“He’s Leaving It Out There A Half-Second Too Long”
November 22nd, 2023
Rookie receiver Trey Palmer gets a candid critque from Todd Bowles.
Cue the Michael Clayton fan/hate club.
Young Bucs fans may not know who Clayton is. Older Bucs fans may be trying to forget.
Clayton was the Bucs’ first-round draft pick in 2004, and he was an immediate beast. Clayton’s rookie stat line showed 80 catches for 1,193 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was a versatile force, and then Clayton’s game crumbled in a hurry.
Jon Gruden, aka Chucky, got in his head and sort of broke him mentally.
The dropsies arrived and didn’t leave, and Clayton appeared to lose the fire in his receiver game — except when it came to blocking. The man could block, so Joe nicknamed him “blocking icon.”
The Bucs were so obsessed with Clayton’s blocking, they handed him $10 million guaranteed in March of 2009 following four consecutive seasons of looking like a nothing-special No. 3 receiver. It was a mind-blower. The critics came for Clayton when his subpar play continued in 2009, and he delivered his famous “check is in the bank” quote.
Joe was reminded of Clayton when Todd Bowles spoke of rookie receiver Trey Palmer this week on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
Bowles was asked to talk about the Palmer contributions for which he’s most proud.
“Really, his blocking has been incredible,” Bowles said of Palmer. “His blocking is very good. He’s very tenacious when he’s a blocker. He goes up and gets the ball very well. He has to learn to go up and get the ball and put it away. I think he’s leaving it out there a half-second too long where the DB can knock it out. [When] he gets his hands on it, he’s got to put it away in a tough position so they can’t strip it.”
So there you have it. Palmer can block; he hasn’t figured out how to secure football’s at the NFL level.
Joe is not slapping Palmer around. He had a great contested grab against the 49ers and he’s had a strong start for a sixth-round draft pick — 21 catches for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns. But Palmer has had issues finishing catches. It really doesn’t matter if a receiver looks great for 93 percent of the process.
Hopefully, Palmer will develop his hands. If not, he seems destined to be the next “blocking icon,” though Joe is sure general manager Jason Licht never would have handed Clayton an eight-figure check for no good reason.
November 22nd, 2023 at 1:32 pm
Clayton was a crisp route runner who lacked idea speed and was often schemed open in Gruden’s system. Palmer is a rookie who at the college level likely rarely had to make contested catches because he is a 4.4 speed guy going against Big 12 Corners. He will clean it up.
November 22nd, 2023 at 1:36 pm
Hey Palmer,
You know the difference between a starter WR on a multi-millionaire dollar contract and rotation WR making a few hundred thousand a year? Looking great 6% more in the process.
Joes and all the Bucs fans
November 22nd, 2023 at 1:50 pm
Sorry not sorry to hijack this thread, but TB12 left an obviously declining roster to come to one that had a strong OLine, WR, defense. All it lacked was somebody who wouldn’t do a 30-30. He retired because he saw a weak OLine and a D that was shedding talent for the Cap. I think he was tired of getting his butt kicked every other week.
November 22nd, 2023 at 2:06 pm
@Buckeyebuckchuck…
Yo can say whatever you like about TB12 OL last year and last year D, and I can even add to your excuses BL at OC position, all those are facts, but is also a fact that TB12 was older, he didn´t want to hold de ball that long because he didn´t want to get hit….I get it, but if you don´t wanna get hit in the NFL, go buy yourself a good Wilson tenis racket, and FO….
I love TB12, and I always will, but his last year in Tampa he was an average QB being generous…………….
November 22nd, 2023 at 2:09 pm
This jives with the film.
November 22nd, 2023 at 2:22 pm
Ahem….COACHING!
November 22nd, 2023 at 2:25 pm
zzbucs Says:
November 22nd, 2023 at 2:06 pm
.I get it, but if you don´t wanna get hit in the NFL, go buy yourself a good Wilson tenis racket, and FO….
Then maybe you can explain why these little bitckes get out of the pocket, scramble for 5 yards, and slide. That is of course unless they played so poorly throughout the game and are desperate for a first down in the 4th quarter and down a score or two.
By the way. If FO is a new type of greeting. FO to you.
November 22nd, 2023 at 2:42 pm
Gruden didn’t get into his head, he got into his own. He did an interview after the first year, dressed in a full length mink coat and was asked what he was going to do differently to improve the next year. His quote was “I’m gonna stop worrying about just making the catch and focus on making plays after”.
He did it to himself.
November 22nd, 2023 at 3:17 pm
Palmer at times play scared. I heard him earlier in the season during a Q&A segment when he said he does not like getting hit…it’s starting to show because on the block mayfield made for him on the jet sweep against 49ers he could’ve cut inside to pick up a big gain for the first down but decided to put on the jets for the sideline short of the first down. He’s not the “see ball get ball” type of player he claimed to be during preseason. He’s just talk.
November 22nd, 2023 at 3:26 pm
A half of a second ? Give me a break
November 22nd, 2023 at 3:28 pm
There is a reason he was a sixth round pick and now we know why
Kid struggles against physical corners and has had more than a few drops
He is the #3WR and has 20 catches????
That says a lot about our offense
November 22nd, 2023 at 3:31 pm
Hopefully, he’ll be taught not to hold on his blocks…..at least two of his holding penalties cost Rachaad White huge gains.
I really like this kid….he’s got good hands and speed and the blocking is a bonus.
The game is not too big for him……we’re getting our money’s worth.
November 22nd, 2023 at 3:40 pm
Mebbe we WILL have Gage back next year!
November 22nd, 2023 at 3:58 pm
I could make a 5min video of baker missing this guy all season.
Wide a$$ open every week multiple times.
November 22nd, 2023 at 4:06 pm
For a 6th rounder, he’s done great, and looks like he might be a legit #3 WR down the road.
As for blocking, I don’t give two s–ts about blocking when it comes to a WR. It’s a nice to have extra, but I want my WR’s to get open and catch the ball first and foremost.
But Bowles, just like he says his QB’s first and most important job is to protect the football (as opposed to scoring points), he thinks a WR’s most important job is to block.
November 22nd, 2023 at 6:59 pm
Somehow Bowles always has the answer….
November 22nd, 2023 at 7:21 pm
On the Palmer play the db had his hand inside of Palmer hands while Palmer was trying to catch the ball and put it away. I did not see what coach BOWLES seen on that play for a td. I look at the game twice know.
November 23rd, 2023 at 7:14 am
Yup he could block Joe.I think you give too much credit to Gruden and not enough credit to Clayton. Injuries, one was a mystery injury that we will never know the truth of. Yeah he got paid and, never lived up to the check. We got a few of those now BTW.
Go Bucs!
November 23rd, 2023 at 12:08 pm
Clayton started on fire. I still remember the graphic they would throw up on the screen when he made a play. Then he faded, and never lived up to the hype from his first year. And to think, we could have had Megatron instead of Gaines, but the Glazers wanted Monte to get his pick instead of giving up a later pick to move up one spot and get CJ. Of course, we made up for it with Evans and Godwin. Palmer has some very good hands, but everyone drops a pass from time to time, even Godwin. That TD pass he dropped was a difficult snag with dudes in his field of vision. The other pass, the DB had him well played and he’s just not strong enough to hold onto the ball in that situation. Now, if Mayfield would throw it to him when he’s wide open, which happens somewhat frequently, then he may not need to make a contested catch.