Fighting Father Time
May 30th, 2018
Leading early rounds.
There is an old saying in the NFL that Father Time is undefeated.
Sooner or later, no matter how good a player is, once the sands of the hourglass fall through, it’s over. Father Time is tapping on your shoulder. It’s over.
Case in point, Adrian Peterson. A sure-fire Hall of Fame running back, he has sunk to the level of groveling for a few teams to sign him, leaking to a media outlet what teams he would like to play for. Problem is, those teams aren’t calling (yet).
One key offseason moves by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was to sign so-far timeless Brent Grimes. Still one of the better corners in the game, Grimes will be 35 when Bucs training camp begins (he was at OTAs yesterday while it appears the First Lady of the Bucs, Grimes’ wife Miko, is in the Dominican Republic based on her social media posts).
Over at the PFF tribe, they believe Grimes is one of the best senior citizens in the NFL. Austin Gayle types how Grimes is the 10th-best NFL player 35 or older.
Another oldie but goodie standing the test of time, 11-year veteran cornerback Grimes has maintained a high level of play with three different NFL teams in his career …
In 2017, Grimes really turned it on down the stretch, as he allowed just a 34.7 passer rating when targeted and 0.65 yards per coverage snap in Weeks 14-17 (four games), ranking fifth and 12th, respectively, among cornerbacks with at least 100 coverage snaps in said span. He also ranked 12th in catch percentage allowed (41.2) among that same group of cornerbacks.
Grimes’ dominance late in the 2017 season makes it that much harder to count the wily veteran out as he prepares to play the 2018 season at 35 years of age.
Joe wouldn’t be shocked to see Grimes back with the Bucs next year. Though Grimes is on a one-year contract, remember the Bucs defensive staff has yet to develop a rookie much less prove they can work with young corners. Joe is very much in a prove-it mode when it comes to the defensive coaches and the young corners on the roster.
If that ugly trend continues, Grimes has another fine year and the Bucs coaching staff remains intact for 2019, yeah, Joe could see Grimes still with the Bucs.
Hey, Darrell Green started 16 games at corner with the Redskins at the ripe age of 39 back in 1999.
May 30th, 2018 at 6:19 am
Grimes will be fine if he can stay healthy.
I remember Miko saying at some point that Brent was never more than 80% healthy last year after the shoulder injury. If that is truly the case – then his play in 2017 was even better than most of us thought.
May 30th, 2018 at 6:58 am
10th out of how many?
May 30th, 2018 at 7:18 am
Wait a minute. You mean that Joe didn’t give Brent Grimes a pass on his 2017 performance because of his early season shoulder injury Pickgrin? Very strange, I thought that was standard.
Brent missed 3 games last year … Bucs lost all 3. But when he was in the lineup we went 5-8. In the 3 games that he missed, Bucs lost each by 14-20 points (lost by an average of 17 PPG). Not only was Brent in the lineup for all 5 wins, but in those 8 losses that he played in, Bucs only lost by slightly more than 5 PPG average. In other words, Brent’s presence in the lineup most likely made a HUGE difference. I hope you’re right Joe that he does play next year. In addition to being an excellent CB, he’s also a great influence on our young corners.
May 30th, 2018 at 7:41 am
Where is lamarcus at?
He thinks grimes is hot garbage
You gotta love the jbf posters . Clueless
Grimes can still ball at 35. He should get the Galloway treatment and not really practice all year. That’s how he destroyed his shin last year. Need him to play every game until these young guys step up.
Go bucs!
May 30th, 2018 at 7:41 am
Yep…and when father time taps you on the shoulder it is when you least expect it. I always ordered 2 double Whoppers with cheese…then one time I could no longer eat then second one….
May 30th, 2018 at 8:16 am
Grimes is the best CB on this team regardless of age; his ball instincts alone gives him an advantage. In 3 years, we may reflect on this draft and think Licht’s best draft moves maybe be Davis and Stewart if they can help solidify the backend of this D.
Is it me or has anyone else been having Buc fatigue? All this losing takes a toll and makes the off season feel like a decade.
