Yahoo! Sports: Awful Offseason
July 1st, 2019
Team building questioned.
With the exception of hiring Bucco Bruce Arians, Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports can’t see exactly how the Bucs improved in their quest to jump from two straight seasons of 5-11 to a winning campaign.
In Schwab’s eyes, the Bucs lost as much if not more talent than they brought in. And that, he believes, is not the way to get the job done if a team truly wants to win in 2019.
The Buccaneers waited until May to make their biggest move. They essentially swapped out Gerald McCoy for Ndamukong Suh at defensive tackle, cutting McCoy after an uncomfortable offseason and signing Suh to a one-year, $9.25 million deal. It’s hard to say that’s a huge upgrade, if it’s an upgrade at all. The Buccaneers also traded DeSean Jackson, a great deep threat who never quite clicked with Winston. The Buccaneers didn’t add much. Receiver Breshad Perriman and linebacker Deone Bucannon, a couple of former high picks, are getting fresh starts. The Buccaneers lost linebacker Kwon Alexander and receiver Adam Humphries, though both were overpaid. The draft was mostly panned by experts, though No. 5 overall pick Devin White should be good at inside linebacker. White just plays a position that has been devalued in many NFL circles.
Unless guys who have never done anything or at least have had minimal impact all of a sudden do something (Noah Spence, Ryan Smith, Justin Evans, Nightmare Gholston, Vernon Hargreaves, Carlton Davis and the gang of rookies), Joe isn’t sure the defense is any good. Of course, 11 lawn chairs spread out onto the field of play would be better than the Bucs had last year.
And Joe doesn’t buy whatsoever that Adam Humphries was (is?) overpaid. He had the most YAC for any Bucs receiver last year and had damn find chemistry with America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
If Bill Belicheat is hot in the pants over a player, what does that tell you?
Overall, Schwab gave the Bucs a “D” grade for their offseason. Joe cannot quibble with that grade.
July 1st, 2019 at 5:26 am
Joe, come on. Do you wake up every day and say, “Joe, let’s find yet another talking head who is offering yet another negative take on the Bucs and double down on the negative take in today’s article!”
Almost like a sport.
It’s too easy, Joe. Dare I risk your wrath by actually calling it lazy? I mean come on, every single day there is negative take after negative take.
I only wish you had the propensity to take a more balanced approach and at least give your readers some journalistic reasons why they should avoid shooting themselves in the head prior to the first snap of the first game. Is that too big of an ask?
July 1st, 2019 at 5:29 am
That’s what it looks like to me. Every day.
July 1st, 2019 at 5:31 am
Anyone who thinks Suh for GMC isn’t an upgrade is not to be taken seriously.
July 1st, 2019 at 5:53 am
That’s right Joe when you have garbage stinking up your house bring out some more air freshener and spray away… spray the whole can! How dare you EVEN suggest that you clean out the garbage causing the stink.
July 1st, 2019 at 5:57 am
If you had this year’s coaching staff with last year’s roster, Bucs would have probably gone 10-6.
Which is why they have a good shot at going 10-6 this year with more speed and athleticism on defense and better special teams.
July 1st, 2019 at 5:59 am
Licht’s over confidence in his own picks will be his downfall
Banking on Hargreaves, Spence, Cappa, MJ Stewart and Ro Jo to make huge strides under new coaches and for rookie LB’s and CB’s to play like quality PROs from day one is a dream.
Banking on Perriman a former bust to be good here while losing over 1600 yards and 10 TD’s from DJAX and Hump is straight up fantasy stuff.
Where has this roster gotten better from last year? Maybe at LB as Kwon was over rated and a liability in play action and routinely took bad angles
July 1st, 2019 at 6:01 am
Well, as we Buc fans are well aware, you don’t win games in the offseason or on paper. 16-0 baby!
July 1st, 2019 at 6:07 am
Ya’ll are shooting the messenger. Yahoo Sports is dead on right. Suh for McCoy? …bleh. Losing what they’ve lost? Ugh…. Sticking with America’s Groper? …..time to apply the definition of insanity.
July 1st, 2019 at 6:08 am
@Schwab … “Devin White should be good at inside linebacker. White just plays a position that has been devalued in many NFL circles.”
Not too hard to see why you glombed onto Schwab’s analysis Joe. He nicely downplays a potentially great pick with potentially great leadership skills, just like you’ve done time-and-time again. The only thing he didn’t add is that the Bucs should’ve picked a DE instead. Wah wah wah.
