ESPN: Upgrade Right Tackle
February 3rd, 2020
Right tackle analysis.
Joe is convinced of living in a different world when it comes to the Bucs’ offensive line.
Joe has seen bad offensive lines. Joe assumes the Bucs-must-fix-the-offensive-line crowd are new fans or cannot remember anything longer than five years ago.
In 2014, the Bucs offensive line was beyond dreadful. Anthony Collins, Oneil Cousins, Garrett “Whoops!” Gilkey, Patrick Omameh, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Josh Allen combined to make 48 starts Now that was a brutal offensive line.
Shoot, Joe remembers when the Bucs won a Super Bowl with the walking hands-to-the-face-flag, Kenyatta Walker, starting at right tackle. The difference then was the Bucs had quality running backs who didn’t need a 10-yard wide hole to run through with five pancake blocks on every snap.
Compared to Walker, good guy and long-time Bucs starter at right tackle, Demar Dotson, looks like Dan Dierdorf.
However, while assessing Bucs needs, Jenna Laine of ESPN believes the Bucs need to upgrade right tackle rather than bring back Dotson, who will turn 35 in October.
… now a free agent. His pass block win rate in 2019 was 88.9% — 28th among offensive tackles in the league — and he had 6.0 sacks attributed to him, according to ESPN’s pass-blocking metrics powered by NFL Next Gen Stats. …
Should the Bucs use an early draft pick on a right tackle, which might be an ideal solution considering they have so many other needs, it would not only help solidify that right side but also give them options as a potential [Donovan] Smith replacement.
Well, not all right tackles can play left tackle and not all left tackles can play right tackle. It’s nice to think that but it’s not always so.
For example, the reason the Bucs drafted fan favorite Donovan Smith in the first place was Dotson’s failed December 2014 tryout at left tackle, when the Bucs told Collins to go home in early (and he never played another snap of football outside of maybe his backyard).
Also, Smith years ago told Joe (despite Twitter and the internet arguing otherwise) that there is no way he can play right tackle.
Joe isn’t opposed to the Bucs drafted a right tackle, say Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs. And maybe that would calm down the crowd that believes the Bucs’ offensive line is the root of all evil and the reason why the globe is in a panic over the coronavirus.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:11 pm
draft this kid or isaiah wilson from GA…..bring wells back…..he played well when d.smith was out…..
GO BUCS!!!!!
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:11 pm
Off subject but did you watch Americas Quarterback win last night. Yea I said it Mahomes is the real Americas Quarterback so I dont want to see it associated with Winston anymore Joe.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:22 pm
I think the Bucs offensive line is average to above average but I don’t think there is any debate that the RT position could stand to be upgraded. At the very least the team needs to get younger there and that is no slight on Demar Dotson. His career has lasted longer than Davin Joseph who I thought was a very good offensive lineman. He’s had a nice career but there come a point where the team has to upgrade.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:26 pm
How about a new right tackle and a running back that is an actual threat to defenses?
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:26 pm
Vincente, I second that sentiment. No way JayMiss is America’s QB; maybe America’s Turnover Machine, but no way America’s QB.
Even though he says he be baiiin’; check your sheets…he’s worn out his welcome.
I’m just glad I didn’t invest my hard earned dollars in a #3 jersey.
Peace, out
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:31 pm
A team won the Superbowl bowl last night with it’s QB throwing 2 horrible interceptions and fumbling the ball twice, both times going into score. It’s a team game folks it’s a team game, and anybody with a brain knows that.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:31 pm
Mekhi Becton
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:32 pm
I’m confused… is Joe actually advocating bringing Dotson back for 2020? As a starter? Because we’ve had worse? Hmm… he can’t run block (Bruce observed that publicly… there’s no debate is there?) and now he’s giving up 6 sacks (and Lord knows how many QB hurries) in the passing game?
Come on! Is he a nice guy? Absolutely! Is he not just a weakness on the OL but one of the biggest opportunities for improvement on the team? Yes.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:44 pm
RT needs to be drafted in the 1st or 2nd with us taking a D tackle with the other pick. Sign Demar back as a cheap backup. We can pick a RB in the 3rd however if we wait later and grab Antonio Gibson that’ll be a win/win and will allow us to grab a safety in the 3rd.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:46 pm
I don’t think the o-line is the worst in the league but they definitely could use an upgrade or two, part(not all) of Jameis’ problems are because of the pressure he feels in the pocket and a lot(not all) of the running game’s woes can be directly attributed to the lack of running lanes being created by the o-line, there are just way too many examples of mistakes & mental errors being made by the linemen that can be attributed directly to the Buc’s losing ways. The worst in the league? No, but they are definitely in the bottom half of the league in o-line play, I would put them in the late teens to early to mid twenties if I where to rank them, if they(the Bucs) truly want to make the next step in the win column, they will need the o-line to be ranked in the top half of the league and not the bottom half.
