“I Don’t Want To Hear Any Complaining”
April 29th, 2018
“Ira, the football gods hooked me up. You’ll see, I’ll be head coach of the Dolphins next season.”
How much truth was behind general manager Jason Licht’s playful comment yesterday following the 2018 NFL Draft?
That won’t ever be clear, but it’s certainly plausible that Licht heard his share of moaning last year and during the early part of 2017.
After loading up on defense with a first-round pick at defensive tackle, plus two cornerbacks in Round 2 and a fourth-round safety — on the heels of overhauling the defensive in a huge way during the free agency period — it’s obvious Licht and friends felt an imbalance on that side of the football.
“I went back to the defensive coaches and I said, ‘I don’t want to hear any complaining now. All of you should be happy right now.” Joking around,” Licht said yesterday. “Everybody’s very, very happy.”
Joe suspects Bucs defensive coaches started their head shaking when it became clear last spring and summer that Chris “Swaggy” Baker was here for a paycheck and little more.
And that probably escalated when Jacquies Smith couldn’t do more than ride a stationary bicycle and Robert Ayers showed up with less juice and game than he had in 2016. It didn’t help that the defensive line depth was brutal Vernon Hargreaves dove head first into a sophomore slump that led to the Bucs drafting two cornerbacks on Friday.
Licht is correct. Defensive coordinator Mike Smith has plenty with which to work.
Joe is very hopeful that the pass rush can improve from dreadful to slightly below average, and that Smith can figure out how to get Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander to be impact blitzers again.
Joe is not counting on any of the rookie cornerbacks, but the unit should be better thanks to the massive firepower in front of them. An average defense would have gotten the Bucs to 8-8 last season. If the Bucs can find an average defense this year, with a hopefully real kicker and without a running back that was sucking the life out of the offense, the Bucs should win at least get to .500.
April 29th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Same goes for the entire coaching staff.
April 29th, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Don’t be too surprised when the re-sign Robert Ayers for depth.
April 29th, 2018 at 1:38 pm
The team is already better….Smith and Koetter are very good football coaches…it is the talent….they now have an upgrade….it will be the 2nd half of 2019 when the Bucs take the long awaited step up into the the real contenders vs wanna be’s
April 29th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
I’m elated with both FA and the draft, especially the CB picks with bringing Grimes back to mentor them for a while year, and a rebuilt D line. Not to thrilled with the S position, but maybe if they put some pressure up front that will be much better. Gotta see now what sorts out with Beckwith and Winston issues….I may have a whole new outlook on this season!
April 29th, 2018 at 2:02 pm
All I hear in this article is excuses. Licht has had 4 years to build this roster and has failed. Now he’s in desperation. Problem is with this years schedule the Bucs will be extremely lucky to win 6 games regardless of the improvements on Defense.
April 29th, 2018 at 2:03 pm
Holes in defense, no rb, injuries, underproduction. It felt like a failure at every level last season. Chalk to up to bad players, i guess. I do feel confident the roster will be better. But paper is weak. VEA is STRONG. Hopefully they have all learned from early mistakes. Especially Jameis. Big year for the QB. Up to now, the GM has done his part well
April 29th, 2018 at 2:06 pm
As bad and as depleted as bucs D was last year they held their own in a few games, new England comes to mind. The offense didn’t help them much, although I’m slightly optimistic about the overhaul of the defense, I’m not at all optimistic Dirk will steer the offense to success, I hope I’m wrong.
April 29th, 2018 at 2:11 pm
The bucs spent 2 years almost exclusively drafting offense, then drafted 2 guys in 2016 in VH3 and Spence who fell way short of expectations before once again leaning offense in 2017. I think there was at least a little seriousness from defensive coaches lacking young talent and getting most of the blame for the results on the field. The bucs were in desperate need of a quality defense-heavy draft haul and they got it
April 29th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
@Joe … “If the Bucs can find an average defense this year, with a hopefully real kicker and without a running back that was sucking the life out of the offense, the Bucs should win at least get to .500.” Oh Joe, you’re on fire …
So to put some numbers with that, what we need to go 8-8 (or better) is (1) a defense ranked #16 in terms of YPG Allowed (your criteria for the Bucs being #32 defense last season … they ranked #22 in Points Allowed); (2) a kicker who hits on better than 82.6% of his kicks (that’s what Murray hit on last season … missed 4 kicks total); and (3) a respectable running game (at least better than Martin’s 2.9 Yds/rush average).