In what universe is has the centerpiece of an NFL defense been ‘devalued’? All great defenses seem to have had great MLBs, regardless of whether they were running a 4-3 or a 3-4. Players like Hardy Nickerson, Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly (the list goes on & on) not only consistently MAKE big plays themselves, but their leadership & play-calling skills enable others to make big plays.
The Bucs stunk at run defense last year (#29 in Rushing TDs Allowed; #24 in Rushing Yards Allowed). The constant THREAT of a run undoubtedly impacted our ability to defend short passes, which ate us alive. Plain & simple, we didn’t have the horses to fix it. Only 1 solution: get new horses, which BA did. Suh & White in the middle SHOULD be a definite upgrade, especially when matched with Vea. No excuse for Bucs having a lousy run defense this year IMO. Schwab can cry all he wants, but he just lost a LOT of respect in my eyes for a very lazy analysis.
Oh and letting DJax go saved us $10 mil this year. NOT re-signing Humphries saved us almost another $10 mil. NOT re-signing McCoy saved us $4 mil. Had we retained all three we’d now be over $20 million IN THE HOLE. In what universe is that allowable? Oh that’s right, in Schwab’s Yahoo Sports universe. My bad.
July 1st, 2019 at 6:10 am
I guess the Bucs getting 1,322 new coaches doesn’t count as an Offseason pickup.
July 1st, 2019 at 6:33 am
Todd is spot on!!!!
The off-season means find the easy way out until training camp……smh
July 1st, 2019 at 6:35 am
Buc Believer…….LMAO!!!!!!
July 1st, 2019 at 6:37 am
Defense Rules—
“but he just lost a LOT of respect in my eyes for a very lazy analysis.”
Thank you for stringing two words together that sums up most all analysis on the “new” Bucs.
Lazy analysis.
Perfectly stated. It’s so super easy to harvest external negative analysis of the Bucs and report (incessantly) accordingly. One would think that Joe…who has supposed inside access to the Bucs organization…could take the counter-lazy approach and glean some golden nuggets (through inside access) on why the lazy are perhaps wrong. For crying out loud, with your access to all the coaches, ask the direct damned question a hundred times, “Tell the fan base why all the negative predictions on this upcoming season are wrong.” And then let them tell us…and report accordingly. If they can’t, then maybe all your negative takes are warranted.
But, but, but, but…maybe the can. And maybe THEN you’ll have a bit of positive content to keep your readership from swallowing a gun before the first snap of the first game.
July 1st, 2019 at 6:39 am
This will be interesting.
It will show what good coaching can do for a team
Cause they are right. It is the relatively same team.
New coaches . New schemes.
And Devin white leading a faster defense. However , they are still so young on defensive end of ball
July 1st, 2019 at 6:43 am
Yahoo…consider the source…SMH…cesspool of the WWW
July 1st, 2019 at 6:46 am
The Todd
No question you are Mr. positivity on this site. Keep it up.
While I think your 7-0 start conjures up a lot of pot smoking , Its nice cause this site reaks of something else these days – negativity and losers
Hope you are right
If arians can turn bucs around , well maybe his journey as a coach is compete . Worst to first would only finalize his title as great coach and quarterback whisperer.
July 1st, 2019 at 6:52 am
If we made the room BEFORE free agency, we could’ve kept Hump.
Davis and Justin Evans should be fine. They have a natural feel for the game. Maybe Spence is just a scheme thing, but I’m not optimistic. Hargreaves is further proof Licht should be unemployed. How the heck Gholston is still in this team is beyond me.
Lesean McCoy could get cut, if we got him I may not be so salty…
July 1st, 2019 at 7:03 am
Bird—
Thanks. And re: worst to first…it happens.
Why not us?
BTW, I re-watched the Bucs Hard Knocks season this weekend. Do you know what stuck out to me most? Everyone (especially the coaches) seemed to be in total “fake it till you make it mode.” Especially Mike Smith. What a buffoon. Kortter was not much better, more was Jameis. Licht was totally in that mode.
Now, consider Bruce Arians and his staff. From what I’ve observed. They operate with full purpose and intent. They have a system. They TEACH accordingly. Licht is a non-factor. He just gets to watch and take orders from BA. Jameis no longer has to FAKE being the leader. Just execute as taught. The defense seems to have a NATURAL leader with White.
Damned I’m excited.
We open 6-0.
