New O-Linemen Coming?
August 18th, 2019
No reason to smile.
We are two weeks, roughly, from when teams must slash their rosters to 53 men. And it is then, Joe believes, the Bucs will be dumpster diving for offensive linemen.
The Bucs are razor-thin at offensive line. Fans like to holler and stomp their feet that the starting line is so bad, Plant High School’s could do better. But what’s new?
The same folks might want to get on their knees and pray none of the five starters get hurt. Jenna Lane of ESPN points out the reserve offensive linemen are simply brutal and are not getting any better.
Offensive line depth is a concern right now, with the Bucs surrendering 11 quarterback hits and three sacks [in preseason]. Jameis Winston’s sack on the opening drive was the result of a busted protection, which allowed Jerome Baker to rush completely unblocked (O.J. Howard ran to the flat). Bucs quarterbacks were under duress a lot Friday. No one has stepped up as a bona fide backup tackle — Cole Boozer struggled mightily against Charles Harris and Tank Carradine, and Caleb Benenoch looked extremely inconsistent.
Joe swears Benenoch has actually gotten worse, if that’s possible. Arians has been griping about the backups all camp. At one point he said they “crap their pants” and twice has kvetched that the team needs to develop young tackles.
Yet as Laine points out, no one is stepping up.
This leads Joe to believe AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will soon be sifting through other team’s garbage looking for a backup offensive lineman or two.
August 18th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Joe I also hope you seen Donovan Smith the last game … pathetic for a highly paid LT. pathetic and if you didn’t see anything wrong with Smith you should be labeled the same… he’s gonna get jameis out of there early … boy it’s gonna be funny.
August 18th, 2019 at 9:51 am
BA has a history of picking up older and more experience Olinemen after the 53 cuts. I’m sure he is just waiting for the waiver wire to pick up a few good men.
August 18th, 2019 at 10:00 am
Depth in the trenches is going to be the biggest weakness this season. Hard to totally fix a roster in six months. I know there are some decent players to be had after cuts but that probably won’t be enough either. This time next year we should be feeling much better about depth and quality of in house competition. In the meantime we have to rely on creative play calling to mask the lack of talent on both lines.
August 18th, 2019 at 10:01 am
I beg to differ with Jenna Lane! We have two backup OTs that played well last game that are not named Boozer or Benenoch. They are both 6’8” with good length and Proels is 344 pounds and Ruble, from the Red Skins, is 325 pounds.
Also Whatford and Holcomb who have been playing Guard this Preseason are equally good at OT, and we have an experienced Guard in Uhatafe who can sub for either one of those if needed and Whatford can also backup the Center too! I would not mind BA also bringing in an old Veteran Tackle/Guard who is a cap casualty at cut down but it isn’t a necessity!
August 18th, 2019 at 10:06 am
I’ll go rewatch the tape, but watching live that sack on Jameis looked like Smith owned it… OJ may have leaked to the flat without slowing the guy but the Buc right next to him was Smith… and he was so devoid of anyone else to block that he was right there in frame to help JW back up. I so want to believe that his resigning was evidence BA saw something (like Koetter) that I just keep missing when watching the games. Smith may be the highest paid and least effective of the starters… not a good look for a young LT!
August 18th, 2019 at 10:10 am
Start digging through the Patriots castoffs. Their backups are better than most of our starters. True story.
August 18th, 2019 at 10:12 am
Everyone but Joe has concern for this o-line.
August 18th, 2019 at 10:20 am
Ben,
I absolutely agree with u more than 100%. Im glad I’m not the only person feels that way about DSmith. He’s gonna put Winston on injured reserved. I still can’t understand why he was paid top dollar for mediocre or less performance. He’s a soft teddy bear. Reminds me of former Buc Kenyatta Walker. There’s nothing tuff about DSmith. He doesn’t hustle n is often beast mode by smaller DEs. His protection for Winston is passive n awful. He needs to be called out n I’m sure BA will not hesitate to do just that sometime soon.
