Unsettling Non-news
February 27th, 2019
Future in doubt?
Without wheels, a football player is nothing unless he can throw a ball or kick a ball.
So last April after linebacker Kendell Beckwith underwent ankle surgery following breaking the same ankle in a car accident, it seemed at first he might just miss the offseason, maybe training camp.
Instead, Beckwith was never cleared to resume practicing. This sent up all sorts of red flags for Joe and since, Joe has just written off Beckwith as a Bucs player until or unless Joe saw the talented linebacker on the field.
So today, twice, when asked about Beckwith’s status, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht didn’t even try to put lipstick on this pig of a predicament. Licht had every opportunity to put on a happy face about Beckwith. He did not, instead twice saying he would have more to say about Beckwith at an undetermined time.
After Licht was finished speaking with NFL reporters at the podium at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, Licht spoke with Bucs reporters privately. There Joe asked Licht if Beckwith’s injury was worse than originally feared and diagnosed. Licht said that would be a “fair” observation.
When Joe asked Licht if Beckwith’s career was in danger, Licht declined to comment and again said he would speak more about Beckwith’s future at a later time.
Again, Licht twice had a chance to give reporters and fans a glimmer of hope for Beckwith. That didn’t happen.
For all Joe knows, Beckwith may have shattered his ankle last spring. Both Licht’s words and non-words have only fueled Joe’s fear that Beckwith has taken his last snap as a Bucs linebacker, and maybe his last snap of football.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:04 pm
Devin Smith here we come
February 27th, 2019 at 5:06 pm
If your suspicions are true, that’s a terrible shame. Beckwith’s a great kid.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:09 pm
What terrible luck! From what I remembered is how at times he made me think Kwon was expendable. How did he even get into this accident I can barely remember ?
February 27th, 2019 at 5:11 pm
Devin White!!!
I broke mine really good several years ago – never got the same range of motion back. Ankles are tricky things for regular people much less for a pro football player.
My guess is his career is over
February 27th, 2019 at 5:11 pm
misdirection, with the draft coming up?
February 27th, 2019 at 5:12 pm
move back to like 13 with Dolphins and get another 2 & 3 and future pick next year
13-Devin white ILB
2A-Zach Allen DE
2B-Chris Lindstrom OG
3A-Jeffery Simmons DT (drop due to injury)
3B-Tytus Howard OT
or
13-Ed Oliver DT/DE
2A-Andre Dillard OT
2B-Chris Lindstrom OG
3A-Tre Lamar LB
3B-BPA edge rusher or RB
Honestly the names don’t even matter. Just give us at least 2-3 trench players in the top 4 rounds and a new LB
February 27th, 2019 at 5:12 pm
This sucks.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:15 pm
What a shame the young promising LB’s career was cut short. But this settles it. With Beckwith and Alexander exiting stage left we are looking for LB’s. Could LB be our first pick?
February 27th, 2019 at 5:16 pm
K. Beckwith never struck me as an extraordinary talent, but certainly a solid player.
Such a pity a freak accident like the one he was in could end his career, especially when it’s not due to a fault of his at all…
Drive safely people!
February 27th, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Beckwith really shined as a rookie IMO, especially at MLB. Just wish that the Bucs had been honest & upfront about his injury & progress. The way they’ve kept Beckwith’s injury status shrouded in mystery for almost a year now stinks far as I’m concerned.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:20 pm
Devin White or at least a Devin.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:21 pm
What makes this even worse for Beckwith is that he was injured while a passenger in his own vehicle……that means he had a liability claim against his own company with the driver’s policy (if one exists) covering excess…..
That probably means not much money unless Beckwith carried some other kind of coverage…….
So…..he has a potentially career ending injury with little financial help.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Other sites confirming same thing.
May be career ending. Stupid friend driving his car and crashed it. Wonder if they are still friends . Could miss out on some serious $$$$$$
Even more reason to draft devin white.
