Bruce Arians Comments On Antonio Brown Draft Impact
May 1st, 2021
Amidst all the NFL Draft excitement, it’s easy to forget that the Bucs re-signed a Hall of Fame receiver this week.
Joe didn’t forget.
Furniture-tossing, bicycle-hurling Antonio Brown was Tom Brady’s favorite target last season, based on Bucs receivers’ average targets per games played. Brown led the pack.
Getting a Brown deal done prior to the draft appeared to be a priority for both Brown and Tampa Bay, so Joe asked Bucco Bruce Arians last night if the timing of it all had an impact in the Bucs’ war room.
JoeBucsFan.com: Did re-signing Antonio Brown right before the draft, did that adjust your priorities at all in the first three rounds?
Bruce Arians: Not really. I mean, we’re always looking for the best available guys, you know, who we think can improve our football team. But having A.B. back was really, really good, you know to have that whole receiving corps back. But that’s not saying we won’t take one.
Hearing Arians say the entire Super Bowl receiving corps is back, not just the starters, really made Joe take pause (again). What a rare and glorious time we’re living in.
Joe can only imagine how steaming with confidence Brady must be to return for a whole season — a full season — with a bunch of stud and dangerous receivers he knows well.
And now Brady knows the offense, and he has a full and impressive running backs stable complemented by the best tight end group in the NFL.
Arians should mail Depends coupons to defensive coordinators around the league.
Joe really wants (and expects) the Bucs to score 33 points a game this regular season, up two points from 2020.
May 1st, 2021 at 9:02 am
If we score 33 points a game and are supported by the Championship Defense returning all 11 men. Yikes. 19-0
May 1st, 2021 at 9:05 am
Sure it made a difference. We would’ve had to draft a receiver eariler if AB didn’t resign. That gave us the luxury of the Trask pick, and adding depth to the O line. One of those two would be a receiver if AB wasn’t signed.
May 1st, 2021 at 9:14 am
@Rayjay1122 – would be 20-0 with the 17th game added to the schedule.
May 1st, 2021 at 9:16 am
Joe – You are right, imo. This offense (if TB stays healthy) could be the best ever. Terrific weapons everywhere and depth.
May 1st, 2021 at 9:24 am
I don’t care if we score the most points in the NFL. It was our balance last year that won us the SB!
Our defense was unbelieveable to finish the year.
I want to see that continue, and our offense grind out 10min drives. Keeping the other team off the field.
I also want our Special Teams to continue to be very boring/consistent.
All players, coaches, front office, sprinkled in with some draftees to learn/provide depth.
GLORIOUS!!!!
in BA I Trust!
May 1st, 2021 at 9:32 am
Wall of shame maybe. If he’s gona be a hof’er there’s a bunch of new voters coming before then. Alot of guys can put up huge numbers if they get the ball every play like he did in pitt. For that to happen you gota be the squeaky wheel. Thank goodness we dont have any of those….yet.
May 1st, 2021 at 9:45 am
Spot on Joe!
Such a complete, well rounded team.
Havent seen anything like it.
The 70ties Steelers were the only thing close!
Hardest part for Brady, must be deciding which weapon to use.
And signing Antonio Brown really capped it. On the field- he is amazing to watch. Soooo smooth. You can see why he got all the sccolades, and Why Brady wanted him.
Great time to be a Bucs fan
May 1st, 2021 at 9:50 am
I wouldn’t mind hearing a post-draft podcast w/ Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan.
May 1st, 2021 at 9:55 am
If I’m not mistaken if we average 33 points per game it would set a new NFL record especially with an extra regular season game added on.
May 1st, 2021 at 10:05 am
Nope, I was wrong, the 2013 Peyton Manning led Denver Broncos averaged 35.6 points per game in seventeen game regular season with a total of 606 points that season.
May 1st, 2021 at 10:07 am
I can’t tell you how big the AB signing was…….we are covered with an injury to either Evans or Godwin….
As far as 20-0……Brady would say….let’s go 1-0 first.
May 1st, 2021 at 10:10 am
All this is fine and good, but we must not forget, other teams have got better too.
Atlanta can lay claim to having the best receiver corps now, with the addition of Pitts.
This is why our pass rush is so very important.
So happy we re signed Brown!
He beat The Honey Badger in the end zone of the Super Bowl!
May 1st, 2021 at 10:20 am
3 number 1 receivers, just unbelievable. This is insane.
May 1st, 2021 at 10:22 am
Let’s goooooo. Love all 3 picks. Tyron helps add depth and can help relieve jpp and Shaq. Trask will likely get 2 years behind the goat and coached up by our very own QB whisper then add in Tom more our QB coach and BL. Then you add in a stud of a Oline men. This guy can just about play anywhere. All 3 picks have time to be developed while adding depth and sets us up for the future. What’s not to like y’all
May 1st, 2021 at 10:39 am
We literally have 3 all–pro receivers, and they will all get a full training camp and preseason with the GOAT. This is going to be a frikkin mind-boggling season
May 1st, 2021 at 10:44 am
@Chris: Atlanta needs to get a better OL, or those receiver tools won’t be as important.
What makes the Bucs corp so effective is the OL gives Brady great protection.
May 1st, 2021 at 10:56 am
“Arians should mail Depends coupons to defensive coordinators around the league.”
Nice one Joe!
“complemented by the best tight end group in the 100+ year history of the NFL.”
There I fixed it for you. Gronk, Howard, Brate… There has never been a better, more talented group of TEs on one NFL team.
And the same can be said for the Wide Receivers. No NFL team has EVER had the quality of 1,2,3 receivers that the Bucs have/had in 2020-2021
ME, Godwin and AB is just an unfair amount of starting receiving talent on 1 team. Then you add in the unique talents and pure speed of Miller – and rookie Johnson flashing big time in very limited opportunities last year – and we added a top 3 receiving back in Gio this year as well???
