Koetter Offers Spence Update
May 31st, 2018
Beefed up.
The forgotten man for many on the Bucs’ retooled defensive line is end Noah Spence.
The second round draft pick in 2016 has had an injury-plagued career. Both seasons Spence has been either felled or slowed by a shoulder separation that needed surgery in the offseason.
Spence told Joe last week that he is “feeling great.” And so far for Dirk Koetter, despite it being underwear football, the arrow is pointing up for Spence.
“Noah has gained a lot of weight,” Koetter said. “Last I checked, Noah was 257. He was down in one point at training camp in the 230s last year. He looks good. He’s pretty close to where he needs to be. He’s going to be somewhere between 253 and 259, probably.”
From what Joe can tell, that weight is pure muscle. Spence looks like an Adonis.
If Spence can be somewhat healthy and chip in, say, six or seven sacks, it could mean a huge difference. In a perfect world, it seems the Bucs would like the defensive line on passing downs to be Jason Pierre-Paul at left end, Vinny Curry moving from end to tackle alongside Gerald McCoy, and Spence at right end.
May 31st, 2018 at 5:33 pm
Glad to hear Spence is looking more and more like me everyday.
Keep that shoulder harness on no matter how good it feels though.
May 31st, 2018 at 5:33 pm
I’m rooting for this guy. When he’s on the field he looks really good and really quick Just needs a titanium plate in the shoulder
May 31st, 2018 at 5:33 pm
#63’s playing weight
May 31st, 2018 at 5:37 pm
Spence is a beast when healthy……hopefully he’ll make it more than one game this year…..I would put the over-under at 6.
May 31st, 2018 at 5:41 pm
A healthy Spence, Benenoch(sp?) staring at LG, and Hargreaves stating in the slot sure puts a different spin on Licht worst draft.
Guest editors note: Lovie years were not considered as Licht’s drafts
May 31st, 2018 at 5:42 pm
For those keeping score, NS57 has played in more games than GMC did his first two seasons!!!!!!!!
NS57 is the best pure pass rusher on this team!!!! Good on the Bucs to take the lumps last year so NS57 can get right!!!!!!!
GO America!!!!!!!!!!!
And Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 31st, 2018 at 5:48 pm
Les gooooooo
GO BUCS!!!!
May 31st, 2018 at 6:26 pm
6-10
May 31st, 2018 at 6:32 pm
Spence is the x-factor for next year. If he has a good season the NFL better watch out. If he doesn’t, he will be working for FEDEX in 2019.
May 31st, 2018 at 6:34 pm
@realist
With only 6 starts in two years Spence has a lot to prove before he earns that title. But with JPP and Vinny Curry here, he will have to earn his snaps. Both these guys can tackle , Both Spence ane Gholston came in at least 20-25 lbs. lighter. and both underperformed in a big way. It didn’t help Spence and might have got gholston injured also,
May 31st, 2018 at 6:38 pm
Wow…so many can’t see the glass is half full….now
May 31st, 2018 at 6:44 pm
@Bob in Valrico … “Both Spence ane Gholston came in at least 20-25 lbs lighter and both underperformed in a big way.” Now you’ve got me wondering Bob: Why would 2 DEs drop so much weight? I knew Spence came in lighter, but not Gholston too. Did last year’s DLine coach (Hayes) tell them to? Could that be one reason he was let go? Inquiring minds need to know.
May 31st, 2018 at 6:48 pm
I heard Dirk say big Will #92 was 10-15 lbs lighter. Not 20-25lbs. Big difference, 10 lbs for WG92 will improve quickness but 25lbs would be a little to much IMO
May 31st, 2018 at 6:59 pm
The plan on passing down may be JPP, Vinny Curry, Gerald McCoy, and Noah Spence – for now. Once the dust settles in Sept. though I think it’s going to include Vita Vea somewhere in that lineup even if they have to move Spence to LB to include his speed. I’ve been watching any film I can find of Vea and the man can move and move people out of the way. IMO no way we can leave Vea on the sidelines unless he’s resting for the next play or series. As long as he can maintain his love of the game he’s going to be a once in generation type player, in my opinion.
May 31st, 2018 at 7:18 pm
Agree with Bird… no shoulder harness, no playing time. Don’t care how good it feels. If I have to watch that guy pull another Lethal Weapon and slam his shoulder back in place, I’m going to puke. Stay healthy kid.
May 31st, 2018 at 7:22 pm
Curious why we can’t just register and sign in to the site, so we don’t have to type SN EM every single time. Am I doing something wrong or is it time for an upgrade?
May 31st, 2018 at 7:45 pm
Agree with the issues about having to sign in.
I really like this site Joe, even with all the ads, but please fix asap.
May 31st, 2018 at 8:05 pm
Let’s hope he doesn’t look like Tarzan but plays like Jane!
May 31st, 2018 at 8:19 pm
@James Walker
“Spence is the x-factor for next year.”
No doubt. Good rotation, especially for this d-line, is what I consider the most important thing this year. We saw man beast Spawn as a rookie with 5 sacks and a bad shoulder. He’s always had muscle but he’s added some major beef cake weight. Excited to see him play if he stays healthy.
May 31st, 2018 at 8:27 pm
Scotty
No need to worry we’ve seen him play and he’s definitely Tarzan not Jane.
Saddest part about his shoulder is that HE was the player that got all the buzz at the Bucs joint summer practice with the Jags. Former Bucs stars…Jags…all impressed with 57’s play. He was ready to blow up last year.
