play better.
March 18th, 2016 at 3:44 pm
ME13 will be fine,Jerry Rice had issues with the dropsies early in his career he recovered just fine. ME’s issue like others on the team was you look over at the sideline at the guy under the headset and he looks like he doesn’t give-a-$!#&,it’s common sense to think why should I. With HC and a postion coach that will hold accountable he’ll be just fine. As for GMC just place some nasty around him and he’ll respond. Let Rankins come in and steal some his thunder I’m sure he’ll get it gear.
March 18th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
And before one of you mofos come wit that “he should care because he’s a paid professional” save it they’re still human beings first and he’s now 22 years young not only learning how to be a pro but more so a grown man. Hell even Warren Sapp stated everyone in the NFL takes plays off here and there.
March 18th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
The only reason why Evans could conceivably be considered worse at catching the ball than ‘Stone Hands’ Clayton is because Evans was able to get open enough to have the QB throw the ball his way so he could make all of those drops. I’m sure Stone Hands would have dropped as many or more passes if he had anywhere close to that amount of passes in his direction after his rookie year.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:06 pm
It may seem harsh but Angelo is spot on. As much as we’d like to complain, we actuallyhave a pretty talented roster that hasn’t quite blossomed and all played well together. McCoy (who was obviously injured) and Evans were players we really needed to play lights out last season and it simply didn’t happen. But with the moves we’ve made and another draft class we could very well be looking at a balanced complete roster with enough talent and depth to make a playoff push.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:06 pm
i don’t watch enough tape (none) to know if he’s right about gmc, but he’s right about evans. Also, making a pro bowl doesn’t mean a lot.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
He isnt wrong. Mccoy didnt play an elite level last season. And yes, injuries were a big factor in that. But the bottom line is that Mccoy was a “pretender” last season. He did not have a great year. If you want to coddle him then go ahead. But last season was a down year for both players.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:18 pm
Make no mistake this was a charge by Angelo to McCoy and Evans. He’s essentially saying play time is over you were selected high in the draft to be projected elite players and game changers, the time is now to live up to the billing.
Last year and to date neither has totally become consistent at their position so it’s fair for Angelo to say that it’s gonna take those players to get us over the proverbial hump.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:20 pm
Cause the probowl really means something nowadays lol
March 18th, 2016 at 4:22 pm
With maybe the exception of Alexander, nobody played that great on defense last year. I even exclude David because he said “we came out flat” in the last game. I’m sorry, a Pro Bowler NEVER comes out “flat.”
The D was abused by Lovie’s lame cronies. feckless spawn for a DB coach and an abysmal scheme 10 years behind the NFL times,
No wonder they were flat…
If I never see another quick slant to a running wide-open WR or TE with a bunch of YAK’s, a deep out over the CB & in front of a frantic safety, or an unknown QB with cement shoes picking the Bucs apart 8 uncontested yards at a time to a TD, it’ll be too soon…
March 18th, 2016 at 4:26 pm
I give Evans about 40% of a break, because for several games he was the ONLY viable target at WR and every DC knew it and planned for it.
Many of his targets were in double teamed traffic, and the ball was thrown anyways.
He took a beating, and still pulled out some circus catches.
Yeah, he had drops that need to improve, but he did more than his fair share in the passing game…
March 18th, 2016 at 4:35 pm
Hard to argue about the Evans comments, he had a terrible year and has to play better and not flake out so much. He can be a dominate WR if he can stop dropping so many.
However I think Jerry didn’t watch that much Bucs ball last year – his comments about the offensive line show that. The Bucs were supposed to have an awful line so national figures that don’t know the team talk about how the Bucs need better play from the OL. Well if you watched the Bucs play and did more than read stat lines and preseason scouting reports you’d know the OL was a huge surprise and an area of strength.
