Graham Barton Better Than Advertised?
September 19th, 2024
Impressing Bucs coach.
Since the Bucs drafted Graham Barton, they crowed about the first-round pick and bragged him up so much they wouldn’t confirm he would be a center for months.
Barton has almost surprised coaches by how fast he has developed, at least mentally. .
“We knew he was physical and the biggest surprise is how well he’s handled everything as far as stunts, games, different looks,” Todd Bowles said.
Would it surprise anyone that one trait that expedited the Duke grad’s development is between his ears?
“His intelligence and the way he can grasp things has been the most impressive,” Bowles said of Barton.
Barton certainly wasn’t the problem in Detroit when the offensive line struggled Sunday. It was more a mismatched backup right tackle trying to battle a total stud with little assistance from teammates.
Sorry, when a guy like Aidan Hutchinson is wilding, Rachaad White and Cade Otton separately chipping him is not the answer.
Hopefully, the Bucs learned the hard way that if another pass rusher goes nuts on them, they must bring in someone other than Otton or White to help block.
So no, Joe won’t suggest the Lions’ pass rush on the Bucs had much to do with Barton. Anyone pushing that notion is a jerk.
September 19th, 2024 at 7:17 am
My unscientific observation is that through 2 games, Baker has been running for his life quite a bit and there are few holes for the RBs to run through. I’m not sold on this OL.
September 19th, 2024 at 7:31 am
@Chris: Patience my friend. New center, new left guard, new scheme for all five. I recall the Bucs O struggled until about mid season with the GOAT leading them because of all the “newness” in their Superbowl year.
September 19th, 2024 at 7:40 am
Go Bucs
September 19th, 2024 at 8:11 am
Was Ko active for that game? I’m thinking no but he might have been a great option for helping the RT. We weren’t passing to the TEs anyhow.
September 19th, 2024 at 8:27 am
PFF gave Justin Skule a higher grade over Graham Barton against the Lions..
September 19th, 2024 at 8:29 am
So put Ko Kieft in backfield to effectively help Skule – at 6-5 255 Kieft certainly should be able to make a difference. Remember when Kieft used to actually see the field?
September 19th, 2024 at 8:33 am
Bucs against Detroit:
RT, 1st start for Bucs
LT, missed most of camp
LG, 2nd start for Bucs
RG, 2nd year player
OC, 2nd game in NFL
I don’t have high expectations for this Line
I know it takes time for them to grow as a unit
September 19th, 2024 at 8:50 am
Too bad we don’t have a 1st Round pick from last year’s draft.
I’m usually not negative but this is really annoying.
September 19th, 2024 at 8:53 am
Bucsfan is spot on. I was wondering why not use Ko Keift more to help Skule.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Lakeland Says:
September 19th, 2024 at 8:33 am
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I fully agree.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:04 am
First off , that was a pitiful effort to chip or assist and I don’t know if I would put it on the players. It sure seemed like they weren’t really trying to engage and get out their routes. I mean, I saw sometimes they literally barely even put hands on Hutchinson to help out. ………. But what a Great Game And a great defensive effort Especially as hurt as they were. They’re showing a mental toughness that seems to lack on buccaneer team s so often. Go Bucs !!
September 19th, 2024 at 9:23 am
Barton is not good yet. He’s got the tools and athleticism; it shows in glimpses and he is doing enough, but he is below average at executing his blocks to this point.
September 19th, 2024 at 9:47 am
Yes AMI Baker is running for his life. But he is a 7 year pro veteran so handling it much better.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:03 am
SlyPirate: I mean this with all due respect I have ZERO idea what this means. Licht has drafted extremely well. He is at least top 5 at drafting.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:17 am
“ doolnutts Says:
September 19th, 2024 at 10:03 am
SlyPirate: I mean this with all due respect I have ZERO idea what this means. Licht has drafted extremely well. He is at least top 5 at drafting.”
The reference is to Kancey missing so many early games both seasons due to the same injury. He’s a great player when healthy, but of no value sitting on the sidelines.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:27 am
Guess where Denver will focus if our RT is out another week?…..Hopefully the OC has schemed for this scenario.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:30 am
The execution on the chip blocks was YMCA PeeWee league level. Horrific execution. Get your F’ing body into the blocker.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:36 am
To echo what others have said, if Otton isn’t going to be used as a receiving weapon, he’s rendered useless. Get a TE on the field that can block.
September 19th, 2024 at 10:57 am
The talent on our o-line has been upgraded from last season, but it will take some time for them to play up to their potential. They’ll be fine by the playoffs. 😉
It was hard to watch Aidan Hutchinson single-handedly wreck our o-line but by exposing that weakness as he did it shows the coaches what they need to fix. And they will. They know there’s a good chance they’ll face the Lions again in the playoffs and they can’t let the same thing happen should Luke be unavailable.
