Fat > Ghost
June 1st, 2015
General manager Jason Licht explains.
Joe’s proclaimed several times that one reason the Buccaneers will have a better pass rush this season is the mere absence of ghostly Michael Johnson.
He was that bad, and a drain on those around him, including Team Glazer stroking him millions to go away. Joe hadn’t seen a heist like that since the Bucs stole 2014 by giving Josh McCown a starting job.
Don’t believe Joe? Consider that Bucs general manager Jason Licht hopped on NBC Sports Radio last week and said backup defensive end T.J. Fatinikun, aka “Fat,” the 23-year-old Tampa Bay signed out of the Arena league last year, was playing better than Johnson.
“T.J. Fatinikun is a very fast guy that played very well at the end of the year. He was playing better than Michael Johnson, who we let go,” Licht said.
With a half sack last season after being promoted from the Bucs’ practice squad in October, Fat is a real-deal prospect at One Buc Palace. Joe is not trying to give the guy a backhanded slap by noting he was better than Johnson.
Fat joins the Garage Sale Gang of Jacquies Smith, George Johnson, Larry English, Lawrence Sidbury and William Gholston expected to revive the Bucs edge rush.
Don’t count out Fat. Another Arena league edge rusher absolutely shredded the NFL for Tampa Bay in 2007. Greg (pre-Stylez) White had eight sacks and a whopping seven forced fumbles in part-time duty that season.
June 1st, 2015 at 12:06 pm
Go gettem Fats!
June 1st, 2015 at 12:12 pm
funny, ghost was not they only bad/bust DE that started last year. But some pretend like the Adrian Slowborn disaster never happened!!!
June 1st, 2015 at 12:51 pm
Let it go The Buc Realist……
June 1st, 2015 at 1:11 pm
The Real Malloy Says:
June 1st, 2015 at 12:51 pm
Let it go The Buc Realist…………
Let it go like the Bucs let Adrian Slow born go? Or were you one of the sheep that thought he was good because he late hit Bree’s and late hit Brady during a scrimmage?
Either way the Buds finally fixed that mistake of a first rounder, even though some try to pretend that it never happened!!!!
June 1st, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Excuse those of us that don’t trust the talent evaluation of one Jason Licht. This is the same bobbleheaded lapdog GM that grossly overpaid for the talents of McCown, Collins and Johnson.
Once again we see our GM publicly opening his mealy mouth and letting unfiltered and unwise fragments of his inner monologue fall haplessly out into recording devices. We are 2-14 and this man is hugely responsible for that record. The wise thing to do would be to work harder and talk less.
June 1st, 2015 at 6:41 pm
JOE, seems Gholston is never talked about. Hoping he turns the corner this year..
Any insight on Gholston?
June 1st, 2015 at 10:03 pm
The Buc Realist Says:
funny, ghost was not they only bad/bust DE that started last year. But some pretend like the Adrian Slowborn disaster never happened!!!
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You’re an ass-clown.
June 1st, 2015 at 10:06 pm
DallasBuc – one big giant “YAWN” for your comment. Bobblehead… boring and tiring. Falling asleep now. Trying to type but blacking ou
June 1st, 2015 at 10:48 pm
^^^well it must be past your 8pm bed time grandpa. So slap on the the gold bond, put your teeth in a glass and continue not to be troubled with actual concerns about the incompetent executive leadership on this football team.
June 2nd, 2015 at 12:53 am
AC had a high motor. Every 1st round pick is a gamble. His 1st year was off to a good start, but injuries plagued him. The Ghost was just a bad signing for sure. This year L&L got rid of the dead weight. They got some DE’s fighting for playing time. We will see what they do. I have a feeling the 1st pick in next years draft will be a DE.
June 2nd, 2015 at 11:17 pm
When Gholston was healthy he got three sacks in no time two years ago, and he is the best DE we have against the run too, and this year he is healthy again and will show great this year. Smith and Johnson are good DEs too so with all the Sacks our inside DL get and faster LBs who can sack like crazy when we blitz, our Defense is ready to have a Great Year!