For the McCoy comments… He’s not Warren Sapp, get over it. He’s one of the best defensive linemen in football most of the time – and he’s dealt with a lot of injures. He’s say a top 5 DT and dominate at times, that is who he is. You really need players like that and want players like that – having a top player is a good thing. Seriously, it is. Remember last year the people saying David was awful since he got a new contract? I put the McCoy bashers in that same boat of lunacy.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:41 pm
I’m sorry its hard for me to hold anyone accountable for the way they look last season playing for the other guy. How can one expect passion when the cheif has none. Please don’t expect my best if you asking me to do it for a lame duck,cause you not gonna get it.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:44 pm
Comparing Evans to Clayton is ridiculous, kind of like wanting the Bucs to draft Manziel
March 18th, 2016 at 4:49 pm
Lol at the Evans bashing again. The dude made catches all season that 90% of the receivers in this league can’t make. He had a couple of bad games. Everyone here gives Jameis a pass for a couple of horrible games but not so for Evans. I for one think he will be fine. For some reason Joe bashes him every time he gets a chance and you sheep fall right in line.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:52 pm
No one can say McCoy played consistently great last year.
The man disappeared way too much.
If it’s cause he was hurt, well that’s becoming a pattern now isn’t it?
So far three injury ridden seasons and 2 healthy ones I believe.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:53 pm
Really?……..GMC could have had 15 sacks and ME13 could have caught every single catchable pass…..and our defense that allowed a 70% completion rate would have still killed us. Blame all those slant passes on GMC & Evans.
Our problem was very simple…….not enough GMC’s….not enough Evans’……..a lack of talent and GOD awful coaching!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 4:54 pm
As for Evans he knows he can’t afford another season of KY Jelly hands during big time downs.
March 18th, 2016 at 4:54 pm
I agree whole heartedly with Angelo. I just cant help but wonder what Mccoy has on the people that are defending him. It must be something REALLY juicy!
March 18th, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Joe defends McCoy but bashes the 2nd year WR.
Figures.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Wow. GMC a pretender? I don’t completely disagree but if he got 8.5 sacks being a pretender I would love to see what he can do as a contender…
March 18th, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Youth needs to be introduced into our DT rotation to put a pitch count on McCoy’s snaps. Also, I think running more over fronts sliding McCoy out to a 5-tech could help free him up. It’s still not going to make him a game changing player.
Evans? He was a 2nd year WR thrust into a role where he was the only receiving option. Doesn’t excuse the drops, but he’s a young hot head that was getting frustrated out there. A healthy Vincent Jackson on the field makes a big difference.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:19 pm
Exactly 87. At this point I have to assume Joe has simply had some bad personal experiences with Evans. They are so slanted at times. Certain players he constantly defends and others he bashes as much as possible. Comparing Evans to Clayton is beyond ludicrous!
March 18th, 2016 at 5:20 pm
Mccoy was hurt and that was clear to everyone that he llayed through pain. One DT cannot do it by himself on a line surrounded by mediocre play. Get mvcoy spence to play on that line with him and watch the fireworks.
Mike Evans there are no excuses…..he had a crap year. We know.it, he knows it and winston knows it. There are no excuses for that kind of perfeomance from a first round pick. He has yons of talent and potential. He needs to play up to that.
Winston for a rookie qb surpassed my expectations on and off the field. There were veteran qbs that had more turnovers than he did. To say he.needs to take better care of the football may be accurate but I feel like he is not giving him credit where credit is due.
All in all, there will be drastic improvement on this team with the coaching staff that has been put in place alone. The players added will be icing on the cake. Licht and koeter will make this team scary good sooner than many expect
March 18th, 2016 at 5:21 pm
The problem is that we simply do not do nuance on a sports blog. GMC is not HOF nor is he chopped liver. He’s an excellent player, one of the best at his position in the entire league. But he flashes greatness every now and then and fans being fans want to see that “greatness” consistently”.
I do not think GMC is lazy, unmotivated, or not mean enough. But the NFL is a league where the difference between winning and losing…winners and losers…is razor thin.
GMC…LVD…ME…none of them have to play consistently great but it would be nice.
There is a certain synergy in teams however. Sometimes for good sometimes for bad. A losing culture can be tough to turn around. A defeatist attitude is really tough to eliminate.
I think last year was the beginning of the change. Obviously #3 but major coaching changes as well ahead of this year.
I see this team in the playoffs next year! Everybody is gunning for Carolina next year, they’ll get everybody’s A game. Not us!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Dewey Selmon Says
“He said last year, not his (their) whole career.”
