Don’t Be Alarmed (Yet)
July 27th, 2014
Lovie Smith said it’s too early to panic about the Bucs guards
Joe understands many Bucs fans are still hungover after trying to drink away news that All-Pro guard Carl Nicks is done. The beers were swilled, but in the morning, Nicks was still gone and the ugly hangover was all too real.
Now, the Bucs are looking at guards Jamon Meredith, Oniel Cousins and Kadeem Edwards as starters on the front line. That bottle of Tums fans are eating is not just to kill that hangover.
Agitated Bucs fans may want to calm down, Lovie Smith suggested. For a variety of reasons, Lovie has yet to slap the panic button.
“They’re veterans,” Lovie said about Cousins and Meredith. “They have been here before, they do have a little bit more experience and I talk a lot about starting rotation, they’re all getting reps, Kadeem Edwards is doing a good job, we can go down the line of those young players, but they’re all getting reps right now. We get great evaluations by what’s on the other side of our guards, when you have a player like [defensive tackles] Gerald McCoy, Clinton McDonald and Akeem Spence. We get a good reading on how good those players really are.”
That is an interesting point Lovie made. For fans who attend practices and are not won over by the current guards, one reason is that the Bucs’ defensive tackles are so good. (Akeem Spence seems to be blowing up.).
Also, Lovie suggested the Bucs are only on their third day of practice. Lots of time for Cousins and Meredith to improve, or for the Bucs to dumpster dive for linemen that have been cut — or will be in the coming weeks.
To hear more of Lovie’s post-practice comments, click on the red button below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
July 27th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
Dumpster diving, now that’s a team after my own heart. One team’s castoff trash is another team’s treasure.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
What about richie incognito, he would be a great addition
July 27th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Dusthy: No. That’s the worst idea I’ve read on here in a long time, and for some reason people keep bringing it up.
TERRIBLE IDEA.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:20 pm
yawn…nothing real to talk about …..
July 27th, 2014 at 7:26 pm
I thought it was’nt polite to yawn in public.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
Honestly with how few games he started as a Buc, it wouldn’t make since to fret about it.
It’s practically like he wasn’t a Buc to begin with.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:38 pm
A Carl Nicks Hangover?
COME ON JOE!
Did anyone seriously think Captain Kangaroo was going to play again? The guy had to be in horrible shape anyway, hasn’t done anything in two years.
All-Pro? That should be FORMER All-Pro, and he’s evidence that teams simply do not part with outstanding players very often. You have to believe the Saints had the inside track that he was heading to retirement quicker than most might have thought.
At this point, it’s important to listen to what Derrick Brooks had to say in one of your posts a while back.
No one knows at this point what the final 53-man roster will look like.
I would think most fans would wait until after the third preseason game before they start to get a handle on all of this.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:38 pm
Somebody educate me……is the defensive line usually ahead of the curve early on?
July 27th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
I believe Omameh will be one of the starting guards at the end of training camp.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:53 pm
Guys don’t just suddenly improve in their sixth or seventh season.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:54 pm
If Omameh and/or Edwards don’t run away with jobs, guards will stink.
July 27th, 2014 at 7:59 pm
@Joe Spence has been ballin?
July 27th, 2014 at 8:18 pm
beware the preseason hype … it’s been this way for 10 years and we all know how much hype Schiano had when he came in … I’m far more wait and see than manic over the new Bucs …
July 27th, 2014 at 8:22 pm
San Fran is suddenly thin at RB due to injuries. Possibly a trade for there Pro Bowl Guard wanting a new contract.
July 27th, 2014 at 8:27 pm
Joe, there was no Carl Nicks hangover. Anyone paying attention stopped placing hope in him long ago. The outcome was no surprise. And I think they’ll be fine at OG anyway. Not stellar, but OK.
July 27th, 2014 at 8:53 pm
Nicks played a grand total of 9 games for the Bucs in two years. He has been absent for so long that he’s hardly been missed at this stage in the game IMO. I’m wondering what sort of salary cap hit he is going to be.
July 27th, 2014 at 8:58 pm
We need to bring somebody in!!
I love the Incognito idea.
I wish we had traded for Zack Martin.
I love the idea of trading for and signing Alex Boone from San Fran.
We need to do something!!
July 27th, 2014 at 9:01 pm
We could teach incognito and the world about forgiveness!
I say a humbled and focused Incognito might be just what our O-line needs.
And we trade for Alex Boone. A 2nd rounder next year.
Boom. We have two badass guards.
Boom we are legit.
July 27th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Lovie said they get good evaluation and i think he sees exactly what everyone is seeing: lack of talent on the o-line – he just can´t sign the best one just like that – therefore we got to be patient, but Lovie knows that Bucs arent good enough there (yet).
Edwards will need a year at least (getting strengh) and he wasn´t a beast in college – so lets see if he is an NFL-player. time will tell.