July 1st, 2019 at 7:21 am
I have to give a D, maybe a C but only because of recognizing it was time for GMC to go (I liked him, just think his play was no longer worth the diluted charisma as a team captain), and they drafted D. White. I don’t think it would be possible to do better than a C because of the cap predicament Licht put them in. Either way, I hope it levels off. They literally cannot afford to get any worse from a national image and PR standpoint. They may not have bottomed out there yet. I think BA can make up some slack but I don’t think he’s Superman. This team is not in the 80s pits now but they are not far from it when looking at overall dysfunction. Too bad things are negative but that is the reality and it’s good Joe is showing both sides of the coin. Let’s see how we look starting camp, ending camp, and about 8:30pm on Sunday, 8 September.
July 1st, 2019 at 7:21 am
Guys if you want a 100% positive take on the bucs go to Buccaneers.con. Joes said it before, he reports on Buc related topics. Analysts talking about the bucs is worth covering. The blind belief that Ariana will magically fix this team is ridiculous. We have an average QB, and a subpar defense with little improvements over the offseason. I’d love to be optimistic and am hopeful that I’m wrong on all accounts… I’m also hopeful I will win the lotto.
July 1st, 2019 at 7:57 am
Todd … I’ve been a Bucs’ fan for over 35 years now (since 1982 to be exact). They’ve had several ‘highs’ but a LOT more ‘lows’. All those years go into flavoring my EXPECTATIONS of what I anticipate in any given year. There have been several times in those years when we’ve gone through some MAJOR CHANGES in terms of management, coaching, players. You know when they occurred as well as I do.
THIS YEAR is one of those major changes IMO, certainly in terms of the coaching staff, but also in players. And especially on defense & S/Ts. BA may call it a ‘reloading’ (love it), but if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck & quacks like a duck, it’s probably a … duck (who’s ‘rebuilding’). It’s natural for some to take a negative view of what’s ahead (inertia is hard to overcome quickly), while others take a very positive view (anything is better than what we had).
I admit to taking a more ‘middle of the road’ view. We could just as easily go 12-4 as we could go 4-12; no way to know AT THIS POINT. This year MIGHT turn out great (oh how I HOPE it does). Yet with so many ‘new pieces’ it MIGHT take awhile for this thing to gel. At THIS POINT, none of us know … not even the coaches. Do they have the right ‘pieces’? Will ‘better pieces’ become available & we snatch them up before season start? No idea AT THIS POINT … this is all what I call ‘posturing’. But we’ll find out soon enough when the bullets start flying come Sept 8th. Until then, I prefer to stay positive and HOPE for the best. The Negative Nellies will come onboard once this TEAM starts winning. It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. In the interim, stay positive.
July 1st, 2019 at 7:58 am
Todd,
I too watched Hard Knocks yesterday…they say hindsight is 20/20, well watching HK yesterday it was obvious on so many levels that JL missed on character and talent evaluation on so may players it was joke. Watching him drool over himself over Winstons leadership ability ( while talking to the Lightning GM ) was a laughable..Listening to J-Dubs huddle speeches and nursery rhymes was a joke. What vet would follow that BS or get fired up over that BS. The REAL truth is this team lacks talent..plain and simple and that is squarely on the shoulders of JL. Your optimism is admired, but I have been a season ticket holder since ’76…and I have seen the eternal optimists like yourself have to enter rehab in October to many times
July 1st, 2019 at 8:01 am
He forgot to include that we failed to draft a QB in place of Fitzpatrick leaving for Miami. #tankfortua.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:13 am
These articles are like mock drafts….MEANINGLESS.
Until the season starts and we see how the team performs, this is all subjective.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:15 am
Not much talent and no money. Only a complete idiot could put a team in this position.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:19 am
Dislocated—
Good Lord. Stop being an utter suck up. WHO said “100% positive” being the ask? Being BALANCED was the polite request.
Leave your apple at home.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:20 am
WRT Hard knocks, I was playing it up to a friend of mine who is also a lifelong Bucs fan…not much of a reality show guy, he tuned in first episode and with Winston’s “cockroaches making babies” scene said that was enough for him. It didn’t bother me too much and my wife thought was funny though silly, but looking back, the Bucs on Hard Knocks and how that season ended with finding out who Winston really was, and seeing where we’ve come since….yup…disappointing. And we’ll probably be candidates for the next Hard Knocks season many years running. Go Bucs!
If you don’t go out and pay to see this team, and don’t have any skin in the game….got it…you can be a fan, sure. However, you’ve got no business running around telling the real die-hards that have sat in the stadium year after year, one sorry soap opera after another, they don’t understand…
July 1st, 2019 at 8:26 am
@Wesermbuc…agreed, Hump wouldn’t have been so hard to keep. Another miss by JL. Hopefully the WR corps stay healthy. Ghoulston is good for depth at best…I agree, think they overpaid.
