Aguayo “Getting Better”
June 2nd, 2017
GM speaks.
Is embattled kicker Roberto Aguayo really getting better, or is the popular Buccaneers general manager just trying to give Aguayo a very public pat on the back?
We won’t know for sure until training camp begins but for the first time in roughly a month, AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has spoken publicly on the kicking battle between skinny post-challenged Aguayo and veteran kicker Nick Folk.
Chatting with Jonathan Jones of SI.com, Licht said what reporters don’t see during closed practices between Aguayo and Folk is equally as important as what reporters do see at the handful of open underwear football practices.
“We evaluate the players every day. What the media sees is one thing, but the media doesn’t see the everyday battle,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht told me before the start of Thursday’s OTAs. “That day it was publicized that Roberto missed those field goals on the skinny post and Folk made them. Now over there [on another field in a different practice] is a different story that the media didn’t pick up on. We’re evaluating every kick.
“The media doesn’t see the other 10 or 20 kicks that they do per day on the other field. They’re being charted, too. I’m not going to tell you what they are. But if people actually knew how Roberto was doing over there, they wouldn’t have taken the Day One report from the skinny posts like they did and made such a big deal of it. But they can only report what they see and I understand that.”
Licht added that Aguayo is “getting better.”
Of course Licht, per Jones’ article, didn’t offer any specifics at all about what Aguayo, a second round draft pick last year, was doing in closed practices away from prying eyes of the local pen and mic club. Or, of equal import, what Folk was doing. Nor did Joe expect Licht to.
Look, you think Licht is going to throw any bubble player under the bus, much less during underwear football? Not even a fellow former second-round pick, ASJackwagon, who got run from an underwear football practice (a concept as hilarious as just about any Three Stooges routine), stayed on the team after his stunt.
Joe has maintained that unless Aguayo is perfect in preseason, then he is in grave danger of losing his job to Folk. And Joe will stick with that prediction.
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:10 am
Not only stick with the prediction but post about it 4 times a week. Give the kid a break Joe.
Read a good article on how up and down kickers are from year to year. Even Gostkowski and Vinitieri had bad years.
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:10 am
Joe, this guy is done. You know it and we know it. If I were Roberto, I’d be interviewing for my..fast food mngt job..right now.
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:14 am
We never know as outside the window ppl what’s really doing. Every player, coach, gm, owner always by any means talk great about one another under any circumstance. They are not going to say aguoyo sucks in public or dm is a crack head or gmc needs to harden his stones.
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:14 am
We need a competent kicker, period. If Aguayo can’t hack it; Bye Felicia!
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:19 am
So, Aguayo only sucks when people are watching? That’s a great trait for an NFL player. Just great.
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:26 am
NFL.com has Aguayo as the Bucs biggest weak spot. If that is the case the Bucs are loaded!
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:32 am
GREAT thing it’s only June 2nd.
I’ll be worried about Kicker and every other position battle come 4pm on Sep. 3rd.
Until then, enjoy your summer!
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:40 am
I’d like to see more about the O-Line transition and what we’re going to do with the stable of RB’s, then constant droning about our kicking situation.
It was a goofy move to take one in the 2nd round, enough said.
June 2nd, 2017 at 12:11 pm
I predict more 2-point conversions and going for it in the Red Zone on 4th and 5.
Interesting..??
Otherwise, cage match between Aguayo and Folk.
Winner gets the Job. Loser starts at SS during TC.
How Long..??
Not Long..!!
June 2nd, 2017 at 12:23 pm
Test
June 2nd, 2017 at 12:28 pm
@Licht … ““The media doesn’t see the other 10 or 20 kicks that they do per day on the other field. They’re being charted, too. I’m not going to tell you what they are.” Sounds exactly like what we hear coming out of Washington every day … media doesn’t get to see everything going on behind the curtain but we do, so take what they say with a grain of salt. Fun game … and yet I wonder if Jason’s willing to go down that same road a second time (keep Aguayo & release Folk).
June 2nd, 2017 at 12:34 pm
I’ll believe in him when I see him drill 50+ yarders down the middle. His leg just doesn’t seem to be that strong and he seems to compensate with bad technique…which is weird because he was so good on kickoffs. I don’t get it man lol
June 2nd, 2017 at 12:39 pm
Folk 6’1 222
Aguayo 6’0 207
Pretty evenly matched….and I had no idea either was this big.
June 2nd, 2017 at 1:22 pm
Kenny Bell looked great this time last year also. Just saying.
