Ballhawks
May 16th, 2019
Key stat tells draft story.
The past few years, Bucs coaches whined enough about forcing turnovers that sometimes Joe thought inept Lovie Smith snuck into One Buc Palace through the hole in the fence near the tractor shed.
Bucco Bruce Arians also stressed takeaways Tuesday after underwear football practice, but upon further investigation, there may be some method behind the madness.
As we all know, the Bucs went heavy on drafting defenders last month. And for good reason. The defense was so horrid.
On the second day of the draft, the Bucs selected two corners and a safety. This was a year after the Bucs added two corners in Round 2 of the draft, plus a safety in the fourth-round, and they already had a former first-round pick of a corner still on his rookie contract.
“I think all the young kids jumped out there right away and didn’t look like they had not been here and looked like they fit right in,” Arians said of the rookies after underwear football practice Tuesday. “All those young guys have such good ball skills. Turnovers is something that we really preach about and we got some today.”
Let’s see, the Bucs last year were tied at No. 22 with 17 takeaways. Only five teams had fewer. Additionally, the Bucs had but nine picks, again, only five teams had fewer.
Of the returning defensive backs, none had more than one pick last year.
Could it be that Arians noticed on tape the returning defensive backs simply were not ballhawks? And if the defense was going to be bad, at least be bad with rookies who could go after a ball now and then and get a takeaway?
Vernon Hargreaves, for example, in 24 starts, has a grand total of one pick. There are 62 other corners who have started at least 25 games since the start of the 2016 season (only Hargreaves has started exactly 24 games at corner since 2016). Only Nevin Lawson of Detroit has one or fewer interceptions. He is still looking for his first.
Any wonder why Arians is laying down the law with Hargreaves?
So maybe the way Arians is thinking, if the Bucs are going to be bad on defense, at least try to get an interception or a fumble recovery a couple of times a game.
May 16th, 2019 at 8:21 am
Fun fact: Bucs cut Andrew Adams who led the team with 4 INTs as a safety last year. 28 solo tackles. He cost a whooping 500-600k against the cap.
No one talks about Adams, many probably don’t even know he was on the team but by all means let’s pay 13mil for 17 solo tackles. Hmmmm
May 16th, 2019 at 8:26 am
:::Nods head:::
Even if you dismiss that fluke game against Cam Newton, at least he had a pick in more than one game.
May 16th, 2019 at 8:28 am
Well, with training against the 4th best QB in the NFC South, they will get a lot of practice for INT’s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 8:30 am
It’s not a law that Bucs will always be bad on defense. There is a possibility that the Bucs field a respectable defense…by choosing not to suck.
May 16th, 2019 at 8:38 am
DB55,
Why do you torture yourself trying to figure the Bucs moves?
This team make no sense at all
May 16th, 2019 at 8:41 am
We need to get Patrick Peterson. Licht should offer AZ the 2020 2nd round pick bc let’s be honest he’s just going to through it away anyway. Name one of Lichts 2nd round picks that you’d rather have on the roster over PP?
Currently we only have 1 guy on the roster who MIGHT be able to cover Julio Jones and Michael Thomas unfortunately this guy plays offense. #13 #MikeEvans #Godzilla
May 16th, 2019 at 8:46 am
…there’s a hole in the fence behind the tractor shed? Is that how the Joes sneak in when the “pen & mic club” is UNvited? Well, if the hole is large enough for Lovie’s head, then that should leave plenty of room for Joe’s derrière. Right?
May 16th, 2019 at 8:47 am
Mike Smith was the worst DC in the NFL, AWFUL! It can only go up
May 16th, 2019 at 8:55 am
2016 Draft
• Eli Apple – 2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10
• Vernon Hargreaves – 2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
• Artie Burns -2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25
Career Stats (2016-2018)
Artie Burns
• Games Played: 48 ←
• Tackles: 173 ←
• Fumbles: 1
• Int: 4 ←
Eli Apple
• Games Played: 40
• Tackles: 140
• Fumbles: 2
• Int: 3
Vernon Hargreaves
• Games Played: 26
• Tackles: 125
• Fumbles: 2
• Int: 1 ←
Yet….
• Apr 24, 2019 – Bucs Exercise Fifth-Year Option on Vernon Hargreaves
• May 1, 2019 – Saints decline CB Eli Apple’s fifth-season option
• May 2, 2019 – Steelers decline CB Artie Burns fifth-season option
May 16th, 2019 at 9:09 am
Lake
Gluten for punishment 🤷🏽♂️
Honestly I’m more puzzled by the “real” fans who blindly support every dumb move the team makes. The decision making is absolutely horrible in virtually all aspects but wtfdik
May 16th, 2019 at 9:15 am
If Hargreaves is as bad as Bruce thinks (and he is) he should be pissed at Jason Gump for selecting this bust. Honestly we understand not every pick will work but Gump has had MORE than his share of busts.
