Last Call
August 31st, 2018
The last Bucs player remaining in the locker room last night didn’t want to leave.
The opportunity before him is exhilarating and the coming hours will be gut-wrenching, even after Dirk Koetter had an encouraging quiet moment with him as the locker room cleared out.
The player is defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, the 28-year-old former Packers second-round pick who was signed off the street by the Bucs 11 days ago. He was a considered a bust in Green Bay and was out of football since November when he got the call from Tampa Bay, his sixth NFL team.
With a new house and a wife and kids counting on him, Worthy told Joe it was stressful through the summer pondering his future while continuing the hard work to be ready for that call.
Bucs defensive line coach Brentson Buckner privately trained Worthy seven years ago, Worthy said, before Buckner got into coaching. He thinks Buckner helped get him the NFL lifeline he’s currently clinging to.
Worthy co-led the Bucs defense last night with five solo tackles, plus he had one quarterback hit. That came on the heels of Worthy earning Koetter’s public praise following last Friday’s game against the Lions.
Now it’s a painful waiting game with roster cuts looming on Saturday.
The Bucs have injuries and Worthy says he feels 100 percent. But he knows the positive words from Koetter at his locker last night are nothing to get excited about.
“You just want more chances to show what you can do. All that work to be ready and you don’t want it to end. You want to keep competing,” Worthy said. “I don’t want to leave. It’s always a business, but I like it here.”
Joe wouldn’t bet against Worthy sticking around until Vita Vea is healthy. After all that work fortifying the D-line this offseason, the Bucs just can’t afford to get thin there in the first three games.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:22 am
He definitely outplayed Spence.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:33 am
He’s certainly earned a spot in the rotation
August 31st, 2018 at 11:40 am
If Mitch Unrein to goes to the IR, he might have a spot.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:46 am
He has a 50-50 chance to make the 53.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:46 am
Everyone say the 4th preseason game (and most of preseason) is awful and terible to watch…. but thisis why you watch. Guys are fighting for their lives
August 31st, 2018 at 11:47 am
He’s toast.
And I bet Vea is upgraded to questionably game 1.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:10 pm
Sooooooooooo Jaq Smith with the cards got an interception last night! wow
August 31st, 2018 at 12:21 pm
with unrein still coming back from the concussion, the bucs may have an opening even after Vea is healthy. Right now their designated edge guys will have to spend to many snaps filling in at DT. it’s great that Vinny Curry and JPP can play in the middle of the line but it’s not where they belong. Even Gholston is not ideal in that role
August 31st, 2018 at 12:26 pm
@pryda30_sec147
The fact that Jaq was playing last night says it all
August 31st, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Let’s see…
Who had the most tackles in Pre-season? Isaiah Johnson- 16, Cichy and Lynch 14.
Who had the most receptions? Watson….by far… 12.
Best KO return ave… S. Wilson…26.5
RB yard ave. Barber… 5.8, Wilson 4.7
Just some food for thought.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:35 pm
Reedy had good return yardage, but what bothers me about him is only 7 catches in 14 targets.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:35 pm
I think Spence is gone….he’s a one trick pony and avg at that. This team is desperate for roster spots with the o-line and secondary beat up.
On a different note, consider how bad we were last year when Spence was considered our premier pass rusher and now this year he’s almost near the bottom.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:06 pm
I think it will come down between Gholston Worthy. Only problem is Gholston has guaranteed money while Worthy would add on the Salary cap.
Spence is safe!
August 31st, 2018 at 1:08 pm
I think he sticks…vita will be out until Winston comes back….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 31st, 2018 at 1:08 pm
If you’re a fan of a team and have any shred of empathy for your fellow human, you have to appreciate the back end battle for final roster spots and practice squad spots.
Did a guy like Bazata come out of nowhere to get a practice squad spot? (Answer is no apparently; he was cut early; guys who they want on the practice squad are usually cut at the last minute and then resigned to the practice squad.)
