Looking For Road Graders
April 17th, 2014
Might the Bucs trade back and nab Notre Dame G Zack Martin?
Joe has typed several times over the past few weeks that he’s not all that enamored with the offensive line of the Bucs. Anthony Collins is a nice pickup and is a fine pass blocker, but Collins has never started eight games in a season much less 16. That is a red flag to Joe.
No one outside of Jason Licht, Lovie Smith and team doctors have any idea what is going on with left guard Carl Nicks (inside baseball: the reason no media member has spoken to Nicks in nine months or so is that the team must make him available for an interview, or Nicks must agree to talk outside of One Buc Palace, which he hasn’t. Reporters can’t just drive a truck through the locker room door at One Buc Palace, hop out and ambush Nicks with a microphone).
Right guard reportedly is scary and no, while Joe’s favorite player to deal with may be Demar Dotson at right tackle, he’s not making Joe forget Dan Dierdorf any time soon.
Evan Silva, the fine NFL analyst at Rotoworld.com, isn’t as pessimistic about the Bucs’ offensive line, but he is not holding his breath on the return of Nicks and deemed right guard “a concern.” Thus, Silva says, expect the Bucs to address drafting a guard or two next month.
Overhauling their front five under new GM Jason Licht, the Bucs cut LT Donald Penn and RG Davin Joseph, before trading C/G Jeremy Zuttah to Baltimore. Tampa Bay signed C Evan Dietrich-Smith and LT Anthony Collins, but now has question marks at both guard positions. The Bucs plan to play power football up front and will pursue maulers to pave lanes for Doug Martin.
Joe knows Lovie wants to run the ball and Joe has heard a few players, Vincent Jackson and Josh McCown included, call Jeff Tedford’s offense “balance.” But the men the Bucs currently have up front are primarily pass blockers, not run blockers.
So Silva’s analysis makes sense in that Lovie will be looking for road graders at guard.
April 17th, 2014 at 2:10 pm
If as you suggest, they go for a qb at 7, look for them to take their 2nd round pick and pair it with Glennon and move up. They also could just trade glennon at that point and pick up another 2 or 3. reading all the info around the league, Glennon is on the radar for teams that do not secure a qb in the first 2 rounds.
I see that is how we add a pick and beef up our line.
April 17th, 2014 at 2:53 pm
Don’t think the Bucs are going to take a QB in the 1st, probably all the talk about them doing so is smoke. Could likely be Evans but who really knows, just have to wait impatiently till May to find out.
April 17th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Odd that so many NFL teams would have a guy like Glennon, a QB some here insist is nothing more than a career backup who was single handedly responsible for the Bucs 32nd ranked pass offense, on their radar? Could it be the NFL analysts and GM’s have a better evaluation process than the JBF eyeball test? Hmmm
April 17th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
In 2004, his THIRD year, Josh McCown started 14 games for the Arizona Cardinals. He had 233 completions out of 408 for a 57.1 completion rate. He passed for 11 TD in 14 games with 21 turn-overs. 10 ints and 11 fumbles.
Glennon did a lot more with a lot less in his 13 starts of his ROOKIE season.
So yes, in a head to head competition, I think Glennon can win the job, unless we hand the keys over willy nilly to an unproven, and overhyped, and over-reached 1st round college QB, which would take away our chance for a top all-pro player who can contribute right away.
McCown and Glennon are plenty capable of managing our offense. An over-reached 1st round QB will only hinder our progress, and it will take to long to get whoever it is up to speed, and also have our new offense begin to gel together. This is why Lovie and Co. brought in the veteran signal caller. A much smaller learning curve. We would be stupid to waste our 1st pick on a QB this year. If they want one to develop, then they can grab one in the 2nd round or beyond. Just like Seattle has been doing for several years now.
April 17th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
ToesOnTheLine Said:
“Could it be the NFL analysts and GM’s have a better evaluation process than the JBF eyeball test? Hmmm”
🙂
April 17th, 2014 at 3:23 pm
There will still be some FA talent available along with the draft.
Unless we trade down….I see us taking Watkins or Evans at 7 and an Olineman in round 2 or 3.
April 17th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
seems to me the teams with the best o lines for some period of time have shown an ability to find the right interior linemen in the latter part of the draft. considering we have seen the team have some of its best offensive performances the last 2 years in the absence of joseph & nicks, perhaps one of L & L’s takeaways is that hoarding supposedly elite players at low value positions is not part of a winning strategy
April 17th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Or could it be simply 8 might fit another teams system better.
If 8 is a square peg in this system why force it into a round hole.
