“I Applaud The Move”
January 9th, 2017
Perhaps the most significant Buccaneers move of 2017 has the full approval of franchise icon and Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.
For those not paying attention, yes, the Bucs did make an eyebrow-raising move in 2017. They acquired the pride of Liberty football, new fan favorite kicker John Lunsford.
Last season, the Bucs thought it worthless to have any competition in training camp or spring practices for rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo, who missed 64 percent of his field goals from 40 yards or more, an appalling percentage.
Things have changed.
Lunsford is here, and Brooks is on board.
“I’m not worried about [Aguayo] here in the long run,” Brooks said on WDAE-AM 620 last week. “But the organization saw fit to take this young man through this experience, just like he’s been taken through the experience of being a high-drafted rookie, and see how can he grow and know from competition.
“Nothing wrong with that at this point. I applaud the move. You know, see what he’s made of. Another layer of him having an opportunity to show his resilience, just like the resilience to bounce back from a missed kick. Now it’s the resilience to embrace competition and got out there to win the right to earn the job again.”
Brooks added that he believes Aguayo will “kick the competition out of camp.” Joe will note that Brooks, a fellow Florida State University legend like Aguayo, has long been a fan of Aguayo and believes deeply in him.
Joe sure hopes Aguayo can right himself. However, the problem is Bucs coaches already are on record stating they don’t have a fix for Aguayo. His problems are all mental, they’ve said, and they’re not kicking gurus.
Joe’s really not sure where Aguayo turns from here. He’s already sought counsel during the season. Perhaps he can find the right sports shrink of former kicker to mentor him.
January 9th, 2017 at 9:09 am
What happens when the sham campmeat kicker blows the doors off of AguaOh,no during the “competition” period? My guess is ego-in-chief Licht will find a way to put his ego first and declare his personal investment the winner.
Reminds me of how Incompetent Lovie Smith conducted competition when he was here. Ask Mike Glennon
January 9th, 2017 at 9:18 am
This camp may we brought in for a kicker is smart enough to know that number 1 it’s a paycheck and number 2 he’s interviewing for a job on another team. We are not doing the Kyle brinza thing again and daquan bowers got more than one year
January 9th, 2017 at 9:32 am
Dallas Buc, your comment has no basis on historical fact with Licht. In fact, one of Lichts best attributes is his ability to cut loose mistakes, as soon as the next year. Not once has he kept someone because that was “His guy”.
Unless you misspelled the GM your thinking of’s name, if so, its “D-o-m-i-n-i-c-k”
January 9th, 2017 at 9:32 am
As a Nole too. I wish I shared Derrick’s optimism.
Roberto…is TRASH!
January 9th, 2017 at 9:35 am
@DallasBuc…i suspect that licht will do the same thing he did when an undrafted TE from harvard was outplaying his 2nd round draft pick. Even before ASJ was cut he was running 3rd string from the offseason onwards. Licht has also flushed multiple draft picks at WR off this roster in favor of guys on other practice squads or off the street when his picks proved to be duds at WR and returner. i’m having a hard time thinking of any licht draft pick who appears to be getting more playing time or leeway than production would justify. yes the decision to trade up to draft a kicker there seems to be about the worst possible choice with the assets they had, but even the biggest busts at the most critical positions are afforded 1 year + 1offseason to prove they have an NFL future
January 9th, 2017 at 9:41 am
niko- look no further than AguaOh,no as your evidence of “his guy” undeservedly playing because of his significant investment. Had this guy been more appropriately drafted in rounds 5-7 he would have seen competition and certainly would not have been kicking for this team past week 3 of the regular season.
More evidence is keeping ASJ until it was absolutely untenable to do so and forcing Charles Sims into the active roster. Bet that wasn’t a coaches decision.
January 9th, 2017 at 9:41 am
This camp meat guy is a joke. He’s worse than Aguayo, seems destined to lose out (perhaps on purpose?). From Joe’s other article: made only “60.8 percent of his field goals over four years. Made just 13 of 24 kicks in 2015. Struggles badly with accuracy from 40-49 yards making just eight of 20 during his career”
That’s terrible! “Competition” my left foot!
January 9th, 2017 at 10:07 am
Leighroy exactly right. Could they have signed a worse bumper off the street than this guy? Licht had to search far and wide to find a guy with worse accuracy than Agauyo. Yeesh what a scam
January 9th, 2017 at 10:07 am
Bum
January 9th, 2017 at 10:27 am
Doesn’t Michael “Como Esta” Husted run a kicking camp in Tampa? Maybe Roberto could take a course or two there.