May 16th, 2019 at 9:26 am
Yea, Double A is Legit. He would be a good 4th safety, but I think they had to kinda choose between Adams & MJ Stewart for that spot, and they chose Stewart bcuz of draft status/potential…
I guess we can just throw him into the bucket of good players the Bucs have let walk or pushed out the door throughout the years… And AA is just one of the small fishes; we won’t even get into: Donald Penn & Jeremy Zuttah & Michael Bennett & Aquib Talib etc etc etc
May 16th, 2019 at 9:28 am
Damn. Former USF standout running back D’Ernest Johnson just signed with the Browns. I could never understand why he wasn’t drafted. Really wish he would have been invited to challenge for a Tampa running back position on the roster. The dude can catch. Keep an eye on how he’s used at the Dawg Pound. Really wish him well. I know him personally and he is one heckuva good kid.
May 16th, 2019 at 9:29 am
Bruce is right about Hargreaves how can you act this way when you haven’t played since you been in the NFL because you always hurt. Bucs picked up his 5th year and he never proved that he was a starting corner. Now he is not dressing out that bull, you can take your sorry butt home and don’t come back.
May 16th, 2019 at 9:31 am
I feel bad for some of you “fans” so scarred by the past that all you see is bad things about this team. Everyone who is a fan realizes how futile things have been and can recite every bad draft pick yet some feel the need to bring it up over and over. I’d rather be positive about this team and be wrong – again – then be negative about this team and be correct. Some in here though, from their posts, obviously love the depression.
May 16th, 2019 at 9:58 am
wow….lol….
joe continues to bash lovie for wanting the defense to produce TO’s(which led him to the SB with rex grossman as QB) but when BA does the same thing, maybe he’s on to something….lol….
GO BUCS!!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:01 am
LUV
i see where your coming from but we all know VHG was playing in a scheme that didnt play to his strengths…..he’s a man press CB not a off zone coverage CB….
GO BUCS!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:14 am
i hope the DB’s are playing great…..but imo, it obvious BA creating competition…..building the confidence on the young players and lighting a fire under the vets…..
old school approach…i love it….
i remember back at BCU coach wyatt singing the praise of the freshman….pissed the upper classmen off…lol…pads came on, and the vets were going 100mph….lol…then wyatt said, “welcome to college football freshmen….yall better get your mind right, you aint in HS anymore”…..
and he was right…it motivated everyone….freshmen wanted to get to the level that the vets were on and the vets worked hard to keep their spots…..everyone worked hard and busted their a$$…..
GO BUCS!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:18 am
HARGRAVES IS STILL THERE FOR ONE REASON. TO MOTIVATE THE NEWBIES. THE NEWBIES WILL BUST THERE ARS BECAUSE THEY KNOW he IS REPLACEABLE. HARGRAVES WILL BE TRADE BAIT WHEN THE PADS COME OUT.
May 16th, 2019 at 10:28 am
Strong pass rush equals DB’s hands on the ball….otherwise you are relying of QB’s poor throws….good QB’s can pick apart a defense without a strong pass rush…
May 16th, 2019 at 10:29 am
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!!!!!!!!!
May 16th, 2019 at 10:52 am
It is impossible to hide a bad corner in the NFL if you can’t get after the quarterback. Yet year after year this friggin’ team experiences this first-hand yet they never learn. Never!
May 16th, 2019 at 11:36 am
Just because they are capable of ball hawking Winston doesn’t mean they will have the same success against Brees, Ryan, and Newton. For what I have heard Ryan Griffin has yet to throw a turnover. Is this true Joe?
May 16th, 2019 at 11:40 am
1. He has yet to play in a game.
2. If you are discussing underwear football, consider that it’s flag football and that Griffin is often throwing against camp meat.
May 16th, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Buc fans talking about Andrew Adams and Ryan Griffin. Lol
May 16th, 2019 at 3:04 pm
Joe
You can either agree with Joe or DB55 on Andrew Adams lucky day (I thought he was good depth any way you put it).
But they REALLY F’D UP!!! letting Robert McClain after 2017 season:
14 games
41 tkl
3 pics (tied Grimes for most)
53 IR yards (47 longest)
5 PD
1TD
But hey…We’ll keep on Javion Elliot and Isaiah Johnson for close to the same price so we can keep on the extremely good depth. SMH x10.
May 16th, 2019 at 3:05 pm
Did they? Joe thought so too, but he hasn’t played a down of football since he left the Bucs.
May 16th, 2019 at 3:06 pm
*letting Robert McClain go after 2017 season:
May 16th, 2019 at 3:16 pm
admin
“Did they? Joe thought so too, but he hasn’t played a down of football since he left the Bucs.”
Very strange he was not on anyone’s roster in 2018. I’ve looked into it cus i’ve been pissed since last year about it and I can’t seem to find any major injury or retirement. He would be 29 right now. If anyone has any facts about his disappearance from the game, please let me know.
May 16th, 2019 at 6:14 pm
What a life it would be to just be perpetually pissed off about things out of your control.
Here’s to hoping some of the close games fall our way.
May 16th, 2019 at 6:47 pm
It seems like Vernon Hargreaves in on thin ice with our coach and Jalen Ramsey is looking at the door of the Jags. Maybe both guys could use a change. What do you think of an even up trade????