No Need For Musical Chairs
July 19th, 2015
No need to mess with Kwon Alexander’s head by changing positions.
Bucs fans for years have had irritable bowel syndrome when it comes to safeties.
Obviously, Sabby the Goat was the perfect example but in latter years, the likes of Sean Jones, Mark Barron and Hawk Goldson have kept Bucs fans on the bowl for longer periods than expected. Those safeties have basically been bad hotel toilet paper.
Bucs fans are squirming in their seats thinking the position is weak. So, bored with kvetching about the offensive line and defensive end, Bucs fans are beginning to whine about safeties in the waning days of the offseason.
Case in point, a video mailbag session to Casey Phillips and Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com lobbied the Bucs to move rookie linebacker Kwon Alexander to safety.
Smith seemed dubious since Alexander has never played safety in his life. Joe has to agree.
The NFL is no place to start learning a new position. Read: Gilkey, Garrett; center. Besides, who is to say Alexander won’t beat out Danny Lansanah for a starting gig?
Smith guessed some folks want to move Alexander to safety because he may be undersized at linebacker.
“When I saw [Alexander] out here with the pads on, he didn’t look any smaller than the other linebackers,” Smith said.
If you pull aside a Bucs staffer, they will whisper to you that Alexander has done little to dampen their beliefs they may have drafted a fourth-round prize in Alexander.
No need to foul up a decent prospect by trying to teach him a position he has never played before at football’s highest level. Best, sometimes, to leave well enough alone.
July 19th, 2015 at 11:16 am
Hey Joe(s)…
What does this mean ?? :
“If you pull aside a Bucs staffer, they will whisper to you that Alexander has done to dampen their beliefs they may have drafted a fourth-round prize in Alexander.”
July 19th, 2015 at 11:42 am
Largo, I was confused there, too.
July 19th, 2015 at 11:48 am
Probably a typo…..”probably done nothing”
July 19th, 2015 at 11:54 am
I come down somewhere in the middle on this one.
I certainly take Joe’s point that learning a new position in the NFL is very tough.
OTOH football is not rocket science. It will depend on Alexander’s football smarts.
I do agree with Joe however that it’s tough and I also agree with Joe that we don’t need any musical chairs. I don’t believe Alexander would be getting fair treatment trying to learn safety while still running plays with LB’s.
And so Lovie and Frazier have to make some very important decisions. If they really believe Alexander has starter potential at safety they have to write off his rookie year and let him run at that position until he learns it. That may mean it takes all season and until next year until he can crack the lineup.
They also have to be willing to sacrifice depth at LB. Right now it seems to me that our LB’s as a group are better than our safeties but I’m not sure they’re any deeper. We have plenty of safeties to choose from it’s just that none of them really get us all jacked up.
July 19th, 2015 at 12:14 pm
@Tampabaybucfan:
I thought that at first, but……
That’s a pretty big “typo” ..wouldn’t you say ?
July 19th, 2015 at 12:14 pm
“You are my ambassador of Kwon (Quan) man.”– Jerry McGuire
July 19th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
LargoSamIM…I read it 6 times and still can’t make out the missing piece of the puzzle.
Sorry Joe.
July 19th, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Oh it’s been corrected…even more sorry now Joe. Just delete our posts.
July 19th, 2015 at 12:30 pm
He’s a fast LB who can tackle. Keep him there.
July 19th, 2015 at 12:31 pm
This defense can be real good this year IF, as for the last decade, they can get any kind of pressure from the DEs
July 19th, 2015 at 12:54 pm
Actually…..there are many players that have changed positions in the NFL……one was from Tampa….Freddie Solomon….QB University of Tampa….became a pretty good WR for the Dolphins……Jason Taylor was a LB….
Alexander is young enough to make the transition….with his speed, Safety is not out of the question…..however, I do agree….why draft someone in the 4th to only switch their positon….but stranger things have happened.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:00 pm
They are already trying him out at MLB. I know they stated they wanted to get more athletic at LB, so they did. I think we have already a lot of safeties on the roster. None really stick out thou, so I could see why. He may look undersized, but there are actually LB on the roster that are lighter in weight such as Jared Koster and Josh Keyes.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:40 pm
Kwon the man I’m cool with letting him gametime get those reps in this year be ready incase someone gets injured and really developing for us.
July 19th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Fans need look no further than chris conte and major wright. Theyre last season playing together in chicago the defense stunk. That wasnt becasue they stunk, it was bad coaching under head coach Marc Tresman. The previous two seasons though….they both were the leading safeties of top tier defenses under lovie smith in 2011 and 2012. These boys are going to be true ball hawks. I cant wait. Unless one of those two are injured I will bet money those are your two starting safeties untill someone else steps up. But the continuity between those two playing this defense is priceless in a year where lovie smith HAS to produce a turnaround!!!
July 19th, 2015 at 1:45 pm
Joe, why is everyone down on DJ? Can’t he become a kick ass safety in our scheme?
July 19th, 2015 at 2:06 pm
My concern with Alexander is about his tackling, per draft reports. A switch to safety would not address that problem.
July 19th, 2015 at 2:26 pm
DJ Swearinger is not the answer. There is a very good reason why Houston waived him. He does not produce. The Bucs need a true ball hawk who can cover, tackle and create turnovers. Conte, Wright and Swearinger are not even average. I am all for giving Kwon a shot at safety. If it does not work out move him back to LB. We have a luxury this year of having three starters in David, Lansanah and Carter so why not? It could fill a glaring need. Dotson used to play TE and Melton used to be a running back? The thing with Alexander is he has a lightning fast first step. Kinda like Clowney fast first step. The Bucs have to find a way to utilize a player with such talent. Maybe DE on passing downs?
July 19th, 2015 at 2:33 pm
Conte and wright play well above average when playing together…
July 19th, 2015 at 4:04 pm
as an lsu fan and bucs fan for years, i was pissed when alexander first declared for draft until the moment we drafted him. i knew if he stayed he’d been an early 2nd round pick at least next yr. so yes we got a major STEAL.
July 19th, 2015 at 5:12 pm
oh my god, Kevin, give me a break
Conte is awful. This is the easiest prediction I’ve ever made — Conte will be the next Buc that fans love to hate. By week 6 people will be calling for him to be drawn & quartered
July 19th, 2015 at 7:52 pm
Bradley McDougald has star written all over him. Remember, his play was the reason we were able to tradea a former #7 overall pick in Barron. McDougald is your starter, and Conte or Major Wright will do fine as the other. Calm Down! We’re fine at safety. And all this talk about kwon being undersized is garbage. He’s like 20 years old, and ripped. Hes a couple pounds shy up 230. That is not undersized AT ALL in this defense. Brooks was the exact same size when he came in. How did that work out?
July 19th, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Also, Danny Lansanah and LVD are both within 6lbs of Kwon….food for thought.
July 19th, 2015 at 10:20 pm
Just Bucs fans complaining because our safety’s don’t have the name recognition they crave. McDougald is a solid player and a lock to start at SS, and between Tandy, Wright, and Conte, there’s plenty of depth there to go around.
July 19th, 2015 at 10:25 pm
The reason dj was ran out of houston was his character. Not his talent. He Was a bad influence on clowney. His talent is the only reason the bucs are giving him a shot. Its not because he sweet talked his way here. Hes a thug, and a bad influence, but the kid can Play. Hopefully the new environment and some different leadership will give DJ a fresh start to straighten himself out.
July 20th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Bradley McDougall phone changed the spelling was a nice surprise.He. will man knew safety spot and hopefully swearinger might beat out conte who is horrible but knows the Tampa 2.so we are ok at safety need an upgrade but I think bradley will shine