After The Draft, Bruce Arians Said Gerald McCoy “Is Going To Play 3-technique In Our Defense”
May 9th, 2019
(Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Add another head scratch to the Buccaneers’ head-scratching offseason.
Last week, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles curtly said the answer was “above my pay grade” when he was asked if he wants Gerald McCoy on his football team.
Well, it turns out that within hours of that comment, Bucco Bruce Arians hopped on SiriusXM NFL Radio and said McCoy would play for the Buccaneers, further adding to the circus of comments/non-comments from Bucs officials about McCoy’s future in Tampa.
Here’s the recent Arians exchange:
Lance Meadow: Coach, there’s been a lot of speculation about Gerald McCoy’s future with the team even though he is under contract, and he has not been with the team thus far in the offseason program. When a veteran doesn’t show up, I mean how much of a challenge is that to get the team going, given how important he’s been for this squad over the years?
Bruce Arians: Yeah, I mean, to me it’s not that big of a deal. The guy knows how to play 3-technique. And he’s going to play 3-technique in our defense. He’s been playing a long time. It’s not like, ‘Hey, you got to learn all these blitzes, or anything. I mean, take this gap or that gap and you’re ready to go. Just get in shape and let’s go.’ You know, you like to have the leadership around. But it’s not like do or die because he’s not calling the defense.
For today, Joe’s not going to overthink this. Sometimes you get dizzy if you stare at the merry-go-round too long.
Derrick Brooks Talks About The Bucs’ “Gang Of 5;” It’s A New TAMPA TWO! Count on the Bucs rookies this year? Turn the focus to the non-rookies. That’s the meat of today’s episode with Derrick Brooks and Sage JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman. It’s all presented by Caldeco Air Conditioning and Heating. Great stuff from The Identity Tampa Bay and JoeBucsFan. Enjoy!!
May 9th, 2019 at 12:06 pm
With the injury to JPP. I bet the Buc staff have huddled and said, We’d better find a way to keep GMC. I don’t think Gerald is going anywheres but back to Buc One place and our practice field. Now watch..the spin and smooth over.
May 9th, 2019 at 12:07 pm
jesus hey zeus
May 9th, 2019 at 12:09 pm
No way in he’ll GMC will be here in 2019
May 9th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
sounds like IF he’s on the team, he’ll play 3tech…IF he aint on the team, he aint on the team…..lol….
GO BUCS!!!!
May 9th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Is it possible McCoy is trying to get his contract re-worked to add more guaranteed money to it?
May 9th, 2019 at 12:13 pm
The Buc Realist Says:
June 21st, 2018 at 6:48 pm
Huge pass to the coaching staff issued by the “real” Buc fans!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!
****************************************************************
SAY NO MORE!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
May 9th, 2019 at 12:29 pm
I’ll be waiting for you all to eat crow and pat me on the back because I said the whole GMC vs Arians thing was fake a month ago.
May 9th, 2019 at 12:32 pm
what’s the saying about too many chiefs. Is GMC going to call the defense or White or David?
May 9th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
You can pencil in another basement title and embarrassing defensive efforrt if the crying clown cancer93 is on the roster…. 4 regimes have not been able to overcome captain blowout
May 9th, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Bury Arians also said that desean jackson was in the plans for 2019
May 9th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
What is so difficult to understand? Everyone on the roster is part of the plan right now. I would expect the coach and staff to now say a bad word about anyone still here. Not here nor any coach on any NFL team right now.
May 9th, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Bruce arians never had plans for dear an in Tampa …. he said he wants him here and he would reach out to him
May 9th, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Desean*
May 9th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
If Gerald wants to re work his contract for more guaranteed money … the Bucs will sucker in and give it to him and the future of the team will be screwed because of McCoy … cut McCoy and move on …. this team is not even near playoff contention … they don’t know how to win consistently
May 9th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Jean Lafitte Says
“what’s the saying about too many chiefs. Is GMC going to call the defense or White or David?”
My guess is that it will be David at first, unless White picks things up quickly.
May 9th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
I’d rather go into the season as a fan without McCoy and lose than with McCoy and lose
May 9th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
Sad sad news. But if he is here I will root for him.
I just have never seen anything special about this guy. I don’t care how or what he does in the community. I don’t care if he dances or helps players up. All I care about is what he does from the snap of the ball until the whistle blows. And honestly I’ve grown tired of focusing on him to see if somehow I have been missing something. He is a big strong man, but not an aggressive football player and gives up on plays too easily for my liking.
