No Picks? No Problem?
November 24th, 2016
Dirk Koetter talks about his 21-year-old, first-round pick.
So what should Bucs fans make of Vernon Hargreaves’ first 10 games?
Tampa Bay’s heralded rookie cornerback has no interceptions and he’s had his share of roastings.
That wasn’t the fantasy when Hargreaves was made the No. 11 overall pick.
However, Hargreaves is playing good football says Dirk Koetter. The film doesn’t lie.
“I think he just continues to get better and better each week. He had five tackles Sunday,” Koetter said on the Buccaneers Radio Network. “He was tight on his coverage. They were trying to run those little hitch routes in front of him and, you know, trying to get him to come up [on ] their fast receivers and shake him. He was real aggressive with his takcles.
“He did get beat on a wheel route, gave up a big play. He kind of took his eyes [off the receiver] and he got up the sideline on him. But Vernon continues to get better and better and we’re happy with how he’s playing right now.”
Joe has no problem with Hargreaves’ body of work. No evidence of hitting a rookie wall yet, either.
One of the most interesting stats of the season is Hargreaves having more solo tackles, 42, than Lavonte David, 39. Something just isn’t right with No. 54.
November 24th, 2016 at 9:40 am
Make him a safety!
November 24th, 2016 at 9:43 am
David really puzzles me. I can’t see how he could just lose his instincts seemingly overnight. His first few years he was always around the ball. It seemed at times the announcers would call his name every other play. When I watch the games now, I never even realize that he is on the field. He was great at shooting the gap, now he seems irrelevant. I hope he turns it around because we need him to make some big plays if we really want to make a playoff run. I just hope he hasn’t gotten complacent after his big payday.
November 24th, 2016 at 9:58 am
Scotty, very nice pt
The best skillset i see is his tackling
Still think his frame is made for our version of honey badger safety
Kid is 22 , big boned and will fillout more
November 24th, 2016 at 10:07 am
This time it’s the last one, right Kobe? The last one before the next one.
November 24th, 2016 at 10:09 am
I am thankful for fans who are so passionate that they just have to post.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Pete
November 24th, 2016 at 10:16 am
Make Banks a safety! make VH3 a safety! Heck Aguayo can be a safety too.
This is not how the NFL works.
November 24th, 2016 at 10:20 am
Love everyone being the blog police. So what, he’s negative, does it really affect you. Man, lighten up it’s Thanksgiving
November 24th, 2016 at 10:25 am
Myron Lewis could have been a great safety…..or maybe even Josh Freeman could have been converted…..but where we really missed out was not using Bowers’ skillset at safety.
I’m looking for Akeem Spence to be moved there next year.
November 24th, 2016 at 10:26 am
Numerous silent readers pm me to dont leave and keep posting
Dont be a kobe hater
Lord knows we need a bigger fan base here in tampa.
November 24th, 2016 at 10:30 am
Meanwhile, back at the ranch … Eli Apple of NY Giants fame has played in 8 games, started 5, has 0 INTs, 0 sacks and 24 tackles & 3 assists. VHIII in comparison has started all our games, has 0 INTs, 0 sacks and 42 tackles & 5 assists. Being a 1st round CB pick probably only guarantees that you’ll see the field quite a bit and that other teams will pick on you quite a bit too. INTs & sacks obviously aren’t guaranteed. Experience counts; asks UFA Brent Grimes.
November 24th, 2016 at 10:46 am
The LVD missing in action needs to be solved. He has shown he can be productive. It seems when Kwan Alexander arrived and started calling the defensive plays has been a setback for LVD. Mike Smith needs to find and make use of LVD.
November 24th, 2016 at 11:12 am
Yeah I agree, ever since Kwon arrived it seems like LVD has taken a back seat.
November 24th, 2016 at 11:26 am
I wasn’t super high on VH3. I wanted to drop down further in the 1st round and pick up Noah Spence so I was estatic to get him in rhe 2nd round. I knew I would be happy with Spence but Vernon has been a pleasant suprise. Think he will be just fine as he continues to improve. If Spence continues to get better against the run like last week, he will become the next Von Miller. Go Bucs!!!