May 30th, 2018 at 9:06 am
From undrafted to NFL Europe to 37 year old vet!
Amazing story!
Hargreaves has had it easy his whole life.
Have you noticed that Vernon’s arms are still as skinny and undefined as his rookie year? Vernon has not gotten thicker/stronger in 3 years!
He has no grit. Grimes is all grit!!
May 30th, 2018 at 9:08 am
I think father time had already come calling. Injuries in camp and then in season probably allowed him to play better late but I donecase about stats when theteam you play for is allowing theworst corner on the roster to play other teams best receiver but you get the big money.
But not going to hate I just hope for healthy season and he moves on and retires after this season
May 30th, 2018 at 9:26 am
“remember the Bucs defensive staff has yet to develop a rookie much less prove they can work with young corners” – J0E
Careful there, J0E, you are starting to sound like TMax with this obsession!
You may as well start calling McCoy Cancer93!
😉
May 30th, 2018 at 9:28 am
Yea but when I watch the games Grimes will make a stunning play. A play leaves me in awe. Then the next play he gets burned. Loafer in the run game. Didn’t he lead the league in getting victimized by his ankles broken.
My problem with Grimes is he is no number 1 corner. He can’t even shadow other teams number 1
May 30th, 2018 at 9:34 am
I think this will be Grimes last year in the NFL. The prediction of him being here an additional year is a strong assumption that doesn’t consider:
– Will he even want to play another year? He seemed to give it strong consideration this year.
– Will he be healthy enough to play another year? If he was only 80% healthy last year, what if he is 60% healthy this year due to injury? Sooner or later, age WILL catch up to him. I love the guy being on the team, but that does not affect his age and health.
– Will we even need him? Regardless of Joe’s compulsion to complain about the lack of CB development, that doesn’t make him right. He is discounting the 3 year development required for players for one thing. Most players take time to develop. Each of their first 3 seasons is a stage that makes them the players they could be.
If two of our CBs work out well, we may not even need Grimes next year…and it would happen at a time when he’ll probably want to retire anyway.
May 30th, 2018 at 10:18 am
Joe
Thanks for the Darrell Green reference. Starting all 16 games at 39 is impressive and I think he milked another two years out of his career retiring at 42.
Green was obviously very fast…a 4.4…but he certainly was not physically imposing at 5-9 and I always thought they gave him an inch or two in the program.
It’s 2018!!! Have you not seen the commercials with the hot ladies…60 is the new 50…50 the new 40. This is happening in sports as well.
Grimes takes EXCELLENT care of his instrument. And he is fortunate to have a life partner in Miko is on board with that and prepares healthy food for him.
IE…Both Brent and Miko are smart enough to realize if you want to play you gotta pay…they are the polar opposite of Swaggy.
I certainly take Bonzai’s point about not counting on Brent for more than this year. As Bonzai correctly points out there will be questions as to whether Brent even wants to play after this year.
But IF he does…I’m not writing him off at all simply because he’s in his mid 30’s. When he loses his “hops” and athletic ability then it’s time for him to hang them up.
May 30th, 2018 at 10:31 am
“defensive staff has yet to develop a rookie much less prove they can work with young corners”
Beckwith – Justin Evans – Ryan Smith
There’s 3 rookies including 2 DBs that “developed” just fine last year Joe.
Beckwith looked solid from the getgo at both SLB and then at MLB when he had to step in for an injured Kwon. You gonna try and claim the defensive coaches had nothing to do with preparing Beckwith to be able to step in and take over the MLB spot successfully when the majority of his reps to that point were at the Sam spot?
Justin Evans had some rough moments early but really came on as the year progressed. Made some nice plays on the ball and hung on for INTs – flashed some nice speed and showed good range in being able to get across large chunks of field in a hurry when coming over to help on deep balls. Also showed toughness and that he likes to bring the wood when opportunities arise…
Ryan Smith had no business being out there initially truth be told – but by the end of the year his play had progressed to at worst – no longer being an obvious liability. That’s “development” whether Joe wants to admit it or not. He was a 4th rd pick from a small school for God’s sake. Ryan’s position coach even made a point just a couple weeks ago to talk about how much progress Smith made last year. You were there when he said it Joe.
