Something? Anything!
August 30th, 2018
Bought defensive groceries.
Just the memory of how utterly disgusting the Bucs pass defense was last year makes Joe want to wash his eyes out with battery acid.
It was so bad, to this day Joe is surprised a member of Team Glazer didn’t go full-blown Bobby Knight and toss a suite chair onto the field of the Den of Depression.
The cherry on top of the whipped cream was the three-plays, 75-yards Tyrod Taylor stunt in Buffalo.
Well, over at FootballOutsiders.com, the numberscrunchers have a unique thing going that is pretty much a typed out version of two dudes at a bar discussing teams. The “conversation” about the Bucs was interesting.
Andrew Potter believes the Bucs were so over-the-top dreadful in the secondary sans 35-year-old Brent Grimes, that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was “reckless” is not drafting a defensive back in the first round. But Bryan Knowles seems to think Licht may be onto something with his draft strategy.
Let me play devil’s advocate for a moment. One of Tampa Bay’s problems on defense last season was that they didn’t do a single thing well. They ranged from below average to outright disastrous in pretty much any situation. Couldn’t you make the argument that, by placing so many resources in one spot, they are attempting to find a something that they’re good at? Something to build around? Maybe we’re talking a multi-year rebuilding project, but if Vita Vea, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Vinny Curry mesh well with Gerald McCoy on the defensive line, maybe that’s the identity they’re looking for?
Joe tends to agree with what Knowles argued, but let’s not get too cute here. Licht wasn’t trying to find an “identity,” he was trying to find competence.
Joe wrote yesterday about how four of the five players expected to start on the defensive line last year or share time with starters had no business being starters.
And it is not like Licht did not address the secondary. Three of his first six draft picks this year were defensive backs.
Now it is up to the defensive coaches to coach these defensive backs up, which has been an adventure in recent seasons.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Press at the line ….it will help everyone!!!!
Can’t rush the passer when there is always a dump off pass wide open before the ball is even snapped. It’s a very simple problem to solve. You don’t have to press all the time….but playing twelve yards back ALL OF THE TIME is just idiotic!
August 30th, 2018 at 10:08 am
I wonder if the main problem is the DB or D coaching, more than the players. In game adjustments doesn’t seem to be in their repertoire.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:10 am
If this defense can just be average for the season you may be looking at a nice season. I have no doubt this offense will put points on the board.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:11 am
/Taps fingers on desk.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:11 am
So Ayers who was talked about as one of our “studs” failed his physical and is now out of the league. Swaggy just got cut outright.
That’s at least 50% of our starting DL that’s not even good enough to make any of the other 31 teams. What does that tell us about last year and Lichts moves this year.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:12 am
Well, one thing’s for sure, there aren’t any more excuses. This defense better play halfway decent or there will be some coaches looking for work. Lack of talent wasn’t the ONLY thing that did us in. There were ZERO adjustments made. That’s on coaching.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:14 am
Well said Joe. To add to that… the whole defense needs upgrades yes even at LINEBACKER, you Kwon and LVD homers. Ya’ll make me sick! Anyhoo, so where is Licht going to start? After his Madden drafting and FA technique failed AGAIN he realized that his secondary is getting burned because there’s no pass rush. I pounded that drum since 2016, eg when Ayers got hot so did the secondary Tandy and VHIII in particular.
So Licht gets Buckner which IMO will have a decade of positive results for this franchise. Great move Licht, then he gets JPP. Another good move… BUT sadly that’s where it ends. For some ungodly reason he didn’t get any more DE’s but goes DT and get’s these part time scrubs and stop gap guys. So we’re left with Spence as our protege to JPP. Spence will never NEVER be the same after that second surgery as evident by his awful preseason. Sorry to say love the guy. Licht then drafts Vea. Why? We all know why bucs can’t stop the run (Looks at Kwon and GMC). So you bring in JPP with a wealth of knowledge and give him no one to mentor, no potential to extract. I could go on and on… Licht is a mess 🙂
August 30th, 2018 at 10:15 am
if this staff cant get us to the playoffs with this roster, they never will!!!!!…..time for smitty to step up!!!!
he has 1st rounder and PBers along the dline and he has high draft pick on the back end….LBs are seasoned vets…..no reason why this defense shouldn’t be above average…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
August 30th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Trade for Mack. Yea, I know he’ll cost a pick and 20 million. Long term you would rather have him than McCoy after this year, so let McCoy walk. I’m a Winston guy, but do you really think that he’s put himself in position to get a long term deal in line with what the other QBs are getting paid? There’s some extra $ right there that didn’t look to be available for us last year. They need to win games this year or get fired. Mack is the answer.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:18 am
Trade for Khalil Mack…
Djax and a pick . Djax and Lvd? Kwon?
