Former NFL Suit Chimes In On Bucs’ Draft
May 4th, 2024
More guard chatter.
Everybody and their brother seems to have their own grades for the Bucs draft. That’s what makes the draft fun: We all think we could do this.
But Joe tends to put more stock into analysis from former NFL suits who have sat in the same type of chair Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht occupies.
Jeff Diamond, a former NFL executive of the year with the Vikings, has a pretty solid grade for the Bucs’ draft. And his insight here on two players is very interesting.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: B+
Graham Barton is a quality offensive lineman who slid to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 26. He’s talented, tough and versatile enough to play tackle, guard or center. He should start at guard initially.
Chris Braswell also should be a first-year starter at outside backer. He fills a need for an edge rusher but needs to improve his run defense.
Tykee Smith is a solid and aggressive safety or slot corner who also should contribute right away. Fellow third-rounder Jalen McMillan is a fine route runner out of the slot.
The Bucs later added a quality running back in Bucky Irving, and Elijah Klein is an interior lineman who has pass-blocking skill.
Diamond’s read on Barton and Smith caught Joe’s attention.
With Barton, Diamond joins the growing chorus of NFL folks who think Barton is a guard, not a center. Even Bucs suits are not dismissing this.
Full disclosure: Joe is not one to quibble with Licht about offensive linemen, but even Licht left the door open about Barton at guard.
The second was Smith. Diamond echoed what safeties coach Nick Rapone said earlier in the week, that Smith is a safety who will play nickel corner.
For Barton, there is a big ol’ hole there at left guard. For Smith, there’s a logjam at safety.
May 4th, 2024 at 8:12 am
He provided basically no real insight. Get the feeling this is just what he read somewhere and scribbled down when he was giving out his grades. It’s just content filler.
May 4th, 2024 at 8:29 am
We need to get the best three guys into the IOL. Barton is one, who are the other two? PFF has Hainsey graded better than Mauch, but who does Carberry think will be the two guys to play with Barton? I want Carberry to settle the starting OL soon in camp to help communication.
May 4th, 2024 at 8:29 am
“He should start at guard initially.”
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I’ve read similar takes right here in these fan threads. Getting a return on investment immediately then potentially revisiting the center position during next years off season. Maybe that was just me. Your mileage may vary.
May 4th, 2024 at 8:39 am
Cool impressions.
Got Elijah Klein backwards. He is a run blocker, with untested pass blocking skills.
Totally agree that Graham Barton is a guard- not a center, in the NFL.
Restructure Tristan Wirfs contract. Sign Winfield to a long term deal, instead of the 17 mil hit for the Franchise tag.
Then Sign a young center with great Talent.
Center Connor Williams- free agent.
Then the line is set- and incredible. Now a team strength.
See? Playing GM is fun!
May 4th, 2024 at 8:51 am
If you know Bowles, you are not starting if you have problems with the run. He”ll play on passing downs until that’s corrected.
Go Bucs!
May 4th, 2024 at 8:55 am
It’s hard to determine the position for some of these DBs coming out of College……Nickel, CB, S ???
I suspect Smith will be a Nickel who occasionally plays S.
May 4th, 2024 at 9:10 am
That the Bucs did not draft a quarterback in any round in two consecutive drafts – 2023 and 2024 – despite all the caterwauling here from the likes of David Pearls, Capt.Tammy, Sloe in Michigan, and others that “Trashk” sucks, means the Bucs see an “A” quarterback at #2 ready to step in when Mr. .500 falters.
May 4th, 2024 at 9:18 am
RE:SMITH,
Do they have a safety that can play corner and a corner that can play the slot?
I could see Bowles trying to play all three and confuse to disguise the coverage.
I just hope it doesn’t confuse the Buc’s defenders
May 4th, 2024 at 9:19 am
Outside influence could be ok but I think that Jason L has been pretty good at making decisions. We really need 5 guys up front that are ready to aim for the real dream in which they have had all their lives. To be a Superbowl Champion. No time to be coming up with alternate plans, Jason has the plan. BELIEVE PEOPLE..
May 4th, 2024 at 9:21 am
I for one couldn’t care less WHERE Barton plays.
He is an UPGRADE at G or C. It’s making sure the other 2 spots have the right guys. Debating where exactly Barton gives the best value doesn’t matter if we suck at the other 2. Elijah Klein has the perfect body type to be a wide road grader, but can he play center? Maybe Mauch but who really knows. We need to put him somewhere and let him grow. I think we have better depth hut unless your starting 5 stay healthy, there is ALWAYS a gap because of continuity. Just put the best 5 out there and let them get better. Then keep the same 5 for a few years. When was the last time we had the same O Line for 2 years in a row?
