“(Eff) It, He’s Down There Somewhere”
May 2nd, 2023
Bucs sixth-round pick WR Trey Palmer.
It seems rookie receiver Trey Palmer is coming to the Bucs four years late.
Palmer had the fastest 40-yard time in this past winter’s combine at 4.33. He’s a burner. Flat out burner the Bucs got in the sixth round out of Nebraska.
And someone who follows Nebraska football closely has advice for Bucs coach Todd Bowles and new offensive coordinator Dave Canales:
Let it f’ing rip!
Jared Hall, an unapologetic, outspoken co-host of the “No Block, No Rock” Nebraska football podcast, took to TikTok (with a sweet Ndamukong Suh Bucs-era bobblehead beside him) to advise the Bucs.
(Dude, “your GM,” when referring to Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht? Really? You don’t know Licht played for your beloved Cornhuskers? C’mon, man. Give him his deserved props for repping the Big Red.)
“So, you are a Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback,” Hall began. “Your GM just drafted former Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer. There is just one thing you should know: Which, if you heed my words, will bring you some great comfort:
“(Eff) it! He’s down there somewhere.”
Perhaps Hall didn’t watch any Bucs games last year but the no-risk-it; no-biscuit offense is now, sadly, a relic. The Bucs want to turn back the clock and pound the ball, it seems. (With the league’s worst rushing attack, but that’s a story for another day.)
Hall’s advice seems absolutely perfect for former Super Bowl-winning Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians, who is now semi-retired. Palmer was born four years too late for the Bucs.
(How involved is Arians with the Bucs these days? While Bucs personnel people and coaches were in Indianapolis for the combine back in February, Arians was spotted marching through the Ice Palace with Rondé Barber at a concert. Anyone see photos of Arians in Licht’s war room last week?)
Joe admits for a sixth-round draft pick, Palmer is intriguing. Sure, you cannot replace his speed. The thing is, Nebraska is probably the last place a good receiver should be.
Palmer previously was at LSU and couldn’t get on the field because a couple of guys named Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase created a logjam.
#Nebraska WR Trey Palmer at 4.33 has the fastest 40-time of any WR in the draft. A former track star he finished 2022 with 71 catches for 1,043 yards and 9 TDs. If the Chargers don’t go WR early he feels like an ideal fit in Round 3. pic.twitter.com/PLDkNoXfn4
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) April 25, 2023
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:39 am
Well the good news is he doesn’t look like a bucktoothed fashion haired wuss like Kenny Bell. Hopefully this dude doesn’t mind getting hit.
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:42 am
He has game breaking speed and can take the top off a defense, plus has the ability to run end arounds and kick off/punt returns. I like this guy and am excited to see him get on the field for the Bucs.
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:45 am
Looks like a good late round pick to me…….need to replace Miller & Perriman’s speed…..
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:50 am
No longer the no riskit-no biscuit does not mean no quick out route passes or no passes down the field. Just proportionally fewer of them.
If teams think that the Bucs actually cannot pull off a deep throw or a quick throw, they’ll load the box and blitz like hell. Seems that this is a good way to handle that kind of defense. Plus with our great possession receiver Mike Evans also going downfield, and our great slot receiver Chris Godwin, plus a burner on the other side, then it just comes down to how well our rebuilt offensive line performs, and the ability of the quarterback to read defenses and throw the football, then maybe we’ll get a lot of pass completions that the so called experts don’t think the Bucs will make in 2023.
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:52 am
Looks like he whooped up on the state of Indiana. Lol
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:52 am
His speed is impressive but what like about him most is his ball adjustment while it’s in the air. It looks like the Qb made perfect throws every time but it’s really his perfect adjustments to track the ball.
He’s no Kenny Bell.
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:55 am
Worst highlight film music ever, kept waiting for Marty Jannety to just appear out of nowhere.
I like Trey Palmer, even more so in the hands of our former WR-QB coach turned pass game coordinator and now Bucs OC Dave Canales. I feel Palmer can be a Doug Baldwin type of threat for our offense and with some polish run routes as crips as Golden Tate did in his time as a pro. Also kind of intrigued by UDFA Ryan Miller, who played TE at Furman, but at 6’1 210 is 100% an NFL WR build. Not a burner like the other Miller, but he’s a hands catcher and runs a broader route tree than Scotty.
