“Man, Bro, I Gotta Figure Out A Way To Get You Here”
March 15th, 2017
Jameis was aching
With talk like this, America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, will no longer be welcome at the velvet-lined lounge of the Vero Beach Ramada Inn.
Joe’s referring to Jameis’ actions just after the 2016 season ended, as told by new Bucs speedster receiver DeSean Jackson.
Jackson joined The Pat and Aaron Show on WDAE-AM 620 recently and explained the intensity Jameis had for bringing him to Tampa. Jackson said he had been in touch with Jameis intermittently for two years and it escalated in January.
“[Jameis] reaching out and saying, you know, once the season was over, ‘Man bro, I got to figure out a way to get you here. Like how can we make this happen?'” Jackson said of Jameis’ recruiting effort. “I’m like, ‘Hey, man you never know how it’s going to work out.'”
Jackson added that he had a “mild relationship” with Jameis over the past two years but the two “wasn’t the best of friends.”
Hmmm, isn’t it interesting how focused Jameis was on scoring a speedster once the season ended? How could this be? The Bucs had Freddie Martino, he of the Vero Beach Ramada Inn, Donteea Dye, Vincent Jackson, Russell Shepard, Josh Huff and Cecil Shorts on the roster?
Of course, Joe is being sarcastic. The lack of a second receiver can be fingered as a reason the Bucs missed the playoffs last year. How could Jameis not see that?
Yes, football is a team game and blame needs to be passed around and shared, though it certainly wasn’t safety play that cost the Bucs in the second half of the season.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:05 pm
It was the overall Running Back/Wide Receiver level of talent who doomed the Bucs playoff chances.
Both units were terrible save for ME13 and sometimes Rodgers.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:07 pm
And people are talking about drafting a TE or OL even with Cook, Davis or Ross still on the board.
We need to be able to cut and sign’draft new Buc fans.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:14 pm
Well jhtv what good is Dalvin Cook if there isn’t a strong line to block for him? It all starts up front and right now there are 2 holes to fill up front.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Amen to that Joeypops! Where’s the beef?
March 15th, 2017 at 12:22 pm
The defense the first part of the season had just as much to do with the bucs missing the playoffs as not having a second wide receiver down the stretch. Think the rams game. Its plenty of blame to go around.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:25 pm
JP,
Your starting OLINE for 2017 is already on the roster and will be primarily made up of the same guys who paved the way for the NFL’s #2 running game and a 4,000 yard rookie passer in 2015.
To think that likelihood is gonna change, is to ignore all the obvious signs.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Will they return to what they did in 2015 or will they be the group that paved the way for the 25th ranked rush attack in 2016?
March 15th, 2017 at 12:29 pm
Could those types of conversations by JW be considered tampering?
March 15th, 2017 at 12:31 pm
jthv
No – the knowledgeable Buc fans understand NFL history and how the really great teams don’t reach for RB’s in the first round, especially when the talent pool is so deep this season. Ezekiel Elliott was an exception last season… look at the history of first round RB successes from 2011-now. Want to know who the most successful has been outside of Zeke? Doug Martin. The guy everyone wants to run out of town. He had 2 great seasons and 3 horrible seasons in his five years thus far and he’s the success story.
I agree with you on receiver. That’s a premium position where late round picks and UFA rarely if ever work out. You have to spend top draft capital to get a good guy (such as Evans). But a guy like Davis is so more talented than the speed freak Ross that I’m confused as to how they get mentioned in the same sentence.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:33 pm
So safety/ defensive play didnt cost us against Dallas? Or against New Orleans? Or against the Falcons? Or against the Raiders? Or the Rams?
Interesting. Cause it seemed to me as if we could have held our 4th quarter lead against Dallas, we would’ve won the game. Or you know, if the right tackle wasnt getting put on his rear-end for 2 straight series.
This team has a LOT more needs than just Rb.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Licht fielded a playoff team last year and we’ve improved on paper for this year. If we can just have a little luck with avoiding injuries….i think this team could establish themselves.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
JP, I think the oline is talented enough to recover from a poor showing and injuries in 2016.
The defense turned the corner because it wasn’t about lacking overall talent.
The receivers and backs couldn’t do anything all season because their overall talent level was piss poor.
