Barber Says He Has Two Key Offseason Goals
January 18th, 2018
He’s the Buccaneers’ best running back (for now) and he was talking about the future this week.
Joe’s talking about Peyton Barber, the focus of Ira Kaufman’s latest must-read column.
Barber joined WDAE-AM 620 and said he got good reviews from his position coach, Tim Spencer, in an exit-type interview. But Barber is aware he’s not a finished product, despite 108 carries for 428 yards this season, with three touchdowns and 16 receptions in limited action.
The 23-year-old said he will be most focused on improving pass blocking this offseason. “Picking up the defenses, really knowing the game inside and out,” Barber said.
It’s an area in which he’s already come a long way, per Dirk Koetter.
Whatever happens with the Bucs at running back next season, it’s a sure bet that undrafted Barber will be in the mix and relied upon in some capacity.
Joe, as of now, firmly expects the Bucs to bring back Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims, and add a running back in the draft.
January 18th, 2018 at 10:04 am
I do expect Dm to be back also with this current regime
January 18th, 2018 at 10:07 am
Imo not one, but two backs should be added. Maybe draft and a vet. There should be some legitimate competition. Honestly don’t mind if Barber is the only holdover, although I do like Rodgers and know Simms has produced in thr past. I just think it woukd be bad to gift anyone a spot in our backfield
January 18th, 2018 at 10:07 am
I’d LOVE !…to read more individual player goals !
January 18th, 2018 at 10:18 am
In reviewing highlights of Charles Sims at West Virginia, he looked like an aggressive slasher who adroitly used his speed with hesitation moves to put the defense off-balance. He even had some power in goal line situations.
Now? He hesitates and dances in the backfield with no power and rarely is in a position to use his speed to defeat the defense.
If this isn’t an indictment on the poor coaching we’ve had on this team, I don’t know what is.
I hope we draft well this year so the new coaching staff next year will have plenty of tools to work with and DEVELOP.
January 18th, 2018 at 10:20 am
A nice complementary back…a keeper. One of the few bright spots on the ground last year.
January 18th, 2018 at 10:29 am
IMO..keep Barber and Simms….draft a RB and sign a FA
January 18th, 2018 at 10:33 am
I seriously do not understand the love affair with Charles Sims. Someone please point to any ability he has that cannot be replaced or upgraded. Is Sims the next Doug Martin, where we hold onto to him in HOPES that he can regain that college form?! Move on.
January 18th, 2018 at 10:34 am
If I keep anybody, it’s Barber and Rodgers.
January 18th, 2018 at 10:44 am
draft a RB and look for a upgrade for JR32 in free agency, should not be too hard to do!!!!! need to find at least 1 good guard in free agency as well!!!!!!!
Go Bucs
January 18th, 2018 at 11:00 am
I would draft guice/Michel/Ronald jones in round 2…..grab a RB in FA and keep sims….I love Rodgers and appreciate everything he’s done for the team but we need big backs who can get those tough yards between the tackles….GO BUCS!!!!
January 18th, 2018 at 11:01 am
As long as Martin is gone and we draft 1 RB in the top 3-4 rounds I’m good.
January 18th, 2018 at 11:03 am
bucfanman
im not high on sims as a runner…..I would honestly move him to the slot and let him get those screens that dirk loves to throw to hump….GO BUCS!!!!
January 18th, 2018 at 11:04 am
Barber is an Exclusive Rights FA in 2018 so will be playing for close to the league minimum this year.
Quizz is a solid, dependable, experienced, inexpensive #3/#4 RB – he’s under contract for $1.6M in 2018.
Those 2 RBs will for sure be coming back.
Sims had 1 very good year in 2015 backing up workhorse Martin – breaking 1000 combined yards with just a hair under 5 yd per carry average on over 100 carries. He looked like an ‘A’ list 3rd down back that year.
But Sims other 3 years have been – meh – at best. Flash a couple good plays per year to remind why he’s still around but is injured or a non-factor the majority of games…
Not a great look heading into his 1st opportunity at a decent NFL contract this off season.
If I was GM (since Coach K will likely be lobbying to bring him back )- I would offer Charles Sims a 2 year $3.5M total contract with little or no guarantees and include up to $1M per year good performance incentives. Take it or leave it.
Whether Sims returns or not – we won’t have much $ invested in the RB position as Martin’s $7M is definitely coming off the books.
We should spend up to $5/6M on a good FA RB and then draft a RB in the upcoming draft somewhere between rounds 2>4 – wherever the value obviously shows itself.
Fixing the Oline will do more to fix our running problems than over paying or over drafting a “high end” RB. We need 2 new interior starters. Guards I imagine because Marpet is probably staying at Center.