August 18th, 2019 at 10:28 am
I agree. I have stated two new OL on opening day. I also think Benenoch is a dead man walking for the Bucs. Is it possible he’s gotten even more terrible?
August 18th, 2019 at 10:29 am
What Westchap said
August 18th, 2019 at 10:31 am
Considering the last O-lineman we took in the first round was Davin Joseph, is it any wonder??
August 18th, 2019 at 10:31 am
Can we find a sucker to take D Smith off our hands. He plays without energy and passion. His man blows by on the way to Jameis and he just stands there watching
August 18th, 2019 at 10:32 am
“The more Kobe Faker looks at a yelling BA
The more he sees Brentson Buckner with a Kangol hat”
Kobe Faker
August 18th, 2019 at 10:35 am
Good thing they signed licht to build this franchise
August 18th, 2019 at 10:36 am
No one builds a basement title contender with other teams trash better than the bucs…. how do you go into a make it or break it year with your franchise quarterback yet not give him a single NFL caliber offensive lineman…. glazers do a grest job of setting talent up to fail…
August 18th, 2019 at 10:46 am
BA has been playing the worst players in the trenches to expose who will be cut. He knows who he has that will serve as good depth and he knows what teams have good depth that will be making cuts.
Good coaching is everything!!!!!
August 18th, 2019 at 10:51 am
Lol bucs news is so bad. How many teams across the league have starting caliber backups up it’s getting comical. Zeke in Dallas is holding out they didnt depend on depth they went out and signed alfred morris….how many teams have depth at running back and oline at each position across the line no less, this is just stupid talk to think any team wouldn’t be worried if a starter went down. Having said all that benonoch is literally the worse o lineman I have ever seen In my life and should not make this team. I mean why does his experience matter If sucks
August 18th, 2019 at 10:51 am
WestChap. Pretty sure the sack came off the right side where Detson ams OH were playing. Smith was at LT.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:01 am
Homer watch it again. Dots guy gets there first but it’s Smiths that takes Jameis down.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:03 am
The sack DID come off the right side.
This time I took notes on watching the tape and mostly they were positive (blitzing effective for once, OG44 is going to dump ROJO, true screen passes, Gabbert as backup). Top of the list was O”OL is weak”. It was bad. If we don’t get some big time help we’re going to get a 5-11 repeat.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:12 am
Knee thickness is one such measurement, and for former UCLA offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch, it was a disqualifying factor for at least one NFL club, according to Bruins coach Jim Mora.
“One of the reasons Caleb Benenoch dropped with a team, and I’m not going to mention the team, is because the circumference of his knee did not meet their standards,” Mora told reporters on Monday, per the Southern California News Group.”
NFL.com
August 18th, 2019 at 11:13 am
Cole Boozer was responsible for multiple first drive QB hits Friday. They rotated him in and out with Smith.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:15 am
HomerSimpsonRocks Says
“WestChap. Pretty sure the sack came off the right side where Detson ams OH were playing. Smith was at LT.”
Actually, Cole Boozer was in for Smith on that play.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:21 am
All you guys going back and forth who’s fault it was are missing the most important point… it doesn’t matter whose fault it was when there is not a single nfl caliber offensive line starter on the entire roster…. waiting for other teams cuts to find 5 starting olinemen is so buc like and exactly why they own the worst winning percentage in NFL history
August 18th, 2019 at 11:22 am
I was saying way before the Bucs resigned. don’t do it. He’s an underachieving lazy ass who is only going to get worse since he got a new contract. Yea, I know he hardly ever gets hurt & he was a high draft pick & Lt are hard to find but is it worth it? I don’t think so. I don’t know why Boozer & Bennoch haven’t been cut already.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:51 am
How many quality OL has this team ever drafted? How many future HOF OL has Tampa EVER drafted?
I will ask the same thing about Licht as I did about Mike Smith when he came back for his 2nd year with Tampa–WHY IS HE STILL HERE?
