Ndamukong Who?
August 25th, 2022
Bucs DT Akiem Hicks.
Joe understands some folks will get triggered by the headline above. Joe really, really, really likes former Bucs defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. Wishes he was still here.
But, you cannot win a fight with Father Time or change. So Suh is still on the street. Retirement may not be far behind.
SI.com’s Albert Breer was snooping around One Buc Palace earlier this week and Joe knows the national guys get better access to movers and shakers at One Buc Palace than the local guys. So some of Breer’s insight is interesting.
It seems certain folks have tipped off Breer that the Bucs cannot believe their luck with Suh’s replacement, Akiem Hicks. It seems the Bucs cannot block him and believe he will raise hell with opposing offenses this fall.
Akiem Hicks has had a fantastic camp—and at 340 pounds looks like he’s going to be an impact pass-rusher. He’s 32, of course, and has had his share of injuries, which is part of why things went sideways in Chicago. But over the past month, he’s been borderline unblockable in practice, and the Buccaneers have been judicious in managing his workload. Put him together with Vita Vea, who’s had a nice summer, too, and that’s a 700-pound problem for offenses. If the Bucs can keep him healthy, Hicks could represent a nice upgrade over Ndamukong Suh at the three-technique spot, which is more than most thought they’d get when they acquired him.
An upgrade over Suh? To Joe, that’s like saying the Bucs found Warren Sapp in his prime. Suh was a gamewrecker and it doesn’t take a math genius to figure out why it was that wherever Suh went, that team’s defense instantly got better and got ornerier.
Joe thinks the Bucs are going to miss Suh. But if Hicks really is an upgrade, folks won’t miss Suh for long.
August 25th, 2022 at 3:57 am
It’s all talk about
August 25th, 2022 at 4:03 am
*Its all talk about the oline but no one mentions our nasty front seven.
August 25th, 2022 at 4:09 am
Ok, what is the over under of how many games will be missed by Hicks?
Your best ability is availability.
Again, what is the over under of how many games Hicks misses???????
Remains to be seen.
Hope he does not miss any games, but the is a BIG IF.
GO BUCS!!!!!!
August 25th, 2022 at 4:45 am
‘Joe really, really, really likes former Bucs defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. Wishes he was still here’.
Me too. I understand Father Time perfectly; he & I are good friends (oops, take that back: we tolerate each other). But Suh still has gas left in the tank (he did lead the DLine last year with 6 sacks, 13 QB Hits & 7 TFLs). Money is not the issue that folks think it is.
Like every Bucs’ fan, I want Vea & Hicks to both stay healthy & play extremely well, but I’m also a realist. Bucs use a 3-4 defense, meaning that our Front 3 will have to produce roughly 3,300 def snaps total on the season. Right now we’ve got Vea, Hicks, Gholston, RNR & Hall to do that with (plus we’ll probably keep 2-3 others, but I’m not seeing a lot of potential yet in that particular group). IF everyone stays healthy & plays very well, we can make it work. IF Vea or Hicks go down (or Gholston or RNR or Hall), we’ll be in serious trouble.
I understand money very well, and so does Suh I’m quite sure. He’s probably asking $9 mil for his services strictly (last year’s salary) because he can (he’s his own agent) & his bet is probably that SOMEONE will pony up at some point. If not, he’ll either settle for less or just opt for retirement. My guess though is that he’d still love to finish out his career here, and IF the opportunity arises, he’ll grab it. And at some point this season, odds are very good that we’ll NEED him. Bucs NEED this defense to perform at a VERY high level if we’re gonna win it all. We went all-in paying Julio Jones $6 mil for his services when we’ve got a full stable of WRs; best consider doing something similar for Suh.
August 25th, 2022 at 5:00 am
That is funny…a 700 pound problem. Good one.
August 25th, 2022 at 5:30 am
He got some sacks/hits, but in general he wasn’t winning very many blocks compared to years past. That said, of he wasn’t demand starting pay I’m sure they’d sign him
August 25th, 2022 at 6:26 am
Isn’t it possible he’s been unblock-able solely because we have second string interior lineman?
August 25th, 2022 at 6:36 am
I would love to see Suh return to the Bucs. His price will most likely drop after pre-season ends, probably signing with the Raiders.
August 25th, 2022 at 6:40 am
#2
Pooh
August 25th, 2022 at 6:46 am
“ Joe knows the national guys get better access to movers and shakers at One Buc Palace than the local guys” — It seems to me, if Joe was to set up text alerts, and had demonstrable proof that they had thousand and thousands of Bucs fans/Joe Bucs readers on their text list, the movers and shakers at One Buc Palace might very well see that the BEST pipeline to their fans is through Joe Bucs, and Joe might start getting better access and even breaking news. I do know that many of us readers would appreciate getting a brief text each time a story is posted on Joe Bucs. Just a thought.
August 25th, 2022 at 7:10 am
Welp, Suh played all 17 games last season, made 27 tackles, and 6 sacks. Can’t call whether or not Hicks will be healthy enough to play 17 games, but matching Suh’s tackle & sack production in 10-12 games is plausible if Hicks plays as advertised.