July 1st, 2019 at 8:45 am
Buc’N Up—
“Your optimism is admired, but I have been a season ticket holder since ’76…and I have seen the eternal optimists like yourself have to enter rehab in October to many times.”
😂😂😂
Valid point. Guilty! The Buccy Ford Clinic has a permanent spot reserved for me annually…in October.
I’m quitting losing, though. I’m all about “willing” a turn-around season this year and, thusly, maintain my military-grade optimism. Or delusion. We shall see in October!
July 1st, 2019 at 8:52 am
MTM: America’s Groper lives @ 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW WASHINGTON DC
July 1st, 2019 at 9:00 am
Todd the laziness also points to a non-Bucs fan writing this article. He just works here. Smh
July 1st, 2019 at 9:21 am
bighog
good one!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 1st, 2019 at 9:40 am
Yahoo is fake news.
July 1st, 2019 at 9:50 am
This sports writer obviously hasn’t been paying attention to this offseason when he says things like White plays a position that’s been devalued.
Kwon Alexander and CJ Mosely both just got massive contracts.
Darius Leonard won Droy with Leighton Vander Esch not far behind him.
Steelers traded a 1st, 2nd and 2020 3rd round pick for Devin Bush and picked him in the top 10.
Off ball LB’s who can run and cover and not be abused as a mismatch in the passing game, are clearly becoming a very valued commodity.
July 1st, 2019 at 10:29 am
I agree completely with the article. I have been a hardcore Bucs fan for many years. I always try to see optimism (without being delusional) but this season is just filled with too many holes and question marks on the roster. The hiring of Bruce Arians looks like more of a dog and pony show than him really trying to re-build. No confidence in the offensive or defensive lines, no confidence in running game, no confidence in quarterback, no confidence in GM and yet were in cap hell. I’m hoping for a miracle but cant help feeling like its time to hit the reset button.
July 1st, 2019 at 11:15 am
Greg—
“The hiring of Bruce Arians looks like more of a dog and pony show than him really trying to re-build.”
How did you arrive at that conclusion other than mere opinion? What’s your basis of fact that grounds this obviously false conclusion. To call BA a “dog and pony show” dismisses his track record entirely…which is ignorant at this point.
Guess what NO other team has ever done in the history of the NFL…split the team up into two practices for everyone to get more reps and the opportunity to be better coached. I guess this was implemented by BA as part of his “dog and pony”…versus being an extremely wise strategical move that will surely be copied by most teams in the future.
That’s just one example of BA’s visionary thinking…the furthest thing from dog and pony. No, you’re just playing it safe like almost everyone else in here. It’s easier to sh!t on the Bucs during the off season (regardless of circumstances) so that you’re not disappointed should BA fail to turn this franchise around, which he will.
Abandon playing it safe. It truly won’t cost you anything…and it’s a helluva lot more fun being optimistic.
Or, be yet another Eor. Your choice.
July 1st, 2019 at 11:41 am
IMO Should have signed Hump instead of lazy ass D Smith. Remember Smith you are what you are.
July 1st, 2019 at 11:54 am
Todd Way to overreact and get emotional. The dog and pony reference is because he’s already retired once and you don’t have a clue how long he wants to coach and neither do I. The team has made minimal roster changes considering they’re switching from a 43 defense to a 34 offense. He sticking with Jason lights guys even though they’ve proved nothing such as the offense of line that has been overpaid by Jason light and the running backs which have been chosen and over committed to by Jason light. This season seems to be about more of trying to save lights job than winning. Even if Bruce Arians helps improve Winston enough for Jason like to justify a new contract what happens when Bruce Arians retires again? Will Winston fall back in his performance? I think these are all fair comments and questions. Maybe you should be more analytical to what’s happening and worry less about attacking people on a blog.
July 1st, 2019 at 11:55 am
Wow there is a lot of grammar mistakes when you voice text LOL but I think you guys know what I’m saying
July 1st, 2019 at 12:16 pm
Big Hog
Joe Biden hasn’t been elected President.
July 1st, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Slugglife: J Biden not my choice…I’m all in on the woman that King Dummy’s son retwitted the racist commit about!..GO KH GO!!
