Bruce Arians Evaluates Ryan Succop, Bradley Pinion
January 31st, 2022
Ryan Succop ranked 23rd in field goal conversion percentage this season among full-time kickers.
Joe wouldn’t blame any Bucs fan for singing the blues about the Tampa Bay kicking game.
With everything on the line a week ago, two Bucs kickoffs were drilled out of bounds resulting in 15-yard penalties, and a makeable field goal was missed.
The Rams won by three points.
Bucco Bruce Arians was asked for assessments of his punter and kicker last week on the Buccaneers Radio Network. His tone was not upbeat.
“I think, again, inconsistent for him. You know, we’re so used to seeing 90 percent [field goal conversion] out of him,” Arians said of Succop’s season. “For him to miss that one [against the Rams], obviously it came up and it was big.”
On veteran punter Bradley Pinion, Arians called his season “a little bit up and down,” praising his punting in the final two games and explaining that he was hurt during a chunk of the season. No, Arians offered no excuses for Pinion’s kickoffs last weeks, other than to say there was “a wall of wind.”
Succop turns 36 in September, has very limited range, and he ranked 23rd in field goal conversion percentage this season among full-time kickers — a formula that should trigger the Bucs to bring in competition at the position.
January 31st, 2022 at 9:43 am
I never want to see Pinion in a buc uniform again. Kicking 2 balls out of bounds in a playoff game… you got to be kidding and his1st punt was a touch back… ridiculous
January 31st, 2022 at 9:46 am
They already have a Succop replacement if they choose in the kid they protected on the PS all season.
January 31st, 2022 at 9:54 am
We just can’t pick kickers……Gay, Santos, Folk…..all very good kickers (for other teams now)…….
Pinion is a mixed bag…….one of the best at touchbacks in the NFL….but inconsistent with punts…….very uncharacteristic on the out of bounds kickoffs.
January 31st, 2022 at 9:55 am
Rich Bisaccia might be available. He would be a huge – HUGE – upgrade over our current ST coach…
I would keep Succup and maybe find an upgraded punter who can also perform kick off duties.
It has taken us years of misery looking for a decent kicker.
January 31st, 2022 at 9:56 am
It came up but it was still 27-27. Bite on that for a while coach.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:00 am
Ya BA is a master at special teams. Throw Darden in the mix. ST coaches should watch Bucs films to see what up and coming coaches shouldn’t do.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:00 am
I forgot about Brian Anger……used to be a Buc
January 31st, 2022 at 10:04 am
BA heading for his last rodeo. At our expense. We are going full speed at an Iceberg.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:05 am
Succop not worth the salary. Missed one against the rams plus arians went for it on 4th and 14 a trusted fg kicker right there couldve changed things
January 31st, 2022 at 10:05 am
Both guys should get the pink slip…
Combined, they take up $6.9MM against the cap for 2022.
#wellbye
January 31st, 2022 at 10:06 am
Two words… Rich Basaccia.
Our current ST coach is a dope.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:07 am
So, two things:
1) Even with Succop having an “off year”, it still felt better than previous seasons. That’s how bad our kicking has been!
2) Watching Matt Gay nail FG after FG in the playoffs is vomit-worthy! What gives?! He couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn when a Buc!
January 31st, 2022 at 10:08 am
The UM kid is ready for prime time
January 31st, 2022 at 10:08 am
Cobraboy … I agree; why would the Bucs protect Jose Borregales during the entire season if they didn’t have major plans for using him down the line?
No idea how good he really is, but he did win the 2020 Lou Groza Award that annually recognizes college football’s top place-kicker. And in his 4-year college career he did make 70 FGs, including a 57-yarder.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:10 am
@DR: but would Borregales even want to come back to the Bucs if Succop is also brought back?
January 31st, 2022 at 10:11 am
I don’t get it. Gay is killing it for the rams it seems like. Joe why did we let gay walk away ?
January 31st, 2022 at 10:16 am
This would be a very good time to get younger….much younger…..we’ll have a start if Brady retires….44.
But then there’s Suh, JPP, Jensen & Succop.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:19 am
Thanks for everything, cut em
January 31st, 2022 at 10:22 am
Fire the SP coach he is atrocious, there is NO WAY that running Darden out there in the playoffs was in any level of football a good idea, that dude is garbage, he should be wearing double ZERO 00 and not that good number
January 31st, 2022 at 10:22 am
I guess Matt Gay finally got his meds figured out…
94% during the regular season. Can’t believe we let this kid walk after spending a draft pick on him.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:34 am
Borregales was stashed on the practice squad all year. I wonder if he’s looking like our kicker in 2022.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:40 am
Roger’s., two, count then two out of bounds kick offs after Tampa scores, anyone of us could of done that! This team was so talented even with the back ups and the coaching staff killed it. How can a team go ALL season giving up 3rd & 20’s and it’s not corrected? I’m going to puke, AGAIN!
