Back-7 Blues
November 17th, 2018
“Mr. Glazer, can we please get a witch doctor on staff?”
Joe has a visual of general manager Jason Licht sitting in a dark room, one flickering candle burning in the corner, and listening to late blues legend John Lee Hooker crank out his classic Mr. Lucky.
“Bad luck can’t do me no harm,” he sings over and over.
On Sunday, six Bucs starters in the back-7 of their defense will miss the game injured.
Vernon Hargreaves, Chris Conte, Justin Evans, Kwon Alexander, Lavonte David and Kendell Beckwith will be watching the Bucs-Giants game in street clothes for various reasons.
Back in August, all those guys were expected to be starters.
And the last starter standing, 35-year-old Brent Grimes, isn’t the cornerback he used to be.
Licht can’t control injuries, of course, though GMs certainly greatly consider health and durability when building a roster.
Regardless, Joe is certain those injuries spell doom for the Bucs’ back-7 against the Giants. The inferior talent level will be too much to overcome.
Will Licht pay for all those injuries, and the subsequent results, with his job? Should he? Or could his job be saved if the assorted backups and castoffs from the street play well down the stretch?
November 17th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Even a few weeks ago, the Saints, Panthers and Falcons all signed guys from the free agent market for their secondary. Standing still in a fluid division is a recipe for another season in Buccaneer Cove.
November 17th, 2018 at 10:06 am
The defense was giving up 40 points a game even with the starters. Can’t get any worse
November 17th, 2018 at 10:19 am
@Joe … “Joe is certain those injuries spell doom for the Bucs’ back-7 against the Giants. The inferior talent level will be too much to overcome.” Hmmm, “inferior talent level” Joe? You mean that 35-year-old Brent Grimes, surrounded by rookie Carlton Davis, fellow rookie Jordan Whitehead, UFA Isaiah Johnson, UFA Javien Elliott, plus THREE backups in front at LB (Taylor, Bond & Lynch probably) won’t strike fear into Eli Manning & Saquon Barkley? We’re good though, we can still rotate in Andrew Adams, De’Vante Harris & of course Ryan Smith or Riley Burrough should more injuries occur. We’re good. And thank you Jason Licht for building us a contender with DEPTH.
November 17th, 2018 at 10:22 am
They better blitz all the time because they sure won’t be able to cover Beckham and Barkley
November 17th, 2018 at 10:40 am
Strength and Conditioning is another area that has plagued this lazy joke of a roster. Licht has to go. Worst GM in the league.
November 17th, 2018 at 10:40 am
If DK would kindly mature into a HC, this point would be moot. So the Bucs D is on IR, like what is the surprise about it? The strength of the team is the OFFENSE! DK the doofus can’t get his #### together and call the game this offense deserves! Typical Buc Luck/Karma. BTW, bench Fitzpatrick. That would be a good sign. Start Griffin. Giants have no film on him. Guess that’s too hard for DK the HC to fathom.
November 17th, 2018 at 10:54 am
i find it interesting that our defense is decimated with injuries yet our offense is virtually unscathed.
I’d say it’s time to see what some of the younger players can do…..but, we’ve already been seeing that.
We simply have to score lots of points to win any of our games……and in the one game of the year our defense only gives up 16…..we get 3……snakebit.
Koetter…..”Snake-bit-of-honey”
November 17th, 2018 at 11:07 am
“Who is Jason Licht? How did he get here? And why in the world does people think it will not end in disaster?”
Gump is a lifelong incompetent a$$kissing doofus.
The only reason Lovie Smith brought him here to tampa was because Lovie wanted a yes man to sign off on every player he wanted.
2016 with the help of jon robinson, tampa had a great draft. Lovie had the final say in every player in that draft
Gump thanked Lovie by backstabbing him to take control of the personnel and fool the glazers and the tampa fans
Move up in the 2nd round to draft a kicker? Absolutely no one in 31 other teams that was involved even alittle would have ever had a thought entered there brain.
Jason gump is not competent in player personnel. He never was and never will be. We were all conned. The reason he enterered our city and team was because he was incompetant and yes man and nothing else.
