Why Bucs Need A RB
April 14th, 2017
Need an upgrade.
Joe will get a Twitter once in a while mocking Joe for wanting the Bucs to draft running back Dalvin Cook. The Twitterer will wag a finger at Joe (digitally, of course) suggesting the Bucs don’t need a running back.
Joe can only guess these folks didn’t watch Bucs games last year.
The running game was bad, in no small part because the offense banked on Doug Martin being the same Pro Bowl runner he was in 2015.
That didn’t happen, and as winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter noted the day after the season was over, the lack of explosive plays killed the Bucs. A main reason for that was no running game to speak of.
Andy Benoit of theMMQB.com has been monitoring the Bucs offense and if you are wondering why there is so much focus on running backs in Tampa Bay’s quest to upgrade the team in the draft, and why Joe is pounding the bar for Cook, Joe will let Benoit explain.
@Andy_Benoit: #Bucs will be better in pass game in ’17, but their system is set up to work off of run game. That’ll be the key.
In the immortal words of the one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, “That’s all there is to it.”
Yes, the addition of wide receiver DeSean Jackson will help keep defenses honest. But to really open up space, opposing defenses have to at least be a little bit concerned with the run game.
Last year, that didn’t happen very much.
April 14th, 2017 at 7:40 am
I agree, we do need a running back. But we don’t necessarily need one in the first. And we damn sure don’t need to trade away picks for one in a draft where we could realistically get a starter in round 3.
April 14th, 2017 at 7:40 am
So many quality RBs can be had in rounds 2-3 no need drafting Cook in the first, Kamara, Foreman, Mixon, Mack, among others, fortunately our biggest areas of need safety, RB, WR, TE, are the deepest positions in this years draft, that’ll allow us to take BPA regardless of need
April 14th, 2017 at 7:42 am
So torn on this one – yes, we do need a game changing back – but history shows many examples of 2nd to 5th rounds picks that have excelled, especially early, in the recent past – Alfred Morris in DC, Terrell Davis etc
Far less often does a 2-5th round WR/S/DE turn out to be a major upgrade and we need all 3 of those positions badly –
The GM has proven he likes to double up with a vet and a rookie – did it back to back rounds last year
Our major FA signings this year – Jackson/Baker
13 fumbles for Dalvin Cook – 13 -in college, not playing Samford and Wake Forest on Sunday’s
McCaffrey has NE written all over it..like him, but not at 19
I think round 2-3 RB..gotta get the top talent at the hardest to fill positions IMO
April 14th, 2017 at 7:53 am
Once again, no one denies we need a run game. However,drafting a QB in the first round is absolutely dumb.you can get RBs from anywhere. If we draft Dalvin Cook in the first round, when we could fill a harder hole to fill, I will lose respect for the “AC/DC Loving GM”. Thabkfully,i thinkbhe is much smarter than that. No on Dalvin Cook. Drafting Cook is more of the exciting move I stead of the right move. I still think Dallas made a mistake drafting Elliot last year so high
April 14th, 2017 at 7:58 am
Run game sucked way more due to an oline crafted by Licht that got repeatedly blown back and savaged on run downs. Has a lot less to do with the performance of Martin when he wasn’t injured.
More agenda by JoeLichtFan and his merry band of alternative facts!
April 14th, 2017 at 8:03 am
Google 1st round running backs and look at the list going back to about 2002 or so. It is not pretty. I think there’s one Super Bowl winner on the list and that’s Marshawn Lynch who the Seahawks trade a 3rd round pick to get from the Bills.
I don’t care how good you think Cook is, and he is very good, it is not a wise move to use a 1st round pick on a running back. I’m not sure how this is so hard to understand.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:05 am
Once again, no one denies we need a run game. However, drafting a RB in the first round is absolutely dumb. You can get RBs from anywhere. If we draft Dalvin Cook in the first round, when we could fill a harder hole to fill, I will lose respect for the “AC/DC Loving GM”. Thankfully, I think he is much smarter than that. No on Dalvin Cook. Drafting Cook is more of the exciting move instead of the right move. I still think Dallas made a mistake drafting Elliot last year so high.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:08 am
GotBBucs, Thank you. I just said that the other day. The last several teams won with Late round draft picks or even undrafted RBs. I love Elliot, but with that line, the Cowboys could have put a 6th RB out there, and he would have ran for 1200 yards. Moral of the story, build your line and your offense, and the RB position will take care of itself.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:11 am
We need two running backs in this draft, not one. I’d take Cook, McCaffery in the 1st, come back and pick up another one in the 3rd. You’d still have rounds 2,4,5,6,7 to find a decent T.E., and F.S., the draft being deep at those positions also. Martin’s time has come, and gone. Only 2 good years out of 5. Five years being the life span of most backs. Best way to describe Sims, always hurt, basically garbage. Quiz is a vet who can mentor the new youngsters, but by no means is he a long term solution. So if you’re going to be a run first, play action team, now would be good time to draft two young studs for your back field.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:12 am
Only people screaming for cook in the first is FSU fans swearing he’s the greatest running back ever in the history of running backs.
