Former GM Blasts Bucs Roster
February 11th, 2019
Dire prediction for Bucs.
A former NFL suit who now types for a living claims the Bucs, from Team Glazer down to Bucco Bruce Arians, are living in football fantasyland.
Michael Lombardi, former general manager of the Browns and a personnel guy who learned at the feet of Bill Walsh, Al Davis and Bill Belicheat trashed the Bucs organization, specifically Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht. Lombardi also claims Arians has stepped into an NFL sinkhole along the Gulf of Mexico, believing he is likely doomed to fail in Tampa Bay.
In an article for The Athletic, Lombardi claims Licht did a sell job on Arians to drag him out of retirement and, while the Bucs have talented players, Lombardi is convinced the entire Bucs organization has talked itself into thinking they have a playoff-ready roster.
The Bucs are the shining example of a team that feels it has way more talent than its record shows. General Manager Jason Licht is working with his third head coach since his hiring in 2014. Licht has a 27-53 won-loss record since in those five seasons and must be one hell of a salesman to convince his owners that the talent is good and only the coaching was terrible. Hiring his old friend Bruce Arians as head coach is another amazing sales job by Licht as the Bucs’ owners, the Glazers, were not always on board with Licht’s plan for moving forward. Eventually they gave in, in part due to their commitment to former first overall pick Jameis Winston and his need to be developed.
2019 is a make or break year for Winston and for Licht. If the Bucs don’t make the playoffs, expect more changes in Tampa. Arians originally only wanted to return for the Browns job, but after Licht pushed hard for him, he agreed.
Can the Bucs improve? So much depends on Winston and his ability to protect the ball and even more depends on Arians being able to install a winning culture in Tampa, something the Glazers believe they desperately need. I am not optimistic at all. The Bucs are not a talented team. They have gifted pieces, but overall they need more than just a good head coach.
Well, let’s think about this for a moment. The Bucs are 10-22 the past two years. As Bill Parcells would say, you are what your record says you are.
Does the roster need help? Oh yes.
Do the Bucs need another edge rusher? Hell yes!
Do the Bucs need a productive running back (“productive” does not mean running for 800 yards in 16 games)? Hell yes!
Do the Bucs need secondary help? Hell yes!
Do the Bucs need a guard? Hell yes!
Do the Bucs need a linebacker? Probably.
It is doubtful all those holes can be filled in one offseason.
The thing perplexing Joe is all the talk from many people how the Bucs have enough talent to win.
Former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said that two years ago. Inflating your own talent sets unreasonable expectations that put your career in jeopardy. So why would Koetter say that if he didn’t believe it?
Then last year, Father Dungy said there was “no doubt” the Bucs had talent to win. If he didn’t believe that, why would he say such a thing? Dungy doesn’t come across as a con artist to Joe.
Now we have Arians basically saying the same thing on hockey telecasts. Why would he repeat Koetter’s mistake unless he believed it?
Or is Lombardi right in that all of these people were sold somehow and are delusional?
Joe has to admit Lombardi is onto something. The Bucs are now in a salary cap pinch and some good players may very well be given parting gifts in the coming weeks, and teams that lose 53 of their last 80 games should never be close to being maxed out on Roger Goodell’s credit card. That is, unless, the Bucs have been so p!ss-poorly coached, talent has either not been developed or guys were just not coached up or both. One could certainly make that argument on defense.
As Joe has written, Licht’s record gets a big fat, bold asterisk because inept Lovie Smith had full and total control of the roster during his two-year reign of terror in Tampa Bay. The string of idiotic personnel moves Lovie made would put any team behind the eight-ball for years.
Joe is convinced the Bucs have yet to climb out of that hole.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
[Please don’t try to hijack comments, especially with the first comment. — Joe]
February 11th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
[Please don’t try to hijack comments, especially with first comments. — Joe]
February 11th, 2019 at 2:20 pm
wasn’t joe all aboard on the lovie bandwagon??????
I knew he was a mistake from day one. BA may be a great coach, but he might also be gone all ruthvaderginsberg and lost his GD mind thinking he can “change” crabman.