May 9th, 2019 at 12:57 pm
Every year same BS … I yawn every year with how this team is being built and hyped up … y’all can sit and drink the kool aid …. this team will miss the playoffs … most likely have a worse year than last year … can’t wait for when this team is totally gutted … new front office personnel…. with someone who knows how to operate a football team … someone who knows talent and can build a serious contender…. this franchise is a joke as long as we have these idiots in the facility
May 9th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Well, we all know what she-mc will do if she is on the team and not playing the ” 3 technique” !!!!!!!!!!!! She-mc and her agent will complain again to the higher ups, make passive aggressive comments in meeting and to the media !!!!! meanwhile, the sheep will talk about what a good teammate she is, and the leadership to the team that she brings!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!! The sheep have no clue as usual about what is “really” going on!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 9th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
If you think they still want McCoy I beg you to go back and read the article Joe wrote about Devin(thanks Joe)…………Read it and focus on the topic of leadership.
That article screams aloud that Bruce is going to change the leadership roles on the team. This is perhaps the biggest goal the Coaching staff has.
Gerald is an old Captain. That means it’s not as simple as bring Gerald back because he is a good player…….Becaus if you bring him back you have to demote him……..If you demote him it could create drama in the locker room & a lot of times does.
Devin has never been in a NFL locker room before and more is expected to take complete control. He don’t need that spit & he don’t need that drama.
Hate/McCoy Love/McCoy…..it’s time to move on……His era is just over and his presence is now a liability.
I appreciate him being a probowl caliber player while he was here & I loathe his ability to lead this defense. I never been a hater but am getting close at this point(media don’t push it).
Ill wish him luck and I’d love very to see him as a Giant cause he would look wonderful in blue. He could thrive as a role player.
Let’s just stop fighting this and just let McCoy go. Accept the fact that he will now be our enemy and remember his time as a Buc for what it was……………..
Daaa naaaaa da daaaaaa………[to be continued]
May 9th, 2019 at 1:09 pm
They’ve got to cut McCoy now and get another DT & DE with that money during this second round of Free Agency before everyone is scooped up.
Seahawks signed Ziggy to a one year deal at $5.5million (up to $8 with incentives).
If JPP indeed can’t play in 2019, you cut him too, but they’ve got to confirm the injury first.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:11 pm
***ENDRANT****
May 9th, 2019 at 1:12 pm
This new staff is already showing signs of being highly dysfunctional, especially on defense. These Bucs will be lucky to win 2 games this season:
For the scheme switch: Zero is the number of proven front 7 players with NFL experience in 3-4 as in there are none. Vea and a rookie MLB are now allegedly the prime pass rush “threats”.
To address the shaky secondary and failed 2018 draft: zero new starters were signed, Licht drafted a DB class that looks exactly like his 2018 debacle, VH is being hailed as a veteran leader (despite never yet having success in the league) and Brent Grimes is gone.
The special teams are even more questionable than usual, with the kicker starting off with mental problems before he ever takes the field.
Jameis Winston, sworn to sobriety, and alcohol-obsessed Arians, that’s a weird marriage, especially as Arians vowed to have an open bar atmosphere with the team. I cannot see how distractions like that will improve the already reckless and shaky performances of Winston.
The running game: the same as last year, literally. Same blockers, same backs.
All of these coaches came to FL for a paid vacation…
May 9th, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Eliot…….Let’s go get Mo Wilkerson…….I think I only saw him once but he completely took over that game. Forget who the Jets played but whoever was QB was defientaly playing in fear cause Mo hurt him on s beral plays.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Even if this is true, a blind squirrel will find a nut every once in a while. Hate to point it out (again) you are wrong with your predictions and assessments of the team 97.2% of the time.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:20 pm
Nice. Just found out White reversed Lavante David’s numbers for his own…number 45.
That’s respect!
May 9th, 2019 at 1:21 pm
Give me Mo and JPP playing through a broken neck and I am excited about this Dline!!!!
That will be my dream Dline for the time being.
And let’s please do this because then we kinda forget about VitaV. Vita can’t run like a deer but he is as fast as a bobcat. Something tells me Bowles will have a lotta fun drawing up some scemes for my main man.
My prediction will stand firm that our defense will turn some heads and help the Bucs finish 10-6.
Let the Bucs get good then we can be great.