May 2nd, 2023 at 11:57 am
One trick pony. No wiggle, not an ounce. Need to be able to cut if you want to be a return man. He’ll need to improve on that if he wants to earn a spot.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:00 pm
4.33 is sick.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:08 pm
Palmer might be a pick for the future as I don’t see Bowles lasting more than this season if he runs a conservative offense. Bowles’ pound the ground game is not going to work, especially with the offensive roster we have. Both are RBs and Offensive linemen better suit the passing game.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:09 pm
I remember when we drafted Kenny Bell. He disappointed. Really thought he was going to do some things. So I’ll wait and see with this kid.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:12 pm
95% of the routes he ran in the highlights were post variations. I did not see one route where he actually ran a pattern. And I heard his hands are somewhat suspect. But…. He has speed. He won’t get that kind of separation in the NFL, but he could get just enough. Question is how often will we be throwing those kinds of passes now? I did like the reverse though.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:16 pm
If ground and pound is the way they’re going then they are going to be irrelevant for the next decade. That’s not the way of the NFL.
I take solace in the fact that they signed Sean Tucker running back from Syracuse who runs in the 4.3 range and drafted this Kid at WR who runs in the 4.3 range.
Those things do not add up to trying to build a ground and pound offense. So hopefully they get away from that atrocity that was last year.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:28 pm
Could be mistaken but thought I read that he was to be our kick returner.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:29 pm
We hear that every year about someone drafted. The next year, they’re looking for another.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Nice highlights and not one play did he get jammed at the los. Speed is good though.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Some are really taking the team expressing they want to run the ball more i.e. better and running with it, yikes. There’s really nothing anybody from within 1Buc has said to support that assumption some fans are running with. We were not a balanced team the last 2-3 years, we were pass first and often. wanting to run the ball with better efficiency doesn’t quite mean we’ll be trotting out the power-I or full house or any other archiac brand of football, but those assumptions are being made. Balance is how we move on from the No Risk It era, as we do not have a QB on the roster we want passing 30-40 times every game, especially not averaging 18 ppg that just means you spent a ton of time trying to catch up.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Production. Production. Production. College production is a much greater predictor of success than Combine drills. Anthony Richardson may someday be good but he’s going from SEC defenses to NFL with spotty and sparse experience.
To get Palmer 6 and Tucker for free, when those are spots of need, is just damn good scouting.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:44 pm
Dooley, the Marty Janetty reference was classic.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:49 pm
Blah blah blah. Speed is nice. Give me a great three cone drill every time. AbucAway, is right. Lets see him face an NFL DB and get off the los. A sixth rounder for a kick returner….
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:51 pm
From Dane Brugler:
STRENGTHS: With track background, it is hard to out-throw his deep speed (4.33 time was the fastest 40-yard dash among wide receivers at the combine, and his 1.81 was the second-fastest “flying 20” among all players) … gliding acceleration makes everyone else on the field appear half-speed (10 catches of 30-plus yards in 2022) … uses head/foot jabs and speed variances to catch defenders leaning at the top of routes … the threat of his vertical skills (or sweeps and reverses) will draw coverage and create voids.
If he is our number 4 wideout this year and can make 5 big plays over 30 yards and helps exploit a couple of team defenses on reverses or sweeps (including maybe a jet sweep). That will be value for a number 4 wideout.
Think about a 4 wideout set and him actually taking two guys in a post route because of his elite speed instead of just the 1 guy that Godwin or Gage would command. It will be nice to have someone besides just Evans running the post route. It will have nice to have someone with explosive speed running a reverse.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Just because we’re not the no-risk-it no-biscuit offense doesn’t mean there won’t be downfield throws. I mean, Tyler Lockett is a downfield threat and isn’t sitting idly on the sideline. Todd, has also resisted any suggestion that they don’t wanna throw the ball downfield. I’m gonna wait and see.
The challenge, as I understand it, with this guy is going to be route running and getting a feel for getting open through the entire route tree. Probably a lot of technique work to adjust to bigger faster stronger CBs. At least he’s not a twig like Kenny Bell.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:03 pm
Instead of finding a new returner every year try firing Keith Armstrong. As terrible as our ST was last year it is head scratching how he kept his job.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Geno, you’re getting ahead of yourself. If his elite speed (which is all he has) was such a draw, why did he get drafted in the sixth round? I love late round, and udfa’s as much as anyone. But if you’re a one trick pony, you cant survive in the NFL. The punt/kick return game is almost gone. I don’t mind the flyer, but please.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:12 pm
Evans-Godwin-Gage-Palmer.
Let the NFL sleep on the Bucs offense.
Most rankings have the Bucs dead last in offensive output which is hilarious as they didn’t watch how bad the Bucs offense was last year. Offense will be improved this year but only unknown is how much and is it enough?
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:16 pm
Dane Brugler is the guy I always read for draft analysis before the draft. He liked this guy as his #95 guy overall. So that is end of the 3rd round value.
I like to be optimistic generally when discussing Bucs players but accept that I may have been overly optimistic.