I’m on board with hope and change!!!! It just didn’t turn out so well last time.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:21 pm
Lombardi has made some gaffs in the past 2 years but he is pretty spot on with this assessment of the current state of the bucs.
Oh and the great jason licht must still be asleep, someone wake him up as Kareem Hunt was signed to a team that has 2 starting NFL Rbs already, and a team in the Browns that the bucs can only now wish they were Cleveland South
February 11th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
He was the Browns GM for a year before getting canned. Sat over a horrible draft. Couldn’t care less what h thins, just trying to stay relevant.
And Hunt just signed with the Browns.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:23 pm
Uh Joe,
Kareem Hunt signing with the Browns was about the Bucs roster. They did not sign him.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:25 pm
No. But didn’t think it would be the total trainwreck it turned out to be.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:29 pm
On another note, the Browns just signed Kareem Hunt.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:35 pm
Someone please remind me…exactly what did Michael Lombardi do with the Browns?
February 11th, 2019 at 2:35 pm
We definitely have a lot of holes. But one way to solve the guard and RB position is to trade back with Jacksonville, give them our 5thpick for their 7thpick and L. FOURNETTE. draft O lineman J. WILLIAMS “ ALABAMA” and put him at right guard! *wishful thinking*
February 11th, 2019 at 2:45 pm
Lombardi is spot on, not that talented…start with the QB position and an overrated Under Tackle…draft status says big time, play says little impact…
February 11th, 2019 at 2:45 pm
Biscuits get stall when left out too long!!!!!!!!!!
2019 season will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 11th, 2019 at 2:48 pm
Do the Bucs need another edge rusher? Hell yes!
Only for depth. JPP and Nassib have it locked down as starters.
Do the Bucs need a productive running back (“productive” does not mean running for 800 yards in 16 games)? Hell yes!
I agree with you here…and you’ve been pining for a good RB for years. I hope you finally get your wish this year…although I suspect Rojo is not the bust people think he is.
Do the Bucs need secondary help? Hell yes!
Not at safety, although an upgrade to Honey Badger would be nice. As to CB, I do not believe we are as bad off as people think. But then, I believe in development too. We might need one more guy though.
Do the Bucs need a guard? Hell yes!
Well, sort of. Michael Liedtke (Guard) and Leonard Wester (Right Tackle) are both free agents, but they are both pretty good. Wester can replace Demar Dotson and save the Bucs over $4m this year. Marpet can be moved back to the right side where he belongs, and Liedtke and Cappa can battle it out at Left Guard. Problem solved.
Do the Bucs need a linebacker? Probably.
I’m of the opinion that even if Kwon and Beckwith return, Lavante Davide needs to be traded or restructured…or straight out cut. He is nowhere near worth the $9,750,000 they are going to pay him. But don’t forget Riley Bullough and Jack Cichy. Beckwith, if healthy, can replace David. Riley and Jack can battle it out for the other side.
And you forgot the biggest need: Defensive Tackle.
If GMC is given his walking papers, we’ll need to replace him.
The right scheme and coaching will have our defense playing much better. We actually have what we need to start if we re-sign a few players and Beckwith and Kwon return healthy. From there, it is a matter of development and upgrading positions over time.
This team is a lot closer than people think.
And I find it ironic that people blame everything on the old coaches…and then say we need better players a moment later.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
The fact that the buc’s needs are easily identifiable is a step in the right direction. There was a time recently when the bucs needed everything. Once again I disagree with the Joe’s about being in a salary cap crunch. Licht has to make a few obvious roster moves that ar procedural and the bucs will have 30 million in cap space. Combine that with an increase in the cap and its 40 million. The only reason Licht hasn’t cleared space yet is because it’s not necessary.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Sorry Joe, I didn’t know there was a time honored waiting period. I’ll make sure there is at least 5 or 6 in front of me next time.
February 11th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Now that Kareem Hunt has signed with the Browns, one has to wonder what Licht has been doing. A one year deal with rights retained after that has to make one think Licht’s head is up his a$$. Even with limited cap room, that was EXTREMELY doable.
Go Bucs!
