Shopping For Willie Young?
March 5th, 2014
Joe doesn’t understand why some NFL analysts believe the Bucs may target Detroit DE Willie Young.
It is not exactly breaking news that the Bucs need a pass rush. Former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was saying it since he took over in 2009. Current Bucs GM Jason Licht has said it. Lovie Smith has said it. Hell, Bucs fans have been screaming for one since Simeon Rice was cut.
All the cash and all the draft picks spent never got the Bucs a pass rush and the one guy — the one guy! — the Bucs had who could breathe on a quarterback from the edge, the Bucs let friggin’ walk away for no good reason.
So, it isn’t going to shock any beer-swilling Bucs fans that Licht is going to try to find value in a free agent defensive end and likely chase a proven guy.
Now twice in the past week, first from number-cruncher Peter Damilatis of Pro Football Focus and then just yesterday, from prickly Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, Joe has read the Bucs may be after Willie Young of Detroit.
Unless the Bucs are looking for a backup, Joe doesn’t see the attraction of Young. In three of his first four years in the NFL, Young was a backup. Last year he got a whopping three sacks as a starter. To his credit at times last year he seemed to excel against the run, four times racking up five tackles in a game.
Now Young had Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly on the same line with him and he still could only muster three sacks from the edge?
Mind you, Adrian Clayborn, who was coming off a knee injury, and who apparently is challenged by Lovie, had six sacks last season and in five games had five or more tackles, including 10 tackles in the season finale at New Orleans.
So why the Bucs would want Young from the Lions, well, Joe isn’t seeing it.
March 5th, 2014 at 7:59 am
Small, lacks explosion, unproductive-he’s a triple threat.
March 5th, 2014 at 8:34 am
Turd
March 5th, 2014 at 8:42 am
Joe,
Sorry this not part of the thread, But can you put a countdown clock for the next 8 days for the ” Revis Decision.”
March 5th, 2014 at 8:45 am
Slug. Gholston can do better.
March 5th, 2014 at 8:46 am
Hope this isn’t the “value” Licht was talking about!
March 5th, 2014 at 8:48 am
Judging by how the Bucs uniforms have been the butt of two digs on PFT already this morning I have a feeling this is going to be the new normal for Bucs fans now. I’d much prefer trying to defend our uniforms rather than defending our bad play, as has been the case for years now.
March 5th, 2014 at 8:59 am
Overrated. Nuff said
March 5th, 2014 at 9:02 am
Clayborn’s numbers remind me of another D-end… Michael Bennet! Except Clay was coming off a knee injury. They are the same guy! We don’t need another #2 D-end. I like Bennett but he isn’t a double digit sack guy – Clayborn has more upside than Bennet.
March 5th, 2014 at 9:21 am
Biff barker Says:
“Slug. Gholston can do better.”
I agree.
March 5th, 2014 at 9:27 am
Gotta spend money to get good product forget all that bargain shopping. I would b ecstatic if in free agency we land Jared allen, peanut tillman, adam carrker, and dexter mccluster. Id b even more jubilant if we could do that for about 17 mill which is very possible (not to mention we cohld still restructure or make cuts or
March 5th, 2014 at 9:31 am
Okay if one actually reads the article they will see that PFF calls Willie Young and Everson Giffen exactly what they are – young, cheap depth. Both did well against the run and have played in the NFC North, so they should both be familiar with the system that will be implemented.
This is exactly how I expect Licht to address the position. With the FA DE now a sellers market it would be wise for Licht to go the route of stocking up cheap bodies at the position, throwing poo against the wall, and seeing what sticks. I am not holding my breath, but I am of the belief that we will be seeing completely different versions of Clayborn and Bowers, and Gholston will develop into a playmaker for the Bucs.
March 5th, 2014 at 10:09 am
Gholston is our guy!! Let him play!!!
March 5th, 2014 at 10:23 am
The Bucs need one proven situational edge rusher with experience who can come in and perform like John Abraham who got 11.5 sacks for the Cardinals last year.
The national analysts have no respect for the Bucs and will throw anything at them because they believe it’s not going to matter anyway. Ignore the “let mikey try it” flavor of the week and trust Lovie to get the guy that is going to make a real difference. And don’t balk when we have to pay for him. You get what you pay for!
March 5th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Licht might be a value shopper but the Bucs need a proven pass rusher. Schiano and Dominik tried going with unproven players, hoping it would work. I don’t see the current regime following in the same footsteps, considering the importance of a good pass rush for the defense to succeed. I expect the team to sign a very good edge rusher in free agency and possibly draft another.
March 5th, 2014 at 12:27 pm
@HFXBUC: You are delusional if you think Clayborn is better or has more upside than Bennett. Upside is a subjective term, so lets set it aside, how exactly is Clayborn better than Bennett? Both are equally good at stopping the run, but Bennett is far more explosive as a pass rusher and versatile in bringing the heat. Unlike Clayborn, he does not need stunts to make a play. Clayborn at his very best can be a Greg Spires kind of contributor.
March 5th, 2014 at 12:47 pm
He’s solid
March 5th, 2014 at 2:13 pm
Can’t we say we’re sorry and ask Michael Bennet to come home? I know he probably would be crazy to do it, but shoot, if we say “please”, maybe he’ll remember the great weather, the fun games we lost etc…how could he resist?
Even so….I want him back.
March 6th, 2014 at 1:41 am
Bring Michael Bennett back plays the left end how it suppose to be played great against the run and is a good pass rusher as well and gets moved down to the DT spot and plays great and gets pressure he’s worth every penny clay born has never played DT Bennett does all you can. Ask of a left end