Judgment Day Months Away
May 15th, 2019
Talks offensive line.
More than a few Bucs fans wake up in the dark of night looking for TUMS because they are bent about the Bucs’ offensive line.
In particular, the right guard position gives fans acid reflux. They’re still irked the Bucs did not address this position in the draft (though Bucco Bruce Arians all but broadcast he wasn’t much interested in drafting a guard with a high pick). And with decent guards being plucked off the street by good teams, Bucs fans are starting to get a bit more than nervous.
Arians won’t have any firm answers until the Bucs break out the pads in training camp a little over two months from now.
Last week during rookie minicamp, Arians confessed underwear football practices are unfair to linemen since they cannot hit. How can you judge a lineman in shorts who can’t hit? Arians noted.
Yesterday after underwear football practice with the full team, sans Gerald McCoy and Jason Pierre-Paul, Arians all but said he cannot decipher what is what with linemen for the reasons stated above.
Arians was asked about what he can glean from Alex Cappa’s first-team reps at right guard.
“Nothing,” Arians said quickly. “They don’t have pads on. We’ll go in and watch the film, but those guys – it’s hard for them. But I don’t judge any of the linemen this time of year.”
So for Bucs fans wanting answers to the right guard position, there likely won’t be any for another 10 weeks or so.
May 15th, 2019 at 8:04 am
more concerned with who plays at DE in the 3-4. Gholston and Nunez-Roches ?? …YIKES!
May 15th, 2019 at 8:08 am
BA will change his tune when he sees the OL in September ….
May 15th, 2019 at 8:10 am
Oh, its going to be judgement day alright!!!!! And it might just be the sanity of ole coach stale biscuit!!!!!!!!!! One of the questions will be, “how did he not recognize the mess he was stepping into”??????? did he know and just lied about it, so he could come out of retirement and save all his friends from unemployment????? or did he believe his own hype and sold the bag of goods from his “good pal” licht weight??????????? What a mess!!!!!! and on top there are not many options to go with the boom or most likely bust coach!!!!!!!!! While some are worried just about right guard, the “real” fans are worried about both trenches!!!!!!!!!!! missing parts, huge holes!!!!!!! over paid- for avg performance!!!!!!!! and they better not let licht weight make a desperation trade from next years draft ( And Next year’s New GM’s Draft picks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Its funny that some sheep, have to see and smell garbage, to know that it is garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 15th, 2019 at 8:14 am
WTF is IRA doing behind bucco brucie??????
weird!?!?!?!?!
May 15th, 2019 at 8:15 am
Relax….we are a long way from the final roster.
May 15th, 2019 at 8:15 am
I think the loss of one linemen and the entire line unravels. Our RG….who is it? Dotson or Smith go down….we got nothing. I’ve said for a while….if you’re trying to develop a young qB, particularly one with consistency issues, you’ve got to have solid line play/depth with a running game. Its Licht’s 6th year and we still have no RG and no depth. We have two completely overpaid linemen in Jensen and Smith….Smith is at least a mid tier starting LT but Jensen is bottom tier for starting Cs. Dotson is literally on his last leg…I just don’t see this line holding up.
May 15th, 2019 at 8:16 am
Ira is looking at BA like he’s a beet salad!
May 15th, 2019 at 8:21 am
@ Todd ——HA HA HA HA HA HA HA^^^^^^
May 15th, 2019 at 8:28 am
Ira looks like he isnt buying what barry arians is selling
May 15th, 2019 at 8:32 am
@todd, lol! Yeah because IRA has heard all this before and knows we are in deep trouble with the O line and it’s probably too late to address it – no time, no money. Mr Gump to the rescue with practice squad players on the waiver wire.
May 15th, 2019 at 8:41 am
Man how can they misread our offensive line talent so bad?
May 15th, 2019 at 8:58 am
Realist—
“2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Being serious here. Can you please explain to me what the hell that means?
What do “real” fans know that us sheep have yet to absorb?
I’m including myself as one of the “sheep” because I have no idea what you’re trying to convey with that redundant sign off.
So far, the only thing I do understand is that you have an insatiable love affair with exclamation points!
Please inform …
May 15th, 2019 at 9:00 am
Right Tackle is my more immediate concern. Dotson needs to be cut and Leidke moved to RT.
RG is actually covered in my book.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:08 am
Cody Ford was going to be our 2nd rd pick. Buffalo knew that…..
So we got needed secondary reinforcement instead – and then doubled and tripled down on secondary reinforcements in the 3rd rd when our targeted DL prospect Zach Allen went off the board a tad earlier than expected/hoped.
Todd Bowles was not displeased with that scenario….. because he knows from months of film study how badly the Bucs needed to get bigger, faster and tougher on the back end.
So yes- we needed OL and DL help in this draft – but “the draft just didn’t fall that way” as Licht mentioned. The Bucs shook off other teams snaking their targeted prospects – stuck to their board in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and wound up with two solid CB prospects with length and speed – along with a great Safety prospect who was likely a steal at the very end of the 3rd rd.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:22 am
Kwon, Bosa, Buckner, Ford, Blair, Armstead will eat them alive in week one.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:30 am
Finally get rid of McCoy and solve for our OL need(s).
