Clinton McDonald And Snaps
August 25th, 2017
Talks playing time.
When Joe learned Friday that practice-hating, kicker-heckling, tree-grinding Chris Swaggy Baker was nursing a couple of things, Joe wondered how that would affect the defensive line.
Hey, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht didn’t drop $6 million in Swaggy’s lap for this season to be a backup. (His contract is only guaranteed for 2017.)
So yesterday, Joe had a chance to chat briefly with Clinton McDonald, Swaggy’s competition at defensive tackle. Joe asked McDonald how much his role has changed with the addition of Swaggy and how much of a rotation will he be involved in, if at all.
McDonald, politely, told Joe those decisions are over his head.
“Whatever the coaches say is what I’m going to do,” McDonald said. “I don’t have any say-so. I’m not the top-office guy. I don’t make any personnel decisions, I just come out here and play the game.
“I’m out here to play football. I’m not out here to dictate my snaps and say, ‘This is how many I’m going to play.’ I’m not in that position, like I said. I’m not an office guy so I don’t make those decisions. I just go out here and do what I’m told and execute the plays that they give me.”
So, since Swaggy is still nursing things, Joe’s going to hold off on guessing what kind of a rotation he and McDonald might be in based on the third preseason game Saturday night at the Den of Depression.
(Yes, Joe will be happy to drop that moniker as soon as the Bucs win five home games in a year. Is that really too much to ask?)
August 25th, 2017 at 5:28 am
Den of Depression was perfect at one point. Now it seems out of place with the current state of things with the Bucs and our new set of expectations and optimism. Also seems contrary to the whole mission of the Stick carrier movement. Maybe it should be retired until/if the Bucs lose a 4th home game. I know you will be more than happy to let it die anyway.
August 25th, 2017 at 5:57 am
I had a chance to get CMs autograph and picture taken after the bucs loss in St.louis. The final game that was played there on Thursday night. I gotta say he was the only one that would go into the crowd of ppl and shake hands and take pics. Doug Martin was also doing autographs. I was drunk and made a big deal about how the whole team could learn from CM he laughed it off. But all in all he was a dream come true for me. I had his autograph on a dicks sporting goods receipt.
August 25th, 2017 at 6:45 am
Joe will never understand why some readers are determined to lie about Joe, misrepresent Joe, and actually invest the time to produce complete sentences on the subject.–Joe
August 25th, 2017 at 7:10 am
I have not read a positive thing about Tree-hugging Swaggy on any site since the Bucs signed him. I hope he is not a lost cause and brings the DL down!
August 25th, 2017 at 7:26 am
Come on Joe, to change the culture we need to change our mind set and labels that includes “The Den of Depression” and it has got to go. You make me cringe every time i read it now, lol. Do you wait for change or does change wait for you? no “you be the change you want to see in the world”, Gandhi
See you just made me quote Gandhi, nobody wants to see that.
August 25th, 2017 at 8:10 am
@Evolvingbucfan
Everyone but Joe knows that it was dropped last year!!!! He might as well claim that you don’t have a winning season if you don’t make the playoffs!!!!! How many teams were a “den of depression then???????
Hope CM98 takes that anger to the field!!!!! Maybe with his reduced snap count he can finally play a full 16 game schedule something that he has not done in the previous 7 seasons!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 25th, 2017 at 8:23 am
6 million for fat swaggy.
8 million for Dontari Poe!!
A Pro-Bowler!
Makes me so mad!!
August 25th, 2017 at 8:28 am
Dontari Poe film breakdown from first preseason game against the Dolphins.
He destroys people!
Aaaahhhhhh!!!
What were you thinking Licht!
Dontari Poe is a freak! 340, fast, and strong!
Former 1st round pick.
And we got fat swaggy.
Great!
We better outbid Atlanta next year for this guy!
August 25th, 2017 at 8:29 am
https://www.reddit.com/r/falcons/comments/6uibzp/dontari_poe_preseason_game_one_breakdown/
Film of Dontari as a Falcon
August 25th, 2017 at 8:47 am
I honestly do not get the purpose of “we could’ve had instead we have” “we could’ve drafted but we did draft”.
What good does crying over spilt milk. It changes NOTHING about OUR team. It changes NOTHING going forward into the 2017 season.
I can only believe that the posters perhaps think they are showing they are better qualified to be GM than Licht. Other than personal aggrandizement what does it prove or mean?
If somebody wants to write a post during the offseason breaking down all of Licht’s moves during his tenure and grade them fine….but this constant whining about individual draft picks or FA’s doesn’t really accomplish anything.
But if we MUST do it….let’s look at our first FIVE picks in 2000 and moan and cry and say how stupid we were when Tom Brady went in the sixth round!!!
The season is HERE!!! Time to concentrate on the team we have.
August 25th, 2017 at 9:08 am
@ St. Pete … the past feeds their “story”. Is a type of emotional addiction. Meanwhile they don’t fully enjoy the Badass team we have.
August 25th, 2017 at 9:46 am
@Stpetebucsfan
The sheep love to be right using the hindsight is 20/20 model!!!! They use this tactic to show “I was right” even though they said and posted nothing!!!!!! That is why The Buc Realist uses the “Realist Repost” to show the TRUTH!!!!!!!!! And St Pete is right!!!! We have the players that they have and will take the field with!!!! Now its up to them to be a “Team” to win against the league!!!!
Jameis Winston says: Mr Realist!!! Its getting close to game time!!! Give me something inspirational!!!!!
The Buc Realist says: You want it!!!! You got it!!!!!!!!!!!!
“”In Football, you learn the essence of people. You see so many examples of self-sacrifice and moral courage!!!!!!! In the rest of life, you don’t get that many opportunities to be sure of your friends and family!!! Now show your teammates what self-sacrifice is!!! Show them how lifting them up betters you!!!!!!”
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 25th, 2017 at 10:37 am
Such a stimulating comment by the realist and I thought this thread was about Swaggy? .
August 25th, 2017 at 11:03 am
@teacherman…I agree….I wanted poe soooo bad….
licht has had some questionable calls when it comes to the roster…..
drafting Roberto instead of vonn bell….
drafting j.evans instead of d.walker….
signing baker instead of poe….
signing sorry a$$ fitz to back up Winston
passing on AP….now joe is talking about trading for shaddy lol….
Roberto is gone…..
j.evans has struggled….
fitz is straight trash and hope he never sees the field as a buc….
rb production behind doug is at a minimum…..
verdict is still out on baker since he doesn’t practice or play in preseason….
with that being said I support licht but he has some “head scratching” moments….GO BUCS!!!!
August 25th, 2017 at 11:49 am
Clinton McDonald is a VERY good player. He’s not McCoy good but McDonald is a very solid DT that can play either spot in the middle well for us.
Staying healthy and available has been #98’s biggest obstacle as a Buccaneer. He’s missed 17 games over the last 3 years.
Still – at a flat $2M for this year – the last year of his 4 year contract – McDonald is easily the best “bargain” on the team among veterans comparing what you get for the cost.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Poe has been bad for the last 2 seasons and graded out much lower than baker last season. He is simply a much better player than poe. His practice habits and overall disdain for anything but the games is what is and could continue to hinder him from a long term deal with lots of guaranteed money. But make no mistake the Bucs got a much better player for a lot less guaranteed then the Falcons did.