It’s Deeper
October 7th, 2021
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians.
No, the headline isn’t about what the Bucs have stepped in losing their top three cornerbacks.
Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians isn’t ready to start slitting his wrist over the decimated cornerbacks group.
Asked about his roster yesterday, Arians said his stable of corners is deeper than last year when the Bucs won the Super Bowl, despite losing Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean for a total of four games.
“This year now, is a little bit deeper,” Arians said yesterday. “With the addition of Rashard [Robinson], Pierre [Desir] and “Sherm” [Richard Sherman]. Dee [Delaney] has come on and done a good job. So, yeah, I think we are a little bit deeper than we were last year.”
Yeah, Joe is bummed that the Bucs didn’t land Stephon Gilmore. It seemed like they had a shot if the Belicheats released him but they found a trade partner who was willing to pick up the $5 million remaining on his 2021 base salary (per Adam Schefter of BSPN). The Bucs simply don’t have that kind of scratch without a roster move.
It would have been like a dude with only a $5 bill in his wallet trying to play at the $20 craps table.
October 7th, 2021 at 12:08 am
Gilmore would have been nice, but there’s no way Belichick is going to pave the way for Brad to get to another Super Bowl.
The Bucs don’t need a shutdown corner; a couple of competent CBs would be enough to get the job done.
October 7th, 2021 at 12:30 am
Shoulda got CJ Henderson.
Now the Panthers have Gilmore AND CJ Henderson.
October 7th, 2021 at 1:26 am
Hey coach define “little bit”
October 7th, 2021 at 5:05 am
The Pats is good at finding good CBs, Litch should do more homework on the CBs in the practice list of the Pats.
October 7th, 2021 at 5:15 am
This was the defenses achilles heel last year and was never addressed in the off season. Drinking too many rum runners must of blurred their vision.
October 7th, 2021 at 5:39 am
Listnfrmafar Says:
October 7th, 2021 at 5:15 am
This was the defenses achilles heel last year and was never addressed in the off season. Drinking too many rum runners must of blurred their vision.
^^^^^^^^^
The “Spilled Milkers” (crying over spilled milk) will NEVER be happy with an offseason, no matter what the Bucs front office does. The fact that the Bucs brought so many players back and some people are crying over what they DIDN’T do proves my point.
October 7th, 2021 at 6:00 am
I’d say Deep Schiff. They have had issues covering short passes. A rookie had a great chance to beat the champs, but the coach of the Patriots had a Biden moment.
October 7th, 2021 at 6:11 am
We need to start treating this forum like a bar. I get that some of us grew up wothout fathers but willing to bet you had a drunk uncle who told you “no politics and no religion at the bar”
October 7th, 2021 at 6:22 am
One guy who’s getting better & better is Ross Cockrell, even though he didn’t get mentioned. Not super-fast (4.56 sec 40-yd) but he’s playing quite well in the last couple of games especially (3 PDs). On the year he’s been targeted 24 times against only 14 completions (58.3%), best among all our CBs. His Average Yards Per Completion (8.6) is also the lowest among all our CBs.
Of the CBs that BA mentioned they’re all batting 1000% right now. Delaney has been targeted 4 times in 4 games; all 4 were completed. Sherm was targeted a whopping 9 times by the Pats (understandable); all 9 were completed. Pierre was targeted 3 times by the Pats (his only game also); all 3 were completed. Rashard has yet to play a defensive snap.
Both Sherman & Desir have excellent experience & just need time to get up-to-speed in Bowles’ defense. Delaney & Robinson are unknowns at this point, but they both have good size & decent speed (4.46-4.49 secs). I’m confident that we’ll be OK; getting these guys experience while our starters heal up will very likely serve us well come playoff time. No need to rush any of our injured players back into the lineup.
October 7th, 2021 at 6:37 am
Truth is compelling, eh Mcruzer.