Well, no duh.
And he did not mention that McCoy played through dual injuries…yet STILL made the pro bowl.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:32 pm
I love McCoy…love having him on the team.
But Jason Licht should trade him for 2 first rounds and two 3rd rounds. That would give us the ability to completely fix the defense while still finding a replacement.
It worked for Dallas years ago.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:33 pm
When you are payed like an elite superstar, yes you have to play consistently great.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:33 pm
@Stpetebucsfan
Well said.
I also believe that if the rest of the line around McCoy had been better…he WOULD look like a HoFer.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:35 pm
People act like the pro bowl means something lol.
It’s fan voting.
One third fan. One third player. One third coaches. –Joe
March 18th, 2016 at 5:35 pm
Kevin I don’t think you watched closely enough whe you say he had a “crap year.” Mike Evans || 2015-16 Buccaneers Highlights ᴴᴰ
Buc It Productions 10,307 views
March 18th, 2016 at 5:35 pm
When has McCoy really affected the outcome of games? Forget hall of fame production, just start by helping the team win some games. Simeon Rice won’t ever be in the Hall of Fame most likely, but he affected the games he played in routinely.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:36 pm
All pros mean something
March 18th, 2016 at 5:39 pm
Joe doesn’t promote other Bucs sites here unless it’s on topic. –Joe
March 18th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
TDTB Yes Evans had 1000 yard season. Yes he made some good plays. But he also didn’t show up when it mattered most. He whined like a baby every time someone laid a hand on him and a lot of the dropped passes he had were ones he could have easily caught with his talent by extending his arms and using the 6 foot 5 frame. So when I say he had a crap year I mean a crap year for someone who has more talent than what he showed. I do believe he will show up with his head in the game going forward, but last year was a disappointment from the standpoint of what his numbers should have looked like compared to what they were. With that said if he puts the work in, puts in the effort and lets bad calls role of his shoulder and has that go get em next time mentality he will be a star.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:52 pm
GMC an injured pretender with 8.5 sacks. Do these guys (dom) ever wonder why they’re analysts and doing radio and not GMs anymore?
March 18th, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Joseph mamma…when has McCoy ever affected games and you compare him to Simeon rice lol, ok question for you when has McCoy had any players on that DL considered anything better than undrafted or low round DEs (jack smith Howard jones ghouls ton), run stuffing DT spence McDonald, difference making secondary players, coaching scheme….give the guy a break he’s been on some awful defenses, it’s not his fault 9 out of 10 other starters are below average
March 18th, 2016 at 6:04 pm
I’ll 3rd that notion comparing Evans to clayton is beyond ridiculous!
March 18th, 2016 at 6:10 pm
Joe,
GMC played hurt, but overall he has never taken over a game.
Mike Evans has done more in his first two years in the league than a lot of others, including Michael Clayton.
Lastly, Joe, Mile Glennon is a quality backup and for 3+ years you have been predicting that he should be shown the door.
We need quality depth, especially at the QB position. GMC is just trying to have fun, and we need to see he and his $100 million earned as a Buccanneer take us to the playoffs. GMC needs to make those around him better.
March 18th, 2016 at 6:28 pm
I think you can say Evans had a bad year last year without bashing the guy. He dropped a ton of passes… a ton of them. He’s not a bad player, he’s a very good player, but he won’t be a great player until he stops dropping so many balls – I don’t see that as bashing, I see that as just being an obvious statement.
What I disagree with is bashing him based on his responses to dropping balls. If he said “it’s on me, 100% my fault” and then did the same thing again, to me that doesn’t make it better than if he just honestly said “the lights where in my eyes.” Either way it’s a drop, it’s the same play, but for some reason people are obsessed with players taking “responsibility”… which is code for being boring and always saying the safe thing. If Evans plays a bad game and gives excuses for that bad game – perhaps, just perhaps – he’s not an awful human, maybe he’s just telling you what happened from his perspective. Personally I’d want to know what the player is thinking after they drop 6 passes in a game, like what in the world was going on. I will still bash him for the drops but I’m not going to bash him for not giving a prepackaged PC answer.