Lovie didnt want him to think and that he did very well. But Gump had a evil twisted plan and notion.”
“Gump wanted to be a somebody and we are all have been conned and paying for it ever since”
Kobe Faker
November 17th, 2018 at 11:19 am
Kobe, you really do need to get your mind out of the conspiracy gutter. Gump isn’t ‘evil’ with a ‘twisted plan’ … he’s just incompetent. Leave it there, you’re giving him too much credit.
You know Joe, it’s ALMOST December … NEVER too early to start focusing on the next draft (hey, that’s all we’ve got at this point). I’m figuring we’ll be drafting someplace between #3 and #7 … Oakland wins the lottery this year (they REALLY suck, and San Fran isn’t far behind. But we’re hanging in there for a shot at #3 (see Kobe, there’s a REAL conspiracy … that the Glazers themselves benched Jameis & are keeping Koetter so that the coveted #3 draft position will be all theirs). Hey, what are the odds we’ll win the Super Bowl at this point?
November 17th, 2018 at 11:28 am
I HOPE I’M WRONG..But I can’t erase these visions I’m havin of Manning ressurrecting his career against us. Come on Guys, you know our reputation. We bring oppositional players..back from their graves!! I see Barley doing spin moves that make Barry Sanders look motionless..hurtling Buc playes like they were invisible. I see Fitz telepathically telling the Giants, Open your hands, here is your early Xmas gifts. Tough game in NY. I got the Giants winning. Prove me wrong Bucs. Prove me wrong.
November 17th, 2018 at 11:33 am
No Mike Johnson
They aren’t gonna prove you wrong..They are gonna make the G Men look all world.
It’s what the Bucs do..
November 17th, 2018 at 11:37 am
DR
The more incompetent the better is what Lovie wanted
Gump didnt have any talents in personnel decision making whatsoever lol
Lovie didnt want him to think
Gump wasnt qualified for the job…not even close. He was a puppet that was hired because he didn’t know anything and was good at it
and this is the trainwreck what we have right now
so dont ask how did it get this bad?
what ever happened?
it was an inevitable outcome
November 17th, 2018 at 11:39 am
Great John Lee Hooker reference. I was wondering if Joe was really cool. Well, now I know Joe is super cool. Now I’m really a fan of Joe Bucs Fan. As much as I like Ira and Chuck Berry, The Hook Rules.
November 17th, 2018 at 11:43 am
beckwith is the only one of the 7 bucs starters who even deserves to be on a nfl roster. the other six are complete and total garbage.
November 17th, 2018 at 11:43 am
John Lee Hooker! And Cray! You are cool Joe.
November 17th, 2018 at 11:44 am
Licht needs to be the first to go.
November 17th, 2018 at 11:46 am
great song joe… one of the masters
November 17th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Beckwith has until Nov 20, The Bucs either have to put him on the roster or shelve him for the rest of the year.
November 17th, 2018 at 12:25 pm
Licht is a good GM. Compare his drafts and UDFAs to the rest of the league. He can’t make dudes not get injured or fix bad schemes or any of that. Those are the problems we have had. Injuries, scheme and that’s it. It’s not a talent dearth. You can’t say “with this talent they should have made the playoffs” and then say Licht sucks. This is the most talented roster we have had since 2003.
November 17th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Rather have Jason Licht than Dirk Koetter and his band of misfits. At least a competent coach can get the best of the players they are given. Dirk called played last week and they racked up all those years and gave one of their best players 2 targets. Doesn’t even have the common sense to target the tight end in the red zone like they did the week before
November 17th, 2018 at 12:27 pm
@johnny
You are cool! I love John Lee Hooker too!
Im a craaaawwwwling King Snake and I rule my den!
John Lee Hooker! A true musician!
as JPP is to football!
JPP is our only hope!
November 17th, 2018 at 12:35 pm
You would think it would be the fans that are the clueless ones.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
Licht is worst Gm in the league. Gone!
November 17th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
The Bucs should keep Jason Licht for another 5 years
Falcons fans
Panthers fans
Saints fans
November 17th, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Right now Licht has all the power in the front office. If they fire him who are they getting to run this team? Some Head Coaches would make sense but that’s not gonna fly if your not hiring a top tier HC.