August 18th, 2019 at 12:13 pm
After 6 Jason drafts here we sit…
Worst gm in football
August 18th, 2019 at 12:22 pm
It seems everyone except Joe can see how bad to mediocre our o-line is.
It’s because other teams invest premium picks (1st and 2nd round) in their trenches quite often, while the Bucs do it every once in a while.
August 18th, 2019 at 12:48 pm
We can only hope…
August 18th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Hey joe how about throwing the Jameis haters aka Mariota nuthuggers a post about how tight of a battle the fragile one is in to keep his starting job….
August 18th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Offensive Tackle is the largest weak spot. They REALLY need to address it.
I tinkered with the current roster to come up with a final roster prediction (the first 53 & Practice Squad).
Click my name to see it. But be warned…Caleb makes the team…simply because we currently do not have someone who can replace him, barring a sudden surgence from a depth player or a signing.
August 18th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
With their current play maybe we better re-sign Donald Penn
August 18th, 2019 at 1:23 pm
Yup. Joe has seen a bad Bucs offensive line before. Just a few short years ago. This line doesn’t come close.
Is it the 1974 Oakland Raiders line? No.
Is it the 2014 Tampa Bay Bucs offensive line? Thank God, no.
Bucs have much bigger concerns. Like secondary and pass rush. Bucs had the top passing offense in the game last year with the same five guys blocking. So no, Joe isn’t sweating the starting-five.
August 18th, 2019 at 1:25 pm
the truth is ian beckles right now, at this moment, while in the radio studio, is better than all the back ups…no lies!
August 18th, 2019 at 1:28 pm
@joe:
no kvetching because we shall be fetching 🙂
August 18th, 2019 at 1:38 pm
This is why people don’t like Jason Gump.
5 years and this is the o line he has assembled.
It’s pathetic that these are the guys that you put together to protect your franchise QB.
I’m actually starting to feel bad for Winston. He’s not perfect but da mn this line should’ve been solidified starting the day you picked Winston.
It’s not rocket science as much as people like to think it’s some kind of voodoo magic trick.
Good trenches can hide a lot of flaws. And the Bucs are not good at the area that wins and losses games.
The trenches.
Joe just because this line isn’t the “worst” the Bucs have had doesn’t mean anything.
Just because fat d Smith doesn’t miss games doesn’t mean he’s any good.
And how the hell is benenoch even on the team?
But hey this is the Bucs. Completely ran by incompetence from top to bottom and BA will soon see it too.
Maybe he can turn it around but it’s gonna take a monumental effort to erase the errors of the past 5 years.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:08 pm
You guys don’t even know who plays which position. Smh
Dotson is going to get someone hurt. But I guess since he’s a media darling like McIceCream his position is safe.
We’re 1 so called busted protection away from Blaine Gabbert as the starting QB. Lord help us all if that happens.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:30 pm
Do people not understand that offensive line depth around the league is a problem? Let’s stop painting this as a Jason Licht issue and more like a “they only make so many smart & athletic big bodies”.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:30 pm
I also found it comical that the RT Dotson allowed the sack and people were attacking D. Smith instead. Some people on JBF know about as much about the Bucs as the National media…….not very much at all. SMH
August 18th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
I feel they should just try and find a RG or C. Also they should consider moving D. Smith RT or RG and let Cappa play LT which is his natural position. I never understood why they are intent on him being a guard when his strength is best used on the outside at LT. His feet can’t be worse than Donovan Smith’s. Donovan Smith has now gotten his payday and I feel they should accept he’s not LT and move him to guard or let Dotson go and move Smith to RT. It’s time for BA to quit griping and step in the room and start adjusting.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:36 pm
I’m one of the rare few D.Smith fans & thought this staff could get more of of him but using his few preseason snaps as an indicator it’s not looking good.