February 11th, 2019 at 2:50 pm
Robert, Joe is always in love with someone until they suck, hell Kwon was going to get a fat check at the beginning of the year and now Joe throws caution. He is also taking the highly respected word of Michael Lombardi who…. well sucks, lets see a Scout for the 9ers for a couple years, than the Browns right before they left, Philly for one, then a Senior Personnel Executive from 98-07 for the Raiders…. who were horrible outside of the first 3 years, then the Browns GM from 13-14 where he drafted who, Barkevious Mingo, Garrett Gilkey, Johnny Manziel, Justin Gilbert and people along those lines and lets hope I am right for Joe’s sake and it wasnt the 14-15 drafts he was apart of, because who can forget Cameron Erving…
Joe is just bait clicking people like he always does, takes someone opinion, blows it up bigger than it should be and then never truly gives honest opinions, just more what is popular.
Sure, Joe breaks news stories, but then 3 years after it crashes and fails, they are the first people to claim “See, told you all, this was a bad move” aka Joe’s words after Michael Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Vinny Curry, Lovie Smith, Dirk Kotter, and basically any other person who has come here and Joe anointed the next great one, only to bomb out. Hell, in fact I remember he wrote an article about Swaggy Baker being a bad practice guy and I believe his words were “Who cares if he practices as long as he performs on the field”
February 11th, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Here we go again about the QB not being that good for the Bucs. Hell the bucs top ten offense didn’t get there with the running game (didn’t have 1). And as for talent how much more do you need. The pats win with Brady and Gronk on the bench so is it talent or coaching
February 11th, 2019 at 3:17 pm
Several things here Charles:
1. Joe LOVES click-bait. Just like Publix and Walgreens LOVES to get customers in the door, etc. Why? Joe is in business. Only newspapers are dumb enough to purposely write (thousands) of stories nobody wants to read. How are newspapers doing these days? Would you go into a bakery if it had a sign on the door that read, “STAY AWAY. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE?” Or more importantly, would you prefer to do business at a bakery that sold stale rolls and moldy bread (which is what newspapers often try to push)?
2. OK, so Lombardi may not be in the Hall of Fame. Short of Bill Polian talking what ex-GM is Joe going to quote? Don’t see Ozzie Newsome writing a weekly column for a national publication. So come on, who is Joe supposed to quote? Come on smart guy, am sure you have someone in mind that is no longer working in an NFL front office because currently employed GMs can’t talk about other teams’ rosters. Who should Joe quote? Spill the beans. More importantly, what exactly is wrong with Lombardi’s points (which is why Joe wrote the story). Of did you miss his points and not read the story because you wanted to fire at Joe?
3. Re: Swaggy Baker. When did he perform on the field for the Bucs other than a dumbarse penalty? Joe stands by that comment. It’s all about production. Every NFL coach will tell you some guys flip a switch in games. In a perfect world, yeah, you want a guy to bust his tail in practice. Name of the game is production in games not “working hard” (see: Barber, Peyton).
4. To demonstrate you have no clue to what you are talking about, Lombardi did not draft Manziel. But hey, who needs to deal with trivial facts when you are in the middle of an illogical rant?
February 11th, 2019 at 3:20 pm
I don’t get why folks are being so defensive. All Lombardi really said is encapsulated in his last sentence: “The Bucs are not a talented team. They have gifted pieces, but overall they need more than just a good head coach.”
First off, that’s HIS opinion. Big deal, lots of talking heads have opinions. Secondly, he didn’t say anything that lots of JBFers haven’t already said. Some “gifted pieces”? Surely. Weaknesses in this roster? Heck yes. It’s not ALL on coaching, and that’s why BA & his staff will be making roster changes in these next couple of months.
What I’d take issue with is Lombardi’s contention that “Arians has stepped into an NFL sinkhole along the Gulf of Mexico, believing he is likely doomed to fail in Tampa Bay.” Coach Arians has been around & I seriously doubt that he & his coaching staff jumped into this situation with their eyes closed. Lombardi’s take is a bit too negative for my taste.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
It feels like Jimmy Johnson going to Miami…..