Just pulling your leg obviously. We both know that winning in the NFL requires a concerted T-E-A-M effort in virtually all phases … offense, defense & STs. Bucs are getting closer. And yet I’m still ‘cautiously optimistic’.
April 29th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Smitty looks jacked in that picture
April 29th, 2018 at 2:41 pm
Hopefully the o-line will open up some running lanes this year. Stop blaming Doug, no one could consistantly run the ball well with last seasons line. This was blatantly obvious, I guess that’s why your complaining of Doug irks
April 29th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
I’m counting 9 new players on defense not counting FA
Curry, Unrein, Allen, Vea, JPP, Whitehead, Cichy, Stewart & Davis
Perhaps 4 or even 5 starters in that group and definitely more depth…..lots more depth.
The main difference should be physicality.
RE VITA LIZED…….DLINE!!!
April 29th, 2018 at 2:57 pm
Coaches-Trainers, but also motivators.
April 29th, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Wesley – You must be blind concerning the muscle hamster. He left his team & coach down, not just once, but twice. Couldn’t keep off the funny stuff. Pretty selfish if I’m asked. Peyton Barber actually moved the pile forward when he was in there. He’s a much better story and a much better person. Absolutely have no sympathy for Doug when he gets cut from SF. Selfish.
April 29th, 2018 at 3:11 pm
Doug is not at SF….He is with Gruden at Oakland….
How fitting because the best game of his career was at Oakland……unbelievable game….250 yards & I think 3 TDs…….ran all over them.
April 29th, 2018 at 3:50 pm
so happy with our draft an idk why ecery one is hating on MJ Stewart he is a good corner an he aint scare to tackle an he had 12pbu last year an 41 in his career the kid can play hes so fluid with his hips an changes direction so smoothly i really think hes going to be a great player for us gobucs
April 29th, 2018 at 3:58 pm
We got a haul.
For only having 1 pick in rounds 1-4 each and walk away with JPP and 5 players in the top 3 rounds without having to use any future picks is simply awesome
We hit on every position other than OT but Cappa has flexibility to likely play that role if needed
April 29th, 2018 at 4:00 pm
This is an overhaul. I will be surprised if they do not do better than 8-8
April 29th, 2018 at 4:18 pm
Ayers is not coming back unless 4 DL get hurt between now and game 1.
April 29th, 2018 at 4:22 pm
Bucko40, you can’t rebuild a team over night buddy. Takes patience from owners and fans . You seem to be lacking that.
April 29th, 2018 at 4:51 pm
@Joe
“Joe is not counting on any of the rookie cornerbacks.”
Two second rounders Joe. Don’t know why you would say that. That’s not a lot of faith for a team that you write about every day.
Joe is not counting on any of the rookie cornerbacks for 2018 specifically, not in general. Sorry, most rookie corners struggle and this staff hasn’t had any notable success with young ones. Doesn’t mean the team can’t be good regardless.–Joe
April 29th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
Don’t forget the offense. Nobody has ever seen a Bucs offense this powerful. Who put it together? Jason Licht.
You can’t fix everything in one draft. The defense is going to be good this year, not average. The offense will be better. Personally I think they’d have been much better last year without djax. Why? Brate and Humphries are always open and barely even drop the ball. Evans either catches the deep bomb or draws pass interference.
Peyton barber will improve as a running back and Jones will be a beast for us.
I love this draft! Licht earned his money. Extend him now. He is so much better than domenick it isn’t even funny. Now it’s time for the coaching staff to earn their mettle.
April 29th, 2018 at 5:01 pm
What in the world is going on with Hargreaves? Hard to believe he has underperformed this much solely due to talent. Is something going on off the field that we have not yet been made aware of?
April 29th, 2018 at 5:08 pm
I think Hargraves is a head case, and during 2 years has shown he has a lot of people fooled. puff, puff, pass interference!
