“I Think His Best Position Is Tackle”
February 28th, 2019
General manager Jason Licht
One great mystery of the 2018 season is why Caleb Benenoch was allowed to start 16 games at right guard when he was dreadful in that role.
Heck, Jason Licht’s own words confirmed that yesterday.
Are we to believe rookie guard Alex Cappa wasn’t good enough to earn a couple of starts or more late in the season when the season was out of reach?
Licht and the Dirk Koetter regime evaluated Benenoch and thought he could be the man at right guard last year. They were wrong and a stone cold admission came from Licht yesterday.
During a chat with Joe and other local media in a quiet spot inside the Indiana Convention Center, Licht said Benenoch didn’t do what was expected of him last season as the starting right guard and “I think his best position is tackle.” Yep, Licht said it.
Man, all those snaps wasted on Benenoch. Head coach Bucco Bruce Arians and company don’t see a guard in the Bucs’ starting guard.
So what really happened?
Well, Joe has heard from a lot of people on this, including players and coaches from last year. Frankly, Joe hasn’t gotten consistent answers, which is rather typical when trying to decipher the bizarre mysteries that seem to be an annual occurrence at One Buc Palace. As Licht said when talking about malcontent DeSean Jackson yesterday, there are factors that aren’t seen “behind closed doors.”
February 28th, 2019 at 1:31 pm
Its ridiculous how many players on this team were playing out of position. Us fans can see it, how come clueless koetter couldnt?
February 28th, 2019 at 1:41 pm
Trying Benenoch at guard wasn’t a ridiculous move, but were they not watching ANY tape? He was a consistent reason why defenders were in the RBs and Qbs face post-snap. More so than any other lineman.
How he was aloud to trot out there as a starter throughout the season baffled me and he should have been sat or taken out of the game multiple times, IMO.
February 28th, 2019 at 1:49 pm
I know that I have been screaming that on JBF all year, Benenoch was out of position but all the fans saw was his terrible play at guard and not the coaches playing him out of position (musical lineman chairs)
February 28th, 2019 at 2:05 pm
*allowed
February 28th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
Cutting Sweezy when they did, given the Bucs salary situation, in favor of Benenoch was the worst move of Licht’s off-season (other than not firing the coaches). I realize he bases this on feedback from coaches but he should’ve been willing to employ a wait and see attitude on this situation. No reason to cut Sweezy other than to open the door for Benenoch to open the door for the defensive line. Want to know what happened to the Bucs last season. Don’t be lazy, get the NFL network online and watch some game film. Pittsburgh revealed just how bad he was and the rest of the league just kept taking advantage of it.
Maybe he can play some right tackle, but that is a big maybe. He put up bad tape his rookie season there too.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Probably would have been better off cutting Benecoch and signing some guy off the street for how bad he played.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
tnew,
NO ONE on this site was giving Sweezy any leeway. I totally agree with you. A lot of folks are kicking themselves now. I had two back surgeries. Takes time to come back from. Its a Bucs life.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
“LOL
LC
I remember the Wash game. They brought in 3 guys of the street to play on the offensive line for that game because they were so banged up
the patched up Wash Oline was better than our pathetic Oline”
Kobe Faker
February 28th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
lmao that same game we had 500+ yards of offense and 3 points?
That has to be some weird record
February 28th, 2019 at 2:26 pm
Cody Ford ?….after a trade down….
February 28th, 2019 at 2:38 pm
His best position is at Subway.
Licht needs to stop trying to defend his bad draft picks. Caleb Bennoch is not an NFL player at any position. He probably had a worse season than 2014 Anthony Collins just can get away with more mistakes at guard than LT.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:40 pm
As Licht said when talking about malcontent DeSean Jackson yesterday,
This obsession with Djax is getting ridiculous. I support Jameis as much as anyone on this site….but the whole “malcontent” thing is about Jameis & Djax….
Jameis is perfectly capable of taking up for himself…..
It is a stretch to bring up Djax in an article regarding Benenoch out of position……don’t you think?
February 28th, 2019 at 2:51 pm
His best position on this team is left out
February 28th, 2019 at 2:53 pm
Yeah, sure, let’s put this guy out on an island against premier pass rushers…that’s where he’ll really excel.
February 28th, 2019 at 2:56 pm
You had a head coach fighting for his job and Joe asked why he didn’t trust a rookie (Cappa) on the O-line. It’s the same reason why Joe believes we can’t draft a LT and have him start right a way. Smith started right away for the same coach and did just fine. –Joe
February 28th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
so spence was playing outof position….
benenoch was playing out of position…..
whats next?…the offense didnt fit winston….lol….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
February 28th, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Center/Guar Prospect || Elgton Jenkins || Mississippi State)
Just hit *29 reps on the bench press.
