Report: Aguayo Failures A Locker Room Issue
June 28th, 2017
Esteemed Buccaneers beat writer Jenna Laine rolled out goodies this week during an appearance on WDAE-AM 620/95.3 FM.
Joe has written and spoken previously about how the must-see-TV known as Roberto Aguayo attempting a kick had to be in the heads of Bucs players and wearing on them last year.
Just go back and watch the prayer group of Buccaneers before Aguayo kicked in the Week 5 game against the Panthers. When’s the last time you saw prayers like that during a game that didn’t have extreme consequences to its result?
Joe was certain player would realize that the winning culture Dirk Koetter set out to build couldn’t include riding with an poor kicker who was gifted a job before the preseason began.
Laine, who covers the team for ESPN, took it a step further this week, after chatting with guys who wear the uniform.
“Some of the players in the locker room have told me kind off the record that they would agree with this in the sense that, you know, in a bottom line business, just like any other position on the team, if you have someone that’s not performing, they’re replaced,” Laine said. “Well, kicker you don’t have a backup so it’s a little more challenging, but everyone is expected to produce and everyone is expected to be held accountable regardless of where they were drafted. … You have a certain standard that has to be maintained. … If they can’t deliver at their own positions, then they shouldn’t have a guy that’s out there can’t deliver as well, either.
“You get what I’m saying? It sends a bad message to a locker room if you’re holding all your other players accountable for missing assignments, or making mistakes, dropping passes, but then you have a kicker that’s going out there in clutch situations and failing to produce. So I think it’s a great competition.”
You can hear Laine’s full comments at the 6:03 mark of the audio. She also emphasized that Aguayo is well liked and had a great outing in Kansas City and other positive moments last season.
But the message Laine sent was clear and poignant. A healthy culture of accountability needs competition and consequences at every position.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:25 pm
That’s a reach. Not trying to be a Debbie downer on the story but he didn’t lose any games for on paper. And I think a franchise qb that head butted an opponent is way concerning. In a critical game in front of the world.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
Aguayo will either win or lose the competition with Folk…..let’s just hope it is clear…..what a dilemma if it is a close call.
You have to cut him if he isn’t the better kicker.
If it a tie…..you have to go with Aguayo…..let’s just hope it’s not.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
Sooo … the post headline is a little misleading. Nothing here is misleading. You might want to look up the definition of issue. –Joe There is no locker room “issue,” but the Bucs brass has sought to head off any such thing from happening due to the signing of Nick Folk.
I clicked on this expecting to read that Jenna Laine said unnamed Bucs players are upset RIGHT NOW about the kicking situation, but that appears to be far from the case.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:39 pm
Man this sucks…I think we’ll need our kicker more than ever. We’re gonna need all 3 phases to win
June 28th, 2017 at 2:44 pm
coming from a Nole alumni:
If it is a tie–AGUAYO GETS CUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
crying out loud no more repeats, Folk has excellent credentials in the NFL
Aguayo deserves nothing– At the most, if there is a tie they kick till it is over and someone wins, in front of a full stadium of onlookers, they should charge money for it and help pay for the indoor facility
June 28th, 2017 at 2:44 pm
Jenna is a joke. Sorry, but Jenna is not a joke, and Joe cannot vouch for your Twitter experience alleged below. –Joe She’s got such an astute mind and opinion, that she was telling any Bucs fans who would listen on twitter 2 years ago, that because of the monies that would be owed to Lovie Smith, that there was no way the Glazers would be firing him. I called her out and asked if she was the one that would be footing the bill for his firing, and how much she thought it would cost the Glazer’s bottom line to keep letting coach my scheme put his brand of crap out on the field. Predictably, she got her panties in an all offended wad.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:44 pm
Wait it out until preseason, If he can’t kick by then, Cut him.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
if its a tie….we’re screwed….GO BUCS!!!!
June 28th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
Our kicker? Folk and Aguayo are both on the roster so I don’t get your point.
June 28th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
If players are saying that behind closed doors, then Koetter will have only one choice to avoid losing credibility in the locker room: if it’s close or a tie, or even if Roberto is slightly ahead, Aguayo has to be cut. The only way he should stay is if it’s clear to all that he’s the better kicker. If players think there’s funny business going on it could snowball from there. I think Folk stays.