October 7th, 2021 at 6:55 am
I think talent issue in secondary is certainly an issue and may be experience is playing a part in it. however I think coaching and fitness seems bigger issue for our defense. We have not been able to get much pressure using front 4 and our secondary is consistently out of place or peeking in back, leaving receivers wide open. If we could just get them simple assignments and hold their feet to fire, it would get much better.
October 7th, 2021 at 7:49 am
Never discourage a bigot from displaying their bigotry.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:03 am
DR, maybe so but the starts other than Davis are nothing to write home about. I hear Dean’s name a lot and from the games I’ve watched he is not much of an upgrade. Not many of Bucs DB’s would start on other teams.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:10 am
Gilmore would have been a rental; he’s looking for $15-18 M on a multiyear deal and we couldn’t sign him and Carlton. With Dick, Dean, Davis , Desir and Delaney we are nice and deep at the outside corner spots.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:23 am
BA is very good at resting injured players. He will do so again. DR is right: Cockrell has been quietly playing good defense.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:30 am
BA is good at resting in the off season, I guess during practice and games as well. Only time he isn’t resting is in front of the microphone.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:32 am
I have to agree, to a point, w/ Listnfrmafar. I am not sure Dean is a bona fide “starter”. He gets beat or is out of place much too often. Maybe Sherman can help straighten him out some. SMB has potential, like we saw in the playoffs, if he can maintain that level he’ll be fine as a slot cover guy. It is ugly right for sure. If they can keep down the big deep chunks that we saw in LA and “bend not break” we’ll survive.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:35 am
I don’t know how good the Pats are at finding corners, but I do know they are real good at coaching who they have up. Rarely do you see a Pats corner running around lost like we do. Rarely do they blow assignments like we do. Rarely are they caught with their pants down by trick plays like we are every single time! Bill always has a tight well coached group back there no matter who’s playing. They let a guy like Gilmore go, and the next man comes in, and does his job.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:35 am
Dennis good when plying playing man press. Seems when he plays off he just doesn’t have the awareness to make adjustments. But when playing up closer to line of scrimmage he can use his size and speed to disrupt. We will be ok. I truly think when everyone is back healthy (hopefully) David and SMB start then she Herman comes in and SMB kicks to Nickle.
October 7th, 2021 at 8:39 am
Should have stuck with Cameron McKinley
October 7th, 2021 at 8:48 am
Hodad, agree 100% except for 2017 SB against Philly but BB sat their #1 corner, a story for another day. Anyone that scouts the Patriots knows McDaniels always runs some trick plays in tight games. What is sad they ran that same throw back pass to James White week 1 against Miami. I can’t say it enough not that it matters BA & his staff are NOT good, it.is TB12 that keeps this team cohesive. I still can’t believe they don’t practice for inclement weather. WOW!
October 7th, 2021 at 9:18 am
The Patriots have been running that trick play (WR pass) for years in key games, yet it caught the Buc coaching staff by surprise. I know fans here get sensitive about the coaching staff and front office making mistakes, but it just seems that some folks just aren’t doing their homework.
October 7th, 2021 at 9:24 am
Anyway, allow me to introduce a strange thought: Having (or relying) on a strong pass rush isn’t the same as having a good pass defense. A pass rush is a component of pass defense, not a substitution for it. Injuries aside it was obvious that the Buc front 7 was stout as they get in the NFL, but the defensive backfield depth was paper thin, and their performance was advantageously influenced by the immense pressure generated by the front 7.
October 7th, 2021 at 9:48 am
Odd how political slights are allowed against President Biden
October 7th, 2021 at 11:29 am
It’s deeper, just not better. Still one of the worst teams in coverage. Last year wasn’t that different.
October 7th, 2021 at 3:10 pm
1sparkybuc, are you saying the previous President was without criticism? Biden is a target because he and his administration are doing a terrible job. He currently has a 38% national approval rating, Harris is lower. FYI not cited from Fox News, it was CNN’s post.