“They Covered Up That Young Secondary”
March 20th, 2020
Rondé Barber chimes in on Tom Brady and the Bucs.
So what are the top 5 reasons Tom Brady came to Tampa to save the day?
One is all about the Bucs’ defense, if you ask Tampa Bay icon Rondé Barber.
He explained that the Bucs’ front-7 is so impressive, it’s a sure bet it lured Brady, Barber told Yahoo! Sports. But the back-4 of the defense, well that needs work.
“To see what they have become in just a short period under Todd Bowles, who is very dynamic, very diverse, will throw a bunch of different packages at you, I mean this year they covered up that young secondary,” Barber said. “They can get better at safety, for sure, they’ll probably draft one or go find somebody in free agency. But their two linebackers, Lavonte David, who I think is one of the most underrated players in the NFL and then [Devin White], those two guys are phenomenal.
“I think they have the makings of a top-10 defense. And if you’re looking for a reason why Tom would want to come here, to me it’s that. It’s an attractive destination because of the talent they have on that side of the ball. And they can win games for you.”
Barber went on to explain the secondary is young and learning and is still a work in progress. Man, Joe hopes the Bucs deliver a veteran upgrade back there. There’s no reason to gift the young corners a job. Make them earn it!
Joe’s other big concern is losing Carl Nassib (6.5 sacks) and what happens if Shaq Barrett only has 12 sacks in 2020, a great season. That’s 14 sacks off the board that will have to be made up if the Bucs are to have the kind of pass rush that usually lands a team in the playoffs.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:27 pm
I dunno bout that secondary though
March 20th, 2020 at 2:29 pm
Imo trade away a first round pick next year to move into the late first, use it to select Delpit or McKinney
March 20th, 2020 at 2:30 pm
Eric Reid!!
March 20th, 2020 at 2:31 pm
Yes you can worry. Most of this squad is decided other than draft picks. There will not be any high priced free agents as we have used most of our salary cap.
That being said = others can worry = I will stay excited for the potential.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:35 pm
aw man I thought I read “They Covered Up That Young Secretary”
March 20th, 2020 at 2:35 pm
Right! Eric Reid and Damarious Randall are available
March 20th, 2020 at 2:40 pm
That secondary is as good as could be reasonably expected. Most of them were rookies or second year players. Unless you are Deion Sanders or something…a freak of nature, it takes time. With Bowles tutelage, and more games under their belt, I think they will be fine…especially if we bring back Suh.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:41 pm
JPP was out most of last year, and White was out a lot, too. Nassib was okay, not dominant. Edward will be much better.
Ronde forgets how awful he was as a rookie.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:42 pm
Eric Reid? Hell no.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:43 pm
We just have to wait and see whats gonna happen with Suh, we need him back for sure……They should draft anothe edge a rb OL and go for sfty threw free agency…..An experienced guy is much needed……
I am concerned on bringing back Perriman with a big contract………I think that would be a mistake……………..
March 20th, 2020 at 2:45 pm
Wow! They lost Nassib and 6.5 sacks. I guess they are going to have only 52 guys on the roster because there is absolute no way to replace a 6.5 sack guy! Another losing season.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:51 pm
Was just reading an article written by Dan Shaughnessy at the Boston Globe. He’s blaming Kraft, the owner, for the way the whole thing was handled.
Then he goes into saying that Brady only chose Tampa because nobody else wanted him. And then he says what a s*it city Tampa is and how much the Bucs suck.
What an f-ing putz.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:52 pm
The young corners earned it last year, you goofball. Adding a veteran presence now would just hurt the confidence they gained the second half of last season AND take away valuable reps, esp going against the greatest of all time in practice. To review, if Joe ran this team, we’d have Jameis Winston for 20+ million, Josh Allen, no Devin White, and a mediocre and overpriced CB taking time away from 3 young studs.