May 4th, 2024 at 9:27 am
I see Tykee playing in the slot, as a box safety, and as an ILB on passing downs. A hybrid role like at Georgia. Maybe Britt comes out on passing downs or Izien out on short yardage. Bowles will mix it up.
May 4th, 2024 at 9:44 am
Barton at guard makes complete sense. He WILL make Hainsey, who is better than serviceable, even better. If Hainsey improves as a result of having Barton to his left then it’s a Bucs and JL win. Resign Hainsey after this year and draft a true center.
May 4th, 2024 at 9:52 am
JUAN Says:
That the Bucs did not draft a quarterback in any round in two consecutive drafts – 2023 and 2024 – despite all the caterwauling here from the likes of David Pearls, Capt.Tammy, Sloe in Michigan, and others that “Trashk” sucks, means the Bucs see an “A” quarterback at #2 ready to step in when Mr. .500 falters.
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I’m fine with Trask as backup to Baker this season but believe the Bucs would have drafted a QB if one they liked slid far enough. Many thought they’d draft Michael Pratt in the 7th round but the Packers grabbed him just before the Bucs had a chance.
The Bucs DID sign a QB though, an UDFA, former Illinois State QB Zack Annexstad. Whether they see something in him or just needed another QB body for training camp, I don’t know.
May 4th, 2024 at 9:55 am
Hell yeah. In college he started at Center and Tackle so obviously the Bucs should start him at Guard. Let’s go ahead and leave Hainsey at center because he’s had two years of giving his QB full sweat lap dances and this third year it’s projected to be VIP room worthy. Hey fans in the stadium can drop dollar bills for him too.
Whatever. Just give us a dominate oline
May 4th, 2024 at 9:58 am
Watch the video interview with Klein. Could be a sleeper. Love his passion.
May 4th, 2024 at 10:29 am
I’m sorry but he needs to fill the massive hole at center. Hainsey is the worst rated center in Football by PFF. If there were more than 32 teams he would be at the bottom of that. He should get a shot to compete for the left guard spot and be the emergency center. Absolutely horrible go look at the tape.
May 4th, 2024 at 10:47 am
Ah, Juan is already hoping that “Mr. .500” falters. That just screams “Real Bucs Fan”. You hoped for that last year too, how did that go for you?
May 4th, 2024 at 10:56 am
Barton probably starts at Center. That’s what the Bucs announced him as, they signed 2 decent Guards in free agency, and drafted another late.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:04 am
“Elijah Klein is an interior lineman who has pass-blocking skill.”
That was the only part interesting to me
I heard Klein was strong at run blocking and weak at pass blocking. Am I the only one that caught that? Maybe I’m off base.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:07 am
For many years my confidence level in the Glazer family to build a solid, stable, winning franchise was at a very low level. That has now fully reversed. It now appears that they have matured and learned what it takes to be successful as NFL team owners. They are making all the right moves (seemingly) and are benefitting from some good luck. I hope they can keep the front office together. Making Jason Licht team president and rearranging the deck chairs to keep Spytek , Greenburg, and others would be a masterful move. I never thought I would see this day. The Bucs will eventually get their due respect. The grass is very green in Tampa…Bay. Also, here’s a hat tip to Shelton Quarles.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:07 am
I think Bowles values DB’s like Troy Polamalu…duh no spit..first round HOFer.
But I’m referring to Polamalu’s famous versatility…from Bleacher report some years ago…
“There really is no title for what Polamalu does. Yes, he can play the back third of the field like any other safety does. And he does it better than most.
He can slide out wide and cover the other team’s best receiver, and either shut him down or come close to it.”
I think this is a partial answer to TBBF’s question.
“It’s hard to determine the position for some of these DBs coming out of College……Nickel, CB, S ???”
I agree and think that it’s no accident. Bowles loves moving parts and I think Winfield has the talent, smarts, and work effort to master a “monster back” or whatever you call it just like Polamalu.
Most NFL coaches and their players have seen virtually EVERY formation. They know tendencies and so the only confusion left for coordinators is creating mismatches…INDIVIDUAL players matched up to other players they can beat.
It’s hard to match up receivers and backs against specific DB’s to take advantage of them when they don’t really know where individual DB’s will be lining up or in the case of Winfield where he’ll be at the snap of the ball.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:17 am
Barton at guard, Klien will end up at center and our online will be set for years to come…… optimistically speaking.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:18 am
BucsFanSince1996 Says: “The Bucs would have drafted a QB if one they liked slid far enough.”
