Why Not Bashaud Breeland?
July 23rd, 2018
The following gets Bucs fans irked but it is real.
In the two years under defensive coordinator Mike Smith, he and his cornerback coaches have yet to prove they can develop a rookie corner.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ryan Smith was a mid-round pick. Yeah, Javien Elliott was a free agent. Yeah, Vernon Hargreaves (in the eyes of the unemployed Mike Mayocks who live in the greater Tampa Bay area) was drafted too high.
Joe asks you, have either of those three cornerbacks improved? And if your answer is yes, then why did Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht draft two cornerbacks in the second round? Seems an awful waste of draft capital if Smith and his charges were actually improving the stock of the young corners, no?
However, what Smith and his assistants have been proven is they can work with veteran corners. Robert McClain played well last year. And of course, Brent Grimes is an ageless wonder.
So with a guy like veteran corner Bashaud Breeland now on an employment tour, it astounds Joe that Licht has yet to bring Breeland in for a visit.
Why?
Joe imagines just about everyone agrees that if the predictions of many come true, and the Bucs stink out loud this year, then there very likely could be a housecleaning at One Buc Palace come January.
Is Licht that confident in his job security he is willing to watch Smith and Co. throw a rookie (or Ryan Smith) to the wolves right out of the gate against Drew Brees, Carson Wentz and Ben Roethlisberger?
Think about it, what ignoramus of an offensive coordinator is going to throw at Grimes when on the other side of the field is a rookie or Ryan Smith?
Remember: Teams open 0-3 have a 2.9 percent chance of making the playoffs.
There is no excuse not to test drive Breeland. You cannot tell Joe he is worse than Ryan Smith.
July 23rd, 2018 at 7:19 am
I would certainly feel better with another veteran in the mix.
July 23rd, 2018 at 7:39 am
If anything, he would give us more depth.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:03 am
I think he’s worth a look but if he’s decent, with no other options out there, he’ll likely fetch a premium that Licht rarely shows a willingness to pay for. Licht is very much about sticking to his grading/pay scale for players. I think there’s also an element of strategy to the budget where you expect good coaches to be able to mask a weakness or two. Its really not possible to have top tier starters at every single position on the field…..You have to be able to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. I’ve been saying for years, a solid d-line will make a weak secondary look avg….A great d-line will make the secondary look above avg….But a strong secondary rarely makes an avg d-line anything better then what it is. I’m sure we’ll snap someone off the street when cuts start….but my expectations are McClain or another journeyman.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:06 am
Maybe the hot seat isn’t as hot as you think it is for Licht, Joe.
Maybe the Glazers realize that JL is still building a team through the draft and has done a pretty dam good job.
Maybe they realize that starting over again isn’t always the best course of action and are exercising a more patient approach.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:07 am
I will take the just drafted rookies over a 5th year vet that has been just average and now cannot get over a foot injury thank you!!!!! No need to waste time with him, it would be just another T.J Ward waste of time!!!!!!!!!!
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:08 am
McClain would be fine with me.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:22 am
Joe
I take your point but I think it’s a bit of reaction and premature.
Ronde Barber a Buc legend is the great example. He only played in one game his rookie year and he started nine his second year but they were still experimenting moving him back and forth from right to left CB. This frequent distortion of Barber’s record is common and goofy. The dude was an animal in his second season, finishing second in tackles on legendary defense in 1998. And he had two picks and two forced fumbles. Ronde was a stud in his second season and a true star in his third. –Joe
His 3rd year he finally blossomed and continue to grow from there.
Of course Monte figured out how to maximize Ronde’s skill set and so Joe perhaps you have a point there. So far Smitty has not maximized their talent but the verdict is still out.
Elliott seems like a stretch to me. But I think VHG might become a serviceable nickel back..and Ryan Smith is a real wild card to me. They wasted his rookie year at FS and so he’s just a second year CB…let’s see what he can do.
As for the rookies pure NFL draft statistics show a 50% success/failure rate.
We selected two…let’s hope at least one of them works out. If both work out we’ve hit a home run!
