Lavonte The Rusher
March 28th, 2019
Unleashed.
Did Bucco Bruce Arians tip off the Bucs’ draft plans at No. 5?
Joe isn’t sure but Joe sure does like what Arians had to say about linebacker Lavonte David.
When David played for then-Bucs commander Greg Schiano, he looked like he was about to become one of the dominant linebackers in the NFL, right up there with future Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly.
Like Kuechly, David was a tackling machine. Unlike Kuechly, Schiano had David rush the passer more and he was a force. David had nine sacks his first two seasons, seven in his sophomore year with the Bucs.
But of course, Schiano was out the door after that season and, of course, inept Lovie Smith knew best how to use David (you only needed to ask Lovie and he would tell you). David seemed somewhat neutered under both Smiths, Lovie and later Mike. Neither of the Smiths thought enough of David to have him attack the quarterback like Schiano did.
Well, it seems common sense is being restored to One Buc Palace. This week during the coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meetings, Arians was asked about what players he was looking forward to coaching and David came up.
Arians admitted he wants David to hunt the quarterback.
“I’m looking forward to, Lavonte has always been a stack ‘backer,” Arians said meaning David was lined up behind a defensive tackle. “Let’s see what he can do in a situation where we are rushing him more with his speed.”
Hallelujah! Finally creativity and using guys to the best of their abilities, not being chained to a friggin’ scheme.
Joe has a strong hunch Arians will find out that David will do quite well using his speed to get after quarterbacks, even though he was sackless in 2017, despite a modest share of blitzing. In 2017, the Bucs were the least blitzing team in the NFL on third down, per the PFF, and near the bottom of the league on second-down blitzes.
As for that No. 5 pick, if the Bucs are going to use David more rushing the quarterback, does that mean the Bucs are leaning toward Ed Oliver at defensive tackle and waving goodbye to Gerald McCoy?
March 28th, 2019 at 8:06 am
It means…Quinnen Williams. And thankfully goodbye to GMC.
March 28th, 2019 at 8:23 am
The Bucs could have the 1st pick each draft and still miss out on the top 3 prospects each year
March 28th, 2019 at 8:31 am
“LVD is going to be pro bowler this year
Without the redheaded Matador Kwonie missing angles and containment, LVD can play down hill and attack
March 28th, 2019 at 8:45 am
It really is sad that the coach that utilized what we had the most was some guy from Rutgers.. LBD was a beast under that defense. I think we just had missing pieces and dom was no help to that. Either way the Smith’s are a total joke. The Lovie Smith tenure still makes me sick….
March 28th, 2019 at 8:45 am
*LVD
March 28th, 2019 at 9:06 am
SeffnerSal we can’t draft Williams when he will be gone by 3
March 28th, 2019 at 9:17 am
SC,
Did you just “educated” us?
March 28th, 2019 at 9:17 am
yes sir!!!!…
Ed Oliver and Vita Vea would be a nightmare for OL’s…..Oliver is the perfect running mate to go along VV……
Ed Oliver in the 1st…..Jachi Polite in the 2nd…..tytus howard in the 3rd…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
March 28th, 2019 at 9:33 am
Y’all are funny. Jumped straight from ‘LVD is a beast rushing the QB under Schiano’ to drafting Williams or Oliver to replace GMC. Great rationale … Not. Todd Bowles defense emphasizes the LBs … as in PLURAL. Say hello to Devin White with your #5 pick.
March 28th, 2019 at 9:39 am
☺️Defense don’t waste much more of your time schooling these folks. Draft night quickly approaches.
March 28th, 2019 at 9:46 am
if we’re funny, “yall” katt williams…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
March 28th, 2019 at 9:52 am
As for that No. 5 pick, if the Bucs are going to use David more rushing the quarterback, does that mean the Bucs are leaning toward Ed Oliver at defensive tackle and waving goodbye to Gerald McCoy?
Actually, I think it means absolutely nothing when it comes to who we pick at #5 if we pick at #5….
I do think we wave goodbye to GMC if we pick Williams or Oliver, however.
My money is still on Devin White….or, if we are lucky…..Allen
March 28th, 2019 at 9:59 am
LVD is a quality football player until the first bad call or big play then he is incapable of recovering…. his own words people… it’s not hate when the player himself states that he is too mentally weak to recover from bad calls and big plays. Perfect fit for the ring of underachievement though
March 28th, 2019 at 10:00 am
Z31 you let me know when you need a lesson, heck you can pick the topic!