Oh, bull. You’re just playing woulda-coulda-shoulda because the Bucs didn’t draft like you wanted them to.
The 2024 draft was loaded with quarterbacks – 5 quarterbacks were taken AFTER the first round. Bucs passed on all 5.
Likewise for the 2023 draft – 11 quarterbacks were taken AFTER the first round. Bucs pass on all 11.
So in the past 2 drafts, the Bucs passed on a total of 16 available quarterbacks who were drafted by other NFL teams. 16!!! If Kyle “Trashk” was 1/10th as bad as the FSU fan bois on this site make him out to be, the Bucs would have drafted SOMEONE. They didn’t. 16 times.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:23 am
Citrus County Says:
May 4th, 2024 at 11:07 am
For many years my confidence level in the Glazer family to build a solid, stable, winning franchise was at a very low level. That has now fully reversed.
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Great point. This cannot be said enough. Except for a period of time when the whole Man U thing was happening. The Glazer family has been tremendous. They saved the team from being moved out of Tampa. Championed the cause for a new and much need stadium. Ended the clown show run by H Culverhouse. Spent the money and won two Super Bowls.
May 4th, 2024 at 11:25 am
I want to see Klien in action. He’s a massive loa, maybe center material.
May 4th, 2024 at 12:00 pm
Tampa is SO close to being a very credible 3 sports town.
Vinik and the Bolts. check… Three Stanley Cups Solid franchise
Glazers and the Bucs. check… Two Super Bowls. Solid franchise
If only MLB would find a way to get the Rays out of St. Pete and into Tampa. No offense to St. Pete but we all know they should be in Tampa. I hope we don’t lose the Rays as there is a precedent for putting the franchise into hibernation as some have pointed out.
May 4th, 2024 at 12:30 pm
Juan.
Did you see the report that the Bucs were going to draft Qb Michael Pratt in the 7th only to have GB take him the pick before the Bucs. GB also took the USC RB Lloyd the pick before the Bucs could get him. Things may change this year but if Mayfield were to get injured I believe Wolfold would have given the Bucs the best chance at winning last season. Maybe this year Trask will look better. The first 2/3 of camp last year everyone was talking about the Qb comp between Mayfield and Trask but the best QB was John W. . Trask looked much better than in previous years but it was obvious who knew the system and it wasn’t Mayfield or Trask in TC.
May 4th, 2024 at 12:39 pm
JUAN Says:
Oh, bull. You’re just playing woulda-coulda-shoulda because the Bucs didn’t draft like you wanted them to.
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You have NO idea as to how I wanted the Bucs to draft.
The Bucs drafted EXACTLY how I wanted. While it won’t be confirmed for a couple years, I believe Licht and his team his a home run in the draft.
May 4th, 2024 at 1:12 pm
It’s interesting to think how much the draft could have been different if Dallas (or any team before) had taken Barton and not traded out of pick 26. Bucs would’ve taken DT Johny Newton in round 1. We know they needed a Center/Gaurd still so they would have most likely picked Zac Frazier WV Center in round 2. In the 3rd they would’ve taken Adisa Isaac the Penn State Edge. I think the UGA Saftey Tykee Smith would have been taken at pick 92 instead of 89 overall. Would the Bucs had their next rated WR higher than RB Bucky Erving in the 4th? The draft really tilts toward their defense in this scenario.
May 4th, 2024 at 1:27 pm
Bucs should play Logan Hall at Center since other than as the
“hit man” to end Ryan Jensen’s career, he hasn’t seemed to found a position yet.
Imagine when the line would look like now if Hi to taking a kicker with his first pick in the draft instead of Hall. Jensen was still able to play and Barton fill the left guard position.
May 4th, 2024 at 2:20 pm
I think Barton will play center he has the mind and physicality for it so stoked for the season to start go bucs!
May 4th, 2024 at 2:49 pm
Stanglassman Says: “If Mayfield were to get injured I believe Wolfold would have given the Bucs the best chance at winning last season.”
LMAO. Based on what? His career 1 TD and 5 INTs for an atrocious career interception percentage of 4.8%? You FSU fan bois are all the same. Stoopid.
May 4th, 2024 at 2:50 pm
Stanglassman Says: “If Mayfield were to get injured I believe Wolford would have given the Bucs the best chance at winning last season.”
LMAO. Based on what? His career 1 TD and 5 INTs? His atrocious career interception percentage of 4.8%? You FSU fan bois are all the same.
May 4th, 2024 at 3:41 pm
Bucsfansince1996.
The Bucs have a backup QB that they are very comfortable with.
John Woolford. Played in Coen’s system with the Rams, like Mayfield. Good QB.