@Bonzai that was indeed D.Smith not Boozer who gave up the sack that knocked us out of FG range. I’m certain this is the play the posters above are talking about. You must be thinking of a different play.
On another play D.Smith gets tossed and thrown on the his knees…….These bad plays are coming off of his worst season as a professional and it’s a awful look for a guy you just paid top dollar for.
On the same play that Donavon gave up that sack Dotson blocked the wrong player allowing a free runner to the QB. Our blitz pickup was non-existent as well and #55 was in our backfield with ease. These are less stress worthy because they are more easily correctable and I expect them to improve.
D.Smith is the big issue in my eyes. He just looked like he cannot handle his job on Friday Night…….I won’t have a meltdown about him in preseason but if he aren’t a improved player by September it’s going to be a large failure on our front office.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:42 pm
BA and Licht already knew that the OLine was going to have to “wait” this year.
The plan coming into this draft was to add young talent to a near worst in the league defense. The secondary in particular needed more size, more speed and more attitude.
So the result was that the Bucs drafted 5 Defensive players with their first 5 draft picks in rounds 1>4. Including a likely perennial All Pro ILB at the top of the 1st – and 3 defensive backs in rds 2 and 3.
BA has a history of success identifying and signing veteran cap casualty FA Linemen who found themselves out of work after final cutdowns. He’s done this successfully on both sides of the ball.
So I would not be at all surprised to see the Bucs churn the bottom 3 or 4 roster spots within a day or 2 of final cuts – and perhaps bring in a couple of relatively inexpensive OL vets in an attempt to upgrade the depth up front.
The Liedtke injury hurt this team’s OL depth quite a bit. OT in particular is a mess right now. Grossly overpaying Donovan Smith as a starting LT. Counting on Dotson at age 34 with questionable knees to last 16+ games – and/or Benenoch to capably back him up when he doesn’t – is a literal fools errand.
BA and Licht with the help of OL coaches and pro scouts are likely putting in overtime the next 2 weeks identifying who they believe those OL and perhaps RB and DL cap casualty “upgrades” might be…..
August 18th, 2019 at 2:42 pm
RayJay I just rewatched that play before I posted. Dotson blocked the wrong guy and his man had a free run at Winson but Winston sidestepped Dotson’s guy and avoided the sack. Donavan got beat by his man and that who sacked Winston as soon as he got away from the first guy.
Dotson and Donovan both made mistakes on that play but it was Donovan’s guy that recorded the sack.
Maybe next time you need to think before you open your big fat mouth.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Pickgrin I totally agree about the draft. Adding pieces to the worst defense in the league was defiently the best decision. Don’t even know why it’s debatable.
The only problem I got is paying all the money they did to D.Smith. I’ll admitt it’s not a problem right now but if he plays during the season the way he played on Friday it will proove to be a huge mistake.
I’ll reserve total judgement til the season actually starts but his preseason is not giving me much hope.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:52 pm
@christopher
Yes moron it is a JASON GUMP PROBLEM.
He’s had 5 years to get 5 people to protect the FRANCHISE QB.
This didn’t become a problem this season dumb as s.
Games are won and lost in the trenches and the Bucs are bad at both.
This season will absolutely viewed like this:
Not enough pressure on opposing teams
And
The o line not being able to protect a da mn thing.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:53 pm
@BucEmUp … “he (BA) knows what teams have good depth that will be making cuts. Good coaching is everything!!!!!”
Hmmm, I thought you were the one BucEmUp who said we had plenty of talent, but just needed better coaches to ‘coach em up’. So why are you now talking about BA ‘making cuts’? I thought all he had to do was coach up guys like Boozer & Benenoch and we’d be Super Bowl bound. Perhaps … just perhaps … the talent wasn’t REALLY as good as you made it out to be? When all is said & done, the defense will have a 50% roster turnover. S/Ts turned over 100%. Offense has had quite a few changes itself. Hmmm, still think we had plenty of talent & that it’s ALL ABOUT COACHING?