November 24th, 2016 at 11:28 am
I’m surprised that Hargreaves has not flashed more in games so far this year – considering he was making picks and flashing supreme talent almost everyday in training camp/preseaon.
The good news is – he’s getting a ton of playing time while he’s learning how to be an NFL CB – and is absolutely holding his own on most every play. His play through 10 games as an NFL rookie has not been spectacular – but it has been pretty darn solid.
The athletic interceptions and flashy pass defense plays will start to show themselves more and more for VH3 over the next couple of years while he continues to perfect his craft in coverage – but what’s impressing me quite a bit so far is Hargreaves’ tackling and run support abilities. He’s got a nose for the ball behind the line of scrimmage that reminds me of future HOF Buccaneer CB Ronde Barber.
VH3 is a better athlete than Ronde and is already playing coverage at a level in this league that it took Ronde about 4 years to develop.
Starting next year, (just like how Ronde was often utilized) VH3 needs to be dropping into the slot coverage the majority of times the nickle pkg comes on the field – which gets him closer to the ball at the snap.
Kudos to Jason Licht for another excellent 1st round decision. Hargreaves was a solid pick at #11 and will be an excellent Buccaneer defender for many, many years.
November 24th, 2016 at 11:31 am
LVD is being asked to operate inside of a system now instead of freelancing. Great athlete, probably not the sharpest tool in the shed. Hopefully he gets the hang of it before it’s too late.
What they should probably be doing is letting he and Kwon take snaps at both positions.
I’ll be interested to see if the kid from Oklahoma can be a contributor next year. LVD, Kwon, Spence, J. Smith, and Bond could be an interesting combo if they do indeed plan on running more hybrid looks.
November 24th, 2016 at 11:53 am
gotbucs, I’m surprised we haven’t gone to more 3-4 looks. Most of our DE’s have the size of 3-4 OLB. My only guess is that M. Smith knows more about his personal than I do! LOL!
November 24th, 2016 at 12:03 pm
The VH3 lovers must be watching a different player than me. He rarely breaks up a pass and gives up catch after catch. He was above average in college and he is well below average in the NFL. Did it ever occur to anybody that the reason he has so many tackles is because he is tackling the receiver that has just burned him…
November 24th, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Jaylen Ramsey, 0 picks. Perspective Gentlemen.
November 24th, 2016 at 2:28 pm
Lol at making Banks a safety. As he is no longer playing for the Bucs I hope they do not go that route.
November 24th, 2016 at 5:14 pm
@JA He rarely breaks up a pass because Mike Smith has him playing 10 yard off.
November 24th, 2016 at 8:04 pm
Conte is 203 lbs
McDougal is 209
Kwon 227
LVD 233
Thats too light in the a$$ end.
Not an NFL Defense.
November 24th, 2016 at 8:41 pm
Whoa, chill. I was always against this kid starting. But he did, because the others didn’t do it so well. First year CBs and DEs are not that good. They have to go trial by fire. period. Sapp and Barber are good examples. Enough said.
November 25th, 2016 at 8:24 am
@Kobe
A cornerback that can tackle is an huge asset,as his sturdy frame is.It will give
him the ability to stay with receivers on the slant and stay with the more physical receivers on deep routes.
Do you think Ronde Barber would have have 30 sacks if he couldn’t tackle?
I see corner blitzes and INT’s in his future.
November 25th, 2016 at 4:02 pm
@GotBucs: LaVonte David “isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed”? Really? He seems pretty bright to me. But have you heard Kwon speak on the radio? I’d really be surprised if he is literate. He just mumbles along with these regurgitated phrases like “We just out there havin’ fun. Being aggressive. Tryin’ to get better.” Poor TJ Reeves has got to be banging his head against the desk the whole show. No matter what question he asks, he gets the same nebulous, garbled, non-answer. Now if you’re talking football IQ, they are both pretty smart. But Kwon isn’t ever going to be on Jeopardy, I can assure you of that.