August 30th, 2018 at 10:23 am
Brad right on that would be a great move, give up Desean and the #1 pick next year and then you have, mack off the edge for 5 years, licht makes kooky moves but they are kooky and dumb, this is a smart move and smart and licht are not synonymous
August 30th, 2018 at 10:25 am
Mack would be amazing but he’s a 3-4 LB. He’d play strong side here and that would be a waste of his talent.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:28 am
i hear you on the 3-4 and mack as a waste here, but i would think smitty could run some different fronts to get the most out of a top 3 pass rusher in the game, the raiders have a 4-3 look this year not sure what they ran out of last year and one of their Ends is Bruce Irvin, so they are using stand up ends, so a good coach can figure it out
August 30th, 2018 at 10:31 am
trade for mack?…..yall want gruden to screw us again?…..gruden knows whats going on down here….he’ll damn a kings ransom and this incompetent front office will give it to him…..
great player and a position of need but his price is way too high….that trade would set us back 6-8years…..
continue to build thru the draft….we need coaches who can develop players….that’s where we’re lacking….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
August 30th, 2018 at 10:33 am
Trade for Mack.. he can hold out here.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:33 am
*demand
August 30th, 2018 at 10:34 am
@Dusthty Rhothdes
I didn’t think using him as a rusher, good call. You know he can do it too. Intriguing thought. I’d be happy to lose Djax, he’d do so well in Oakland. Gruden would have a field day with him.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:37 am
No way I am giving up 2 first round picks for Mack. NFL is reporting that as the asking price.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:41 am
It’s strange that they didn’t mention the LB corp. You can have the best 3 LBs in the game but if your d-line is undersized garbage they will never produce. Most are expecting David and Kwon to return to form with a better D-line, something they completely gloss over. And Joe how did you miss this gem? ” …..and Chris Conte, who will apparently be manning one safety spot for the Buccaneers until the inevitable heat death of the universe”
August 30th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Licht has blown the past 3 1st/2nd round picks so this would be a HUGE win giving up a 1st for him
August 30th, 2018 at 10:48 am
Dusthty Rhothdes Says:
August 30th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Licht has blown the past 3 1st/2nd round picks so this would be a HUGE win giving up a 1st for him
^^^LMAO
August 30th, 2018 at 11:05 am
At least Buckner would find a way to play to Mack’s strengths, Mike Smith will be an afterthought after this year, IMO. His replacement is coaching our D-line right now. I hope not this year but could happen after week 3 if our defense fails us, just sayin’.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:07 am
BTW, nobody is giving up 2 1st round picks, but a first and D Jax would be sweet.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:19 am
multi year rebuilding?
Better not be.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:22 am
Listen it is simple… buy a Super Bowl win by trading for Khalil Mack. deshawn Jackson and a 2nd round pick. Our defense would instantly be top 5. Jpp, McCoy,Mack,LVD….. it would be like the old days were our defense was something to be feared.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:26 am
@JOE, Why Would we NOT trade 2 number 1 for Mack ???? Why not? We got Vita to replace McCoy, this would make our line the best in the league this year.
Please do a poll, please.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:32 am
Forrest Gump doesnt have a plan…Its irrational and puzzeling
Attack Pass rush defensive front with a soft zone? You think OCs are dumb? The ball is coming out fast and on the perimeter. Get used to the wr bubble screen than tenn took to the house.
How can you have a attack defensive front and bring back a 40 year old corner who plays soft coverage for 12 games for the season
zone defenses will try to get off the field with 3 and outs. Attack blitzing defenses always have press man coverage behind them
Why is Kobe the only 1 that understands this and worried about this clustermuck? this is a flawed scheme….
“Our GM Gump is Bipolar”
Kobe Faker
August 30th, 2018 at 11:38 am
Mentioned the Mack thing a while back. I remember speaking with Gruden at a golfing event a when he was the coach. I had no doubt Sapp was gone soon as you could tell he wanted to spread money on the offensive side of the ball. Gruden doesn’t believe in big money put on one defender.