So we have to hope his shoulder is truly repaired so he can blow up this year.
If Spence is healthy imagine the new DL…without consider Curry and the others….just 3 players make a HUGE difference from last year…Spence…JPP..and Vea.
May 31st, 2018 at 8:42 pm
Dan ,your probably right on Gholston.
Read an article where he blamed his dropoff in play on his weight loss before
the season. The weight might of been 275lbs but I read the article a while back.
On a side note he seemed to play better after he returned from injury.
@defense
Should have composed that first sentence better , I like what Spence has done this year,and Gholston had always been stout until last year. Another thing that has me wondering, are the injuries that he played through caught up to him ?
May 31st, 2018 at 8:46 pm
@ the Buc Realist
Gerald McCoy started 19 games his first two years…
Noah Spence has started 6.
Granted, Noah has PLAYED in 22 games his first two seasons, that’s only 3 more than McCoy…
AND, of his 22 games played, again, only 6 were starts…
May 31st, 2018 at 8:53 pm
@realist
As long as I am in the correction mode, I should have said play the run.
He can certainly tackle QB’s. But if we ever go to the 3-4 after McCoy,
run support will be a necessity for Spence to take on a larger role.
May 31st, 2018 at 8:56 pm
another edit: have the injuries caught up to him.
May 31st, 2018 at 8:59 pm
Spence was too small to make any impact. At times he like a small man playing a big man game. Gotten absolutely man handled. And no I dont believe in ” pressures” I believe in real sacks. Spence playing in around 255+ makes me giddy what he can do.
I wish he stops pursuing the outside only to bend around. When he does that I wish he stops momentum and go inside. If he develops alternative moves he will be 15+ sack guy no I’m NFL coach either. It’s obvious
May 31st, 2018 at 9:32 pm
When I see sacks/productivity on the field when the pads are on, I will believe it. I just cant buy anything on this DEF after last year. I think 6 sacks is WAY too many on prediction on a P/T DE. If he gets to 4, I will be impressed. With the addition of JPP, he will be getting much less time on the field. Don’t buy into the restricted snaps hype for JPP.
IMHO, look for Curry to get the sack action especially if teams decide to double or lean the protection toward JPP/GMC.
June 1st, 2018 at 2:31 am
I don’t know how many heartfelt moments of me miring in Buccaneer sadness that I typed that disappeared into oblivion because I forgot to fill in the field. WTH
June 1st, 2018 at 11:28 am
FiretheGlazers
So you think “starts” are more important than actual production?
Let’s look at those first two years again. Not only did Spence play in more games he managed to do that the first year finishing in a shoulder harness and sucked it up and contributed.
Despite that harness Spence had more sacks in his first year than GMC did his first two years combined!!! In Spence’s injured 2nd season he matched GMC’s
total for his second year at one.
I do not get the total lack of appreciation by SOME on this board for Spence. I totally get that folks don’t want to depend on him! Until he proves he can stay healthy he is not a factor.
But IF Spence plays all this crap about his size his talent yadda yadda is just not consistent with reality. Spence has been a GREAT player everyplace he’s played since Ohio State. He was widely considered the better DE than Bosa his freshman year with the Buckeyes. He messed up and had to go to E. Ky to redeem himself. Of course he tore up that competition. That made him a steal in the 2nd round!!! IF of course he can get healthy.
WHEN he’s been healthy he’s been good for us as well. 5.5 sacks in his rookie year with a bum shoulder in a harness! Again at Jax in the combined summer practice last year he was the MOST talked about defensive player on both teams.
Spence is the REAL deal…that’s IF he can become a HEALTHY deal.
June 1st, 2018 at 11:29 am
FiretheGlazers
So you think “starts” are more important than actual production?
Let’s look at those first two years again. Not only did Spence play in more games he managed to do that the first year finishing in a shoulder harness and sucked it up and contributed.
Despite that harness Spence had more sacks in his first year than GMC did his first two years combined!!! In Spence’s injured 2nd season he matched GMC’s
total for his second year at one.
I do not get the total lack of appreciation by SOME on this board for Spence. I totally get that folks don’t want to depend on him! Until he proves he can stay healthy he is not a factor.
But IF Spence plays all this crap about his size his talent yadda yadda is just not consistent with reality. Spence has been a GREAT player everyplace he’s played since Ohio State. He was widely considered the better DE than Bosa his freshman year with the Buckeyes. He messed up and had to go to E. Ky to redeem himself. Of course he tore up that competition.
WHEN he been healthy he’s been good for us as well. 5.5 sacks in his rookie year with a bum shoulder in a harness! Again at Jax in the combined summer practice last year he was the MOST talked about defensive player on both teams.
Spence is the REAL deal…that’s IF he can become a HEALTHY deal.
June 1st, 2018 at 1:18 pm
Spence is going to earn some big time recognition this season. He’s got his shoulder fixed for good and he’s put on enough weight that he can use not only his speed, but also his body weight. Plus he’s hungry for success. He’s going to be damn hard to stop.
June 1st, 2018 at 1:48 pm
My concern is that Spence is a “tweener” His body is made for a roaming LB in a 3-4 scheme. On a 4-3; he is too big and slow for a LB and too small for a DE.
June 1st, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Spence added 20 pounds of muscle and is motivated to succeed. Remember GMC had back to back forearm surgery’s his first two years and did not have another problem with his arms. I think Spence will be a star this year. Just look what our smallish MLB can do. And our All Pro CB produces despite his small stature too.