Evaluation Time For “Go Go Gadget Arms”
January 10th, 2014
One thing that excites Joe about having Leslie Frazier as defensive coordinator is his background as a cornerback. Sadly, Joe’s old enough to remember Frazier leading the legendary 1985 Bears defense with six interceptions.
Frazier blew out his knee in the ’85 Super Bowl and then jumped into college and NFL coaching, and he has a great track record with defensive backs.
Frazier has one key evaluation in the coming days. Bucs know what Darrelle Revis can do, and most other Bucs cornerbacks have limited skill sets, but Johnthan Banks is a bit of a mystery. How talented is this second-year player who will turn 25 next season?
Will Frazier and Lovie Smith see Banks as a true No. 2 cornerback? Or will they seek Charles Tillman a corner in free agency? Could Banks evolve into a slot cornerback?
Darrelle Revis, speaking on WDAE-AM 620 in December, was very upbeat on Banks. “He made tremendous strides. He got stronger. You see the talent,” Revis said.
Revis said he always studies how quickly young players learn the game and he likes Banks’ attitude but Banks is still learning. Revis also likes in Banks what you can’t teach.
“You gotta excuse his Go Go Gadget arms,” Revis said. “I mean, he’s a tall corner. He’s about 6-2, 6-3, and he’s got a big wingspan. He lifts his one of his arm’s up and he’s like 6-9.”
There’s no question Banks will be on the 2014 roster. What’s unclear is how much faith will be placed in him after he’s evaluated in the coming days. Last year, Banks was all but given a load of playing time after Eric Wright was booted.
What the Bucs do in free agency should say a lot about what they think of Banks.
January 10th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Regardless what they think of him eh should still get Tillman!
January 10th, 2014 at 10:56 am
We need at least one more starting caliber CB no matter what the evaluation on Banks, and possibly two. Adams is a liability with taller WR’s, Johnson is a liability on anything past ten yards and Gorrer is just a good backup.
January 10th, 2014 at 10:56 am
Honestly, regardless of whether or not they think Banks is the number 2, we still need 3 starting caliber corners… bring in Tillman if we can. Right now we’re an injury away from the 2012 pass D… Does anyone really think Johnson is a #2 or even a #3??
January 10th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Before I type anything I KNOW that this will not happen but imagine we go get Henry Melton and draft Dominique Easley and have them rotate with GMC… yes I realize we need quality defensive ends but that wow… I can dream…
Oh! and Sam Shields has a 2nd round tender and he’s only 25, I’d personally rather have him
January 10th, 2014 at 11:12 am
All I got from this article is that Bank’s arm is 6-7 inches long….
January 10th, 2014 at 11:16 am
I am tired of this team putting all their chips on unproven young draft picks. That’s what screwed our D-line over with Bowers and AC. We should have proven veterans mixed in with the young talent such as a Tillman with Banks at the number 2 corner spot and a Jarred Allen with AC at DE. It is like a safety net
January 10th, 2014 at 11:22 am
Well Lev…I’ve always believed you don’t bring in FA’s unless your ready to make a run for the playoffs. You add a few missing ingredients to put your team over the top. Otherwise it’s like wasting money if you don’t reach the playoffs. I like Revis and all. He did a great job for the Bucs D, but that was a lot of money to pay a FA only to be sitting at home in January.
January 10th, 2014 at 11:28 am
Maybe we could pick up that one guy Talib who has become one of the best corner’s in the league?
January 10th, 2014 at 11:31 am
I don’t see the Bucs being able to get a top-tier quarterback in the draft. At #7, I count 4 of the 6 teams in front of them needing a QB. And I don’t think the Bucs have the currency to move up via trade with the Rams. Rather than fork over a ton of the their future picks, I’d rather see them take “best available” at #7. Could be the best OT on the board or maybe Clowney falls to them. But let’s not take the fourth- or fifth-best QB with that pick.
January 10th, 2014 at 11:33 am
I’m just glad to have another few sets of eyes on our young talent.
Frazier & Lovie along with the assistants can help us evaluate:
Banks, Gorrer, Johnson, Adams, Melvin, Tandy, McCrae & others.
If they determine they are worth keeping then I am sure they will improve their play.
January 10th, 2014 at 11:52 am
TBBF…all Lovie has to do is look at the game film and Johnson is gone.
January 10th, 2014 at 11:57 am
brilliant, Lev! hilarious.
January 10th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Buc1987 you are spot on with that, I would guess 50% of the TD’s given up to WR the past two seasons had Johnson running 5 feet behind in coverage.
January 10th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
Brees was actually looking for him on plays in week 17 and attacking him the whole game.
January 10th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Maybe I’m in the minority here, but, why would you want to bring in Tillman at 32 years old when you already have a veteran in Revis. I agree that we need another “starting” caliber CB, but again, Tillman at 32? There will be other free agents available to fill that need with much more left in the tank.
I think time will tell with Banks. After all, he’s coming into his second year and still learning the NFL.
January 10th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
banks will be fine. he’s talib 2.0 minus the anger issues (so far)
January 10th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
Screw signing DBs… we need pass rushers, lots of them. If we can rush the passer you can run castoffs and 7th rounders out there like the Panthers do. We could pull Charles Mincy, Melvin Johnson, and Eric Vance out of retirement to play with Revis and we’ll be good (if we can rush the passer).
January 10th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Banks was a rookie, and made rookie mistakes. He did flash talent- and he played hard all season long.
Ronde Barber said he was in year 3, before he really got on to NFL offenses, and his role in the defense.
The danger in starting young players, is that they make young player mistakes. We jettison vets, to give the rookies playing time. Then we give up on the young guys, because they don’t play like the Vets!
Lack of depth was one of the biggest failures of the “Dom” era.
No Vets to groom the young rookies, and no Vets behind the young players who start.
Confident we will see a better mix of youth and experience with the new staff.
Also Confident that some of our young guys will be greatly improved next season.
January 10th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
@ Capt. Tim: That is the most cogent take you’ve EVER had here @ JBF.
Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.
January 10th, 2014 at 2:42 pm
For the record, Dominik drafted exactly ZERO keepable CBs. ZERO. Every one of them flopped. I’ll give Banks the BOD since he’s new.
January 10th, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Good grief. Are we talking about Banks the rookie like its do or die time? Can we at least give the man 2 years before we start discussing his replacement?
January 10th, 2014 at 4:28 pm
^^^ That guy is actually right
Banks flashed some real good things, especially when he was able “for the most part” to hang with CJ in Detroit after Revis got hurt.
January 10th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
Nope apparently if they are not great right out of the gate, it’s time to give up on them and draft/sign there replacement. That’s how it works right?
January 10th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Glennon will deserve it if he can beat out whoever Lovie/Teford bring in if anybody.
January 10th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Bucs fans are known to be uneducated football fans. Banks is a rookie didn’t play bad. He will have a full off season with good coaching from Leslie Frazier and Revis. If you can remember Danny Gorrer was one of our best corners in preseason before he ripped his groin and was out most of the season. And then there was Rashaan Melvin who was a training camp surprise. So I don’t see then putting more money in that position. If money will be spent on defense, it will be at DE an LB.
January 11th, 2014 at 8:49 am
The Bucs have the talent in place in the secondary right now assuming we can coach up Melvin and Gorer. I did always believe LJ would be better at Nickel with his lack of foot speed.
A bigger concern is our DL rushing 4 up and Foster as MLB in coverage when running T2.
The biggest concern is this will be our 3 different defense in 4 seasons. Don’t want to pee on the campfire of enthusiasm here, but let’s temper expectations.