A Bucs Chat With Greg Cosell
March 1st, 2020
Sean Murphy-Bunting
Joe did not have a recorder rolling, but Joe can still share nuggets from a chat at the NFL Scouting Combine with 40-year NFL Films producer and film guru Greg Cosell, who many fans have seen in recent years breaking down players on ESPN NFL Matchup.
Cosell always is an interesting and enlightening conversation, and Joe always appreciates that Cosell is very quick to say he hasn’t watched enough film on a specific player to comment.
A few nuggets: Cosell was very high on cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting entering the 2019 NFL Draft and liked what he saw of him this season. He liked the Bucs pick of Murphy-Bunting at No. 39 overall but views his best fit as an outside cornerback. Cosell also sees cornerback Jamel Dean on the outside.
Joe believes, and suspects Bucs fans would agree, that Carlton Davis is best suited for the outside. So Joe thinks the Bucs would be served well by bringing in a veteran nickel cornerback to drive competition within that group. And man would Broncos free agent cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. be a strong fit.
Interestingly, Cosell asked Joe “what happened to Mike Edwards?” Joe’s response was that Edwards didn’t take good angles to the football, struggled in coverage and the Bucs lost confidence in him.
Cosell also talked about how Chris Godwin film is the real deal in all phases of his game and fans should be confident there’s no shred of one-year-wonder in him. He is a No. 1 receiver.
As for Jameis Winston, Joe will summarize very briefly and say Cosell sees the highs (especially the deep ball and mobility) and lows. And Cosell likes QB Jordan Love out of Utah State, who maybe could be there for the Bucs at the No. 14 overall pick.
March 1st, 2020 at 9:45 am
He loved Edwards before the draft. On the Ross Tucker Podcast he was, for him, downright giddy (I’m not exaggerating) talking about him about him.
March 1st, 2020 at 9:47 am
Bucs won’t draft QB in the first! We going to go to the trenches with the 1st.
March 1st, 2020 at 9:57 am
I haven’t given up on Mike Edwards, believe he’ll be better in his 2nd year.
March 1st, 2020 at 10:04 am
I’m against bringing in a vet corner. Develop them inhouse. Save the expense.
Besides, when’s the last time it worked out? Grimes? Look how things ended with him.
March 1st, 2020 at 10:10 am
I am not sure, is Joe saying that Greg Cosell is down on Edwards? I am confused about the context “what happened to Mike Edwards”. Was Cosell saying that Edwards played poorly last year? Did he go back and say he watched some film at the end of the year?
By the way, Edwards was part of the trade of draft picks last year in the third round. That was the one that Joe and Ghost of Darrell Henderson crapped on when it happened because they wanted Darrell Henderson so badly.
LA Rams got our early third round pick and turned it into Darrell Henderson who apparently still carries the ball with just one arm (Not a pro trait).
We got Jamal Dean and Mike Edwards. We stole that deal!
March 1st, 2020 at 10:14 am
I am not sure why Chris Harris Jr is mentioned in the article except that is a name that Joe keeps mentioning.
I am with @Bonzai – Bowles knows how to develop corners. Did at Arizona, did it at NY and did it his 1st year here. Develop a young one – skip on the vet – whether Chris Harris Jr. or anyone else.
March 1st, 2020 at 10:20 am
Godwin is the real deal. Chris Harris in the slot would be good. Sean Murphy could be a special player.
March 1st, 2020 at 10:26 am
This defense is going to be so much fun to watch next season. I’d like to see us bring in some better depth at LB and DL. But, assuming the key FAs are resigned, our starting lineup is going to be a tough outing for any opposing offense.
March 1st, 2020 at 10:28 am
The Gumpster Fire traded the greatest RB in college football history (8.2YPC) for two compensatory (free) picks the Rams got at the end of the 3rd round. The Rams also had two more earlier 3rd round picks that Gump was not aware of.
The Bucs got a 5th round prospect with 3 bad knees and a Honey Badger wannabe with a pretty hairdo.
The Rams, since they paid absolutely nothing for DH, red-shirted the very young RB while they they pounded Todd Gurley into dust.
I believe the Rams got the deal of the century and the Bucs still need a competent RB.
March 1st, 2020 at 10:35 am
just show us the freakin’ uniforms already…
yes…
do it…
now
March 1st, 2020 at 10:42 am
Sure why not bring in a vet to drive competition for devin white too!!! You dont bring in veteran salaries just to drive competition at corner if the guys you have are good enough. They’ve clearly said they are interested in signing their own guys so why let inexpensive guys sit and not develop? Lol I’m gonna spend a bunch of money on someone just in case I didnt really see what I thought I saw last year lol….media and fans have the luxury of playing the just in case game because they dont get paid to evaluate, draft or sign players.
If they didnt try to drive competition for VH3 they wont do it for guys who actually produced as rookies compared to him
March 1st, 2020 at 11:20 am
but ghost
He couldn’t even beat the arthritis mans backup out to be the second string.