The kid may be the safest pick in this years draft. If he runs in low 4.5 or high 4.4’s at combine , look out.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
LC
i like option #2….but like you said, we have to get at least 3 trench players in the first 4rounds….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!…GO BUCS!!!
February 27th, 2019 at 5:27 pm
yeah sucks for the bucs and beckwith….kid couldve been special at MLB….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!…GO BUCS!!!
February 27th, 2019 at 5:30 pm
I hope this isn’t the case. Beckwith seems like a good kid and a hard worker, he has already come back from so much with his knee injury. I just can’t see how an ankle got hurt that bad (coming from someone with chronic ankle issues but I am able to manage).
LC those drafts are bonerific, especially like that first one, wow.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:32 pm
I really like Devin White too but he is a bigger, stronger Kwon. His knock is he takes bad angles and lacks instincts at times, sound familiar?
I believe with good coaching though he will be a perennial pro bowler for us for a long time.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:37 pm
Lord Cornelius……that #2 option would be awesome if it worked out….assuming we got Tyrann Mathieu and/or a corner via Free Agency!
February 27th, 2019 at 5:38 pm
I hate that for you Beckwith….it sucks, you was coming on quick too. I was afraid of this. Thats why Ive been touting D. White so much.
LC, White will be long gone by 13th, he’s going 5th to us or within 6 to 7. Teams will be looking to trade up for him, especially cinci. Just wait until after the combine….hes fast and strong!
Get him first, then if SWeat doesnt drop into the 20’s so we can trade up, take a long look at Lindstrom if he’s there, or G/R OT Dalton Risner late 2nd early 3rd.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:39 pm
Come to think about it Lord Cornelius that 1st scenario would be better short and long-term (Jeffrey Simmons)
February 27th, 2019 at 5:43 pm
Too bad the Lions or Bengals will also bebin the market for an ILB so we couldn’t trade below them both and still get Devin White
February 27th, 2019 at 5:43 pm
Another on my list is OT Max Scharping, 3rd or 4th…and DE Chase Winovich, 3rd or 4th
February 27th, 2019 at 5:47 pm
@ncbucsfan, have you seen the vid where simmons is hitting an older woman on the ground? Just curious. He looks like a beast on the field…..ALSO off the field though. I hope we dont take that chance.
February 27th, 2019 at 5:53 pm
Man, that really, really sucks.
Can we hold off for a second in yelling about who can replace him, and think about this kid?
His play, attitude and personality could have made him a stalwart here in TB for many years.
This is really sad.
February 27th, 2019 at 6:09 pm
Big loss. He was solid as a rookie and was waiting for a breakout season. My guess, his surgery did not heal correctly and may need another one to get some flexibility. If so, he is probably done.
February 27th, 2019 at 6:27 pm
Devin White is a Beast hes my pick for Bucs let’s go
February 27th, 2019 at 6:34 pm
Huge loss
February 27th, 2019 at 6:56 pm
It’s like licht tips his hand every year at the podium. Ok you said your letting Kwon test free agency, it’s fair to say Beckwith injury is more serious than they realized. They’ll need a couple linebackers in the draft because we have Lavonte but the rest of the crew are garbage at linebacker
February 27th, 2019 at 7:00 pm
Tre Lamar > Devin White
Prove me wrong
February 27th, 2019 at 7:48 pm
Poor kid
February 27th, 2019 at 7:55 pm
We will release him and he will be playing for the Pats as an all pro in a yr LOL. Oh wait, we haven’t paid him NOT to play for a season or two yet, yeah, maybe he really is hurt.
All sarcasm aside I hope he can recover and lead a productive high earning career to take care of his family.
February 27th, 2019 at 8:02 pm
JOE…….There is no way you can Possibly be this dense.
You were trying to get Licht to tip his hand TO THE ENTIRE WORLD about our LB situation. Add in that Kwon is probably not coming back and you are trying to get him to admit that he may be searching for TWO LBs. Potentially one in the draft.
This is one of the things that get me about Journalists that claim to be Fans of their team. Most are just digging for juicy stories and some actually care about the team’s well being by knowing when to Back Off.