This is the year we go for offensive playmakers and make due with our Oline and Defense (not saying they won’t draft players here) but it’s all about offensive weapons this offseason.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:39 pm
So McShay’s mock has the Bucs taking Njoku.
However, right before that he has the Titans taking Mike Williams at 18 and the Redskins taking Dalvin Cook at 17.
Hypothetically…
Would you trade up to 15 to get Cook or Mike Williams or would you rather stay there at take Njoku.
Tough choice…
March 15th, 2017 at 12:45 pm
Same O line produced the best over all running game the previous season. I imagine similar chats are occurring with Dalvin Cook.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Jthv if you view John Ross as an option in the 1st, then that tells me all I need to know about your opinions/ evaluations of players.
Two torn meniscus, torn acl, micro fracture surgey, torn Labrum. Yeah boy that would be an excellent choice… If we want to waste our first round pick.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Dungy a trade up won’t necessary. The Ravens and Colts have signed RBs. The eagles alllowed Barwin to walk and when I watch they’re fans chat they seem to believe a shut corner would be the best play direct night.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:48 pm
it was an anemic run game and f&^$ing penalties that did us in!!!
March 15th, 2017 at 12:48 pm
Yeah Blake that bum knee sure slowed Ross down at the combine, didn’t it?
March 15th, 2017 at 12:49 pm
Now to be honest I’m totally against Ross round 1. Forget the injuries he look small facing bama.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:52 pm
Its the same group that block for the number 1 overall rushing attack in the nfl in 2015.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:54 pm
See if I never saw them perform well then I would get it. But they did what they do best as a collective group in 2015. Run Block.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:56 pm
Now add inn a guy known for Run Blocking. J.R. Sweezy they can only get better doing whst they do best. Run Block. I’m sorry I don’t by the whole back injury due to weightlifting noise. The same was said about Spence. Did he labor ladt season??? No.
March 15th, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Dalvin in the first round and Bucky Hodges the TE from Virginia Tech in the second and you have a ridiculously talented group of skill positioned players with all but DJax 25 years old or younger.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Blake,
In each of those games there were other reasons than just poor defensive play that cost us the game
In the Rams game we rushed for a measly 83yds at Home and if Winston would’ve thrown the ball or better yet Koetter didn’t mishandle the clock at the end, we’d won.
It was really only the Raiders game where it was completely obvious we were manhandled defensively but who would’ve thunk it was because of a terrible pass interference call before end of regulation that gave the Raiders an extra play to tie the game?
We rushed for 70yds at Home and ATL killed everyone last season offensively – mute point
We rushed for 52yds @ Dallas and a stupid Personal Foul penalty by Jameis moved us from the Dallas 13yd line to the 28 and the drive ended in a FG. This drive was in the middle of a furious comeback attempt that would’ve tied the game at 17 if it ended in a TD.
We played the Saints twice in 13 days and rushed for 89yd @ NO. Did you really think Drew Brees was going to let us dominate him again like we did 13 days before at Ray Jay? Also, Jameis had the ball in his hands for a potential game tying drive with 3:00 left. To his detriment, he threw passes to Donte Dye, Russell Shepard and Brandon Myers in this drive while Mike Evans was being double and triple covered.
So to answer your question Blake, yes the Wide Receiver and Running Back Units were the reason why the Bucs missed the playoffs last year.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Keep telling y’all Fameis got plenty pull. What he wants he will get. Get them travel bags DC.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:03 pm
So in conclusion Jthv what I gather if we were a better running team last season we might’ve won at least two more games. Imagine that.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:04 pm
And you can come back an try an argue. The man just gave you the run totals in those games. My QB was in his second season man.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:07 pm
Joeypops Martin & Sims played a lot less reps in 16 than either played in 15 due to fnckery & injuries. Last I checked the run game is dictated by the ability of the OL & backfields talent working cohesively, placating blame on one w/o mention of the others involement makes no sense unless youre going the strawman route. Then youre totally justified
March 15th, 2017 at 1:10 pm
So you’re tellimg me that giving up 37 points to case keenum and the rams offense that was averaging 4.5 points a game before hand, wasnt the main reason we lost? Right.
And SC he came up lame right after sooooo…
March 15th, 2017 at 1:16 pm
If John Ross checks out medically he is a very realistic option at #19.