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:24 am
Dooshlarue-
Nah, Joe’s view is any serviceable NFL experience is better than untested draft picks- however, your point of view has a a proven success history
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:24 am
We always seem to miss the boat on these types of free agents. Not sure what he is looking for based on contract etc but if he would accept a lower vet type of contract for a year I dont know why we wouldn’t bring him on.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:29 am
Serviceable free agents are like good looking new girlfriends that have had 3 exes in the past 5 years- too much baggage
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:32 am
Bobby M. Says:
I approve and co-sign LOL
I agree with most of what you said.
I have been suspect of this coaching staff for a couple of seasons now and I believe they are one of the reasons this team has under-performed.
It is not time to see what we have and make some noise.
GO BUCS!!!
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:34 am
Not Happening.
For better or for worse – Bucs are rolling with the youth movement at CB.
There are 4 young CBs on the roster that all have NFL level talent based on draft position and what we have seen so far:
Hargreaves, Ryan Smith, Stewart and Davis.
Also 3 young UDFAs that are believed to have NFL talent:
Elliott, David Rivers and Marko Myers
Licht and the coaches are betting that of those 7 talented young CBs – at least 3 will show themselves to be and/or become serviceable to good players over the course of this season.
Adding a stop gap veteran CB to the roster now only serves to take away valuable reps from all these young CBs who need as many reps as they can get in order to improve.
Robert McClain played decently last year, already knows the system and could be brought back for cheap if the Bucs were interested in some veteran insurance at the position.
But the Bucs obviously are NOT interested in going that route for the reasons I already stated.
Plus it would make final cut-downs that much harder assuming that 4 or 5 of the 7 young CBs show themselves as having NFL level talent and thus worthy of hanging onto moving forward since this is almost certainly Brent Grimes last season.
Despite what this Joe is contending – Ryan Smith’s play absolutely did improve over the course of last season and VH3 is expected to bounce back strong as well in a slot/nickle role at the very least.
So yea – the youth movement is afoot at CB and its the right move IMO.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:40 am
For years we’ve took the wrong approach when attempting to fix our pass defense…
This off-season Mr. Licht finally got it right…I believe that by fixing the issues with our DLine Licht has also fixed the secondary…It doesn’t matter what find of star power you have at DB; if the opposing QB gets 5 Mississippi’s on every passing down to find an open Receiver you don’t don’t have a chance…
Imho, at this point adding Breeland would be a waste of $…We have enough talent and depth in our secondary to get the job done…It all falls on our DLine; if they can “Wreak Havoc” on consistent bases our secondary play will improve by leaps and bounds…
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:51 am
They didn’t draft three defensive backs only to bring in a ho-hum vet to steal reps from them.
This is the exact mindset that Gruden and Bruce Allen used to destroy the future of this team. Never work at developing players, just sloppily bring in over the hill and middling players to compete against each other, and in the end you have nothing to build on.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:51 am
then why did Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht draft two cornerbacks in the second round? Seems an awful waste of draft capital’
‘
No Joe, a waste of draft capital would be the two punters you suggested instead of drafting CBs…….
July 23rd, 2018 at 9:10 am
Pickgrin, right on target as usual. Licht is setting this defense up for trouble … yet again. Expecting Brent Grimes to make it through 16 full games at 35 yrs old is risky & foolish. VHIII isn’t an outside corner (he simply doesn’t have the skills to play out there with the big boys, but is an OK nickel). Ryan Smith HAS improved, but he’s really just going into his 2nd year as a CB. Davis & Stewart probably have talent, but are still just rookies. Why Elliott’s on the team I’ll never know, and the rest are unknowns.
Bringing back McClain is a no-brainer IMO, for ‘insurance’ if nothing else. That’d give us Grimes & McClain as vets, with VHIII & Ryan Smith with ‘some experience’, plus Davis & Stewart as rookie corners, each with a chance to start. If one of the others beats out McClain in preseason, we benefit. A WIN-WIN … well, except for Robert McClain in that case.
July 23rd, 2018 at 9:24 am
He is still unemployed for a Reason!
July 23rd, 2018 at 9:32 am
DR – I’m agreeing with the GM and coaches – contending the opposite of what you said.
