“Time To Worry”
August 22nd, 2022
A well-known national NFL scribe who spent a few hours at One Buc Palace talking to many Bucs types and has a feel for what the suits and coaches think, typed this morning that he understands if Bucs fans are sweating.
And that stenographer is none other than soggy-socks-wearing, Daylight-Savings-Time-scared, crossword-puzzle-puzzled, Elon-Musk-peeved, Barstool-Sports-triggered, almond-milk-sipping, hot-dog-eating-contest-protesting, mock-draft-scowling, L.L.-Bean-wearing, tennis fans’ advocate, Second Amendment abolitionist, Mike-Florio-arguing, parrot-insensitive, chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California-train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal-picture-taking, video-game-playing, Taylor-Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft-beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training, Budweiser-tolerant, baseball-scorecard-keeping, pasta-feasting, vomit-dodging scrooge, Kay-Adams-following, Coors-Light-souring, pineapple-upside-down-cake-eating social activist and NFL insider of NBC Sports fame, Peter King, thinks the season-ending knee injury to left guard Aaron Stinnie should have Bucs fans lying awake at night.
For as many weapons the Bucs have, the team being on the cusp of starting a left guard and center with virtually no NFL experience is not conducive to a thriving offense with a 45-year old immobile quarterback.
I think it might be time to worry about the Tampa Bay offense. I’m not worried about Tom Brady’s absence—yet—because two people with knowledge of his time off told me over the weekend they expect he’ll be back sometime this week, and they’re not concerned. What to be worried about:
The starting offensive line at season’s end was, left to right, Donovan Smith, Ali Marpet, Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, Tristan Wirfs.
After Marpet retired and Cappa left in free-agency, the starting offensive line a month ago, at the start of camp, was Donovan Smith, Aaron Stinnie, Ryan Jensen, Shaq Mason and Tristan Wirfs.
Wirfs strained his oblique last week; no timetable for his return. Stinnie was carted off in Nashville Saturday night; he was diagnosed with a torn ACL and MCL—out for the year. So the starting line for Brady (we guess) to open the season could be, left to right, Donovan Smith, rookie Luke Goedeke, Robert Hainsey, Shaq Mason and street free-agent Fred Johnson. Yikes.
No guarantee that Chris Godwin (ACL surgery, Jan. 3) will be back for opening day, though he’s making good progress. Practice this week and next will tell.
We’ll see how the beat-up front plays out. But offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich had better get his short drops and quick throws dominating his play sheet in September.
Well, here is the thing: The Bucs offense is all about downfield throwing.
Yeah, they could dink and dunk, but that’s not this offense. So if the Bucs revamp their offensive attack on the fly, Joe believes it will neutralize so many weapons and drag it down.
Joe is starting to believe Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will swing a deal for a left guard, picking up a recent castoff or trading for a veteran.
Since this is very likely Tom Brady’s final season, Joe doesn’t think this is the time to hope a left guard develops. Regular readers know how vile Joe thinks the word “hope” is.
August 22nd, 2022 at 4:54 am
build a wall for tommy b……….and build it fast…
#WeCanRebuildThis
August 22nd, 2022 at 5:48 am
I’m tired of the panic talk …the season hasn’t started yet! This is a Two-Time, Super-Bowl Championship Team. Our coaching staff is second to none and our General Manager has his finger on the pulse of the team! John Molchon and Nick Leverett development time is over, the plate is there and no one is in the box, next man up!
August 22nd, 2022 at 5:52 am
Look for Tyler Johnson to be featured…..he’s buried on depth chart, maybe a trade target.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:11 am
It seems like Geodeke is the weakest link now. Hainsey seems passable. Yeah sign a vet
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:21 am
It’s time to give up a decent pick from the next draft for a guard, like now
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:21 am
Sign Tretter.
Trade for a guard.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:27 am
You’re not exactly negotiating from a position of strength in looking for a quality OLineman when everyone else knows you’re desperate.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:27 am
Should have given Trask playing time, and with with starters. Would have upped his trade value. But I think the plan all long was to NOT let him develop him. Don’t ask me why.
