Leg Of Death
January 12th, 2017
Shining light for GM Jason Licht
Stop saying general manager Jason Licht can’t scout guys who kick the ball for a living.
You’re dead wrong.
The fact is the greatest punter in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is on the roster, signed off the street in March.
Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com did an A+ job laying out just how good Bryan Anger was last season, in addition to revealing data on special teams ace Josh Robinson, another guy inked by Licht in March. It’s all in a cool feature here.
Anger just nipped Josh Bidwell for the gross punting record, easily set a new standard for net punting and absolutely demolished the team’s old record for punts inside the 20. There is now a larger difference between first and second place on that list then there is between second and 10th.
The Los Angeles Rams’ Johnny Hekker, who had perhaps the best statistical season by a punter in NFL history, led the NFL with 51 punts downed inside the 20, but he also punted 98 times, to Anger’s 70 kicks. In terms of the percentage of a player’s punts that were downed inside the 20, nobody was better than the Bucs’ standout in 2016.
There much more via the link above.
So what happened to the Bucs’ 2015 punter, Jacob Schum? He’s alive and well in the playoffs, having a strong season for Green Bay. But Anger certainly was an important upgrade.
Licht’s resounding rebound in free agency after the horror of the 2014 class is one of the great stories last year. Team Glazer should feel good handing Licht the checkbook in eight short weeks.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:06 am
Now get #weapons for Winston so we don’t have to lean on the punter so much!!!!!!
January 12th, 2017 at 10:11 am
Lets see, what was different between picking free agents in 2014 vs 2015 off seasons? It is right at the tip of my tounge but I cant quite figure it out. Maybe someone can help me out, I mean I just cant understand my we picked up so many washed up guys like Mike Jenkins, Josh McKnown, Major Wright and others two years ago and then last year we got pretty much quality across the board with the exception of a freak back injury. What changed???
January 12th, 2017 at 10:11 am
His ability to drop it flat inside the 5 is amazing. Glad he was extended.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:12 am
Kobe want to help me out?
January 12th, 2017 at 10:16 am
@Joe … “Team Glazer should feel good handing Licht the checkbook in eight short weeks.” I recently read that Team Glazer has about $1.5 billion of its money tied up in the Bucs right now (team value). With that kind of money on the table, I have trouble seeing where Jason Licht would have an open checkbook. It’s Jason Licht’s job, from a business perspective, to make that $1.5 billion go higher … and overall he’s been doing a very commendable job of that lately. And yet, from the Glazers’ perspective, I’d suspect that they input on every single move that Licht makes. In the final analysis, football is a business to the owners.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:17 am
AguaOh,no? Wonder what the scouting report on him is these days…still talking about the greatest kicker in college football history?
More buddy buddy willfully ignorant love for blindspot Licht
January 12th, 2017 at 10:19 am
Ndog shhhhhhhhhhh! You’re making way to much sense dude. You’re gonna get called out by Dallasbuc and the soft serve squad!
January 12th, 2017 at 10:21 am
Blake and ndog proving my point. Licht bears no responsibility for the bad and gets all the credit for the good.
Blindspot
January 12th, 2017 at 10:23 am
Daniel Carlson from Auburn will be a great kicker.
I say we admit our mistake and draft that guy late. Unless some idiot trades up before the 5th round and takes him.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:29 am
Sure now he hits on a punter but what about Jake Schum or Michael Koenen?
As for his kickers….one name still hurts Klye Brindza
January 12th, 2017 at 10:33 am
Sorry.. who said we “Leaned” on our punter? Are you saying 70 punts is above the league avg? Or greater than the Mean? Ambiguous statement based on nothing… OMG someone who maybe watches a few college games and highlights on YouTube says a player is going to be the greatest kicker in Bucccanners history and to draft him…. JL better do it!!!
January 12th, 2017 at 10:33 am
Jury still out on Roberto. BTW Connor Barth kicked better than Roberto for da Bears this year.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:35 am
Unfortunately the “Leg of Death” goes to Lawrence Tynes.
January 12th, 2017 at 10:58 am
The only leg of death on this roster belongs to AguaOh,no and Licht by virtue of his acquiring him for a 2nd round pick and babying his sorry aas all season. This situation is so shameful
January 12th, 2017 at 11:04 am
Sports Illustrated on the 2104 Draft Class:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grade: A
Best addition: CB Alterraun Verner
Biggest loss: FB Erik Lorig
Not only did the Bucs pick up a large number of impact players on cap-friendly deals, but also they lost little of import — as long as Verner isn’t a one-year wonder and doesn’t prove to be vastly inferior to Darrelle Revis, who is now in New England. Other than that, Tampa Bay’s front office scored big. Center Evan Dietrich-Smith is a tough, reliable veteran to add to the offensive line, and replacing Donald Penn with Anthony Collins at left tackle was about as big an upgrade as is possible. Former Bengals end Michael Johnson should be able to do in Tampa for Lovie Smith what Julius Peppers did for Smith in Chicago — provide serious pass rush outside, and kick inside in certain instances. Former Seahawks tackle Clinton McDonald will add power and pass rush in rotation, and the addition of Josh McCown gives the Bucs intriguing (and much-needed) quarterback options. It’s one thing to win in March and quite another to do so the next February, but the Bucs’ franchise overhaul continues — and it’s been very impressive.
