Getting Desperate At Defensive Line?
August 31st, 2017
Sad.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht spent time in the WFLA-TV Channel 8 broadcast booth last night with play-by-play man Chris Myers and analyst Ronde Barber.
Licht had some interesting things to say.
Of course, the subject of yet another friggin’ season without any edge rush was brought up.
Licht, as he is wont to do, has the same habit former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik had but shed after a couple of years of experience dealing with the media: talking up every player as if they should play in a Pro Bowl.
But when it came to the defensive line tonight, specifically a pass rush, Licht’s tone of voice changed and he didn’t exactly toss around high praise. He almost sounded guarded in his words, which to Joe speaks volumes.
Licht has to be concerned. We saw last week what this defensive line is like without Gerald McCoy: impotent.
They treated quarterbacks as if they had the Ebola virus: They seem to have no desire to come near quarterbacks.
How bad was the lack of a pass rush for much of the first three quarters tonight? In the first half, sackless George Johnson must have thought he was in a night club the way he was getting shoved around by bouncers.
The problem is, there are few if any answers that will be available in the coming days as teams cut down to 53 players by 4 p.m. Saturday. If a defensive end was any good, then teams wouldn’t let him go in September, though Licht got a a pile of sacks out of Jacquies Smith when the Bills cut him in 2014.
August 31st, 2017 at 10:42 pm
Blame Mike Smith, there is always an open reciever. More soft zone coverage alwasy leaves somewhere to dump a pass off. Tight coverage makes qbs hold onto the ball is something not found in the bucs golden handbook
August 31st, 2017 at 10:44 pm
Hundo says they get carved up by cutler week
August 31st, 2017 at 10:52 pm
[You are right. Thought he retired. — Joe]
August 31st, 2017 at 10:54 pm
Problem is they draft one defensive end and think that’s the end all be all. Need to be drafting defensive ends every year. Defensive line is essential and we’ve wasted a good 3 tech by not supplying him with capable defensive ends.
August 31st, 2017 at 10:55 pm
I’ll take that bet 10/10 times. It’s preseason and Smith is playing vanilla af. When he busts out the blitzes and disguises, it will all be okay.
August 31st, 2017 at 10:57 pm
I think joe is confusing von miller with Demarcus ware. One of them has a chicken farm, the other is retired. Lol.
2018 Draft needs:
1. DE
2. OT
3. CB and/or S
4. RB
August 31st, 2017 at 10:58 pm
I had the same reaction. [Been corrected.]
August 31st, 2017 at 10:58 pm
I’m not so sure our problem is the defensive line…but rather an edge rush with a lack of a dominant DE.
If Smitty is the anti-Lovie and plays a D that matches the talent he has on the roster I simply do not see how we avoid running a LOT of 3-4 defense.
We have a wealth of talent at LB…we have a DE in Noah Spence who is too light to be a traditional DE yet has the skill set to terrorize as the outside backer on the Right….LVD is a great blitzer and could rush from the left…we have the beef now to find a decent NT and let GMC and Ayers lineup beside a classic NT.
This is one of the most interesting years for Buc coaching I can recall. There’s Smitty’s challenge…and of course…how is DK gonna use all those offensive weapons.
August 31st, 2017 at 11:00 pm
I hope Licht holds responsible the person or parties responsible for filling out this roster and somehow finding a pass rush. Go get em Licht!
August 31st, 2017 at 11:01 pm
Literally cannot wait until week 1 so we can have an actual sense of where our team is after seeing them play a real football game.
August 31st, 2017 at 11:01 pm
But history shows Msmith NEVER EVER had or developed a stud DE. It’s not him.
August 31st, 2017 at 11:06 pm
[Why don’t you Twitter him? Joe likes him and he’s always been good to Joe. ]
August 31st, 2017 at 11:16 pm
Idk but Sheldon rankins taco McKinley Beasley and short look nice. They get to the ball quickly. Quickly. Good thing dsmith likes tacos.
August 31st, 2017 at 11:29 pm
Hence why I said if we were to redo our 2nd round pick it should’ve been a pass rusher, not a running back. Somehow people think that’s arguable
September 1st, 2017 at 12:00 am
we have passed on soooooooooooo many lineman on both sides in the draft since Jason took over
i dont get it.
our back up lines have been smoked the last two weeks.
You can say whatever you want but the facts are we arent going to the next level with these lines.
September 1st, 2017 at 12:00 am
I’ve always appreciated GMac…and now more so…
Your article is spot on..
September 1st, 2017 at 1:58 am
Why is that Westernbuc? How many seasons has Muscle Hampster lasted the whole season without an injury? Very rare. Our 5th round pick was supposed to also be a great blocker and pass receiver according to Licht. He missed a block tonight which resulted in a sack and did the same thing last week that allowed a sack of Jameis. He also dropped an easy pass today. Payton is a short yardage back and not a breakaway back. Our tallest back from W.Va. cannot run inside. Rogers had some good games last year but also ended up hurt. So we do not have a star back we can count on all season, while the three other teams in our conference have great RBs and the Bucs got a fifth round unimpressive dodo brained average rookie back who really shouldn’t make our team but will to help Licht’s ego.
September 1st, 2017 at 2:09 am
. . . If only we had a DE . . .
September 1st, 2017 at 2:39 am
Gotta say- really liked Abdesmad!
6’6″, 284# and showed great quicks against the Reserves.
Really wanna see him against the first string.
Only DE on our roster that showed the burst neede to pressure a QB.
I think this young man may show up on the final roster.
Shouldnt be hard to beat out one of our many no shows!
September 1st, 2017 at 3:37 am
Trade for Sheldon Rirchardson. I can’t imagine the jets would want much because of his contract situation. Rent him for a year if the price is right
September 1st, 2017 at 4:41 am
To not have an edge rusher at this point is unforgivable. This was a known issue in the off season. To not address it successfully will keep the Bucs from the playoffs. Mark my words
September 1st, 2017 at 5:13 am
Brad
He is a dt, a good one but a dt. We are good at dt. He also is a cancer from everything ive heard. I have a bit of an inside track on the jets. Theres a reason nobodys traded for him since he has been available, over a year. Gota weigh the risk/reward. Go bucs
September 1st, 2017 at 8:32 am
Keep drafting kickers , head case TE’s and a safety with the 2nd round pick and it’s no wonder why we don’t have a n edge rush…
Whoops, left out a running back that dances with a third and a fourth round corner that they try to convert to safety and then send back to corner..
Go figure…
September 1st, 2017 at 9:17 am
Hope Jac Smith makes it back soon and can play the majority of games this year.
Ayers and Spence are both good pass rushers – but we need more firepower than that.
I agree that Abdesmad looked pretty good for a guy who just joined the team Capt Tim.
September 1st, 2017 at 9:35 am
All they need is Jacquies Smith to return. Combine him with Noah Spence and at DT GMC and Robert Ayers, sprinkle in some LVD and Kwon blitzing and wallahh…a pass rush.
September 1st, 2017 at 10:17 am
Does anyone know why we couldn’t get Kony Ealy? He would be good for 15-20 snaps a game right
September 1st, 2017 at 11:06 am
Ealy was claimed off waivers by a worse team higher up the waiver pecking order – before our claim for him came available. We tried.
September 1st, 2017 at 2:10 pm
st.pete thats what most are waiting for. We have a solid roster and would be dominant in the 3-4. Spence is built for it in olb. I agree with anyone saying this defense can be top 10 but not with smitty in charge, not gonna happen. Dirk needs to cut ties with his boy and promote jay hayes to dc been saying that since lovie was still here