Robert Hainsey Gets Ali Marpet’s Seal Of Approval
August 1st, 2021
Working at center.
Anyone trying to claim he can tell if a guy is blocking well in underwear football is conning you. That’s all there is to it.
In underwear football, there is no hitting. Even coaches all but admit it’s pretty much useless for offensive linemen other than to work on footwork and handwork. Anyone suggesting an offensive lineman is playing good/bad in underwear football, well, that’s just irresponsible.
So now we have one practice in pads in the books from yesterday. How is rookie Robert Hainsey doing?
Joe didn’t pay a bunch of attention to Hainsey yesterday other than note Blaine Gabbert bobbled his snap. Joe isn’t sure that should be a black mark against Hainsey as Gabbert has bobbled snaps each day in camp, regardless of the center.
Bucs guard Ali Marpet was asked about Hainsey yesterday. Marpet didn’t give much of a report, likely because he’s more worried about his own blocking than to worry about a rookie backup.
However, Marpet said he loves Hainsey’s attitude and said that guys who have demonstrated an eagerness to learn like Hainsey has often make it in the NFL.
“I’d say, there is a determination on his end because he really wants to be great at it,” Marpet said. “So I love that. I think the curiosity is there. He’s picking people’s brains trying to figure out how to be the best player.
“And usually guys that have the mentality like that succeed in the NFL. So I think he is going to be a great player.”
Joe has seen various interviews of Hainsey and he comes across as a lunchpail kinda guy who is really big on being the best teammate. Those guys often stay employed in the NFL until they are spent.
Joe has a hunch the Bucs are grooming Hainsey to potentially take over for Ryan Jensen year(s) down the road. Jensen is a free agent after the season. Joe wouldn’t be surprised if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht franchises Jensen next spring to keep him around for Tom Brady’s final season (2022).
After that, it could be Hainsey time.
August 1st, 2021 at 9:43 am
Marpet is going straight to the broadcast booth after he retires.
August 1st, 2021 at 10:27 am
Give me a guy who wants to be great over a guy who thinks he’s great any day.
August 1st, 2021 at 10:29 am
I’m liking the sound of this.
These are the types of guys I want on our offensive line.
August 1st, 2021 at 10:52 am
Guy has skills
But
We needed a backup center. Why didnt we draft a center,
Instead of trying to convert a Guard?
Thats a really tough transition. He now has to learn to set the blocking, as well as learning to snap the ball.
Just my opinion- but a center’s responsibilities are alot different than a Guard.
Hainsley is a good prospect at Guard.
At Center? Who knows.
But I know it will take him a year a or two, to get comfortable at center.
August 1st, 2021 at 11:48 am
Kid always has had a good attitude, can he play in the NFL is the question.
Perfect that he is getting a ton of work. Perfect opportunity for him and the Bucs .
August 1st, 2021 at 12:16 pm
Capt Tim. Thanks for your thoughts. I will start by saying that I personally love Hainsey. It was a great pick IMO.
Maybe you are correct about converting a guard to a center but I thought at least a third of centers are converted guards. It is a guess – maybe someone has the actual numbers. Hainsey actually played right tackle during his college years so we are basically converting him from his main college position anyway.
Pretty sure that Hainsey is one of those guys that will play any position along the line. Because he is that smart. Whether it translates physically is a different deal but he is naturally a big man. He was 6’4″ and 276 lbs coming out of high school. He is going to be very valuable this year dressing on game day as he can play multiple positions.
This Bucs offensive line staff has done an excellent job teaching these lineman to play different positions than they did in college. Cappa and Stinnie come to mind as tackles to guards. In college Hainsey started at right tackle for three straight years. In the senior bowl game be played both left guard and center. At the IMG Academy he played left tackle and caught a TD pass as a tackle eligible.
I would ask who the center that you wanted the Bucs to draft in Hainsey’s round or later. Sometimes the talent is just not there at a particular position during the draft and you are just smarter taking a more overall talented player in the long run. I believe that is why our GM did not draft an offensive tackle in 2019 and then was smart to get that all pro tackle in 2020.
August 1st, 2021 at 12:17 pm
Is he getting any time at OT, Joe? That’s where he was two time captain on the ND line and maybe give Donovan Smith a run for his money next year.
August 1st, 2021 at 1:44 pm
If this guy can play all 3 interior positions it will be awesome. Can Stennie play tackle? For the life of me, I can’t think of who our backups are, now that Haeg is gone
August 1st, 2021 at 3:41 pm
“he comes across as a lunchpail kinda guy who is really big on being the best teammate. Those guys often stay employed in the NFL until they are spent.”
…………………
AWESOME way to be described as a man and a football player.
I hope you are right Joe.
August 2nd, 2021 at 7:42 pm
He wasnt a guard.
He was a RT.