February 3rd, 2020 at 12:49 pm
ndog so what your saying is Jameis could of done better? Haha do you remember the game when we lost to the 49ers? Apparently you blocked that out your memory lol.
February 3rd, 2020 at 1:13 pm
Bucs run game can’t run block
Film doesn’t lie
They are a very good pass blocking line but not good in the run game
February 3rd, 2020 at 1:28 pm
Thanks Gidget…we all knew that.
February 3rd, 2020 at 1:50 pm
Ndog,
What about Pat Mahomes 5 INts all year before last night? That is 1/6 of Jameis’ 30.
We ain’t sniffing playoffs let alone super bowl with that many turnovers. You can win a game of you turn it over- but it decreases
Your odds.
February 3rd, 2020 at 2:52 pm
Mahommes looked like Jameis last night, yet he’s going to Disney World.
They have to just find out why Jameis threw 24 picks at home. Maybe, he has an anxiety problem and he drinks all night before games.
When he’s on the road, he is too closely watched to drink.
Speaking of Super Bowl, did anyone see Kwon Alexander completely whiff on two tackles and let an interception go right through his hands? Talk about keeping a drive alive.
I’ll bet the SF honchos are re-thinking the Kwon signing.
Devon White is looking better all the time.
February 3rd, 2020 at 3:35 pm
ndog
c’mon man…..lol….
i can see your fsu jersey and crab legs thru the screen with a comment like that….lol….
mahomes hasnt even thrown 30INTs in his career let alone a season…..
dont embarrass yourself by comparing PM to JW, espcially when it comes to turnovers……
GO BUCS!!!!!!
February 3rd, 2020 at 3:38 pm
GHOST
gotta agree with you regarding kwon…..
i was very disappointed…..
he’s still over running plays and not wrapping up…..
he may return with the 9ers but it’ll be at a much lower rate….
GO BUCS!!!!!
February 3rd, 2020 at 3:49 pm
Oddly, one place Jameis rarely threw picks was in the red zone. 19/1 THERE. A shrink would have a field day with him
February 3rd, 2020 at 4:06 pm
Is it me or the Bucs have been playing Dotson(LT)and Smith(RT)out of position????????
Dotson is the better pass blocker and Smith a road grader type tackle who some consider a OG
February 3rd, 2020 at 4:50 pm
Mahomes would throw at least 30 picks as a buc. Everytime he gets sacked or pressured he throws picks or bad passes or has to take 3-4 series off.
No qb in the league sans Wilson or Watson would survive behind this line.
February 3rd, 2020 at 4:53 pm
Trade down in round 1 to get one of the top two safeties, Delpit or McKinney, then grab a run blocking RT and a QB in the second round.
Keep Dotson for a year because more than just one lineman, we need more depth on the line. Develop a run blocking scheme with the new guy but use Dotson too.
Marpet and Cappa can do run blocking schemes well. Smith and Dotson can’t.
February 3rd, 2020 at 4:53 pm
Beej
Apparently Winston only has 2 receivers who know their routes. One went to Penn St and the other to Harvard. The rest went to school in the south so what else would you expect?
February 3rd, 2020 at 5:21 pm
Like you Joe I’m all for selecting an RT. Wirts would do just fine although I prefer Becton I do not believe he’ll be around at #14 but who knows.
I wonder if Dot took a significant pay cut just to stretch his career if he might stay as a depth player. His old knees seem shot for a full season but as a backup he might be able to stretch his career if he wants to play that long. Hard to believe he needs the money after all these years of good money.
February 3rd, 2020 at 6:43 pm
We need to pick up a quality veteran QB/RT in Free agency if possible & try to draft a bad ass RB and/or QB. The FA’s would give BA many ways to go in the draft. Like or Dislike Winston, or like myself and like him as a person but not as our 6th year never get better rookie. The bottom line is Wins or Losses. And Winston has not got the Bucs in the play-offs in 5 years.
February 3rd, 2020 at 8:21 pm
The Bucs O line was maybe Avg the last three games but has been below avg and substantially worse than the rookie seasons of Smith and Marpet ……. Yes this line has not improved one bit since their rookie seasons and clearly Marpets best position is right guard . I would swap him and Cappa !!
February 4th, 2020 at 6:31 am
Sign JW, SB, JPP, and Suh, 1st Mekhi Becton OT. 2nd Jonathan Taylor RB, 3rd Jalen Hurts QB
February 4th, 2020 at 11:45 am
If Tristan “the beast” Wirfs is there at 14 the Bucs should grab him.
February 4th, 2020 at 1:54 pm
Joe, the oline isnt the worst… but you cannot deny that it would be a good idea to draft some lineman to start thinking of a back up plan for dotson who is again going to be 35 and the age is/will catch up. Just because its not the worst doesnt mean cant think about having some younger talent in that room.
February 5th, 2020 at 5:34 am
I’m getting captain obvious vibes.