“Don’t Be The Guy Who Lets The Unit Down”
June 18th, 2021
Bucs rookie OL Robert Hainsey.
If Bucs rookie offensive lineman Robert Hainsey is anywhere nearly as advanced physically as he is mentally, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht got an absolute steal.
Hainsey, of course ,is a four-year starter from Notre Dame and a two-time team captain. When he started as a freshman, every other starter on the same Fighting Irish line went on to start in the NFL, including Quenton Nelson at Indianapolis and Mike McGlinchey at San Francisco.
And it seemed those four linemen did a job helping Hainsey mentally develop into the third-round pick of the Bucs.
Buccaneers.com released a video interview of Hainsey and he really impressed Joe.
“I started at right tackle,” Hainsey said of his first year at Notre Dame. Regularly the four other linemen and future NFL starters made it clear that Hainsey had to carry on the standard of excellence they had created for the offensive line.
“We talked about the standard in the room a lot,” Hainsey said. “Who we are. What we do. How we act. I was out there with four guys who knew what they were doing.”
The big thing he learned from the starting front line he joined? “Don’t be the guy who lets the unit down,” Hainsey said.
Hainsey remarked how his football life has changed going from a BMOC in South Bend to a nobody with the Super Bowl champs.
Well, nobody for now.
“I was a two-time captain and knew how everything works,” Hainsey said. “I come here and I don’t know how anything works.”
Hainsey seems to know his spot. Learn. Absorb. Be ready. And just like at Notre Dame, don’t be the guy who lets the unit down.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Hainsey said of training camp next month. “There is so much to be told to me and to be heard. A lot of things I will use throughout my career. I can’t wait.”
Training camp should begin on July 24.
June 18th, 2021 at 10:17 am
Don’t be that guy!
I won many a fights as a kid just trying to not ‘be that guy’ that got whooped.
I was more afraid of failure than pain.
A Lot of times that pays off in life
June 18th, 2021 at 10:24 am
I’m sure his technique is good, but he has the measurables for an interior OL rather than for an OT. I see him more as an athletic G or C, though he might be versatile enough to fill in as an emergency backup OT. This draft was well-stocked with developmental swing OTs, I hoped for the Bucs to snag one on draft night.
June 18th, 2021 at 11:23 am
Joe Moore award for best all around academics, play, and off field activities. That sounds like a totally stand up guy and I’m loving the pick at the moment.
June 18th, 2021 at 11:25 am
* best all around offensive lineman
June 18th, 2021 at 11:45 am
Noted Earlier, that the Bucs are playing him at Center.
Area of need- since we lost A.Q. Shipley to a career ending injury.
Jensen is a top 3 center. Now, there’s a good chance that we have a great backup.
An in a couple years- jensen retires- and Hainey steps in.
Nice!
June 18th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Great mindset for a rookie. Big question if he’s playing center, has Brady had “the talk” with him yet? See Jensen’s comments from last year if you don’t know what I mean.
June 18th, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Don’t worry young man……. you won’t be that guy.
Durable Donnie has that all sewn up.
June 18th, 2021 at 2:22 pm
Hainsey is likely our future center. Im sure he will be used in spots on the interior parts of the line if needed. Sweet spot to be in, shadowing Jensen, and interacting with Brady. If this kid can pick up the system, and demonstrate a better exchange of the ball with the qb, he may make Jensen more expendable when it comes time to figure the cap next season. Love Jensen, but this pick had business written all over it, as they all do.
June 18th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
like this guy
hey SB where is my jersey???
June 18th, 2021 at 5:28 pm
They need to drop Don next year and draft a LT or DT BPA in the first round. Imagine if we got two amazing OT for possibly the next 10+ years. I hope another Super Bowl with Tom might take a little off of resigning Jensen later in his career. Jensen is amazing but he won’t get a fat four year deal at 33 years old.
June 18th, 2021 at 5:37 pm
If Smith continues to play at a high level like he did in the playoff run, there is no reason to let him walk.
June 18th, 2021 at 7:00 pm
If Hainsey is anywhere close to Wirfs, then Jason Licht hit it out of the ball park again.
June 18th, 2021 at 8:45 pm
Do whatever Jensen tells you but nastier.
June 18th, 2021 at 9:03 pm
The Bucs just won a Super Bowl with Donovan Smith as their starting Left Tackle. That’s a fact, Dooosh. How did he let the team down?
June 18th, 2021 at 9:59 pm
Triggered in Michigan,
I know you feel the need to be offended when I comment on Durable Donnie.
I don’t understand why, but to each his own.
So DD played better towards the end on the season right? That’s very admirable especially since it was his 5th season starting in the NFL. A rookie came in and showed him how it was done.
He gave a little more effort because he couldn’t hide on a bad team anymore.
YT the SB highlights (the 12:11 one) and watch Donnie underwhelm, but truthfully, one of his better games. He did just enough.
We scheme around him. We give him help on the end.
We run to the right mostly and DD can be seen looking lost and too upright.
Just watch #76 during that video.
If you think that is a top LT I don’t know what to tell you.
And if you want a real dose of reality watch Durable Donnie against the Saints week 1.
He’s overpaid, overrated and underperforms.
We can do much better and for less money.
June 19th, 2021 at 12:16 am
Triggered? It was a simple question. I just stated the facts.