And Nosbos I get what you’re saying about the Colts and Ravens, Idk if Turbin getting an extension rules them out for a RB early. Turbin was their short yardage back last season. I dont think they envision him as a guy to replace Frank Gore.
As far as the OL goes. They aren’t the same group. Logan Mankins was a big loss since he was never replaced properly. Maybe that has to do with Sweezy being hurt.
I won’t say they absolutely should go OL in round 1, but it is 1 of many options Licht has and if I was the GM it is what I would do. All the other position needs we have it is a deep class meaning we can get talented players in later rounds than normal. The OT class is not deep so get that early and then take advantage of the depth. That makes the most since to me.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:18 pm
Blake reports they were cramps that got Ross
March 15th, 2017 at 1:20 pm
My new favorite RB in the entire draft class is Samaje Perine.
His combination of power and speed is perfect for the NFL.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:23 pm
@Kangdooley
That is why Doug Martin should be gone as well but that is a different conversation for a different day lol. OL just doesnt effect the run game. Protecting Jameis should be even more important. And these games being pointed out by jthv where “the run game cost us” Jameis got beat up pretty bad as well. 8 sacks in those 3 games.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:50 pm
Knowledge to all of you that like football that probably haven’t never play. Rogers is not the best way to get us through. Our GM believes and Doug Martin and as fan you should too. With the wide receiver changes this year it was read the field and allow more opportunities for the offense. Shepherd as a loss but he’s easily replaced by Smith. Al first pick of the draft should be one of two things either a TE or safety. An obsolete corner would be a plus.
March 15th, 2017 at 1:56 pm
Blake,
you’re not getting it. It’s not about why we lost, it’s about how.
In the Rams game, Jameis brought the Bucs to the Rams 15yd line with 35 seconds left and 2 timouts. NOBODY what happened next was worse, Koetter blowing the game management or a scrambling Jamies getting tackled from behind at the 5yd line with no time remaining with an open Vincent Jackson in the End Zone?
Also, Case Keenum didn’t score 37 points against us as we gave up a 77yd fumble return to a Rams defensive lineman.
Lots of reasons we lost the Rams game, not just the defense.
Go back and school yourself up as I’m no teacher.
On another note, the Rams game was one of the funniest games of the year. I traded my season tix to some friends to sit in the Club Section while they use mine to sit at the 50 behind Bucs bench, if you didn’t know, the Club areas do not stop serving alcohol until the END of games. So when the 1+ hour lightning delay came thru, me and my buddy was inside the Club getting wasted watching the late games. The Jamies debacle at the end was right in front of us, sad ending to an otherwise very fun and entertaining game.
A few weeks later, I was there again for another 1 long weather delay, this time with no continued alcohol service like previously in the Club Section. Definitely not as much fun was had!
March 15th, 2017 at 1:57 pm
So can somebody explain something to me? There are several posters here who claim Shep is a better receiver than DJAX. One is even willing to wager that Shep will put up better numbers.
Isn’t this the same as saying #3 doesn’t know what he’s talking about? Just askin? Who to believe…#3 or some of our posters. How many believe #3 is wrong and that Shep is a better WR than DJAX?
March 15th, 2017 at 1:57 pm
That’s right Joe, blame does need to be passed around and shared. So why don’t you pass it on over to the highly overrated oline to share in the fault for missing the playoffs seeing how they got pushed back and pushed around most of the season especially down the stretch?
March 15th, 2017 at 1:59 pm
I don’t understand Bucs101’s form of English. Anyone else?
March 15th, 2017 at 2:01 pm
Nole it wasnt the same o line we had a potential hof in logan mankins
March 15th, 2017 at 2:04 pm
@Stpete
I bet Shep does better than Derel Walker tho lol
March 15th, 2017 at 2:07 pm
Pete please identify him or her. I would want that ASAP!!!
March 15th, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Tarzan bro no disrespect to Mankins but I saw a few guys clean & jerk him a few times bro. It was time for Mank to call it day.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Who??? I want that bet.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:10 pm
That’s easy money.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:15 pm
Where’s Kenny Bell when you need him?! That guy’s fro is sicker than DJax’s speed……any day!!!
March 15th, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Give the man weapons!
