“I Always Said That Tommy Brady Was Never Going To Be Humpty Dumpty”
August 4th, 2022
What’s the over/under on how many more days Bucs center Robert Hainsey will get to prove he can pass block for Tom Brady and replace injured Ryan Jensen?
A dozen?
Charlie Weis is Brady’s good friend and former Patriots playcaller. He’s even coming to visit Brady this week at One Buc Palace, so he told his SiriusXM NFL Radio audience this week.
Weis also was on the air telling Bucs fans to prepare themselves for the plug to get pulled suddenly on Hainsey. He didn’t say it would happen, just that the decision would be swift and could be soon.
“Don’t be shocked if, you know, all of a sudden you get one of those veteran center free agents come popping in for a workout,” Weis said. “You’d always like to be able to use the guys in your own program that know what they’re doing, that have been around, that know the terminology … but if you don’t think that you can hold the fort with the guys you have, then you go on the street and go get one.”
What Weis said my seem obvious, but it’s key to realize that he’s talking about “holding the fort” for 20 games, not just for a while.
The Bucs simply cannot and will not play games at center. They may hope it’s Hainsey, but at the end of the day, they’ll sign the best available center. And it’s clear that money will be no hurdle in 2022.
Brady won’t play games either. Weis says Brady will not gamble his health and risk the great falls that could accompany a newbie center struggling in August.
“I always said that Tommy Brady was never going to be Humpty Dumpty. He wasn’t going to sit on the wall and risk falling over and be on the decline,” Weis said, noting Brady is the top of his game.
Co-host Solomon Wilcots, the former NFL defensive back, countered Weis by saying of the Bucs adding a new center now,” What’s coming in the door is rarely better than what walked out.”
August 4th, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Why can’t he just call him Tom?
August 4th, 2022 at 5:54 pm
This is 100% Brady’s call (Tommy’s)……
Not Bowles, Not Licht…..not even the Glazers….Brady & Brady alone has to have confidence in Hainsey to go forward.
Fortunately, we have options & it;s early.
August 4th, 2022 at 5:59 pm
What’s the point of spending a 3rd round pick on a guy like Hainsey is he’s not able to take over in this situation. I think he’ll be just fine, and don’t expect the Bucs to run out and spend on a center when they have an adequate already on the team.
August 4th, 2022 at 6:22 pm
Guys (and gals) we have to trust that the Bucs know what they are doing regarding the center position. The biggest question is, at what point will they decide that Hainsey IS the guy or not? 2 weeks? 3 weeks?
As TBBF poignantly pointed out, it’s early – and that’s a blessing. We have time to figure this out.
August 4th, 2022 at 6:33 pm
If Hainsey is not the one then they will get a free agent at rhe right time so that Brady and him will have enough workouts to be ready for the season. May be soon. Hope Hainsey can do it but Brady will pull the trigger quick.
August 4th, 2022 at 6:41 pm
What’s the problem? Once Brady gets over the loss of his beloved center, Hainsey should be able to fill in admirably. I agree with my friend D-Rok. If Hainsey falls on his face, then worry. It shouldn’t take into the regular season to find out. They should have a good idea by the end of pre-season. You people worry to much, and absolutely worry to much about what Brady thinks. After all, he tried to shoot his way out of Tampa. Shut up and play football Tommie.
August 4th, 2022 at 6:48 pm
People wanna treat Brady as if he’s some fragile thing and if he gets hit because a 1st year starter at C made one bad play that he’ll break in half and go pouting to the front office. Brady has played and won with rookie UDFAs on the interior line. I’m sure he’s disappointed he lost his center, but if he wasn’t big enough to get over it, he never would have won 7 Superbowls. We have players who can do the job… maybe it’s a step down from Jensen. They’ll adjust. It’s not worth panicking over. Now, if Hainsey and Leverett got out and drop a fat wad of feces in preseason games, then we have something to be concerned about. I don’t expect that.
August 4th, 2022 at 6:56 pm
Hainsey will get his chance .
However to be safe on The Bucs would be well advised to sign JC Tretter
August 4th, 2022 at 6:57 pm
GOB,
The Bucs already know what Hainsey is. Tell me it isn’t worth a TON that Hainsey spent all last season as the scout team C, playing against our 1’s on D? (Think, Vea). They know what they have. Now, the question is, will he actually perform as the starting C and do OK? Like I said, we all have a few weeks for this question to be answered.
The sky is not falling, folks.
August 4th, 2022 at 7:05 pm
As for Tommy playing…he will. He always does. I know it’s unique landscape for a QB to even remotely suggest to the coaches how to run THEIR team, who to sign, what plays to run. I’m sure the Bucs listen to Brady with his experience, but only to a point. He is the QB, not Licht or Greenberg or Bowles or Leftwich.
Sorry, I did play football and was also a pole-vaulter with a few years of shot and discus – but never once have I seen the player’s opinion truly circumvent the coaches, their plan for the team, and the players needed. I’m sure it has happened with Brady, and that’s rare, but again, Brady is the QB and he’s paid to sling it to the open guy and matriculate the offense down the field.
Having said all that, I love me some Brady and he has surpassed Montana (easily) as the GOAT, and is by far the best QB to ever lace ’em up.
August 4th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
J. C. Tretter is getting calls from Tom.
August 4th, 2022 at 7:24 pm
Brady was okay with a rookie RT his first year here though. As I remember fans were screaming to resign Dotson. That rookie turned out to be pretty good. Just saying.
August 4th, 2022 at 8:00 pm
Nobody is saying Hainsey isn’t working hard and living up to their investment in him. He is. But he wasn’t meant to start THIS SOON. Jensen wasn’t supposed to go down now.
The case for waiting as long as possible to evaluate Hainsey and the in-house boys for weeks, months and let them screw up even:
-Jensen will be back. So all they think they want to do is temporarily fill in
-It costs less
-Brady doesn’t get special consideration, treat as just any old starting QB
-Brady doesn’t care or mind
The case for getting a veteran starting C/G very soon, regardless of how well Hainsey is doing:
-The best veterans are going to be grabbed by other teams, any minute now
-Depth, experience
-Brady is worth special consideration and this is the final season
-Brady does care and doesn’t want to chance his skull
August 4th, 2022 at 8:28 pm
There is no comparison in the expectations for Wirf and for Hainsey. Wirf drafted in the 1’st round was supposed to be one of the best tackles in the draft, he turned out to be the best. Hainsey was a 3’rd round pick who wasn’t expected to be a starter his first year. Licht has done a good job drafting linemen and the jury is out on Hainsey, but Hainsey may be no more than a good back-up or he could be a half way decent center. Only time will tell but there may not be enough time to be able to wait for him to develop. We don’t want Brady getting pummeled up the gut in the Dallas game and lose him for the season right out of the gate. It could be J.C. Tretter time soon at One Buc Place.
August 4th, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Raekwon Davis should provide a good pre-season mid-term exam next week.
August 4th, 2022 at 8:57 pm
Wirfs was the 4th tackle taken in that draft. He was a rookie, Hainsey has at least a year in the system under his belt. It is worth comparing. Marpet was a 2nd round rookie starter from a small school. People are freaking out about Hainsey. Chill.
August 4th, 2022 at 10:15 pm
I’d feel better with Tretter.
August 5th, 2022 at 12:03 am
get tretter as insurance-now
August 5th, 2022 at 10:42 am
Agreed bring him in and let them fight it out.