August 22nd, 2022 at 6:56 am
Mason is an upgrade. The other losses hurt. But this is the NFL not 2A high school varsity football. The backups will play. And they will play well.
In addition to the Offense, the team does have a Defense. It is an upgraded Defense.
Finally, the QB is pretty good. He’s seen a lot and done a lot. He knows how to take what he has and make the most of it.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:03 am
Did someone say the backups will play and they’ll play well? In what universe does that take place in? The metaverse?
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:04 am
Bucs could change everything real fast and i agree they will make a move any day. You have too. Unless jensen coming back sooner then later.
Goedeke will be fine in time. Right now , he will get brady killed so no chance
Sorry but stinnie was never the answer.
Leverrett was told to go back to the practice squad by titans players
Walton – yah right .
And then to put new starter next to a very green hainsey is recipe for disaster. Bucs need to move quickly so new said person can get up to speed. Cause every team will load up their best players in the middle for a straight path to brady who will be hearing footsteps all year.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:10 am
Time to see what this defense has in the tank. Other than receivers Bucs aren’t exactly deep. Maybe Miller, Johnson and picks. Not sure any team needs Gabbert.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:23 am
All the preseason games did was reiterate what most of us already knew except those in denial like Oneilbucyall and SB-LV, this is what the Bucs will look like without Brady. The coaching suck, ST stink, secondary still weak and play calling is grade school. Enjoy at least one more conference title then back to the cellar.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:30 am
Foolish Bucs won’t address the line. Light too cocky. Media makes him think he’s an O-line guru.
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:45 am
Time to call Erick Flowers…..or Logan Mankins whomever picks up first
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:47 am
Get it fixed Licht. Do what you have to do. This season is slipping away before it even starts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 22nd, 2022 at 7:49 am
Nit worried….Licht will take care of business…..our defense is healthy and strong……we’re good.
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:18 am
Joel you might want to change the name of this site to Joe’s crybabies.. I have never seen so much doom and gloom and all my life ..it is TOM‘s last year I guarantee you Jason will not sit still I guarantee you he trades for some good offensive lineman to keep Tom upright it’s only preseason and everyone is already writing off the bucs
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:20 am
Still several decent free agents available…
Flowers, Finney, Skura, Okafor, Sua-Fila, Long.
Or we could sign JC Trettor and move Hainsey to LG.
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:21 am
Hard to believe the league used to have 6 pre-season games. Agree with cutting back to 3 games but is seems like there are too many season ending injuries. Time for the league & coaching staffs to put some effort into coming up with protection for the players to reduce this madness.
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:28 am
Q. Spain is also still available… 31 years old – PFF grade of 72/run and 76/pass.
Not a bad option for a team desperate enough…
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:46 am
Sign Tretter ……. Move Hainsey if need be and grab a Vet for left guard there will prob be a decent one released , if not a 5 th rounder may land the Bucs a pretty good player with teams contemplating the cap and releases !! Let Luke G practice at left and right as left May be a bit easier for him should Mason get dinged up ………….. the answers are there but the majority of teams are just to foolish and brain dead lazy with a little bit of my guy fools backup pride to make the moves but this is where Brady has really helped Licht polish his game ; let’s hope Licht makes a move or two , not just for the current injuries but for future occurrences ( hope not) .
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:53 am
Fans should be worried about that offense playing without 8 starters. Dumbspit. Brady Evans Godwin Julio Gage Wirfs Smith Mason and Lenny . Useless article
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:55 am
And yeah I know that’s 9 but Lenny did play a few snaps .
August 22nd, 2022 at 8:56 am
In my opinion, Geodeke should have been transitioned to right guard. Stinnie should have stayed at right guard too. Shaq Mason would have been fine at left guard.
This is the same bull crap they pulled with moving Shaq to left DE after a 20 sack campaign and letting JPP have right DE. Nothing was broke but they had to try to fix it.
Geodeke was a mauler at right tackle in college. Slide him one spot over and it’s still familiar territory for him. Who knows, maybe Ryan Jensen still has a knee left if he had a seasoned player like Mason to the left of him.