August 25th, 2022 at 7:15 am
People have got to stop holding onto the pass. Suh is like the ex BF who sits around the house, doesn’t work, plays video games, doesn’t help with Bills, eats all the snacks and food, and doesn’t clean up behind himself, but she won’t kick him because she “so used to him being around”. No fault to Suh, but that ticking clock has finally caught up to him. It is what it is.
August 25th, 2022 at 7:36 am
Speaking of Sapp–keep him away from Buc Place; he worked out Barmore, thoroughly disparaged him to Licht–and now Barmore’s the Patriots’ best player.
August 25th, 2022 at 7:50 am
Great, but I still want Suh in the rotation. Hopefully he will take less money and we can sign him to a cap friendly one year deal with incentives.
August 25th, 2022 at 7:59 am
Love Suh. Love Hicks. Love this front 7. Love Bowles. Love the additions to the DBs. Love Edwards.
Love it. 3-1 first 4 games. Mahomes is falling back to earth. The Cowboys always implode. Rodgers is totally intimidated by Brady. Jameis is Jameis.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:12 am
Sounds like the Bucs have gotten better up front on the Defensive line. Let’s send Brady out with a Superbowl win – better yet let’s follow it up with a Two peat
August 25th, 2022 at 8:21 am
IMHO, Aikeem Hicks is an upgrade from Suh.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:22 am
Disrespectful headline!
August 25th, 2022 at 8:22 am
Told ya so repeatedly… that Akeim Hicks would be an upgrade over Suh.
The only concern is his durability.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:22 am
I think Logan Hall will be a bigger factor then Hicks. Even if we didn’t replace Suh, with Hicks, we added a talented, young three tech to our rotation. I’m hoping Hicks plays better than Suh this year, but when Suh had to take his place on the bench, he wasn’t being replaced with a talent like Hall. Hicks will be, that should make us better up front alone.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:23 am
I just wish we also signed Trey Flowers.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:32 am
Unblockable?
So Hainsey and Leverett and Goedeke cant block him?
Great!
August 25th, 2022 at 8:32 am
Love Hicks & I do agree he is an upgrade, when he plays. Key word ‘when’.
All in or not?
Get Suh. Then opposing lines have have 1000lb probz.
Half Ton Tampa.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:34 am
Hicks is an upgrade IF he stays healthy. And that is a ginormous IF.
August 25th, 2022 at 8:55 am
#8, Suh wants his 8, to 10 million to play. He’s not getting it from the bucs, or any other team. My guess is when an injury happens during the season, he’ll get off the couch for about 5 million to finish out the season. Who knows, maybe it will be us, but likely not. Still kudos to you for sticcking with your man.
August 25th, 2022 at 9:05 am
We all know Hicks will be injured at some point this season let’s just hope it’s not season ending. The HUGE reason we all were calling for Suh to come back. But what do we know…I hope I’m wrong. Go Bucs!
August 25th, 2022 at 9:08 am
We rotate Via in and out constantly. Hicks will get rest enough to stay fresh.
August 25th, 2022 at 9:41 am
Really there is no one else like Suh when it comes to availability.
I agree with everyone that is concerned about Hicks and availability. But we really are keeping it too simple.
Hicks injury in 2019 was a dislocated elbow. Sorry but no one can play through that injury. The good news is in 2020 and 2021, he had no problems with his elbow. Not one complaint. So, to me a reinjury of the elbow seems to be highly unlikely at this point.
Hicks injury in 2021 was an ankle. That would concern me in 2022 of a possible reinjury. However, the good news is we know that the Bucs medical staff looked at that ankle closely before giving him a contract. It does not mean that they could have missed something, but it does mean through films and examination, they did not see anything wrong.
On top of that we have not seen any indication that he has had any ankle problems through camp. Another good sign.
Hicks clearly has a good chance to play 15 or more games this year based upon what I can see. Yes, he is more injury prone than Suh. No, he is not brittle despite what seems to be a consensus here.
August 25th, 2022 at 10:04 am
The team stated repeatedly last year at the end of the season that they needed to get faster up front. They drafted Hall, signed Hicks, and let SUH and JPP walk. their actions spoke louder than their words. They did what they wanted to do.
August 25th, 2022 at 10:52 am
Im not doing any comparison. Way to respectful of Suh.
Hicks is very talented. Along with Vea, they can be absolutely devastating by collapsing Olines.
Hicks health is always an issue- but this may be his last chance to win the Superbowl.
I hope both Hicks And Vea good health this season. They will be fun to watch!
August 25th, 2022 at 11:22 am
Tell me your O-Line has problems without telling me your O-Line has problems.
August 25th, 2022 at 1:28 pm
They ought to have Suh as well if they were smart. Then they’d really have something special
August 25th, 2022 at 2:03 pm
Imagine your down 3 lineman in the 3 4 defense..
Suh vea hicks
Backs up
Gohlston hall and bettle juice from Howard stern.
August 25th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
Suh was not special last year. So, if Hicks is healthy, it’s definitely an upgrade.
August 26th, 2022 at 3:30 am
Suh.