GO BUCS!!!!
May 9th, 2019 at 1:22 pm
And my bold prediction is that D.Smith will be the Bucs comeback player of the year. He will win the pewtie.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:26 pm
D-Rome Says:
“you are wrong with your predictions and assessments of the team 97.2% of the time.”
Prove it.
You might find a few instances, but everyone is wrong sometimes. And while you are at it…look up your own predictions.
Just to recap though…I also predicted a bad draft this year because of Arians. Last year I predicted the free agents failing (and at the time everyone liked them). I also predicted the failures of every kicker we’ve had when they were signed.
Oh yes, I also predicted before the Bucs signed him, that Desean Jackson would not do well in Tampa.
But hey, I’m wrong 97.2% of the time!
Seriously though…I know I’m not always right. But let’s think about it. Have you ever seen me predict gloom and doom for the team?Like a 3-13 record? During a season, have you ever seen me jump off the bandwagon?
Nope.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:29 pm
I hate being wrong…
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2017/03/espn-desean-jackson-will-buccaneer-barring-last-minute-breakdown/#comment-3787010
May 9th, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Hey Bonzai……That is pretty cool. That means if you own a Lavonte David jersey you can turn it inside out in 6 years when David retires. Then just add a touch of duct tape and you got yourself a one of a kind Devin jersey!!!!
The biggest news is that he choose a new number and didn’t take away “40”.
He did look really cool at LSU with that number but I would distain that number as a Buccaneer. Alstott made 40 special. Don’t you touch that #!!!!!
Great choice Devin.
GO BUCS!!!
May 9th, 2019 at 1:31 pm
@JimmyJack – I think Mo still has some gas in the tank, however, I’m not sure Bowles would be on board with that (although it’s “above his pay grade” LOL)
There still some “decent” guys out there that can provide depth if nothing else:
3-4 OLB/EDGE:
Derrick Morgan
Pernell McPhee
Shane Ray
Nick Perry
DT/DE:
Ndamukong Suh
Danny Shelton
Datone Jones
Aldolphus Washington
May 9th, 2019 at 1:31 pm
JimmyJack, I agree…but isn’t Alstott’s number retired? I don’t remember…
May 9th, 2019 at 1:33 pm
Bonzai……D-Rome is right. I tracked 6 separate blind squirels back in the 90’s and still have the results.
96.85% was my findings so D-Rome appears to be very well accurate.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:35 pm
Bonzai. I think only baseball truely retires #’s.
In football it is about respect. I think.
May 9th, 2019 at 1:39 pm
Barry Melrose 2.0 will officially retire by October and the burning down of the bucs will begin in earnest this halloween
May 9th, 2019 at 1:39 pm
bonzi
you are right about 1% of the time your asinine assumptions are things of legend at the syfy channel….
May 9th, 2019 at 1:43 pm
Eliot………thanks for the list.
Bowels has coaching Mo too so if they don’t wanna interview him there’s probably a good reason…….And I don’t like to focus on just a high profile player. It’s foolish to think that’s our only chance. Still Mo would be my guy if we go that route.
If the Bucs wind up saving a lot of money between JPP and Gerald they could load up with a few players who have potential and make it a competition…….kinda like Nassib had some potential when we got him.
Don’t ever judge based on names or stats. It’s a bad pit to fall into as a fan and history prooves this. One thing matters and one thing only. What they do as Buccaneers. None of us have an operating crystal ball and none know. I, for one, am excited to see how our new players(or maybe still JPP) do.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:00 pm
I agree, if Wilkerson is motivated to play, I’d love to see him in a Bucs uniform.
I just think him and “Bowels” lol may have had some issues as the Jets bounced him in 2018 for repeated conduct issues and bad attitude.
Hey Jacquies Smith is out there!
…wait, he blew his Achilles in November.
Bottom line… there is still some talent out there and the Bucs need depth.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:04 pm
I haven’t seen anything posted here yet about Devin White’s horse accident.
Broken collar bone!
Amazing!!!
May 9th, 2019 at 2:04 pm
Just messing with ya. Our boy’s fine. That said, with our luck ot’s Not such a stretch.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:05 pm
“with our luck it’s not such a stretch”
May 9th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
From his Twitter post the other day he hates being questioned…now if we could just get the opposing team to question him like that…..