March 20th, 2020 at 2:56 pm
It will be a 55 man roster I thought, or is that 2021?
March 20th, 2020 at 3:00 pm
I know Ronde should never have to buy a drink in Tampa for the rest of his life, but his analysis is pedestrian at best.
“Why did the Bucs get rid of Jameis?” Ronde – “Too many interceptions.” DUH. I need HIM for that?
March 20th, 2020 at 3:03 pm
Devin White should be better, Vita Vea should be better, Suh will be back if he doesn’t retire and he won’t.
Dean and Davis are good , Murphy- Bunting is good
They will add more in FA and draft, especially at safety and DLine depth
2nd year under Bowles with 1/3 the offensive turnovers- Bucs are playoffs ready
March 20th, 2020 at 3:04 pm
Those of you recommending Eric Reid need to check yourself for a virus. He’s a team cancer like Antonio Brown. Doesn’t matter how talented you are if you ruin team chemistry you belong elsewhere.
GO BUCS
March 20th, 2020 at 3:15 pm
We need depth at CB anyone of them go down & we are screwed. Jefferson at S would be nice pick up to help backend w Bowles D.
March 20th, 2020 at 3:19 pm
First, funny they don’t remember how bad Pats were before Bledsoe.
I also remember everyone talking about how are the. Cuz going to replace the
sacks by GMC, JPP, Vinnie Curry, etc – I guess they got replaced plus more – the difference is players are being developed, coached and used at what they do best
March 20th, 2020 at 3:20 pm
@ K2
Nassib really wasn’t an impact player nor was he on the field on every play.
Yes 6.5 sacks looks kinda impressive but when you compare it to his overall level of play…………..he really wasn’t a contributor
March 20th, 2020 at 3:24 pm
I see the first 4 picks being (in no particular order)
O line
D line
DB
RB
That young secondary improved tremendously. They could definitely still bring someone else in though
March 20th, 2020 at 3:25 pm
And yes Joe, They need some more sacks out of someone else. Maybe JPP back for the full year will get it done. Because the reality is Shaq Barrett is probably going to come back to earth some.
March 20th, 2020 at 3:48 pm
Ant Harris got tagged, and Haha Clinton Dix is off to the Cowboys.
Who else is in the FA market for safety?
March 20th, 2020 at 4:15 pm
I think Anthony Nelson is going to step into Nassibs role, backing up JPP and Shaq, and do just fine in his 2nd year. He has the physical ability to do the job, and he’ll be learning from two of the best in the game right now.
March 20th, 2020 at 4:41 pm
Good to see that someone beside me Joe is concerned about losing Carl Nassib & his 630 defensive snaps in 14 games, producing 6 sacks, 11 QB Hits, 8 TFLs, 24 solo tackles (plus 10 assist tackles) & 1 FF. Anthony Nelson got in on 153 defensive snaps in 9 games and produced exactly 0 sacks, 0 QB Hits, 0 TFLs, 1 solo tackle (with 7 assist tackles) & 1 FF. The two are almost identical in size, but that’s about it. HOPEFULLY Nelson steps up this year, but losing Nassib will sting big-time if he doesn’t.
Adding a veteran presence to the Secondary COULD make a huge difference … but not Eric Reid. He played lights-out for the Panthers last season (130 tackles for a Safety?) but the Panthers are REALLY in salary Cap hell (their dead Cap is $46 mil … wow … of which Reid is counting $5 mil according to Spotrac). Have read though that he more of a box safety and not that fast, so apparently he didn’t fit their new defensive philosophy. Hopefully though we do add a veteran Safety as opposed to a CB, someone who can serve as Todd Bowles’ ‘field general’ in this defense.
March 20th, 2020 at 4:43 pm
And if we draft Chaisson or Kinlaw there’ll be sweet production there as well. Having JPP back is huge!!!!
