Conte Seems Safe
August 20th, 2018
Appears secure.
It is a running joke with Joe that whenever a former starter for another team is cut, Joe writes on Twitter, “Tick… tick… tick… “
The reason is it will only take a matter of seconds for a Bucs fan to Twitter Joe something along the lines of “Do you think the Bucs will be interested in (insert player’s name)?”
So yesterday when the Bengals cut safety George Iloka, it was quickly followed with those aforementioned questions.
It’s partly the proverbial grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence philosophy. But there is also a darker thought process behind this craving for a new safety.
ConteHate!
Well, word sifted out to Bucs coach Dirk Koetter yesterday that a good number of Bucs fans want him to add a new safety to the roster — any safety. Koetter all but said the Bucs have bigger fish to fry.
“I mean, the fans ask [media types] questions because in their mind we’d take every guy that becomes available and it just doesn’t work that way because there’s salary cap issues and there’s injury issues and usually, when a guy gets let go from one team it was for a reason,” Koetter said. “So, we can’t make everybody happy and pick up every player that becomes available.
“Every team has needs, of course. Every team in the league has needs and I’m sure that’s something every GM in the league is looking at where they have extra guys that they think could help another team and try to trade for somebody. But my job is to coach the guys that are here.”
Joe is convinced that no player outside of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, catches more hell from fans than Chris Conte. You would think the guy is Sabby the Goat. He’s not. Not even close.
The way a few Bucs fans go mental over Conte, they wish he’d stick his nose against a hot wire fence so he would run away howling.
Joe doesn’t understand ConteHate. Are people really that wigged out he married a Bucs cheerleader?
August 20th, 2018 at 10:19 am
lol there’s conte hate because he’s not an nfl caliber starter hasn’t been for years or ever in his career yet he has started every season he has been with the bucs. no other GM, HC or DC would tolerate rolling out a player of conte’s capaplitiles ESPECIALLY not in this system that asks so much of their safeties man to man. yet here we are getting ready for another bucs season with conte starting over 2 guys more talented than him (whitehead,tandy) and the overall talent of the defense will suffer because of it. lots of coaches like to say “you’re only as good as your weakest link” well, that’s too bad..
August 20th, 2018 at 10:24 am
I second Johnnybuc comments…
Bucs need a Kam Chancellor or Patrick Cheung at safety – if you don’t upgrade, expect the same results- and if you think safeties don’t have an effect on the running defense, think again.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:25 am
To hear it told by some, the reason the Bucs have been bad for so long is Chris Conte and Gerald McCoy!
August 20th, 2018 at 10:30 am
Conte never had the opportunity to play with a defensive line with a decent pass rush.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:39 am
Do you just close your eyes every time Conte is on the field? Granted, he is no Sabby, but damn close. He has at least one missed tackle or assignment per game if not more. Just this last game against the titans he took a terrible angle on Dion Lewis and whiffed on the tackle. Most of the hate for Conte comes from the fact the he hit his ceiling a long time ago, and it’s not that good.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:42 am
Maybe if Joe would stop lusting over Jameis on the sidelines Joe would see that all Conte does is miss tackles, take bad angles, and never do anything to deserve the blind loyalty from Light.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:46 am
Sure…..we could certainly upgrade at Safety……Conte is at best…average….but how is that Conte’s fault…….this would be the fault of Licht……
We can live with Conte….but we certainly need to rush the passer….and, we haven’t since he’s been here.
August 20th, 2018 at 10:54 am
AlabamaBucFan
It’s only two games into preseason but if you consider this dline to have a decent pass rush, I saw Conte get runover by a bus when he tried to square up and tackle a run up the middle and missing tackles all night Saturday. Conte came along with Lovie and his horrible HC years here and hasn’t shown up since. Praying Whitehead and Evans can be two good/great safeties we’ve had in a long time. Don’t mind Conte as a backup to play out this year.
