Returning Snaps
April 7th, 2021
More hate.
This won’t surprise one Bucs fan but damn if it isn’t neat to read.
The Bucs have brought back nearly the entire Band of Bucs. All but one, and 22 starters from last season have returned.
Over at The33rdTeam.com, Mike Tannenbaum’s football thinktank, Peter Engler had a mathematical breakdown of how many 2020 snaps are back.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offensive Snaps Returning: 92.82% (second in NFL)
Defensive Snaps Returning: 94.72% (first in NFL)
In his short synopsis, Engler goes off the deep end. He notes Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht could have more easily kept the big-name free agents by clearing cap space with the release of two starters.
They’ve also resisted the urge to clear large amounts of cap space by cutting OT Donovan Smith or DE Jason Pierre-Paul. As a result, the reigning champs get to run it back with the benefit of a full offseason program.
That would have been asinine. Donovan Smith had his best year as a pro. So right when the guy reaches his potential or close to it, you throw him to the gutter? A guy that rarely misses a game? At a bargain price? At 28 (this summer)? That is freaking absurd.
(Joe has no idea where this vile Donovan Smith hate comes from.)
And to get rid of JPP? Are bath salts easily available? JPP is the heart and soul of this defense. If the Bucs actually did get rid of JPP, that would have meant his knee was a complete and total wreck. Remember, the Bucs stuck with JPP even after he fractured his neck.
So the fact the Bucs kept JPP after he had offseason knee surgery tells you the Bucs are confident he will be 100 percent.
April 7th, 2021 at 12:05 am
Donnie is a true warrior.
So lucky to have him.
April 7th, 2021 at 8:08 am
Stupid is as stupid as writes. Engle is a mouth breather.
April 7th, 2021 at 8:11 am
Donovan Smith had a lot of HELP on the left side last year. Often a 6th lineman & TE next to him. Tons of help.
April 7th, 2021 at 8:14 am
donnie finally really gets it now…
with brady as donnie’s qb he finally gets it…
they have a “don’t get me killed” relationship now and it’s working 🙂
April 7th, 2021 at 8:17 am
The Bucs are relevant. Half baked analysis comes with the territory.
Dude has no idea what makes our team tick. He’s only looking at numbers.
He probably could have gotten a front office job with Bucs if Culverhouse still owned the team.
Shadows!
In BA I Trust!
April 7th, 2021 at 8:19 am
Auto correct.
Skadoosh!
Not Shadows.
April 7th, 2021 at 8:27 am
Most of these people are only mildly conversant on the crap they pontificate about. For instance, the people criticizing the defense LAST year based on the total numbers from the PRIOR year, not taking into account how they came alive the last half of 2019
April 7th, 2021 at 8:56 am
I love comments from guys/gals/xirs like Engler because he makes knowledgeable fans look like geniuses.
Cut a top-tier LT from a team with a 44 y.o. GOAT?
WTF?
April 7th, 2021 at 9:20 am
I agree Joe.. this is a dumb take. Donavan Smith is a good LT. He may not be top 5, but he is still one of the 12 best left tackles in the NFL.
April 7th, 2021 at 9:20 am
Sport say,
“He probably could have gotten a front office job with Bucs if Culverhouse still owned the team.”
Wow!
That may be the harshest comment Ive ever read on JoeBuc!
Retaliation with a A Bomb.
Well played Sir.( or Ms.)!
April 7th, 2021 at 9:21 am
Ocala:
Few months ago a Bucs suit told Joe that Donovan Smith’s 2021 salary projected to be No. 12 for left tackles.
April 7th, 2021 at 9:29 am
All the Donovan Smith haters obviously don’t watch a lot of football besides the Buccaneers. They expect there to never be a mistake made. Watch other o lines, there are plenty of mistakes. Donovan Smith has been in the top half of left tackles his entire career.
The only thing that gives him trouble are elite speed rushers. He is just now entering his prime as an athlete at 27-28 years old.
Yes, the Buccaneers helped with a TE or RB at times, but not as much as people make it out to be. He has stepped his game up and is now one of the top 10 left tackles in the NFL.
April 7th, 2021 at 9:34 am
As for JPP… he is crucial. That D line works together as a unit just like the
O line. Him and Shaq are fantastic bookends that play off each other.
It’s also interesting with the personalities. It seems you have LVD as the thoughtful quiet leader who knows the different schemes.
Then you have White who seems loud and in your face.
I think you have the same dynamic on the D line where Shaq is a little quieter and JPP is more like White.
April 7th, 2021 at 10:03 am
I really think with the extra game this year and the amount of miles on JPP they really need to start giving him a quarter, a half or even whole games off when they play the real crappy teams. That way he’s fresh when he’s really needed. During the middle to end of the season you could see JPP just wasn’t getting home and it made me wonder if that knee was really starting to bother him. But him being the professional he is and how competitive he is, I’m sure he would want those big rests.
April 7th, 2021 at 10:36 am
Miller5252….
Nacho and Nelson on DL and Minter at LB …
I see them and whoever else they deem worthy or draft getting in more on the rotations.
They just played 20 games and now this year have a minimum of 17.
Suh, Gholston, JPP, LVD… none of them are 25 anymore. And the more playing time some others get the better off they will be in the long run heading towards the playoffs
April 7th, 2021 at 10:42 am
Read, people. Read. He did not say they should have done that. He said they resisted the urge. Why would he criticize the plan to re-sign everyone that worked? He didn’t. It was actually an acknowledgment of how well Licht has done. Not a suggestion to get of JPP or DS.
April 7th, 2021 at 11:01 am
Smith’s in-game lapses in focus & effort have decreased since TB12’s arrival. However, I will not get on the LT’s bandwagon of recent support…It’s still league average LT play.
His best ability is availability, which makes him worth the new contract extension #’s…For now….But that should not hinder the FO grabbing a developmental LT on DAY 3, to have Plan B on stand-by.
April 7th, 2021 at 11:09 am
This team must be in good shape when the talking heads have to nitpick for clicks. Extending a starting left tackle in his prime and I believe our only pro bowler because he is old was a questionable move? These guys play two of the most important positions for any team. Were there two guys available that could play just as well and be just as cost effective? I dont think so. Has JPP ever been on the losing end of a playoff game? If not, you have a LT and an edge rusher with over 100 games each with playoff experience and havent lost. Looking forward to more of these hot takes from the experts. We watched this team pull a Lombardi out of a hat last season under some wild conditions. Nothing is guaranteed next season, but I think clearly this team was playing better football with each game, and likely did not max out their potential.
April 7th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Not that I’m one to dismiss Gerald Mccoy coming back and adding depth to our current situation, but ….I can’t but wonder if this guy is gaga over AB not being resigned, or really wanted to push a narrative of signing Mccoy again!?
April 7th, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Tampa will get a full offseason program but so will everyone else. If anything, it’s a disadvantage this year.
April 8th, 2021 at 1:30 am
I was down on Donovan for a while but this last season he stepped up his game impressively and has cemented his role protecting TB’s blindside not to mention his run blocking was physical for a change. Keep’em
April 8th, 2021 at 2:34 pm
Donovan Smith is not a top 10-12 LT in this league.
Regularly one of the OL leaders in penalties.
Always skews near the top in sacks given up per season.
Did well this year do to help given to him by Gronk & the RBs, Tom’s ability to step up in the pocket and get rid of the ball quickly, & the fact that the rest of the OL are studs.
Still, although I favor drafting an OLineman right after we get an edge rusher, I doubt there is anyone out there better than DS right now in the pool remaining, at least in his pay bracket, and we all love his warrior spirit.