Not drafting a QB is not a validation of Trask. Its simple economics. Trask is in the Last year of his rookie contract. Hes a cheap 3rd string QB. If he wasnt a 2nd round pick, they would have cut him loose. With him being a high pick, cutting him loose would be an even bigger embarrassment.
If Baker Gets the Flu, Woolford gets call. Trask will be in his normal spot on the bench. When His contract expires, they will cut Trask.
He will have made alot of money, for being an inadequate QB with a weak arm.
Thats ok. None of us could play QB in the NFL. Its a pretty unique fraternity. Kyle will move on to his true calling. Bundling your life and car insurance, to SAVE YOU MONEY!
And like the Backup QB cults before, the Cult of the delusional Trask lovers will finally go extinct.
Thats a glimpse into the Future. Yet another QB that will not see a second contract.
May 4th, 2024 at 3:43 pm
The best center in the draft was available when JL picked. If that’s what they wanted then, why not get him? Now your 1st round center may be a guard?
Opposite world!
May 4th, 2024 at 7:59 pm
Citrus County
No offense taken at all. The Rays would suck in Tampa as well. MLB has no cap and the big market teams dominate. Add that to the fact that baseball slowed to snails pace watching prima donnas step out of the batters box to adjust their jocks and sock and take a spit or two. Perhaps the new time rule will stop that.
Bottom line…Full disclosure…I was on the Steering Committee for POWW…Protect Our Waterfront and Wallets. Stu is a scumbag. He lied from the get go saying what a TERRIFIC site Al Lang would make. He made demands on the City to include part of the Mahaffey’s parking and he would have controlled all the retail frontage he was going to put on Beach Drive as part of the stadium.
Less than 90 days after the smart citizens of St. Pete rejected the Carpetbaggers demands he claimed that downtown St. Pete was a horrid location.
Baseball is fundamentally too slow and boring compared to football and hockey.
Bucs fans got a SB and Lightning fans got Stanley Cups…Rays fans get the occasional freak appearance in the post season…NOT THIS YEAR.
Research from Commercial Brokerage people who study such things shows that a market this size can only afford to support two major league franchises. Tampa simply doesn’t have all the corporate headquarters to buy up all the suites and boxes top $$$.
The rest of us are not doing that well either compared to other big markets.
The median salary in Tampa, FL is $54,288, with 80% of salaries falling between $22,620 and $130,500.
When I worked in Broadcasting the joke about Florida jobs was be prepared to get paid in sunshine. I LOVE this area and am totally happy with just the Bucs and Lightning. And I grew up a huge baseball fan right across the river from Cincinnati. Attended many games including a World Series contest against the Yankees at the old Crosley field. Those days are long gone however.
May 4th, 2024 at 8:38 pm
Capt.Tim Says:
And like the Backup QB cults before, the Cult of the delusional Trask lovers will finally go extinct.
Thats a glimpse into the Future. Yet another QB that will not see a second contract.
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@Capt. Tim, I’m not in the Trask cult but I have eyes to see and he played just fine in the preseason last year.
I like Wolford a LOT and glad he’s on the team, but if you look at recent history you’ll find that Wolford was BEHIND Trask on the depth chart in 2023. Bowles job was on the line last season but you think he had Trask ahead of Wolford on the depth chart while believing Wolford gave them the better chance to win?
May 4th, 2024 at 8:41 pm
Out of Barton, Mauch, and Klein, only Barton has played Center, so he’s probably going to start there. Mauch played LT in college so I could see a move to LG, and Klein played RT in college, so I think it’s pretty obvious he’ll be playing RG. Opeta and Bredeson are both back ups, which leaves Hainsey, who I believe will start at RG until Klein can take over, or he (Hainsey) truly wins the spot because he is a better RG than C. I’m kind of hoping Hainsey gets bigger/stronger and wins out the RG spot.
May 5th, 2024 at 7:33 am
Stop the nonsense, Barton will be our starting center for at least the next 5 years. We’ve been missing that dawg in the middle since Jensen went down. Miss no more. Barton is our starting center, Mauch LG, Wirfs LT, Klein RG, Goedke RT. Your strongest players in the middle, and on the edges makes life easy for whoever plays either guard spot. You don’t but your best linemen, Wirfs, Barton next to each other. You balance the line out.
May 5th, 2024 at 11:13 pm
Hodad and admiral both said essentially the same thing and I agree with this logic wirfs-mauch-barton-(klein/opeta/bredeson/hainsey)-goedeke…hainsey and bredeson for versatility cross train. If klein not good enuff comp btw opeta,hainsey,bredeson for rg