Marvin Lewis: Baker Was “Playing On One Leg”
March 28th, 2018
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis now coaches Chris Baker and offered an interesting assessment of his Bucs career
Perhaps Joe should not have posted this early in the morning.
Anyway, in Orlando yesterday, the JoeBucsFan.com detective unit at the NFL Owners meetings caught up with Bengals 15-year head coach Marvin Lewis, the new boss of Tampa Bay’s disinterested defensive tackle of 2017, Chris “Swaggy” Baker.
Joe wanted to know what the Bengals saw in Swaggy that made them willing to cough up guaranteed money to him so soon after the Bucs cut him in February.
Lewis said he sees a promising player who was significantly injured and fat last year wearing pewter and red — and a player likely on his last NFL chance.
“We’re hoping he can come in and earn a spot,” Lewis said of Baker. “A couple of our coaches had him in Washington and when you look at what he did in Tampa Bay last year, he didn’t play very well. You look at what he did in Washington and you see why Tampa Bay signed him. From his standpoint, he wasn’t healthy. That’s what it looks like on tape, playing on one leg. He got too heavy, wasn’t healthy. He’s got an opportunity now. If it doesn’t work out, it might be the end of his career.”
This take from Lewis feels like a new chapter in the bad Baker tale. If he was “playing on one leg,” then why was he playing?? Please don’t tell Joe one-legged Baker was better than the other defensive tackles on the roster.
After the Bucs’ new free agency/trade haul, and combined with last year’s inept nonsense at defensive tackle and defensive end, the improvement along the D-line might be more stunning than any Bucs fan imagines.
As Joe has written, just get the defensive line back to being an average unit. That’ll represent a massive, impactful upgrade.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:04 am
How could he have been hurt and overweight?! Hurt, he never practiced to get hurt in the first place. Also…he sucked period!
March 28th, 2018 at 7:06 am
One leg with a belly full of chicken wings.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:10 am
Interesting stuff. Maybe he was injured humping that tree, because it damn sure didn’t happen while he was on the field.
I’ll be glad when I never hear Baker’s name again and the current DLinemen make us forget that sorry sap (no pun intended).
March 28th, 2018 at 7:12 am
Seems like a lot of players come here and just put their toes in the sand, mix up the mai Tai and take the money. It’s lime a vacation spot between jobs. Here they pay you to sit on the bench in practice and make.love to the trees on site
March 28th, 2018 at 7:13 am
One foot kicked up on a pile of money
March 28th, 2018 at 7:35 am
So many wondered why Lewis wasn’t hired here and has never really won anything? Whose fault was it that he came in drastically overweight and out of shape? It sure as H wasn’t the Bucs. But go ahead and roll with Swagster…. I’m sure he will like your money as much as the money he took from us. Just remember Marv…it isn’t his fault.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:43 am
Somehow, some kind of way, somebody will spin this as being GMC’s fault!
Lets just call it like it is, he’s fat and lazy and played that way while here. Good luck in Washington Chris.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:45 am
While it is fun to poke fun at baker, IF some would take two seconds and remember that the defense was the walking wounded last year!!!!!!!!! Miko said Brent Grimes was not more than 80% for the year, LVD was hurt and took awhile to come back to form, KA58 missed games and looked slow for half the year!!!!! GMC was on the sideline crying because he hurt is shoulder before coming back in!!!!!!
Its football Joe!!!! If players only play when they are healthy, the Bucs would not have been able to field a team on gameday!!!!!!!!
Joe is wrong , players play hurt, simple as that!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 28th, 2018 at 7:49 am
Drastically overweight and out of shape?
How can that be?
Kotter runs a tough training camp to get players ready for the season.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:50 am
Scbucsfan
Pretty funny! Yah he stubbed his toe on a large wad of Benjamin’s
$$$
March 28th, 2018 at 7:52 am
Realist- Most ‘reasonable’ fans would consider it “common knowledge” that players play hurt for large portions of the season. That does not, however, excuse poor play on the field.