Since no one other than lovie, licht and Tedford know what the system will be in its entirety. Every one else is just speculating what Tedford and Lovie have planned after a year off and completing self evaluation.
April 17th, 2014 at 5:00 pm
We had the 27th ranked offense under Glennon; it’s 32nd if you include Freeman’s &#*%show from last year.
April 17th, 2014 at 5:21 pm
27 wow what a huge difference… maybe the bucs should shoot for 25 this year. Baby steps. raise your standards.
April 17th, 2014 at 5:49 pm
We have so many needs on offense. Qb is definitley the most vital. I doubt Mccown or Glennon are the answer(although Glennon did earn this fans respect last year). Guard will also be vital for our run gun offense and the cupboard is pretty bare there. Then of course we need help at receiver and tight end. Thats alit to fix in ine offseason. But hey I say we draft a Qb even if that means trading up to get Manziel. Say what you will but he’s more dynamic than anyone we have right now. Hopefully we can draft a guard larer or find a diamond in the rough via free agency same goes for WR. In a draft filled with receivers we can hopefully find a good #2 in the later rounds.
April 17th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
27th offense with a garbage front line, 4th string running back after Martin/James went out, and only Vincent Jackson as a legit receiver. Offense is far more than just the QB. Matt Ryan struggled last year without all of his receivers and a lame running game. Not saying that Glennon is the sure thing but he deserves a chance before casting aside. Here is to hoping that we take a QB in Round 2/3 and see how it shakes out. Worst case is we suck one more year and then take Winston or the kid from Oregon. Taking a chance on a long shot QB with the first pick will set us back for years like Coach Rah did with #5.
April 17th, 2014 at 7:31 pm
it’s okay, the up-tempo offense uses 11 running backs
April 17th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
What Sailor Jerry says: said.
April 17th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
Sailor Jerry could not agree more. I do think McCown has shown he can get the job done in a balanced offense but for anyone to suggest that there is no way glennon cannot thrive under a good offensive system is pure ignorance. If he works on his mobility puts on ten pounds in the legs and works hard I can easily see him leading this team in a succesful offensive attack. I have always been a beleiver that it does not matter who qb is if the playcalling and supporting cast around tge qb are below average….the your qb will be below average as well. As a rookie Glennon showed much promise and his personality and work ethic are obviously far greater than Freeman ever was. Im not saying hand him the keys but I can easily see Glennon coming out and lighting it up and all the haters still bitching and moaning about his rookie stats. Go see Peyton Mannings rookie year stats.
April 17th, 2014 at 7:56 pm
On a somewhat related note, I’m going to make a prediction that will be forgotten if untrue, but will have JBF readers thinking back in hindsight about what a genius that one commenter was way back when if it comes to fruition. I think Carl Nicks is close to 100% or at least good enough football shape, and I’d be willing to bet we won’t hear from him or about him until the regular season starts. I doubt he’ll play a single preseason snap, but will be starting at LG the first game of the regular season. Just another ace up Lovie’s sleeve.
April 17th, 2014 at 8:14 pm
I would love to see nicks back at 100% AND still in a Bucs uniform.
April 17th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
rich,
i hope you are right. o-line is scary right now. The one concern that I would have is more or less two years since he played in a game. If healthy, I get keeping it under wraps until after the draft and maybe all the way up to training camp. I think he needs a few snaps in the preseason take a few hits and bash some heads. Yes, pre season is a joke, yes, the speed is not the same all that i am saying is a little action before game 1 would be somewhat beneficial. I’d hate for it to take him 2 regular season games to find out exactly where he is. couple snaps game 1 and game 2 then do game 3 with the starters. I know it wont’ be the bucs scheme in preseason but hit somebody other than his teammates.
April 17th, 2014 at 8:38 pm
Is it possible Nicks is doing much better but the Bucs are keeping it hushed in order to make teams think they need to fill his position in the draft?
April 17th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Didn’t see Rich’s comment before my last post, but I think we’ll learn more about Nicks after the draft.
April 17th, 2014 at 8:57 pm
Joe –
I just realized it’s a sausage fest of images today. All dudes but the glorious morning picture.
Did David Williams succeeded in “cleaning up” this site for us.
or is it simply “Dude Day Thursday”
more chicks please – don’t cave in never ever cave in….
April 17th, 2014 at 9:22 pm
Nicks will be back!
April 18th, 2014 at 9:36 am
SailorJerry – Stop with the facts. The Glennon haters will always be right. They are much more knowledgable than the rest of us. How dare we? HOW DARE WE!! pfft.