“Faith” In Aguayo
September 30th, 2016
Coach still trusts.
Joe understood it wouldn’t go over too well with Bucs fans when Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht traded up into the second round to draft a kicker.
It sure didn’t! Joe never dreamed the pick would bloom into full blown hate.
But that is where we stand after rookie Roberto Aguayo, who had a very shaky start to the preseason, botched a field goal and an extra point in a five-point loss to the Rams last week.
Aguayo has made only one of his three field goal attempts, missing his last two. He has made seven of eight extra point attempts.
Perhaps understanding this, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter offered public support for his embattled rookie yesterday. Aguayo, it seems, may be about to turn the corner.
“He just nailed 6-for-6 right there at the end of practice,” Koetter said Thursday. “That was probably the best he’s hit the ball in two weeks, the ones right there, so it’s ongoing. We still have faith in him and he did very well [Thursday].”
Fan reaction after last weekend — fair or unfair — leaves Joe pretty convinced Aguayo will never win over the fanbase, barring the Bucs winning a Super Bowl with him on the roster.
There will always be a sizable chunk of Bucs fandom haunting Aguayo with the rearview mirror statement: “The Bucs could have picked (insert name of player) in the second round!”
That stinks for Aguayo and may not be fair at all, but that’s the NFL.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:16 am
I’ll give the kid a shot… but until he makes it in a game it won’t matter. In the immortal words of AI, “We talkin’ bout practice!”
September 30th, 2016 at 11:19 am
It’s common sense, draft the BPA or draft for need. Aguayo wasn’t either, after Hargreaves, our draft was screwed.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:27 am
Dumbest move by a GM in the history of football, did he not know what “his” roster needed, ALL/POWER has made his head too big for that pea brain, when he BACK/STABBED Lovie the “Culture” of this team went to the corn fields! Ha ha ha ha! Just a dumb pick, by a GM that was thinking about what could possibly make him look like a GENIUS instead of doing what was best TEAM! THE CONSPIRICY WILL CONTINUE TO HAUNT THIS TEAM!
September 30th, 2016 at 11:33 am
This is the move of a playoff team that needs an accurate kicker. Not of a rebuilding team with more holes than the Titanic
September 30th, 2016 at 11:45 am
I’m down on the kid because once a kicker starts thinking about his kicks he is useless. That said if he gets it right and becomes automatic I’ll support him. As far as how he was drafted that’s not Aguayo’s fault. What was he supposed to say no don’t draft me like this the fans will hate me. We can’t go back and redo the draft so I’m not going to keep hating the pick. Hopefully, we don’t have head scratching picks in the future.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:48 am
I supported the Aguayo drafting after Brinza cost us a couple of wins and thought that an automatic kicker was not such a bad thing to secure a couple extra wins. Now looking back to the Rams game, yes there are many individuals both players and coaches who did not do there jobs on a professional level and should donate last weeks pay to the homeless. Even with as bad as it was though, if ROBERTO makes those kicks that he missed then perhaps he could have kicked a game winning FG at the end and been the hero and not the goat. This is exactly why I felt like an automatic kicker would be a quality addition as noted in this comment, even with breakdowns all over the field, a reliable kicker would have stolen that game for us.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:48 am
@joe
Why is it not fair for fans to state we could’ve drafted such and such with that pick? If they stated it when the pick was made? It sure be fair game.
For the record I had no problem with the pick itself. it’s just the fact that back to back drafts he keeps jumping back into the second to do unprecedented things when he doesn’t have to.
Get his finger off the trigger! We’re losing valuable picks because he won’t let the board play out.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:51 am
Yes, Jason does not do the ordinary, which is the only way to be extraordinary. I say, the jury is out.
For you conspiracy theorists, it is comforting to know YOUR CONSPIRACY WILL CONTINUE TO HAUNT YOUR BRAINS!
September 30th, 2016 at 11:56 am
Let’s not forget ASJ was also a second round pick, and he’s not even on the team anymore. At this point he was more of a waste than this guy. So these fans just need to remember not every pick is going to be sunshine and daisies.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:56 am
If he starts making more FGs than he misses, fans won’t care anymore.
If he makes extra points like pretty much every other Undrafted free agent kicker does, then fans won’t care anymore.
If he keeps choking under pressure and taking points off the board, fans will continue to be pissed, and have every right to feel that way.
Simple as that.
September 30th, 2016 at 11:58 am
Big assumption there ima. How do you know he didn’t have to. If he let the board play out I doubt that we’d have Marpet. None of us know what would have happened if he let the board play out. Or, do you mean we might miss on some, but would still get others?
September 30th, 2016 at 11:59 am
@iamkingsi,
So Marpet was a bad choice? I don’t think so bruh
September 30th, 2016 at 12:01 pm
We don’t have a choice but to have faith in this kid.