#MOREweaponsforWinston
March 15th, 2017 at 2:18 pm
St. Pete, let me know if you find that poster. I need easy money.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
I want o-line too in the draft, but peeps keep telling me it’s not a strong o-line draft. So now I’m stuck on Howard or Cook if they’re there. Prefer Cook of course, Blake be damned.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:31 pm
Ok. Yeah i forgot about the defensive td they scored. But still. Giving up 30 points to hapless, helpless case keenum is inexcusable.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:34 pm
JW wasnt thinking about Shep… WTF was he thinking???
March 15th, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Miko Says:
March 12th, 2017 at 8:46 am
Mark this down…Shep will have a better career than djax from this day forward..we didn’t get better…losing solid character guys in shep and mcdougald…replaced with a backup – Wilcox and potential headache in djax. That’s a downgrade for this team in free agency…baker is 30, a.spence is a young player…we got worse folks, plain and simple…
March 15th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
Bucsfanman…that’s my line of thinking. The D picked it up towards the end of season. They already got Swaggy for them and this Wilcox dude. Now let’s go HEAVY O in the draft man.
Load this kid’s gun. Get him some o-line too.
Somebody please help him! I think my dad’s gone crazy…
March 15th, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Count me in as those who do not want Ross in the 1st. Not even sure about the 2nd. Speed is great but he is small and already had some injuries.
I’m with 87, I feel our o-line needs some upgrades, but I really like Howard or Cook if they’re available. I also like Njoku out of Miami, but not sure the organization sees TE as a need. I however do. Unless Brate transforms into a spectacular blocker, we really need a big TE that can block and catch. It would just help with the mismatches as well as the run game. Howard and Njoku can do both, and they have speed.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:49 pm
That powerful Eminem reference tho
March 15th, 2017 at 2:51 pm
@NosBos … “Same O line produced the best over all running game the previous season.” All due respect NosBos, but the 2015 OLine & 2016 OLine were quite different, and produced much different results. Despite how you apparently feel about Mankins, he provided an essential ingredient to our OLine in 2015: LEADERSHIP, and ingredient that we seemed to miss in 2016. Our 2 rookies, D. Smith & Marpet, both gave him numerous accolades for how he’d tell them what was coming, how to adjust, etc. And once Mankins retired, our OLine just wasn’t the same in 2016.
Look at which players got the call in 2015:
D. Smith – 16 games
Mankins – 15
Hawley – 14.5
Cherilus – 13
Marpet – 12
Evan Smith – 5.5
Dotson – 3
Pamphile – 1
That wasn’t even close to the ‘same O line’ for 2016. Pamphile got a lot more games obviously, and so did Dotson. Much different OLine, much different results. Personally think that the change in OLine leadership was a huge factor in that.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Let’s remember the 2nd WR timeline for last season.
Best I can recall these are the actual starters, or supposed to be in Murphy’s case, at 2nd WR -> V Jackson -> L Murphy -> C Shorts -> Humpries -> Shepard
Of course Hump isn’t a 2nd WR, he’s just not built that way – but he was starting – and each guy moved up that list meant less lack of depth.
BTW, Freddie worked himself into 14 games last year – more than I recall, he was also fairly productive when he was deep on the depth chart, maybe he has a bigger future than I thought – maybe he’s a guy that can learn from DJ and stick around for years to come.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:57 pm
Ok nole lemme just say thii. Ik that you want cook bad but we just dont know. Cook could have a successful career but those off feild incidents scare me a lot. The o line needs a lot of help but i think we can shore that up. I honestly dont think cook will be available because some rb thirsty team will take him say the colts. I think we take McCaffrey if cook is not there. Its not who i want but thats who i beleive we will go with.
March 15th, 2017 at 2:58 pm
NosBos i just wanna know why you think he will be there
March 15th, 2017 at 3:00 pm
Gotta ask. If Shep was this friggin’ good, then why the hell didn’t he display this unearthed talent in how many years with the Bucs? It wasn’t like he wasn’t given chances. If Shep was this good, the Bucs could have saved millions by keeping him and not buying DJax.
C’mon, man!
March 15th, 2017 at 3:03 pm
@Defense – the o-line issues had a ton to do with play calling in my opinion. Dirk was extremely predictable and hot into a rut of calling the same plays over and over again – I don’t think he was reading defences very well after moving out of the box – something he had never done at the NFL level – that’s my view anyways. The otter issue with the line, in particular early in the season, was Hawley constantly leaving the game with problems – and then returning. I’ve never seen a player get injured so often and yet return – and that’s not a knock, it’s just odd, and since he’s the center it should mean he’s making the calls, and to have him leaving games and returning later, it had to be distruptive.