March 20th, 2020 at 4:54 pm
“Joe’s other big concern is losing Carl Nassib (6.5 sacks) and what happens if Shaq Barrett only has 12 sacks in 2020, a great season”
The Ghost’s biggest concern is losing Shaq and what happens if he gets 30 sacks playing opposite JPP. Jason will probably get 20 himself.
They should have locked up Shaq using some of Trump’s helicopter money!
March 20th, 2020 at 4:56 pm
Minter just signed. We should look at Clay Matthews. He had 8 sacks in 13 games last season and may come cheap.
March 20th, 2020 at 5:06 pm
Vonn Bell Logan Ryan available!
March 20th, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Defense Rules: Hopefully though we do add a veteran Safety as opposed to a CB, someone who can serve as Todd Bowles’ ‘field general’ in this defense.
Agreed, Defense Rules. I wonder if Eric Berry has anything left, he was awesome in his prime. As for Nassib, I’m not that worried. I think Anthony Nelson will be okay, and maybe draft a rotational pass rusher in the 3rd (Curtis Weaver?) or 4th.
March 20th, 2020 at 5:55 pm
I think JPP gets those sacks instead of Nassib.
Not to mention, the delayed blitz Todd likes to run and in the 2nd year surely we get more sacks from the safeties and nickels
Those sacks are usually what puts teams over the top.
I think trading back and taking OL, RB, and Safety all in the 1st 2 rounds is the way to go.
Lots of potential combinations I like in that scenario.
March 20th, 2020 at 6:14 pm
WhatTheBuc … GRRREAT news that Minter was re-signed. He’s not nearly as fast as Devin, but he did an excellent job filling in last season IMO. Plus he was in on two-thirds of the S/T plays, so he wasn’t just sitting idly by.
Joe in Michigan … the Safety who still intrigues me is Tony Jefferson. Only got in on 5 games last year with Baltimore before he was injured & went on IR, but he’s got experience with Todd Bowles in Arizona & has been a pretty consistent performer. Supposed to be very good in pass defense & a solid tackler. Only 28 & still available. May be too costly (that looks like why the Ravens cut him) but it never hurts to ask.
March 20th, 2020 at 6:39 pm
Having JPP for a full season will change those numbers
March 20th, 2020 at 6:41 pm
“Joe’s other big concern is losing Carl Nassib (6.5 sacks)”
Yet for the last year you have referred to Nassib as a JAG Just A Guy).
Now that’s he’s gone it’s a concern?
Which is it? Doesn’t mean they have the a JAG who is just as good.–Joe
March 20th, 2020 at 6:44 pm
“Joe’s other big concern is losing Carl Nassib (6.5 sacks)”
Yet for the last year you have referred to Nassib as a JAG (Just A Guy), and you cared less that he was a team captain and well respected in the locker room.
Now that’s he’s gone it’s a concern?
Which is it?
March 20th, 2020 at 8:20 pm
Well there is the “sophomore slump” and there is the old saw about how much better young NFL rookies play in year two…see ROJO.
I think we saw that from Carlton Davis and if Jamel Dean and Bunting continue to develop they should have the breakout sophomore year not the slump.
We are thin at Safety…can be fixed in the draft…and maybe even get Licht lucky again with a UDFA for depth.
March 20th, 2020 at 10:29 pm
14 missing sacks joe?…
i say…
anthony nelson gets like 4…
jpp gets 12-14…he will be in a secret sack battle with shaq just because he’s a competitor…i think he will lead the team in sacks…
suh goes from 2 to like 5-6…yes he’ll be back…
devin white will get a couple more as well…
and wallah…theirs your missing sacks…
we should have around the same amount as this year as next year fins out
March 21st, 2020 at 9:10 am
The raiders overpaid for Nassib and Bowles must trust that Nelson is going to step up. Hopefully we draft at least one more edge rusher as well.
March 21st, 2020 at 9:48 am
While worrying about where the sacks are gonna come from did you forget that we have a healthy JPP coming back?