Shaq Needs Help
October 25th, 2019
Man on an island.
Yes, Joe is trying not to get worked up this morning. But it is a chore of self-control.
For damn near as long as this site has been up and running, some 11 years, Joe has been harping that the Bucs need pass rushing specialists, preferably one that resides on the defensive line.
Now it is a wonderful story that Shaq Barrett basically has come from nowhere to be one of the best pass rushers in the game. He’s tied for most sacks in the NFL with nine, but has been shut out the past two weeks as opposing offenses are targeting him.
Barrett, per the good people of NFL Films, offering up data for BSPN’s NFL Matchup, is the No. 6 player in the NFL in disruption rate, which determines percentage of rushes that result in sacks, quarterback pressures or quarterback hurries.
Sadly for the Bucs, few other defenders are blasting quarterbacks. This of course allows quarterbacks to have so much time in the pocket they can do their taxes. And the way the Bucs’ secondary doesn’t cover receivers, allowing unfettered time to throw is the football equivalent of throwing matches at a bucket of gas.
Could the Bucs be in the market for an additional pass rusher to help out the secondary? Developments last night suggest the Bucs are not looking for such a player.
Last night the Bucs let a chance slip through their fingers to right a long-time wrong and acquire pass-rushing specialist Michael Bennett, who the Bucs let go for no good reason. Bennett was just traded to the Cowboys for a sixth-round pick.
Aaawww, just skip it!
October 25th, 2019 at 8:03 am
I think we win Sunday and JW comes out of the bye strong but if we were to lose… you should be a seller at the deadline and get something for shaq
October 25th, 2019 at 8:06 am
You remember JPP? Yeah he is back now. Maybe see how that goes?
October 25th, 2019 at 8:07 am
As much as I liked Devin White going into the draft. And for as good of a player as I think he’ll become, personally I still would have taken Josh Allen to be perfectly honest. I didn’t think he’d actually fall to us and when he did I have to admit I was slightly disappointed when we didnt select him.
Can you imagine Shaq Barret and Josh Allen on the Same defense with JPP, Vea and Suh? Ah well life goes on. Even with that front our secondary would still be trash.
October 25th, 2019 at 8:08 am
Look at that guy at number 4…
October 25th, 2019 at 8:15 am
He has a nasty muscle injury….JPP will be a huge help !
October 25th, 2019 at 8:28 am
As much as I’d love to have Bennett back, I’m not sure he fits a 34 defense.
October 25th, 2019 at 8:40 am
Josh Allen at #4!!
Instead we got 5-10 MLB with stumpy arms.
Kevin Minter and Buccannon would have sufficed.
Why draft a MLB at #5???
October 25th, 2019 at 8:42 am
Bennett has been a non-factor for years now. NE dumped him because he was causing problems AND not doing anything. NO team is going to let go of a real pass rusher unless they have tanked out already. So, unless Geno Atkins comes available, wake me when it’s over. We won’t be trading for anything. They will be quiet and watch Patrick Peterson end up with KC or someone else. Sad, but we live HERE in Bucs Reality and we have all been here before. There are NO unicorns, fairies, or DBs. Sorry if I ruined the whole unicorns or fairies thing for anyone, the other part most of us grownups already know.
October 25th, 2019 at 8:43 am
@teacher… great point.
October 25th, 2019 at 8:47 am
Brad, very accurate. Bennett has been average-at-best for a few years now. I guess the Patriots also let him go for no good reason. Oh wait, they did have a good reason. We however didn’t, what was it, nearly 10 years ago? Get over a joes. Past history.
October 25th, 2019 at 8:48 am
*get over it
October 25th, 2019 at 9:03 am
I have to make myself quit posting. The Bucs have made me become far too negative which is more just being realistic about this crap show. Anyways, since I have no clue how anyone remains positive or has any faith or hope in the train wreck of a football franchise that calls Tampa home and I don’t want to ruin some people’s perception of this team the way the team has ruined mine.
I used to be die hard. As a kid when games were blacked out, I listened on my radio and would even record them on cassette tapes to listen through the week. The Bucs have destroyed my love of the game at this point as well as the ridiculous rules and officiating but that’s another story. This franchise is really pushing me to not only have no faith in them and reign in my expectations every year but to become angry with them and just switch to a new team. That is how fed up I am with their crap!!!
October 25th, 2019 at 9:12 am
We drafted for need and that hardly ever works out. Should’ve taken Allen when he slipped to us. I think White will be an okay starter for a while but Allen is already a force on the edge. Probably would’ve helped a little with our atrocious secondary too.
October 25th, 2019 at 9:16 am
lol Michael Bennett ..ancient dinosaur
October 25th, 2019 at 9:22 am
Bradinator couldn’t be more right. Rayjay1122 hang in there buddy, we all know the feeling.
October 25th, 2019 at 9:38 am
No they didn’t.
October 25th, 2019 at 9:46 am
Joe so you’re saying they didn’t draft White because Kwon left to take more money and to fill the hole at MILB?
October 25th, 2019 at 9:56 am
Guys Devin White has basically only played 2 games 1 really healthy lets give it some time. Once he becomes a stud just be a man and eat your crow.
October 25th, 2019 at 10:20 am
White will be alright.
October 25th, 2019 at 10:26 am
Michael Bennett is a distraction….He’s been on 4 teams now in the last 3 yrs? There’s a reason playoff caliber teams keep telling him to hit the road. I can see why we passed.
As for the pass rush, there’s film on us. The first 3-5 games, its easy to surprise opposing teams and catch them off guard….but by the 6th game, they have a pretty good feel for what you’re doing and then its a matter of who executes better. Its not rocket science, teams are adding a tad more pass protection and allowing their WRs to win match ups against our crap a$$ secondary. They’ve figured us out, we have no counter move. Our best strategy is “developing” the young guys and hoping things start to click around mid-season. Hope being the key word with this entire franchise….
October 25th, 2019 at 10:26 am
The Bucs need to be sellers not buyers. Anyone that doesn’t think this team needs to be rebuilt (AGAIN) is living in Fantasy Land!
October 25th, 2019 at 10:39 am
I wouldnt count of jpp coming in and saving the season or our pass rush. I’m very surprised he’s even practicing with the team.. would be even more surprised if active this weekend. Still even if he does play I don’t expect him t have mucj of an impact the rest of this season. Rushing a guy to get back from broken vertebrae smells of a bad teams desperation attempt. I know fans want to have some reason to hope bur don’t think jpp is it. Many posters already pointed out he haopened to have a very high sack number with not that many pressures kast year and impression was he was already overrated.. at his age, woth a neck injury. . I am not counting on hi this season or in the future really.. another year won’t help even if it’s another ye ar of recovery
October 25th, 2019 at 11:17 am
All of those apart from Shaq Barrett are 1st or 2nd round picks! Shaq was undrafted out of Colorado State!
October 25th, 2019 at 12:14 pm
JPP will help shaq and the secondary….
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 25th, 2019 at 3:02 pm
Josh Allen would have looked so good next to Bennett man, hahaha what a horrible pick Licht made. White will be very good but this defense needs a passrush a lot more than a smart MLB.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:44 pm
At Joe would Mike fit under the salary cap?