June 28th, 2017 at 3:01 pm
I’m a Noles fan & I say just go with Folk. Too many games are decided by FG’s
June 28th, 2017 at 3:07 pm
There aren’t many things that piss off the r3st of the offensive players more than when they get into field goal range and the kicker continually misses the kick. It especially will mess with Winstons head and encourage him to take chances with the ball that he knows he shouldn’t be taking when he gets to that point of the fi3ld.
June 28th, 2017 at 3:10 pm
Bottom line is we need a kicker that can um…..kick! May the best man win!
June 28th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Competition is a good thing. Its either swim or sink this preseason for Aguayo.
Folk is not the most reliable kicker either historically – but he does have a positive track record overall including about 50% from all 50+ yard attempts
June 28th, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Not sure why people are saying Aguayo’s gotta go if it’s a close competition. Folk is proven and has never had a year as bad as Aguayo’s rookie season, but he’s also a career 81% kicker. 3 more made kicks of Aguayo’s 31 puts him at Folk’s career average. Can Aguayo be 3 kicks better this year? I certainly think it’s possible, and why wouldn’t you keep a player 10 years younger if he now appears capable of making 4 out every 5 kicks
I’m not saying blindly keep faith. i don’t know the first thing about kicking a football but even i could tell that Aguayo’s mechanics were inconsistent and he was “directing” the ball instead of just putting his foot through it. If he doesn’t fix his mechanics but still outkick folk, buhbye bobby. If he looks much better mechanically and is roughly as effective or slightly less effective than folk in that ultra-small sample size, he’s going to be the kicker for at least one more year
June 28th, 2017 at 3:58 pm
The Bucs are notorious for cutting their former 2nd round draft picks. Cutting this bum will be no different.
June 28th, 2017 at 4:08 pm
@ Lamarcus
Yes he did cost us a game. The rams game. He missed an extra point and a 40 yard fg. I know that is only 4 points and we lost by 5, but we were in fg range at the end of the game and had to go for the touchdown instead of kicking the chip shot and winning by 2.
June 28th, 2017 at 4:57 pm
For all of those anxious to cut Aguayo if things are even……here are the points in Aguayo’s favor:
We drafted him.
He has 3 years left on his cheap rookie contract.
He’s a Floridian/FSU player.
Who do you think Jameis would keep if it’s a tie?
Pablo likes him and who want’s to hear Pablo whine about no Hispanics on Bucs
But….I like the idea of a “Kickoff Challenge Night”……start at the 25 and move back…..but, let each kicker pick a charity for the proceeds.
Joe provides the free beer.
June 28th, 2017 at 4:59 pm
The problem is RA can’t kick 50 yarders. In this league that is makeable FG. Folk has the ability to make the long ones. Imo they should cut RA now. Pretty simple in my book.
June 28th, 2017 at 5:12 pm
OK, so what have the players been saying about Drug Martin?
June 28th, 2017 at 5:37 pm
In other news! Water is wet! If fans are POd about aguayo missing kicks you know the guys on the field are equally or more. Fans invest a little time to watching games and reading JBf.com but we dont make it our livelihood. Aguayo steuggle should have upset any player that wants ro win. Any player ok with aguayo sucking should be cut immediately. It doesnt mean you dont want him to do good, Or encourage him like Jameis did. But if you feel nothing about him at all then you are a soulless monster and should not be on this team.
June 28th, 2017 at 5:44 pm
At this point when your a team on the cusp of a playoff birth, best man wins. Couldnt agree more, Hes a good kid, but its best for both parties to part way if Folk is healthy and kicking well. The last thing you want is that to be on the other 52 players minds every sunday.
June 28th, 2017 at 7:16 pm
Laine is goofy … she also said she’d take Matt Ryan ahead of Brees … goofy
June 28th, 2017 at 7:16 pm
Huge reach.