February 11th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
Here, have a Snickers bar Joe. 🙂
February 11th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
The only pro bowlers on this roster during Backstabbin’ Jason Licht’s five year reign of terror came from those first two drafts. The best move in Licht’s career here was trading away Mark Barron for picks that turned into Kwon Alexander and Ali Marpet.
The entire 2016 draft was a swing and a miss. Can’t blame Lovie for that one. The only reason Backstabbin’ Jason Licht should have an asterisk is for the same reason Lovie Smith’s first year should have an asterisk. Losing an offensive coordinator prior to the start of the season is disastrous.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Yea because as a former GM of the NFL’s worst franchise knows so much about personnel…
February 11th, 2019 at 3:42 pm
IMO:
QB: At least average with upside for much more
RB: Bottom 5
WR/TEs: Top 5
OL: Average in pass pro / bottom 5 in run blocking
DL: Average but old
LB/CB/S: I’d say “?”. Defense in general probably bottom 1/3. But not bottom 3-5 though. We had past probowlers at every level of the defense last year (McCoy/JPP/Lavonte/Grimes). Grimes wasn’t the same but still.
The offense is 2 OL pieces + one versatile RB away from being more of a top 5 type talent team that should score in that range. 3 players. That’s pretty good compared to say the Broncos who need to completely rebuild their entire OL/QB/WR&TE groups.
The defense needs more – mostly in rebuilding an old band-aided up front 7 IMO since we have 4 young 2nd or 1st round picks in the secondary already who will be year 2-4 players.
Overall we are at least an average team talent wise IMO.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:44 pm
Letting Kareem Hunt go to the Browns wasn’t a good move.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:45 pm
Sounds like a bitter guy who tried to meet with the Glazers to be interviewed as the next GM only to be summarily dismissed as having the only thing going for him is his last name. Never thought much of Lombardi as a GM or when he worked for the NFL Network.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
The patient (the Bucs) are currently on life support awaiting multiple organ transplantations. Already one donor, Kareem Hunt, went to another patient, Cleveland Browns, who came off the ventilator last year and are trying to get to rehab.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:50 pm
Lombardi went 9-23 the two years he was the Browns GM. There’s a reason why these guys like him and Rockstar don’t have GM positions and are writing articles for The Athletic.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:51 pm
I hope this coaching staff can develop players, instill a winning culture, have success in 2019. I’m sick of losing, I’m sick of football season being over (no playoffs) by November every year. I agree with the talented pieces, FA and the draft needs to be a great haul or it’s more of the same in 2019.
GO BUCS
February 11th, 2019 at 3:52 pm
This is all just so ironic and is truly a great example of how short term memory in the NFL can supersede logic. Before the season started last year, EVERYONE said we were a brilliantly talented roster. EVERYONE. If you disagree, you’re wrong. Period.
Now the season passes and we finish with a three game suspension to our quarterback, nearly top of the league in injuries, locker room drama, midseason firing of our DC who had arguably the worst defensive scheme in history which was proven when a coach with barely any experience at DC steps in and immediately improved our defense by a large amount, and a QB carousel.
Okay so are we supposed to ignore those variables? Now we don’t have a talented team because many of are players were too hurt to step on the field and because we lost more than we won?
Hell no. This roster has not changed much. There was just too much negative influence last year to conclude we were wrong about the talent. We are not wrong about the talent no matter what some dude who is now paid to cover all 32 teams thinks. He does not know more than the 20 most educated posters on this site.
We are extremely talented and now we have an extremely talented coach for possibly the first time in over a decade.
Now if we lose bad this year, well the problem is much bigger than talent.
February 11th, 2019 at 3:55 pm
Confusing when these so called “experts” have diversely different opinions.
Glad you mentioned the the salary cap pinch Joe, I’ve been wondering about that since it seems only a season ago (or so) the Bucs were in great shape regarding the salary cap and had more to work with than most. How did that change so rapidly when “the franchise” hasn’t even signed his big contract yet?
February 11th, 2019 at 4:02 pm
Irrespective or what Lombardi did or didn’t say about the Bucs….Michael Lombardi hasn’t mattered in over 15 years. If he gave the Bucs glowing reviews or toilet trash….Lombardi duzn’t matter. He’s a blowhard, pointless. Sirius XM needs all the washed-up small maybe once-thans….for their lineup
Thus…crickets.