March 1st, 2020 at 11:39 am
What happened to Mike Edwards? He was a rookie. This idea that every 21 or 22 year old is going to play at an All Pro level is asinine. Give the guy time to develop.
March 1st, 2020 at 11:44 am
Pewter Power … No problem about Bucs bringing in a vet to be a nickel … ain’t gonna happen because we can’t pay for it. Same with any other big-name FAs, except our own. Besides re-signing our own UFAs, Bucs need to be focused on adding a veteran, starter-caliber Safety AND a veteran, starter-caliber QB to provide COMPETITION.
Gut feel is that Mike Edwards will end up being our nickel CB this season. He looked decent there last season IMO (better than he did at Safety). I can see Todd Bowles running a lot of 5-man Secondaries, and even some 6-man Secondaries, in specific situations (not new for him). Plus the odds of all of our starters in the Secondary making it through a full season unscathed are probably not very good given our history.
And as for Jordan Love, drafting a QB to sit for a year when we have a dire NEED for beasts in the trenches doesn’t make any sense to me. Bucs NEED a starting RT AND a starting RB, and we don’t have the $$$ to buy them. BUILD THE TRENCHES then any number of QBs would at least have a chance to be successful in this offense.
March 1st, 2020 at 11:51 am
@Defense Rules
Agreed but Best case for bucs and licht is if the guys he drafted last year turn into studs. Cant keep drafting safeties to replace the ones drafted the year before. Have to give these guys another year to develop on defense. Every team has holes every year. If we are truly moving on from winston they will need to invest heavily in the run game which they should do even if winston returns, just cant have dude throwing 30-40 times a game.
March 1st, 2020 at 12:03 pm
“But ghost, He couldn’t even beat the arthritis man’s backup out to be the second string.”
You forget, Darrell Henderson put up all time record numbers at Memphis as a 3rd string back.
He is the original red headed step child.
March 1st, 2020 at 12:17 pm
If Chris Harris was 26 or 27, I might be for the Bucs signing him. He’ll be 31 in June, probably wants a 3 or 4 year deal, at $11 million or + per year. Not good value, IMHO.
March 1st, 2020 at 12:23 pm
Darrell Henderson – one handed guy at running back – no thanks – some guys cannot admit when they are wrong.
March 1st, 2020 at 12:36 pm
Pewter Power … Agree about the Safeties ‘turnstile’ but how long’s it been since we drafted a Safety high? Edwards was a 3rd Rnd pick in 2019. Whitehead was a 4th Rnd pick in 2018. Justin Evans was a 2nd Rnd pick in 2017 (personally doubt he’s coming back for this season). Prior to those it was Keith Tandy, a 6th Rnd pick in 2012 and Cody Grimm, a 7th Rnd pick in 2010 before that.
We’ve stunk at Safety because we haven’t prioritized the NEED at Safety for far too long. We’ve had several FAs back there, but none who were much more than adequate (at best). Since the rest of our Secondary is so young, I’m convinced that our best bet is to find a veteran starter-caliber Safety who’s about 25-27 years old as opposed to drafting yet another Secondary guy. Someone who’s a true LEADER on defense. Bucs can’t afford to pay more than about $4-$5 mil for someone like that, but that surely should be a priority on defense IMO.
March 1st, 2020 at 1:03 pm
“Darrell Henderson – one handed guy at running back – no thanks – some guys cannot admit when they are wrong.”
Yeah, I hate those RB’s that like to use their dominant hand like Mike Alstott. He sucked!
March 1st, 2020 at 2:28 pm
And Why are you summarizing his take on Jameis? I am sure it is interesting, even if it is the same as many others. Given the take on love at 14 for the bucs, I am assuming it doesn’t fit into the Americas Joebucsfan views on the subject of Jameis.
March 1st, 2020 at 3:28 pm
No need for this. SMB was one of the best rookie CB in the league last year. Bowels has turned this (still under rookie contract) secondary into the best secondary we’ve seen in a while in his first year as DC. Would have no problem picking up a safety in the first or second round. Spend money on good vet depth and then have an all around battle instead of going after one guy. Barrett and Nassib are examples of the Bucs finding cheap diamonds in the rough.
March 1st, 2020 at 3:51 pm
Too much young talent that played well in the secondary to be spending money on premium vets like Harris. We need that money for DL.
Interesting to hear Cosell liked SMB and Edwards prior to last year’s draft because I still remember the collective freak-out when we passed over Greedy Williams and some others. This site was in full despair until SMB and Dean came on later in the year.
March 1st, 2020 at 7:27 pm
If Arians thinks that Love is the answer at qb, that’s good enough for me. If we pass on a top offensive or defensive lineman and Love becomes another Jameis or worse, then I’ll have to question my sanity for following this team for so long.