June 2nd, 2017 at 1:25 pm
Once the players put the pads on, you might get more line analysis. Once again, this is underwear football season. The NFL forbids hitting during underwear football. So it is impossible to judge any lineman at this point. Dirk Koetter mentions this virtually each day.
At least with kicking you sort of get an idea. The fact Aguayo struggles *without* a defense coming at him is telling.
June 2nd, 2017 at 1:26 pm
At least he looked great going up against some defense.
Aguayo doesn’t look good going up against no defense.
June 2nd, 2017 at 1:41 pm
I get that it is underwear football….maybe some insight into what the O-Line depth chart is….who takes over at LT if Smith goes down this season (God help us if it’s Dotson)…what is the depth chart looking like so far? The O Line was the weak link last season, and I was one of the few guys here voting for LT in Round one.
And thanks for commenting Joe…This made my hour!
June 2nd, 2017 at 1:54 pm
Honestly, this may be the eighth time (at least) Joe’s mentioned this: George Warhop is on record (as of two weeks ago) the backup tackle (left or right) is Kevin Pamphile.
Currently, teams do not have depth charts in underwear football. They come out just before first preseason game. They are dubious then, and fully trivial now… if there was one.
June 2nd, 2017 at 2:52 pm
meh Says:
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:19 am
So, Aguayo only sucks when people are watching? That’s a great trait for an NFL player. Just great.
—–
Comment of the thread. Nailed it.
June 2nd, 2017 at 4:45 pm
meh Says:
June 2nd, 2017 at 11:19 am
So, Aguayo only sucks when people are watching? That’s a great trait for an
NFL player. Just great.
—–
Comment of the thread. Nailed it.
-So all we have to do is get the entire stadium to close their eyes?
June 2nd, 2017 at 8:30 pm
Chance that we keep 2 kickers?..
June 2nd, 2017 at 8:50 pm
Whatever. I hope the kid does well and plays for the Bucs for the next 15 years, you know meaning the Bucs didn’t waste a draft pick on the kid. But that’s just me, most Bucs “fans” would rather see him fail than hope he succeeds since that means they can tell everyone how it was them that KNEW it was a bad draft pick, because, you know, it was such an original point of view and such a hot take to have.
June 3rd, 2017 at 12:49 am
Many Bucs fans here don’t believe in developing players. If someone does not perform the first year they demand to have him cut or released. Look at tackle smith , they want him gone. They don’t understand these players develop over years. Consistency, reps and playing with same unit goes a long way. Unless your top 5 pick OT stud in draft u normally pan out first year.
Joe take a look at how many superstars struggled first year ( sbas, Pmanning, lynch, rhonde, farve )
Fans here would have cut these guys after rookie year and label a bust. Should post list and educate fans.
FOLES LOVER CHECK OUT HIS CAREER STATS , he had dreadful 4 yr streak
Joe: why was he released and not picked up by other teams if he is best in NFL?
Lord cornelious, good observations, that questions is what should be investigated and would be better reading.
June 3rd, 2017 at 2:46 am
Sorry but Aguayo will never make an NFL kicker. Technique is all wrong. Arms east/west should be north/south. Leans back and doesn’t get his head over the ball, and he isn’t aggressive enough in his approach so ‘chips’ the ball instead of ‘driving’ it. Roberto, change or expect what we would call this side of the pond, the heave-ho.
June 3rd, 2017 at 11:18 am
Rod-
Nail meet Head- I went to FSU and I will admit I am a homer. I would love to see the schools that these posters support and how many actually graduated from said institution. I am class of ’94, my wife is ’97. Aguayo was not very good last year, but go back and look at the rest of round 2 and round 3. I know Aguayo can kick. At one point if you watch his highlights, the National announcer mentions that someone may take a flier on him in the first round, that is how good he was. I think only Vonn Bell and maybe Nassib had a decent year. People talk out of their a$$ and will so or say anything to be right. In this case they may be right, but it is too early to tell. Licht and Koetter will let us know, not a keyboard junkie. Also for those that say his leg isn’t strong enough have no idea what they are talking about. He routinely kicked 60 yarders in warmups for FSU.
UK Buc may be correct, a goalkeeper on a goal kick attacks the ball better than Aguayo at this point, I have asked for months, why don’t the Bucs bring in M. Gramatica and work with Roberto? He is coaching soccer locally (and kicking butt, of course). He may be a steady hand for him. His consulting fee would be ashtray cash for the Glazers. He was the best kicker we have ever had (respect to Matt Bryant) until the kicker brain disease set in.