My suggestion, offer DJax and Noah Spence and a 4th. See where the negotiations head from there. I want DJax and Noah Spence on the team. I like both guys but Khalil Mack’s at 27 aren’t often available. For all of this, we don’t run a 3-4 talk, Mack is a guy to build a defense around. Bring him in and adjust to his skillset. Regarding GMC, he should have a monster season so will be in demand of a Calais Cambell sized contract. Pay the 27 y/o and build around him. He’s the Apex Predator.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:39 am
If the Bucs are going to trade for Mack, that means likely two-big salaries would have to get the boot. Who would that be? DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans? Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David?
August 30th, 2018 at 11:44 am
Two things:
1. “One of their problems” is that they were bad at ALL THE THINGS. Really? That only counts as “one”?
2. All the mentioned guys are too old to have a couple of years for things to rebuild. You don’t rebuild with 30 year olds.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:47 am
If the team has a chance to put a guy like Mack on the team, it has a defensive identity.
Player comps…. Think Lawrence Taylor. At 27.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:00 pm
I don’t know what the correct answer is, but I think the salary trade off to get this guy is worth heavily examining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQGV0u5Gf08
August 30th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Trade Desean Jackson, LVD and the #1 go get mack, LVD was only good when schiano was his coach and he has been coasting ever since, if you take LVD off the defense what does it become 32nd? news flash it already is the worst, so go up grade get mack, trade desean/kwon or desean/LVD the bucs would be instantly improved, jamesi doesnt throw it to desean anyway, his targets are Brate, Evans, Godwin, Hump in that order is his progression so win win all around
August 30th, 2018 at 12:54 pm
Unless there is a tipped ball this secondary won’t have a pic. they still look terrible. Defensive line looks slightly better,however still not good enough to cover for a poor secondary. Why we did not pick up a seasoned free agent is beyond me. We will have to score 30+points per game just to be competitive. I blame the GM.
August 30th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
send a 5th round pick to the jags for fowler…..I know it aint mack but he’s still very talented and very young….wants a chance to be a full time starter and had 8.5sack last year playing part time…..
just a thought….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 30th, 2018 at 1:08 pm
Fire Mike Smith-
Terrible
August 30th, 2018 at 1:08 pm
Circus act clown show
August 30th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
813bucboi definitely like that move good call
August 30th, 2018 at 1:35 pm
@Kobe Faker… well said and you’re right.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Joe Says
Perfectly stated.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:02 pm
I would trade DJax and a #1 for Mack.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:33 pm
Hawaii Buc
Looks like my idea from a week or so ago has gotten legs??
August 30th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Casual Observer Says
“I wonder if the main problem is the DB or D coaching, more than the players. In game adjustments doesn’t seem to be in their repertoire.”
Easiest way to determine that is by looking at the status of those players released and whether other teams value them as starters. Of the five Joes mentioned in his previous article, non are starters and two do not even have jobs.
So no…it is not coaching.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:44 pm
Brad Says
“Trade for Mack.”
Dusthty Rhothdes Says
“Brad right on that would be a great move…”
And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what comes out of trolls who want to sabotage the team.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Dusthty Rhothdes Says
“Licht has blown the past 3 1st/2nd round picks so this would be a HUGE win giving up a 1st for him.”
^^^^^^^^^
Proof that Trolls are complete idiots.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:47 pm
My friend is a huge raiders fan. So I watch damn near every game. They need linebacker help and secondary. We have no one with trading in secondary…yet. Trade next years first pick and LVD for Mack. Move Kwon over to weak side. Beckwith will man the middle. Then later this year or next trade DJax for a decent pick in next years draft to have ammo to move up if we need to. That sets up our defense to be great if some rookies pan out in secondary. Also would get Godwin on the field a lot more to setup offense to bya great. Let’s make it happen Mr. Licht. Go Bucs!!! Time for greatness.
August 30th, 2018 at 2:48 pm
How can anyone blame Mike Smith for no pass rush last year when the five guys no longer here are either out of the league or are second stringers on other teams?
Get serious, people. Forget about your own agendas and look at the big picture for once.
