The Need For Speed
January 2nd, 2024
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
By any objective, rational accounts, the Bucs knocked it out of the park with their 2023 draft class and undrafted free agents signings.
Just look at all the Bucs rookies making an impact. The Bucs have two rookie starters on offense (if you count a No. 3 receiver as a starter) and three on defense.
That’s five starters out of 22, damn near 25 percent of the starting lineup. Impressive. And this is for a team that should win its division.
Last offseason the Bucs openly admitted the team needed to get quicker. It sure looks it has from the eyeball test. But elite quickness? Well, the Bucs are not there yet.
Joe knows that Trey Palmer is supposed to be lightning-fast. Thus far, he hasn’t had many chances to flaunt it.
In looking at the fastest times a ballcarrier has been clocked by NextGen Stats this season, of the top 20, no Bucs can be found.
Interestingly, of the top 20 fastest times a ball carrier has been recorded, 19 are from either decent teams (Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Seattle) or playoff teams. The only guy who reached this list who plays for a trash team is Breece Hall with the Jets. Hall was clocked doing 21.5 mph on a 72-yard touchdown run.
Joe found it very interesting that only one player in the top 20 times recorded plays for a garbage club. So that tells Joe how important speed is when building a winner.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:44 pm
A beast at RB would help too.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:45 pm
I think Tampa did get way faster, but it has to translate to the field and Canales has to find a way to utilize ALL the weapons!!!
I still say if you can manufacture catches for R white, ME13 AND CG14 on the first drive you probably score. Would be the first!!!
We have plenty of speed unless you are talking T Hill, but then you probably get Scotty Miller who can’t catch.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Billy, what you mentioned is apt. Seriously, use the so-called first 15 designed plays to get points at all costs. Establish the run later if you must but put seven or at the very least three on the board at the first opportunity.
January 2nd, 2024 at 12:58 pm
Moore looked to have some good speed……we need a RB with speed and power……like that kid from Michigan, Corum……reported to have 4.4 speed….and he sure has power.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:14 pm
I’d have thought that touchdown by David Moore would have been in that list, he was clearly faster than everybody on that defensive team
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:23 pm
No Ravens, Chiefs or Bills on the list. Please tell me why you need to have someone on this list. Miami makes up damn near half of it, and they’re not going to win in the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:32 pm
Certaintly Baker was the steal of the FA class.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:34 pm
After Bucs get blown out of first round of playoffs. Let’s see how positive everyone is about this Bucs roster going into this offseason. Hopefully I’m wrong, hopefully the Bucs go to the Super Bowl. Highly doubt much success beyond going to the playoffs and getting blown out in first round and at home in embarrassing fashion. I’ve been consistent on this platform this entire season. A division championship in the worst division in football is not something to celebrate in my opinion. It should be Super Bowl or bust every season. Anything less should not be acceptable.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:35 pm
You don’t really need much speed on offense when you just keep running the ball up the middle.
January 2nd, 2024 at 1:45 pm
I believe there is a difference between straight line speed vs quickness. There are so many receivers I can’t even name them that when I watch the highlights of all of these games, there is the ability for so many to catch it make a move and take off.
Chase in Cinn, Smith on Philly, Flowers on the Ravens, Jefferson on Minn, Diggs on Buffalo, Hill and Waddle on Miami, Aiyuk on Niners. The Bucs don’t have this type of WR and they havn’t drafted very many athletic receivers that are really fast. Evans and Godwin are both physical and tough WR but the Bucs are lacking a quicker, sure handed player that can get open faster, break a tackle and take off.
Palmer has speed but doesn’t appear to get open. He also doesn’t have great balance as yesterday’s fumble wasn’t a good look for him. Then the Bucs lack the tight ends that are tough and can rumble after a catch. To my eyes, Otton looks much slower than most of the pass catching tight ends.
Definitely a slower offensive team than most.