March 28th, 2018 at 7:56 am
Something to Consider – “If” we add 4-3 NT – Bennie Logan”
Based On Snap Counts (2017) Eagles
RDE Vinny Curry (578) | Derek Barnett (424) | Steven Means (53)
RDT Fletcher Cox (608) | Destiny Vaeao (230) | Elijah Qualls (103)
LDT Tim Jernigan (492) | Beau Allen (422)
LDE Brandon Graham (666) | Chris Long (495)
Based On Snap Counts (2017) Buccaneers
RDE Vinny Curry (578) | Noah Spence (247) | Will Clarke (315)
RDT Gerald McCoy (810) | Mitch Unrein (389)
LDT Bennie Logan (572) | Beau Allen (422)
LDE Jason Pierre-Paul (1011) | William Gholston (447)
March 28th, 2018 at 7:56 am
Based On – Tackles For Loss (2017) Eagles
RDE Vinny Curry (10) | Derek Barnett (8) | Steven Means (2)
RDT Fletcher Cox (7) | Destiny Vaeao (0) | Elijah Qualls (0)
LDT Tim Jernigan (9) | Beau Allen (4)
LDE Brandon Graham (16) | Chris Long (2)
Tackles For Loss Defensive Line = 58
Based On – Tackles For Loss (2017) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RDE Vinny Curry (10) | Noah Spence (1) | Will Clarke (2)
RDT Gerald McCoy (13) | Mitch Unrein (4)
LDT Bennie Logan (9) | Beau Allen (4)
LDE Jason Pierre-Paul (11) | William Gholston (4)
Tackles For Loss Defensive Line = 58
March 28th, 2018 at 7:57 am
Based On – Sacks (2017) Eagles
RDE Vinny Curry (3) | Derek Barnett (6) | Steven Means (1)
RDT Fletcher Cox (6.5)| Destiny Vaeao (0) | Elijah Qualls (0)
LDT Tim Jernigan (2.5) | Beau Allen (1)
LDE Brandon Graham (10.5) | Chris Long (5)
Total Sacks Defensive Line = 35.5
Based On – Sacks (2017) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RDE Vinny Curry (3) | Noah Spence (1) | Will Clarke (2.5)
RDT Gerald McCoy (6) | Mitch Unrein (2.5)
LDT Bennie Logan (2.5) | Beau Allen (1)
LDE Jason Pierre-Paul (8.5) | William Gholston (0)
Total Sacks Defensive Line = 27
March 28th, 2018 at 8:00 am
So he was actually hurt or his weight to leg ratio was that far off?
March 28th, 2018 at 8:02 am
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo doesn’t think Swaggy was playing “on” one leg…..Pablo thinks Swaggy was playing “with” one leg…..the little leg…..and in Swaggy’s case, Pablo suspects a tiny leg. Pablo believes they named the Baker act after Swaggy.”
March 28th, 2018 at 8:04 am
Moderation?
March 28th, 2018 at 8:04 am
Both legs were fine. He just got stuck to the tree so it looked like he was on one leg…
March 28th, 2018 at 8:10 am
So it is plain as day to Marvin Lewis that Baker is/was too fat–wtf–why couldn’t Koetter figure that out or Jay Hayes, getting rid of Hayes was an important step. Too much acceptance of BS on this focked up team, captain GMC should of gotten involved in fixing Bakers attitude instead of leaving it to Kwon and Jameis.
I remember Ayers sticking up for Baker on the sideline–that alone was reason for him to go too. Players need to hold the other players accountable.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:10 am
I guess this post is better than Joe talking about how we dodged a bullet by not going after Michael Bennett. *cough*
March 28th, 2018 at 8:16 am
Still waiting on GMC to post/tweet anything positive about JPP being signed……
March 28th, 2018 at 8:17 am
He must have gotten splinters in the leg he rubbed on the tree.
On a side note, Marvin Lewis should have been fired long ago.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:25 am
“playing on one leg”
Whatever Marvin – that’s a bunch of BS.
Baker was never seriously injured in 2017. Missed 1 game all season – week 3 vs Minn due to “illness”.
Only “injuries” all year listed for Baker were that he tweaked a knee in July and mildly sprained an ankle mid season leading to being listed as “questionable” two weeks in a row (weeks 8 & 9) but didn’t miss any games. Hardly – “playing on one leg” material.
“He got too heavy”. Now that’s much closer to the truth. Throw in “Lazy” and “Didn’t give a sh!t” and now you are on target.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:28 am
Koetter and his staff are also standing on one leg right now. It might be the end of their careers too.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:29 am
One leg, half a brain and no heart!
March 28th, 2018 at 8:40 am
Did anyone see the crazy video of VH3 smoking out? Not a good look and hoping it is fake news!!
March 28th, 2018 at 8:48 am
Well it’s probably true regardless of all the jokes about the guy which are well deserved. If these idiot coaches will play the franchise quarterback hurt and try to pretend he isn’t then why wouldn’t they do that for a guy like Baker. Addition by subtraction would equal Mike Smith, he’s not a very good coach at all
March 28th, 2018 at 8:49 am
Pickgrin, you’re dead on. Baker wasn’t injured … like Marvin said “He got too heavy, wasn’t healthy.” Shame on the Bucs’ coaches for tolerating that BS. And shame on our GM for not putting clauses in FA’s contracts to penalize them (or even void the contract) if the player doesn’t meet certain ‘standards’. If the bargaining agreement doesn’t allow that, then it needs to be changed too.
March 28th, 2018 at 9:01 am
IF some would take two seconds and remember that the defense was the walking wounded last year!!!!!!!!!
Correct Realist maybe that is because our coaching staff, which you seem to believe is perfect, did not have our players ready for real football due to the country club training camp we all saw them go through. Then when they got hit in the mouth for the first time in the regular season their bodies could not handle it. That is on coaching period.
March 28th, 2018 at 9:09 am
You cancer93 nuthuggers are beyond pathetic… cancer93 gets labeled a hero when his POS arse crys like a beotch but Baker gets hurt and you people have audacity to question his injury… the only POS bad character loser on bucs defense is captain blowout cancer93 the face of the basement years
God, I can’t wait for that pos to choke again this year… you losers have no more excuses for that cancerous pos.