August 30th, 2018 at 3:07 pm
I’ll be glad when the season starts so we can stop talking about how bad the team looked last year with zero pass rush. Honestly just win so media call STFU about the past decade, like little children whining for a cookie at this point
August 30th, 2018 at 3:10 pm
all this trade of 1st for mack talk is BS…..
we were 5-11 people!!!!!!……wake up and smell the roses!!!!!!
are we close to the saints?….because they traded their 1st in next years draft…..
are we close to new England?….they traded their 1st for cooks a year ago….
teams that trade their 1st round pick are close to winning it all…..we may not even be close to .500…..
if we want to trade, dante fowler is the guy we need….jags didn’t pick up his 5th year option and he wants to be a starter….he’s still young and talent as the former #3 overall pick and just had 8.5sack as a part time player…..that’s who licht needs to target….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 30th, 2018 at 3:15 pm
@Joe …”Licht wasn’t trying to find an “identity,” he was trying to find competence. Joe wrote yesterday about how four of the five players expected to start on the defensive line last year or share time with starters had no business being starters.”
Strange mix in those 2 sentences Joe. Licht did diddly-squat to improve the defense, other than the LB position group, from 2014 through 2017. Those ‘four of the five players’ on the DLine that you referenced? Brought to us courtesy of … tada … Jason Licht. Same with the grossly under-talented Secondary … how many of our CBs & Safeties over those years could’ve really started for other teams (whose name didn’t begin with Cleveland that is)? And yet, who caught all the blame for that sheet-show? Scapegoat Smitty.
The sad thing is that most JBFers who bash Smitty & the defensive coaching staff are just following your lead Joe. Smitty’s defenses in 2017 & 2016 gave up fewer points that any Bucs team since Monte Kiffin left except for the 1 year we went 10-6 under Raheem (defense led the way in that season BTW). How quickly fans forget years like 2011 however when Raheem’s defense gave up 494 points (yup, over 30 points a game). I can still remember the constant comments about how the defense quit on Raheem. Well that’s one thing you can say about Smitty’s defense in his 2 years here … this defense lacked talent to be sure, but it never quit on Smitty. May not tell you much Joe, but it tells me a LOT. I still predict a Top-15 finish for this defense this year in POINTS SCORED (21 PPG or less).
August 30th, 2018 at 3:24 pm
luckily, we get to see what smitty can do with all the new pieces next week!!!!!!……but if we “start slow” I don’t want to hear the “defense needs time to gel” EXCUSE!!!!!!…..
our front 7 are seasoned vets and the back end have been in smittys system for going on 3years now…..
all the “communication issues” need to be laid to rest……we should be more creative on defense…..talent was an issue(or so they say) and that has been fixed….depth was an issue and that has been fixed….
if the defense sucks again, the only thing left to fix is the DC…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
August 30th, 2018 at 3:45 pm
Bonzai you got a new green med card i see, you realize the bucs are averaging 5 wins/year under licht and he has switched building plans every year, the dude is a buffoon and watch when a real gm like ronde barber takes over and has the bucs super bowl ready in 2 years
August 30th, 2018 at 4:33 pm
The “real” fans just see this as the validation of what they have said all along!!!!!!!!!! The roster is still a work in progress!!!!!! so many rookies in the secondary!!!! all the new parts on the D-line!!!! If the defense is good, its because the Defensive coach has covered up the holes like he did in 2016!!!!!!!!!! To say the Licht has done his job, and that the roster is complete is beyond laughable!!!!!!!!!!
#trust the coaches!!!!!!!!! Fix the “real” problem, the roster!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 30th, 2018 at 5:37 pm
Trade for Khalil Mack. NOW.
2019 first round
2020 second round
2021 third round
and Justin Watson or Adam Humphries.
Jason and John?
August 30th, 2018 at 7:24 pm
Something/ Anything…a GREAT double album by Todd Rundgren. As I remember, he played all the instruments on the double album…oh yeah, football.
August 30th, 2018 at 7:28 pm
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s players.
Thou shalt not take The Licht’s name in vain.
Thou shalt not lead with thy head.
Thou shalt recognize Sunday as the day of Football and beer.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thine starting QB.
Thou shalt not cheer for any other teams.
Thou shalt honor Koetter and Smith.
Thou shalt not label Vea a bust.
The Glazers are Cheap and thou shall not complain.
Thou shalt arrive to games on time and not leave early.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:50 pm
DR
Can’t understand , for the life of me, your love affair with Smitty..