The search for who is going to run this team would be much more important then the HC search,.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:24 pm
One Month Ago, 3 TOP OF THE LINE NFL DB PLAYERS were there for Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM JASON LIGHT for Pennies on the Dollars, Pro Bowl Safety Eric Wright, Corner Eli Apple and Pro Bowl Safety HA HA Clinton-Dix ! What did LIGHT DO ? HE DID NOTHING !!!!! When you have the chance TO UPGRADE the roster for PENNIES on the DOLLARS, ESPECIALLY with One of the WORST COVERAGE UNITS IN NFL HISTORY!!! , YOU DO IT, No QUESTIONS ASK! BUT NOT BUCCANEERS GM JASON LIGHT, NO SIR! LIGHT JUST SITS ON HIS A** AND DOES NOTHING FOLKS! GOOD LUCK !!!!!😰 It’s time for all Buccaneer Fans To Run For The HILLS!
November 17th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
I think there is a chance they retain Licht and let him hire a HC.
Not entirely sure Dirk was his call. If Dirk was Lichts call then he probably has to go.
The Glazers make opt to keep Licht and let him hire Arians. If he can bring in Arians the may buy in……any other HCs he has in mind are probably not going to cut it.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:32 pm
No one want to coach this team
November 17th, 2018 at 1:37 pm
Little Bo Peep……How do you know that Licht had that option? He can’t do anything if the Glazers don’t give him any blank checks.
I only say that because if I were the Glazers their is no way I’m spending more money on this roster while we are a Trainwreck. It makes very little sense to just throw money at a 4-5 win team.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:43 pm
Little Bo Peep you say “No questions asked” but that’s not the way it works dude. Hate to break it to ya.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
If anyone believes that Licht rules the personnel without heavy input from Koetter, they are profoundly mistaken.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:51 pm
agree with Bucs Fan #7423
November 17th, 2018 at 1:51 pm
@JimmyJack … “The search for who is going to run this team would be much more important then the HC search.” EXACTLY! And for the sake of naming a starting point JimmyJack, let’s call that person who’s going to ‘run’ this team the President of Football Operations (just so he can have a title of some sort). And let’s say that the Glazer Boyz actually give him some REAL POWER, not just to be their front man (and eventual scapegoat of course). REAL POWER such as, oh let’s say, creating a VISION for what the Bucs team should be.
And maybe some REAL power in searching out GM candidates & ultimately hiring one who, oh let’s say, SHARES THAT SAME VISION. And then together, let’s say just for kicks, they search potential candidates for a Head Coach who coincidentally also SHARES THAT SAME VISION, and then hires a coaching staff to help make that become a reality. And since this is the Bucs JimmyJack (and we’re dreaming most likely), let’s say that they actually set PRIORITIES and DRAFT players & sign FREE AGENTS who’ll have the best chance of making that whole thing happen. Not just players who look good in Red & Pewter.
OK, back to reality, and the Glazer Boyz, and to our ‘Licht Just Went Out’ GM, and our ‘Welcome Back Koetter – Not’ HC. Oh yes, and our 3-6 record. But hey, they’re playing hard.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Two years of not signing Adrian Peterson broke this running game. They thought they were going to shock the world and laugh at him? It would have taken the pressure off of each current back along with the experience he brought for minimal cost. Absolute failure. Barber is somewhat serviceable with his effort but everyone knew they needed another back to make any sort of run. Especially in short yardage and red zone situations. The total incompetence is baffling.
November 17th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
That 5 minutes of the great John Lee Hooker with consummate blues man Robert Cray is much better than the 3 hours of drivel we’ll likely see tomorrow.
November 17th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
Defense Rules……Since we are dreaming I will throw out my my one and only canidate for President. Jimmy Johnson.
All the Glazers have to do is sign over the Dasani contract and they they can sit back and wait for the playoff money to roll in.
November 17th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
Is there any way Beckwith could still be activated shortly before the game? I mean he is practicing. They wouldn’t be doing themselves any favors announcing it early in the week
November 17th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
@Mort … “Licht is a good GM. It’s not a talent dearth. This is the most talented roster we have had since 2003.”