August 22nd, 2022 at 9:06 am
I am P R A Y I N G that another team loses a WR to injury (sorry but how else will this play out?) and we can deal one of the many we seem to have – – we need O-line help NOW!
August 22nd, 2022 at 9:07 am
oops – – many of the WIDE RECEIVERS we seem to have
August 22nd, 2022 at 9:11 am
BETTER GET TRETTER
August 22nd, 2022 at 9:32 am
Sign Tretter
Sign Erik Fisher and convert to guard
Problem solved
August 22nd, 2022 at 9:42 am
Maybe the NFL should look to pare down pre-season even more. The angst about the O-line is rooted in the negative reviews on Hainsey and Goedeke so far in training camp, or, at least, the fact that we just don’t how well they will do when the season starts. The GM’s decisions will be that much more critical.
August 22nd, 2022 at 9:56 am
Get one of the IOL the Ravens are gonna have to cut out of the group if: Kevin Zeitler, Linderbaum, Trystan Colon, Tyre Phillips, Ben Powers, Ben Cleveland & Patrick Mekari
They can’t keep them all and their LG competition has been the best battle for all of Ravens’ Training Camp.
You will have to trade for the one they would plan to cut though, because they won’t make it to us through Waivers.
They also just so happen to need WR help (which has been our deepest position and battle of TC) in the worst way and an affordable one to fit their salary cap at that (like say a receiver on a rookie 4th or 6th round contract situation 👀)
Lastly, Jensen worked out pretty well for us and I think they liked Zuttah pretty well. We have a good OL rapport w/ them it sure seems a little.
Go Bucs and in JL I trust….but dang if that don’t make sense and we get a talented IOL w/ playing experience, whilst still young in age and at a good contract to fit under our salary cap. But one of those guys is coming free and it’s sensical all the way around.
Now who do you give up to get that?!
August 22nd, 2022 at 10:08 am
Perhaps its time for the GOAT to put out a call to Allie Marpet. I anyone can get him back on board for one last season Tommy can.
August 22nd, 2022 at 10:34 am
A one-legged Aaron Stinnie might be better than retired Ali Marpet. Anyone wanting Marpet back hasn’t seen him recently. 🙂
August 22nd, 2022 at 10:36 am
This article appears to be written right after Wirfs injury. Suppose they had to add in the Stinnie news. We know Wirfs is fine for opening day. Stinnie was the veteran swing guard but there are plenty of other interior guys to plug in if there’s a another injury. People act like there is all these great players available and that learning a entirely new system a few weeks is easy. There aren’t and it’s not. Adding some more OG depth will happen. Bringing in some new stud starter won’t.
People who think the Bucs are the only team dealing with injuries should go check out other teams pages. Everyone is dealing with it.
August 22nd, 2022 at 10:38 am
Tretter is being punished by the league because of his outspoken nature and the fact that he is President of the players association. NFL has a long history of blacklisting players that do not toe the company line.
August 22nd, 2022 at 12:20 pm
Staff second to one?
BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Funniest ish I read all week.
August 22nd, 2022 at 12:21 pm
excuse my typing…staff second to none? LOL
August 22nd, 2022 at 3:31 pm
Stinnie was not starting for us. If he was starting for us, then the team was screwed. The guy is a decent backup, but that’s all. People are acting like we lost the season because a backup guard went down. Calm down people.
While I’ll agree the Bucs can’t lose any depth, it’s not like losing all our corners last year. Outside of RB, OG might be the easiest position to replace in football. Yes, there’s a huge difference between Marpet and a replacement level player, but you don’t have to have someone who is dominant, you just need someone who is average (like Cappa), and you should be fine. And the great thing is that you can find average guards all over the place.
Now replacing a center or tackle is much more difficult, but guard, thankfully, that is not a difficult position to find someone.
August 22nd, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Yup, unfortunately, we’re in the position where we have to pick up someone on the offensive line. Hopefully, we can use WRs as trade bait, but everyone knows we’re gonna have to cut some really good receivers.