That bringing in McClain or any other vet CB who is not a clear and obvious upgrade/starter only serves to take valuable reps from the 7 young CBs. 3 or 4 of whom are likely to show themselves as capable within the course of this season.
OneBuc55’s point about fixing the DLine being a huge boost for the secondary is right on target and plays a big part in all of this.
July 23rd, 2018 at 9:41 am
Just bring back Robert McClain and forget about these unknowns. Knows system and would be good back-up. Plus would be experienced competition for rookies. Did I mention “Cheap.”
July 23rd, 2018 at 9:49 am
I just love how everyone “assumes” the Bucs will start 0-3. Negative Nancys.
July 23rd, 2018 at 9:59 am
Yeah I completely agree that the D Line sucking last year had more to do with the CB play being really bad as well.
Those 15 to 30 yard routes where the QB can hit his WR right after the break with no pressure in his face is a cake walk. Pitch and Catch right?
Not many CBs in the NFL can stay stride for stride with the best WRs.
If we add pressure it changes EVERYTHING on Defense.
Tampa 2 might actually work in Tampa again.
July 23rd, 2018 at 10:53 am
Pickgrin, misread one sentence; my bad. Guess we disagree on this one then. I’m all for a youth movement, but not if it costs us wins. THUS the ‘insurance’ that Robert McClain provides. That 1st Atlanta game Grimes & Smith played the entire game at outside CBs & McClain was the nickel (on 58% of the defensive snaps). VHIII didn’t play defense that game, nor did Elliott. Smitty stuck with an inexperienced outside CB, Ryan Smith, and Julio Jones had him for lunch (12 catches on 15 targets for 253 yds & 2 TDs) … BOTH in a 5-minute span in the 2nd qtr. Falcons OC capitalized on the mismatch, and Ryan Smith undoubtedly learned a valuable lesson. We lost by 14 pts (34-20).
Don’t misunderstand; Ryan Smith didn’t lose us that game all by himself. Losing is always a TEAM EFFORT IMO. But mismatches like that exist in every game, and IF Grimes goes out (for whatever reason), we’d be putting a very inexperienced pair of outside CBs out there. Now if these young guys prove that they can ball in preseason, then McClain can go back to the couch.
July 23rd, 2018 at 10:57 am
“In the two years under defensive coordinator Mike Smith, he and his cornerback coaches have yet to prove they can develop a rookie corner.” – Joe
That’s like saying my oven cannot cook french fried because it has not finished them in 14 instead of 21 minutes.
It takes 3 years to determine if a player is good or bad. Why is that?
Because players tend to have bad sophomore seasons. How they respond is what determines their ceiling in the league.
July 23rd, 2018 at 11:50 am
This article assumes VH3 will not be a contender for starting outside…. I agree with this article.
July 23rd, 2018 at 12:08 pm
If the coaching staff didn’t have confidence in the 7 young CBs – then McClain would already be here. Its as simple as that.
The expectation is that at least 2 or 3 of these young CBs will be ready for prime time and play well.
VH3 is a lock for the slot/nickle spot and even if that is his primary roll – he is likely to do well there.
Ryan Smith may well surprise in a good way with another entire off-season under his belt and I guarantee you Carlton Davis has a personal expectation of winning that outside spot as a rookie and playing well which he just might be able to achieve. Lattimore killed it last year as a rookie so it is possible. At pick #53 – MJ Stewart is bound to be in the mix somehow and will surely show at some point why Licht had enough confidence to take him that high.
Rivers and Myers are both drawing high praise so far as well…
July 23rd, 2018 at 12:30 pm
Bucs need a safety and RT
July 23rd, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Two year prove it deal for 4/per and make only 1 year garanteed No harm no foul And if good you have for an extra year
July 23rd, 2018 at 5:32 pm
These new cats have yet to take the field but that doesn’t stop Joe’s incessant doom and gloom prognostication. Joe has not prognosticated doom and gloom. –Joe What makes Joe think that any of our 3 new DB’s can’t play well out the shoot. Bashaud Breeland is washed up and would take a spot away from a younger developing player. Let’s see how things look through camp, and at the end there should be plenty of cut players to sift through if needed.