Not a sheep
Not a unicorn
May 9th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
That dude won’t suit up as a Buc in 2019.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:31 pm
I believe he’ll play for the Bucs. 3 technique is 3 technique, and he knows how to play it well. Plus, we don’t need to unload his salary since half of JPP’s compensation won’t be paid if he goes to NFIR.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:44 pm
It’s not a head scratcher. Not one person (outside of media and dumb fans) said McCoy was gone.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:50 pm
I meant not one person (except media and dumb-ass hater fans) said McCoy was gone
May 9th, 2019 at 2:52 pm
He plays it well??? You 17 tackles all of last season playing it well??? I call pie. The only way this dude is on this roster next season is if those stooge @$$ pressure BA to keep him around. Other than this @$$ clown is outta here. See,Bill Belichess model of its better to cut bait a year early rather than a year too late isn’t solely practiced by him. See Andy Reid’s decision to move on from Justin Houston. A player drafted a year after 93 pie @$$.
May 9th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
And if there’s 6 or 7 DBs on the field on 3rd downs then a 3tech won’t be necessary. Trust me.
May 9th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
NOSBOS…….That’s why replacing McCoy has never been as big a deal as media has made it to be.
Can’t blame anybody for thinking that though. This team has been running 4-man steady Tampa 2 for three full decades now. Buc fans don’t even know what’s it’s like to build a defense around a non-3technique player.
May 9th, 2019 at 3:01 pm
If we’re gonna be switching back and forth from a 3-4, 4-3 alignment that means GMC won’t be on the field at times because he has refused in the past to play anything other than the 3tech. Now he’s definitely not worth the $13 mil price tag for what maybe half as many snaps. The only way I see GMC staying is if he agrees to restructure or agrees to stand up at DE in a 3-4.
May 9th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
I rarely make predictions. I express opinions on the state of the team. Last year I predicted 6 wins. I still predict 6 wins for this team in 2019.
– You stated Kwon Alexander and Adam Humphries would be resigned. They were not.
– You stated the 2018 Bucs would go 11-5 and make the NFC Championship Game.
– You stated there are teams in the NFL willing to pay GMC $15 million a year.
– You stated Adam Humphries was going to get paid $11 million a year.
– You stated both Kwon Alexanander and Adam Humphries will be pro bowlers next year.
– At the end of last season you stated there was a chance Dirk Koetter would be brought back. The truth is that the team had decided to move on from Dirk in October.
– Week after week you were totally confident in a coaching staff that was woefully inept.
Those are the more recent ones I remember off the top of my head. It’s not so much that you frequently get things wrong, but it’s your hubris when you make these bold statements on what the team will or will not do, as if you have some insider knowledge. You don’t. We all know that.
May 9th, 2019 at 3:08 pm
HAPPY DAY IN JOE LAND
YEA THE GREAT AND WONDERFUL GMC WILL PLAY
HEY GMC HOW ABOUT THAT TWITTER FIRE ON THE FIELD
May 9th, 2019 at 3:22 pm
d-rome
dropping f—ing mic…..
bonzi dude I can list the number of times you delusional arse has been right on one hand and that is over the last 5 years or so…. you are one of the leaders of the delusional optimists. delusional optimists are scared to death to face the reality of what a dumpster fire this orgazitnon has been the better part of 40 years. bonzi you are simply one of the lowest of the low standard bucfans… you have no concept of the words great, legendary, success or winning
May 9th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Have a question Joe. Seeing is how you remind the people everyday “we’ll be in sub packages 70% of the time”. How much of that do you think will be devoted to a 3tech??? See,Coach Rapone said 6 or 7 DBs on 3rd down which makes sense seeing is how the secondary is Todd Bowles bread and butter. 6 DBs will probably make for 2 LBr and 3 Dlinemen. 7 DBs will make for 1 LBr and 3 Dlinemen. Again what percentage do you see being devoted to 3 tech???
May 9th, 2019 at 3:29 pm
I feel you Jimmy.
May 9th, 2019 at 3:32 pm
Knock it off guys. Even I think there is hope. The season is not lost..Yet. Lets give Mngt and coaches a chance to see what they can put together. Like I’ve said, there might be another JPP..Nassir type out there lurkin for a roster spot somewheres. I won’t panic until game 8 or so. I want to see what we have under this new coaching staff first. And yes, I do think GMC returns. The JPP injury changes quite a few things.
May 9th, 2019 at 3:32 pm
D-Rome
But, but, but…Ed Oliver and Josh Allen have already made next year’s Pro Bowl and Devin White has proven an absolute bust!