Go Bucs!
February 11th, 2019 at 4:03 pm
*Irrespective of
February 11th, 2019 at 4:07 pm
im kinda over the whole talent vs not so talented argument….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
February 11th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
I wish he would stop calling Lovie inept. Lovie got a Chicago team with Rex Grossman as QB to the Super bowl.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
This dude sure is making a lot of assumptions and isn’t on to anything. You know the Glazers is ere not on board with everything? You know licht pushed hard for BA to come here? Coaching was terrible especially defensive coaching which is why rams went from perennial 7-9 to super bowl in second year of new coaching hire. It’s all assumptions at this point and there’s a reason he’s a former GM
If BA can’t improve the win/loss record then guess what it’ll be easy to say the roster is not talented but not going there with that poor excuse of a coach Koetter running the show. Licht made some dumb moves and I thought the corner and safety draft instead of free agency was one of them. I think Carlton Davis will be good but he and M.J. Stewart and two completely different types of corners. Dude just does so many random things on draft day
February 11th, 2019 at 4:39 pm
Going into last year, Lombardi said the coaching was awful. He is a malcontent who begrudges the fact he has not been offered a position in a front office. He’s entertaining but now is in the book business, not the personnel business in the NFL. Take it with a grain of salt.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Joe, my apologizes for forgetting that Lombardi was fired 2 months before the drafting of Johnny (for a team that still used his notes for the draft), but I like the fire you showed in your response, probably the first time in years you’ve had your own thoughts.
Illogical rant, interesting, since you didnt touch on the fact that you are the guy who pumps these people up and say helped has arrive to completely change your tune 12 months later. I dont think I’ve seen someone get so butt hurt because they get called out for it.
I dont think I said Swaggy ever performed well for the Bucs… If I am correct, you were the one slobbing on him when he signed here, at least from what I remember, for some odd reason, I can find all the times you rode him, but not the time he signed and you were all over it talking about how McCoy finally had help. I mean, I could be wrong with my no clue of football.
I mean hell, outside of small free agents signings and two exceptions (B. Johnson and Rice) the Bucs have always flamed with big signings, but yet at the beginning of every off-season you scream for big free agent spending.
Now, you’re complaining about the inability of the Bucs to do stuff this off-season without cutting Jax and GMC…. yet the Bucs truly have more cap space than that, since most everyone Licht signs has only a year or two in true money. Lets see, Beau Allen, Brate, Gholston, Mitch Unrein, Curry, and Dotson, thats like 32.3 million, before you even sneeze in Jackson and GMC area… but again, what do I know.
I get it is a business, but maybe be more original, maybe come up with your own comments. I mean, no way Lombardi is right… right, no, a team with the 3rd ranked offense and 12th ranked scoring offense, is a team in so much trouble, that Licht put on his sales hat to tell Arians, hey come here. Not a team that has been close so many times to winning a game, just to have the defense give up the game on the last drive…. no, they arent winners, but it doesnt mean they are bad and a black hole for careers.
Right? I mean hell, Mark Dom had more successful draft picks than Lombardi. Sure, youre running a business, I understand why you put crap up to get people to click, not because youre a good journalist, but because, well, lets face it, you just repost everyone else’s stuff and give us your thoughts on it. Honestly, it is an ingenious business model. You dont need any talent to do it and you’ve proved it.
To demonstrate you have no clue and youre just a guy on a computer writing your thoughts about other peoples thoughts, I throw this out. You have claimed since Winston has been drafted “Jason hit the Grand Slam!!! Franchise QB, LT, LG, and MLB… and that was at the start of this year.
Now, are QB sucks, are LT takes plays off and we need an upgrade, our RG went to Center, to LG, and are MLB tore his knee up in his first half without Mike Smith and now your like “eh, he never played well for those crappy defenses”, but I shouldnt take much consideration into your words about Linebackers sense after Kwon came to Tampa you said David had lost a step.