@Joe … “Regardless, Joe is certain those injuries spell doom for the Bucs’ back-7 against the Giants. The inferior talent level will be too much to overcome.”
Uhhh, seems to be a disparity there Mort. I’ll put my money with Joe on this one.
November 17th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
Licht is going to make great use of the 3 picks in the first 53 of the 2018 Draft…remembers no one ever.
November 17th, 2018 at 2:42 pm
JimmyJack, I’ll give ya credit … YOU DREAM BIG. Jimmy Johnson huh. Jimmy’s another one of those who’s got it made. Why in heaven’s name would he give up the gig that he has now to work the front office for the Glazers? Their lengthy history of success in the world of NFL football perhaps?
In reality (forget the dreaming), none of us know definitively what fantastic visionary might jump at the challenge of resurrecting the Bucs. No one knows until you ask (not even the Glazers). We bad-mouth the Bucs (hey, they kinda do serve things up on a silver platter), but the Bucs aren’t totally bereft of POTENTIAL. We’ve got some pretty decent players in the stable, it’s just that no one’s done a good job of riding them yet (or in some cases, training them to race). We’ve got excellent facilities and a town that really does love NFL football. I just wish someone would start playing it here.
November 17th, 2018 at 2:45 pm
Firrreeeeee Licht! Derwin James Jr is still healthy while we are stuck with Vita Velcro
November 17th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
Licht is a prime example of a brown noser who made it to the top and is predictably a flop. Look at his wiki and how he came up. No way Licht should’ve ever been GM. Crap hire. Worse results. FIREEEEE LICHT!
November 17th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Yea well I remember after Robert Quinn was traded this off-season the town explodes and wanted licht fired. The guy went out signed jpp and picked up Vinny Curry and everyone was apologizing to the man now because these trash coaches can’t even get the most out of proven veterans you don’t like him.
Sure you can question the rookies but no one can still answer why these coaches can’t even maximize the skills of elite players, how is that on the gm? Is any really ready to call Rojo a bust because no running back has been worth a salt since dirk got here. Licht should have moved on from Doug but that’s on dirk too. I qualified coach could easily come in and do simple basic things that dirk still can’t figure out after all this time
November 17th, 2018 at 3:07 pm
Poor Jimmy Jack, Jason Light Bulb Has the Final Control of all Personal Moves with the Bucs. In 2017 Running Back A P of the Redskins was brought in by Light Bulb during The Bucs 2017 Training Camp, and thought AP was A
Washed UP HAS BEEN, and Kepted Doug Martin! AP RUSHED for over 150 YARDS for The AZ CARDS vs the BUCS in 2017! In 2018, AP for the Washington Redskins has rushed for 649 Yards 4TD’s , The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Worst Rushing Attack in 2018 ! Again All Jason Light Bulb’s FAUGHT !!! Light BULB passed on 3 top DB’s ERIC WRIGHT, HA HA CLINTON DIX, AND ELI APPLE because LIGHT BULB 💡 BELIEVES THE 3 ROOKIE DB” STIFFS!!!” Are Better than the 3 Pro Bowl Players
that Light Bulb passed on ! So Jimmy Jack ? You tell me, you think the 3 Blind Mice 🐁 Rookie DB’ s made any plays on Defense for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 ? I know for a fact if 49’ers GM JOHN LYNCH or Former Buccaneer HOF HC Tony Dungy was RUNNING The Show in Buccaneers Land, instead of Jason 💡?, Lynch And Dungy would both put all 3 players in the Buccaneers Roster in a New York Minute ! That’s why Both Men Has Super Bowl Rings And Light Bulb will be Pumping Gas at WAWA in January, 2019 !
November 17th, 2018 at 3:21 pm
JPP isn’t all that
I still would not have traded a 3rd for him
And Vinnie Curry is the guy who I thought he were
Jason Licht is complete garbage
November 17th, 2018 at 3:31 pm
Defense Rules
you WAY OVERESTIMATE the talent on this roster. Outside of JPP and grimes NOT a single player on this roster has excelled at a high NFL level consistently NOT A SINGLE PLAYER INCLUDING THAT FRAUD CANCER93!
