Bucs Need “Ramsey-like” CB
September 28th, 2019
Down on Bucs corner.
Earlier this week, former Bucs blocking icon wide receiver Michael Clayton, took to the local airwaves and cited Bucs cornerback Vernon Hargreaves as a weak link.
Clayton then jumped on “In the Trenches,” a podcast hosted by former Bucs guard and popular local sports radio personality Ian Beckles. There, Clayton dove deeper on Hargreaves, stopping just short of saying Hargreaves will prevent the Bucs from winning.
“We’ve seen him make some big plays this year, and we’ve seen him not make some big plays this year. What we are lacking is that Jalen Ramsey-type of corner,” Clayton said. “[Hargreaves] has been beat enough to where teams are not afraid of him. He’s not tall; he’s not big. If he is not in the perfect position, he won’t make the play.”
Clayton brought up Ramsey’s name often to Beckles.
You don’t have to be a CIA officer to read between the lines here. Clayton all but said that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht needs to talk to Jags strongman Tom Coughlin and somehow weasel Ramsey away from the Jags.
But Clayton also said something here that concerned Joe. He said the Bucs were playing man-to-man defense most of the second half (which sort of backs up Andy Benoit). Yes, that’s partly why the Bucs had an awful day defending the pass.
Clayton also added that a man defense is much easier for a rookie quarterback to read whereas a zone defense forces a rookie to think more and read more, which often confuses a rookie.
And as we saw, a rookie quarterback making his first start carved up the Bucs.
Same ol’ Bucs.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:04 pm
That bum Winston already said he’d take a pay cut for Ramsey as he should
September 28th, 2019 at 4:21 pm
How about Darrell Revis?……Oops, we tried that…..how about Tropitone then….at least it’s the best outdoor furniture.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:25 pm
There aren’t very many “Jalen Ramsey type cornerbacks” that exist. That’s like saying, “The Buccaneers need a Saquon Barkley type running back” like, ummm yeah. We would definitely be better with the best at his position playing for us, but other teams seem to manage without a DB as good as Jalen playing for them.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
I stated that in the second quarter last week in the game thread. Blitzing virtually every down and not getting there is a recipe for disaster. Less pressure more coverage. How do these coaches get these jobs when laymen like me can see it but they can’t?
September 28th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
I would mention the Pats but Stephon Gilmore is a STUD.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
Revis was on his way out. Ramsey is young. With Todd blitzing d. You need the corners to hold up. Davis is … but he hold on the receivers for penalties and Vernon idk. He hasn’t show the shutdown ability.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:42 pm
There is so much “I want” going on nowadays it’s getting downright ridiculous. I want a $30 mil franchise QB. I want a $20 mil WR and while we’re at it, throw in a couple of $7 mil TEs and maybe another $7 mil WR. And oh ya, don’t forget about the $50 mil OLine to protect all that. And it sure would be great to have a $5 mil RB … or two. Better throw those into the shopping cart too.
Oh and while we’re ‘wanting’ I want at least one DT for $10 mil, preferably two. Ya two DTs like that would be much more better. And of course I want 2 DEs/OLBs at $15 mil apiece to sack the QB early and often. Oops, almost forgot the $10 mil LB and his companion $5mil LB sidekick. I can stomach one rookie in the Secondary, but will need at least one $10-$15 mil outside corner and a $5-$10 mil safety.
Ya I know that comes to well over $200 mil for only 20 players. What do ya mean that well over the salary Cap and we’ve still got over 30 players to pay. Not my problem man. Be creative with the contracts. Stop shining; figure it out. Everyone knows you get what you pay for. Well, usually. OK, sometimes. Well, unless you’re the Bucs.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:46 pm
Heres the thing tho, if the corners do their job in man and cover the receiver, it dont matter whether its zone or man. Execution and communication are key to being successful on the back end.
Having talented well coached players back there helps too. Looking at you MJ Stewart.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Licht Weight is bound to accidentally find one…likely spending multiple high picks on the secondary for the next four years of his deal. No need to worry, folks.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Vern is only a weak link because he’s not playing in the slot. That’s his true position, which there is nothing wrong with. Rondé was arguably the greatest slot corner of all time and it was one of the key cogs to allow that legendary scheme to thrive. These Bucs need long savvy press corners outside with speed (Jamel Dean). Obviously Ramsey is the prototype and you want him on your team a tricky as a player but it might be overkill. One top flight veteran like Rhodes would be enough to turn the CBs into a strength.