September 19th, 2024 at 11:12 am
Barton will be fine, Center is one of the hardest positions to play well in the NFL.
As far as Hutchinson, if they think they were helping Skule, I don’t know what to say. Touching the guy before releasing to your route isn’t a chip, and I saw White do that at least once – you need to slow the guy down for longer than that or force him inside where there’s more help. Kieft would have been perfect, but I think Coen wanted to run more 3-WR sets to attack the Lions at their weakest point defensively (secondary).
September 19th, 2024 at 11:43 am
If the Skule plays on Sunday, Todd and Coen better just admit what they have and start 6 O-linemen. Put Hainsey to the right of the Druler. Good golly jeemy crust, it’s not integral calculus to know why Baker doesn’t have time to throw and the Bucs run game sucks (again).
September 19th, 2024 at 12:11 pm
First two games we have gone up against two of the better defensive lines in the NFL. Say what you want about Washington’s defense as a whole but their big guys up front are top tier
September 19th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Daniel Z.
I don’t disagree with you on Kief. In White’s defense, Darryl Johnson a former fullback thought White’s block was not the problem. He blamed it on Khule not getting back far enough to do his job. Another play i saw had white ? as a lead blocker . Seems like a good spot kief at H back to me also.
September 19th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
@Joe said:
Barton certainly wasn’t the problem in Detroit when the offensive line struggled Sunday. It was more a mismatched backup right tackle trying to battle a total stud with little assistance from teammates.
Barton certainly WAS part of the problem. Pressure up the middle too, not just AH. Zero push on run plays.
Im sure he’ll improve but he’s got a lot of work to do. The whole O-line does starting with coaching.
September 19th, 2024 at 12:18 pm
Barton shows signs of being an outstanding Center, but he is a rookie.
He’s gonna struggle this year. He’ll get bad blocking grades. Totally expected. Most NFL players, especially linemen, make a huge leap from year one to year two. That’s what a year with an NFL strength Coach and NFL line coach will do for you.
Justin Skule got abused Sunday. Hopefully he learns from it.
My Concerns are Mauch and Bredeson . They are destroying our run game. Mauch has regressed. Bredeson is just as bad he was in his years in NY- where he was always ranked as one of the very worst Center/Guards in the league his entire Career.
It’s exactly what I said in the PreSeason. Our line is, for the 3rd year straight, killing our running game, and causing Mayfield to scramble constantly
White is under 4 yds a carry. If you take out Irving’s 30 yard run, he is below 4 yds a carry.
Despite all the Fan Praise- Jason Licht has once again left this team with the worst guards in the league. Once again we will be in the bottom of the league in rushing.
So strange, because we might have the BEST Tackles in the league- if Wirfs gets out of his Slump.
Oh, I bet it was Logan Hall that gave Goedeke a concussion in practice. Just a guess on my part- haven’t heard anything. But I’d bet a lil money! Lol
Still Don’t know how Mayfield is winning with the leagues worst rushing attack, and east productive TEs!!
I don’t believe it has ever happened before. I’m hoping someone does the research. I’m to tired to dig that hard myself
September 19th, 2024 at 12:39 pm
Barton has been just ok. He’s not lighting it up. We should not be glazing him.
September 19th, 2024 at 1:49 pm
So would the offense benefit from replacing Otten/TE with an extra OL. Interesting question. Would the offense be better going 11 package with a 6th OL (reporting as eligible). I could see benefits for both the running and passing game. More running lanes for the RB, more time for Baker to sit in the pocket. If teams go nickel run straight at them. If they go 4-4 like the Lions, then trust Evans, Godwin, McMillian to find the holes in coverage. Would better blocking overcome the benefit of TE going out into the pass pattern? Plus think of time teams would have to spend preparing for a 6 man blocking scheme
September 19th, 2024 at 3:59 pm
^ I was just about to comment about running jumbo sets with an extra lineman who is eligible.
Honestly I barely saw White or Otton chipping Hutchinson at all. White was obviously put in pass protection a bunch, but a DE like Hutchinson running free at a running back is a mismatch that is bound to lose.
Should have had an extra linemen in more often. You’d still have 3 – 4 other targets available. Or at the very least, should have had Otton and Skule double teaming Hutchinson.
Whatever, we won the game. But next time we play Detroit I sincerely hope Coen has a better game plan for him, even if Goedeke is back.
September 19th, 2024 at 8:44 pm
Brederson and Mauch are terrible, as for the blocking of Hutchinson last week Coen is responsible for that fiasco because he refused to keep a TE or Extra lineman to double team him on every play, not just chip him and go out for a pass.