August 18th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
Benoturnstile hasn’t been cut yet? Hell, it’s almost 3 pm the day after another bad preseason game.
August 18th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
@jimmyjack
I won’t reserve judgement.
D Smith is lazy and doesn’t have the passion to be great. He’s slow doesn’t finish blocks and looks checked out at times. He doesn’t wanna be great.
He’s gonnna do just enough to get by.
August 18th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Ain’t happening.
Donovan Smith would be cut before that happens. Been over this countless times.
August 18th, 2019 at 3:04 pm
They won’t move D Smith to the right side but have no problem moving a potential pro bowler at RG to 3 different positions.
Yea I know left tackle is the most important but it’s another example of the idiotic moves this pathetic franchise has made over the last few years.
August 18th, 2019 at 3:12 pm
@Jimmyjack
Before making yourself look like an idiot with immature name calling, try getting your facts straight in line with the article if you can read that is. Baker ran by Dotson untouched and was first to hit Winston. Harris did get the sack because Baker missed the tackle. My comment which was following the article referring to Baker being untouched was on Dotson not Smith. But yes, both Dotson and Smith were beaten on the play.
August 18th, 2019 at 3:16 pm
Bucs have much bigger concerns. Like secondary and pass rush. Bucs had the top passing offense in the game last year with the same five guys blocking. So no, Joe isn’t sweating the starting-five.
______________________________________________
Yet Joe was one of the ones beating the dead horse over our RB’s and the run game. smh
August 18th, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Have you looked around the NFL? Most teams are lucky to have three above average to good offensive linemen, let alone, any very good or great ones.
There is an OL talent shortage and every team is looking and few who can play get released.
Draft and develop is the only way.
I liked Dean in the 3rd round, but a swing tackle for quality depth and future starting might have been the better choice there.
Bobby Evans from Oklahoma, taken by the Rams who know how to draft OL, and Yodny Cajuste from West Virginia, taken by the Pats, who also know how to develop OL, were both there for the taking.
Just saying…
August 18th, 2019 at 3:56 pm
RayJay unfortunately for you Dotson did not allow the sack as you claimed in your first post so you were wrong.
Apologize for what I said. I almost said big fat ugly mouth because I thought it was funny but decided it was too mean & unwarranted. So you see my maturity is improving but still not where it should be. I am only halfway though my newest self help book so bare with me. Here in the next week or so you shall see a new and improved JimmyJack.
August 18th, 2019 at 4:12 pm
I did mistakenly type sack. However if Dotson blocked Baker I honestly think Winston would have avoided being sacked by Harris. Not really worth a debate but I just found it funny that so many people instantly attacked Smith with no mention of Dotsons failure. I don’t think either of our OT’s are even average NFL quality starters though. Both are not very good.
August 18th, 2019 at 4:31 pm
I was more upset with Donavon on that play because of the way he got beat. He got beat physically in a 1vs1 battle.
Dotson missed an assignment and blocked the wrong player.
Dotson’s mistake should be more easily corrected. In Donavons case he just wasn’t good enough. Not sure about anyone else but that why I was more critical of Smith.
Also on another play he was grabbed and thrown airborn out of the defenders way. Looking at just two plays might be cherry picking in many instances but when he only ran, what?, 8 plays all day. 25% bad plays is awful. And it maybe be worse then just 2 if you focus on him more. Not sure.
August 18th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
All I know is the focus in the next draft as well as waiver wire has to be OL first and foremost then DL. I think we are ok at guard but tackles need attention and the depth is a joke but when the starters ate not very good, can’t expect much from their back ups.
August 18th, 2019 at 5:12 pm
I believe the Bucs will upgrade depth of the o-line after the cut to 53. Also, BA indicated they may trade a backup receiver or TE for a backup o-line. He has said many times this roster is not even close to a final product.
August 18th, 2019 at 6:46 pm
How much are we paying Jensen, market and smith again??????