January 31st, 2022 at 10:41 am
Pinion, no idea how Roger’s got in there.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:41 am
Please! Can’t we go more than a few years without having to talk about the kickers??? 😩😩
January 31st, 2022 at 10:55 am
Marine, would absolutely love to get Rich back here. With the coaching changes there he might be available. Would like to think that the current coaching staffs undying loyalty would cede in a case like this where you can get a clear superior replacement. And as DR said above, there is a reason we kept the rookie kicker. He’s got great cred from his college career. And we are seeing what a rookie kicker can do in these playoffs.
January 31st, 2022 at 10:57 am
PKs and Ps have very short half-lives on a roster if they have a poor season. There’s a reason for this, and it might be mental: too many PKs and Ps never get over the funk of stinking it up during a key game or season. Succop has just so-so range, and despite a strong 2020, he’s now on the verge of losing his job. Pinion was so awful during the divisional playoff that he kicked himself out the front door.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:04 am
Succop is the best kicker we’ve had since Connor Barth. He’s not as good as Connor but considering the revolving door or kickers since Barth left almost 10 years ago I’d say kicker should be far away on the radar. He missed a 44 yarder, makeable but not a chip shot. I agree with the other commenter that a lot of the guys that went through that revolving door are now solid for other teams, particularly Gay who sent us packing. Will Succop be the next?
That being said I do agree that some competition at least should be brought in. Makes sense.
Look no further than Rodrigo Blankenship. Guy was an absolute beast in college and has kicked well for the Colts. He got hurt early on in the season though and essentially got Tom Brady’d by Michael Badgely who took his job despite Hot Rod still being a great kicker.
One man is gonna be the odd man out from that team, my money is they will stick with the hot hand in Badgely. Whoever it is the Bucs should target.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:07 am
Cobraboy … Borregales is under contract for 2022 ($705K). Succop is also under contract for 2022 ($4.0 mil) and also for 2023 ($4.5 mil). Pinion’s under contract for 2022 ($2.9 mil) but not for 2023.
All that means to me is that IF we release both Succop & Pinion, we’d save $6.9 mil on the salary CAP this year (Borregales is already counted in our Top-51 because we’ve only got 46 players under contract as of right now). Of course we’d have to replace Pinion as our punter if we did that, but should still have a ‘savings’ of around $6 mil.
That $6 mil ‘savings’ translates to me into re-signing Leonard Fournette as our primary RB. It’s a gamble to be sure, but I have a hunch that 2022’s roster will probably have more than 1 ‘gambles’ on it.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:07 am
In the NFL now you need a guy who can make 50 yarders because you are playing against a team that has that weapon.
Until the Brady domino drops its impossible to know the direction of this franchise.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:08 am
Both were below average. On the decline. New faces needed.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:15 am
I honestly don’t see where all the Pinion hate comes from? Of course the two kickoffs out of bounds, but he has a boot in the punt game and usually out of the back of the end zone on kick offs.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:18 am
Neither Soukup or Pinion can be called money kickers. Championship game on the line and they blew it. In fact, special teams coordinator sux out loud. BA cant protect his ST coordinator buddy anymore.
Get the kid from the practice squad ASAP.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:24 am
@DR: I forgot the futures contract for the K. Good dealio.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:25 am
Pinion has a mediocre year. Maybe it was injury-induced. His kickoffs were fine, playoffs excepted, but punting was sub-par IMO.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:25 am
Sadly, if you think about it those 60 yards in penalties caused by Pinion’s crap kicks was equal to the total yardage gained by Miller, Johnson, Howard, and Bernard combined.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:26 am
I’m wondering if Pinion was told to angle both kicks to the same corner of the endzone to help our kick coverage? I’m O.K. with replacing both these guys, but maybe we need to also replace our ST’s coach? For three years our ST’s have sucked no matter what players are kicking, returning, or covering. Last week wasn’t the first time Pinion has kicked O.B. to the same corner. Me thinks he was told to do that to protect our weak kick coverage.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:29 am
Also like to get a new secondary coach. Same thing, no matter who we put back there to many times we look lost, and confused. Guys running wide open has become the norm. Can’t just be the players.