Homers.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:14 am
I agree With Benoit and joe that RB is the #1 need in 2017. In the short term we recall Martin in 2015 breaking through tacklers for 40-50 yard gains, in the long term we think of Alstott and Dunn. Unfortunately While Martin has had his on and off success other area’s on the team have collapsed and poor win loss records have resulted. Last year with a makeshift next man up running game we managed a 9-7 record but no playoff. 2017 is an opportunity to move to the next level and many impatient Buc’s fans sense it. Hence Dalvin Cook. Many are not satisfied with settling for a mid-round second best prospect. We know the draft is deep in reinforcements but 19 is where we might get our Super Star. With the Cowboys surge with Zeke Elliot still fresh in our mind it would behove Licht to do what ever it takes to bring Cook to Tampa. Let me point out this would not be my preference, only that I understand why so many are so enthused over this draft.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:20 am
Do offensive line and running game In hand in hand??
April 14th, 2017 at 8:22 am
Another day, another Cook article. Its not like we haven’t beat this to death. Half the board wants him, half doesn’t but no one thinks Rogers is the man.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:32 am
Draft Perine, sign Peterson (to a friendly), keep Rodgers ……and if Dougie gets his ish together and is willing to renegotiate to a much smaller deal, rb is fixed w/o using an early rounder.
April 14th, 2017 at 8:52 am
i hate how everyone says “u can wait to get a rb in the later rounds running backs are good no matter where you get them” ya well what about all those running backs who got picked in later rounds and never even ran the ball in the nfl? i just think its hilarious that some rb in the last couple years have been really good that got drafted late so everybody thinks you can automatically get a good one whenever no that’s not the case those teams that picked those guys wouldn’t weight to pick them if they had any idea they were going to be as good as they are they didn’t just pass over them just because of the fact that they are running backs they passed on them because they weren’t sold that they were gonna be any good. lol people are so funny sometimes what makes you think that if we get some random guy outta some small college in the 4th round that guy is gonna be our savior?? i get that it happens sometimes but when rb is as big a need as it is for the bucs it would be really irresponsible and uncharacteristic for licht to wait past the first 2 rounds to address rb and if one of the big 3 where there for you to take why the fxk would u not??? unless they’re was a guy on the board still you thought was a lot better that’s still at a position of need but this draft is so deep at every position the bucs need to address like rb, safety, cb, d end , wr that i think the best option would be to take on of the rbs in round 1 or trade back a little if theyre all gone and get a safety or pass rusher
April 14th, 2017 at 9:12 am
See the problem is everyone wants to think they are so smart. How about just picking really good players and building a good team? If Cook is a player they think can make a difference and is a much better player than anyone else they can play there then pick him. This whole get a guy later can be said about tight ends, runningbacks, wide receivers, and heck quarterback (Tom Brady, D Prescott anyone?). Just pick great players. I’m sure the Cowboys thought drafting E Smith was a good pick at #17 in the first round, so you see you can make comparising either way. If a player is a difference maker and I believe Cook is, then take him celebrate and let’s go get more great players in the next rounds.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:14 am
We need to draft a running back within the first three rounds. I understand the people saying no to running back in the first round. I admit Im a fsu fan and I love Cook but I was against trading up to try to draft him. I didnt even want the bucs to get him initially but now thats changed. The reason is the way this draft is looking like its going to shape out I think Cook may actually be the best player available when we pick. If we take Cook at 19 its not like we are reaching for him and we are getting a talented player at a position of need. And like this article alludes to running back is more important in our offense than most others. Another thing with people saying just wait to take one what if a guy we are looking at in later rounds isnt there when we pick? Everyone acts like all the other running backs will be there whenever we ant them but Im sure a lot of other teams will be looking to take those guys in later rounds who pick earlier in the round than we do.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:15 am
A name I don’t hear people talking about is James Connor from Pitt. That kid cannot be tackled one on one. Reminds me of Beastmode. Look him up, you will be impressed.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:15 am
I agree with most of the comments above.
