On The Clock, The Rookie Clock
June 15th, 2020
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Draft-night words from general manager Jason Licht have proven telling and are playing out uniquely in this unprecedented NFL offseason.
Asked about third-round pick running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Licht said just after the selection that “the idea is to get him here and see what he does best.”
It was neither a knock nor a ringing endorsement, just a common theme from a GM about a pick that didn’t have the team — or its fans — openly doing cartwheels down Dale Mabry Highway and pounding its chest that it just got a wild steal in the draft.
Vaughn, like most third-round picks, is a question mark. But this year, those types of rookies, the ones not gifted starting jobs, are battling forces working against them.
Not every rookie is a freakish mature go-getter like Chris Godwin was in 2017. He was the kind of rookie who already would be in Tampa full-time and working with Tom Brady every possible moment. That’s not Vaughn.
Joe’s not picking on Vaughn; most will need time to learn and adjust to everything — time they lost because of The Sickness.
Will Vaughn get enough practice reps to earn the trust of coaches and keep the Bucs from chasing a veteran back? It seems clear the NFL is about to cut two games off this preseason.
Pete Carroll said via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, “I think the number one thing that it changes is the opportunity for the young guys to show themselves. So if that were to take place [two preseason games] — although I’m really impressed with our young guys and how they’ve learned and how they’ve applied themselves up to this point — but still, there just might not be enough time to really give them the chance. So they might be behind in that area a little bit. . . . The last two [preseason] games are so important and so crucial for a young guy trying to make a club, so I don’t think that would be the area of focus.”
Bucco Bruce Arians has said the same thing as Carroll in different ways, including lamenting several hundred lost spring practice snaps.
Joe just wonders how patient the Bucs will be with Vaughn when this season is all about impatience.
June 15th, 2020 at 12:22 pm
It won’t be too much of a factor!!!!!!!!!! Vaughn should be worried about next season!!!!!!!! To be healthy and create a good impression on the New GM and New Head Coach!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 15th, 2020 at 12:26 pm
“Blah, blah, blah, the only thing that spews from my mouth are negative posts, blah, blah, blah”, said El Buco Dicko.
June 15th, 2020 at 12:49 pm
Zeke has THE SICKNESS along with others on Boys. Betcha a Big Storm brew that we won’t get a chance to see #12 under center as this season is GONE.
June 15th, 2020 at 1:03 pm
well said El Buco Realisto Is a Dicko, well said.
June 15th, 2020 at 1:07 pm
Joe’s not picking on Vaughn……..nope,,,,,not at all…..
June 15th, 2020 at 1:13 pm
Vaughn is going to impress this season. He has been the marked man on the field in the SEC. He has wheels and power, with good hands. I can’t wait to see him run away from defenders this season. He was a very good pick.
June 15th, 2020 at 2:01 pm
This link is for the DOOFUS who said he didn’t want to see Bucs players using masks:
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-several-cowboys-texans-players-test-positive-for-covid-19-161442996.html
You might want to turn off Fox “news”
June 15th, 2020 at 4:58 pm
@TheDood
I am not sure what you are saying. That there should be no NFL football?
Or that this is a pandemic and football players can get this? Or I guess somewhere in the middle.
If you can share some perfect plan – I think the whole world is waiting.
Personally, I am not a Fox News or CNN fan because they both veer from facts on their opinion segments (which are all day long) and therefore just pander to their base.
June 15th, 2020 at 5:06 pm
All I know is every team faces the same issue.
I’m all in with the team, coaches and “The GOAT”
A friendly reminder to the Bear:
Brady is going to put you to sleep………….
No Risk It No Biscuit Says:
June 15th, 2020 at 8:12 am
I no longer read TBR post. I guess he is making up for all the weeks he was in hibernation last season. ……….:……………..
June 15th, 2020 at 6:52 pm
It’s really simple Geno711: The NFL is not going to risk the league being labelled as a superspreader. They can’t let players or staff on the field who are + for any reason whatsoever. So right now the Boys and the Texans have an infection spreading among them. Then are we going to play a 30 team league? What if it spreads even more, take out a whole division or two? Unless something changes immensely in the next month or two, this season will go the way of Major League Baseball’s.
June 15th, 2020 at 7:04 pm
@Imon I am not seeing that at all from the NFL. It looks like to me that they have every intention of playing at this point.
Neither the Texans or Cowboys believe their infections were spread at their site.
I am by no means saying that there is no chance of your scenario. You are acting certain that there will be no season…
“Unless something changes immensely”…
You guys with certainty on something that has never happened before amaze me.
June 15th, 2020 at 7:08 pm
All the rookies on what ever team are at a disadvantage. Interested to see what we’ve got.
June 15th, 2020 at 7:17 pm
TheDood knows everything, he watches CNN!
June 15th, 2020 at 8:02 pm
Amazing how people think it is impossible for 150 people to get together for 4 hours and play a game. Because they will be superspreaders. But 10,000 people can walk hand and hand and protest all day and night andThey are just fine.
June 15th, 2020 at 8:04 pm
@Geno711, The NFL’s guidelines clearly state that no one who is + will be allowed access to team facilities. Although they are holding the PR line on “oh yes everything will be fine” even coaches like Harbaugh are criticizing the official manual as “humanly impossible”. That means there are going to be ample opportunities for transmission unless tackling is done with 6 ft. arm extensions and the huddle stretches across ten yards. Therefore: what’s the SuperBowl going to be, the last six healthy guys in the NFC vs. the last four in the AFC?
Of course there is no shortage of Covid-is-a-hoax conspiracy theories you can find in the musty corners of the internet. However, I had two family members pass away from it, so at least from my perspective, this s##t is real.
June 15th, 2020 at 8:53 pm
Jeffbuc,
Yeah, funny how that works ain’t it?
June 15th, 2020 at 9:03 pm
As usual looking at things from a negative angle. You know this coaching is ahead of the curve in some aspects. Biggest coaching area in the nfl and other teams will have to copy what we already have in place if they are smart. We run two practices at once so they’ll get plenty of practice reps but the idea that Vaughn HAS to be a significant contributor for us to be relevant is stupid
Every year people putting their faith in rookies instead of hoping that Established guys take another step forward. First and second round picks on they better be contributors but Vaughn won’t be replacing rojo this year especially since he’s not getting reps as a third down back. He is at the bottom of the depth chart people
June 15th, 2020 at 10:49 pm
If I’m not mistaken Vaughn was in town for a week working with Brady. So, at least he’s showing initiative. I have a feeling, we’re going to be glad he was one of our picks.