April 29th, 2018 at 5:12 pm
Headline: Vegas Loves Our Draft
We’ve zoomed up to 7.5 with over +130. Vegas also loves the Raiders who are seventh overall at 9.5 over 130. They also expect the Bills (6 under 130) and Jacksonville (8 over 125) to regress to their mean with both totals a full three games under their final result in 2017. I don’t know if Vegas doesn’t like those teams drafts or if they look at the ineptitude of the ownership as a good long term predictor. Another possibility is that they’re focusing on QB play, because that’s a better indicant in their view than trying to compare thirty-two 46 man rosters. If so, putting out a line like 7.5 indicates that they’re really long on America’s QB.
And Vegas very much takes into account that we’re still in the best division in the NFL. The AFC West is only slightly below us, but there’s a big drop off after those two divisions. I don’t know how many times last year I heard a talking head or sportscaster say that no one expected the NFC South to be the best division. Well I posted Vegas expectations here on JBF that showed the NFC South virtually alone at the top.
April 29th, 2018 at 5:12 pm
GMAC, JPP and Curry will have more sacks in 2018 then the bucs 2017 entire team
April 29th, 2018 at 5:21 pm
I really hope these guys can get pressure on the quarterback because unfortunately we still can’t cover
April 29th, 2018 at 6:33 pm
@Joe
“Sorry, most rookie corners struggle and this staff hasn’t had any notable success with young ones.” – Joe
I don’t mean disrespect and am a very big JBF fan and enjoy most of your articles, but I have always gone against your “can’t produce young DBs” crap. No one, including myself, enjoyed the 99-yard cushion scheme last year, but Mike Smith has been here two years. How many young DBs have we had since this coaching staff started. VH3 (he’s just a bust), Ryan Smith (NCC), Javion Elliot??? I can’t think of any others (let me know). Justin Evans produced well last year and Ryan Smith did somewhat towards the end of his “rookie CB” season.
I like these two guys and think they can possibly both come in better then our former youngster DBs that haven’t produced. But being the Bucs we will of course get f#cked over by refs for PI when it’s good coverage. Maybe that kinda stuff will stop if we can turn into a continuous winning team.
April 29th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Unless I see some press coverage, I will happily bet any clown 1000 dollars cash that this unit STILL finished in the bottom 5 defenses in the league.
CALL ME.OUT IF I’M WRONG!!!!!!!
April 29th, 2018 at 7:47 pm
Light rail and press man coverage,
Together they will cure all that ails Tampa Bay.
#magic bullet.@ijustboughttheskyway
April 29th, 2018 at 8:13 pm
BucEmUp Says:
April 29th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Unless I see some press coverage, I will happily bet any clown 1000 dollars cash that this unit STILL finished in the bottom 5 defenses in the league.
CALL ME.OUT IF I’M WRONG!!!!!!!
________________
I will GLADLY call you out for a smaller bet. Say… a Buccaneers Jersey of Choice! And most of the regulars here know I pay up when I lose. NosBos is sporting a Noah Spence Jersey that I bought him when FSU beat UF last yr.
April 29th, 2018 at 8:34 pm
I know some on here that have not seen MJ Stewart play think they know more than the Bucs scouts but here are a few samples of what was said about MJ Stewart at the Senior Bowl by others:
1) I don’t think I counted a single rep where MJ Stewart lost in the one on ones. Great performance here on day one.
2) UNC CB MJ Stewart is simply dominating 1v1s. Pattern matching to perfection and playing the football beautifully.
3) WR DJ Chark has been underwhelming as well, he’s had his lunch taken by MJ Stewart at least 4 times.
April 29th, 2018 at 10:49 pm
Bucemup,
If you define the % of press man that meets your criteria, (ex, 100% of the snaps, 80% etc,) beforehand this is to prevent any weaseling on your part.
( If the team finishes #20 and played press 10 times I would not like to lose on a technicality.)
Also, how you rank the defense is it by points or yards allowed?
Now that’s 2 fans who want to go, I don’t have a problem with 1k but if you think you want both bets I don’t have a problem with $1000-150 or whatever a official jersey cost for SB.
Well…..
April 30th, 2018 at 8:01 pm
Wausa good information from senior bowl about MJ Stewart. Thanks for sharing. It makes me feel better about him as a choice.
Before I get too excited about it, I know that he may have been the highest rated DB to play in the Senior Bowl so he should have looked good.