We all agree that RB is a need. However, Dalvin is not the answer.
Fumble issues, injury issues, character issues, athleticism issues.
sure maybe he pans out. But honestly given the value that can be found later in the draft which honestly might even have a better chance of panning out than Dalvin does.
Not to mention OL needs help regardless of what the Joe’s or anyone says. Eye in the sky doesnt lie my friend, go watch the games last year and watch how often our RBs got hit in the backfield, one of the most in the league.
Watch how much pressure Jameis was under. seriously
April 14th, 2017 at 9:17 am
Yes, Doug Martin let us down, and Rodgers got hurt.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:25 am
Even if Doug Martin returns to 2015 form, we should draft a RB. But not in the first round. It’s a very deep draft for RBs.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:26 am
@FIRETHECANNONS
Agreed. Connor is a beast of a power back. But I’m not sure if he’s as good in pass protection as Foreman or Perine, or if he’s as good of a pass catcher as Hunt. But he is a definitely a bowling ball of a runner. That much is certain
April 14th, 2017 at 9:26 am
“This whole get a guy later can be said about tight ends, runningbacks, wide receivers, and heck quarterback (Tom Brady, D Prescott anyone?).”
For the love of God can we stop it with this argument.
It is very simple. Brady and Prescott were not drafted to be immediate starters. They were drafted for injury insurance for Bledsoe and Romo. Antonio Brown was not drafted to be a #1 WR, he was drafted for his return ability.
Teams draft RBs late with the intention to make an impact. The reason why it works is because due to the committee aproach teams dont put a premium on RBs anymore. So good RBs get passed up in the draft in favor of positions with higher importance which creates that late round value.
Why on Earth is this so hard for people to understand?
April 14th, 2017 at 9:44 am
No we can’t because players are great in every round at every position! Draft great players period and did even watch Cook play in college it sounds you are reading off the BS script you got from Blake? He was the best player on the field in EVERY game he played in over yhe last 3 years, with the exception of Laman Jackson last year who was playing out of his mind at the time. Without Cook FSU would have lost around 6-7 games easy. That is called making a impact and what round you get a player of that ability is meaningless. The point is you guys keep giving absolutes when in reality nothing is certain. What if we pass on a runningback in the 1st then when are ready to get our guy later on some one trades in front of to get him, then we are left with nothing but a guy we signed off the street, a undrafted free agent and a guy who cared so much about his team used drugs during a playoff run and got suspended. Yeah thats worth risk of gambling on a 3rd round rb that may or may not be there. IF A GREAT PLAYER IS THERE AND YOU NEED HIM TAKE HIM, PERIOD!!
April 14th, 2017 at 9:49 am
No one claims to be a genius, but I’ll tell you, in 13 years of coaching high school ball, as an offensive coordinator and a head coach, in the Carolina’s, I have never played my best athlete at RB, at least not full time. I never will. I never put an emphasis on RB, and teams that are extremely successful usually don’t either. If there is an AP available in the draft, then sure, take him. But if that player is more Reggie Bush or CJ spilled, I’ll pass. Calvin Cook is more CJ Spiller than AP.
Also, stop using Ezekial Elliot as an example. If the Bucs drafted Elliot last year, he would have been a bust and running game would have still sucked, because our line sucked. If the Cowboys had drafted Derrick Henry, he would have been in discussion for rookie of the year. See how that works. I didn’t see to many special things form Elliot last year except running through wide open holes. Two of his long runs, he never got touch once. Good lines create a running game, not good RBs.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:52 am
Joeypoppems, you’re a genius!!! As simple as you could state, but they’ll never get it.
April 14th, 2017 at 9:56 am
Joe you’ve expressed concern about Doug’s injuries, are you not concerned with Cook’s shoulder issues? I like Cook, he’s a beast, but I lean towards finding a later round steal.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:01 am
Joes inept analysis of the o line and how badly the center position got dominated killed the run game
Good running teams run the ball well no matter who the back is. Super Bowl teams don’t draft RB in the first
April 14th, 2017 at 10:03 am
I have a point to make on the debate of drafting a RB in the 1st round.
