Koetter Likes 8-Man Rotation
April 4th, 2016
Uncertain times for the Bucs’ defensive line
There’s at least one reason Dirk Koetter gently asked his dear friend Marvin Lewis if he could steal pursue 13-year Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes, and it has little to do with Hayes miraculously squeezing strong play out of Michael “Ghost” Johnson.
At the NFL owners meetings two weeks ago, Koetter talked about how he has long admired Hayes’ ability to use an “eight-man rotation” effectively on his lines.
Koetter likes that approach.
On that note, here are the current Bucs defensive ends populating the expanded spring roster:
Robert Ayers
William Gholston
Jacquies Smith
Howard Jones (five sacks last year)
Sackless George Johnson
Kourtnei Brown
Martin Ifedi
Cliff Matthews
And the defensive tackles:
Gerald McCoy
Clinton McDonald
Akeem Spence
Derrick Lott
Davin Coleman
Yes, the draft is approaching and the Bucs are thin at defensive tackle. All three of their best DTs had serious injuries last season. Backups Henry Melton and Tony McDaniel walked in free agency.
Is Jason Licht looking for a D-tackle in the draft? Hmm. McDonald turns 30 in January. Spence is in a contract year. And Gerald McCoy has durability concerns.
Joe would love to predict the Bucs’ next moves, but Joe has no clue how Hayes has evaluated these players. And it’s clear Hayes will have massive influence. After all, he is serving as a high-profile scout.
April 4th, 2016 at 9:49 am
I see the Bucs drafting a DT decently high!!! DT is very deep this draft! The Bucs would really balance out GMC’s money with a rookie contract next to him!!!! And the Bucs could find great value with their second pick or move back into the second round if needed!!!!
Fix the lines if you want to compete in the NFC South Division!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 4th, 2016 at 10:03 am
man our dline depth is pretty weak…a few dt’s to watch after the 1st round are…
jon bullard-dt-uf
r.nkemdichi-dt-ole miss-maybe gone
a.billings-dt-baylor-maybe gone
Sheldon day-dt-nd
javon hargrave-dt-scst
jarred reed-dt-bama
Bronson kaufusi-dt/de-byu
a few de’s are…
carl nassib-6’7-de-psu
shawn oakman-6’8-de-baylor
noah spence-6’2-de-eku
alex mcallistar-6’6-de-uf
Bronson kaufusi-6’7-dt/de-byu
dt/de are very deep this year…hayes loves de’s that are standing 6’5 or taller…I would mind any of these players after the 1st round…GO BUCS!!!
April 4th, 2016 at 10:16 am
I think the team would like to be in position to ask McCoy to help the team out with a pay cut 2 or 3 years from now, especially if he ends more seasons playing through injuries or out entirely. having talented depth at the DT position will help the bucs regardless of how that conversation goes. it’s basically 50/50 that he ends a season healthy, and he has not yet had to endure any playoff runs. i think gerald is one of the best in the league at what he does, but the team is at risk if they just consider 3 technique to be “Gerald’s job” and don’t include depth there as part of their roster improvement.
April 4th, 2016 at 11:01 am
Trade for and Sign Wilkerson and the DL will suddenly look plenty deep and we can rotate the back ups till on steps up..
Cant Wait
April 4th, 2016 at 11:13 am
@jab…I agree…trade glennon and the 2nd for big mo and watch us slide out of the basement and into the playoffs…GO BUCS!!!
April 4th, 2016 at 11:46 am
Needs to happen……. We are not gonna find that kind of impact in the Draft…
I want so bad to see what our CBs and LBs would do with a DL featuring GMC and Wilkerson…
I would bet money we would have at least 2 guys with 10 plus sacks and we would lead the league… I would even take a bet we would lead the league in picks…
Our Secondary and Line Backers our MUCH MUCH more talented then what they showed last year… ADD 2 of the best vets at CB and LB and a PRO BOWL All Pro in his PRIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Give me 17 points a game and a running game that controls the clock… We will go undefeated…. 🙂
April 4th, 2016 at 11:59 am
No question, you make the deal if Mo’s available. Instant credibility and impact. Some think you build back-to-front. I completely, vehemently disagree! If you can apply pressure up front, you don’t need a Revis.
The rotational approach has been a proven commodity for many teams. It keeps the players fresh and the offense guessing.
Love the optimism Jab!
April 4th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
I think the 3 men at the top of the DT depth chart makes for a solid group.
McCoy, McDonald and Spence. That’s pretty good if you ask me. Yes we need a 4th guy with talent because as Joe noted, all 3 of the above were injured last year.
Ayers, Gholston and Jack Smith at the top of the DE depth chart could use some improvement – and of course we will be adding DL help through the draft this year.
But I would not be at all shocked to see our DLine play much better this year even if the rookies we draft do not make much of an impact in 2016.
April 4th, 2016 at 12:44 pm
not only the production be his leadership would be infection to players thru out the team…the defense would have a true proven leader that knows how to be a successful professional and knows what it takes to reach the playoffs…GO BUCS!!!
April 4th, 2016 at 1:01 pm
I was excited to watch spence evolve last season and he got hurt. I think our top dts are far better than our top d ends. I still think we take an edge rusher with our first pick while possibly trading back
April 4th, 2016 at 3:04 pm
2nd round and beyond should be where our d-linemen come from in this draft. Top 10 pick needs to be a player that changes field position, either offensively or defensively.
Either go up and get Ramsey or sit tight and take Corey Coleman.
April 4th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
I guess genius licht is looking for everything in the draft since he let all our depth walk. That was stupid.
April 4th, 2016 at 6:36 pm
Brent bull/buc Says:
April 4th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
I guess genius licht is looking for everything in the draft since he let all our depth walk. That was stupid.
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And who exactly are you talking about Brent? Jenkins? Bowers??? LOL
We kept Cherilus at $4.5M this year. Re-signed Conte. Retained Verner at $6.5M even though many thought he would be a cap casualty. Signed the CB from the Vikings for depth. Signed 5 starters in Free Agency. (Sweezy, Grimes, Ayers, Daryl Smith and Anger the punter – cool name btw)
Are you referring to Lansanah and Bruce Carter? (who was also due $4.5M and not worth it). Well Licht signed Daryl Smith instead and he is twice the player of either of those guys (look at his stats). Neither LB we let walk has been signed by another team. In fact not ONE player the Bucs have not re-signed has been signed by another team yet. That doesn’t sound like “depth” to me. That sounds like bottom of the barrel and/or overpriced players.
Who else?
Melton? Overpriced
McDaniel? Not good enough
Larry English? Not good enough
Jenkins and Bowers? Obviously not good enough
The only 2 players I think you could even make a case for are Bobby Rainey and Sterling Moore. Rainey may still be re-signed by the Bucs depending on his contract demands – and Sterling Moore? Well that one is a mystery to me as I thought he played pretty well when given the chance. But I keep hearing hints that he ‘was not the type of person they want in the locker room’. Not sure what that means – but I will accept the coaches and front office decision on that one and assume he was or has some type of a problem as a person and the Bucs chose to take the high road and not air that dirty laundry.
So that pretty much sums up all the “depth” that Licht let “walk”. So which of those players would GM Brent have made a priority of keeping? and Why?
Just askin – because if you are going to call our bright young GM “stupid” – I’m just curious what you think the justification is for that?
April 5th, 2016 at 12:46 am
Pickgrin for President!!!!! Drops mic