Countdown: Top 10 X-factor For 2018 – No. 4
July 22nd, 2018
Jason Licht revived a 2015 plan
Only four days until training camp!!
That means we’re up to No. 4 on the mighty countdown of the 10 X-factors for your 2018 Buccaneers season.
Enjoy!
No. 4 – Rookie Corners
The casino lights are bright and general manager Jason Licht is playing roulette at cornerback and betting on red and black — and praying it doesn’t land on green.
If you don’t understand roulette, then Joe will make the analogy simpler; one of Licht’s two rookie cornerbacks, the second-round picks, better be a strong contributor this season.
Or else.
Licht entered the offseason with a glaring hole at starting corner opposite Brent Grimes, who just happens to be 35 years old and coming off a season in which he missed games and at best only played at 80 percent healthy, according to his adoring wife.
Much like Licht did in 2015, when he had massive needs on the offensive line, Licht stood his ground in the winter and turned to Round 2 of the NFL Draft. This year, he snagged cornerbacks M.J. Stewart and Carlton Davis. Three years ago it was Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith.
Stewart or Davis, just one, must man up in a hurry. Vernon Hargreaves will play nickel and Ryan Smith looks like a solid No. 4 NFL cornerback, maybe a No. 3 someday if he can develop. Javien Elliott is unproven and lacking raw talent.
The great thing is Stewart and Davis should get loads of practice reps as the Bucs take it easy on Grimes in training camp. Plus, the Bucs have an outstanding corps of receivers from whom the rookies can learn a ton and be tested in practice.
On the down side, there’s no evidence the Bucs have good or even average cornerbacks coaches.
Man, those rookie corners are massive X-factors.
You can’t be soft at cornerback in this division. Just look at what happened in 2012, when the Bucs were No. 1 against the run and had a better pass rush than they had last season.
No. 5 – Jason Pierre-Paul
No. 6 – Todd Monken Impact
No. 7 – Ronald Jones
No. 8 – Contract Years
No. 9 – Ryan Fitzpatrick
No. 10 – Noah Spence
And just in case you missed Saturday’s series introduction, here are four guys you won’t see on The Countdown and why.
July 22nd, 2018 at 3:36 pm
Does anyone know what’s going on
with Steve Duemig?
July 22nd, 2018 at 3:50 pm
My prediction is that VH3 will win the outside corner position opposite Grimes and that MJ Stewart will be the nickel…..we will see….
If that doesn’t happen it will be VH3 in the nickel and Davis on the outside.
And thanks to Jason Licht (instead of Joe)……Bryan Anger’s job as the punter is safe.
July 22nd, 2018 at 3:56 pm
If it is vh3 at nickle then you best believe it needs to be Carlton Davis starting on the outside. Whitehead I hope can beat out conte and Evans keeps on growing, if this happenswe will be OK.. Mj Stewart can sit behind Grimes for a year
July 22nd, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Oh man, you’re on fire today Joe.
@Joe … “Licht entered the offseason with a glaring hole at starting corner opposite Brent Grimes, who just happens to be 35 years old and coming off a season in which he missed games and at best only played at 80 percent healthy.” Uhhh, the ‘glaring hole’ was perhaps of Licht’s own making? Also interesting that you apparently consider Brent being limited in preseason, missing 3 games during the season AND only playing at 80% healthy as a PLUS (since the ‘GLARING HOLE’ was the musical chairs cornerbacks staring OPPOSITE Grimes). But obviously the problem wasn’t the quality of talent Licht provided, so it must’ve been Scapegoat Smitty.
@Joe … “On the down side, there’s no evidence the Bucs have good or even average cornerbacks coaches.” I was afraid for a moment that you weren’t gonna be able to work that (apparently) major coaching deficiency in there, but voila, you managed. Kudos. On the plus-side though, you did acknowledge Ryan Smith as a “solid No. 4 NFL cornerback” and Javien Eliott as “lacking raw talent” (which BTW begs the question why he’s even on the team). You even acknowledged that VHIII is a nickel CB (surely that’s on the coaching staff & not on Licht or VHIII).
Come on down Scapegoat Smitty, it’s your turn in the barrel, once again. And remember Smitty, “You can’t be soft at cornerback in this division.” If you can navigate that rookie corners’ minefield that Joe is calling “massive X-factors” Bucs fans might not turn out into the desert after all when this season ends.
July 22nd, 2018 at 4:20 pm
If the front 7 “wreck havoc” then the secondary can hold on until the rookies have a grasp on NFL speed. But the pass rush will help.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:01 pm
Based on what I’ve seen it looks like Stewart is an enforcer. Still don’t understand how licht passed on Oliver or the kid from LSU especially with Julio, Gunn Jr and Michael Thomas in the division but wtfdik
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:03 pm
Yes. It’s hardly a state secret.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:51 pm
When will the Joes stop knocking the secondary coaching? How about this guys, there has been NO talent there. Yo love to tout Duffner as a GREAT coach but here is reality he is coaching 2 pro bowlers.
July 22nd, 2018 at 6:02 pm
Nice try. Outside of Brent Grimes, please name a corner that actually improved with this current coaching staff? That’s your answer to premise No. 1. Joe will quit ragging on any coach when they do their job: Make a player better, have him prepared to play. That’s what coaches are paid handsomely to do.
As for premise No. 2, every linebacker that has come off the bench has played well and has been coached up.
Next.
July 22nd, 2018 at 6:38 pm
“2018 Bucs draft will be known for passing 2- 10 year all pros in Derwin James and Derrius Guice for a bunch of backup MEH”
Kobe Faker
July 22nd, 2018 at 6:50 pm
Answer Kobe Faker and win a prize…
To the Buc Sheep and Jason Gump apologists-
With all the holes in our team and defense where is the uproar in Gumps signings and draft? How is this vision of building a team?
You want another def tackle to play alongside McCoy so you overpay and bring in a defense tackle. However though we have numerous holes we also sign another defensive tackle….
Then mindbogglingly, your Forrest visionary drafts another 2 down run stopper in the 1st round ….WTF!….WHERE IS THE UPROAR??
July 22nd, 2018 at 10:27 pm
Can’t cover someone playing 12 yards away from them. What should I do coach? OH…keep playing 12 yards off? Ok coach, I’ll do that the rest of the season and hope it starts working at some point. Thanks for the great coaching coach.
Wow I can’t believe I ever thought coaching was actually the problem!
July 22nd, 2018 at 10:33 pm
kobe faker right on, i dont get gumps philosophy well actually i do it gets you 5-11
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:21 am
Hargreaves needs to stay right where he is, in the slot.