Draft Gods Shined On Bucs
December 24th, 2017
“Silver linings, Mr. Glazer. Silver linings. Tis the season.“
Perhaps you didn’t see the gift under the Buccaneers’ tree at Carolina today.
See, stop being so negative.
Today’s groin-stomp loss to the Panthers was actually a gift from the football gods.
The Bears upped their record to 5-10 and the 49ers cranked out an upset against Jacksonville to up their record to 5-10. Don’t look now, but your 4-11 Buccaneers own the No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft if the season ended today.
Tampa Bay could move up to No. 4 with a Houston loss to Indianapolis next week and a Bucs loss to the New Orleans.
Of course, good teams are good in the draft no matter where they are selecting. But No. 4 could put the Bucs in the driver’s seat for a variety of options.
Joe just hopes Team Glazer has the good sense to not hand over football decisions to a egomaniacal, power monger head coach and give him full control over everything from personnel to the warm stadium beer.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:41 pm
Rather be really good or really bad. No reward for in between.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Another game with to much on the line. Saints win no problem.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:44 pm
You can really see the dichotomy of the two Joes on these last several posts. Quite entertaining and schizo-like, if someone doesn’t know there are two.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Yes the article is true but please forgive me if I’m not excited that the only thing worth celebrating this season was a gaddammn EFFING loss!!!
What a total bunch of inept losers. Thanks a lot Bucs. You guys are so effing bad your fan base rejoices when you lose. Scrubs
December 24th, 2017 at 9:48 pm
No. Light stays. We just replace Dirk “play not to lose” Koetter
December 24th, 2017 at 9:50 pm
Can we return the “Gift from the Football Gods”? Just wow! Chucky remembers.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:55 pm
Anyone looking for the highest draft pick over another win are delusional.
The problem with this team won’t be solved by the #4 overall pick.
This team is stocked with talent, however the talent has no experience winning at the NFL level.
The Bucs have been competitive l but they literally have no idea how to win.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:55 pm
Joe, Gruden will be our coach next year. The writing is on the wall and clearer then ever.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:56 pm
Actually…Houston has to beat the Colts next week for Tampa to pick 4th ( assuming they lose to the Saints )…
December 24th, 2017 at 10:22 pm
Re-sign Licht. Hire Matt Patricia.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:27 pm
I know a win during a losing season was the difference between picking Calvin Johnson or Joe Thomas and we ended up getting Gaines Adams.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:31 pm
If you’re old as dirt like me…you remember missing out on Barry Sanders and getting Broderick Thomas.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:33 pm
Oh…and Deion Sanders
December 24th, 2017 at 10:34 pm
I was definitely rooting for the bears and 9ers. And the bucs to lose of course. Thought dirk was gona pull one out there for a minute to mess with the new regime. Hey dirk called another slant finally, this one only went for 70. Too bad his offense doesnt run those routes more than once every quarter of the season. Ok enough dirk bashing its xmas. Merry Christmas everyone. Merry Xmas to the bucs on draft weekend!!
December 24th, 2017 at 10:34 pm
As Lev correctly points out, if Houston loses to the Colts, they’ll have the 4th pick, not the Bucs. The Bucs are playing the 11-4 Saints, while the Texans are facing the 3-12 Colts, the SoS is not added until the game is played. The Bucs would have a stronger SoS than the Texans.
And as to ElioT, as talented as this team may look to you on Madden, it has no pass rushers and a lack of pass protectors. For fantasy football it’s wonderful to have Mike Evans, Deasean Jackson, Cameron Brate etc. But towin football games (which this team has proven they can’t do very well) you should see what the Jags did by building a defensive power through defensive line play, which is one of the weakest spots on the roster here.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:35 pm
Oh…and finally the other Thomas…Derrick…all 3 Hall of Famers
December 24th, 2017 at 10:39 pm
A win could have dropped us to #11 or so where we could have drafted another Vernon Hargreaves in Ken Webster … with the #4 pick we should easily be able to get either stud DE BRADLEY CHUBB or “Mr. Perfect” superstar RB SAQUON BARKLEY or Jalen Ramsey clone CB/S MINKAH FITZPATRICK … or trade down for a bunch of picks from a QB hungry team.
WISE fans understanding tanking … short-sighted nonsensical ones do not.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:41 pm
Tom S.
Houston will NOT lose to the Colts imho … the Colts have been in all-out TANK mode for weeks and the Texans coach still desperately wants to win and the Texans are the better team anyways … we’ve got the #4 pick locked up if we lose … hopefully.
However, even a #5 pick should net us Chubb, Saquon or Minkah … so #4 and #5 isn’t that big of a deal, at least not like the difference between #4 and #11!