Trey Palmer is more average when it comes to other measurements:
Some 3-cone and short shuttle drill times:
Tyler Lockett 6.89 and 4.07
Chris Godwin 7.01 and 4.00
Mike Evans 7.08 and 4.26
Trey Palmers 7.13 and 4.26
Quentin Johnston 7.31 and 4.28
DK Metcalf 7.38 and 4.50
I tend to agree with the concern that he may be a one trick pony. But I do think he has a chance to be so much better than Scotty Miller. 3 inches of height more and 20 more lbs with same or better speed.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:17 pm
It’s all about balance. Speed can keep safeties honest.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:22 pm
@ Geno
“But I do think he has a chance to be so much better than Scotty Miller. 3 inches of height more and 20 more lbs with same or better speed.”
I agree.
I also like UDFA – WR – R. Jarrett… I believe both Palmer and Jarrett will make the final 53 man roster.
Jarrett actually had twice the production in 2021 than he had in 2022…
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:36 pm
“Jarrett actually had twice the production in 2021 than he had in 2022…”
Maryland had a 3 headed monster at WR in Jarrett, Dontay Demus, & Jake Copeland.
@Geno
Alot of WRs have been skipping the 3-cone drill at the combine altogether the last few drafts, especially players who post really impressive 40 times they’ll stand on that as a display of speed w/o the 3 cone exposing their bend(or lack thereof) & ability to change direction. 3 Cone is more for short area burst and quickness, and is partly why it’s a make/break drill for some edge rushers.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:38 pm
Off-topic, but this is why I’m excited about the numbers for Calijah Kancey:
3-cone: 6.82
Short shuttle: 4.33
40: 4.67
Had Kancey done the 3-cone at combine, he would have shattered the 3-cone record by a mile from a D-lineman.
I realize measurables do not make a good football player, but man, this guy should be QUICK on the line.
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:41 pm
AB-SO-FREAKIN’-LUTELY!!!
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:41 pm
LSU talent?
Yea sir!
Fastest WR in the draft?
We are so lucky!
Perfect replacement for Scotty Miller.
Scotty was also a 6th round pick.
I think we have found a solid #5 WR.
Go Bucs!
May 2nd, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Yeah, he’s a speedier version with a bigger body than Scotty Miller, and maybe he can develop into a more well rounded receiver. We’ll see. So, adequate replacement at least. Rakim Jarrett could take away Deven Thompkins roster spot. I doubt we’ll be carrying 6 receivers this year, as we’ll probably be keeping 4 TEs and 4 RBs.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Haha perfect rip the top off the defense guy with Tompkins. Mayfield being an accurate downfield passer off the play fake (the stats are out there) will definitely help the running game. Also don’t be foolish not to think that Mr Evans wants to run block Mr Lattimore a wee bit
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:18 pm
That’s what the coaches get paid to do. Teach them how to run the routes properly. You can’t coach speed
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:19 pm
Only seen him use his hands to catch passes 3 times in that HL reel, and 1 of them he almost dropped. But you can’t teach speed, and we let Miller walk, so hopefully he fills that void. IMO Scotty was massively underutilized, but maybe he dropped a lot of passes in practice or something. Idk.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:23 pm
NEO, it works the other way around. If defenses don’t respect your run game, they play coverage. Nobody was afraid of our run game last year. Yes, you score with the pass, but you need at least the threat of the run to set that up.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:27 pm
@ Dooley
“Maryland had a 3 headed monster at WR in Jarrett, Dontay Demus, & Jake Copeland.”
Sounds like a 4 headed monster to me… lol
I’m glad the drop off in production wasn’t due to injuries but was due to having to share the wealth.
Jarrett had 62 rec for 829 yds and 5 TDs as a Sophmore in 2021… If he would had these numbers in 2022 he would have been drafted in round 3 or 4.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:31 pm
@ sasquatch
We kept 7 WRs in 2022 –
1 – Evans
2 – Godwin
3 – Gage
4 – Jones
5 – Perriman
6 – Miller
7 – Darden/Thompkins
We also kept 4 RBs and 4 TEs last year as well.
Keeping only 5 receivers would be a very unwise idea bud.
The Bucs will be keeping 6 maybe 7 receivers depending on who the kick and punt returners are…
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:34 pm
2023 WRs prediction
– Evans
– Godwin
– Gage
– Palmer
– Jarrett
– Thompkins
We will keep at least 6 WRs and it wouldn’t surprise me if we sign another veteran FA and carry 7 again like we did in 2022.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:36 pm
What is needed Joe’s, is stable ownership.
Bucs need a rational, patient, caring owner like this man to guide the franchise into the future. 😅
This is how it’s done. Comments Joe’s?
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:43 pm
One caution on Palmer… I watched him answer questions in that presser off the Bucs website… He be serious dumb. Like the lights are on but no one’s home, so he may not be able to learn to play the receiver position in the NFL. Uh, me run fast, me catch ball.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:57 pm
@ sasquatch
If Byron Leftwhich made it as an NFL QB for over a decade and an offensive coordinator for one horrible season – I’m sure T. Palmer can handle being an NFL WR…
May 2nd, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Dude has some serious wheels.