March 28th, 2019 at 10:08 am
Mike Smith had no clue as a defense coordinator. Lavonte David has the ability to add double digit sacks in a 3-4 defense.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:17 am
@Z31…lol.
Looking at the draft order, #6 NYG, #8 DET (having Patricia commented on twice almost shipping Stafford to MIA last year), #10 DEN, #11 CIN, #13 MIA, and #15 WAS all need quarterbacks, in a pretty bad way, and all have expressed an extreme desire to add a starter for 2020 minimum. Patricia doesn’t feel he has “his guy” in Stafford.
So that puts Rosen and Stafford on the market to fill maybe a couple of those spots, possibly Carr once Gruden does Gruden.
NOW…with no one on planet earth knowing what Gruden (whom only serves himself) actually wants to do at #4 plus his 3 first round picks, there’s no way in hell the Jets sit pat at #3, because there are at least 5-6 teams that aren’t going to just sit there, and let the Giants at #6 take their choice of Haskins or Lock. of those 5-6 teams wanting a QB this year, 3-4 will get antsy.
So…like I said and will continue to say….it means QUINNEN.
Nevermind the sister-marrying Doc Hogue inbred from South Carolina making noise in the background, “educated” us.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:19 am
“future Hall of Famer Luke Kuechly”
Huh?
What has he really done to earn that distinction? Good player? Yes. HoFer?
How many rings? How many full seasons?
March 28th, 2019 at 10:22 am
We will see SeffnerSal and I won’t even use crude insults to go at you. I tried to tell you about heart defects yesterday but your an expert because your wife had one… and I’m sorry you went thru that. No matter. We will see post draft but Williams won’t make it past 3 – as we are 5 and don’t have the capital to move up, that means Williams won’t be seen in the creamsickles. I trust by then you will employ a new moniker and probably be making fun of your old posts.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:24 am
I care so little about who we draft that I haven’t even started this year’s draft wishlist. I didn’t even do one for free agency this year.
I suppose I should buckle down for the draft though, considering I usually get 2-3 of my wishlist guys.
I’m just suffering from post traumatic stress after the past decade. It’s hitting me hard this off season.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:28 am
SeffnerSal, if you think Gruden will draft a QB in the first round, then you obviously do not know Gruden.
If he decides Carr is not the guy, he will either sign a vet or trade for one.
If the Lions give up on Stafford, he would be a prime target for Gruden.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:39 am
For people who act like coaching is overrated or talent is thr most important thing. .. look no further than exhibit A. Very possible LVD is in those hof discussions if he had played under a great coach. Could you imagine if Brady was stuck with Love ball? He may somehow still will his team to wins but likely wouldn’t be looked at ad GOAT.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:40 am
David’s pass rushing on a regular basis will be game changing for our defense.
March 28th, 2019 at 10:49 am
Bucs have yet to meet with Oliver that I’ve seen?
Houston pro day today
March 28th, 2019 at 10:59 am
It means they’ll probably draft a speedy middle linebacker to backup a blitzing David
March 28th, 2019 at 11:01 am
BUT , BUT BUT…..I thought the problem wasnt coaching??!!!!LMFAO!!!! Dummys are gonna soon see what the real issues have been
March 28th, 2019 at 11:13 am
Are we enamored with Oliver because he’s similar to Aaron Donald in stature? Is Ed Oliver better than Christian Wilkins? Who did Houston play?
Once again, just throwing it out there for discussion. Clemson d-linemen are rarely mentioned in these conversations.
March 28th, 2019 at 11:24 am
@Bonzai…
Like someone else wise once said out here….those food court tables won’t clean themselves!!
Let’s look at expressly what I wrote above….
“So that puts Rosen and Stafford on the market to fill maybe a couple of those spots, possibly Carr once Gruden does Gruden.”
Tell me Bonzai….DOES THAT ABOVE SAY “once Gruden picks a rookie QB in the draft??” You effing imbecile. It SAYS…”once Gruden does Gruden” putting Carr on the market. Not what you said I said jacka$$, in picking a rookie QB.
So, for instance, if #8 DET wanted to go from #8 to #4 where OAK is now to pick their QB of choice in this draft, in exchange for say Stafford………or any of the other (sleeper) teams doing similar………
Don’t sit there, and trying and second-guess me, ever, with THAT intellect of yours.
March 28th, 2019 at 12:13 pm
BTW, Wilkins played multiple positions at Clemson. Would he be a better fit in a 3-4 vs. Oliver?