January 9th, 2017 at 10:47 am
Not worried about Aguayo.. His misses aren’t horrible misses. I’m worried that he doesn’t like to kick from the left hash. 55 Yarder Game on the line, 1 sec left and the ball is on the Left hash. OMG… 😱
January 9th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Joe do you mean the kicker who can’t hit from 40 yards in giving competition to the kicker who can’t hit from 40 yards out?? That kicker??? OH YEAH REAL competition!
January 9th, 2017 at 10:53 am
Pick6
i’m having a hard time thinking of any licht draft pick who appears to be getting more playing time or leeway than production would justify.
————
Not a draft pick but yea, Chris Conte.
January 9th, 2017 at 11:03 am
In Roberto we trust
January 9th, 2017 at 11:06 am
When defending AguaOh,no you are really just defending the decision to trade up and take him in the second round.
Keep running over for Jason Licht…
January 9th, 2017 at 11:41 am
DallasBuc, Jason Gump and his tricky drafting to show someone he is a genious costs the bucs actualy players that could contribute, licht got lucky with Marpet and he passed on about 10 starting NFL linemen including TJ Clemmings who could be the starting RT for the bucs now…and of course letting penn and zuttah walk….as a monday morning fan from the couch, its obvious what the bucs and what licht need to make this team a playoff team, hope licht can see that…and it isnt a 2nd round kicker
January 9th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
…running cover…
January 9th, 2017 at 1:24 pm
Jeezus, really? People are bitching about the other kicker already? You gawddamn crybabies act like it’s the end of the world. They only finished their season 8 days ago. You people are the worst! My guess is that Licht will have another kicker for more competition at some point. Jeezus Foeking Catastrophe, some people love to complain.
January 9th, 2017 at 2:06 pm
@DB55 – Not a draft pick but yea, Chris Conte.
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he sure didn’t look worthy of the snaps, and I am in no way privy to the inner workings of the team, but i have a hard time imagining Licht flexing his organizational muscle to keep conte on the field to prop up his ego as a GM. i could see him being a bit stubborn about sticking with an underperforming Robert Ayers or something, but i’m willing to assert that no front office\coaching battles have taken place over chris conte in any organization ever
January 9th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Dallas
Again your negativity and hyperbole set you up and Pickgrin took you out with his first sentence.
When you disagree with someone’s choice you can say you disagree with it. Fine.
Put some facts behind.
When you disagree and call someone and ego in chief that is known as ad hominem and doesn’t really add to your posts. It just screams cheap shot.
January 9th, 2017 at 3:09 pm
@R.O.- “55 yarder”?!!! I’d feel a LOT better if he was making anything over 43 yards!
Hey, I want the kid to succeed but not at the price of losing games. Step it up Roberto, step it up!
January 9th, 2017 at 3:10 pm
Why does everybody bag on Conte? It’s not his fault that he was the best safety on our roster for most of the season!
January 9th, 2017 at 3:36 pm
StPete- you are so obsessed with my commentary these days and rarely with the substance, more the style and invective I choose to use, especially when it comes to your new favorite sacred cow Licht. It’s too bad you don’t like all the facts, just the ones that paint your GM in the most accomplished light possible. Get over yourself StPete, you aren’t the hall monitor around here. There’s plenty already.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:23 pm
Sorry, but you can’t bring Glennon into any discussion about a camp competition, as if he’d have done a thing to earn the job. Yah, Josh McKown was not worthy, but Glennon’s camp the previous year…and three years since have SUCKED. He looked awful in pre-season games. That is, he can’t compete against scrubs. True, there were scrubs blocking for him too, but Captain Checkdown has to start there. And he’s not succeeded there.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:28 pm
My hunch is there will be a third kicker in the mix. The goal is not, and should not be, to get rid of Aguayo. It should be to ensure the kicker going into next season’s opener is the best they have. If Aguayo does as poorly as he did this year, he won’t make it. If he does better than the others (Brinsa?) then guess what? I don’t think Aguayo’s got it, but Dallas Buc, you are smoking some serious stuff if you think Jason is going to get stuck with a lemon again in a kicker…second round pick or not. That is a lot less of a factor next year. It’s no longer new-guy benefit of the doubt.
January 9th, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Well St Pete isn’t alone Dallas. I don’t even read past the first line of your posts anymore. Did Licht bully you in high school or something. It really is weird your pure hatred of Licht. The team just completed a winning season for the first time in ages and seems to be well on its way and all you can do is profess your hatred of Licht……over and over and over and over and over again. It is really strange.
January 9th, 2017 at 9:41 pm
TDTB- your premise is false. I don’t hate Licht at all but i think he is overrated and I talk about it a lot because I don’t think fans hold him as accountable as they were so happy to do with all the other coaches and GMs. He gets a free pass and I think his poor decision making over the last three years are a big part of what is holding this team back.
You like Licht and perceive criticism as hate because you are a child. Wah