“Top-5, For Sure”; Behind The Scenes At One Buc
April 21st, 2019
The historically dreadful Buccaneers free agency class of 2014 has one sole survivor.
He’s got a Super Bowl ring, a ton of experience and a $2 million salary for 2019. Yes, Joe is talking about the pride of Idaho State, versatile offensive lineman Evan Smith. He played seven games last year before a hip injury landed him on injured reserve.
Before his season was cut short, either Smith couldn’t win the right guard job from Caleb Benenoch or coaches just wouldn’t let him. Joe’s hoping the latter is true; the alternative is unthinkable.
Regardless, Smith is back and grinding behind on the field and in the weight room at One Buc Palace. The official Buccaneers video below shows Smith squatting more weight than anyone else shown. He’s asked about his strength and says he’s top-5 on the team, for sure. So Joe’s going to assume the bad hip is just fine.
Because of the inexperience and big learning curve for many young NFL linemen these days, Joe has heard savvy personnel men talk about how it’s a good idea to collect 30-something O-linemen like Smith. There’s extreme value in versatile veterans who haven’t had persistent and significant knee and back issues because they can get the job done with little practice time.
Smith, 32, seems to be in that category, even if he isn’t special.
The video also gives a better glimpse of “Big Jameis.” He does look much bigger than in previous springs. Jameis said he played only five pounds lighter last season than he is now, but Joe would bet Jameis is at least 10 pounds heavier than he was last April. Maybe 15.
Interesting implication in the video that second-year running back Shaun Wilson is the fastest player on the offense.
That would be very impressive considering Jameis just talked about how Ronald Jones is showing to be an athletic freak of nature. Joe knows the coaching staff is very high on Wilson’s practice film from last year, as well as his limited game film.
April 21st, 2019 at 9:25 pm
I would rather keep taking chances on young guys. Sooner or later, one has to stick.
You know…like they are doing with the kickers…
April 21st, 2019 at 9:25 pm
Did JW write this?
April 21st, 2019 at 9:30 pm
In summation: everyone is doing great, buy season tickets, SB-or-bust, blah blah.
April 21st, 2019 at 9:45 pm
How do u miss on a free agent?
U have nfl tape for God’s sake
April 21st, 2019 at 9:48 pm
I swear I saw Gerald McCoy outside looking through the glass. Lol.
April 21st, 2019 at 9:55 pm
Lol yes bucs say the roster sucks and we’ll have a top 5 pick next because that’s ignorant fans expect to hear instead of optimism under a new head coach and of course don’t expect to win much or have high expectations because why would the results be different than last year. Oh And since the last 4 coaches sucked this one can’t possibly be any different
This has been the most depressing website as far as buc coverage goes this off-season for the first time since you came onto the scene and it’s partly the Joes fault that you seem to cater to the losers In the fan base. It’s in the articles and the podcast and you didn’t have to make it so obvious joes!!!
April 21st, 2019 at 10:14 pm
Cappa put on Some weight
April 21st, 2019 at 10:28 pm
Ignorant fans are the ones that see 11 straight seasons of missed playoffs with ONE Pro Bowler who was an iniury replacement and think that a head coach is going to single-handedly turn a 5-11, cap-strapped cellar dwellar with one of the worst ownership groups and GM’s in the league to become a playoff power. Now THAT would be ignorant.
The most accurate part of your post Not there yet is the likelihood that the Bucs own a top 5 pick next year. My optimism is when they fire the GM and hires someone with half a brain, then this team has a shot.
April 21st, 2019 at 10:31 pm
This right here is why I arent worried about the RG positiion. The depth on that position is fine with a proven vet and a young Cappa who has potential. I think they added another veteran G as well.
Because Guards are a lot easier to find it would not suprize me at all if they draft a Tackle over G next weekend.
April 21st, 2019 at 10:34 pm
Winston stinks. He is a loser. He can put on as much weight as he wants but it still won’t help him hit the deep ball. All of these JBF puff stories are gonna stop after this season. He won’t get a 2nd contract. It will finally be over. Great article by Stroud which did mention how Winston screwed this team draft position by throwing a TD pass in a meaningless game v Saints. He didn’t run the play called. These are facts. I’m tired of this 3 clown. I was done last year. Anyone thinking this team can win more than 5 games this year with the brutal schedule and average QB play is naive. Glazers are a bunch of losers too. Living on daddy dream and never earned anything themselves. This franchise is a dumpster fire.
April 21st, 2019 at 10:34 pm
If the Bucs win next year does that mean that Licht isnt dumb?
April 21st, 2019 at 10:37 pm
Evans hasn’t been a good NFL player in 3 years. He got dumped by GB for a reason. I also don’t think Arians will make much of difference. Same story different characters.
April 21st, 2019 at 10:42 pm
Before Jameis lost all that weight, I remember him admitting he played his Heisman season at 264.