March 15th, 2017 at 3:14 pm
I liked Shepard a lot and I think the Bucs made a mistake getting rid of him – but to say he’s going to have a huge career is nuts. I think Shepard has a good chance to have a better career than say Humpries going forward, I could see Shepard playing another 5 years and getting like 500-700 yards a season and Humpries making it another 2-3 years at around 400-600 yards, but Shepard could also be regulated to special teams duty and rarely see the field. If DJ does turn out to be injury prone like he has most of his career and only lasts 2 years then sure Shepard might have more yards over the next 5 years combined, but he won’t make a bigger impact.
Also Joe – to my eye Shepard was the 2nd best WR on the team last year, when he got a chance to play he looked good. If he was allowed to spend all his at WR I think he could be a valuable #3, he looked and played like a smaller VJ, and he’s been here a long time and seemed to absorb a lot of knowledge. I. That San Fran game he was awesome, then Shorts came back and they told him to hit the bricks and get back to being a gunner, I never really got what the Bucs didn’t see in him yet they let bounce off my hands on every play Shorts start, made no sense from a fan view.
March 15th, 2017 at 5:19 pm
@Joeypopp
Umm, I was referring to youre comment about the running game. We all know the OL is responsible for paving a way for RBs and keeping the QB upright, both phases are important. What I was getting at was, you cant take 5 of 11 parts and scape the failure of the of the run game entirely on the OL w/o acknowledging the inconsistencies of the RBs.
I may be in the minorty on this amongst fellow Bucs fans, but i think using a 1st or 2nd on an RB THIS draft season would be Licht misappropriating team resources(see: our 2013 draft). Martin is still under contract and its been clear since Koetter arrived even as OC, he’s not goin to place our run game in the hands of 1 player. Martin , Sims, Rodgers all being healthy and available hasnt happened for us just yet , so theres still a chance we see no big name additons via the draft there and I’d be alright with that. NE and a few other teams around the league have been fine using more RBs as opposed to just relying that 1 supremely talented guy, and all if not most of the teams fair alot better throughout the season with the RBC approach. Take Bell from the Steelers, Lynch from the Seahawks, Morris out Washington, or Gurley away from LA and those offenses are as 1-D as it gets in football.
March 15th, 2017 at 5:58 pm
Lol 87 why I gotta be damned? I thought we were homies? Lol.
March 15th, 2017 at 6:11 pm
One thing that has not occured to me yet that just hit me….joe may be right about the offensive line. The playcalling from koetter was much more vanilla in 2016 than 2015. The oline was horrible in 2014 and improved drastically in 2015 with the addition of two rookies which is when koetter took over as oc. I noticed the drop off in aggresive playcalling this past season and cant blame Koetter for going through some growing pains. I think with djax added as long as he is healthy Dirk will be much less predicatble, more aggressive and will have the same.impact on the oline as it did in 2015. With that said I think Hawley is a step down from Logan Mankins and we need an upgrade for Dotson as well. Two upgrades needed.
March 15th, 2017 at 6:12 pm
Sorry wrong thread
March 15th, 2017 at 10:10 pm
Jthv… Tarzan said it… Logan Mankins was on that 2015 oline… He was the reason the play dropped off in 2016… I’ll stand by that… I’ll even say we would’ve won one more game and made the playoffs if he were still on the team… Forget sexy, draft oline or dline in the first round
March 16th, 2017 at 4:12 am
@unbelievable,
You doubt the Bucs see T.E. as a need.
Actually, if available T.E. Will be the first pick. I know the chatter is which RB (cook v mccaffrey) will the Bucs pick.
But that’s not the direction the team is going. T.E. as a need
has been addressed in detail by koetter and licht has confirmed
the teams first rd. target is T.E..
March 16th, 2017 at 8:49 am
Our safety play was not good until Conte went out and Tandy had the best stretch of his career(only 1 month). We still need one more WR with size and some speed.
As far as TE goes, no GM or HC is going to tell who they are really looking for with over a month to go before the draft. Wake up. The only TE I think we would seriously consider at #19 is OJ. But he will already be gone. Either RB, DE, or DB will be our pick.