“Most Instinctive Player On This Football Team”
August 27th, 2017
Eye-opening claim
Man, Bucs icon Ronde Barber served up all kinds of insight last night from movers and shakers at One Buc Palace.
Serving as analyst on the Bucs-Browns broadcast, Barber dropped perhaps the juiciest nugget in the first half. Rookie linebacker Kendell Beckwith was mentioned and Barber gave an eye-opening endorsement.
“I was watching him in training camp, confirmed by [general mangaer] Jason Licht and many of the scouts, he might be the most instinctive player on this football team,” Barber said of Beckwith. “And we talked about his versatility. He’s going to start at SAM linebacker when the season starts, but he’s starting at the Mike for Kwon Alexander [Saturday], and he’s been an impressive player all camp.”
That’s quite a claim on Beckwith’s football IQ and talent. And the powers at One Buc Palace agree, per Barber.
So Beckwith is more instinctive than Brent Grimes, Kwon Alexander, DeSean Jackson and other established stars on the Bucs?
Wow, how good is Beckwith? We all saw his crazy instinctive forced fumble last night. He also had a bad missed tackle, but what a find as the last overall pick in the third round. And Licht traded up to get him.
Truly exciting times for the defense.
August 27th, 2017 at 8:56 am
I didnt like the fact he traded a pick to move up for him at the time. I dont mind now. Guy is a good football player. Way to be aggressive licht. Never know if he needed to trade up but he got who he wanted. Applauded. Looks like he is gonna make big plays. Go Bucs
August 27th, 2017 at 9:44 am
The move up 18 spots from #125 to #107 to get Beckwith was worth 33 value points according to the draft trade chart.
The 6th round pick Licht traded to make the move was worth 9.8 value points – a 70% discount on the trade up.
Drafting 2nd rd talent Beckwith as the very last 3rd round pick after all the comp picks was extreme value in more ways than one!
Great work by Licht (and the medical staff for a change)
August 27th, 2017 at 9:56 am
If this guy becomes a consistent starter for the bucs
…..th notch good decision by our GM
But I don’t like the way our 2nd rd safety is coming along…….hope he’s getting it or he’ll be a bust like mark barron
August 27th, 2017 at 10:03 am
The other day Joe ran a piece on “depth”. I think we’re finally getting to the point where draft picks…even high picks…are not assured of a starting spot from day one. Operative word being…”getting”…not quite there yet.
For Beckwith to come in and make a splash in this linebacking corps screams volumes.
As for our second round safety pick I share concerns…just like Ryan Smith at CB…but I certainly haven’t given up on them. We had three safeties with veteran experience before we even drafted Evans so a starting spot was never a given.
I believe the same thing is true for McWeapon. His shoulder injury wiped out his off season and learning the systems…wish he was further along in his knowledge but I certainly haven’t given up on him. I believe he’s going to blossom and become a good to great back…Doug Martin 2.0 with better hands.
But in the meantime he has Quizz ahead of him…Peyton ahead of him…and of course the most veteran of all…Doug Martin 1.0.
August 27th, 2017 at 10:14 am
Can Beckwith play safety? Maybe he will make up for drafting Justin Evans.
August 27th, 2017 at 10:35 am
Justin evans is a 1-2 year project. Superb athlete who is behind on the knowledge side of the game. Year 2-3 he should shine.
August 27th, 2017 at 11:17 am
C’mon guys…..It’s just preseason thus far…..give the rookie Evans a chance to develop…..from what I can see, he can put himself in a position to be around the ball…..they will work on his tackling and “thumping” issues….some of you may be regretting calling him an early bust.
August 27th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
I think Ryan Smith is coming along nicely. Not totally there yet, but getting there. after that missed diving pick i was “OHHHHH!!!”
August 27th, 2017 at 2:36 pm
I didn’t not like the Justin Evans pick at all.
August 27th, 2017 at 3:03 pm
That makes two of us SOE. That break on that ball last night was a thing of beauty. And I agree JE instincts back there will be off the charts once he knows what he’s doing. After a little what’s that term called “player development” oh yea that’s it.
August 27th, 2017 at 3:10 pm
Still trying figure out when did being drafted by the Bucs mean you should be on a All-Pro level the minute you set foot in the building??? Like you ain’t gotta learn s@$! bout the pro game. You already gotta be ready ready.
August 27th, 2017 at 3:44 pm
LSU Prospect! This kid is gonna do well with the Buccaneers!
August 27th, 2017 at 3:54 pm
Beckwith is going to be good. Real good. He’ll clean up the tackling. The guy is always around the ball.
Ryan Smith is starting to flash big time at CB. Dude has the physical tools for sure, just need to catch up on the experience. I’m impressed with how far he’s come in just a couple weeks.
August 27th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
Agree with Mania on Beckwith, he has to tackle better. He missed at least 2 tackles last night that I noticed and sort of tackled another guy who managed to pick up another 2 yards after contact. He’s a rookie and still coming back amazingly quickly from the ACL so I’m not worried at this point, but his tackling was poor. He did seem to be in the right place however and I didn’t notice any big mistakes.
As for Mania your comments on Ryan Smith I couldn’t disagree more. He had one nice play that should have been an INT and he dropped it, he had another play that should have been an INT returned for a TD and he didn’t even put his head up and he got burned on multiple plays where he was out of position or got juked out of his shoes – he was terrible past night and against a good QB in a good offense he’d single handedly lose us games. He was awful and I don’t see how they can possibly have someone that bad on the team. Maybe in a couple of years he’s OK, but right now he’d get us destroyed in games.
August 27th, 2017 at 5:52 pm
I like Beckwith and I didn’t mind the pick. Justin Evans… I still don’t get.. So great, we spent a second round pick, in one of the best second round drafts of all time for a guy who is a 2 year project? I can promise you thats not what they thought when they picked him. So glad we didn’t miss out on Godwin because of that pick, it is what calms me. If we wanted a 2 year project at safety, we should’ve picked Obi at that spot. I’m hoping Evans proves me wrong but even taking away the two horrible calls on him, he just looks awkward. I will say this, he shows effort. I have seen him on at least two occasions, miss a tackle, then work his way back to the runner only to miss the tackle again. I wonder if there is a record, most missed tackles on one play?
August 27th, 2017 at 5:52 pm
And as far as Ryan Smith goes.. I wish Justin Evans looked that good.
August 27th, 2017 at 7:58 pm
Sorry Guys- dont know what game you were watching- but Justin Evans looked good last night
Despite the two total BS calls the rookie refs made against him. In addition to stealing a TD from us. Refs were horrible last night.
And Ryan Smith also will be a good CB soon
Both are rookies- playing like rookies. Both show the talent that will make them starters soon.
Vernon Hargreaves looked at least this bad last preseason