Hanging Hopes On Holliday?
October 21st, 2014
One of the NFL’s worst full-time punt returners last season, a guy coming off a pulled hamstring this summer, will wear a Buccaneers uniform soon.
Trindon Holliday, 28, will sign a contract with Tampa Bay, per the Twittering of Bucs beat writer Roy Cummings.
Averaging just 8.5 yards per punt return last year for Denver put Holliday near the bottom of the NFL charts. In 32 attempts, he had just four punts returned for 20 or more yards and fumbled five times. By contrast, Eric Page, in 23 attempts for Tampa Bay, had five returns for more than 20 yards, fumbled just once and averaged 10.9 yards per return.
Holliday was much better as a kick returner, bringing one back to the house and finishing with the eighth-highest return average (27.7 yards), two places behind LeGarrette Blount.
Lovie Smith has said he wants to get more out of his return game, and this appears to be that move. Holliday is listed as a receiver, but at 5-foot-5 he’s no a threat there.
Holliday pulled a hamstring while playing for the Giants this summer. He was placed on injured reserve but appeared to reach an injury settlement and got his release. Expect an official announcement from the Bucs today.
October 21st, 2014 at 7:15 am
Damn you Hester –
October 21st, 2014 at 7:46 am
Holliday Mob
October 21st, 2014 at 7:52 am
too bad the Bucs field more kick offs …than punts
October 21st, 2014 at 7:58 am
They just need to stick with Patton or bring back Page to do it. There is no quick fix during the season. In the off season, maybe we can acquire a great returner.
October 21st, 2014 at 7:59 am
And Lovie, the great talent evaluator, strikes again!
October 21st, 2014 at 8:05 am
smdh…
October 21st, 2014 at 8:05 am
BBob1 – Re your point. If they gave out team scores for talent evaluation, where would the current Bucs rank? Hazard a guess? My guess is at the bottom. Got to change that somehow.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:14 am
What are they doing???ughh
October 21st, 2014 at 8:20 am
How about putting up the rest of his stats. Hes A great return guy don’t sleep on him
October 21st, 2014 at 8:22 am
career stats*
October 21st, 2014 at 8:24 am
this guy is not any better than page pr patton. lovey strikes again
October 21st, 2014 at 8:30 am
Well I still like Patton as a punt returner but Jenkins of blows with kicks. So hopefully that’s all Hollidays here for.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:30 am
great, a fumbler…how’s that help?
October 21st, 2014 at 8:31 am
@ RastaMan
Too funny and sadly so true. Lovie has finally realized that since every opponent’s offensive drive torches the Bucs D for a score that there is really no need for a Buccaneers punt returner.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:32 am
So we can use stats to evaluate a return man, but when it comes to QBs stats don’t matter. FBF
October 21st, 2014 at 8:36 am
@skyline what the hell are you talking about
October 21st, 2014 at 8:37 am
This move should really help their apocalyptic defense.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:39 am
@Slowbucs, I’m talking about people bringing up stats for our QB and some Buc fans dismissing the stats because it doesn’t fit their agenda.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:45 am
Pointless signing that doesn’t accomplish much. Sounds like the 2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
October 21st, 2014 at 8:46 am
So they bring in a guy not any more talented than the people they have. Why? Patton is a better punt returner and page was a better all around return guy. What did Page do to piss this coach off?
October 21st, 2014 at 8:49 am
Pointless signing that doesn’t accomplish much. Sounds like the 2014 Tampa Bay Buccaneers-
One could argue that we are worse now.
October 21st, 2014 at 8:54 am
Saints please pick up Page you could use him.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:02 am
I thought we already cut Jeff demps?
October 21st, 2014 at 9:12 am
I really did not know Eric page became so popular. Smdh.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:13 am
Page? Never heard of her
October 21st, 2014 at 9:14 am
Does Holliday know Lovie’s defense?
October 21st, 2014 at 9:15 am
The mistakes continue…
October 21st, 2014 at 9:16 am
All these moves this regime makes continues to defy all logic and reason. I would not be surprised if they trade away all the draft picks in 2015 for a bunch of has beens that no one else wants before the trade deadline . Then jettisoning any remaining talent we have left like the great purge in the off season. In Lovie we trust.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:17 am
5’5″
Cool- he’s a hobbit!