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:05 pm
There is a common theme with the Bowles “led” teams
Aimless
Lackluster
Excuses
Mediocre
Stagnant
Depressing
Empty
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:11 pm
The NFL is a QB driven league. If we do not draft a QB or sign one that the NFL can sell to the masses, we cannot hope for more than what we have now. Baker will not fit the bill there. Trade up to get a QB in the draft or find the hidden gem in the class. When Brad Johnson was here he was very marketable and he won a title. Brady was the most marketable player ever to play QB and he won our second title. Hype for the QB drives viewership, that drives ratings, and ratings equal the real goal of the NFL. Lots of Money. We are watching a soap opera for fat guys. Nothing more. Just enjoy it when your team is chosen to be the most watched. And bet accordingly.
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:22 pm
I wouldn’t say they knocked it out of the park in the draft. They have 6 rookie starters out of necessity because they didn’t have the cap space to add quality starters. Would you rather have AB as a No. 3 receiver or Palmer? Izien probably wouldn’t be starting if they had the loot to add a decent nickel corner and so on and so on. Hopefully, it will pay dividends down the road because the young guys are getting baptism by fire even if they are forced into the starting lineup prematurely.
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Maybe it was me, but was that the first go route that Palmer ran (when he fumbled) all year long, when all we heard about was how he ran past Sauce Gardner in a Jets scrimmage game. It took this long to complete one of those passes, had they put CG14 in the slot earlier, who knows.
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:53 pm
What’s the point of drafting yet another quarterback when we can’t protect him?
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:02 pm
Yes rrsrq it did take them this long to connect, in the Vikings game and the first Aints game Baker severely over threw Palmer but you are right they didn’t give him many opportunities to show case his break away speed. I thought that’s what practices were for to get that timing down but what do I know. I know that as long as we have this coaching staff we won’t get better than 8-9 wins every year if we’re lucky, So for the fans that accept a mediocre team Todd Bowles is the guy.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:09 pm
You know what QB the Bucs could get that would help Palmer showcase that speed???
MICHAEL PENIX JR 😬!!
Just saying 🤷🏻♂️….
That kid throws an insanely accurate deep ball!
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:10 pm
If the O line could just open some lanes for for our predictable stutter steppers.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:24 pm
Can’t knock anything out of the park with a OC that refuses to use the speed of fast players. There is a huge disconnect between what a player’s strong point is and the plays being called.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:39 pm
This GM is going from being so productive, hiring the GOAT to win the super bowl down to a pushed over GM. Since then, this GM has collected paychecks to survive as a proud division winner of the NFL Toilet Division, not to win a super bow.
Why ?
1. We have not seen any positive results form his draft picks from 2021 to 2023. His draft picks either haven’t played or utilized properly due to hiring an incompetent head coach, Toilet Bowl. Allowing him to change the entire offensive system.
2. We are in 2024 and still don’t have a designated qb to replace the GOAT.
3. He drafts Trask in 2021 and didn’t even utilize him as a back up and maintained the trash qb, Gabbert as the GOAT back up.
4. He signs journeyman Baker and allows a scam qb competitions set up by the Toilet Bowl.
5. We are the same mediocre at .500 team who has only once defeated a team with the wining record this season @ 1W-6L.
He should also be dismissed if Bucs don’t go well into the playoffs or get blown out in first round.The GM gambled by promoting the Toilet Bowl and his loved trash son, Baker. His gamble hasn’t paid off so far losing most of the home games with the boos as the only loud noise during those games coming out of the seats.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:50 pm
Dalvin Cook is about to be cut from the Jets. Does that fill a need for the Bucs. Speed, vision, power. I’m no Detective but I think he would fill a need.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:53 pm
Beeej Says:
January 2nd, 2024 at 2:53 pm
What’s the point of drafting yet another quarterback when we can’t protect him?
