“I Know He’s Excited”
July 10th, 2019
A former Lavonte David teammate weighs in
BY ZACHARY SEFITER
JoeBucsFan.com intern
Most if not all Bucs fans are drawing their 2019 optimism from one source.
The coaching staff.
And it also has the attention of a former Buccaneer defender.
Ric Flair-loving linebacker Mason Foster, currently with the Washington Redskins, was working out in Tampa this week and had some things to say about his old team, specifically the new staff.
Along with head coach Bucco Bruce Arians, perhaps the biggest fish the Bucs reeled in this offseason was defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
Arians was brought to Tampa in January to fix the Bucs the same way he fixed the Cardinals in 2013. He inherited a team that was 5-11 in 2012, and a year later they went 10-6.
Bowles, the former Jets head coach and Cardinals defensive coordinator in Arizona in 2013 and 2014, is known for running an aggressive and versatile defense and the Tampa faithful are hopeful he can pull off the same thing here.
Not only does Foster have serious respect for Arians and Bowles, he’s very much looking forward to seeing what the two have in store for his former teammate.
“I’m excited to see Lavonte, you know, playing 3-4,” Foster said. “That’s one of my best friends. I know he’s excited.”
Lavonte David might be one of the more underrated storylines of this upcoming season. A talented blitzer, he hasn’t been an impact pass rusher since his five sacks under Mike Smith in 2016. He went sackless in 2017, despite blitzing often.
Now with Bowles running the defense, Lavonte, along with rookie linebacker Devin White, will be turned to as a primary source of pass rush, especially with Jason Pierre-Paul out until at least October.
With so many defensive question marks, including the young secondary and the defensive line, the impact David will have on this defense can’t be overlooked.
So like Foster, many Bucs fans should be excited about what David will bring to the table this season.
July 10th, 2019 at 10:12 am
Agree. My guess is that the D coaching will make a huge positive difference. Look forward to pre-season to see the season preview.
July 10th, 2019 at 10:14 am
This article makes sense.
July 10th, 2019 at 10:42 am
“especially with Jason Pierre-Paul out until at least October.”
He didn’t pull a hamstring, he BROKE his neck!!
October of 2025??
July 10th, 2019 at 10:53 am
Zachary, don’t let Joe drag you down into the pit of misery that was the Bucs’ 2018 defense. There aren’t nearly as many “defensive question marks” to this 2019 defense as he would have you believe.
o DLine: Suh (1st Rnd pick with 9 yrs experience); Vea (1st Rnd pick in his 2nd yr), Allen (6 yrs experience) … pretty good start. Add in Gholston & Beckner for relief & that DLine has some pretty decent POTENTIAL.
o OLBs: Nassib & Barrett especially seem to have pretty good experience & POTENTIAL. Add in Nelson & Spence and our OLBs might be able to hold their own.
o ILBs: Here’s where the Bucs should shine with our big DLine opening holes for them. LVD (2nd Rnd pick with 7 yrs experience), Devin White (1st Rnd pick), Deone Bucannon (1st Rnd pick with 6 yrs experience) … ALL speedsters with good coverage skills. Just wish we had stronger backups in this position group.
o CBs: Not as experienced as I’d like to be sure, but this group has a LOT of POTENTIAL: Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting and/or Jamel Dean outside, with VHIII & Ryan Smith at nickel.
o Safeties: Again, not as experienced as I’d like, but this group also has tons of POTENTIAL: Mike Edwards, Jordan Whitehead, Justin Evans, Kentrell Brice, with I guess MJ Stewart in there also (according to our GM).
The biggest issue I see is that these guys haven’t played together very much, so team chemistry might take awhile to develop (hope not though). LOTS of new faces on this year’s defense (I’m thinking 50% turnover is a LOT). But I’m thinking that it’ll be fun to watch them grow together. Should make for an exciting year.
July 10th, 2019 at 11:28 am
BLITZKRIEG!!!!
July 10th, 2019 at 11:36 am
opening day can’t come soon enough. these guys will get after it. all comes down to JW3 decisions. we have some playmakers on D and will be fine if we don’t put them in bad spots like we have done consistently for 4 years.
July 10th, 2019 at 11:40 am
spence will become a big name this year as well
July 10th, 2019 at 11:45 am
@Defense Rules
Pretty much agree. I’d say the DL is pretty stout at the top. Suh is proven. Vea was one of the top DTs in the league the last month or so, so he just has to not regress and he is most likely going to improve.
The interior of Vea/Allen/Suh has top 5-10 potential
Lavonte/Devin White should be top 5-10 ILB core and we also have Kevin Minter who knows the system in addition to Buccanon so our depth isn’t bad
OLB & our secondary = the biggest question marks, but it’s not like we have no hope there. It’s full of young dudes with potential and high athletic pedigree or draft status. Hell Carl Nassib would have had 10+ sacks in 2018 if he just had the same amount of snaps as JPP
If our OLBs/Secondary can be just average’ish, we should be an above average overall defense IMO
July 10th, 2019 at 11:58 am
IT WAS ALWAYS COACHING!!!!!
July 10th, 2019 at 12:11 pm
It always comes down to coaching unless you think for some reason tom brady or aaron rodgers would be getting us to the playoffs with mike smith and Dirk koetter running the show. If you do think that you would be wrong.