January 18th, 2018 at 11:09 am
Sims imo doesn’t have a skillset that is that unusual but Koetter loves him. There ARE better options available as a third down back. I don’t like it, but I expect all of the backs not named Martin to be back. With all of the status quo it won’t shock me to see Martin back.
January 18th, 2018 at 11:16 am
For the 100th time, the kid is a fumble machine. He is not the answer; the answer lies in someone who is not on this roster. With JW and this kid we will lead the league in 1 offensive category – fumbles.
January 18th, 2018 at 11:41 am
JOE
Can you ask GMC what his goals are???
January 18th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
Sounds like there’s a good chance Ansah is on the free market. Sign him, Bennet, and either Sheldon Richardson or Star Lotulele as some other young more promising DT than Baker.
Retain Grimes and sign Kyle Fuller or Malcom Butler
extend Kwon
DE-Ansah/Spence
DT-McCoy/McDonald
DT-Richardson or Lotulele/Stevie T/draft?
DE-Bennet/draft?
CB-Grimes
CB-Fuller or Butler
Nickle-VHIII/McClain and Ryan Smith is your #1 outside backup CB.
That’d be a quick fix that should result in immediate pass rushing results and a much more competent defense overall. Sign a stop-gap S and see how Evans plays with that group.
Then on offense sign C Ryan Jensen from Baltimore. Looks very likely they can’t afford him.
Sign Dion Lewis and let go of Martin/Sims.
If we did all of that we don’t even need to feel desperate to reach on an edge rusher this draft. We still would need to take 1-2; but if we made these moves I could live with those picks going in rounds 3/4 even. Especially if it meant getting Quinton Nelson and a RB like Guice.
R1-Nelson
R2-Guice
R3-DE
R4-DT
R5-OT
R6-DE
R6-OG
LT-Smith
LG-Nelson
C-Jensen
RG-Marpet
RT-Dotson
plus Hawley as C depth and Pamphile as general line depth. THat would be a sick interior of a line that could be dominant for easily 5-10+ years.
At RB we’d have Guice/Barber/Lewis/Rogders
WR ME / DJax/ Godwin/ Hump / Bobo Wilson
The entire offense would be pretty set int erms of the line/QB/skill positions. The defense would have a pass rush rotation of actual talent; on top of solid DTs and proven CBs and LBs.
That team should make the playoffs if we make those moves; and financially it is all do-able.
January 18th, 2018 at 12:18 pm
5-10+ years for the o-line is pushing it lol- we’d be set for at least 4-5 tho … going into 2018:
SMith-25 years old
Nelson – 22/23
Jensen – 27
Marpet – 25
Do all the above moves; and in 2019 you get your RT somewhere in the top 3 rounds; and again go DT/DE to replace the aging McCoy/McDonald/Bennet
January 18th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
He had better work on his fumbling issue – he started 4 games and had three fumbles including the one that lost the Bucs the Falcons game.
Also yes, he did fumble it three times as he fumbled at the Packers goal line on a handoff from Winston – it was a clean handoff he just fumbled the ball. Also to show how worthless the stats are Winston got charged with the fumble since he last had possession of the ball.
January 18th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
Sign me up Lord C!!!!!!
January 18th, 2018 at 3:32 pm
LC
I love it…..
but do you think we can afford GMC…richardson…and Lotulele at the same time?
if we were able to get those 2, I would be all for trading GMC for picks….GO BUCS!!!!
January 18th, 2018 at 4:28 pm
LT-Smith
LG-Nelson
C-Jensen
RG-Marpet
RT-Dotson
LC – I could get on board with that plan for sure.
Seems unlikely to me that Marpet is moving back to Guard though.
So instead of Jensen – get G Andrew Norwell from the Panthers or G Justin Pugh from NYG in here via FA and dump Sweezy.
The nice thing about Marpet playing Center all year in 2017 is that he is legitly versatile now.
Say he stays at Center – we get 2 new upgrades at Guards as should be the plan to fix the Oline – and the line along with the running game – and thus the entire offense – looks vastly improved next year. UNTIL 1/2 way through a suddenly exciting season – your new big $ free agent RG gets rolled from behind and will be out for awhile – maybe the year. Great – now we have to rely on Kev…. Oh Wait – Just move Marpet over to Guard – bring in Hawley at C and the Oline just keeps humming right along like it almost didn’t miss a beat. Bucs make the playoffs – win a game and show well before losing a nailbiter in the divisional round. Jobs are not only saved but ownership and front office all look like geniuses.
January 18th, 2018 at 10:51 pm
Why would they retain Charles Sims? I’m fine with JR because of what he adds on special teams.