C’mon MAN!!!!
May 30th, 2018 at 11:36 am
I’m glad you brought up Darrell Green, Joe. He was still a top-notch corner at 39, too. And, he was still a very good corner when he finally did retire. Brent Grimes takes great care of his body. If he’s still a Buccaneer four years from now and says he can still play, I’ll believe him.
May 30th, 2018 at 11:46 am
Pick:
Unless Joe is mistaken, Beckwith and Evans are not corners. Joe could be wrong.
If you think Ryan Smith has developed “just fine,” then you and Joe have fundamentally polar opposite definitions of the word “fine.”
Unless of course you are referring to a financial penalty levied by a state governing body.
May 30th, 2018 at 11:50 am
It’s funny how often PFF gets quotes and cited for articles here, considering they’re just well trained monkeys and orangutans who spit out garbage numbers and twist statistics.
May 30th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
@unbelievable
lmao
May 30th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Joe – read your quote again.
“defensive staff has yet to develop a rookie much less prove they can work with young corners”
1. has yet to develop a rookie
2. much less prove they can work with young corners
That sounded to me like 2 different things. I figured you had expanded your out on a limb mantra that Bucs coaches can’t develop DB’s to somehow now include ALL rookies… LOL Now I see what you were trying to say there – you were including VH3 and Smith who are 3rd and 2nd year CBs without naming them.
You have used the phrase DBs a # of times in the past when saying Bucs coaches can’t coach them up – so I’m just trying to keep up with the narrative here.
Is it CBs only or is DBs still a working phrase with this “theory” – because Justin Evans is obviously a DB and he absolutely came along “just fine” last year. To deny that would truly be foolish.
Regarding Ryan Smith – He was a 4th rd pick from a small school that only played 2 years of CB in College. So yea – he was “raw” early on to say the least. Go back and watch the 1st couple games that he played in when Grimes went down and Smith got thrown into the fire. Then watch Smith specifically in a couple games from later in the year. Big difference. He improved. He looked like a semi-competent NFL CB by the end of the year – compared to “WTF is that guy doing out there” in the Minnesota game.
So yes. Ryan Smith did improve over the course of last year.
The coaches coach and the players play.
Smith improved and Hargreaves regressed – Does NOT equate to the Buccaneers defensive coaches can’t develop young defensive backs.
Hargreaves regression/sophomore slump/lost confidence or whatever you want to call it was more on Vernon than his coaches IMO.
Just sayin.
Your entire working theory here is gonna get blown out of the water this season when 2 or 3 if not all 4 of our talented young CBs look pretty good with whatever role or opportunities they are given.
Will the youngest ones make mistakes if they earn or are pressed into starting roles? Of course. But how do they come back the next play – next series – next game. That’s what matters with young talented players.
We are preparing for life after Grimes (who we are lucky to have back so he can help show these young guys the ropes from a very successful player’s perspective) – but our future starting CBs are already on the roster. Hargreaves, Ryan Smith, MJ Stewart and Carlton Davis
The Bucs aren’t going to sign another vet CB because they want these young guys to get as many reps as possible and earn playing time so they can improve over the course of this year (ya-know – “develop”) – while we still have Grimes as a safety net covering one of the outside spots.
Having a legit pass rush (which I fully expect to see) – is going to make a huge difference for all these young CBs as well as every other defender on the field. THAT is the true bottom line
May 30th, 2018 at 3:32 pm
The CB that everyone thought was washed up and on his third team is now the best and most popular player for the Bucs. The way he (and Miko) take care of his diet and body he could easily play until forty. He’s in a very exclusive club to be able to play and retire on his own terms. Brent Grimes is the most underrated NFL player in the league IMO.
May 31st, 2018 at 12:19 pm
If I was a rookie cb on Bucs I would be attached to Grimes at the hip and pick up as many tips as possible. Also I would want my locker next to #24.