Although, Chris Harris Jr would probably be my one exception to bring in and keep VH3 on the outside because he’s probably the best slot corner in the NFL.
I feel like either of these scenarios would push this defense over the top. Now about Dotson……………
September 28th, 2019 at 4:52 pm
Not many teams in the NFL have a “Jalen Ramsey” type of CB and they seem to win games. We need to start drafting good DBs, that’s what we need to start doing, looking at you Jason Licht. The Bucs have invested premium picks in the secondary and they seem to always remain mediocre.
September 28th, 2019 at 4:57 pm
We need a gm
If u watched any sec footie
You would have seen the Vh3 was a 3rd round pick
September 28th, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Like coach Bowles said in his presser, we just didnt make plays.
If Mike Edward’s makes an open field tackle, they dont score on the first play of the 2nd half. And the game is a different story. If Suh gets over to his gap on the last Daniel Jones TD run, the game is a different story.
Let’s not be so quick to throw Bowles under the bus. It’s not like Mike Smith calling the same coverage over and over again for a year and a half only to see it get beat every time.
September 28th, 2019 at 5:08 pm
Can Jalen Ramsey make chip shot FG’s? If so, trade for him!
September 28th, 2019 at 5:17 pm
Different subject but damn Charlie Strong is an awful head coach. Poor USF. Lol
September 28th, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Pretty sure we didn’t draft all these young DBs on cheap rookie contracts just so that we could have them ride the bench and make Ramsey the highest paid corner in the league.
If these young guys develop, we will have a cheap talented secondary and can spend money upgrading or trying to keep our pass rushers in town.
September 28th, 2019 at 5:29 pm
Have we not already had a player or several players who already voiced their not wanting to be on another team and we signed them..and they start the same thing here. Yeah Ramsey is a great DB. But IMHO sometimes the baggage a Player brings is not worth the money. Looking at you Jackson. We sure we want to try that again?
September 28th, 2019 at 5:33 pm
On another thought did we ever try Hands of stone Clayton at DB? Maybe he was misused? Came out if high school as a top recruit DB but changed to WR at LSU. As I remember he was always around the ball and had good speed, maybe he was always a DB and didn’t know it. His catching skills were just not good enough to be a WR. He might have been a HOF DB.
September 28th, 2019 at 5:37 pm
Dapostman,
Not getting to the QB on a blitz is , as you say, a recipe for disaster.
Although you can get away with it if the QB is inaccurate. If on the other hand, He is accurate ..it’s time to change what you’re doing and adjust.
Lots of fans were absolutely stoked to learn the defense was going to be playing press. Almost to the point of believing we could play press 100% of the time and the results would be magical. I’m not seeing those posts now.
September 28th, 2019 at 5:39 pm
“Ramsey-like” CB, “Mahomes-like” QB, young “Peterson-like” RB… The Bucs might actually challenge playoff caliber teams…
September 28th, 2019 at 5:41 pm
Rusty,
Excellent post!
He also had a defensive players mindset. Probably would have been very good.
Nice work. ..
Monday morning 9 am you have a meeting with the Glazer’s.
September 28th, 2019 at 5:42 pm
Tye,
If they play more patriot like.
September 28th, 2019 at 5:46 pm
Patriot-like would work D1… That would be a great surprise!
September 28th, 2019 at 5:54 pm
Clayton has a lot in common with VH3 it seems
September 28th, 2019 at 6:26 pm
Not sure what is worse, Licht’s 2nd round picks or Licht’s drafting of DB’s?
September 28th, 2019 at 8:00 pm
Yeah, thanks D1. Please have their people get together with my people. ..
September 28th, 2019 at 8:03 pm
Hargreaves can mask a lot of his deficiencies by making splash plays but it’s hard to rely on that.
I don’t and haven’t thought that the Bucs see him as the future of the position and drafted that way. Would be nice to see one of these rookies get onto the field and show what they are capable of.
Trading for Ramsey is too shortsighted. Let our potential play out this year and if a move is needed make it in the off-season
September 28th, 2019 at 8:26 pm
Jameis Winston is definitely going to take a pay cut…
He’s going to get ZERO from the Bucs.
September 28th, 2019 at 9:07 pm
Every draft publication I read before the 2016 draft had VH III going either in the first round or early second. Honestly though, he’s played like a 3rd rounder.
September 28th, 2019 at 9:26 pm
Hargraves is a weak link?