BA is far from done completing our roster. The ignorant “!!!!!!” Bucs ankle-biters in here need to move back into their pitri dishes for a family reunion.
While the grown-ups have some engaging conversation.
Shoo, be gone.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:33 am
The Buc Realist Says
“What a mess!”
Hah! I knew eventually we would disagree again!
I’m going to clearly state how I feel about things right now. If anyone agrees with me, that;s fine. If they don’t that’s fine too. Heck, if you don’t even care, stop reading right here, people.
<Here we go…
I liked Koetter. There, I said it. However…I did not like most of his staff, outside of the WR Coach, the OC, and the TR Coach. I think that if they would have replaced everyone else with better coaches, things would have worked out fine. But…
…that’s just not realistic, and I understand that. So I get why he was fired. And yes, I wanted Mike McCarthy, unlike everyone else. Instead we got Arians.
But I am not judging Arians harshly because I did not get the guy I wanted. I just don’t hate like that, unlike so many ‘fans’ here (for example, those still mad we did not take Suh instead of GMC). No, I am judging Arians by his own merits, by what I see so far. But I also know that it is far too soon to make up my mind and settle on a long term opinion.
So here are the things I take note of:
• I don’t mind the large number of coaches he brought in. In fact, I count that as a plus. It means more players get more attention.
• I love the idea of dual practices.
• I love that he is using a golf cart to get around during practices. Why? Well, for one thing it is going to get pretty darn hot as the year goes on, and he’s got potential health issues. For another thing, it’s just faster. He can zip from station to station , practice to practice and do what he is supposed to do…let his assistants coach and watch the effort and progress of players. Dungy may not have used a cart, but he was more of an observer in practices, and it worked well for us.
• I love that he hired female coaches. The line coach especially, because I think she actually has some real potential to move up in the NFL in the future.
• I do not buy into him coming back just to get his friends jobs. To me, that;s just stupid…a childlike opinion born of ignorance. I think he returned to coaching because he loves to coach. Period. Having the staff he wanted just made things easier for him.
• Getting rid of Desean Jackson was a huge positive. I think only the ignorant or the trolls would disagree.
• I hate that we lost Adam Humphries. I firmly believe that guy is going to get at least one ring at some point.
• I loved Kwon Alexander, and hated losing him…I think everything the haters said about him will be proven wrong. That said…White is quickly growing on me, and I do believe there is a very, very good chance he will be a better player for years to come. And Pro Bowl voters will not be able to ignore him…not that the Pro Bowl really means anything these days.
• On the topic of the draft, I loved the first pick. White seems really good. Would I have personally taken him? That’s a tough one. I liked multiple guys there…but I also understand we needed a MLB more badly than any other position, regardless of the opinions others have. We have DEs. We have DTs. We have RTs and RGs. We even have RBs. All have the potential to be good. But we had nothing at middle linebacker, unless you think Bully was destined to be great. White has the potential to be elite.
• White is a pass rusher. Some people whine that we did not take a pass rusher with our first pick. We actually did! Just not the one they expected, or at the position expected.
• The rest of the draft was ‘blah’. All of the remaining picks were the kind of picks that we cannot fairly judge until we see if they work out. Nothing to get excited for over the off season…but that does not mean they were bad picks. I’m willing to wait and see…just with less excitement than I’ve had in years.
• Free Agency was a total bust. The best player we got was the punter, and I don’t for a second think he is better than Anger. In fact, I would say they are close to equal. And I do not buy the whole kickoffs thing making Santos better. At some point we will need a new kicker, unless Gay can overtake the starting position from the beginning. There is a reason the rest are on one year tryout deals. I doubt half of them will even make the final 53…but I do not blame Licht for this. Everything this off season…EVERYTHING…is all on Arians. The moves made, the picks made…these are things Licht never would have done. Blame Arians on this one and on the draft if it does not turn out well.
• VHIII. Him sitting out practice. I have no idea what the real reason was…maybe he was going through some sort of personal issue that made him not feel up to practice…but if Arians made him sit out over lack of effort, I cheer the move.
I do not judge VHIII for taking it easy during the practices up until now. It was pretty much policy to take it easy with Koetter, so lots of players will have to break some bad habits, not just VHIII. Plus, Arians had to pick a player to make an example of…VHIII probably was not the only guy giving less than 100%. I think someone was going to get the punishment no matter what. VHIII was just the unlucky one.
• As to the rest? I think Arians is a blowhard so far. I hear a lot of talk, and it is too soon to see the proof. I’m ready to change my opinion of him as time goes on, and I hope I do.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:43 am
@Bonzai
You make some valid observations in your post, but I have no idea how you arrived at the conclusion BA is a blowhard?
Other than answering some questions in a seemingly honest and pragmatic way at REQUIRED press conferences, he has been utterly quiet (externally). What we HAVE gleaned thus far is consistent with what we’ve seen from him prior (in documentaries).
Do to me, you’re just pulling that blowhard comment out of you know where.
