“He Is Training Like Crazy”
February 28th, 2018
Beasting.
In these dire times of being a Bucs fan, any morsel of good news is welcome.
Such is the case with Noah Spence, the defensive end who the Bucs had big goals. But a series of shoulder injuries stunted Spence’s development to a point where no one is sure of his future.
Spence has yet to be cleared for football drills by team medical officials but that hasn’t stopped the third-year player from beasting in his rehab after a second shoulder surgery in as many years.
“That was just a sad and disappointing situation,” Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said today at the NFL combine from Indianapolis, talking about Spence going down with a shoulder injury in consecutive seasons.
“When a guy has offseason shoulder surgery and goes through all that rehab and Noah was very diligent in that rehab, and halfway in our second game at Minnesota he comes off the field holding his shoulder and they say it’s the same thing. Then he goes into the locker room and puts on a harness and goes back and finishes the game. Noah loves football.
“When you draft a guy where we drafted him you have high expectations for him and he has high expectations for himself. He is training like crazy. I saw him last week. he told me he weighed 254 pounds. He looks great.
If we can get him out there healthy, we feel he can be an impact player for us.”
It sounds as if maybe, just maybe, if Spence can stay healthy, he could be the X-factor in the abysmal pass rush. But listening to both Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht and Koetter today, while they would love nothing more than for Spence to play 16 games injury-free, they are not currently banking on Spence to be that guy.
February 28th, 2018 at 5:03 pm
Where have I heard that song before? I remember, ever since Licht traded up for a D end who’s to small to play D end! All our players look good, they just can’t play worth a spit.
February 28th, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Again alwasys gambling injury prone players is one of the main reason the bucs reside in the nfc south basement
February 28th, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Don’t start this deja vu crap again
February 28th, 2018 at 5:06 pm
GMCs first 2 yrs had the two biceps tears. Dont count Noah out yet
February 28th, 2018 at 5:07 pm
@Hodad,
I’m with ya. I really liked Mayock’s draft evaluation of Noah coming into that draft, and respect Mike’s opinion overall. We certainly don’t want anymore “looks like Tarzan, plays (is) like Jane” folks. Hopefully Noah’s not. Some have inferior muscular tissue leading to chronic injuries.
Go Bucs!
February 28th, 2018 at 5:08 pm
Crazy fact, NS57 has played in 3 more games than Gmc’s first 2 years!!!!! Will not be surprised to see NS57 have a very good year in 2018!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep Ayers as a backup, get the best DE in FA that wants to come here, Draft Mount Vea in the first and best DE in the Second!!!!!! Will the D-line be fixed, no!!!! But at least there will be something to work with!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 28th, 2018 at 5:10 pm
So Seattle Buc you are saying he will talk a lot, never really do anything of any significance, and come really close to making a play and the end of the game but fall short? Man don’t put that on the kid!!!
February 28th, 2018 at 5:14 pm
Licht didn’t trade up for Spence. Picked him with our second round pick at 39.
February 28th, 2018 at 5:14 pm
Yeah right,
Last season he came to camp looking like Hercules big brother.
And how many games he played?
February 28th, 2018 at 5:16 pm
Realist, that’s the best projected lineup I’ve seen yet. Add Wilkerson in there & Bucs’ Defense could be very much improved. Best news I’ve heard in a long time about the Bucs Joe … “He (Noah) is training like crazy. I saw him last week. he told me he weighed 254 pounds. He looks great.”
February 28th, 2018 at 5:21 pm
254 pounds! I don’t believe that for a minute. I hope it’s true. He can’t be a 3 down 4-3DE under 260.
February 28th, 2018 at 5:24 pm
Noah had problems with the shoulder in college.has had problems his first two years as a pro.very worried that this will cut his career short.god knows I hope I am wrong,but shoulder problems normally just don’t disappear. I’m pulling for you noah!!
February 28th, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Lakeland
LOL….he was ripped last year…..
I say sign big mo…sign Sheldon Richardson to play DE…..draft nelson @7 or trade down and draft taven bryan who can play 43 or 34 DE or DT …..
now if we cant get production from the dline that consist of Richardson…GMC…Big Mo and spence/will clark than the staff needs to be fired asap!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
February 28th, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Wasn’t Spence shedding weight last season and around 230 – now he’s back up to 254? I think that’s a good thing, it makes a lot more sense than losing weight, at 255-265 he can be more than an edge rusher in a 4-3. If he stays at that weight then it kills the idea of any more to more of a 3-4 I’d think.
Anyways I hope he’s healthy because the Bucs don’t really have anything else at DE, but you can’t count on him and have to assume he’s not going to be there and make plans for that. If he is there, then fantastic, but last year we saw what happened when Licht counted on him and J Smith to be there, it was a disaster.
February 28th, 2018 at 5:35 pm
He can be an impact player …the Bucs just have to limit his playing time!!
February 28th, 2018 at 5:44 pm
on a personal basis I am hoping he can play again….
February 28th, 2018 at 5:47 pm
Spawn has 15 sack potential … we’ll see what happens.
February 28th, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Like to see him hit another ten and get around 264. Dwight Freeney size
February 28th, 2018 at 6:18 pm
I love Spence, I loved the pick, I also loved when Mike Smith promised in the offseason that the fans can expect to see a lot of new looks and aggressive play on defense. We got to watch just the opposite soft coverage leaving the line to blame for not getting pressure.
Stupid. I have lost so much faith in Licht and Koetter simply because Smith is still here. If it were not for that I would be hyped. Cant do it though
February 28th, 2018 at 6:19 pm
Hes too little.