Funny thing is, I know you said these things, others have even brought it up, yet for some odd reasons trying to pull stories up from your site where you cock gobble on these guys or bash them…. seems to have disappeared.
Now, I know you’re the expert here with your immense amount of playing time and knowledge about football…. I think, honestly, when I hear either of your names, if it wasnt for the fact someone said Joe Bucs…. would anyone know you?
Plus, your knowledge of football is quite comical, seriously, this is your football knowledge, no matter what your credentials say “This guy says the Bucs suck… He is right!” very next post “The bucs are only 2 players away… Yeah, the Bucs are awesome, we rock.”
Your business model sucks, sure you get people to click on your stuff because you took all Bucs info and put it on one sight and sell ad space… congrats. Doesnt mean you actually do much. 90% of your post are other peoples words with a slight paragraph from one of you saying “Yeah!” or “Boo!”.
Taking other’s words and retyping it in your words has been done for years. You might make money, but it doesnt mean you’re the bringer of knowledge. It’s probably why Joe Ray Fan or Lightning fan never took off….. people dont talk about those sports enough for you to repost them. I mean hell, at least ESPN writers, write…………. or have ghost riders, the world may never know.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Bucs have no talent on defense, how is that playoff caliber? But don’t worry! Licht will draft another 5’10” corner with blazing 4.55 speed.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:45 pm
Bucfan losing their minds over the truth… roster, team and franchise garbage
February 11th, 2019 at 4:49 pm
Especially when you remember the fact that Lombardi said Doug Pederson wasnt head coach material right before the 2017 season when he took his team and won a Super Bowl…. youre right Joe, I dont know anything about Football, but I know this…. If Doug Pederson was available, you’d be looking like you worked on Nebraska in Tampa 😀
February 11th, 2019 at 4:52 pm
Bonzai Buc:
Cant agree with your assessment .Liedtke and Wester are depth players.I do agree Dotson who is getting up in age needs his replacement to be drafted this year along with a left guard.Put Marpet back on his natural side.
The offensive line needs real help to rectify the run game issue.
I predict the bucs will try to tap Leveon Bell in free agency.Hes more of a grinder than Kareem Hunt.I see Bell,Barber and Rojo as backs.
Linebacker except David is sketchy with Beckwith,Cichy and Kwon coming back after injuries.
Draft should be: Edge rusher, Cornerback Left Guard,Linebacker, Right tackle in free agency along with Leveon Bell.Good to go!!!
February 11th, 2019 at 4:54 pm
Well, let see. Ive only been saying that Litch has failed to build a quality team for 2 years now. But ok, I buy the Lovie Smith factor.
Either way this team is in bad shape and they should rebuild. Good luck selling that idea tho.
It wouldnt take me very long, but I know my team well enough to know what should be done. I have the luxury of having played QB, helped coach and design game plans, and recognized talent to help improve positions, albeit at the High School level, AND most importantly being a life long Bucs fan.
Right now i have no confidence in Litch and his direction, but I do hope he proves me wrong this year. His attention to the OL will tell me everything I need to know.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:59 pm
wow, joes must be drinking heavily this offseason. your response to a post above was that you feel like we are good at LB??? and we should cut Lavonte David???( put the weed down), such a ridiculous statement. How the hell do you know what type of defense this team is going to play? We cant afford to cut good players on defense, not named gmc. If its a 3-4 we will need as many linebackers that can cover and rush as we can get.
February 11th, 2019 at 5:03 pm
This guy should know how coaching affects a roster. My goodness every player in the league would have looked bad in Smiths defense. Every player on the team has already improved from last season. Guilty by association
February 11th, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Buccernutter
You ain’t gotta tell me. I wanted Koetter’s arse gone after the first 5-11 season cus I already knew from his previous seasons there was no way that guy was going to turn this team around and make it to the playoffs. What do you know, we gave him another chance and ended up 5-11 again. But there’s always the high draft picks, right?
February 11th, 2019 at 5:12 pm
This is the same guy who said Doug Pederson was the worst HC’ing hire in a decade and the Eggles weren’t going anywhere with him.