March 18th, 2016 at 6:34 pm
Oh oh, yes I’m the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I’ve played the game but to my real shame
You’ve left me to grieve all alone
March 18th, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Stevek – You do know the Bucs interior line lead the NFL in sacks last year, right? Perhaps, just perhaps, GMC is making the players around him better. I mean Jacquies Smith, a player that would not make the rosters of probably 30 other teams has 13.5 sacks over the last 2 years. Again, perhaps GMC has something to do with that. The Bucs have not surrounded him talent, or they let that talent walk. Do you really think Michael Johnson would have been a better player in Tampa if McCoy had just what? Slapped him in the face or something? Seriously what are you people talking about with the “make players better around him.” If McCoy is getting double teamed all the time, and he often is, it’s up to the other players to win their 1 on 1 battles, that is how McCoy makes the players around him better, is to give them a chance to win 1 on 1.
Is McCoy the same player Sapp was? No, Sapp was a generational talent, a 1st ballot HOFer who could take over a game. But how many DT’s in history have been able to do that over the course of an entire season, or for multiple years? Not many – thus the reason Sapp is a 1st ballot HOFer. Because McCoy isn’t Sapp doesn’t mean he’s terrible and overpaid. He’s paid like one of the top DTs in football – and that is what he is.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:06 pm
Not to hijack this thread but I’d like to send thoughts and prayers out to Tray Walker’s friends and family. What a horrifying situation as he has passed away. So incredibly sad.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:17 pm
McCoy might be the most overrated Bucs player ever.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:28 pm
I do not know anyone that thinks Angelo is “A reasoned and respected former personnel guy”.
Please ask Chicago fan what they think of Angelo. After the first round, he had more strike outs than Nolan Ryan. Last time I checked, he was unemployed by the NFL after his Bears stint. How good could he be?
PS- Making the Pro Bowl used to mean something; it no longer does and its a popularity contest.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:33 pm
I’ll have some of what bonzia is smoking.
Two 1st round picks and two 3rd round picks? There isn’t a non-QB in the NFL that would go for that price right now, especially now with a rookie pay scale.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Everyone keeps complaining how gmc never took over any games??? How does one DT take over a game with absolutley zero help on his same line and the corners are lined up 10 yards off te recievers…..ITS IMPOSSIBLE!!!
ANYONE who doesnt understand that is an idiot and probably thinks lovie smith deserved another year!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 7:48 pm
Please tell me how any defensive lineman can get to a qb when that qbs recievers are already open before the ball.is even snapped. It was a crap defense with crap coaching and every team.in the league knew it only took two different passing plays to beat us with theowing the ball. I dont give a damn who is on the line it doesnt work playing against todays offenses. Period.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:55 pm
Kevin,
Lovie’s scheme did zero favors, but did you have a chance to watch Aaron Donald and the Rams destroy our season on Thursday Night Football?
I hope we make the playoffs this year. It’s been too damn long.
March 18th, 2016 at 8:12 pm
@JAB83
Shut up cry baby. If you don’t like what the joes say go to Buccaneers.com to get your 1 article every 3 days And take Mike Johnson with you
March 18th, 2016 at 8:20 pm
@stevek….yea I did. At least I watched 3 quartes before throwing up and going to bed. But Id be willing to bet without looking up the replays that theyre defense had theyre corners locking down our recievers for more than 50 percent of the defensve snaps. There is a time and a place for zone coverage, but when you run it all game every game (lovie smith) you cannot get pressure on the qb when theyre recievers take two steps and are wide open on slant routes.
Not to mention at one point or another banks, verner and moore got benched for underqualified players. Its just plain stupid to expect pressure from ONE players on the dline on a consistent basis. One player on the dline to take over a game under those circumstamces. Its idiotic to have expactations like that with all of the horse crap he was buried in.
March 18th, 2016 at 8:21 pm
Those are not excuses thats just a realistic view on the defense
March 18th, 2016 at 8:40 pm
It might hurt, but his criticism is valid.
March 18th, 2016 at 8:41 pm
Hilarious supposition comments made at shade comments made about two of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions. Some of you should just get rid of your resentments, which is anger turned inwards, or just GTFO.
ANY Team in the NFL would JUMP at the chance to have these two players. Problem is Bucs fans are so butthurt they don’t know how to act right. Sad, however. soon we may all be re-united again.