August 20th, 2018 at 11:00 am
“Conte is at best…average….but how is that Conte’s fault” HAHAHAHA. How is it his fault he is average?! How is it anyone else’s?
August 20th, 2018 at 11:14 am
“Did everyone see Justin Evans defend that 47 yard TD from T.Taylor? This is why Evans is pushed to nickel corner because if we have a open receiver in space it is an automatic TD”
“watching Justin Evans and Kwonie is like watching 2 headless chickens”
Kobe Faker
August 20th, 2018 at 11:46 am
conte isn’t as bad as folks make him out to be…..he’s also not good enough to be a starter…..
I think the starters should be tandy and evans with whitehead and conte as back ups….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 20th, 2018 at 11:54 am
“watching Justin Evans and Kwonie is like watching 2 headless chickens”
Made me laugh. So true.
And Conte is terrible. If he’s not getting juked out of his shoes he’s getting blocked or run over. Tandy is better and I’m hoping Whitehead takes that job.
August 20th, 2018 at 12:12 pm
I don’t hate Conte, he just isn’t very good. The guy gets burned a lot. Whatever the case, we’re stuck with him for now. I hope the pass rush is much better and keeps Conte from being 3 steps behind receivers on every play.
I think the real question should be where does all the the Conte live come from, especially Joe. I admit Conte has made a few big plays, but he makes 3 bad plays for every good one. His best attribute is quarterbacks who can’t complete passes to wide open receivers that have burned him.
August 20th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
*love. Damn autocorrect 😂
August 20th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
I have beat this Horse to death. For the life of me I cannot understand Conte remaining a starter. Got hurt 2 years ago and Tandy started in his place and they have a winning season. He comes back Tandy sits and they continue to lose because the defense sucks. The best 4 in the backline Defense…..Grimes and Evans at Corners. Tandy and Whitehead at Safety. I’m tired of talking about it Cause Smitty is up Contes Butt and I can’t change that. The only salvation I have is Smith and Koeters stubbornness will get them canned. It’s only Pre Season and I’m pissed and we are 2 & 0. And we all know #3 is the reason why. When he can’t play and it counts I’m afraid that 0 will come first not W’s.
But I’m still a Bucs Fan!!!!! LETS GOOOOOOO!!!!
August 20th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
The Bucs have much bigger problems than Conte. OL depth, RB depth, pass rush & coaching.
August 20th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
Conte is an average backup!!!!!! he will occasionally give you a slash play, but for everyone of those plays, there are 3 bad plays!!!!!!! All the sheep need to know is that Joe has to use sabby to make conte look good!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 20th, 2018 at 2:07 pm
kobe faker dumb as shlt if he really think justin evans is a bad safety … bout the worst football take i’ve heard lmfaoooo that’s worse than the dumb mfs in the media saying the bucs NEED to trade for teddy B 😂😂😂😂
August 20th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
I’m a Dobe (Doberman) fan. On my 5th one and hope to get my 6th soon. They are smart critters as well as being great security/companion dawgs. My big question is still Mike Smith and his calls. Jury’s still out here.
August 20th, 2018 at 3:08 pm
Like most coaches (exception example:Patriots head coach), our coach has “his” guys. Good, bad or indifferent, it’s “full speed ahead”.
That is what is most likely to sink Koetters battleship. Loyalty to “buds” dosen’t cut it in professional sports. It is and should be, all about winning. Obviously, putting together the right group of players who get it and meld as unit is not that easy.
August 20th, 2018 at 4:56 pm
I miss Mark Barron.
I can’t believe he was a Buccaneer.
And we couldn’t design a defense that suited his strengths.
Imagine a permanent nickel formation with Mark Barron as an outsider linebacker.
Damn.
What should have been.
I am interested in the SS from Northwestern.
@joe
Can you write something about Iguegueko. Whats his name?
He is thick with 4.4 speed.
Could be a sleeper.
August 21st, 2018 at 8:22 pm
Conte is the human bumper car. He just bumps into you, spins around, then chases you to try and bump you again.