January 12th, 2017 at 11:09 am
It laughable.
What is?
How you all talk down about a rookie kicker when you will deny doing so once he gets very good next year. EVERYONE predicted he would struggle his first year. That you all are so ready to give up on him demonstrates why Tampa Fans don’t deserve a solid team.
In the old days wjen winning wasn’t even a hope, fans backed guys like him. Patience was the name of the game.
Robert Aguayo will be on this team next year, and will make you all eat your words.
January 12th, 2017 at 11:13 am
Bonzai- fans like you that are perfectly willing to nurture mediocrity in coaching, front office and in the players themselves is perhaps the reason why most of you don’t deserve a great football that, ya know, wins football games!
You never tire lecturing others on how to be a good fan! Hilarious
January 12th, 2017 at 11:25 am
Maybe Mr.Licht can spend 2 high draft picks on a back up punter in the draft.. NO kicker will ever be worth the price bucs paid to wave the Florida school flag..again!
January 12th, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Dallasbuc, fans like you need baby powder to get rid of your nagging diaper rash.
All the whining , complaining, and bellyaching you do has no effect whatsoever. Do you really think any competant Gm goes on the internet and gives one lick about the crying that goes on?
You do yourself a disservice by harping on the negatives. Instead of seeing the progress being made, and embracing the positives.
January 12th, 2017 at 12:17 pm
“It’s Jason Licht’s job, from a business perspective, to make that $1.5 billion go higher”
What lol? It’s the GM’s job to grow the franchise in terms of revenue? Like Jason Light is behind our PR campaigns / marketing / stadium upgrades?
what the hell? That’s the first time i’ve ever heard that lol
January 12th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Baby powder diaper rash digs….how will I possibly recover?!!
I happily and readily give credit where it is due but fanboys like you that are more interested in regulating how other fans choose to appreciate their team than coming up with their own original takes are the ones slathering Budreaux’s on each other’s sore bums because someone chose to articulate a fair picture of a situation and it offended your delicate sensibilities! Get off my jock Blake and find something Bucs related to talk about…or don’t, I’m having fun either way.
January 12th, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Licht setup Aguryo to fail and that pick is on him, but just that pick. If he could take it back Im sure he would. However, it was a ballsy move and will serve him and the team well down the road. He did the same with Huff, but as they say No Risk it, No Biscuit! When one hits though it’s going to be a damn good one.
January 12th, 2017 at 1:17 pm
@shouldvedrafted
Thanks for a balanced view.
@Joes
I realize you guys are not running an all request blog here like top 40 radio…
But I would love to get your inside input on the argument your posters have been having for a couple of years.
Who was responsible for FA’s selected during Licht’s first year?
Does anybody really know the decisions process there or is it all simply speculation?
I think the feeling is that Lovie handled the FA’s while Licht was more draft in his first year but I am honestly uninformed and clueless. Does anybody know who that all really went down?
January 12th, 2017 at 1:18 pm
But remember Joe, the worst thing Licht did was when he called the 4th round pick they used to trade up from the third to get Aguayo this sort of extra luxury thing that wasn’t a big deal to use. That was the single dumbest, misinformed comment he has ever made. Why??? Well, the previous year he used a 4th round pick to draft Kwon Alexander.
Imagine the Bucs roster with that 3rd and 4th rounder as one more additional offensive and defensive player for the Bucs and them just going with the best available free agent at kicker. They make the playoffs most likely.
The Bucs lost TWO valuable picks for Aguayo. Anger was a guy who had already proven himself in the NFL and who did not cost the Bucs a valuable pick. Hard to compare those two scenarios.
In the previous year the Bucs used their 3rd and 4th round picks (with some additional trade pieces) to move and get Marpet and Alexander. So, for roughly the equivalent of picks, Licht did this…
2015 – Marpet and Kwon
2016 – Aguayo
Obviously, 2015 is an outlier and you can’t expect every pick to hit like those guys… but he had just done it the previous year. The next year… completely wasted, to the point where the player picked not only DID NOT help the team, but hurt it to the tune of the worst kicking performance in the entire NFL.
Licht got cocky. He got full of himself. It happens to many after success. Let’s hope he learns and sticks to what worked in 2015.
January 12th, 2017 at 1:23 pm
J 2.0,
I’m with you on Daniel Carson/Auburn. Kid can kick from anywhere on the field. Saw him kick in the Sugar Bowl. Could probably be had as a UDFA. Cool under pressure!
January 12th, 2017 at 3:43 pm
Time to go watch Banger highlights 😉
January 12th, 2017 at 5:23 pm
Anger was robbed. Should have easily been an All Pro this year.
January 12th, 2017 at 6:39 pm
@Dallas Don’t confuse my distaste for your ignorance and pessimism as having “delicate sensibilities.” I’m a S(p)it fitter dude, nothing about my life is delicate.
January 12th, 2017 at 9:22 pm
I think it’s a unbelievable…our big conversation is about kickers.