Who knew.
Oh, meybe the last regime, that benched him.
Horrible. Has always been horrible.
Im really surprised that Jason Didnt give Bruce some of the previous regimes game film!
Then he wouldnt just be finding out that Jameis, Hargraves, our O-line depth suck.
Well, I guess such a fabulous coach would rather waste a season, finding out for himself.
September 28th, 2019 at 10:06 pm
No. Bucs need a HC who wins, not loses games for them. No 7 yard runoff and we are stoked about 2-1. And that’s just the last of the mistakes. Ramsey doesnt need a team. He needs Antonio Brown.
September 28th, 2019 at 11:26 pm
@Defense Rules
*golf clap* ..kudos my Buc friend!
September 28th, 2019 at 11:29 pm
Hey look everybody!!!!
A shiny new toy!!!!
September 28th, 2019 at 11:54 pm
DR
I know where we could get 7 mil right now…
September 29th, 2019 at 12:03 am
We really need to change the uniforms…
Look at the picture above. That’s a uni.
Our current ones are clownish. If I wanted something like we have now, I ‘d be a Seahawk fan.
Look good, feel good, feel good, play good. Etc. etc.
September 29th, 2019 at 12:09 am
Dont think Ramsey is going anywhere especially to us at the price it will cost but Bucs need something because our corner situation is horrible, Carlton Davis is leading the league but unfortunately it’s in penalties because his strength is supposed to be press but it’s actually holding that he’s good at. VH3 is just hanging on for dear life making sure he doesn’t hurt his chances of a big contract next year so hes playing it safe
September 29th, 2019 at 3:49 am
Pewter ,
Carlton will get better. Holding in press is how it’s done in more college teams than not. Last year, he didn’t really gain experience because they didn’t man up.
Basically , He’s a rookie in man coverage in his first full season he has the skills to improve.
Now if we want to say that he should be top notch or tier 1 and he’s not, then get Ramsey. No need to wait for him to develop. But it’s going to come with a high price tag. Draft and develop is one way. Sign proven vets the other. Whichever side you favor .stick to it.
September 29th, 2019 at 3:51 am
Look bad, feel bad, play bad. The uni’s don’t certainly don’t help.
September 29th, 2019 at 7:08 am
Lol…I hope someone in charge of new unis prohibits Nike from any contact with the team . No ideas, calls, texts..nada. Nike has made every uni worse .
Maybe the Glazer’s bought Nike. ..come to think of it….
September 29th, 2019 at 7:38 am
@JJ, “…Let our potential play out this year…”
It clearly is. We are one tackle away from 0-3. The Bucs made a rookie QB look like Tom Brady, AFTER their BEST player and only weapon was taken out of the game. I don’t care how good Danny Dimes will be, that should have NEVER happened.
Its a Bucs life!
September 29th, 2019 at 8:32 am
Most teams don’t have a Ramsey type lol. Sooo yea news flash
September 29th, 2019 at 8:40 am
They are all weak links because Licht doesn’t know how to draft. Seriously Bunting? Weren’t you all shaking your heads when he was picked at #39? Didn’t you all have to goggle his name to find out who the F he was, and from where? I’d trade every corner Licht has drafted for one Ramsey. Licht sucks, the losing will continue until we get a GM who is better at evaluating talent, and has an actual plan about how to build a team from the ground up. Or should I say the front, back.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:53 am
The Bucs have used six early round picks on CBs and safeties the last two years. Supposedly the Jags want two first round picks for Ramsey. The Bucs cannot spend that kind of draft capital on yet another player for the secondary. Too bad too because if they had been smart the last couple of drafts they may have been in a position to make a move for the best corner in football. For the time being we just have to trot out that shaky defense and hope they don’t get burned often.
FWIW, everyone seems to bag on Hargreaves and act like Davis is decent. I don’t see it. Davis doesn’t do much of anything outside of committing holding penalties.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:57 am
For the last three years I’ve read articles on this website all about how we needed to play more man and less zone on defense… now after we get burned one game, it’s “we need to play more zone.” Should we fire Bowles and rehire Smith? I don’t think so. Id rather go down swinging.
September 29th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
I think the best lineup for who we have is Vernon in the slot with David and Dean at corner.
Bigger faster is better.
Vernon just doesn’t have the makeup speed so he ALWAYS plays off.
MJ Stewart at nickel is a liability.
If Ramsey came in, MJ Stewart would be on the practice squad I bet.