April 21st, 2019 at 10:46 pm
Donuts it should be noted that our prior HC was famous for putting his OL in the wrong positions and asking them to do things they werent good at.
Dont be suprized if Nruce puts Evan Smith into a position to succeed and he looks like a different player…………You know, like he guy he looked under any outher coach beside Dirk.
April 21st, 2019 at 11:02 pm
Roberto Aguayo, Ronald Jones, MJ Stewart, ASJ, a million bad free agents and kickers, a 27-53 record that is one game worse than Mark Dominik’s and one pro bowl player in year 5 would all indicate Jason Licht is a world class idiot.
But if Bruce Arians and the Bucs want to recreate the Miracle Mets and ride their new free agent acquisitions such as punter Bradley Pinion and the incredibly deep CB group of VHIII, Carlton Davis and Ryan Smith to the playoffs then by all means, Jason Licht is genius. Who’s the starting RG again? Is it Evan Smith?
April 21st, 2019 at 11:07 pm
ignorant fans? how about passionate & knowledgeable fans who can see what a joke of a gm the bucs have, licht has taken a last place team and made it worse. BA is no savior he ran the cards into the cellar, so not sure what is positive here
April 21st, 2019 at 11:14 pm
“Its seems our roster is pretty much the same except we added 2 female coaches and a dude cheerleader…
Its very simple…
Can BA or can he not score in the redzone with the same cast to win 10 games vs last year 5 wins
BA believes he can outcoach Klueless Koetter in the redzone with JW3
Past history says he can
Kobe believes a 3 down duet threat RB can take this sorry team into the playoffs”
Kobe life coach Faker
April 21st, 2019 at 11:31 pm
@Kobe Faker, the Bucs had the 3rd best offense by yards at 415.5 ypg and 12th best offense by points at 24.8 ppg in the league in 2018.
The Bucs had the 27th best defense by yards at 383.4 and 31st best defense by points at 29 ppg.
If you’re expecting a playoff run based on improving an already good offense when it was the Defense that was the achilles heel, God Bless. I’m not sure what 10 game winner you’re referring to. Was it Josh Freeman in 2010? Because the team hasn’t won 10 games since then.
April 22nd, 2019 at 12:37 am
Just looks like guys are doing what they’re told to do,rather than be that dude that try’s to make every one around him look like a lesser man; everyone goes alpha. It’s a rare trait. Every great defense has those types of men and not a lot of people understand how to diagnose those types of players.
April 22nd, 2019 at 2:20 am
Donuts, if you were done last year, what exactly are you doing here? And what happens if Jameis succeeds? You’ll be back to trolling something else.
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:43 am
Tom S … Wait a minute. Are you accusing Kobe of OPTIMISM? Trust me, you’ve got him confused with someone else. Kobe, set him straight please.
Looks like this piece managed to generate a LOT of negativism this morning Joe. Wonder if it was the early focus on Evan Smith, or mentioning Benenoch & Cappa as more of our OLine stalwarts that threw everyone over the edge. Oh wait, RoJo & Shaun Wilson snuck in there too; maybe it was them that set off the landslide.
Nah, it had to be the “Big Jameis” reference. We’re all familiar with the “Good Jameis” and “Bad Jameis” pseudonyms but “Big Jameis” will take time to get accustomed to.
April 22nd, 2019 at 6:57 am
You need guys like Evan Smith on the roster……there are injuries and he has some versatility…….only $2 mil…..but he shouldn’t be a starter when we have younger players that we have expended a high draft pick for……like Cappa.
April 22nd, 2019 at 7:09 am
I’m sure most of the players will at least get a chance to be evaluated by the current coaching staff. Some may get a clean slate but some will surely prove the don’t belong on ANY NFL team.
April 22nd, 2019 at 9:04 am
“Tom s
Have you not watched the last 3 years of Klueless football?
When we cross the opponents 40 yard line, klueless went predictable brain freeze
BA knows offense Xs and Os like no other. He knows whats the problem and how to fix it. Past history confirms this in more than 1 team and QB. Im sure its a combination of play design, playcalling, personnel and balls which Klueless lacked due to suffering from turtlitis”
Kobe Life Coach Faker
April 22nd, 2019 at 10:35 am
donuts Says:
“Winston stinks. He is a loser.
This franchise is a dumpster fire.”
(((((((((
You’re a dumpster fire.
The next time anyone cares what you post will be the first.
April 22nd, 2019 at 10:59 am
Anyone who would rather we intentionally lose is quite frankly a miserable creature who has zero concept of team. Go back and check out the video and read the words on the wall at OBP. Then, after you try to justify your garbage position, go find another team to “root” for. Pitiful. Sad. Go Bucs!
April 22nd, 2019 at 1:08 pm
In the eyes of the coaches the best player should start. Not the most experienced or higher pick. Just put the best team on the field.
April 23rd, 2019 at 10:04 am
Shaun Wilson SAYS he’s the fastest player out there. That by no means, he is or was the fastest.