Wonder how the DE are doing- Joooe, can you tell us pleeease? (imagine RachelWatson asking)
July 27th, 2014 at 9:18 pm
Carl Nicks~~~~~~~~~~~c’est la vie~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 27th, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Teacherman777 Says:
July 27th, 2014 at 8:58 pm
Desperation moves usually end up being a mistake. Settle down. Come off the ledge. It’s not that bad. Sure, they have to figure this out, and maybe an experienced quality starter is a good idea, but the price still has to be right. The best thing about Lovie and Jason Licht is that they have a plan, they execute it, and they don’t panic. If the right player comes available at the right price that would upgrade the team, I’m quite confident they’ll be on it. Until that opportunity arises, stick to the plan. Coach the young guys, maximize their talent, cognizant of the future as well.
July 27th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Carolina doesnt know who their left tackle is, are thin at receiver, and Newton isn’t 100%.
I like our chances.
We got good players at center and the tackles. Were fine.
July 27th, 2014 at 9:48 pm
I remember a lot of people were freaking out just before the start of last season because we had no TE, and look what happened. Some no name player, Tim Wright, got a shot and it ended up turning out really well.
July 27th, 2014 at 9:58 pm
If you really thought that Gandolf was going to wave his magic staff so that nicks could perform a miracle savior on the OL I have some farmland I’d like to sell you down in the Everglades. Yeah I was in shock that nicks wasn’t able to be our savior after playing in 2 games within the last 2 yrs. that I drowned myself In beer because I was so distraught. Give me a break joe.
July 27th, 2014 at 10:44 pm
Joe,
Do you know the salary cap ramifications for the Bucs with Nicks retirement? Does it relieve any of the salary to give more room for the Bucs to trade or get a high price replacement possibly?
If anyone else has the answer please post.
July 27th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
^^ Nicks has not retired. He was released with a settlement. If he had retired, the Bucs could’ve washed their hands of salary cap implications, I believe. Under this settlement, the team has several million in dead cap in each of the next 2 years, but still less than it would’ve been had Nicks remained on the roster or PUP/IR.
July 28th, 2014 at 1:20 am
Bucs refused to release that information Friday.
July 28th, 2014 at 1:42 am
I don’t get it. To be missed wouldn’t ‘ t nicks have to have played more than a handful of games ? Nobody will miss him because he only played a few games I total over what? Two years? He was damaged goods when he arrived before he ever got the mrsa . Again you have have played to be missed.
July 28th, 2014 at 1:45 am
Quick. Name the starting guards from the ’02 Super Bowl team. How about the starting guards for the Seahawks? Remember that year Drew Brees’s stats took a nosedive because he lost Carl Nicks?
Yawn
July 28th, 2014 at 1:51 am
Even with Nicks nothing was certain. This is going to take a while to sort out. Joe thinks fans are suddenly nervous about guard? Hell, we were nervous 6 months ago. Smart fans already knew he was probably finished.
July 28th, 2014 at 1:57 am
Mark:
Joe is thinking of writing an article Monday on if guard play is overrated in today’s NFL.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:18 am
Seriously what’s wrong with people who keep mentioning richie incognito, who wants a grown 300+ man on their team that says he’s being bullied by teammates, is it desperate or just pathetic to be rattled enough to mention richie incognito after the first padded practice of 2014. Seriously get a grip you can’t have a free agent at every position and if your a free agent at this time of year then your probably in the same category as josh Freeman….
July 28th, 2014 at 2:20 am
buc4lyfe:
Not to mention Lovie wouldn’t want anything to do with that cancer in his locker room.
Just like with Freeman, there is a reason why that dirtbag Incognito is unemployed. Think about it, people.
July 28th, 2014 at 2:37 am
One has to hope now that Mr. Steve White is on the staff that someone will be beating on the table for Oneil Cousins…
….to NOT be in a Bucs uniform, not to mention the starting lineup, come opening day.
July 28th, 2014 at 3:09 am
He was the bully not the one getting bullied, believe me Lovie wont look twice at him. Bet on it.
July 28th, 2014 at 6:12 am
Teacherman777 Says:
July 27th, 2014 at 9:01 pm
We could teach incognito and the world about forgiveness!
I say a humbled and focused Incognito might be just what our O-line needs.
And we trade for Alex Boone. A 2nd rounder next year.
Boom. We have two badass guards.
Boom we are legit.
————————————
I don’t know WTF you think you teach, because it sure as hell isn’t football, English, or Ethics. You want us to trade a premium pick for a GUARD(!) and then turn around and pay him top shelf free agent money? Did you learn nothing from the Darrelle Revis massacre? YOU DON’T TRADE PREMIUM PICKS FOR PLAYERS AND THEN SIGN THEM TO FREE MARKET DEALS!
BTW, how many wildly successful teams blow the bank on offensive guards? Were Denver’s OGs acquired for high picks and given ridiculous contracts? No, that’s something Dominik would have done. He made two guards some of our highest paid players on the team. That is utter lunacy.
July 28th, 2014 at 8:51 am
Given the RB Issues in San Fran and the Alex Boone holdout, we could package a RB and potentially a later round pick (like the Baltimore 5th) to get Boone potentially. SF actually has decent depth at guard even.