March 18th, 2016 at 8:45 pm
Now I am going fishing with my son for an hr. Peace
March 18th, 2016 at 9:15 pm
Dougy balls…..Oh nooo not Mike Johnson!
🙂
March 18th, 2016 at 10:58 pm
Dude is soft..Ole McSofty.
March 18th, 2016 at 11:02 pm
I’ve always liked Angelo. Hated to see him go. I agree with most of what he said, although I do think his criticism of McCoy, while accurate as far as it goes, was a bit more than was warranted.
March 18th, 2016 at 11:31 pm
From his bull$hit antics like the one he pulled off on Thursday against the Rams to his sloppy, and uninspired play Aunt Geraldine is weak. Plain and simple.
March 18th, 2016 at 11:37 pm
Sounds like the former Bucs player personnel director and former Bears general manager Jerry Angelo has been watching the Bucs games just like the rest of us and yes McCoy is soft and Evans has been a child.
March 18th, 2016 at 11:45 pm
Let’s not forget about Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Our second rd pick from 2014. He was supposed to be our big athletic target and a nightmare in the red zone. He could be that second option to Mike Evans but refuses to do anything at all.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:02 am
Not sure if this applies to everyone posting, but Joe, as usual, and Jerry Angelo are blowing hot air.
The only things we know for sure are (1) McCoy played hurt most of the season and (2) they fired the head coach quasi DC and the entire defensive coaching staff. Oh and now we’ve got some of last year’s DBs opening up following the departure of Lovie Smith.
We have to see what happens when the new HC’s overall philosophy is applied across the board and the new DC’s and defensive staff’s schemes and philosophies are applied to the returning players.
Unfortunately, Bucs fans, we don’t know what we don’t know and it’s another let’s wait and see what happens scenario for us, because no one can prognosticate what’s going to happen under Dirk Koetter and Mike Smith.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:36 am
(Sigh)
Why is it, that every Little midget, with the the NFL on his resume’- believes his destiny is to retire as An NFL “Shock Jock”.
Is it just a short thing?
March 19th, 2016 at 4:05 am
Kwon Alexander is the best player on defense.. and Jamie’s is the best player on.offense.. the rest of our stars take off on some plays.. and maybe doug Martin.. the rest Evans McCoy David don’t do snuff splash plays… very inconsistent..
March 19th, 2016 at 7:45 am
No bucs given your right asj deserves the most heat for what hea accomplished since being deafted but he gets it easy
March 19th, 2016 at 8:57 am
@ delson having to throw Cameron Brate is in no way a detriment.the guy got open and caught everything thrown his way.Bucs are high on him,and I heard
ASJ will be third string next year to start out during preseason.If true,a message is being sent.
March 19th, 2016 at 9:02 am
I don’t think it was fair to bash GMC when he played through the whole season with a TORN ROTATER CUFF! Cmon now really? And with one arm he still 8 or 9 sacks wich was second most for a DT I believe. Now if GMC can stay healthy this season ( wich is due to his reckless and ferocious play) it looks like he will FINALLY have some help along the line that are capable of pressuring the QB and taking some heat off him. Then I’d like to hear what all the haters say when he finally brews the double digit sack drought. (If not him, someone will this season. I have a good feeling.)
But for Mike Evans, I cannot defend him for his.play. he was targeted 148 times and only caught 74 balls for roughly 1200 yards but led the league in dropped balls with eleven. (Wich seems more like 20 to me) with 6 of those coming in ONE GAME! Wich was the most in 10 YEARS!!! For one game. Breaking the wrong records my friend.
Now imagine how many more cates he could of had for our bucs. 74 is a good season for a wide out but he should of had more like 90 with a few more TD’s to go with it. Inexcusable for a top tier receiver. He was one of the games best In His rookie season. He needs to get back to that form in order for Jameis to have a good season cause it doesn’t look like he’s gonna get to much more help unless we draft a receiver wich I hope they do.
March 19th, 2016 at 9:31 am
as for mike evans he does have some growing up to do.he can’t let the defensive back or officials get in his head and affect his play.He was only given credit for 10 drops all year (highest in the league).its true some were at critical times and he should catch them in his sleep.Some he was trying to make a play before he caught the ball.