My issue is the PATs. It’s the one facet of kicking that has the fewest variables.
Get it together kid! We need you.
September 30th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
There are two things going on here.
Yes, it is certainly OK to criticize Licht for the draft position…..that is certainly a reasonable position to take.
Then there is the matter of Aguayo struggling….that’s an entirely different matter……any other draft pick at another position could struggle in their rookie year from QB to DB to DL to OL…..but a kicker’s struggles are so obvious and you can’t bench the kicker while he develops.
I choose to disagree with the decision of Licht….but what’s done is done. I choose to support Aguayo and his development knowing it will cost us some along the way.
There will be a point where we know if he makes it or not…..that point isn’t now.
September 30th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Yo this greatest college kicker of all time cost us that rams game. 1 fg and an xtra pt and Fameis would have worried about being tackled at the 5 yard line. I supported the pick and even understood it but that faith is on thin ice.
September 30th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
@joe… we could of had _____ instead of Joe is why it was a stupid pick. That’s on the GM not Aguayo. It was a bad pick, but that has nothing to do with him personally, and it doesn’t really even matter how he does to be a stupid pick. You gave up premium assets for an asset that can be had for much less bc kickers are a dime a dozen and the difference between a top 5 kicker and a middle of the pack kicker is so minimal.That’s all stuff thats on Lict As far as “haunting agayo”…. at this point it just matters if he makes kicks. He cost us in the last gae, i hope he can do better, if not get rid of him. Kickers are about the same. Gotta be strong between the ears too.
He went 6 for 6 in practice…. whoooptybleepingdoooo. Hey, lets start so and so at 3rd base, he hit 4 dingers in batting practice.
September 30th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
from what range did he go 6-6?…..25yards?…30yards?….
as @buns stated…..In the immortal words of AI, “We talkin’ bout practice!”
GO BUCS!!!!
September 30th, 2016 at 12:25 pm
@813 Good question? The distance is important. He as known the greatest college kicker bc he was perfrect from (wait for it) the 2 1/2 yard line. Unfortunately, he was 50% from 40 yds or more.
September 30th, 2016 at 12:31 pm
licht isn’t looking so good this with this draft class…its still early but besides VHG, we’ve got nothing…one hardly plays-spence….one cant kick-Roberto….2 not ready-r.smith and c.benenoch….one on IR-D.Bond..and we cut one-d.vitale…I believe r.smith is a better cb than safety but he and c.benenoch will be decent once they gain some experience….d.bond had a history of injuries in college and is a better rusher than lb….hopefully they become just as valuable and productive as k.pamphile who took a couple of years to adjust….we’ll see….GO BUCS!!!!
September 30th, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Won’t say another word about this guy . Just along with Spence, a waste of a second round of neither accomplishes much . But than again , this is the Bucs, we don’t believe in quality second rounders here, now going on 40 yrs
September 30th, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Lol, only we would pick a 180 lb guy to play safety. What next, drafting a 200lb guy to play offensive line?
September 30th, 2016 at 12:37 pm
@mike…I can tell you I saw this coming back in late july in all thru august….I went to all but 1 training camp and he missed at least 1 every practice….on one Saturday practice he missed 3 from what looked to be from 30-35yards….GO BUCS!!!
September 30th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
The standard rules on draft picks outside the 1st Rd is for them to be productive by year 3. Not sure that rule can be used with kickers. Let’s face it you don’t keep a backup kicker to develop. All the talk about this draft class, give Spence, Smith, and the O lineman time. I do think all 3 are future starters on this team, now it’s the coaches Job to develop and coach them up. Just because a player doesn’t set the world on fire the first couple weeks of the season doesn’t make them a wasted pick.
September 30th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
Dumb move when your receiving core sucks and we have no starting TEs and our safties suck and our defensive ends cant pressure the QB…
Why in the hell draft a freaking kicker with such huge gaping holes to fill in this roster?
It is so far the dumbest thing I’ve seen from a GM in a long time… Im still gob smacked by the whole GD thing…
September 30th, 2016 at 12:57 pm
One other thought about judging a GM. 1st Rd picks. Look at the garbage picks teams like the Browns keep making. They don’t make it through their first contracts. Missing on 1st sets teams back. Taking risks with 2s may get you in trouble but as long as you keep mailing the 1st it’s not so bad.
September 30th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
TBBF, well said. Exactly how I feel about it. It is not Aguayo’s fault when he was drafted, no more than it was Cheeseburger Bowers. And like you said, he is now on the team. What is the point of taking it out on the player” (oh yeah, he needs to make the easy kicks…)
I love Licht. But this “creative” drafting he does almost every year is a case of him outsmarting himself. We disparately needed DE help, or at least a safety. And we take a kicker…. Licht did the same with Sims. We disparately needed OL at the time, and instead we draft a RB who is more of a receiver. I think Licht has done a great job, but he has to stop outsmarting himself like the “genius” coach who calls a gadget play that looks amazing in his own head, but not so much on the playing field (Benn-Around)
September 30th, 2016 at 1:24 pm
If he turns into the kicker they expected, people will forgive the 2nd round pick. If the Bucs are winning, and he’s nailing game-winners, only the recreational complainers will waste time worrying about what they could’ve had.
