“A Good 25 Percent Increase”
March 23rd, 2018
“Coach, how’d you like that gift Mr. Licht got you?”
The addition of legitimate stud edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul and the overhaul of the defensive line has injected big expectations into the rest of the Tampa Bay defense.
Former Buccaneers tight end Anthony Becht even put hard numbers on the table after the trade. During a chat on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday, Becht said the Bucs’ second level should clean up with massive numbers.
“I truly believe that the linebackers, in Alexander and David, should see a good 25 percent increase, minimum, in tackles next year,” Becht said.
That’s a big number there. And Becht wasn’t talking about Alexander playing a full season after missing a chunk of last year with a hamstring injury. The point is David and Alexander are Grade A players and now they can function properly behind a defensive line capable of doing its job consistently.
Joe agrees, but Joe still can’t take David and Alexander off the hook last year for recording a combined zero sacks. That was unacceptable considering how much they blitzed.
The Bucs enter Year 3 of Mike Smith’s defense, and it’s highly likely that at most one rookie will be a starter on the unit.
This defense should be at least average. It’s not much to ask. And that should be good enough to avoid another losing season. An average defense last year would have meant at least three more wins for the Bucs.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:04 am
Things we need
1) Starting CB and secondary depth
2) OL depth
3) Ignore button on here
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:08 am
Blitzes work much better when you actually have a good pash rush to begin with.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:10 am
@SC
You forgot the prayer for Tmax or are you taking my advice….
The other thing we need is some “lined up in the neutral zone” penalties against our CBs they are so close to opposing WRs….
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:11 am
Licht had a plan. In your face haters.
Now he just needs to trade down with the Bills.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:11 am
SCBucsFan Says
“3) Ignore button on here”
That would be soooo awesome…
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:21 am
This time last year folks were ecstatic about Mike Smith returning as DC.
While he tried to make do for the last two years he didn’t have his kind of DLine players on the roster. Smith prefers beefy DTackles and scatterbug ends (preferably tall and long-armed).
I think odds are good that we take Vea and maybe even work Stevie T into the lineup (depending on his actual talent level).
Then we will get to see whether time has passed MSmith by or if he just lacked the tools for his scheme.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:22 am
And that could make for some interesting choices with McCoy.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:40 am
I’m not very good at mock drafts, so given the JPP acquisition if by chance Grubb falls to 7 do you still take him or focus on Fitzpatrick or James? I like James size in the NFC South. Everyone is talking trade down but you have to find a partner and I believe while you have an opportunity to get a top 10 pick you should go for best available. Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining, I think we have an opportunity to get a difference maker and now have to decide which one to go after. Good position to be in.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:42 am
not trying to be a debbie downer, but how is anyone excited about getting a DE with one hand?
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:43 am
I like what Licht has done. –Probably already been stated but ironic that the guy who may finally give us double digit sacks has single digits.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:43 am
Last year officially cured my persistent case of optimism. Ok, we have new players just like every year. Last year we were all a buzz about DJax. How’d that work out? I’ll get all jittery and fired up after we have a winning record. Till then its all smoke and BS. I do like the JPP signing though. Seems like a step in the right direction, that is until he joins the Bucs and puts on the Harry Potter invisibility cloak on Sunday afternoons. I have to fix my bad attitude. I am missing the best few months of a Buccaneer season.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:45 am
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:11 am
Licht had a plan. In your face haters.
Exactly how many wins has this plan won so far?????????????
Every year same ole BS the optimists get excited and pound their chests this is the year and by week 4 nut punched and week 8 draft punk… for once will you fools let them earn it on the field before proclaiming victory! just stupid given the history of this failed franchise to think this is the year.
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:47 am
I’m moving the ignore button to #1 on the list
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:47 am
now that “casual encounters” is gone on craig’s list, the buccaneers can get their arses off the computer and begin to focus 100% on football…this should mean more wins and less std’s…go bucs!
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:58 am
JPP is missing his right index finger but he is still better than the current scrubs we have at DE
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:58 am
SCBucsFan
how do you deal with REAL life sir or madam. Do you have an ignore button at work when you disagree with some thing your boss or coworker does. Does your life partner have a mute button when she or he has a bad day…. Why is reality so difficult for you to handle. Is a medication adjustment needed? Maybe more bubble wrap to protect you… The real world is not perfect Skippy and the bucs are the worst of the worst and have to earn respect on the field not through off-season moves and cheap talk…. only thing that matters is wins on Sundays everything else is failure
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:59 am
glazers are probably getting a tax credit for the missing digit
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:01 am
Now it is up to Licht to ignore his past preference for BPA in the draft and at last fill our holes. If he had done that last year we would have Cook now and if he had done so from the first we would have already made the playoffs. We only have eight picks and each one has to fill our multiple holes!!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:09 am
Grade A players cannot miss 7 games!!!!!!!
and for the sheep and joe that are keeping score, if the offense would have been average in scoring, that would have been 5 more wins!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:13 am
the defense will at least start the year strong. anybody focused on 2017 tape will build the wrong gameplan for attacking this D. once the league catches up, hopefully the defense is ready to take their game to another level
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:14 am
Tmax,
F respect! Wins is the only thing that matters.
Respect…..is just a nice way to say You still lost but you’re right there…f That.
W…I….N…S..! How many you got is the bottom line.