It makes sense that a new coaching staff would get more out of an underachieving group of players.
July 10th, 2019 at 12:13 pm
It was Schiano who got the guy to max out
July 10th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
BucEmUp … IF “IT WAS ALWAYS COACHING” then WHY did BA & Todd Bowles replace HALF of the defensive roster? I’ll wait …
Nah, that’s no fun. GMC gone … replaced by Suh. Kwon gone … replaced by White. Taylor gone … replaced by Bucannon. Curry gone … replaced by Barrett. Grimes gone … replaced by a lawn chair (Joe’s recommendation). We’ll have new starters in half of the defensive positions. I agree that coaching was responsible for a LOT of our troubles, but it’s not just ALL on the coaches. Some of those players stunk it up and that won’t be tolerated under BA & TB.
July 10th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
Lord C … I like your bottom line. I’ personally looking forward to an “above average overall defense” THIS YEAR. And next year’s defense SHOULD be even better.
Todd Bowles defenses in Arizona gave up 324 pts (2013) and 299 pts (2014). Both years he had excellent run defenses (total of 14 rushing TDs in TWO seasons). No reason why this Bucs defense can’t also be excellent at stopping the run. Make your opposition one-dimensional and that’s when all kinds of neat stuff can happen (more turnovers, more effective blitzing, etc).
July 10th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
@DR
Even the Jets of 2018 were a lot better on D than the Bucs of 2018 if you start breaking down a lot of the stats especially per-drive. PFF had the 2018 Jets defense rated as a pretty solid above average unit actually. But the Jets had no offense / no balance
July 10th, 2019 at 12:55 pm
Ghost of Henderson, JPP walked out of the hospital the night of the hospital with no neck brace. All broken necks aren’t created equal my friend.
July 10th, 2019 at 2:02 pm
Sounds like we’re pinning a lot of “hope” on David who’s never played in a 3-4 defense before…
HAHAHA!! See how that works?
July 10th, 2019 at 3:52 pm
It was always coaching….
There’s one way to test that idea.
It’s simple really. Let’s look to Vegas sports books to see if coaching makes 100% of the difference. In this case, it’s about the money and how Vegas sets the lines. First, Vegas builds billion dollar hotels and pays them off in a year or two so they are right far more they’re wrong. Second, the line is set in the middle, but the not the money. Two different things.
Players injury reports are published by the league because Vegas needs the info to establish the lines..look at the money and line swings that occur with injury reports. That’s not opinion that’s proven week to week season to season an irrefutable history that Clearly demonstrates the loss of a single player to the teams chances to win. So that’s not debate material…and obviously it’s a null of your hypothesis .
But, why not go for a ko. Bucs hired a super quality coach. They fired a collection of vagabonds, stiffs, incompetent out of touch bumbling idiots.
Ok….
What is the over under win total this year with a new coach?
Is there a report on the coaches health published by the league each week?
Btw, I totally agree that the coaching staff is a massive upgrade and will be a huge difference maker. Zero argument.
But to be so foolish as to construct an equation that creates 2 independent false choices is just ridiculous.
The product of a simple mind is one possible explanation. I reject it. I see it as a true fan wanting it to right . Wanting it to be that simple. Wanting it because you’re a fan and want to win. We all do. What separates us is just the approach we choose to as fans to believe and support the team ,not the destination . It’s that last part that unites a fan base in the end.
July 10th, 2019 at 4:00 pm
This is all good. But where and who..is the replacement for Pierre-Paul?
July 10th, 2019 at 4:20 pm
GO BUCS GO SUHY!! I like be reading all the positive posts….we must find a way to do this!!
July 10th, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Yeah I caught that JPP out at least till OCT comment pretty funny too. Dude be lucky to be out of his neck brace by then! He’ll collect his full, and last paycheck this year, but won’t play probably ever again. Well I shouldn’t say last paycheck, Licht is dumb enough to pay him next year too.
July 10th, 2019 at 5:54 pm
Guilty as charged: all-in on Bruce and staff! I credit them for Suh over GMC and White over any of the flashier edge/DT prospects. If guys like Deone Bucannon, Earl Watford and Andre Ellington deliver… all credit to the coaches. I even give them credit for sending Kevin Minter in last year as an advance scout to identify what needed to be fixed when they eventually took over. :). And if JW tastes the Pro Bowl again… you guessed it: all Bruce and staff!
July 10th, 2019 at 6:50 pm
Totally agree with Defense Rules. We have superior Coaches that can develop players quickly and they kept all the rookies in school during the break so they will know the defense and be able to play fast and aggressively without thinking and they have bonded together too. The Defense has great speed and playmakers to get turnovers and good leaders at every level of the defense. When the pads go on soon iron will sharpen iron. Our offensive line are going to have their hands full and we will see if they can hold their own against our front three and blitzes from everywhere!
July 11th, 2019 at 10:35 am
lavonte used to really beast out when blitzing…it was probably one of , if not the best part of his game…it was sad to see the coaching staff take his game away from him…let’s hope he gets back to getting after the qb…you say 5 joe, but i think one year he might have had 7 bro!
July 11th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
I do not think it’s important to realize what a huge difference in attitude our D will have.
Kwon is simply not White…LVD is an excellent LB but not a “message sender”. The additions of Suh and White replacing GMC and Kwon will make not just a “talent” difference but also in “physicality”.