June 28th, 2017 at 7:45 pm
If it’s close I think the Bucs will keep Aguayo because of the draft capital invested in him. But I disagree with those who say that we should give Aguayo even more benefit of the doubt because of his youth. Folk is 32, and that is not as old for kickers as it is for other position players. Stenerud, Morten Andersen , Gary Anderson, Garo Yepremian, Matt Bryant (still active) and many other kickers continued to be effective placekickers close to and even into their forties.
June 28th, 2017 at 8:16 pm
Folk has 3 seasons out of 10 over 85% kicking accuracy. in other words, Nick Folk is a safety net, not a savior. the bucs badly need Aguayo to win this handily or they will be back in kicker purgatory with the majority of the NFL – a career of 4 kicks made out of every 5 is barely acceptable in the NFL, and that’s who folk is
Or they could just score touchdowns all the time and forget about FGs altogether. Aguayo did make 32 out of 34 XPs
June 28th, 2017 at 8:38 pm
Mike evans goat
He didn’t cost us that rams game… the ram impotent offense scored 37 points so hmmmm play a little defense on the WORST OFFENSE in the Nfl what cost us that man. I’m not getting your point. No way in hell the Rams put up 37 on us at home. Aguayo is blame ok
June 28th, 2017 at 8:50 pm
This is not shocking. Aguayo struggled last year and it creates a little natural rancor amongst the team. But you have to keep in mind he’s a rookie. The Falcons didn’t give up on Vic Beasley did they after one sub-par year?
Kicking is one of the most volatiles positions because it can vary so widely from year-to-year ala turnovers or touchdowns from individual players. If he’s any good the variance will smooth itself out over the next season or two.
June 28th, 2017 at 10:02 pm
Whole kicker thingie has been overblown IMO. Jason Licht recognized his faux pas (drafting Aquayo in the 2nd rnd) and corrected it when he brought in Folk as competition. The two will do so much kicking in preseason that I’m confident the ‘winner’ will be evident to those who matter … the coaches who evaluate them day in and day out. Gut feel is that Folk will end up being our kicker this season, but if the competition is super close, I’d be happy with either.
June 28th, 2017 at 10:13 pm
This goes into the “Well, DUH!” file.
Of COURSE it effects the team. Anyone who has played football will tell you that missing a FG is a total bummer on the team. All that work and the skinny kid who doesn’t bleed or break a sweat or have mussed up hair misses it?
Missing a FG not only leaves points on the field, but gives the other team decent FG position, AND pumps them up.
June 28th, 2017 at 11:38 pm
Defense Rules Says
“Jason Licht recognized his faux pas (drafting Aquayo in the 2nd rnd)”
It doesn’t matter what round he was drafted in if he works out. If Aguayo had been blockbusters his rookie year, people would not be talking about drafting him the second being a mistake.
What he needs to determine is if drafting Agauyo was a mistake at all…regardless of round.
June 29th, 2017 at 3:07 am
PicK6
I ditto that🤗
June 29th, 2017 at 3:48 am
@Bonzai … “It doesn’t matter what round he was drafted in if he works out.” Totally agree Bonzai, but … had Roberto been drafted in say the 7th rnd none of this would even be an issue. He would’ve been replaced by now more than likely. Drafting a kicker with a 2nd rnd pick establishes some extremely high expectations, but also probably resulted in Roberto getting more chances to stick than say a 7th rnd kicker would’ve gotten. Every position needs competition to bring out every player’s best.
June 29th, 2017 at 7:09 am
Blaming Aguayo for the rams loss is short sighted.Any team has a hard time
overcoming more than three mistakes.
There were a number of lapses defensively.Even on offense where Jameis had
statistically one of his better games,He still had a fumble,INT,and missed a wide open VJAX on the goalline .
June 29th, 2017 at 7:39 am
IT dose matter what the defense did. If aguayo hits his kicks we win that game. I’m an FSU guy, but aguayo is a serious liability
June 29th, 2017 at 12:53 pm
Good thing is we get to see both him and folk in preseason games battling it out. I think Aquayo better be spot on in preseason to impress me, other bucs fans, and Bucs coaches and front office. He misses one easy shot and he’s gone unless Folk is a total disaster.
June 29th, 2017 at 5:40 pm
EVERY NFL rookie struggles