He was 6’2”, 250#
Then he lost weight last year. Probably 240-245#.
Thats way to small. Most OTs are 6’5”, 315# or more.
And the injury comparisons to McCoy are BS.
McCoy STARTED every game from day one.
Spence has been primarily a situatutional pass rusher.
Every year, Spence trains like crazy.
And gets crush ed by these much bigger men.
Spence played LB alot in college. If they are going to save his career- Hes gonna have to play LBer here.
February 28th, 2018 at 6:24 pm
The JETS cut MO. WILKERSON………Your move Jason
February 28th, 2018 at 6:57 pm
Was listening to Ian Beckles podcast, and he made a good pint about GMC. He said the bicep tears were from “reaching” and “poor technique”. He went on to say “that’s why we see Gerald occasionally get blown by bc he doesn’t reach anymore”.
February 28th, 2018 at 6:59 pm
A 230 pound defensive end who runs a 4.8 forty with one move to the outside……
February 28th, 2018 at 7:04 pm
He should have been cleared by now. Can’t wait to get a new defensive coordinator in here one that will go back to traditional ends. Spence and jac Smith were undersized and they couldn’t stay healthy, I don’t think I could stand them drafting another light weight that can only play part time
February 28th, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Isn’t Mo Wilkerson the next Albert haynesworth.
Got benched by the crappy jets and think his teammates can’t stand him.
And makes 16-17 mil per year ?
February 28th, 2018 at 7:32 pm
We need to hit up David Irving and Vinny Curry for FAs, and see if Ayers would restructure. IF Brent resigns, or we add an FA corner, we still draft a cb. We get MT Vea, hopefully trade down to get that cb or running back. Hopefully Licht focuses on value and not these huge hit or miss signings, but clear, consistent football players. If we do that, and Spence pulls though? I’m not going to say what people say next because we need to halt all expectations and still support.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:13 pm
Here’s hoping Spence stays healthy in 2018. We need him on the field pretty desperately.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:50 pm
Yannick Ngakoue, vic beasly, melvin ingram, kahlil mack, elvis dumerville, tj watt, danielle hunter, robert matthis. All of those players were 250 or smaller and not much bigger you can add in the likes of jared allen and michael strahan. They all have proven to be able to be effective at getting to the qb so its kinda hard to say that noah spence is just to small to be playimg his position or that he is to small to perform what he is being asked to do.
The guy just needs to stay healthy and it has nothing to do with him maybe being 10 pounds to light.
February 28th, 2018 at 10:27 pm
Really pulling for Spence. But if I’m Licht you have to prepare like he’s not on the team, he’s a bonus if healthy. Depth! Depth! And more Depth!! When it comes to training camp this team needs to have good role players that are concerned they can bet cut. Build a competitive and tough culture.
March 1st, 2018 at 12:40 am
This guy should be moved to linebacker. I think he and Lavonte David on constant blitzes and pressures would create a lot of havoc. Like I said if they can squeeze Josh Sweat out of the draft they may be set with a returning Gholston and Ayers that would allow time for his development as well while still putting out productive players who are familiar with the system. Spence continues to injure his shoulder because of his size but he plays faster than his 40 suggest which is why I propose a move to linebacker for Spence.
March 1st, 2018 at 6:07 am
Hopefully he stays healthy. I loved the pick back then, and I still think he’s got a ton of potential. Buckner will bring him to another level if he stays healthy.
March 1st, 2018 at 7:06 am
Anyone else think of the intro to 6 million Dollar Man?
Noah Spence, a defensive end: a man barely alive
Gentlemen we can rebuild him
We have the technology
We have the capability to make the worlds first bionic man
Noah will be that man
Better than he was before
Better, Stronger, Faster.
only if…
March 1st, 2018 at 10:20 am
Training like crazy aye? Isn’t this team always in..training? Here comes the Jhizz…Don’t beleive the hype!!!!!!!!
March 1st, 2018 at 1:54 pm
I remember that picture he put up last offseason when he was on the beach. My dear Lord. That man is so cut and jacked it is scary. And he had the 5.5 sacks rookie year with the banged up shoulder. Of course the Bucs made their usual fantastic decision and let him continue to play with a sling for an injury they knew he would need surgery on. Same last year. Our medical staff is so terrible. “He’s hurt pretty bad coach, same thing as last year when he needed surgery.” “Can he go back in?” “Uhhh, sure.” “Okay, we’ll put him back in just for a little while to F it up even worse then we’ll bring him out.”
March 1st, 2018 at 9:22 pm
The 3-4 and you could use Noah every down as an OLB and have David on the other side as the other OLB going after the QB every down. Then all we would need is another 250 lb DE in this years’ draft And sign most of our own free agents and just pick up a Free Agent CB and a Free Agent Safety and we would be set on defense. If our DC doesn’t know how to make that work just sit up in the box and let Buckner run it!
March 1st, 2018 at 9:57 pm
Noah Spence the key to the defense pressuring the QB. Don’t forget that just two seasons ago in Spence’s rookie year, almost the same defense produced 38 sacks. Even though Spence only had 5.5 sacks, he created pressure of the edge on every pass play. His pressure from the outside makes the QB step up into the pocket where either Robert Ayers, Gerold McCoy or Clinton McDonald would be to collapse the pocket. The thing I like about Spence is his relentless pursuit all the way to the whistle. He needs to stay healthy and the lack of a pass rush will take care of itself. Trade for Michael Bennett and watch this team reach 40+ sacks.