Every team needs a couple of those!
October 21st, 2014 at 9:18 am
It’s the middle of the season, there’s not much that can be done to improve the roster. If they want to take a flyer on this guy, fine by me. He certainly had success in the past. Why not? Make those 48-17 games turn into 48-24 games!
October 21st, 2014 at 9:30 am
Wes Welker aint much taller than that.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:33 am
Solomon patton must have talked back/offended the coaches.
maybe he has mattresses in his front yard .
why else would they bring in e. page and now this guy.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:58 am
Please take football operation away from Lovie. grasping at straws.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:59 am
Don’t understand the move.With all the money spent in free agency and the record so far,does anybody want Lovie in charge of the draft?
October 21st, 2014 at 10:14 am
Lovie had a luxury in Hester and now he’s trying to find the guy that can give him similar production. Good luck with that.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:16 am
Willie d I will call you first before submitting my remarks.We are thinking alike.
October 21st, 2014 at 10:25 am
BirdDoggers Says:
October 21st, 2014 at 10:14 am
Lovie had a luxury in Hester and now he’s trying to find the guy that can give him similar production. Good luck with that.
–————
He should’ve signed him – it’s not like he’s getting value for the other FAs signed.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:23 am
Just got word they cut Patton. I’m upset because it seems like Lovie is scrambling around grasping at what he thinks will be a quick fix for returns. I’m sure results with Holliday will be the same or worse because its the unit as a whole who needs to gel.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:40 am
With this crap defense, the Bucs are not going to make opponents punt very often away.
October 21st, 2014 at 1:24 pm
Go back and watch that tape. Soloman patton just field the kick and run strait ahead. He doesnt try to make anyone miss or nothing!
October 21st, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Not sure how good he is now, but you people do realize that he returned both a punt and a kickoff for a TD last year in a playoff game right? He scored 2 TD’s in a playoff game last year! Let that sink in before you trash a guy you obviously have never heard of. He is the only player in the history of the NFL to do that. He had 4 returns for TD’s last year (2 punt and 2 kickoff), which is a helluva lot better than anyone we’ve had. Again, I’m not saying he’s the second coming of Devin Hester, but he’s not nearly as bad as so many make him out to be. Hell, he’s going to have about 8 attempts per game to run back a kickoff, so if he keeps with his ratio from the past, he will probably end up with about 4 kickoff returned TD’s this year.
October 21st, 2014 at 2:35 pm
Actually I think holiday is a Great add. He has tremendous burst and let’s face it, he can’t do worse than Patton has. With his great kickoff return ability he will become a great asset imo. And if he doesn’t live up to his potential then we cut him. No harm no foul. It’s amazing how you people dog the move when all it can do is help this terrible performing team. Yeah returner isn’t our biggest need, unlike a new qb. 😉 But if it helps us then it helps, no reason not to add talented players.
October 21st, 2014 at 2:49 pm
^^^ Yep, that’s exactly what so many Bucs fans love to do – criticize. It’s not like there are too many solutions walking the street. Should we have signed Hester, absolutely. Then again, who’s to say he wouldn’t have blown out his knee (or big toe) in training camp. Regardless, he is on another team now. We need to do something to get better. At least they are trying. Did anyone here think Patton was ever even a threat to take one to the house? I sure didn’t, unless the defense decided to just get out of his way, because he sure as hell wasn’t going to make anyone miss. It’s easy to criticize, but much more difficult to find a solution. I’m just happy we’re at least trying to do something. It would make me even happier if we would try to get another CB (ahem Champ and/or Asante), but this is better than nothing.
October 21st, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Patton almost never got to the 20. Our offense would have been better off If he would have taken a knee every time. If that’s the case then an upgrade was sorely needed. I was hoping the Bucs would sign holiday in the offseason and was sad to see us get no one. Better late than never.
October 21st, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Just give e page a chance. Let’s see what he can do with this coaching staff. His hands were tied last year with schiano and his staff. Great slot in college. Hell what do we have to lose 1-5.
October 22nd, 2014 at 8:45 pm
He has the most return TD since 2012 in the NFL.
Quit whining about losing Patton a TERRRIBLE HORRIBLE NO GOOD returner.