It sort of offset my otherwise positive impression of your post.
You don’t need to manufacture history. Please.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Lakeland right on with week 1 and after that blowout 7 sack performance by the niners. The niners will be the darling of the NFL because they beat down the bucs and jimmy G looking like the next joe montana and the niners defense looking like the greatest defense in nfl history after one game
May 15th, 2019 at 9:51 am
Zack Bailey is going to win the starting guard spot. Watch.
May 15th, 2019 at 9:52 am
And to get as an UDFA is like having had an extra pick in the draft.
May 15th, 2019 at 10:12 am
Im sure our O-line will look fine once the pads are on…. mainly because we have no pass rush… again.
May 15th, 2019 at 10:21 am
@NOSBOS
Agreed re: Zach Bailey…if indeed his leg is healthy. He might be an absolute gem. Highlights look impressive.
I also just watched the highlights of Kahzin Daniels. DAMN that boy is FAST! Twitchy fast! Doesn’t seem to matter that he only has vision in one eye. The dude has the speed and moves that will surely translate to the NFL. I predict he will be a starter in JPP’s brief absence.
10-6 & Playoffs!
May 15th, 2019 at 10:32 am
DJax may have been a cancer like some claim, or he may know Jameis can’t hit the deep ball consistently. It’s early, but reports are that Jameis and Perriman are already hit and miss. Cutting DJax salary made sense, especially if he and Jameis can’t connect consistently ( who’s fault is that? probably both)
Eagles seem to be happy so far..
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/07/eagles-liking-the-more-mature-desean-jackson/
Humphries was replaceable- definitely not worth the insane $$ Titans spent.
Arians and staff will determine success of this season.
May 15th, 2019 at 10:35 am
Bonzai … Excellent post & analysis. I share many, probably most, of your opinions, with the exception of 3 in particular:
1 – I wanted Arians, not McCarthy, once I found out that BA was interested. But it’s only partly because of him; more-so because of the coaching staff he brought with him. I’m a big Todd Bowles fan & if the Bucs are to be turned around, it has to be via the DEFENSE. Offensive production is ‘acceptable’ IMO, for now at least.
2 – Kwon was playing out of position as a MLB IMO, and I seriously doubt that’s where he’ll be used in the 49ers defense (they have an excellent MLB already). Playing either side of MLB though, Kwon very well could be a Pro-Bowler in the future. I’m convinced that’s what John Lynch saw in him.
3 – Like Todd, I wouldn’t classify Bruce Arians as ‘a blowhard’ (which Webster defines as ‘a person who blusters & boasts in an unpleasant way’). This is his first year at the Bucs’ helm & he’s doing what he believes is necessary to establish himself as the team’s head coach, to motivate the players & fans, and to initiate a ‘culture change’. That’s NOT ‘bluster or boasting’ IMO. I do agree, however, that this draft was his, not Licht’s … thankfully.
BA may categorize this as a ‘reloading’ but it looks suspiciously like a ‘rebuilding’ to me. It’s really inconsequential in the final analysis though. We were 5-11 the last 2 years with a horrendous defense, mediocre S/Ts, and an offense that was quite inconsistent IMO. IF we turn that around & go 8-8 let’s say, that’s at least SOME progress, and we can build on that in 2020. IF we get worse & go 4-12 let’s say, like some have predicted, our youngsters will have gained a year of necessary experience AND we’ll get a high pick in the next draft to start fixing the remaining holes. See, no place to go but UP … or DOWN. WIN-WIN.
May 15th, 2019 at 10:35 am
It looks more and more like BA is in over his cankle hat
May 15th, 2019 at 12:03 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!!!!!!!!!
May 15th, 2019 at 12:07 pm
BONZAI
good valid points….
GO BUCS!!!!
May 15th, 2019 at 2:14 pm
Love Ira’s face in the background… lol!
May 15th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
@Bonzai: VHIII is being used as an “example.” The only question: is what he did or said worthy of being made an example. I suspect the answer is “yes.” Time will tell.
May 15th, 2019 at 3:20 pm
damn, ira needs to eat more of the famous beet salads he always talks about.
#nomorehooterschickenwingsforira
May 15th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
Bucs Realist is on point.
Exclamation point.
He articulated very well what I’ve been feeling all along.
I must be a “real” fan!!!!!!!!!!
Sometimes I get overwhelmed and go on angry frustrated rants. But this is why.
Realist summed it up perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 15th, 2019 at 5:38 pm
JA
Realist thinks the roster has no talent. He is a Koetter lover and thinks Koetter should have stayed and Licht should have signed 22 pro bowlers. He has no clue that importance of coaching on a team. He is one lost puppy. He will find out this season. But he will not ever admit he was wrong. Same old bs. He needs a hobby bad.
May 16th, 2019 at 9:46 am
all this talk about the oline but so little about the Dline. i mean it’s almost as if most don’t realize we easily have the worst IDL roster in the league and that’s to go along with a group of uninspiring edge rushers. that’s going to be a real problem and doesn’t matter who is coordinating that defense, with the level of talent we have to work with, it’s going to be a disaster