September 30th, 2016 at 1:34 pm
@ BucinJaxAss: I got you thinking!
September 30th, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Honestly, I can’t wait to like the kid. He’s gotta make some kicks and earn it though.
September 30th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
It doesn’t matter how he does in practice if he chokes in the game.
September 30th, 2016 at 2:36 pm
Chris, Lavonte David was a 2nd rounder.
September 30th, 2016 at 2:43 pm
This is so stupid. JOE – you are definitely helping to push the hate and perpetuating the negativity that surrounds the Bucs. ASJ was a second round pick and a total waste and contributing nothing on the field. Daquan Bowers was a second round pick. Brian Price. Regis Benn. Dexter Jackson. Aaron Sears. Sabby. This is just going back 10 years. Seventy percent of the time over the past decade the Bucs have completely blown their second round pick – so to constantly chime in that the Bucs missed out on adding a great player is lazy and misinformed at best. The odds say that Aguayo turns this around. The odds say that the Bucs will get more out of him than they would one of their typical second round picks.
September 30th, 2016 at 2:53 pm
Taking him in the 2nd round was almost as dumb as Dominik signing Michael Clayton to a 5 year contract.
September 30th, 2016 at 2:55 pm
Koetter will care once Roberto cost him his job. Or Koetter is setting it up to blame Licht for all the losses since it was his pick.
September 30th, 2016 at 3:47 pm
He can still win the fan base over if he doesn’t miss any more kicks under 50 for the rest of the season.
September 30th, 2016 at 4:00 pm
Jason Licht once called himself “meathead”. I thought he was kidding!
September 30th, 2016 at 4:15 pm
“…Taking him in the 2nd round was almost as dumb as Dominik signing Michael Clayton to a 5 year contract…”
I’m not sure anything will ever top the Clayton signing. And hopefully nothing will come close to matching that from a Bucs GM
September 30th, 2016 at 4:23 pm
@mac—
Dumb move when your receiving core sucks….
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ME13, V-Jax, Hump, Brate, Sims, Muscle Hamster, etc. Where’s the “sucks” in this group? Famous throws to all of them, too. DK is developing the finest offense in Tampa Bay’s history. You prove me wrong.
Smith needs to let Banks play Sunday. There is a very good reason why the Broncos are not favored by a million in this game. That also goes for Aguayo. You sound like a troll tho no one outdoes Kobe Faker.
Weather is still iffy. Just got back from the Bay area. Hate 4PM start time though it will be at RJS. Go Tampa Bay!!
September 30th, 2016 at 4:58 pm
They trusted Brindza too.
September 30th, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Robert Aguayo is no Kyle Brindza. He will be fine. If you look at this years draft class as a whole the are almost no rookies standing out because rookies take time to progress. There are two ways to look at this. You can take the negative, easy, blame the GM route or get behind your team and take the overland route. We should be 2-1. The offense is currently ranked 6th overall on NFL.com. We are tied for first in passing TD (8). If you watched the Rams game against the best front seven in the league you would have noticed how well the offensive line is performing. ME13 is playing his best ball, VJAX has still got it, Humph is turning into mr reliable, Brate is a stud, Shep is catching everything and Sims is an incredible RB. Rodgers is a bulldozer and we have our franchise QB. On defense if you take away the 37 points given up by turnovers (yes, 37) the defense is ranked 13th overall. Robert Ayers being out has hurt but he will be back in a couple of weeks. Noah Spence just needs more playing time and GMC/LVD are playing like their old selves. Hargreaves, Grimes and Verner got it together and I hope we see Ryan Smith in the next few games. All we need is to pull off a win between Denver and Carolina and we are in great shape.
October 1st, 2016 at 12:12 am
I can careless if Robert Aguayo ends up panning out…. the point is he wasn’t worth a 2nd round pick. Ridiculous! We could have used depth on the Dline with that pick.
October 1st, 2016 at 11:24 am
If Arguayo wasn’t a second round pick and a Nole he would already be GONE and we would pick up a proven NFL kicker, but Koetter is trying to protect Licht and himself but this move isn’t smart. If he keeps this mentally timid kid his win rate is going to eventually cost him his job along with Licht’s. He also needs to play Spence more to get his confidence up. Even though the Bronco QB is a seventh round rookie he is capable of eating us up in the air if we don’t get a lot of pressure on him. And the Bronco Defense is the best in the NFL and we will need some field goals out of our kicker to win and since Koetter kept Arguayo get ready for another loss!