I think history supports not drafting a RB in the first round because you can’t build a team around a RB. For the most part, first round picks are players that you expect to be a key cog for many years to come. Or in many cases a face of the franchise. Someone the team can market to the fans (which is why QBs always dominate top picks, even when they are not worthy).
In today’s NFL, RB’s are to be a complimentary piece to the QB of your offense. It’s a passing league, so the RB takes the heat off the QB from time to time just to pop that 4-7 yard run just to have some balance in the offense. Then back to the passing tree they go. I think most Offensive Coordinators prefer to pass the ball. Its about getting chunks of yards at a time. “Explosive plays”. Whether its a pass play of 20 plus yards or a 5 yard slant that goes for twenty. None of these coaches have the patience anymore to develop a strong smash mouth running game. You carry the ball 30 times a game just to have maybe 2 pop for 10 plus yards. The hell with that, give me a QB and some playmaking WRs over that sh*t any day.
RBs are to be a complimentary piece to the QB of your offense. You need to be able to run the ball, that’s it. The investment is in the QB (Someone who plays above the neck and can make all the throws), the Offensive Line (to protect and at times be a bulldozer), and the Defense (get after the QB so he don’t beat you with his smarts and his arm). In my opinion, the RB in the eyes of most people only need to be good enough to see the holes and have enough acceleration to hit that b*tch before it close.
It sounds like I am making a case for not drafting a RB in the first round right? But no I’m actually making a case to do so.
What if you had a RB that can do it all. Block for the QB, catch a pass from the QB, and have good vision and acceleration to see the hole and pop that b*tch. Im not saying anyone off the streets because that’s not true, but any RB that has NFL talent can be a serviceable guy. But what you don’t get is 3 down backs. Every RB thinks they are a 3 down back but they not even close. This is why you see RB by committee for all of these teams. They pick one for power, and one for speed and catching ability. Some teams even have a third. That’s crazy, your third RB should never see the field.
Give me Dalvin Cook! We have our QB, we have our WR’s, we have a good defense, and we have a good O Line (that’s right I said it, Marpet will work out at Center and Sweezy upgrades this unit). The right guy in Dalvin Cook is there to be had and we have a need. Just like Jameis a couple drafts ago, a match made in heaven. Right time, perfect fit! A guy that Jameis trust and has played with. A guy that can carry the load if need, but certainly can take pressure off Jameis as he has done at FSU during their championship run. I look back at those games where Cook and Jameis played together and Im telling you right now, Cook carried this team from time to time. Especially when Jameis was in a funk throwing picks. Cook allowed Jamies to gather his sh*t and come out and perform like he know he can.
Dalvin Cook All day baby, go Bucs.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:06 am
@hodad I agree with getting 2 rbs but not one in the first….I would go donte foreman in the 2nd and donnel pumphrey in the 6th….we would have thunder and lighting….and pumphrey returns kicks and has great speed….GO BUCS!!!
April 14th, 2017 at 10:08 am
Not our choice to make either way.. go visit pewterplank.com and check out the pic from weeks ago where Dalvin was in Tampa with a Bucs scout and then he finally came for his workout and booger, who is very involved in Tampa, says Bucs love Dalvin and then later you read buccaneers.com isn’t going to post pics of him being there.. this tells me a few things.. they don’t want other teams to know they want Dalvin Cook and they’ve been to his games they’ve talked to him multiple times… I’m a die hard FSU fan.. do I want Dalvin as a buc? Hell yea. Will I be upset if they pass on him? Sure. Either way if they trade up for him or trade down and pass on him it’s cool as long as they get starters.. but if you people for one minute think ol Dirk and Jameis aren’t pushing for Cook you’re crazy.. it don’t matter what we think they’re gonna do you can bank on a push for Mr. Cook simple as that.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:11 am
We also don’t have time to develop a 3rd or 4th round back we need a game changer now
April 14th, 2017 at 10:14 am
Dalvin is the guy that will take our offense to an elite level.
So many overblown negatives being said about him.
The coaches and players love the guy.
He is all football.
He has his own youth camp he is doing this summer in Tallahassee.
He is the best running back that has ever played at Florida State.
Those injuries people bring up did not prevent him from being the all time leading rusher in Florida State history and second most all time in the ACC in only three years(4,464 yards).
He did have a fumbling problem as a freshman but he corrected this past year.
He plays his best against great defenses.
Just this past year he dominated against Clemson, Michigan and Florida.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:18 am
My point is simple if a great player is there at a position of need draft him and move on, why on earth is that so hard to understand?