I heard some say his hands can be suspect, but they look decent in his highlights at least. Seems to be able to high point the ball well. Obviously he won’t be out running DBs as often in the Pros, but there’s not many DBs that can keep up with that speed eithter to be honest. As someone else said: “as fast as Scotty Miller but he’s bigger and taller”. Sounds good to me. Keep defenses honest.
@Dewey – 10000% on Keith Armstrong. He should have been fired 2 years ago. I’ll never believe that Todd Bowles is serious about accountability after keeping Armstrong again. Bottom 5 special teams unit every single year he’s been here.
May 2nd, 2023 at 3:27 pm
Dewey is right about Keith Armstrong. He has been awful, and he was just as bad when he coached in ATL. Bowles is playing favorites.
May 2nd, 2023 at 3:34 pm
You’re losing Scotty Miller and Perriman, so this is your replacement. He might be a one trick pony who can just run fast in a straight line, well, that’s what Scotty Miller did. If you use those guys correctly, they can really help your team. Just have him run in a straight line, really fast, and the defense will have to cover him, and hopefully, with that speed, it causes the safeties to either slightly back up to give help, or at least have something extra to think about – and that, in turn, can help your passing game underneath.
Also because the Bucs gave up a 5th to get him, in what is widely expected to be a dramatically better draft class, the kid is pretty much assured to make the team and should get a chance on kickoff returns as well (Thompkins should be the punt return guy I’d think since he’s a lot quicker).
May 2nd, 2023 at 3:56 pm
“Dude, “your GM”
You’re.
May 2nd, 2023 at 3:58 pm
Speed means nothing if you cannot catch.
So let’s see how he catches the ball first.
May 2nd, 2023 at 5:05 pm
If Bowles doesn’t get in the way, this offense can have some fun!!
May 2nd, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
Speed means nothing if you cannot catch.
————-
Not always true, sometimes just having that guy running deep can screw up defenses if they’re worried he gets behind them since no defensive coach is going to let a guy run free hoping he’ll drop it. So just taking a shot every once in a while, regardless of outcome, can help open things up.
That’s what was so frustrating about the way stupid a– Leftwich used Miller last year. He should have had Miller running fly routes the entire game, defenses would have to defend that. Instead Leftwich was so stupid, he had Miller running screens and end arounds when that wasn’t what Scotty did well as he’s very fast, but not agile or quick.
But with this guy, hopefully they’ll use him right until they figure out what they got, and if he’s more than a one trick pony.
May 2nd, 2023 at 5:52 pm
Eff it, he’s down there somewhere ain’t cutting it in the NFL. I love the speed picks but let’s see if the guy can run away from corners and safeties before we annoint him Tyreke #2
May 2nd, 2023 at 5:56 pm
“I don’t care about all those fancy numbers at the combine.
I just want to know, if they can catch a football” … Vic Fangio, Broncos HC
May 2nd, 2023 at 5:57 pm
At leat send this guy long on every play instead of Mike. Stop wearing Mike out with 60 fly patterns a game.
May 2nd, 2023 at 6:54 pm
How will this guy do, in full pads, in a real NFL game?
We’ve all seen the underwear all-stars in practice.
The Jaelon Darden’s, the next Bob Hayes.
May 2nd, 2023 at 9:09 pm
ONE PROBLEM
Neither of our QBs have a strong arm.
May 2nd, 2023 at 9:23 pm
After chris and mike what do we have ?
No free agents are coming now
May 2nd, 2023 at 9:55 pm
His route running needs some fine tuning. He doesnt disguise his route well. Have to improve that by a lot at nfl level. But he does look like an nfl body and athleticism
May 3rd, 2023 at 4:39 am
I dispute the assumption that Arians offense is somehow inadequate or archaic. The NFL has not changed that much in one year! What has changed. Head coach and…
A. We had Leftnut calling plays from some imaginary game plan. I strongly suspect that Bowles had a hand in some of this. This was not the no risk it!
B. Scotty just was not the guy to replace AB.
C. Perhaps the most overlooked/ignored point. The O-line that ran the no risk it no biscuit vanished. Marpet, Cappa, and Jensen. Smith played like he would rather be in the Bahamas. Not to mention no Gronk.
D. Brady played scared behind said line and could not take the time to let any play Leftnut called develop. Plus I really don’t think we played any no risk it until we got to the fourth quarter comebacks.
E. Fournette should have been benched by the end of game 5. Slow and not hitting the holes that at times were there. Instead he danced around trying to be Barry Sanders.
May 3rd, 2023 at 5:35 am
Hope he can be another AB… without the nut job part.