December 24th, 2017 at 10:53 pm
@C-rock
Great point about 2007 Draft — when Gruden was still here.
But the mistake we made was drafting Adams for need when an obvious elite talent like Adrian Peterson was right there.
Drafting Cadillac Williams for need didn’t work either
December 24th, 2017 at 11:06 pm
Wanting to win a pointless game and losing out on chubbs would be extremely delusional
December 24th, 2017 at 11:14 pm
Rule of thumb… when drafting in the first round, in particular in the top 10, unless there is a truly special talent at corner you always take the defensive lineman since you can find corners in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, meanwhile finding defensive linemen in those rounds is much more difficult.
Glad I could clear that up for you Licht.
December 24th, 2017 at 11:19 pm
King C,
Ooooh, you make a great point.
What would YOU do this year if we can draft a NEED player in stud DE Bradley Chubb … or someone many scouts seem to consider to be the best RB prospect since Barry Sanders and even better than AP, Zeke and Gurley in Saquon Barkley?
I like both players, and Minkah Fitzpatrick, and I think the Bucs would take Bradley Chubb … but … Saquon is just a mind-blowingly awesome talent and I honestly think he has legit Hall of Fame potential … passing on him could get a GM fired quickly. For example, I could see us drafting Chubb and Chubb then having a solid rookie season, getting 6 sacks and us going 9-7 and just missing out of the playoffs … and Saquon Barkley getting drafted by the 49’ers and going for 1,000/1,000 running/receiving, winning ROY and just setting the league on fire …
December 24th, 2017 at 11:21 pm
Here’s maybe a better question for everyone …
If you KNEW that Saquon Barkley would have Marshall Faulk’s career and that Bradley Chubb would have Simeon Rice’s career and that Minkah Fitzpatrick would have Ed Reed’s career … WHICH player would you draft?
December 24th, 2017 at 11:29 pm
Joe just hopes Team Glazer has the good sense to not hand over football decisions to a egomaniacal, power monger head coach and give him full control over everything from personnel to the warm stadium beer.
That’s my biggest fear too.
December 24th, 2017 at 11:40 pm
@Joe: Your last sentence is the best thing that’s been said all day.
@NFLNut: If I had a crystal ball and all those things were true, I’d take Bradley Chubb.
December 24th, 2017 at 11:44 pm
There’s a new Joe writing up here that’s the difference now. You can tell by his writing style. He takes things and responds more personally.
I would say in this draft we go heavily on d&o line to sack opposing qbs & protect ours.
December 25th, 2017 at 12:32 am
NFLNut our of those 3 careers I would personally want to see Barkley/Faulk-like career. Reason being I think a great RB is the most integral part to the evolution of our offense right now… I know the O line hasn’t been great and has been inconsistent with and without injuries at times, but… I feel like if we had a truly great talent at RB our offensive line would rise to the challenge and altogether dominate… not best line in the NFL domination, but above average line play, combined with great RB and great QB and WR and TE all over the offense.
I feel like at this time our defense has more holes in it than the offense, so one great defensive player has less of a chance of making our defense great, whereas I fee like a great RB like we’re seeing from some of the rookies this year would make our offense great despite the trouble it’s had this season (especially first halves)
December 25th, 2017 at 12:36 am
In 2018 they might get the top overall draft pick.
December 25th, 2017 at 12:38 am
I meant in 2019 they might get the top overall pick, following the 2018 season.
December 25th, 2017 at 1:06 am
Hopefully the glazer boys will have the good sense not listen to the egomaniacal local hack media about Jon Gruden, like they did before which has made us the most ineffectual team in the entire league.
Learn from history Glazers.
December 25th, 2017 at 1:35 am
I am sure Licht will find a way to mess it up.
December 25th, 2017 at 2:16 am
Joe just hopes Team Glazer has the good sense to not hand over football decisions to a egomaniacal, power monger head coach and give him full control over everything from personnel to the warm stadium beer.
Yeah we could end up 4-12!
December 25th, 2017 at 2:20 am
Maybe they’ll take a kicker.
December 25th, 2017 at 4:10 am
I’d rather gruden be in charge of making the pick it’s either licht who will make the choice over beer and wings or gruden who has spent more time scouting recruits the past few years then licht has
December 25th, 2017 at 4:20 am
It’s a long way off from April, but even in the best prognostications, Bradley Chubb will likely be off the board when the Bucs select. As in-sexy as it sounds, Orlando Brown OT Oklahoma is an absolute beast inbith the running and passing game. He looks like a once every 10-15 year LT, whose selection would allow D. Smith to go to RT WITH Pamphile, Marpet and Sweezy in the middle. That keeps Jameis upright, his blindside protected and keeps his right shoulder from being driven into the turf repeatedly.
