“A Ways To Go” For “Awful” Major Wright
April 2nd, 2014
A Sabby clone?
Joe’s research into potential new Bucs safety Major Wright reveals a guy who had a brutal season last year after Lovie Smith departed Chicago.
Former Bears Super Bowl champ center Tom Thayer analyzes all things Bears for the team’s official website, and he was no fan of 2013 safety starters Wright and Chris Conte, who both took other public beatings, too.
Here you can watch Thayer praise the Bears’ cornerbacks but blast Wright and Conte in a review of the defensive backfield. Thayer states both safeties have “a ways to go” in their development and challenges them to bring offseason “commitment” or they won’t improve.
“If you come up there and you don’t get in a fundamental tackling position, if you don’t approach the line of scrimmage like we see safeties around the league, you can’t play,” Thayer said.
One of Joe’s favorite bloggers, Mike “Boomer” Burzawa, who happens to pen a Bears blog, BearGogglesOn.com, wrote this about Wright after the 2013 season.
2013 Grade: Brace yourself and make sure you’re seated. While Chris Conte is the poster boy for the Bears’ woes in the secondary, Major Wright was just plain awful. He was the WORST ranked safety in the NFL according to PFF, with a -27.4 grade, among the 86 safeties who were graded. He was a reasonably bad -1.7 in rushing the passer but a woeful -11.8 in pass coverage and an even worse -15.5 vs the run. How would you like to be his agent sitting across the bargaining table with those stats in your pocket?
Pros: Um, he knows the system. Sort of. He will probably come cheap and is still young enough to turn it around at 25 years old.
Cons: Where do we start? Wright struggled with the most basic elements that an NFL safety should possess. He prefers to launch himself into an opponent rather than wrap up and tackle. He takes horrible angles and routinely gets beat to the corner.
Potential suitors: Hopefully the Green Bay Packers?
Bottom Line: Heads have to roll for the horrific defensive effort in 2013 and as a free agent, Wright is one of many who needs to go. The worst thing the Bears could do would be to bring back Wright. In this case, two wrongs would make a Wright.
Joe read that review and couldn’t help but remember Sabby The Goat, the most angle-challenged safety in Bucs history.
Now even the toughest critics of Wright would agree he showed strong flashes in 2012, so perhaps Lovie and Leslie Frazier can revive that promise, if the Bucs sign him this week. And given how rough Wright’s film must look, Joe suspects Wright would be quick to ink a deal.
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:16 am
The guy had a 100 tackles last season.
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:19 am
Another veteran camp body just like Cousins. Nothing to worry about. If he can’t soundly beat Tandy in camp he won’t even be on the opening day roster. It’s good to have vets in camp alongside the rookies.
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:24 am
Anyone know how PFF graded Tandy? I thought he looked pretty good while Goldson was in the doghouse.
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:24 am
Get him on a 2-3 yr deal. Play him on ST and back up Safety. If he shows he can still play and Goldson becomes to expensive for his play you know where to go from there.
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:39 am
Depth and nothing more. If he sees significant playing time the Bucs are in big trouble.
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:43 am
Off subject but just noticed the Raiders released Mike Briesel a RG. His specialty is zone blocking and he would come cheap. He is 31. Thoughts?
April 2nd, 2014 at 11:00 am
How is he at special teams? Could be they signed him solely for that.
April 2nd, 2014 at 11:01 am
Joe major wright excelled in lovies system. The bears defense couldn’t get after the qb period. Conte was awful as a FS.
Similar to Tampa , if you can’t get to the qb your secondary takes a beating.
Wright will be a steal bc he possesses ball hawking skills that goldson and Barron don’t.
April 2nd, 2014 at 11:02 am
biff barker Says:
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:24 am
Anyone know how PFF graded Tandy? I thought he looked pretty good while Goldson was in the doghouse.
Higher than goldson.
April 2nd, 2014 at 11:12 am
PFF also only watches TV tape to grade and doesn’t know what the calls were for the defense. Neither of those covers up poor tackling, but that is very coachable. Not saying he isn’t terrible, but to me PFF doesn’t carry any special weight – particularly in secondary play.
April 2nd, 2014 at 11:17 am
Joe- thanks for bringing up how he actually has played in the NFL. Most of us here didn’t pay attention to him in Chicago and only know him from his Gator days where everyone looked good.
A good splash of cold water should cool off the chatter about Wright beating out Barron or Goldson in the starting lineup!
April 2nd, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Depth.
April 2nd, 2014 at 1:41 pm
DallasBuc Says:
April 2nd, 2014 at 11:17 am
Joe- thanks for bringing up how he actually has played in the NFL. Most of us here didn’t pay attention to him in Chicago and only know him from his Gator days where everyone looked good.
A good splash of cold water should cool off the chatter about Wright beating out Barron or Goldson in the starting lineup!
But when he was in lovies system the dude was a ball hawk. Just saying. Chicago was killed up front in 2013. Struggled with injuries and old age in the front 4.
April 2nd, 2014 at 2:55 pm
I totally agree with you on that 100 tackles last season. This guy has talent, he just doesn’t use it up to his potential that is all guys. With FREAKING leslie frazier and The FATHER DUNGY prodigy Lovie Smith as his coaches, the sky is the limit for this kid. He can be a stud and beat out either dashon goldson who has not done crap but get fines and Barron “who at this point is starting to look like quite a disappointment”. We picked him very very high in the draft, he is not living up to his end of the bargain.
April 2nd, 2014 at 3:52 pm
In the years he played for Lovie, Major Wright was the ball hawking player That Smith loves. 100 tackles, forced fumbles and interceptions. When you can’t generate a pass rush and get pressure on a quarterback your safeties and corners tend to look bad. Major Wright is a pretty good football player and would be good fit here. Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 2nd, 2014 at 6:16 pm
He had a bunch of injuries last year and played through them, that could have been why he declined rather than a different system, just saying.
April 2nd, 2014 at 9:58 pm
If they do sign him he will most likely not make the team. Its for competition…and maybe, just maybe he finally gets it and will try his a$$ off!