April 14th, 2017 at 10:21 am
If the GM was smart, he would draft TJ Logan late in the draft.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:23 am
@marine….what the hell are you talking about?…..cook never won a natty with jameis….when they played vs. MM cook was mainly responsible for their lost….they were in the game until he fumbled not once but twice….
their are multiple rbs that have great vision, speed, power, hands and can pass pro in this draft….you draft a rb in the first round if your a rb away from being special….we still have work to do up front on both sides of the ball….
just ask dallas how drafting an rb in the first round worked out for them….they biggest weakness was de and cb and that is what cost them a trip to the super bowl…they could’ve had ramsey or traded down and grabbed Leonard Floyd to help fill a need….they could’ve had d.booker or d.henry in the later rounds with that oline….now they headed into this draft with the same needs as last year….GO BUCS!!!!
April 14th, 2017 at 10:26 am
He fumbled 6 times last year. Wouldnt call that a correction.
And about his shoulders, imo it isnt about how many games he missed. It is about how many he could miss if it gets worse. Now Idk how his medical checks at the combine went, but if there is something that leads team doctors to believe there is a chance of re-injury then that would be a problem.
I get it, Dalvin Cook is talented. Imo he is the best RB talent in this class. The negatives cant be brushed aside tho.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:27 am
@Ndog
Obviously lol
April 14th, 2017 at 10:34 am
John Ross had knee issues, Mike Williams broke his neck, Corey Davis just had ankle surgery, Hooker has major soft tissue issues, Fournette missed multiple games due to injury. So basically you’re saying we shouldn’t draft any of these guys cause they “could ” get hurt. Yeah thinking like that we would be really talented. Oh by the way all of these players will go in the top 20 so yeah all of those teams are going to miss on those picks. And for you people wanting us to draft oline in the 1st round I get it but they are not doing that period so debating that is pointless.
April 14th, 2017 at 10:35 am
Running backs worthy of high first are usually type to make things happen on their own, Game changers. Later rounds backs are or can be good if they have a line to run behind. First rounders have enough talent to overcome a struggling line And still produce.
Cook is game changer !! End of discussion he just need a small hole and he is gone
April 14th, 2017 at 11:05 am
Great post @THETRUTH
April 14th, 2017 at 11:07 am
Redblud….. uhhhhh, drafting a qb in the first round is dumb? uh, have you EVER heard of Jameis Winston? Not all qb’s drafted in the first round do well, but sheesh. It works sometimes. Haha.. Also Dallas was dumb for drafting Elliot so high? uh….. again did you happen to notice his season last year? Did you just crawl out of a bomb shelter and discover the world again? I’m not even sure what your points are supposed to prove. Haha….
April 14th, 2017 at 11:12 am
@Ndog
I will say the same thing for all those players you named. If they have a history of injuries and the team doctors think that it will continue to be an issue for them then that is a big problem. If the doctors say that they are all good then great.
Look what happened to Myles Jack last year. A consensus top 5 player until teams feared he would need knee surgery and he fell to the early 2nd round.
I’m much more open to the idea of drafting a RB in the 1st round than I was back in January. I would be fine with drafting Cook at #19. However, needing a RB doesn’t make it “Dalvin Cook or bust”.
If we were in this situation last year and Cook was in last year’s class then I would be in the “Cook at all cost” group.
April 14th, 2017 at 11:14 am
And I agree with you on the OL. An argument can and has been made for it, but I doubt that it will happen.
April 14th, 2017 at 11:18 am
Rich Sayers did you read the first post and stop. I corrected that to say RB. Also, Elliot had success because the line he ran behind, not because of his talent. If Dallas drafted Ramsey, they would be in the Super Bowl.
April 14th, 2017 at 11:39 am
using the rational that 90% of the people are using in this post. If AP was coming out in this year’s draft. They would not draft him in the 1st.
MYTH… The Bucs o line only sucked when Martin was playing. When the other backs were put in the game, look at the yards per carry and yards per game compared to when Doug started and got a majority of the carries.
April 14th, 2017 at 11:46 am
@THETRUTH
Great point. I’ve been trying to think of a way to show that difference. There are “game changers” and then there are good players…and sometimes you get a running back that constantly gets hauled down from behind. That doesn’t happen to DC.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:11 pm
@813, you right he wasn’t on that championship team but that’s besides the point. He had a bad game against Oregon, everyone has a bad game they can point back to in their career. Just like I can point to a bad moment in mine. My point is still valid, I saw multiple games where Cook carried the team to a victory.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Also this team is a RB away from being special.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:21 pm
http://draftbreakdown.com/video/dalvin-cook-vs-louisville-2016/
This game tape is a perfect visual representation of why I’m down on Cook the player.