Did Wilson play so well that he’s too good to be put on the practice squad? Are we then going to use a precious roster spot on a fourth running back? If not, are we going to cut Rodgers, because we can bring him back, but will certainly lose Wilson or RoJo if we cut or stash them.
If we go with four running backs, does that mean one less receiver?
Did they play RoJo so much because they secretly hoped he’d get a minor injury and could be stashed on IR. We’ve done that with Kenny Bell and a couple of other guys.
In terms of talent relativity, previous teams could stash guys on the practice squad with near impunity. Humphreys, Brate, Barber, Cross have all been on the practice squad at one time or another and we managed to get them back. Can we stash a Watson, a Cichi, a Bailey, a Johnson on the practice squad any more? Wilson and Watson earned a spot imho. Cichi looked lost and undisciplined last night, but the talent is worth a look.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:11 pm
We can’t stash Cichy…. If someone doesn’t pick him on wavers, good chance the Packers would go hard after him for their practice squad, as they have a need at LB and he is a Wisconsin boy. No secret there.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:13 pm
gambel… Cichy looked lost? Sounds like you lost his name. But the joke aside, he has had more tackles but for a few guys this preseason. If that is lost, we need more of it.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:16 pm
gambel…actually less than one guy and tied with another in total tackles…but who’s counting?
August 31st, 2018 at 1:21 pm
You got me Mark; it’s even worse than that. I actually looked up how to spell his name and still missed it.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:22 pm
🙂
August 31st, 2018 at 1:26 pm
Cichy was undisciplined in terms of gap control. His effort was great. It’s just that he has a tendency to charge headlong into the wrong gap, which leads to gouging runs.
I think it would be a mistake to cut or stash him, but we’ve been an innovator at offering really good incentives for talented practice squad players. I don’t see anyone beating us out for a practice squad spot, even a Green Bay for a guy from the midwest.
August 31st, 2018 at 2:08 pm
I would keep Worthy, only 5 receivers, I know that is tough, but if you keep Shaun Wilson( who I think could be Darren Sproles explosive)I, who can also return kicks, probably can line up in the slot/outside. I think Worthy is hungry, he played like it, familiarity with Buckner, he wasn’t a second round pick for nothing (Roberto, Bowers, hopefully not Spence) – it lets JPP and Curry stay on the outside and we already see Vea and Mitch not on the field (this reminds me too much of Sweezy and Carl Nicks.
August 31st, 2018 at 2:40 pm
This dude can play , he has strength, fight, snap to tackle energy and some dam good get off !!! It is beyond obvious that the mental aspect of the game must have been his problem and currently it isn’t a problem !!! Laugh as you may but he has stood out and been more relentless than any other buc d lineman I have seen in 10 years !! Laugh all you want this cat can flat out play and I mean flat out play !!! Don’t know what other obstacles he May personally have but he is and has been the best d lineman hands down the Bucs have over the last two games !!! Someone is losing a job to keep this guy around and if not someone isn’t doing their job !!! Guarantee with his energy he can out play Spence at end , for sure on Iraq and second down . Who’s the last Buc d line man to have five tackles and actually give 110 percent after a quick get off !!
August 31st, 2018 at 3:51 pm
Hunger and desperation can really help a guy get the most out of his game.
Hoping he finds a way to stay in the game.
August 31st, 2018 at 4:59 pm
He’s a keeper, depth on DL is going to be critical this year.
August 31st, 2018 at 5:33 pm
@rrsq
I was thinking of the same similarities. He has returned well and hit the hole with results when given a chance. Now that would be something if we got a player that
can play like Sproles.
August 31st, 2018 at 8:37 pm
Sorry to dissent but he looked very slow to me
August 31st, 2018 at 9:05 pm
He may be around a while if your waiting for Vea to play.
September 1st, 2018 at 2:30 pm
I’d keep Worthy over Spence. Admit the mistake and move on.