Tough Tear For Noah Spence Highlights Risk
May 27th, 2020
When the Buccaneers rolled out their strength and conditioning coach weeks ago to chat with local media, he talked about the challenges of players working out at home because they’re prohibited from coming to the office.
One team priority was made very clear: make sure players are working out safely, which is extra important without the direct supervision during normal spring workouts at One Buc Palace.
Imagine the potential challenges of players lifting weights at home because many gyms are closed and the NFL won’t let them into team facilities. Joe suspects more than a few guys have worked without a spotter — or someone reminding them of their safety-first form.
Joe brings this up today as part of sharing the sad story of former Bucs defensive end Noah Spence, who latched on with the Saints late last season. Word came last night from various sources that Spence tore his ACL while training away from the team.
Joe doesn’t know what happened, but Joe thinks this highlights potential risks of players training extensively on their own.
Just think of Tom Brady running sprints in a Tampa park before he got kicked out by city enforcement goons weeks ago. Was Tom dumb enough to run on grass, where he might find holes to step in courtesy of a clown hacking his 9-iron at plastic golf balls, or perhaps dangerous land mines from a neighborhood Great Dane? Those risks don’t exist on the pristine manicured grounds of One Buc Palace.
Joe just hopes Bucs players stay smart and safe, and certainly that they report minor injuries to the team so they can get rehab. While players can’t report for duty, the team is available to manage their care.
May 27th, 2020 at 9:19 am
Freak injuries happen but some people tend to be more injury prone than others.
May 27th, 2020 at 9:28 am
Just a guess. There won’t be a lot of reported injuries during at home workouts but when guys get back to the team there will be a ton that get noticed.
May 27th, 2020 at 10:08 am
Right on Joe. It is a bit concerning.
May 27th, 2020 at 10:29 am
It always makes me cringe when I hear of a Buccaneer playing basketball during the off-season. I understand it’s a fun way to stay in shape but how many times have we heard about off field injuries due to a pick up basketball game.
May 27th, 2020 at 10:35 am
So glad we do not have to rely on him. Letting him go was a very good move.
Hope he turns things around though.
May 27th, 2020 at 10:51 am
So sad Noah Spence never worked out for the Bucs……he seemed to be always injured.
If I recalled, he was injured for a long time from shoulder injuries……poor kid.
May 27th, 2020 at 11:01 am
Worst part about it is that the ain’t put him on the NFI list. Putting him on the non football injury list allows the team to not pay him his salary. Thats pretty messed up if he was doing team workouts at home and they put him on NFI.
May 27th, 2020 at 11:12 am
Man that was such a bad draft. So funny that guys nicknamed him Spawn prior to his taking an NFL snap. Dude was a complete bust. I hope the guys that drafted are the real deal. I know I definitely feel better about this year’s loot but only time will tell.
May 27th, 2020 at 11:29 am
Spence is a bust and big stain on the Licht draft resume.
May 27th, 2020 at 11:44 am
Spence’s issue is exactly what Brady preaches about in his training. Guys like Spence HAVE to maximize muscle in order to compete at the higher levels but in doing so they are constantly adding stress to their joints. Eventually the tendons simply give out and that’s likely what we continue to see with Spence. His structure simply cant handle the mass he’s put on. Without the mass, he’s simply not athletic enough to compete at the highest level. Tough break to say the least.
May 27th, 2020 at 12:07 pm
Noah Spence had red flags on and off the field issues but top ten talent. Da’Quan Bowers is another R2 DE the Bucs selected for the same reasons. They are boom/bust picks.
It’s a two sided coin. Chris Godwin and Ali Marpet were risky picks that did workout.
Point Being: You shouldn’t look at high risk/reward picks as one-offs, and you certainly can’t look at them with 20/20 hindsight. We were all excited about Spence (and Bowers) at the time.
May 27th, 2020 at 1:28 pm
Joe what’s up with Justin Evans and Kendall Beckwith?
May 27th, 2020 at 1:30 pm
Joe what’s the word on Justin Evans and Kendall Beckwith?
May 27th, 2020 at 1:58 pm
Noah Spence was too slow when he added weight and too small when he lost weight. He just didn’t have the frame to compete at DE. He would have been better off if he started off as a linebacker in college.
May 27th, 2020 at 2:48 pm
“Hurt” and “unlikely,” respectively.
May 27th, 2020 at 2:50 pm
Tweener?
May 27th, 2020 at 3:08 pm
If thats the case Joe they should release them both and free up 1.5 mil in cap space.
May 27th, 2020 at 3:18 pm
Oh my gosh Joe…..Just come out and admitt it. You love this Noah Spence guy. You absolutely love him. Hahaha. Is it his physique? Is it his smile? Just tell us.
You never stopped writing about this guy long beyond the experation date. I can’t believe he is still making headlines here……..You know those future movers and factory worker you always talk about? Well Noah Spence has just about joined that club. Hey, it’s all good. We all got our favorites.
Now do a story on Dare. Special just for me.
May 27th, 2020 at 7:29 pm
Feel bad for Spence- a lot of talent and potential all gone to waste cuz he couldn’t stay healthy. Obviously that’s the chance you take with this game, but damn that has got to be frustrating for him.
May 28th, 2020 at 12:49 am
AlabamaBucsFan Says:
“Noah Spence was too slow when he added weight and too small when he lost weight.”
.
.
And too undisciplined when he was able to get on the field. I got tired of watching running backs beat him around the corner.
I know that Nassib missed some sack opportunities, but he always took care of his 1st responsibility playing the edge. Every time he turned the running back or quarterback back into the linebackers (or stretched them to the sideline short of the LOS), he was earning his paycheck.