February 27th, 2019 at 8:03 pm
Also you have to believe that is a fair take and not me attacking you.
February 27th, 2019 at 8:30 pm
I’m with MadMax. Sharping looks like good middle round pick. In addition to the obvious Devin White, I like Kahlil Hodge out of Buffalo and Josiah Tauaefa out of Texas El Paso.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:02 pm
BS! Every Bucs fan wants to know what is going on with Beckwith including you. If people would rather live in dark ignorance, then why even have these dog and pony shows? Just shut everything down and lock everyone out of those dumb preseason games. Joe was only asking about Beckwith to determine what was going on with him. No ulterior motive.
What the hell was Joe supposed to ask Licht, how he feels about Indiana weather in February? Please!
February 27th, 2019 at 9:18 pm
OK Joe you see it your way I see it mine.
You SHOULD ask pertinent question but when he bats them down you don’t press him.
Do you think EVERY other GM should know that he is pursuing Devin White at No. 5??? That takes away ALL his options!
Should Every other GM know that he is seeking a possible trade of FA pick up at LB in the Trade window?
I mean Jeeeeeeesh. Ask him his opinion and Move ON!
Don’t try to make him tip his hand.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:20 pm
Sometimes the Truth doesn’t need to be revealed until the team is able to compensate for it or the lack thereof.
Fine line I know.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:48 pm
Because this was a non football injury, Beckwith’s private doctors handle the rehab.
I’m sure the Buc just get progress reports.
So Licht cannot comment on something he either does not know yet or does not want to reveal yet.
I’m not buying he’s gone until I see it. Too many here hive up based on theory.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:49 pm
Jesus SB, you don’t think teams considering making moves for the number 5 pick in the draft aren’t going to know that both Beckwith and Kwon very possibly will never take another snap as Bucs? There are tens of millions of dollars on the line here. Teams do their due diligence and they will have a lot of knowledge before making decisions. You act like teams go into the draft blind unless some website reporter is able to uncover some tidbits for them. Maybe you flip burgers for living but big boys doing big boy jobs do their homework before throwing around millions of dollars.
February 27th, 2019 at 9:58 pm
It doesn’t matter…..we dont NEED to take an ILB at #5. Players loke Vosean Joseph (Florida) will be around in like the 3rd round and has 1st rd talent.
February 27th, 2019 at 10:43 pm
That would have been ***very*** unwise for all parties involved.
February 27th, 2019 at 10:56 pm
Hey TDTB. My wife flips the burgers. I can’t boil water because I don’t care to try.
I have been here for 7 years and I was talking to Joe not Jane.
I have every right to question Joe and politely critique his journalism. If you care to attack me then I will compliment you Caitlyn.
February 27th, 2019 at 11:04 pm
That sucks, he looked really promising. I had my suspicions though, since we haven’t heard a thing in over a year.
That changes a lot if they’re looking at a 34 defense. That changes a lot in the draft if they’re letting Kwon go.
They basically need a cornerback and they need a linebacker and they need pass rushing DE.
I think Spence might be moving to linebacker
February 27th, 2019 at 11:37 pm
Ol’ Bonzie yet again acting like an authority with nothing but a slew of elf e-books on his resumè. Beckwith is likely done in Tampa…and perhaps in the NFL as Joe stated. When you’re fringe by NFL standards…you become just “ a( injured ) guy” very quickly.
February 28th, 2019 at 12:45 am
“We’ll talk more about his future at a later time” – Jason Licht
February 28th, 2019 at 9:05 am
No harm in asking the questions we all want answered, but I doubt we’ll get much detail on current roster and health status before the draft.
February 28th, 2019 at 9:38 am
Spence moving to linebacker is a very good observation
February 28th, 2019 at 11:33 am
I don’t think he is coming back. The other dude in the car with him broke his Femur. Not an easy bone to break. I imagine Beck took the same impact on his ankle. A friend of mine had a very similar injury, shattered ankle in a car accident. It will probably never be close to the same.