July 1st, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Bullish!t! I dare YOU not to be a con artist and think this team is the 1970s Steelers. Joe will never EVER be dishonest with readers. Either knock this sh!t off or go somewhere that feeds into your fantasies. We’ve been over this before. Joe calls it like he sees it. If it bothers your fragile sensibilities go somewhere else.
July 1st, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Joe go look at the B plus grade Lindy’s gave our draft when two other of our opponents in our Division only got B’s and the other got B plus too. Shwab’s D rating just shows it is foolish to trust his judgment. Many of our posters know this team better than he does!
July 1st, 2019 at 2:48 pm
I can’t argue with this Yahoo dude’s opinion, other than that Humphries is overpaid. Kwon is vastly overpaid, but Humphries is getting what he’s worth. Why is it that no national media outlets talk about what a jerk DeSean was? It’s talked about here on this site (by far the best) and other local outlets, but not a peep elsewhere. I guess the Bucs aren’t even worth gossiping about to the National folks.
July 1st, 2019 at 3:25 pm
Greg—
“This season seems to be about more of trying to save lights job than winning.”
Are you serious?
Yeah, the Glazer’s decision to hire BA, BA’s decision to hire Todd Bowles, Todd Bowles decision to change the defensive scheme, BA & TB’s draft decision picks…ALL were made with the strategic move to save Jason Licht’e GM job this season.
Come on, Greg. Be plausible. That’s more than a bit of a reach.
Oh, I guess I’m overreacting again. Your literal words probably mean something else altogether.
July 1st, 2019 at 3:49 pm
I don’t care who you’re choice is Haynes(though I’m not surprised given the racial nature of your past posts). I just told you who the serial groomer was.
But right now your President is Trump. So we can leave it at that.
July 1st, 2019 at 5:28 pm
@Todd, you are 100% correct… a lazy way to resubmit the same gripes of White over DE, “losing” GMC and lack of faith in new scheme on D correcting many ills is to just find a yahoo (on Yahoo! no less) who can’t even bother to have his own opinion on the draft instead of citing “experts” (named Joe?). I may not be ready to book Super Bowl tix, but I see effort to improve and am excited about the possibilities on D. Fingers crossed.
July 1st, 2019 at 6:18 pm
Well they got us taking Jake Fromm in the latest mock draft. DE Young from Ohio is a game wrecker though. I think that would make Joe happy if we some how landed. DE Young in the 2020 draft. We would have to be really bad to pick that high though. All the media says where going to be in the basement. But Im still glass half full at 8 to 9 wins. Getting lucky in some games at the end. If we get 9 wins and miss the playoffs would it be considered a successful season?
July 1st, 2019 at 7:33 pm
Time will tell but if the Bucs can address the kicking situation, get a decent RG and RT, and if JPP doesn’t come back, bring in another stud DE, they have a chance to win a lot of games. Getting rid of GMC and DJ was addition by subtraction. Suh is going to be a monster and Perriman will do fine. I bet we also see Brate play the slot so Hump won’t be missed. Kwon was all talk and was a bust against the run. I never understood what people saw in that guy. Yahoo sports is clueless. Go Bucs!
July 2nd, 2019 at 9:37 am
Todd is right, the Schwab article is another of many negative takes on the Bucs but looking at the article the D offseason grade is just one part of the reasoning this cat has for giving the Bucs a #27 power ranking which I believe according to Schwab puts them ahead of the Bungles, the NY Gettlemans, AZ, the Vegas Grudens, and the Fins…. Lets face it, who else woould you put the Bucs ahead of coming off a 5-11 season? Perhaps the Jets given that they are hot garbage but until the Bucs at least avoid double digit losses in a season a power ranking in the bottom 10 and mock drafts picking alongside the Giants and Raiders is gonna be the status quo. Licht’s incompetence on numerous free agent signings and day one and two draft picks have hurt most definitely as did the Glazer’s hand off approach over the last 2 seasons that allowed Koetter retain Smitty and run the pirate ship aground, you can bet almost every other owner in the NFL would have either canned Koetter and his whole staff after 2017 (and possibly just wet nuclear winter and cleared out Licht and his boys as well) or at the least cleared out the defensive coaches starting with Smitty.
As a fan since ’76 I hope and pray every season for the Bucs to place a winner on the field and be playing relevent football in December but all too often since Chucky got the pink slip we Buc fans have taken a drop kick right in the cojonnes and are looking at mock drafts by the time Halloween rolls around. Somewhere the ghost of Hugh Culverhouse is laughing at how similar Koetter’s product looks like some of his post McKay teams and he did it on a shoestring budget not cap busting like Licht and his lads have managed to acomplish!