Do The Bucs Frustrate Arthur Blank?
April 20th, 2016
Wishing for a Bucs-like draft haul
It seems the Falcons’ owner has Jason Licht envy.
How else can one explain Arthur Blank publicly setting such an extraordinarily high bar for his personnel staff this week. Blank basically demanded the Falcons pull three rookie starters from next week’s NFL Draft.
“We have five picks, but we have the first four [rounds], which is critical,” Blank told ESPN.com Monday. “That’s where you expect your starters to come. I’d be disappointed if we didn’t end up with at least three starters out of those first four picks.”
The only rookie starter the Falcons had last season was Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley, the No. 8 overall pick. Like most rookie DEs, Beasley struggled and had just four sacks, which led the team.
To the south, Blank sees Licht and the Bucs, who beat his team twice last season. Licht nailed the 2015 “grand slam” that shocked the NFL — Donovan Smith, Ali Marpet, Kwon Alexander and America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston. Joe can’t blame Blank for raising the bar on his team.
It should be an extra fun opening day, Bucs at Atlanta.
As a side note, while researching this post, Joe studied past Falcons drafts. New Bucs defensive coordinator and former Falcons head coach Mike Smith was hardly outstanding at helping pick defensive players.
April 20th, 2016 at 10:09 am
Maybe Arthur should “upgrade” his GM. Hopefully he tries to and the attempt winds up like it did for the Bucs – having to spend 10+ years and multiple attempts to find the right guy.
April 20th, 2016 at 10:28 am
Blank must be freaking out, since Koetter, Smith, and even Casey Phillips are in Tampa. Pay back for them getting Warrick Dunn 🙂
I wonder just how much we will miss Jon Robinson, in this years draft ?
April 20th, 2016 at 10:37 am
The Falcons peaked with Smith and Koetter at the helm. It’s just going to be a slow-motion train wreck for them going forward now. The Panthers’ and Bucs’ arrows are pointing up, the Falcons and Saints down. Just the way it is. Everything goes in cycles.
April 20th, 2016 at 10:37 am
I don’t think Our Bucs frustrate anyone. Not with a 6-10 record. Turn that record around and then maybe you got something. Blanks could not win a superbowl with Smith and Koetter and I suspect..Our Bucs won’t win one with them either!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:01 am
Clemson rookie DEs. Nuff said. And Beasley is supposed to be a beast.
I still say grab a WR in the first rnd, they are more productive as rookies and JW needs the weapons.
Haven’t given up hope that we get Mo from NYJ either.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:15 am
Suck it mr
Blank.Tampaaaa
April 20th, 2016 at 11:19 am
He should put Rich McKay in charge of their draft instead of whoever is doing it. Worked out ok here.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:19 am
Although I hope he doesn’t.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:25 am
“As a side note, while researching this post, Joe studied past Falcons drafts. New Bucs defensive coordinator and former Falcons head coach Mike Smith was hardly outstanding at helping pick defensive players.”
– Joe
Uh oh.
How did he do in his previous DC gigs, draft wise?
April 20th, 2016 at 11:28 am
Jack Burton Mercer Says
“He should put Rich McKay in charge of their draft instead of whoever is doing it. Worked out ok here.”
Rich was pretty decent when it came to defensive drafts…not so much at offense. Actually, his def drafts got worse as time went on.
I liked Rich when he was here…but after he left it became obvious that he kept pushing salaries forward until he could not do it anymore. It put us in cap hell, which is why Bruce Allen had to make some deep cuts.
Of course, all the picks the Bucs gave up for Gruden did not help. Good drafts help avoid cap issues.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:32 am
Anyone besides Lovie is an immediate upgrade. Mr. Blank prepare to be disappointed.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:36 am
@jack Burton
Rich McKay ( big-pay-day-mckay) ran the Falcons into the ground!!! Thats why Mike Smith and Thomas Dimitroff were hired in 2008 leading to the best run in Falcons history!!!
And if you look at the last couple of drafts with the Bucs and the huge contracts and trades that lead to the team being in the hole!!!
April 20th, 2016 at 11:41 am
Blank’s a good guy. He really puts his soul into the Falcons (unlike some other slug owners who couldn’t even name 4 guys on their team. Shad Khan comes to mind).
That said, I hope the Bucs utterly dominate Blanks team throughout the entire Winston era.
April 20th, 2016 at 11:58 am
Keep the coaches out of draft rooms.
Let scouts scout and coaches coach
There is no cap on what u can spend on scouting .
Games are won and Lost on draft day
Coach after coach gets himself fired trying to play gm
April 20th, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Mr Blank,
Mark Dominic is available !
April 20th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
“I wonder just how much we will miss Jon Robinson, in this years draft ?”
Ain’t that the truth? Here’s hoping that last year’s draft successes weren’t all due ti him.
April 20th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
Two – three starters from this draft and a winning/competitive season should earn Licht a contract extension!
April 20th, 2016 at 6:39 pm
@Mike Johnson are you a Patriots fan or something?
April 20th, 2016 at 7:38 pm
Mike Johnson Says:
April 20th, 2016 at 10:37 am
I don’t think Our Bucs frustrate anyone. Not with a 6-10 record. Turn that record around and then maybe you got something. Blanks could not win a superbowl with Smith and Koetter and I suspect..Our Bucs won’t win one with them either!
Stupid people make stupid comments
April 20th, 2016 at 7:41 pm
I suspect the next article I read mike Johnson will have another stupid comment. Another idiot who needs to find a different team to root for