This team will benefit greatly from better coaching. Who knows, David might resurrect his career.
March 28th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
No, it means edge pressure from the likes of Allen or Sweat. Edge rushers don’t grow on trees. These guys are absolute jokers, able to perform numerous tasks in a complex defensive system. Hands down rushing in a 4-3, off the edge in a 3-4, into coverage off the 3-4, even between the tackles as ILBs in the 3-4. They are rare talent. Why draft depth when we already have Vea and McCoy still isn’t out the door? Arians wants to win now… get your best on the field for quickest results…. that would means LOLB Allen/Sweat LDE Nassib NT Vea RDE McCoy ROLB JPP with David and possibly Buchanon at the other ILB.
March 28th, 2019 at 12:40 pm
I know Joe hates it and I’m not sure about it but this team is taking Devin White.
March 28th, 2019 at 3:39 pm
I’m sad that lavonte has so many great years of his life wasted with crappy coaching hopefully he can become an All Pro this year !
March 28th, 2019 at 3:52 pm
A number of draft “experts” believe Gruden will draft a QB in the first. Maybe not at 4 but you never know. Think about the dumbest/riskiest move possible and that is what Gruden will do. Last season he took a left tackle that nobody thought would be a LT in the 1st. He proceeded to take Arden Key who has serious character concerns and is undersized. Then he drafted Hurst who had a major heart condition that got him sent home from the combine. By all accounts Hurst is a good player but for how long? Remember Dexter Jackson and I’m not talking about the safety.
March 28th, 2019 at 4:16 pm
Hopefully it means we will take Greedy at #5 because as of now we will still get torched
March 28th, 2019 at 4:45 pm
David is an all-pro LB, unleash the guy and let him just cause havoc everywhere. As for the comparisons to Luke, well let’s look at Luke’s MVP season…
Luke’s MVP season, 166 tackles (96 solo), 4 INTs, 2 sacks, 10 TFLs, 7 PDs, 2 QB hits
David that same season, 145 tackles (106 solo), 5 INTs, 7 sacks, 21 TFLs, 10 PDs, 13 QB hits, plus a safety
So explain to me again how Luke was the defensive MVP of the league that year when he wasn’t even the best LB in the NFC South.
March 28th, 2019 at 6:04 pm
SeffnerSal
Like everybody else I really do not know what the Bucs will do with the #5 draft pick. One thing you said though that I totally agree with…
“NOW…with no one on planet earth knowing what Gruden (whom only serves himself) actually wants to do at #4”
I’ve seen Mock drafts having Gruden take Drew Lock at 4 and even trading up to #2 to make sure he gets him. Who really knows though with Chucky being Chucky.
Bottom line…if two QB’s go..and with Murray…Lock..and Haskins available and some QB hungry teams..we are going to have our pick of an excellent player. Many have us getting Allen…many have White lasting until 10 so perhaps Jason trades down for more picks.
Nobody really knows including Licht and BA. Until the picks start coming in…and phone calls from teams interested in trading up…there is literally NO way to know how it all unfolds.
March 28th, 2019 at 6:53 pm
This is quietly going to be the biggest impact on this defense aside from the hiring of Bowels himself. Lavonte is an absolute GAME WRECKER when he’s deployed in a downhill manner, penetrating the LOS and disrupting screens, tosses, checkdowns etc.
The only difference is that Bruce and his crew will bring star power and notoriety to the franchise and he will finally be recognized nationally for the elite player that he is.
my prediction: 150 tackles (top 5 solo tackles), 5-6 sacks, and 2-3 INTS.
March 28th, 2019 at 7:01 pm
*Bowles… my bad Todd!
March 28th, 2019 at 9:44 pm
I think you guys are off on Oliver , I feel he has bust written all over him.. I’d personally stay away
March 29th, 2019 at 5:36 am
No to Quinnen! No more DT picks in the first round! Draft anyone but him! Don’t do it Licht. For the love of Jameis Winston! Trade The Who draft for Derwin James Jr. make right on last year.
March 29th, 2019 at 12:45 pm
@Rod Munch it really wasn’t even close. Lavonte did something only ONE other LB in NFL history had done, which was record 5 INTs and 6 or more sacks in a season… The other LB? Oh, just some guy by the name of Brian something… Played for the bears… Wore 54 also… Oh that’s right – URLACHER! Im sure you’ve heard of him, considering you’re like the only other dude I’ve seen mention LVD being completely snubbed for Kuechly even though he completely outplayed him, and every other linebacker in the league, that year.