Bruising Bucs
April 29th, 2018
It seems there is one common denominator in the Bucs beefing up the defense this offseason, with free agents and drafted players.
What is that common denominator? That would be physicality.
Dirk Koetter hinted at that Friday. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has often discussed getting nasty in his offseason targets.
And Joe applauds this. Not because Joe wants to go all neanderthal and see players going after folks’ knees and clothes-lining receivers. But to Joe, tougher guys don’t get beat up that often.
Joe will never forget that debacle in Minneapolis last year when the Bucs traveled to the Northlands. The Bucs got the absolute sh!t beat out of them.
Guys were getting dragged off the field right and left. Lavonte David needed a cart to bring him into the locker room and had to be carried by medical staff into a room to get X-rayed — Joe saw it with his own eyes.
Noah Spence had his shoulder blown out again. Inside whispers say that game is when America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, first injured his right shoulder. The locker room wa a M*A*S*H unit.
Joe had never seen an NFL locker room where so many guys had the snot knocked out of them physically. Curb-stomped. It was unreal.
So hopefully this emphasis on nastiness and toughness means the Bucs won’t be alley-beaten again like they were in Minneapolis that Sunday afternoon.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:01 am
I can’t help but think of Necessary Roughness when I see Vea.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:06 am
I think I like this offseason more than last years. Hopefully the results turn out better.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:06 am
This is the reason why Koetter should NOT run “non-physical” training camps. Teach, show AND practice HOW to tackle.
This is like Kawhi Leonard wanting Popovich to lighten up at practiceduringthe year. I got two words for you Kawhi, bye-bye.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:33 am
Jason Licht and his organization of scouts and coaches have done everything I thought they would in the draft but in a totally different order than I thought they would and they did a phenomenal Job!
April 29th, 2018 at 8:35 am
This draft and everyone they brought here will make Tampa Bay A wanna be destination for players in the coming future. That’s awesome! I’m Stoked about that alone!
April 29th, 2018 at 8:41 am
The overall depth built through FA and a rock solid draft has me in a much better mood and far more optimistic we can compete with anyone based on talent- pretty impressed with the organizational plan thus far
Let’s sign some veteran cuts for some more competition- let’s hope we don’t have see Joe Dirt or Channing Ward or Will Clarke outside of preseason ever again!!!!
April 29th, 2018 at 8:45 am
I was looking at our UDFA signings and I’m kinda confused as to why we haven’t drafter/signed more RB’s. I feel like we need more depth at the position to not be looking at more guys for that position.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:47 am
When I played Little League Football, we always had practice drills where we’d line up in a 3 point stance and try to tackle leach other, we had drills for angle tackles, scrimmages had tackling, etc. Even at High School, they have tackling drills. In the NFL Training Camp, I don’t see any hard hitting in Training Camp. Here’s a Football Fact: If you don’t bring the nasty attitude in practice, you won’t have it when you’re in the game. You have to have a mentality where you have to go from calm to pi$$ed off when you’re in a drill at practice, and in the game. I learned that the hard way. Trust me, it was humiliating for me to be getting put down to the ground all the time. It can kill your confidence as a player. As in the case with the Bucs, Joe you nailed it on what the Vikings game was like. I may be wrong, from what I’ve seen though is the non-hitting, or the light hitting practices cause the games to not be as exciting as the old ones. Plays whenever a receiver got blasted by a defender are turning into ejection penalties. I understand why people are concerned about safety to the players’ heads, the thing is though is that Football is a game where it’s inevitable that at some point you most likely will have some form of an injury. Football is a contact sport. Hard-hitting football games are the best games to watch. The players know for sure when they step on the field they could get injured, but they still play because they are committed and love the game. Take tackling out of Football, and you’ll see sparse crowds everywhere. As what Lovie Smith would say: Simple as that.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:58 am
I hate when opponents just line up and run it down our throats. Don’t think I’ll be seeing that much this year with our FA’s and Vita.
April 29th, 2018 at 9:00 am
Our Coach is soft therefore our team is soft
April 29th, 2018 at 9:10 am
Remember, Smitty took a ton of heat in ATL for having a team that was Charmin-like…easy to squeeze and fluffy soft. Getting tough was the theme of his last training camp – it was all over their HardKnocks. Let’s hope the results here are better. At the very least, let’s give Jason some credit for honestly assessing this roster and going into FA and the draft admitting (to himself) where we were weakest. That’s the first step in recovery, right? Admitting Swaggy was a turd signing. That Doug actually ran and had a YPC of a real hamster. That Ayers was cooked. That Spence’s shoulder is held together by twist-ties. That Marpet at C was stupid. We drafted bodies at key positions to fill holes and spur competition. Maybe even build a little depth.
Will we be inherently tougher- well, I don’t think we could be any softer or more mentally frail than last season when this team was cooked by early Oct.
April 29th, 2018 at 9:11 am
Seffner if you’re gonna write a whole article get your own website
April 29th, 2018 at 9:18 am
Hoping that one of these undrafted Defensive End FA picked up yesterday is a gem in the rough.
Evan Perrizo, 6-5, 240 – Racked up 12 sacks and 18.5 tackles for a loss last year for Minnesota State. Ran a 4.82 in 40.
Antonio simmons, 6-3/246 – had 5.5 sacks and 8 tackles for a loss as part-time starter for GA tech. Ran a 4.46 at the combine.
Demone Harris, 6-4, 272 – 3 sacks for Buffalo. Ran a 4.89 in the 40.
April 29th, 2018 at 9:23 am
Some hard nosed practices with Vea going up against Ali and GMC/JPP going up against “Frankenstein” Kappa will teach the rooks a thing or two.