The 50% catch rate is misleading.here are some things I believe affect this stat:
1. overthrows.underthrows,inaccurate throws.
2.Evans seems to lose a few balls thrown to opposite side of where head was turned
3.drops
4.deep balls are lower percentage passes and Evans was our main deep threat
5.miscommunication between receiver and QB.
That’s why I have said that Jameis and Evans should spend a lot of time
throwing and catching together in off season.I only remember Jameis dropping
it in the bucket one time down the left sideline.(one of Evans drops).
Jameis throws crossing routes,seam routes, out routes,and screens very well.
But when Evans and Jameis can consistently connect with Evans in stride and the ball properly placed, believe Koetter will get his explosive plays.
March 19th, 2016 at 9:45 am
Evans will also help both Jameis and himself if he comes to camp in shape , and stays healthy throughout training camp and the season. This will help improve the connection between them.
March 19th, 2016 at 9:47 am
Bucs4life you just stated a case for Evans that you and the Joes don’t seem to get. How many times he is thrown to is not a real stat. If Jameis overthrows a pass to him how is that his fault. So he had a horrible game with 6 drops. Outside of that he had 5 drops over 15 games. That is one drop every 3 games by a receiver who is thrown to a lot as he was our only option at times. Just YouTube his highlights from last year. Watch all the the sideline toe tapping catches he made. I agree with Kevin’s analysis above. He is a good player now but to be a star he will need to avoid the bad games altogether. Outside of that one game though he produced at a high level.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:02 pm
McCoy may be on the TOP 100 list but he’s in the bottom 100 of guys from the NFL that I’d want next to me in a back alley brawl.
McCoy is a good DT but I think his mentality, not talent is what will keep him from becoming “great”. Problem is, he’s paid like a “great” player.
Would love to see the Bucs be able to trade down in the 1st and take Rankins, Robinson, or Nkemdiche.
Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2016 at 12:42 pm
All of the bad play by both Mike Evans and Gerold McCoy is in the past. So far Jason Licht and Mike Smith have made the right moves to make players on this team better. Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Todd Monken is going to make Evans a better player. Evans needs to clean up the OPI penalties, stop complaining to the refs and catch the ball. By adding a playmaking receiver in round two, it should help take some pressure off Evans. For McCoy it is about staying healthy and surround him with better players so he can be at his best. McCoy will also benefit with our new Defensive Line Coach – Jay Hayes. Draft a DT and a DE combined with the addition of Robert Ayers will all have a positive effect on his game. The last thing is how much an improved secondary can have on the defensive line. Gerold McCoy is going to have a break out year this year along with Mike Evans.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:57 pm
another thing that affects catch percentage:1.passes defensed
2.passes intercepted
so if Winston threw 148 passes to Evans and he caught half,dropped 10 or 11
then something else happened to the other 63 or 64 some of which Winston was responsible for(accuracy),and some on the defense.
Meaningless stat in my book because not take into account all the other variables.
March 19th, 2016 at 6:24 pm
@bonsai
I like McCoy too ,but no GM sane or otherwise is going to trade McCoy for two first and 2 third round draft picks at this stage of his career.And pick up his
13 million salary a year.He has had injuries.
I am not sure what shape his shoulder will be in. he didn’t get to sit out like
ASJ.
March 19th, 2016 at 8:51 pm
To be fair Mike Evans catch radius and his ability to grab balls that were poorly placed made Winston look good more times than not.
josh McCown with all his issues in 2014, he had was able to complete 12 TD’s to Evans.This tells me that Jameis has to work on more consistant ball placement to get the most out of Evans abilities.read a very good article on
the Jameis, Evans and their ability make each other better.In it Jameis was compared very favorably to Tom Brady on his football IQ.The writer followed
the patriots at one time.He also points out some very good catches that Evans made..I would post a link but K-y police would probably erase it.
March 20th, 2016 at 7:38 am
Any comparison of Evans (a 1200 yard receiver) to Clayton a( perrenial
or 400 yard receiver )is totally unfair.
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/159852902/jameis-winston-mike-evans-relationship-tampa