March 28th, 2018 at 9:10 am
Cut Buc players have a tradition of moving on to other teams and playing well. They somehow find..New Life once they leave Tampa. One never knows..Baker just might play well for Cincy.Never say never. When Baker was here, he was not pushed. He just..fell in with the rest of the sorry A..’s. NExt!
March 28th, 2018 at 9:14 am
Isn’t it the job of the coaches to direct him on his weight? Is this as much a coaching failure?
March 28th, 2018 at 9:22 am
Anyone see the video of VHIII tokin on a blunt?
March 28th, 2018 at 9:27 am
Easy was it a blunt or a replica of cancer93 tiny little manhood. I can see how how they can be confused thin,short and limp…
March 28th, 2018 at 9:29 am
Defense Rules Says
“Shame on the Bucs’ coaches for tolerating that BS. And shame on our GM for not putting clauses in FA’s contracts to penalize them (or even void the contract) if the player doesn’t meet certain ‘standards’.”
While it is easy to point a finger…you have to remember that a player and his agent also play a role in contract negotiations. Baker knows what kind of man he is. He probably refused any such language in the contract.
I think at the time there were not a lot of options available in Free Agency, so they knew they had Licht over a barrel. Being able to cut him a year later was the best he could hope for.
March 28th, 2018 at 9:44 am
It has been said before but, how can an organization of men and professionals have let Baker slack all year long? It reflects poorly on the organization and its culture.
March 28th, 2018 at 10:04 am
I believe he was injured……this staff threw Winston to the wolves when he was injured…..he had to seek a second opinion to prove he was injured……
@NDOG hit the nail on the head…….we had a rash of injuries because our players didn’t start hitting until week2 when we played the bears…..
and according to joe, we shouldn’t expect much different this year, so if we have a rash of injuries in the first few week, folks will know why…..unfortunately, realist will want to give this staff another 2 year pass……aint happening!!!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
March 28th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Well Marvin Lewis is giving him a 2nd chance. Obviously motivation wasn’t there for the guy last year and he has one last chance. Who knows but it sucks he decided to come to Florida for some “time off” with the Bucs. What a wasted season!!
March 28th, 2018 at 10:34 am
So Marvin Lewis the guy who’s been with his team 15 years and to the playoffs almost every year obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing bc TB Buc fans and media know beyond a shadow of a doubt Baker is lazy. Lol, okay!
If you guys were correct even half the time you wouldn’t be The Buccaneers or The Yucs. There’s a reason why this franchise has sucked for so long and I’m convinced it’s the local yokels.
March 28th, 2018 at 11:24 am
Baker is the quintessential example of what I do not get about the Bucs and virtually all NFL teams.
Change seems to scare the hell out of football coaches and once they pick a player to start they seem to have trouble seeing a backup who is actually playing better. I thought our backups in the last four games played as well as those they replaced.
I realize there are lots of reasons for this. Koetter had to protect Licht’s awful decision to sign Swaggy and played him. I see this ALL over the league not just the Bucs. But the Bucs are as bad as anybody at this. We could all go over the fact that Martin got all those reps when Barber was clearly running harder and better. That not only hurt last year we still do not know Barber’s real ability…he certainly flashed promise.
One of the things I understand least in the NFL is how the snaps get divided. It clearly is not always based on ability. When Dirk talks about getting the best players on the field I wish he would take it to heart!
Many here really go nucking futs over Dirk’s play calling. I get that and sympathize somewhat…but what bothers me worse than even the play calling is how Koetter divides the snaps. He’s not very open minded about giving the new guys a decent shot unless they come with a giant contract and lots of fanfare.
And sometimes Koetter gets those John Gruden tendencies about older vets.
March 28th, 2018 at 1:54 pm
Karma???
Thats what this POS gets for trashing a young kicker with the weight of the world already on his shoulders…
I never like Baker… Even though I was pulling for him to do well… Last year was a train wreck…
WE ARE CLOSE… Cant Wait to see it on the field…
Bring in AP and let him get his Super Bowl Ring THIS YEAR
March 28th, 2018 at 2:09 pm
Again, where was the Defensive Coordinator? Oops..My bad..He was sittin in the pressbox getting his..better view of the game. Baker should have been pulled in after like his 1st 2 games and given the lowdown. So I guess Baker just said, Hell, they don’t care..why Should I? Now watch him lose weight for Marvin Lewis and actually play well there in Cincy. Its what I’ve been tellin you knuckleheads all along……It the Bucs Coaching!! Hello? Voyager callin..Anybody out there??!!
March 28th, 2018 at 2:45 pm
He was playing one leg. The other being a Pop Eyes extra crispy leg.
March 28th, 2018 at 8:09 pm
Baker never said anything because he wasn’t ‘significantly injured’. Just fat. “Hey coach. Better take me out. I’m pretty fxcking fat.”