April 29th, 2018 at 9:37 am
I wonder what the 1 on 1 drills between Vea and Marpet will look like?
April 29th, 2018 at 9:43 am
I think every team to the letter will say that’s what they want too. The reality is building a team that is cohesive, prepared, alert, and physical takes a certain formula. When players accept their roles and bond into a selfless unit where everyone is prepared from fist teams to special teams. Licht has possibly put together a recipe to find those players …Let’s hope.
April 29th, 2018 at 9:44 am
Yeah, that MIN trip was the worst one of my life. Everything stunk about it, and the Bucs play was the centerpiece. Some b1tch sitting next to me turned and said “I guess you are not having such a good day.” I said, “You’re right, but looks like Dalvin Cook (who just got carted off, done for the year) is having it worse than me.”
April 29th, 2018 at 9:49 am
Practice hard, play harder.
April 29th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Bucs signed UDFA DE Evan Pirrizo from Minnesota State. 6’5″ 275 lbs, 12 sacks last year (27 career), DII First Team All American, Gene Upshaw Award Finalist. Not the fastest guy off the line but he is a beast. I’d like it if he could make the final roster.
April 29th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Excellent take there Joes.
April 29th, 2018 at 10:08 am
Trading down with Buffalo and picking up two extra second round picks was amazing. It was the best scenario possible. It allowed us to pick Vea with our first pick and still have enough picks to address our biggest needs.
April 29th, 2018 at 10:21 am
The only we to remove that soft label from the Bucs is to add players who aren’t soft.
April 29th, 2018 at 10:40 am
Licht keeps saying the players WE drafted…his tenure…are players that hate to lose. I love it! Hopefully the losing culture can be eradicated finally
I’m going in now. 10-6
#TRENCHWARFARE
April 29th, 2018 at 11:03 am
Love the Re”Vita”lized Dline
April 29th, 2018 at 11:05 am
Dang Joe, awesome article…dont think anyone could’ve said it better.
April 29th, 2018 at 11:08 am
Coach Buck gonna come in and show this d-line how to lay the SMACK DOWN!!!
April 29th, 2018 at 11:12 am
@Nate_Tweetz maybe they have a FA in mind for RB.
April 29th, 2018 at 11:24 am
Win more than 6 games
April 29th, 2018 at 11:58 am
Roy t Buford to be part of your story is completely false. He got injured in the Detroit game making a cut non contact. In Detroit. But other than the biggest part of the story being false it was a good honest memory.
April 29th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
I had one mantra ALL offseason…
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!
I yelled from the rafters for the Bucs to bring in at least 8 new faces to battle the incumbents on the offensive and defensive lines to improve the starters AND increase depth… Not camp fodder… actual beasts that could challenge to start.
They listened…
Vinny Curry
JPP
Beau Allen
Mitch Unrein
Ryan Jensen
Vita Vea
Alex Cappa
7 new really good players that will come in and compete. 5 potential starters from that group. BUT – by my count, they need one more…
In my opinion the Bucs need two more things to set the team up beautifully for 2018 and they can find both either right now or when the inevitable cuts happen in training camp.
1. Put politics aside and sign safety Eric Reid on the cheap. A one year deal. He’s a talented starter and would make a great addition with Justin Evans while Whitehead is groomed. He along with the two new corners would make the defensive backfield a very solid position group – albeit one with a steep learning curve in front of it – with nice young talent that will get better as the season progresses. This is absolutely key for the Bucs. Make this move.
2. The Bucs need an offensive tackle – a swing tackle – that can step in at RT should Dotson get injured again. They need depth there. The interior looks great. Get that outside guy and the Bucs would have one of the deepest lines they’ve had since the glory years. This player would be the 8th and final piece to a crowning achievement offseason of rebuilding the lines.
Two more moves. And one more player to complete the overhaul of…
FIXING THE TRENCHES AND FIXING THE BUCS!!
April 29th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
@Frank Pillow
I remember those soft-a$$ Atlanta teams from Mike Smith’s last 2 seasons!
They had a bunch of divas on their D-line!!! They sucked!! We beat them at times! But Dirk would target Leonard Johnson and just destroy us. lol. Schiano days.
Mike Smith should study more psychology.
Kindness can subconsciously be perceived as weakness by athletes.
Coaches must have a balanced sword of kindness and respect.
Coaches like Belicheck expect effort. And toughness. And intelligence.
If not, see ya!!
Dom used to hold onto picks too much. Koetter can be too long and loyal. “Ex-QB syndrome” And divas played Raheem like a biotch!!!
Raheem actually though those players were his “friends.” They used you F-boy!!
They took advantage of Raheem and played like crap which cost him his job!!
If they “loved” Raheem, they would have fought for Raheem!
Mike Smith needs to remember the Raheem lesson.
Or as Jay-Z said on his new record 4:44
“My advice is just don’t be too nice to ‘ni$$as”
True lyric! Go Bucs!!!
April 29th, 2018 at 12:52 pm
smh…players getting injured doesn’t equate to them being less physical or tougher…
April 29th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Why does the football Vea is holding look so small?
April 29th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
I want to see Mike Smith do a much better job of coaching this Defense. he’s go a lot more added tools now. Lets see some stunts, mixed coverages, setups to help DE’s get sacks. Thus far I have not been impressed with Smitty. He smiles a lot and sit in his pressbox during game time like he is watching his burial Pyramid being built.Get out of that pressbox and start coaching Smitty!!
April 30th, 2018 at 1:07 pm
I’ve seen the Bucs get curb stomped enough times to not care if the Bucs end a few other team’s player’s careers.