Loved your post.
May 9th, 2019 at 4:02 pm
BA, another accomplished BS artist. I believe this team is worse off now than before BA was hired. Thanks again Mr. Licht.
May 9th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
TOM the proof is in the pudding & nobody cares what you believe. How bout we lay out some facts here and look at all the plac s Bruce has coached and see if any of those teams had success?
You may do as you wish but I will give Bruce the credit he has earned. You can continue to pretend that leadership does not matter but I am here to tell you that your wrong.
May 9th, 2019 at 5:31 pm
jimmy jack
ba has a losing record when it matters most in the post season as a head coach… ba is hardly proven
May 9th, 2019 at 6:08 pm
I have completely given up (years ago) on predicting the Bucs record or success before I watch a real game.
However, this offseason has left a lot more reservations than confidence.
It’s not even so much about the “talent” of the roster, but more so the overall vibe I’m getting from this organization as a whole and how things have been handled and the culmination of many previous bad moves.
The Glaziers are once again hamstrung by a new HC that has a guaranteed contract and doesn’t give two sh*ts if they let him go. BA will laugh all the way to the bank.
It just seems like this team is headed for a sh*t storm of epic proportion.
The sh*t winds are blowing if you listen carefully.
Jason #lichtmyb*lls can walk the sh*t plank.
If the 2019 season is another embarrassing disaster, the fan reaction is going to be worse than we have ever seen.
I think we’ve all had enough of this ineptitude, losing and BS drama.
May 9th, 2019 at 6:29 pm
So, they are going to pay McCoy 16 million to be a part-time player as a 3 technique? I could have sworn Bowles said it was going to be 3-4 defense. This makes zero sense which normally means it is total BS.
May 9th, 2019 at 8:40 pm
Reading the Buc Realist’s posts must be what it’s like when the FBI finds those over-filled journals left behind by madmen.
May 9th, 2019 at 8:47 pm
This is one of the most pessimistic comments sections I have ever seen. I think this season may not be as bad as everyone thinks. This schedule seems considerably easier than it has been in recent years. There are plenty of favorable matchups with the current roster as is. Couple things that are considerably worth noting.
There are post regarding leadership and play calling from the defense. Comments from the coaching staff indicate that the safeties will be much more responsible in putting the defense in position to succeed. That also indicated that the coaching staff is down on Justin Evans’ ability to do so. I personally like Justin Evans a lot and his play making ability but take note of the moves and comments that have been made. Think about the addition of Deone Buccanon and the drafting of Mike Edwards. The comments made pertaining to Edwards leadership and qualities as a team player. Also note Bowles is a former safety and will dedicate a considerable amount of time to that position and would like to be in those individuals ears. Remember you heard it here first since there’s so many comments on right and wrong predictions. A safety will be one of the captains of this defense. It has been a while since that has been true but watch.
I love the fact that the MLBs are gonna be numbered 54 and 45 on a blitzing mayhem. This defense is going to be considerably better this year simply due to the fact it has better players alone but the coaching staff will receive the bulk of the credit. Anyone who denies the need of considerably better depth was not tuned in to what transpired last year. The dbacks played incredibly horrible last year and there was simply nothing that could be done as far as benching players bc there was no one to replace them with. Think of how Grimey and Ryan Smith played last year. Ryan Smith for as fast as he is was getting torched on many occasions. With the roster as it is the pressure is on for the players to show out or be shown the bench. I like it a lot! The defensive line will perform better with more time to make plays.
In regards to the offense being better I really don’t see it it happening but I would be glad to be proven wrong in that aspect.
May 9th, 2019 at 8:48 pm
If GMC wants to be back, fine. If he wants to leave, that’s fine too. I’ll cheer for our Bucs!
I agree that if GMC is on the team, then I hope he’s a good teammate ON THE FIELD… not just off-field, not just on the practice field, but on the actual playing field game-day! Hope Devin White is the unquestioned leader and I believe that with BA and Bowles and the new staff there will be a better degree of accountability here on our team that there hasn’t been here in years! And also, with this new coaching staff, that new leaders like Devin White will have the coaches’s full support!
So, if GMC stays, fine! Let’s just win some games!
May 9th, 2019 at 9:49 pm
If you can play you can play. GAME ON
May 10th, 2019 at 10:42 am
Bet GMC has a better year than sun and makes pro bowl