Ex-Buc: Sweezy Having Flexibility Issues
November 23rd, 2017
“Mr. Glazer, Mr. Licht, you know of a good yoga gym?”
It’s not a been a strong season for J.R. Sweezy, the right guard who returned this year after missing a full calendar year of practice and games because of back surgery.
Sweezy hasn’t been brutal, but he hasn’t looked as advertised: monster, nasty mauler in the run game. That reputation is what got the Bucs to open the Team Glazer vault for him in March 2016.
So what’s wrong?
Former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht, an analyst on the Buccaneers Radio Network and a film guru for Buccaneers.com, said Sweezy looks like the back surgery cost him blocking leverage.
“With his injury, he lost a little bit of flexibility in my opinion,” Becht said of Sweezy on WDAE-AM 620 this week. “Now he’s not the most flexible guy, but when you’re talking about leveraging a defensive player, when you get just a couple of inches higher than that point, it doesn’t matter how strong you are. … He’s gotten caught sometimes where he usually mauls guys, where he’s been stoned or gotten pushed back.”
Interestingly, Becht’s comments came after host J.P. Peterson asked a question which included a statement that Sweezy has been “bad this year” and “he’s getting overpowered.” Becht didn’t counter those takes at all.
Becht added that Sweezy likely will need the offseason to get more flexible, so Becht is not expecting improvement this late in the season.
Joe’s not down on Sweezy at all. Heck, he’s stayed healthy far longer than Joe thought he would. Joe never expected Sweezy to return and be a dominant, physical presence after back surgery. It just wasn’t realistic.
November 24th, 2017 at 12:06 am
IMO he is habing ‘blocking’ issues
November 24th, 2017 at 12:21 am
Another reach by our stellar GM
November 24th, 2017 at 12:24 am
Put a tutu on him and get him ballet lessons. Forget the muscle, big guy, do some west coast yoga and you can be great again.
November 24th, 2017 at 5:29 am
Sorry Joe but Sweezy has been ‘brutal’ but not in a good way. Marpet is having a good year at Center, Dotson is having a good year at RT, but Sweezy is REALLY looking bad at Guard in-between them. And his play is killing our running game. Pamphile’s barely any better at the other Guard. Licht needs to upgrade BOTH of our Guard positions big-time this off-season or next year will just be more of the same. And probably without Doug Martin to kick around and blame for all our running woes.
November 24th, 2017 at 6:49 am
Defense Rules is spot on.
November 24th, 2017 at 7:54 am
A swing and a miss!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 24th, 2017 at 8:50 am
Marpet is horrible at center and licht the genious mismanaged an area of prrsonnel he is supposed to know the OL, but when your first move is letting penn walk your knowledge is not greatvto begin with
November 24th, 2017 at 9:05 am
Incredily, vastly, terribly OVERPAID……typical of Free Agent signings by this team…..
November 24th, 2017 at 9:14 am
Marpet has been our best linemen considering the guys next to him on both sides suck. It’s past mid season, and we still don’t know who our starting L.G. is. If you just put decent guards next to him next year, he could be a pro bowl center. Better O line coaching couldn’t hurt either.
November 24th, 2017 at 10:22 am
Another reach by our stellar GM
Pelbuc…yes indeed a prayer that was only partially answered. Licht cannot simply wave a wand and turn and entire roster over in 3 years.
Building through the draft? 7 picks a year…50% failure rate on average for ALL NFL GMS….do the math…you can expect ten players for your 53 player roster in three years.
FA’s and UDFA’s help…Brent Grimes…Cameron Brate…but only so many of them.
So ANY GM is forced to “gamble”. Sweezy was one…Jack Smith was another…and Noah Spence. So he gambled Noah would stay healthy and did not draft or sign an FA to replace him BEFORE he was lost for the year.
@Dusthy Koetter has pointed out frequently that Marpet has graded out higher than any other Bucs OL…they are very happy with him a Center….All things being equal and All Pro Center is more valuable than an All Pro Guard.
The Center has to be smart…he calls block assignments…works with the QB directly EVERY play.
I wish Joe could come up with a new award he could present…probably daily.
It’s the JBF Hindsight is 20/20. Guys come here and talk about draft picks that coulda shoulda been made AFTER they’ve played and proven themselves NOT before the draft when they faced that 50-50 bust rate.
This year has been pretty tough injurywise for the Bucs especially on defense!!!
Noah Spence could have…and if healthy I believe would have made a big difference in our edge rush which could have then helped GMC as well.
Who wanted to start the season without our best defender…Kwon…the very heart of our defense. Who wanted to play three early games without Brent Grimes.
The Times just had an article that listed the Buc’s record when Grimes plays and when he sits…it was very surprising…and the writer made the point based on that Grimes is actually our MVP.