League Leader Jordan Whitehead
October 8th, 2019
When Bucco Bruce Arians called the Buccaneers’ secondary “soft” this week, you know there was one guy he was not referring to.
That was certainly hard-hitting and improving second-year safety Jordan Whitehead, who delivered a crushing hit on Alvin Kamara early in the first half and played a decent game and certainly an aggressive one.
As Joe continues to search for positives on this somewhat depressing Tuesday, Joe has discovered that no safety in the National Football League has more passes defensed (an official NFL stat) than Whitehead. His six “PD’s” lead the Bucs and rank tied for third-most in the NFL.
For perspective, current backup safety Andrew Adams led the Bucs with 9 passes defensed last season. In 2016, when the Bucs were last a good team, Seahawks Pro Bowl alternate safety Bradley McDougald led Bucs safeties with 10 passes defensed, as cornerback Brent Grimes led the NFL with 24.
Darrelle Revis led the Bucs with 11 passes defensed in 2013, and the year before it was Rondé Barber, during his line season at safety leading the Bucs with 13.
When Bucco Bruce Arians is asked about Whitehead, he just about always replies that Whitehead’s production is excellent, though he has lots of room to improve.
Joe will take that evaluation of a 22 year old safety all day long.
October 8th, 2019 at 3:10 pm
Cool, just need another safety, 2 cb’s and a nickelback. Not sold on Davis.
October 8th, 2019 at 3:10 pm
STATS ARE FOR LOSERS!………..(Raheem Morris)
…and I absolutely HATE STAT checkers because they’re pointless when you’re losing ballgames
October 8th, 2019 at 3:12 pm
Were the Bucs a good team in 2016?
October 8th, 2019 at 3:13 pm
So McDougald is a Pro Bowl alternate not Pro Bowler. Interesting.
October 8th, 2019 at 3:13 pm
Joe has discovered that no safety in the National Football League has more passes defensed (an official NFL stat) than Whitehead. His six “PD’s” lead the Bucs and rank tied for third-most in the NFL.
Sorry Joe….but this makes no sense to me……nobody has more PD but he’s tied for 3rd? “No safety” has more. It was clear. –Joe
Other than that…..Whitehead is a great pick…..
October 8th, 2019 at 3:31 pm
ok….
it that because he’s being targeted a ton?….
olson, ingram and cook sure did a lot of damage….
GO BUCS!!!!!!
October 8th, 2019 at 3:35 pm
Whitehead can’t cover either. Special team player at best
October 8th, 2019 at 3:38 pm
Jamal Adams
October 8th, 2019 at 3:51 pm
who delivered “two” crushing hit on the Alvin Kamara
———
Fixed it
October 8th, 2019 at 3:52 pm
Our outside corners have only 2 passes defensed each and MJ has one. Thats stinks and the blame is shared among all of them equally, IMO. At this point agree with Dewey.And the soft label might be also referring to some of 2019 draftees
who haven’t been healthy enough to compete with the current starters.
.
October 8th, 2019 at 4:13 pm
So he has the 3rd most in the NFL right now? Wow I’ll bet all I have that he leads the NFL in Dropped Ints. He average about 2 a game that hits him in the hands every week seems like. He is the only bright spot in this soft secondary.
October 8th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Good now Whitehead can practice all week and be like “Hey Vern get your head out of your ass! Hey Coach get somebody in here that gonna help us get nasty!!
October 8th, 2019 at 4:59 pm
813…
#28 gets targeted a ton and he doesnt have very many passes defensed….
October 8th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
Hargreaves is NOT an NFL-caliber outside CB.
Why do the coaches not realize this???
These coaches are costing us games ny putting Hargreaves on the outside.
Plain and simple. It’s the coaches fault, not Hargreaves’. He can’t help it that he sucks. They need to realize that and adjust accordingly, but they Haven’t.
Stupid coaching.
October 8th, 2019 at 5:48 pm
Could it be Hargreaves is a better option on the outside currently on the roster not named “Carlton Davis?” That might be your answer.
Joe doesn’t know of too many coaches who will play lesser players because the original player sucks.
October 8th, 2019 at 6:19 pm
Dean, if healthy should replace VHIII. If not, then SMB should replace VHIII. Put VHIII at nickel where he belongs that way we only have one weakness in the defensive backfield instead of two. Scheme with two safeties to help the weakest link and let’s quit getting burned.
October 8th, 2019 at 6:25 pm
Been saying it for 3 weeks now. Ever since Sterling Shepard, a decent but nothing special Wideout, ate Hargreaves for lunch. We simply must trade for a starting caliber corner if we want any chance at making the playoffs.
Right now Xavien Howard is at the top of my list. Patrick Peterson is in close 2nd.
October 8th, 2019 at 6:41 pm
Die HARD Gator here
Alum as well
Super VH3 Supporter to begin with.
He is a #3
Hated to type this but………..
October 8th, 2019 at 6:47 pm
SB…
He’s not even that. He’s strictly a nickel. You cant put him on the outise or he gets roasted.
October 8th, 2019 at 6:58 pm
@DBS
I thought the same thing… McDougald might have stuck it out here if Joe called him Americas Safety Pro Bowler Bradley McDougald.
October 8th, 2019 at 7:00 pm
Curious question for Joe… Why is Bradley Mcdougald’s “ALTERNATE ” probowl appearance emphasized but jw3’s ONE TIME appearance AS AN ALTERNATE is not? Simple, McDougald was not called to play in the Pro Bowl. Jameis was called and threw two touchdown passes.–Joe If u want to be credible and taken serious call it like it is.
October 8th, 2019 at 8:28 pm
Whitehead is the lone bright spot in our secondary.
Davis looks to have the skills but his technique still needs a lot of work.
I wanted so bad for VH3 to succeed, like any other player on the Bucs, but I just haven’t seen it. He’s a liability right now, simple as that.
October 8th, 2019 at 8:45 pm
Do they count batted down passes when the safety blitzes as a PD
October 8th, 2019 at 9:33 pm
Hopefully they taught him how to tackle this week. He’s always looking for the big hit and if u watch the tape back there were good yards made after his “big hit”
October 8th, 2019 at 10:23 pm
Secondary is more to blame for the giants game than matt gay. They lost to the saints and 49ers, we lost one we shouldn’t have. So weird people are upset we won’t go 16-0.
Joe you can’t say VH3 is the best option if he is giving up the most yardage and most completions of any corner on the team probably in the NFL. Joe never wrote he is the best option. –Joe My prediction was he would be replaced midseason, should have been demoted after the Rams game.
Debatable VH3 is best as a slot corner. Not debatable he is not good enough top play on the outside. We now see why Mike Smith wouldn’t play press, they suck at it….
October 9th, 2019 at 4:08 am
omg mike smith is starting to look good…never thought i’d say that…
and duff is lookin’ straight genius…yowzers
October 9th, 2019 at 6:41 am
Hated the pick….Leremy Tunsil or Keanu Neal were much better options at the time imo…
He has great ball skills true indeed, but the fact that he’s small and slow makes him a big liability on the outside; and honestly I don’t think he’s tough enough to play inside, so he is truly a wasted pick…
Imho if he’s not getting his hands on passes and he’s getting roasted every week we may as well go with one of our bigger faster rookies
October 9th, 2019 at 2:02 pm
whitehead will be future probowl player.
October 9th, 2019 at 3:53 pm
Need to get Peterson and move everyone else. We don NOT have a CB1 right now.