November 17th, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Lakeland…….The thinking behind signing JPP was to spearhead us into a playoff team. Unless that happens with him as a Buc then you’re right, bad trade.
I like our chances next year.
November 17th, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Which all speaks to the culmination of Licht’s failure, Vita Vea over Derwin James. Jason got OBSESSED with toughness in a speed league, and it led him to a ruinous free agency and draft period. It almost speaks to the man’s character himself, wanting to puff his chest instead of just procuring pure talent. It’s the height of irony this “newly tough” team can’t seem to actually get on the field.
November 17th, 2018 at 4:14 pm
Jason Gump is just doing what most of the Bucs roster is doing giving half @ss effort and hammering checks. He’s the architect of the worse nfl trade deal ever concocted yes I’m talking about you Robert wide right Aguayo. He’s incompetent can’t assess talent, passed on AP makes virtually ever incorrect division possible and likes to bring in rejected Atl trash players such as grimes and J Rodgers to suck up cap space. Please for the love of god axe this dude glazier bros Gump it’s time to run.
November 17th, 2018 at 4:25 pm
The Vita Vea pick…who isn’t even as good as Roy Miller and/or Akeem Spence…has to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back/toe. I suppose when you continue to re-up Conte…your thought process is that Derwin James was unnecessary.
November 17th, 2018 at 4:30 pm
@tmaxcon … “you WAY OVERESTIMATE the talent on this roster.” And methinks that you WAY UNDERESTIMATE the talent on this roster. I’m not saying that they’re Super Bowl Champs-in-Waiting, but they have a far more talent than just a single player (as you apparently believe). To me, ‘gutting a team’ means doing away with up to half of the players in a single year (any more than that, and they have another name for it … suicide). It takes time to build a TEAM. by the way, good to have you back from your ‘hiatus’.
November 17th, 2018 at 4:38 pm
“Guys this is exactly what Lovie wanted.
Lovie didnt want a competant qualified personnel exec
Lovie wanted an idiot to just say yes to all his moves.
The dumber the better
Lovie wanted someone so dumb he would move up in the 2nd round to pick a kicker…oopps
Kobes point is that after 2 years this is exactly where we should be at. The least talentless roster in the NFL because we have the least competant lame brain in charge. He was hired because he was a lame brain..lovie wanted it exactly like that
The Glazers and the Tampa fans have been conned by a incompetant wannabe
November 17th, 2018 at 4:46 pm
DR
Want do you think its going to happen end of the season?
Imo, glazers going to bring a president in here to hire the new GM and HC
Want do you think will happen?
November 17th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
Kobe that’s interesting…… The one good thing that was happening with the team when Lovie Smith was here was that we looked like we were doing a good job building through the draft. Most fans gave all the draft credit to Jason Licht…….A quick peek at the quality between the Lovie-era drafts and non-Lovie drafts shows a huge difference. You might be right on that one.
This should not include the 2018 draft in my opinion…..too early to say.
November 17th, 2018 at 5:48 pm
Will Licht pay for all those injuries, and the subsequent results, with his job? Yes.
Should he? Yes!
Licht simply is not good enough. He has picked a few draft gems but he has way too many misses in FA and his ability to assemble a team is questionable. He also misses too much in draft in high spots: Aguayo, Spence, Hargreaves to name few. How many years has this franchise gone without a top RB, which hurts young QBs? We are still not nasty enough on OL or DL; Id only keep Jensen and Marpet of the current group. Its the #1 problem that affects QB play. Can we see Kappa already? Why not…this should be dress rehearsal for 2019 and the next regime for the remainder of the year. No D identity or depth.
I am also on the keep Winston year 5 train…but only with NEW coach + GM. These guys have hurt him IMHO and he is so high a pick you would be foolish to not give him a new voice to make sure he cant be elite QB.
I highly recommend the Blues fest at Vinoy park; Buddy Guy is really a special cat in blues too.