February 11th, 2019 at 5:31 pm
Why is it that most of these national j-off’s rarely mention anything about our defense or know of anyone other than JPP and GMC??? It’s because they’re national j-off’s that don’t do good research on the Bucs and don’t watch games. Same stuff every year. They still think GMC is some kind of All-Pro. All they talk about is BA fixing Jameis. Defenses win championships and they never mention we got Bowels coming in to hopefully help this last ranked defense that has potential get better.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:07 pm
The Buc’s lost 5 games in 2018 by 4 or less points. IMO that qualifies as a team that is close to and definitely capable if a 10-6 season. The addition of BA should help if his history means anything, I feel like Lombardi is the consummate glass half empty analyst in his predictions and if you think not getting Hunt is a forecast for future for the Buc’s then turn in your pirate badge. We have blown tons of cap money during years when we had tons to blow, but this year we are going to have to be frugal which means every penny counts.I have found from 40 years of bank management that he who lives within his means will ultimately be successful. No one can accurately predict 2019, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one, including me.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:19 pm
Why haven’t the Bucs fired the entire SCOUTING DEPARTMENT?
The Bucs suck, and will continue to suck, because we lack the ability to draft.
It’s not rocket science to figure out that unless you have solid, consistent drafts that you’re not going to put a Super Bowl contender together.
The KEY to the NFL is managing the Salary Cap with underpaid talent (rookies and more-upside-left free agents) that overachieve.
Until the Bucs get THIS figured out, we’re doomed.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:54 pm
All I can say is that this is not a professional franchise. It is & always will be the laughing stock of the NFL. Licht really sold BA a bill of goods. Licht may be worse than Dom.
February 11th, 2019 at 7:08 pm
A little off topic, but seeing how Marpet’s name keeps popping up, for entertainment , go to YouTube and watch Marpet’s highlights from high school and first year of college. He was a dominating and penetrating 3-Tech
February 11th, 2019 at 7:28 pm
BA will be with us after next season regardless of our record.Licht will be gone if his draft fails.Trust our new staff to help direct the draft and free agency and you will live to see future Buc seasons—MR. LICHT.!!!!!
February 11th, 2019 at 7:39 pm
The Bucs do not have a good roster because they are deficient at the foundational positions.
The offensive line is NOT GOOD. And the fact that no one inside the 813 are code can figure that one – especially at One Buc – is problem #1.
Marpet is a GOOD guard. He is not a great one.
Jensen is an AVERAGE center. He is not a good one.
The rest of the line is subpar. Period.
Imagine if the Bucs actually assessed their line like I did above and realized they could live with what they had at C and LG and knew they needed to do their best to upgrade at 2-3 OL positions.
They need a better LT, RT, and RG.
They do not need to invest 12 million a year into a LT who might one day improve to be average at best.
Solution. Draft a LT in round 1. Draft a guard in round 3. Sign a tackle in free agency. Keep Dotson and Benenoch for depth.
It does no good to have great luxury pieces in a house (skill position players) if the foundation (offensive line) is cracked and falling apart.
FIX THE TRENCHES FIX THE BUCS!!
February 11th, 2019 at 8:04 pm
As I’ve yelled repeatedly the last few Seasons, Our biggest needs are on Defense.
We have not been able to stop anybody or get off the field. And I’ve not had the faith many of you have in out Linebacking corre. We shall see. I won’t get these hopes up to high..just yet. And neiither should you. Arians is talking a tough game. But I gotta see the product on the field. We’ve been let down by these Bucs so much..and the hype build up..yr after yr, its hard to believe anybody. If we fix this Defense, we win more games. Lets see….