————-
Get someone that can make a defense pay when they blitz by running the ball, and the whole offense opens up.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:54 pm
Trey Palmer has speed but fails to use it out of fear. He’s admitted he doesn’t like being hit n it shows. He’s dropped a few passes n bobbled a few. I was all in with him during preseason when he said “see ball, get ball”. Otton is garbage, he drop passes n is awful at blocking. Boy I wished we’d taken the Ravens Isaiah Likely in the 5th round last year when he was available when we selected Otton. DThompkins is quick n has heart but he’s a tab small. I love his effort despite lack of blocking from teammates.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Dalvin Cook just got released
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Doesn’t matter who we draft or who we sign as a free agent until we get rid of Bowles we will have the same results over and over! I think all of Tampa has had enough starting back to the playoffs when he crapped the bed against the rams.
January 2nd, 2024 at 3:57 pm
We have no chance of drafting Penix. He made himself a much higher draft pick last night.
January 2nd, 2024 at 4:02 pm
off topic but sign Dalvin Cook whe the Jets cut him. See what he has left
January 2nd, 2024 at 4:03 pm
DAVID
Bingo! On all bullet points
Check cashing CYA culture at OBP and the Glazers are drinking the Kool Aide
January 2nd, 2024 at 4:16 pm
Dalvin Cook is sitting out there released by the Jets .
January 2nd, 2024 at 5:18 pm
I hear what people are saying about Super Bowl or bust but the Bucs as an organization are already among the minority in the NFL if Super Bowls are the standard. There are 20 teams who have won a Super Bowl, 15 who have won multiple Super Bowls, and 2 who are undefeated in Super Bowls. The Bucs and Ravens are the two teams who are undefeated in Super Bowl appearances.
Given everything that they had to work around this season it has been a good season. Don’t get me wrong I still have little faith in TB to out coach anyone.
January 2nd, 2024 at 5:42 pm
If you go week by week, the Bucs quite often have guys in the top 20.
By my quick count, Thompkins showed up in the top 20, 4 times, Evans showed up 4 times, White showed up twice, Palmer showed up twice, and Godwin showed up once, and David Moore showed up once.
Evans was had the two fastest times on the offense, followed by Thompkins, then Evans again, followed again by Thompkins.
Godwin did make the list, but was barely over 20mph. While he’s looked good at times, at least when Baker actually throws him the ball, he’s not really had any explosive plays. Those numbers would make me think Godwin has in fact lost a little off the top end with all the injures.
Conversely, I’d swear that Evans is as fast as he ever has been, certainly faster than his younger years when he always looked sort of heavy – not that he was slow, but he played like a big WR, yet would have a very high average (he lead the league in average in ’18 I believe). I was worried early in his career he might not age well because he was so big, but he seemingly has slimmed down over the years, without losing his physicality, and that’s why he’ll be a HOF’er.
January 2nd, 2024 at 7:05 pm
David, drop dead fake fan. You show it over and over. Plus, you’re getting very boring to read. It doesn’t matter how well Licht drafts. It’s the coaches who have to coach/train the players. When you have to deal with whatevers like Canales, it’s hit or miss.
January 2nd, 2024 at 9:52 pm
Here is another good example of trash Baker fans using abusive language. I know you and your trash buddies are so mad after your boy laid eggs and was total trash last Sunday. You are a trash just as your qb. Don’t hide your trash Baker’s face to be a Bucs fans. You are a garbage. Watch your language while posting on this website.
January 2nd, 2024 at 10:04 pm
I will continue to post and reveal the truth on toile bowl and the trash baker until those tow along with trash fans of theirs are out Tampa and this website to the next town, perhaps to XFL if they are lucky. You are a trash fan not the Bucs fan if you are satisfy with these two garbage mediocre HC/QB. The real Bucs fan are moving away from this mediocrity. Uh, I forgot you are a trash Baker fan.
January 2nd, 2024 at 10:33 pm
This checks out.
Watching other teams, they all seem to have multiple guys that are lightning quick and can catch a ball and then hit the jets. We unfortunately do not, although David Moore looked really quick on that touchdown pass he caught a few weeks ago.
Still need more speed IMO. But without sacrificing physicality, which we are also lacking.