And who is on the other side. Dotson and who again?
Get you @$$ in gear Licht.
August 18th, 2019 at 6:46 pm
Marpet…damn autocorrect
August 18th, 2019 at 7:12 pm
GhostofSchiano Says:
“…who is on the other side. Dotson and who again?”
Alex Cappa…and he’s doing much better than was rumored.
The big concern with the offensive line at this point is tackle depth. We literally have almost nothing there. Caleb is RT depth…Boozer is LT depth.
Caleb will make the roster unless we sign someone better, because so far as depth, we don’t have a better option at tackle…on either side.
And really…we don’t have a good Center depth either. If Jensen goes down, we may be in trouble.
But I’m sure when final roster cuts are made, Licht will get some options.
August 18th, 2019 at 9:09 pm
OL is terrible… wants proof? No run game… not even a little… want more proof? Watch Jameis run for his life and it was only 1 series really. Against back up DEs of Miami. Joe is so stuck in his beliefs he refuses to use his eyes. It’s not like everyone cant see the Tackles on both sides getting destroyed play after play. McCoy against Alex Cappa is gonna be comical. And people will blame Jameis. Just sad. Every playoff team can run the ball. Buts just completely ignored it. Falcons didnt. Panthers didn’t. Saints didnt. Basement again… 🙁
August 18th, 2019 at 9:10 pm
OL is terrible… wants proof? No run game… not even a little… want more proof? Watch Jameis run for his life and it was only 1 series really. Against back up DEs of Miami. Joe is so stuck in his beliefs he refuses to use his eyes. It’s not like everyone cant see the Tackles on both sides getting destroyed play after play. McCoy against Alex Cappa is gonna be comical. And people will blame Jameis. Just sad. Every playoff team can run the ball. Buts just completely ignored it. Falcons didnt. Panthers didn’t. Saints didnt. Basement again… 🙁
August 18th, 2019 at 9:14 pm
Y’all are dreaming.. no GOOD OL will be cut by other teams. Only decent lineman that are cut will be cap casualties and we will not be able to afford them. We’re stuck with the crap we got… way to go Licht
August 18th, 2019 at 9:16 pm
Maybe we can trade Tanner Hudson for some OL depth. If we wait for cuts the new guy/guys won’t know the offense to start the season.
August 18th, 2019 at 10:57 pm
I watched the tape and DSmith was in at LT (of course he was given starters were in on first drive). JW was under fire 3 times that drive: first play Smith’s guy gets immediately by DSmith who basically stood up and gave him a shove… result was overthrow to Mike; second was whiff on blitz pickup by RoJo but JW escapes; and third was sack by DSmith’s guy after Smith gave ground and left JW vulnerable when he stepped up in the pocket… which he did because a Dolphin came in like a bat out of hell from the right side. So, I’ll ratchet down the worst starter on OL (unless someone else was in for Dotson on the sack)… but, seriously, can anyone get excited about an LT who just got paid getting beat twice in the first series?
I get we pass a lot and there were several plays DSmith held up just fine… but giving up 2 pressures on 1 series of work? My lying eyes tell me both pressures were likely lapses in effort… he probably just gave the guy a shove on the first play because a quick pass was called and he thought the ball would be out before his guy could get in JW’s face (wrong)… and when he gave up the sack he just stopped when his guy changed direction because he thought JW was already down from Dot’s guy (wrong) or that JW was not stepping up (wrong, but hard to really see what was intended given how quickly the pocket went in the crapper). I just don’t see the fire in his belly. Again, I’m all in on BA and they didn’t pay him all that money to be crappy… so I’m patiently waiting to see with my eyes what 2 different staffs have clearly seen. Didn’t see it Friday.
August 18th, 2019 at 11:15 pm
Don’t think running backs should share just a modicum of responsibility?
August 21st, 2019 at 6:37 pm
“Joe swears Benenoch has actually gotten worse” Lmfaooo 😂😂😂😂😂