January 31st, 2022 at 11:35 am
There is a kid from SDSU that averages around 60 yards per punt and has multiple 90 yard punts (talk about flipping the field). They need to cut ties with pinion and draft this kid in the 5th or 6th rd. Also, he kicks FGs (though he needs work). Yes I said draft a punter, late round picks usually don’t work anyway and it would save money
January 31st, 2022 at 12:15 pm
@Jp09
Yeah, that kid is pretty amazing to the tune of being a couple of standard deviations away from the norm. As noted, his accuracy is a work in progress but he probably has more leg than anyone in the NFL. I’m curious as to where he’ll be taken in the draft.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Careful what you wish for. Been down this before. Succop is a good kicker and Matt Gay also missed a FG for the Rams too
January 31st, 2022 at 12:16 pm
Meanwhile, Matt Gay is going to the Super Bowl and made a pro bowl.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:17 pm
time for many new players we need to jettison these two–next seasons schedule is a btch anyway! if Brady is gone we going down might as well do a serious rebuild stock up on defense in the draft–corner especially
January 31st, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Why are we not evaluating the coaches that were unprepared and outcoached by the Rams for the first half?
January 31st, 2022 at 12:29 pm
overall they were like a B- or C+
not so great…
they both lack booming legs these days
January 31st, 2022 at 12:40 pm
The kicker we released in favor of Succop is kicking in the Super Bowl in two weeks. Just saying.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Succop and pinnion along with all special teams this year was horrible. Including the kick returner darden.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:43 pm
Special teams needs a make over. Starting with the coach. But it wont happen. While arians is HC. Arians can throw shade at and bench the players but he cant hold coaches accountable.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:43 pm
Succop has been very good but age might be catching up. They definitely need to bring in someone young but for god sake‘s don’t draft a kicker, unless it is around 6-7.
Pinion was very good Until this year. Those 2 kicks out of bounds were ridiculous.
He will probably be fine but I would definitely count on some young competition there as well.
January 31st, 2022 at 12:43 pm
Make The Bucs Great Again…Save The Licht House.
January 31st, 2022 at 2:10 pm
Fk the kickers
Walk the plank mofo
January 31st, 2022 at 2:15 pm
Our Special Teams weren’t very special. Let’s start with kick return. Darden looks like a slightly improved version of the kid from Appalachian State. You know the one who would slip on a blade of grass about the 10 yard line. Darden at least makes it to about the 15 before that big blade of grass gets him. Punt return, well see comments about kick return. Kickoffs were fairly good until the Rams game. Pinion had a lot of touch back during the year. Coverage wasn’t so hot at times. Punt unit, Pinion seemed inconsistent at times, not as good as last year. Field goal? Last year, I got to where I wasn’t holding my breath on every extra point and filled goal attempt. This year I started holding my breath again because you just didnt know when Succop was going to whiff again.
Overall I would give our Special teams a C- and I think that is being generous.
January 31st, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Succop costs you $4-million… but also is $1.5-million in dead cap space. So if you replace him, you’re going with a rookie most likely. Can’t wait for Licht to draft another kicker just so the idiots here go nuts.
January 31st, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Don’t forget Succop is good for missing a few extra points a year as well. It’s funny everybody screamed to cut Gay after 1 bad season as a rook but now people want to know why we cut him since he’s doing so good for the Rams.
January 31st, 2022 at 6:46 pm
Don’t forget Succop is good for missing a few extra points a year as well. It’s funny everybody screamed to cut Gay after 1 bad season as a rook but now people want to know why we cut him since he’s doing so good for the Rams.
January 31st, 2022 at 6:56 pm
Guess Licht knew what he was doing when he drafted Mr Gay
January 31st, 2022 at 9:09 pm
I have been saying this all season long….Succop is a “Hiccup” was a great Kicker -but not so much anymore!!! There are other Kickers in the league that can make 50 YARDERS!!! 30 yards is nothing but a “Chip Shot” & as for Pinion- Not once but Twice???!!! This is all that these guys do and they cost our team a Win!!! No excuses!!! Even with all the injuries and the AB fiasco we still could’ve beaten the Rams. Fix the 2 sorry punts and the missed FG that would’ve made the difference! Ohh, and the Coaching Staff for NOT DOUBLING UP ON COOPER CUP-CAKE!!! HOW ,WHY???!!! The Rams #1 Receiver not to be shut down!!! Even with the 2 Kickers Choking (At Home ) we still could’ve Won! We were NOT Prepared & even Brady looked like he wasn’t 100% into that game- the excitement & confidence level just wasn’t there. I hope these issues get fixed and our man “TB 12” returns for at least one more season.
February 6th, 2022 at 4:25 pm
Matt Araiza sandiego st….with a 4th or 5th and replace both of them with that kid.