Only runs more than 4 yards are to the outside, and are largely the result of poor angles/ over-pursuit.
Few games like that against nfl defenses and he’ll be back on the operating table.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:26 pm
Blake…most defenses did key on Cook quite a bit though as he was one of the only weapons they had last season.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:43 pm
@blake I’m not going to act like I’ve watched Connor more then his highlights, but with that 6’4 225+ frame I would think he wouldn’t have a problem filling the gap and meeting a LB/safety head on. I think he would be a great addition. He would wear down defenses which would open up play action which is what jameis does best. I like foremen as well.
April 14th, 2017 at 12:51 pm
Yea FSU had a freshman qb last year that struggled at times with his accuracy so it wasn’t very hard to plan against them, they just had to many athletic freaks for some teams to handle.. and yet Dalvin still had a good year and as far as the fumbles go when you’re relied on that heavily it’s bound to happen.. gotta take the bad with the good, Mack and Foreman are great players I won’t take anything away from them, but they aren’t Dalvin Cook.
April 14th, 2017 at 2:10 pm
These “discussions” are fun. The reality is that you draft the best player available that suits your needs. I think Ndog has stated this a few times. Having to draft a player because you NEED that player, means you’re not a good football team. Good teams select players who are going to be competent, starter-quality talent not “hole fillers.”
There are strong arguments to drafting and not drafting RBs in the 1st round. The beauty is that they don’t HAVE to draft a RB at all. Nor do they HAVE to draft a WR, or DE, or TE, or OL……I think you get the point! They are in a position to draft a good football player at #19 regardless of their position.
April 14th, 2017 at 3:22 pm
When a team shows progress like Tampa did, especially towards the end of season, then they don’t need to worry about what round this and that blah blah. They need someone who can step in and pick up the slack(running game) that caused them to miss being one of the upper echelon teams of the League .. So if that last puzzle piece needed happens to be a once in a lifetime game changing running back SO BE IT!!! Who cares if it’s in the first round. Plug in Dalvin and that will translate to more wins. Point Blank Period. Forget building because jackson is older and all that. They want wins NOW! Not 3-5yrs from now . HOW IS THAT SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND??!
April 14th, 2017 at 4:28 pm
Ok Joe but that is not the argument. No one disagrees that we need a better running game. There just happens to be a divide between those of us who want to improve it with first round O-Line talent instead of a 1st round RB. I am willing to bet that the bucs are using the Cook buzz to renegotiate a Doug Martin deal.
Oh – and add me to the list (if there is one) who says demar Dotson doesn’t make this team
April 14th, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Jeremy, a really interesting article on one of joe’s competitor sites. Unfortunately it uses a lot of data to indicate that the line was the real problem last year. So Joe focuses on YPC for Doug vs Rodgers. Unfortunately, if you dig a little deeper you find that Doug had more YAC, about a half yard more than Rodgers. The stats prove out that Doug was getting hit behind the line of scrimmage over and over again. The bucs have done nothing with the o-line and supposedly are counting a guy who never even made it on the practice filed last year to help pick up the slack. Kind of scary considering what that article pointed out.
April 14th, 2017 at 6:32 pm
LOL first rounders can overcome a struggling line. Ask Todd Gurley about that. That is a good one.
April 14th, 2017 at 6:48 pm
Touchdown Tampa – glad to hear that someone thinks the same way I do. Hopefully the GM feels the same way we do. A pick on the line is an investment in Jameis
April 14th, 2017 at 11:13 pm
@stpetebucfan
You right about cook he doesn’t get caught that’s what I notice the most and many times they had 70 years to try to catch him
P.s not a Seminole fan but I respect them (players ) can’t stand coach
I watched tons of highlights on all these top backs. Cook was best to be and had more longevity. If that’s how cook runs with bad shoulder DAM!! Take him cause if more healthy he will be even better. Cook with One bad shoulder better than what we got now
LSU RB nice but takes pounding cause style and aggressiveness.
McCafferey is more of Reggie bush with more toughness type to me and not break away against top talent.
Joe Nixon dangerous pick don’t know what you get or how long you get him for ( 3rd round ) I take him.