November 17th, 2018 at 6:25 pm
And remember Floks, When Lovie Smith was Fired as the The Bucs HC in January, 2016, Bucs GM Jason Light Bulb took over all Draft, and Player Personal Decisions From Smith. Since 2016, this Roster was all Built from Light Bulb HIMSELF ! Clueless Koetter has little to no input! If Koetter had any input in player personal decisions, Koetter would have taken FSU Safety Derwin James with the 7th Pick Of The 2018 NFL Draft instead of Light Bulb moving down to #12 and Taking A 370 LB LARD A** STIFF in VETA VERA, THE BIGGEST BUCS DRAFT BUST in TEAM HISTORY, EVEN WORST THAN BUCCANEERS 2nd ROUND PICK in THE 1982 NFL DRAFT, BOOKER REESE of BETHUNE COOKMAN ! People like Jimmy Jack wasn’t born in 1982, but I WAS FOLKS !!!!!! ITS TIME FOR ALL BUCCANEER FANS TO RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!
November 17th, 2018 at 7:11 pm
@Kobe … “What do you think is going to happen end of the season? Imo, glazers going to bring a president in here to hire the new GM and HC.” Kobe, that’s EXACTLY what I think will happen. It’s obvious to most fans that the Bucs have been a fixture in the NFC South cellar, and will continue to be mired in the basement UNLESS some major changes are made. The Glazer Boyz aren’t stupid (very few billionaires are) and they undoubtedly have an appreciation that this business model isn’t working.
Daddy Malcolm didn’t do too badly picking coaches (Tony & Chucky were both winners). Unfortunately, the Committee of Three that’s followed hasn’t had the same good fortune (as they say “A camel is a horse built by a committee”). I suspect that they’ve learned one important lesson by this point: Since they’re NOT experts in hiring GMs & Coaches, hire someone who is an expert. Call him President, Chairman of the Board, El Jefe, MFWIC … doesn’t matter, as long as he’s the one with the authority to call the shots. That’s the only way IMO that any true ‘football guru’ will accept a challenge like the Bucs are.
Who they hire at the end of this season … and they WILL hire someone like this … will be the most important decision that the Glazer Boyz will make for many years to come. My gut tells me that the brothers thought they were doing that when they hired Lovie, and let HIM pick the GM. Had they only known that Lovie’s year in his Chicago basement was only prepping him for more years in the NFC South basement.
November 17th, 2018 at 7:49 pm
DR
i agree with you that they will hire a President of operations and also agree with you this important decision will effect minimum the next 5 years of our franchise
I hope they go outside without any past connection and not hire anyone from their past “glory years”
I truely believe that until the season is officially over, no one knows the future of JW
100% Klueless and Gump is out
November 17th, 2018 at 8:17 pm
DR and Kobe I hope you guys are right.
There are deep problems in this orginazation and every decision the Glazers make only digs the hole deeper.
Also, this may be the only time the Glazers have to lure somebody decent to take a job like that for this team. Say what you will but there is an amount of talent to work with here…….A top passing offense is a nice starting piece.
Im not the biggest fan of our offense but I’m not foolish enough the think you can put up top numbers without having talent around.
November 17th, 2018 at 8:32 pm
Well you know what the Bucs need to do… they need to run the ball up the middle for no gain 3 times in a row and then punt it away – that will make the defense much better according to the people that think if you run the ball the defense will magically improve. Of course running the ball means you’re going to score less points, so lets see, 3 points last week, minus 3… oh right, 0 points. So if we just do what the message board mobs say we need to do, and run the ball more, it will improve the defense, so since we’re not facing Alex Smith or Nick Foles, an improved defense should mean they only put up like 35 points instead of 38 points. So there you have it, 35-0, Giants win, if the run-first lynch mob has it’s way! Lets do it and hope that finally gets Dirk fired and Fitz back on the bench where he belongs.
November 17th, 2018 at 8:58 pm
Rod why are you manifesting mobs?
Bro are you that guy that wears all that makeup to the game and wears beads and wears JP Penny Dept ladies hats and sticks his tongue out because he thinks it is cool?
November 18th, 2018 at 12:28 am
Even With everyone healthy we have 6-10 talent
I think the last draft was the worst in buc history
The eagles offered us 3 first to trade up for Mariota
One can only imagine