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:15 am
Well…as THIS Bucs fan was describing last night, that Da’Norris Searcy could possibly be had for the Bucs for a reasonable price and fit at Safety, it appears that the Panthers thought the same, which is why they just signed him to a 2 year deal! 🙁
34 days and counting to the SA-QUON Sweepstakes!!
Go Bucs!
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:16 am
tmaxcon Says:
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:59 am
glazers are probably getting a tax credit for the missing digit
That’s the comment of the day LMAO!
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:17 am
@richt—he basically has 2 good fingers, index gone, thumb about 1/4 to 1/2 there and about 1/4-1/2 of the other finger.
he might club the heck out of some folks, but he won’t be grabbing any qb’s and dragging them down with one hand.
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:27 am
^ And yet JPP completely outplayed Robert Quinn over the past 2 years … 121 tackles and 15.0 sacks to Quinn’s mere 42 tackles and 12.0 sacks …
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:27 am
*********************************
SAQUON, CHUBB OR NELSON, OR TRADE DOWN!
If the Bills can’t get into the top 6 and one of the top 4 QBs is still available at #7, I would prefer to trade the #7 to the Bills for the #12, #22 and #96.
I love Saquon and Nelson and like Chubb, but I don’t think any of those three guys are worth THREE players.
Instead of Saquon, we could get Viti Vea + Derrius Guice + Anthony Averett
Instead of Nelson we could get Derwin + Isaiah Wynn + Rashaad Penny
Instead of Chubb we could get Davenport + Joshua Jackson + Derrick Nnandi
********************************
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:31 am
@Robert- Because he has put up good numbers, and been a solid player for the last 8 years. Better than anything we had on the roster before. Do you not watch football?
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:35 am
Can we get a 25 percent increase in the W column?
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:38 am
This is what I’ve been saying all along… focus solely on improving the trenches and the improvement will trickle down into the other levels of the defense automatically,
If the Bucs draft another interior offensive lineman and a DE with their first two picks, the overhaul will be complete and I guarantee (as a byproduct) we will be marveling at how much VH3 and Smith improved this year.
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:38 am
@SCBucsFan where are you in SC ? I’m in Charleston.
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:43 am
Let’s see, 5 x 1.25 = play-offs? Uh,..no. New math?
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:46 am
Sure the LBers will have more opportunities with improved DL play. But its the DBs who will benefit the most.
I’m betting on Hargreaves to get the most benefit from a legit pass rush this year if you are going to single out 1 player.
Look for VH3 to win the “most improved” award for a Buccaneer in 2018.
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:51 am
Pickgrin
Look for VH3 to win the “most improved” award for a Buccaneer in 2018.
I did not realize the bucs honored pop warner coaches… you can’t fix short, slow and stupid sir… bucs need to wash their hands of the midge fool.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Ha, Ha, According to Tmaxcon….”you can’t fix stupid”…….he’s tried and it simply doesn’t work for him.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:19 pm
Can’t wait to rub all your stupidity in your trollazz face on the Gameday thread of our 1st playoff game in 11 years next January maxipad.
Especially if perpetual losers like Cancer93, Dot the dolt and Vernon Suckgreaves are all starting in that game….
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:19 pm
tmaxcon Says:
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:59 am
“glazers are probably getting a tax credit for the missing digit”
Good one Tmax.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:25 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Ha, Ha, According to Tmaxcon….”you can’t fix stupid”…….he’s tried and it simply doesn’t work for him.
do I have to remind you that I have been right about every player I think needs to go away… you have rode my arse about all these washed up mediocre players for years now yet time and time I am always right… hardly stupid fine sir… my foresight and wisdom is intimidating which provokes unkind responses from those who can’t see the light. I’ll do a small recap for you
vjax – was washed up bum I called it 2 years early always right
mccoy – locker room cancer without a meaningless win also undisputed fact
martin – complete bum that screwed team and teammates always right
lovie – friends and fraudulent bad character loser
dotson – part time player full time bum and card carrying member of cancer93 losing culture
vh3 – bust
glennon – failed beyond hope! always right
far from stupid. do not fear those with more wisdom and foresight daniel son.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:41 pm
We’ll see what kind of Coach Smith is now that he has gotten some weapons. No excuses this trip. If his defense continues to suck with these great players everyone is blowed up about and his new DLine Coach Ole Smith needs to go fo sho!!! Go Bucs!!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:51 pm
Pickgrin
I’ll gladly take it but history is on my side madam.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Coach Smith has some talent now,I believe this defense will be much improved.million dollar question is just how much improved?The draft will now focus on the backend of the defense and a quality runningback.then we will roll with what we have and hope it’s enough to be playing meaningful games in December.
March 23rd, 2018 at 1:59 pm
LVD might not have had any sacks, but he had five FF. Best defensive player on our last place defense last year.
Everyone and their mother said, especially Mike Smith and Koetter, said turnovers were the most important thing and pass rush was necessary. Now they’re going to go with secondary in the first. I’m really thinking we’re gonna pick Minkah Fitzpatrick. He can play both CB and S.
March 23rd, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Love this picture! Three out of 4 most overrated buc players hahahah
March 23rd, 2018 at 3:51 pm
If an average defense meant three more wins last year then the Bucs could have gone 11-5 with an average kicker. Remember, we lost three games early, including one to the defending Super Bowl Champion Patriots because of below average kicking. The addition of Chandler Catanzaro should help in that regard.