Not A Position Of Strength
August 24th, 2018
Talks OT depth.
Joe is convinced there will always be a sect of fans, no matter the team, no matter if the team is good or bad, that will always howl about how rotten said team’s offensive line is. You know, just like economists will point out there will never be such a thing as zero percent unemployment.
The injury bug hit the Bucs hard during training camp and this issue really hit home this week when left tackle Donovan Smith went down with what is believed to be a knee sprain.
(Joe is not a doctor nor does he pretend to be one, nor is Joe a handicapper. Thus, Joe’s not even going to try to guess what exactly is wrong with Smith much less when he may return.)
The way Bucs coach Dirk Koetter talked about the injury bug on the offensive line, specifically at tackle, wasn’t very reassuring.
“Well, unfortunately, depth at tackle is probably our biggest issue right now,” Koetter said. “I think as of [Wednesday], four of our top six offensive tackles didn’t practice. So, yeah, it’s let us see a lot of guys, and some guys we weren’t even planning on playing [at] tackle.”
Mind you, Koetter has been easing right tackle Demar Dotson back into a starting role after spring knee surgery. So he’s not fully 100 percent though is getting closer.
At this point, it is difficult for Joe to believe Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht won’t bring in another tackle before the regular season, whether via trade or a guy who may be a surprise cut when teams whittle down to 53 players on Sept. 1.
August 24th, 2018 at 5:29 am
@Joe … “At this point, it is difficult for Joe to believe Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht won’t bring in another tackle before the regular season, whether that is a guy who may be a surprise cut when teams whittle down to 53-men, or if that is a trade.’ We can only hope Joe.
Injuries in preseason is one thing, but to go into the regular season without satisfactory depth is quite another. We’ve got the QBs; we’ve got the weapons. But without the Clydesdales in the trenches we’re in trouble. Personally I think we’d do better by going the trade route. How about Donald Penn? Oakland’s moving him to RT from what I read, so maybe he’s more ‘expendable’ to them than he was in years past. Donald might be ‘old’ but we’re not talking about a 10-year fix here.
August 24th, 2018 at 6:08 am
one word: incognito
#EveryTeamNeedsAnOutpatient
August 24th, 2018 at 6:27 am
It’s almost like all of us fans that have been begging for more upgrades on the O-line for the past 3 years were right or something…
August 24th, 2018 at 6:45 am
Sure am glad that we drafted Aguayo in the second round a few years back instead of getting an O lineman. Genious move by Licht.
August 24th, 2018 at 6:49 am
We’ve had a depth problem on the Oline for years….
As far as the injury mysteries are concerned…..Lovie was the worst……and Koetter isn’t much better at describing injuries…..I don’t follow other teams so I don’t know if that’s just how it’s done or if we are particularly vague.
It is annoying.
August 24th, 2018 at 6:56 am
Adam
Icognito will be dead within a year Id bet. Unless he gets locked up soon n for a while. Definitely not gona get signed by anyone.
August 24th, 2018 at 7:06 am
Licht will make a move, most likely a trade and the chicken littles can relax for a minute until the next disaster strikes.
August 24th, 2018 at 7:57 am
“no matter if the team is good or bad, that will always howl about how rotten said team’s offensive line is.”
Reading a great book right now by a Swedish physician/scientist “Factfulness”.
It examines why we are all, even educated folks, pretty dumb about how the world is really doing.
He points out a couple of things. Humans have an negativity instinct. We notice the bad far more than the good…to the degree that the instinct literally cripples our critical thinking and awareness.
Another problem…binary thinking…everything is either good or evil…successful or failing and on and on.
JBF is the perfect illustration of these facts.
For Gawd’s sake..we are 2-0 have serious problems on the OL…but otherwise things are looking good…in particular at QB the most important position.
Seems like Jameis is more accurate and his head finally seems screwed on straight. He’s been the model QB this TC and pre season.
Yet we still have people who come here and literally waste our time whining about a second round draft pick from a couple years ago. There is NOTHING that can be done about that pick. And many of our problems are like with other teams due to injury. Yet some here blame Licht for injuries.
So we have guys who keep whining that we should have drafted Dalvin Cook…I was a supporter but I’m happy with OJ. Or that we should have picked Guice this year. BOTH of those players missed their entire first seasons. If Licht had selected them we would have heard all the carping about…geez we should have drafted another OL if we really wanted to fix our running game.
Forget the scientific explanations have folks here never been taught early in life by their parents and teachers the TOTAL waste of time it is to cry over spilt milk?
August 24th, 2018 at 8:00 am
Did I miss a cooler event?…..where is Realist?
August 24th, 2018 at 8:04 am
We will be fine guys, don’t worry. #12-4.. Sincerely, the glazers.
Ps- joe Carlos Hyde looked very strong last night.
August 24th, 2018 at 8:16 am
I think Chucky would give up Penn at a reasonable price.
#bringPennHome
August 24th, 2018 at 8:22 am
BucBeliever move on. You’ll be happier.
Those pining for Incognito don’t realize how sick he is.
Depth will appear on the wire, just have to wait for overpaid players to get cut.
August 24th, 2018 at 8:31 am
O-line worries me, we can’t have our back ups or Fitz getting hurt heading into the beginning 3 game stretch of the season. Those filler o-line guys have to step up for who ever is throwing and running, Jones needs to get a lot more snaps to get his confidence up but not sure if they can get him the holes or space he needs to make an impact. We definitely need Beckwith to get healthy soon as Kwon has been subpar in preseason as i see it, we need more production out of Hargraves and our new corners getting more snaps too. Tandy is now in for Evan Smith I’m assuming, next man up!!.
Go Bucs!!
August 24th, 2018 at 8:35 am
Not Evan smith, Justin evans, jeesh
August 24th, 2018 at 9:07 am
I expect a couple guys might be brought in off the waiver wire, but we more than likely will not need them.
Think about it. If you were a young player with a minor injury, would you be in a hurry to return to the heat of training camp? Those injuries might be dragged out a little.
But this is a big opportunity now. A young guy who fills in for Smith and does okay will guarantee himself a job. So don’t be surprised if one of those ‘injured’ tackles is suddenly feeling better.
August 24th, 2018 at 9:33 am
Licht already has his list of prospects that will be released this week for nfl roster cutdowns
August 24th, 2018 at 9:45 am
will the bucs stop being losers and a joke of the nfl?? maybe this year !!
August 24th, 2018 at 9:47 am
cant run at outdated 4vert scheme with back up tackles…..fitz would get killed going a 5 or 7step drop with a back-up LT….
time for the “OC” to get creative….or get dedicated to the run….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 24th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Seemed like the coaches were talking up Wester early in camp – but he got hurt pretty early on and hasn’t been back since.
August 24th, 2018 at 10:20 am
120 yards a game rushing and 32 sacks allowed or less. That’s what it is going to take. Anything less and a playoff berth will seem out of reach.
August 24th, 2018 at 11:31 am
“Well, unfortunately, depth at tackle is probably our biggest issue right now
Right now? Hell, ever since Paul Gruber……
Maybe we can convert Vea…they say he has nimble feet. Nobody really knows, because he’s only practiced for like an hour this year.
#Mysterypick
August 24th, 2018 at 11:35 am
Harry in Costa Rica
Just trade Chucky a 2nd round pick, we never hit on those anyway…
#Kwon+pick4KMack
August 24th, 2018 at 11:54 am
How about Gholston for Penn?
August 24th, 2018 at 4:09 pm
I don’t know of many offensive lines that have a ton of depth anyway. We have a solid group when healthy, and a few decent backups, so we are in a pretty good situation in comparison to where we have been in the past I think.