January 2nd, 2024 at 10:37 pm
We have always lacked elite speed on offense for the longest and it just comes down to scouting the right guys and we’ve never had a good eye for that in our history. Would be nice to have a nice electric young running back here as well soon something we haven’t seen since a young Cadillac Williams was drafted.
January 2nd, 2024 at 11:15 pm
“That’s five starters out of 22, damn near 25 percent of the starting lineup.”
I don’t know why this is supposedly a sign of success. You have to start somebody; it doesn’t make them good. We’re still a .500 team in a trash division. But just because a bunch of rookies started, that makes Licht successful?
January 2nd, 2024 at 11:24 pm
David you’re the most miserable POS on here.
Plenty to criticize this team about, but you’re simply not objective at all. Of course people will call you as a fake fan. You’ve shown zero interest in the team’s success, just a giant negative Nancy with her panties up in a bunch.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:31 am
“Joe knows that Trey Palmer is supposed to be lightning-fast. Thus far, he hasn’t had many chances to flaunt it.”
That is truly one of the most frustrating things with the offense so far Joe! I would ask Canales every week until I got a straight answer from him. You have to go to him deep more! He could open up stuff for everyone! We really only did it once that I saw Sunday. (The rollout play call sucked though) If we can make teams worry about him it helps Evans, Godwin, White and Otten.
One way to help Baker out is for our guys to gut punch these D linemnen waving there arms around trying to bat the ball. Old school way of making them stop it. It is one of the things I was coached to do anyway. Both hands to the gut!
Go Bucs!
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:41 am
We say this every season actually because most of the draft picks flash in some form or fashion, and it’s when you get 3/4 years down the road when you truly find how well Licht did on the draft. We said this about OJ Howard btw.
In my opinion, (3) guys will be worth talking about in 4 years, and it’s your first 3 draft picks. For all the noise on Dennis in the preseason we haven’t used him for squat, meaning he is a developmental guy. Maybe he works out, but will he actually ever be an upgrade over David and/or White? He’s David’s replacement, not White’s and the easy answer, no. Trey? Our 3rd WR, anyone figure out yet how a former LSU WR with good size @ 6ft, who runs 4.33 40 gets drafted in the 6th round? It’s because his hands are suspect. Whether this guy catches it or not, his hands are shacky even going to the ground on a catch, that fumble after that great stretch was not an anomaly, this guy has done this before earlier in the season.
Licht’s previous drafts… meh. ’22 draft, we will most likely retain a good chunk of those bodies on a budget, which is good, but besides talking about a punter, is any of them elite? Pro-bowl caliber? Is that a good draft? Logan Hall being the first off the board is a JAG. Do we even bring up the ’21 draft, one of his worst? You can argue that draft set this franchise back. Surprisingly ’18 and ’19 were solid drafts for Licht, though most of those guys aren’t still with us, they were good enough to get nice contracts elsewhere. I can’t speak for other GMs, Licht isn’t the worst, but we hype the hell of this guy, and give him waaay too much credit for bringing us a Super Bowl… the stars aligned for Licht… as much as Brady made Leftwich’s career, same could be said for Licht, yet we smash Leftwich at every turn.
January 3rd, 2024 at 2:01 pm
garro Says:
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:31 am
“Joe knows that Trey Palmer is supposed to be lightning-fast. Thus far, he hasn’t had many chances to flaunt it.”
That is truly one of the most frustrating things with the offense so far Joe! I would ask Canales every week until I got a straight answer from him. You have to go to him deep more!
——-
Who is to say that isn’t part of the gameplan, and Baker isn’t throwing him the ball? We’ve seen Baker time and time again miss him on deep passes – even on Sunday, Palmer has to be completely as fully extended as he possibly can to get the ball when he’s wide open, and because of that it leads to a fumble. If Baker throws a better ball, that’s an easy TD.
I gave Baker tons of credit in his prior two games for playing extremely well – but this last Sunday, he was trash and gave the Bucs no chance to win.
If Baker melts down again vs Carolina, he shouldn’t even get on the team plane back to Tampa.