“Don’t Ever Let Anybody Tell You You Can’t Do Something”
July 1st, 2019
Consider the Bucs sold on Peyton Barber, the guy who cranked out the 19th-most rushing yards in the NFL last year.
What a story Barber is. He joined Tampa as an undrafted player in 2016, learning under greats like washed up Doug Martin, one-year-wonder Charles Sims and Jacquizz Rodgers. The latter two are in their 20s but out of football.
Also out of football is Tim Spencer, the only NFL running backs coach Barber has known. Perhaps that’s by choice, but Joe suspects it’s not.
Barber left Auburn University early to help his family financially while many thought his NFL career would benefit from an additional college season. Barber, 25, lost his initial gamble but won the grind and is now in a contract year for a team that probably doesn’t have another decent running back.
Soft-spoken Barber is an inspirational figure, as outlined in the WFLA video below.
Joe wouldn’t bet against him having a solid year. But Joe also wouldn’t bet on him being much more than a slightly below average starting running back.
But as Barber might tell Joe, “Don’t ever let anybody tell you you can’t do something.”
July 1st, 2019 at 8:16 am
He works hard for the money.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:25 am
Honestly, I really like Barbers running style…
He’s obviously not a speed guy but he’s a patient runner with a very good jump cut; he also does an excellent job of finishing runs and punishing would be tacklers…
He really impressed in the Baltimore game…he was well on his way to 100 yrds against a very good run defense (in a very close rainy game) until Dirk got bored with the running game and decided to stop giving him the ball…
I really expect Barber to have a great year….
July 1st, 2019 at 8:33 am
For the pounding he takes, Barber stays relatively healthy…….he is actually an above average RB to get the stats he does with our poor run-blocking Oline.
I really like Peyton Barber’s story…..he is a really good Buc.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:34 am
I still haven’t given completely up on ROJO.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:50 am
We wont know how good any of our RBs are until we have a defense that is not putting the Bucs 3 scores down in the 3rd quarter.
July 1st, 2019 at 9:00 am
The Bucs O-Line is still a work-in-progress. Even after signing C Josh Leribeus , some still believe that the Bucs will make more moves to their interior offensive line because Alex Cappa isn’t where they’d like him to be and Evan Smith is still recovering from injury.
Multiple reports have surfaced this offseason that RB Ronald Jones was progressing in his second season after being a second-round pick. Unless the Bucs make substantial improvement in the O-Line particularly at RG, then I don’t expect for Barber and/or Jones to become the Thunder and Lightning that we’ve all been waiting for.
The Athletic’s Greg Auman isn’t as optimistic about Jones as Barber and said Peyton Barber is “certainly likely” to finish with more yards than Ronald Jones. Let’s hope between the both of them, they do enough to slow defenses giving Winston time to throw the ball and doesn’t have to throw as much! Go Bucs!
July 1st, 2019 at 9:00 am
I like that he went back and finished his degree. Congratulations, Peyton.
July 1st, 2019 at 9:11 am
I think Barber will be fine. Bye is a bruising beast. Just needs some space.
Oline will be better with proper coaching. Not saying great. Just better. Anything is better then being ranked toward middle in pass coverage and toward bottom in run.
The concern I have is if one player gets hurt on oline we have could have serious problems.
And what if that one player is Ali Marpet who is clearly our best /most consistent oline man.
Still think Bucs make a move before season starts.
July 1st, 2019 at 9:11 am
The most impressive stat he had coming out of Auburn is that he was never tackled for a loss. That takes some drive – in the SEC no less.
July 1st, 2019 at 9:29 am
barber is a solid RB….if holes are open, he’ll hit it….only has 1 gear but has decent vision and always leans forward…
with that beng said, shouldve drafted guice last year or d.henderson this year…..or made a play for tj yeldon….
maybe Duke Johnson is still in play…or at least i hope so….
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 1st, 2019 at 10:48 am
casual observer Says:
“The most impressive stat he had coming out of Auburn is that he was never tackled for a loss. That takes some drive – in the SEC no less.”
.
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Wow! Good stuff.
July 1st, 2019 at 11:10 am
If the BA Coaches get real improvement from our OL with a combination of new Power Running Scheme using also the blocking from our TEs, and excellent development, you can count on Barber to surpass 1,000 yards easily and average over 4 yards per carry grinding out yardage. During a game he can then slowly advance down the field, resting our defense, and dropping the number of offensive opportunities of the opposing team, and wearing out their defense, and force them to put five in the box to try and stop him, which will then give Jameis great targets for passes and play action. By the end of the fourth quarter if we are ahead Barber will be able to grind out the time while their defense is worn out with their tongues hanging out and breathing hard for air. On third downs and short bring in Vea as our Fullback and let him blast a hole for Barber to run through no matter how they stack their line. Ha!
July 1st, 2019 at 11:20 am
I’m glad he graduated but isnt it possible he could break out this year cuz hes been burning the candle at both ends being a pro football player and a college student. I mean working and going to school can be exhausting
July 1st, 2019 at 11:29 am
Don’t forget that Liedtke at 6’3” and 305 lbs. is a Veteran Guard that BA can put at RT as a starter to complete our OL without adding anymore players. Warhop didn’t dare let Liedtke on the field after Liedtke had proven he could even play LT better than Warhop’s pet, D. Smith, and he didn’t want anyone to replace his other pet, Benenoch, no matter how awful Benenoch played. Right now BA has Liedtke as the backup LT. However, if D. Smith went down or is benched by BA, Liedtke could move to LT and Zach Bailey, a SEC 2d team OG, or Veteran C/G LeRibeus could move right in at RG. Both of them can easily outplay Benenoch’s production there last year. Warhop was the culprit for the horrid OL play last year.
July 1st, 2019 at 11:33 am
Correction Liedtke can play RG (not RT) as our starter.
July 1st, 2019 at 1:01 pm
“Don’t Ever Let Anybody Tell You You Can’t Do Something”
The headline made me think this story was going to be about Jameis
July 1st, 2019 at 4:43 pm
barber does has a juke move…when he’s not comfortable his feet aren’t quite there…once he’s grinding and carrying the ball a lot, he loosens up and starts making moves,,,always runs hard tho…he need 22 carries a game to get all loosie goosie in the backfield…he has it, but no one has let him use it yet…let’s see if bruce will let peyton cut loose
July 1st, 2019 at 9:51 pm
This is what Barber will look like with a decent OL. BET MONEY ON IT!!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A19wugcbUxM
July 1st, 2019 at 11:48 pm
If Barber had just a mediocre O-line he would be a top ten RB. The guy does have good vision and the ability to cut and hit the hole. Not fast but a powerful runner.
July 2nd, 2019 at 2:36 pm
BA Fan (not being a wise @ss in the least), what have you heard about our running scheme? Curious to know if we’ll be straight power this year so I can match players to scheme in my own mind. Thanks!