Damn, I was hoping this kid would be there in the 2nd round. Oh well
February 28th, 2019 at 3:04 pm
so now benenoch is 3years behind his development at RT…..
thanks dirk…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
February 28th, 2019 at 3:04 pm
Center/Guard Prospect || Elgton Jenkins || Mississippi State
February 28th, 2019 at 3:18 pm
Admit the mistake yet again and move on Jason
February 28th, 2019 at 3:54 pm
@LUV
Can you write an O-line primer for this draft? I trust your opinion the most on that. You were on Nelson like 2 years before anyone else lol.
1. Thoughts on Johah Williams? Plug in at RG or RT? Worth a top 15 selection? Same with Cody Ford?
2. Juwan Taylor?
3. Any other OGs worth targetting R2 – like Chris Lindstrom?
I feel like the $$ round for a good OG is R2/R3 typically – you should be able to get a starter there with probowl upside if you pick right.
February 28th, 2019 at 5:05 pm
This team has a losing OR no culture. . . . that is why we lose
Until that changes we will be a bottom feeder
February 28th, 2019 at 5:07 pm
Lord Cornelius Says:
February 28th, 2019 at 2:24 pm
lmao that same game we had 500+ yards of offense and 3 points?
That has to be some weird record
—————————————————————————————
I was at that game Lord C, first and only game I have ever walked out of Raymond James midway through the fourth quarter. I have stayed to the bitter end many times but that game made me physically ill.
Past articles have harped on improving the “D” line but it seems like equal attention needs to be paid to the “O” line.
February 28th, 2019 at 5:38 pm
I believe his best position on Sunday afternoons is on a couch with a remote in his hand.
February 28th, 2019 at 7:53 pm
Firrreeeeee Licht!
February 28th, 2019 at 8:11 pm
Frank Pillow Says:
Yeah, sure, let’s put this guy out on an island against premier pass rushers…that’s where he’ll really excel.
LMAO
February 28th, 2019 at 8:24 pm
Caleb should be playing in the AAF or XFL
it was literally sickening to watch him get turnstiled play after play after play
if BA did watch the tape, Caleb should be filling out apps at Whole Foods right now
February 28th, 2019 at 9:45 pm
This is the same team that took Marpet, a pro-bowl level guard, and moved him to center for no reason other than they wanted to. They retarded his development at guard in doing so – and he’s not hit that all-pro level he should be at at this point.
February 28th, 2019 at 10:40 pm
Licht’s an incompetent joke and a con artist
February 28th, 2019 at 11:20 pm
A center is essentially a guard that snaps the ball. The three interior O-line positions share virtually the same skillset. Playing Marpet at center for a year only made him a more rounded player as he now has a full season of experience at every interior position on the line.
Some of you Debbie Downers need to learn how to see the opportunities that lay at the heart of every challenge instead of just crying in your Cocoa Pebbles.
I guarantee you, Ali’s not lost a night of sleep over it.
March 1st, 2019 at 11:19 am
Another player playing at the wrong position.
Licht is really digging himself a nice grave here.
March 1st, 2019 at 2:00 pm
They already tried Benenoch at RT and he was just as bad as he was at RG! But he was Warhop’s Pet and he was going to leave him at RG come hell or high water while he left Liedtke, a Veteran Guard, sitting on the bench all year, despite the fact that when Liedtke was moved to LT with no LT experience for two games in Preseason with the first team, he allowed no sacks or pressures and didn’t have a single holding penalty. Any sane OLC would have pulled Benenoch and let Liedtke show what he could do, but Warhop always protected his pets no matter what! He wasn’t going to let Liedtke show up his pet Benenoch like Liedtke showed up his other pet, D. Smith. He also didn’t want anymore positive film on Liedtke that could jeopardize D. Smith getting a huge contract. I imagine he is laughing now when some posters want the Bucs to let Liedtke go!
March 1st, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Michael Liedtke came from Western Illinois and had experience in ten NFL games prior to being discovered by Licht. He began with the Dolphins, then with the Jets, and then the Browns learning the NFL game coming out of a small college. He is 6’3” and 305 LBS. and 27 years old. He is valuable being able to play Guard or Tackle for the Bucs. BA needs to hold on to him and see what he can do after looking at his two starts and playing two whole preseason games in 2018 when D. Smith was hurt, and outplaying D. Smith.