There should still be a good DE in the 2nd and RB’s galore in rounds 3 & 4.
IfJameis hits open receivers, Dirk Koetter gets a lot smarter.
December 25th, 2017 at 4:21 am
1st round DE
2nd round OL (maybe trade up to late 1st)
3rd round RB
4th round CB (trade up to 3rd Rd if possible)
These are my preferences, but I think who the Bucs take in the 1st is dependent on Indy. Browns and Giants both take a QB. Indy picks 3rd and they’ve been tied to DE, RB and OL. Too early to know for sure. The Bucs need to have a sure plan A and plan B. Can’t afford to miss out. My plan C is to trade back to 10-15 for multiple picks.
Also need to look first a DE and DB in free agency. You can’t get very good OL in free agency hardly ever, so focus on the D in FA.
December 25th, 2017 at 6:06 am
Egomaniac Power hungry coach or keeping a weak nice guy coach with no answers. Nice situation. Maybe Lovie or Raheem are interested? Schiano? Williamson? And makes you wonder if there will be any fans left who will be interested left. But not like there aren’t other things to do in Tampa Bay…right?
December 25th, 2017 at 6:07 am
Water…your biggest fear should be that we keep things like they are.
December 25th, 2017 at 6:09 am
Jon… Sandman…great name… does he really have to play?
December 25th, 2017 at 7:53 am
We are in prime position to whore to the team who wants to buy the 3rd qb – josh allen
First 2 qbs going to clev and giants
Indy has luck
We trade our 1st round to buff for their 1st and 2nd and following draft 1st and 2nd round picks
December 25th, 2017 at 8:28 am
Kobe, Indy is in prime position, not us, unfortunately. We could make a trade on the clock, but no team would trade up with us before the draft when another team could leapfrog them with an Indy trade. If Indy makes thier pick, then we’re talking.
December 25th, 2017 at 8:31 am
Depending on what teams do ahead of us we could snag the best non QB in the draft!
December 25th, 2017 at 9:45 am
JonBuc..YEs, I am old as dirt and I remember..all the 0-16 seasons the 2-24’s as well. I remember so many Buc blunders over the years. Plethera’s of them!! I remember Culverhouse refusing to pay QB Doug WIlliams his worth. It cost us for like 4 or 5 yrs in a row. I remember us drafting a talented Qb named Winston while neglecting out historical Bread and Butter..Defense. Its killing us now. And Yes I remember a Defensive coordinator who refuses to stand on the sidelines with his troops for one game despite them getting smashed every sunday..Thank you DC Smitty!! Chubby Chubb won’t solve all of our Defensive problems. But it sure as hell is a good start in the right direction….after firing Smitty!!
December 25th, 2017 at 1:07 pm
Buc Fan in NC Says
“Rather be really good or really bad. No reward for in between.”
That’s just not true.
If you are really bad, it means no matter where you draft at, you take the wrong players and stay bad.
The middle ground is the period before really good. You do not just flip a switch and become great in one season. Even the teams that seemingly do so did not really do it in one season. They made the right moves for years leading up to it.
Whether under their current team name or a new team name.
December 25th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
@eric your correct
Indy would have the 1st shot of the picks
Still alot can even happen with clev and number 1 pick..alex smith to clev ? Where cousins will go can effect the whole draft
Crazy draft coming up
I would love to get 3-4 extra top picks
December 25th, 2017 at 5:56 pm
Kobe, I’d love to trade down and get more picks, but if there’s a top DE on the board you gotta take him.
December 25th, 2017 at 6:04 pm
If the Glazer’s fire our current coaches and Licht and hire Gruden, I would be in favor of making Gruden our GM as well—Gruden knows more about the draft than anyone. He will have the smarts to take a career LT in the first round, move back up in the first round for a Great Pass Rusher, then take a Center in the third round, and use free agency for another older pass rusher, and the top DT available in Free Agency (like Campbell this year), then move our LT Smith to LG and cut Sweezy, and replace him with our Hobart Star RG, and play Pamphile at RT. Trade off Jackson for decent backup flexible OL and DL backups and keep Dotson as backup RT and LT. Playing Winston in his West Coast Offense giving him plenty of time to find the open receiver will make him a Superstar.
December 26th, 2017 at 12:38 am
If Chucky comes back, you better believe the Glazers won’t make the same mistake again. Houston has a weaker schedule so they will get the 4th if they lose next week. The Colts suck too so the game is a toss up. But I’m leaning with a Houston loss.
All the current mocks don’t take into account that Josh Rosen will go back to UCLA if the Browns want him at #1. I’ve seen Bradley Chubb mainly linked to us. I would love to see Barkley in red but there is Chubb and Fitzpatrick that we should select if either one is available. RBs can be had in the 2nd.