February 11th, 2019 at 8:16 pm
Are roster is not garbage. We do have some great players. I 100% believe it was coaching. When did we ever looked like we outcoached a team. When did we ever looked prepared. When did we run trick plays that exposed teams tendencies. When did we ever make halftime or in game adjustments. How many times did we hear after we got are butts whooped by another team. They came up with a bunch of plays they new would fool are basic defense. Like Carolina with a wounded cam running end around a and doubl reverses all the way down the field in 3-4 plays. If a team played a different defense that our coaches hadn’t seen on tape yet we were done. Couldn’t get a first down it was in no doubt coaching. How many times did all of us wish for a quick slant on 3rd and 2. And get the ball in your playmakers hands. Why were all the screens to humphries when you have one of the best open field receivers in the history of the game. Who is begging to be fed the ball. Throw Jackson 4-5 of those a game and see what happens. I guarantee we don’t get beat by 30 next year before halftime. I guarantee we will change our offense and defense each game to exploit what the other team is poor at. Instead of running the same scheme no matter the opponent. It’s my offense and it will work regardless of the opponent is dead now. No more we wanted to make them change there defense to stop are same game in and game out offense.
February 11th, 2019 at 8:28 pm
Tony LA that sounds great and all but under your circumstances who’s playing on you know the worst defense in the NFL?
February 11th, 2019 at 8:34 pm
This is the same idiot who said the Eagles head coach who one the superbowl was the least qualified head coach in history and that the Eagles hiring of Pederson was a doomed terrible failure blah blah blah. Talk about nepotism this guy is a moron
February 11th, 2019 at 9:18 pm
Doesn’t matter. It’s true. This team is garbage. 2 5-11 seasons and a defense that gives up the booty more GMC is ridiculous. But I see why our coaches say they are good because of getting rid of the losing culture starts there not publically bashing the players like Koetter regime did
February 11th, 2019 at 9:48 pm
@Bonzai Agree with your takes. Coaching and stupidity a really dumb team cost us playoffs the past two years and let’s be honest…yes JW has potential but he’s blown it big time the last two years including the mind numbing three game suspension.
First off the cap. It goes up at least ten million this year and maybe more. 3 or 4 released players frees up another 30 million. We can navigate the salary cap problem without that much difficulty. It’ll require some hard choices but it’s not a stretch at all.
What will determine our season…first off is JW the guy we saw the last six games or the JW we saw the first 3 1/2 years. If he picks up where he left off last year the offense will be fine. He has the targets and yes we need to pick up a stud OL. RB will be enhanced by improving the OL.
I believe JW has learned his lesson. I believe Leftwich is just the guy to get in his head and steer him correctly both on and off the field.
The only other question is Todd Bowles. If he can make the defense at least average we should have a run at the playoffs.
This draft if by all reports loaded with DL’s…not just the big names at the top but it has depth. We could find a couple of DL’s and a couple of OL’s in this draft…especially if we trade down a pick up another selection. I’m not overwhelmed by our LB corps it will also need some work.
But it comes down to JW and Bowles. If they perform we definitely have a chance. Remember the NFL South with the exception of N.O. collapsed last year. Carolina and Atlanta were not world beaters. We will end up with a decent schedule since we are not in a dominant division. N.O. is obviously good but we beat them in their house with freaking Fitzmagic.
Lombardi got fired from the Browns. Why is he out of football other than broadcasting and writing.
D.R. is right…all the “experts” have opinions. So what!!!
February 11th, 2019 at 11:19 pm
Before everyone freaks out do we think Michael Lombardi wants to be commentator. No ofcourse not but he has been shown the door becayse he was not a good GM which probably translates to poor evaluator of talent. So we are reacting to the judgement of a man who the entire NFL feels is not a good evaluator of talent tell us that we dont have alot of good talent. Go back to the microphone or type another blog Lombardi, your days of judging talent are long gone because the entire NFL decided that.
February 12th, 2019 at 2:39 am
I’m starting to change my thought process about jameis and our QB situation. If Kyler Murray is by chance available at #5. Maybe we should take him…. otherwise we have one year of jameis to put up or shut up. And jameis can’t just be average. He has to be franchise QB good. It’s tough for me to see this working out. If kyler checks all the boxes at the combine and is available. This is something to think long and hard about.
February 12th, 2019 at 7:25 am
I think the Bucs roster is perfectly suited for FLAG football.
February 12th, 2019 at 7:36 am
We are below average at most positions and have a head coach who will tire quickly of Winston’s turnovers and likely retire. It’s a Bucs life
February 12th, 2019 at 3:25 pm
You clearly have no concept of what you are talking. Thus, you have no business typing on this site since you don’t like Joe at all.