Man its like – wholly sheet. How the hell did this team get so loaded with skill possession weapons? And the GOAT at QB…….. And a top defense as well…
I mean – this is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers……
Soak it up Bucs fans – it just doesn’t get any better than this! This season is likely to be one for the ages. Now that Brady and all the key players are fully familiarized and dialed into our systems – this Bucs team has the talent to DOMINATE the league this year. We could see records set for scoring. Records set for point differentials. Anything less than a back to back Super Bowl win is a major disappointment this year. The expectations couldn’t be higher and rightfully so.
And you know what? WE DESERVE THIS. Especially us long suffering Bucs fans who have closely followed the fortunes of this team for decades. So many frustrating seasons. So many bad decisions. So much ineptitude. From an 0-26 start to Leeman Bennett to Ray Perkins to Richard Williamson to Sam Wyche… THIRTEEN straight years of mostly double digit losses! Then after a few glory years and 1 Super Bowl win which was Amazing – back to another decade plus of perpetual futility with Raheem, Schiano, Lovie Dovie, Koetter…..
We Bucs fans are DUE – karmically due for a team like this. For a team THIS good. Its just for a couple years – so ENJOY it. Soak it up. Swim in it. It truly doesn’t get any better than where we are right here – right now with this team. The playoff success. The Super Bowl dominance. The boat parade. Re-signing EVERY player. Now adding talented rookies in the Draft…..
It still kinda feels like a dream actually…….
May 1st, 2021 at 11:02 am
Next pick is a corner or ILB
May 1st, 2021 at 11:06 am
The biggest opponent this season won’t be on the other side of the field. It’s going to be what almost all reigning Super Bowl Champions struggle with: Thinking that your poop don’t stink.
I love the saying, “No NFL team is as good or bad as you think they are”. This is proven by the relatively nonexistent number of teams that have gone undefeated or lost every game.
Focus will be our greatest opponent.
May 1st, 2021 at 11:09 am
I with you joe why not break the franchise record 2 years in a row!!!! I don’t it for the haters😂
May 1st, 2021 at 11:10 am
It’s very likely that going forward the draft will always be thick with good receivers. It’s just the way the game as progressed. If we keep adding to the trenches on both sides of the ball then good positional players will always be available either through free agency. Allowing your QB play well because of exceptional protection will always attract disgruntled free agent WR’s that want the ball. The KISS method applies to building a team too!
May 1st, 2021 at 11:12 am
So THIS is what it must be like to be a Yankee fan!
May 1st, 2021 at 11:17 am
At any time in the game the Bucs can line up any combination of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, O.J Howard, Cameron Brate and Scotty Miller. Just seeing those names written down on paper as possible targets for Brady is staggering in this era of football.
May 1st, 2021 at 11:20 am
On a different note, seeing Joe’s list of the 5th rounders that we have taken has made me seriously question why a team in our position (stacked) wouldn’t trade the 5th, 6th, and 7th rounders. It seems like the undrafted free agents have just as much success.
May 1st, 2021 at 11:24 am
Pickgrin – What a great analysis of the team. Best I’ve ever seen on this board. I agree completely. Only thing that can stop the Bucs this year is injuries. As you say, it should be a memorable ride – one for the ages.
May 1st, 2021 at 11:32 am
The best part about re-signing AB is that he’s not playing for the Saints or Green Bay! Go Bucs!
May 1st, 2021 at 11:34 am
Well said Pickgrin.
This has all been a blast so far….and I DO expect back to back.
Paul…you could say it looks good on paper….except we’ve seen them win a Championship off the paper.
I want MORE. At least ONE more Championship before Brady retires.
Go Bucs!!!
May 1st, 2021 at 11:40 am
If we are averaging 33 (35 even) points a game, our project QB should be able to get some on the job training at the end of most games.
May 1st, 2021 at 11:43 am
@Buc1987
Pretty sure Brady want’s the “hat trick” before he retires. He’s already done the repeat thing, old news, time to step it up!
May 1st, 2021 at 11:57 am
I’ve been waiting for AB to to rejoin the band of super stars plus. What an exciting season coming up.Tom is so exciting to follow on and off the field
May 1st, 2021 at 12:14 pm
19-0, huh? Are you serious? What was this team’s record after 8 games last year ? Even during the run, what was the score at halftime of the Atlanta game?
Just making the playoffs is hard. Look at this team’s history.
So tap the brakes, buddy. This team is good. So is every team. And everyone takes a shot at the Champion. The Bucs will get the other teams’ best every week.
May 1st, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Thank you America’s Backup QB! Without you today would be completely different. You made Bucs fans dream come true.
Without all those pick 6’s Brady would probably be in LA. And all this experience we are having would be just a fantasy.
Go Bucs!!!!!
May 1st, 2021 at 2:28 pm
“Arians should mail Depends coupons to defensive coordinators around the league.” That one is already a classic Joe, thank you!
May 1st, 2021 at 2:48 pm
Not too many years ago the team was reduced to having to play Charles Sims as the #3 WR because they had so many injuries. Even worse, at the end of 2019 they had to start the completely worthless and awful Justin Watson.
Having depth at WR for your QB is huge.
May 1st, 2021 at 6:11 pm
Darin, you obviously didn’t watch AB in Pitt. He made the plays and crushed it as a return guy. 7 time probowler, NOT a mistake. Watch this year as he makes you eat your words. Make him Bucs return guy, I’m begging you BA.
May 1st, 2021 at 6:38 pm
We haven’t seen the best of the Bucs yet. They’re last game was their best. Got a feeling they’ll be even better this coming season. GO BUCS!