Window Into The Future
August 26th, 2015
Starting right guard Ali Marpet talks about the play of the offensive line.
Yes, Doug Martin looked like the Muscle Hamster of old. Hell, even better Monday night, America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, looked every bit the No. 1 overall pick he is.
It all started up front. Jameis had time to throw. Martin had running room. And thanks to a center who can actually snap the ball correctly with regularity, plays were not blown up before they started.
This was not lost on Bucs rookie right guard Ali Marpet. He had a quick breakdown on the offensive line’s performance after the win over the Bungles Monday evening.
“I thought we showed flashes of how good we can be,’ Marpet said. “We have a good collection of some veterans and some new guys which will help us move the ball a lot.”
Joe isn’t the kind of guy who advocates fixing what is not broken. Monday night was the best this team’s offensive line looked in a long, long while. And the key began at center.
Jeremiah Warren looks to be the only center on the roster that can reliably snap. Starting center Evan Smith is hardly a fundamentally sound center (remember the Detroit game last year?) and Garrett Gilkey at center? Well, Joe has circus music buzzing through his head at the thought.
Joe doesn’t give a damn if the Bucs had a Hall of Famer at every position on the front line. Offensive plays are based on timing. If a snap is screwed up, the play is effectively screwed up before it even gets started; doesn’t matter how well guys can block when the play is trashed from the first instant.
Given how it is clear that Jameis plays more comfortably with Warren at center, and that Warren so far seems to have no issues snapping the ball, he should be allowed every opportunity to get the starting job at center.
That is, if we are to believe as we are told, that it is all about Jameis and his development.
August 26th, 2015 at 8:13 am
Right on Joe. Warren seems to work well with Jameis, why change it? warren. Marpet, and D Smith are all young guys who can grow together with Jameis. We all know E(d)S is not coming back next year with that cap hit, so let Warren play. They will only get better.
August 26th, 2015 at 8:32 am
I totally agree Joe, leave EDS with his “your just a rookie and I am a veteran who has done nothing” attitude on the bench as a backup to watch Warren do the main and most crucial task a center can do and that is “just snap the damn ball to the quarterback.”
August 26th, 2015 at 8:39 am
Circus music buzzing in the noggin, me too. “In being some days in preparation a splendid time is guaranteed for all”. -Beatles, Benefit of Mr. Kite circus ditty
August 26th, 2015 at 8:50 am
Yea Jamies appeared to be back in unison with his school mate Cam Irving. This Warren issue shoots to the top of my intrigue list with this team. Man Mongo held his own against Atkins,duke appears destined for stardom.
August 26th, 2015 at 9:02 am
EDS “seemed” to have a “rookie hazing” issue with Jameis from the start of OTA’s. That issue came to a head when Koetter told Jameis to “tell him to shut-up”. In a sport that is reliant on intimidation, the coaches are hesitant to rescue a rookie from a vet with seniority status issues.
Every rookie has to stand up to the hazing in their own way. Koetter wants Jameis to “fix” it without having the coaches step in to “save” him.
Clearly, EDS isn’t Incognito. But, the question is WTF does any of this “off-field” BS have to do with being a successful football team composed of players willing to fight “FOR” each other? Does the hazing really form unshakable bonds between rookies and vets? And, don’t the vets (McCoy?) have to be worthy of respect by having demonstrated superior on-field play and work ethic?
Is EDS the first one in the building and the last one to leave? Does he spend his off hours in the training room and the film room? Why does “Winston’s ” star power bother EDS so much that he would be willing to risk breaking the bond between QB/C, the most important bond in the game. Consider the benefit to the TEAM if EDS had chosen to “protect” Winston, like a big brother, rather than bully him like a jealous sorority girl.
EDS has his priorities confused. He sees himself as the self-appointed enforcer of the “rookie hazing” tradition. Perhaps it might be time to rethink that tradition (Hello, Mr. Warren) along with most outdated Buc tradition, LOSING.
I would remind McCoy of the movie “A Few Good Men” and the use of a Code Red on Santiago. The point was: “You were GUILTY because you did NOTHING to stop it.”
Go Bucs…!!!
August 26th, 2015 at 9:08 am
Sorry Joe, not so fast. I want to see Warren consistently handle a LB blitz up the middle and a 350 lb NT lined up on his head with out flinching before I crown him the starting Center. Saturday against Danny Shelton could tell the tale.
August 26th, 2015 at 10:07 am
I like the unexpected competition at center. ES can either prove why he’s the best choice at center, or he can bench it.
August 26th, 2015 at 10:17 am
I wonder how e smith plays left guard? Mankins isn’t getting any younger over there… Maybe E(D)S can fill the role of back up center/swing guard if he’s willing to keep his attitude in line.
August 26th, 2015 at 11:53 am
thunderchuckyPA Says:
“We all know E(d)S is not coming back next year with that cap hit”
———————————-
Evan Smith does not have a big cap hit next year. He is guaranteed $3.75M this year and his non guaranteed salary is only $2.5M in 2016. That’s a good deal for the Bucs if he plays decently. If not – then, well what good is he? If someone else is good enough to take his job – then those #s are still acceptable as a solid back up Center/Guard with experience.
E. Smith’s salary jumps to $4.5M in 2017 (which is what Zuttah was scheduled to make as a Buc last year before being traded) $1M of that $4.5 is a “roster bonus” which likely comes due the 3rd day of the 2017 league year – so spring of 2017 is when the Bucs will be deciding whether to keep or part ways w/ Evan Smith. He will be on the team in one capacity or another until then almost certainly.
Joe – you might want to slow your roll as it seems you are going all in now advocating for Warren to replace Evan Smith at Center. It’s nice that Jeremiah is a hometown boy and all – but there’s a reason he went undrafted – and there’s a reason he has not caught on at any of his previous NFL stops leading to here. Maybe dude’s a late bloomer and maybe he has improved his skills enough to be on an NFL roster at this point. But pushing for him to replace Smith as starting center when he has never even played in a real NFL game before seems like a bit of a reach.
August 26th, 2015 at 12:45 pm
More gr8 ingenius football wisdom from the gr8 Pickgrin….There’s a reason why Jeremiah Warren went undrafted right Pickgrin?? Well, I guess, then that means there’s ALSO a REASON why Evan Smith went undrafted right Pickgrin?? Guess there’s also a reason why the Packer’s let him walk and haven’t missed a beat since he left too then right?? B4 u start smelling smoke and start a fire, why don’t u slow ur mental roll?
August 26th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
buc4life! I think Pickgrin is going to need som Prep H for the way you just got into his assets!
August 26th, 2015 at 4:05 pm
It’s crazy how so far, our o-line seems to be better with 4 new players in Smith, Warren, Marpet and Fragel. Now Fragel and Warren have a 0 percent chance of starting without someone getting injured but hey, good job guys!
August 26th, 2015 at 8:57 pm
DavidbigBucsFan – Your RX recommendation does make sense – I can certainly see the buc4life /hemorrhoid comparison as a valid one – unwanted, irritating pain in the ass – that all sounds about right…
August 27th, 2015 at 1:08 pm
I’ve been saying this since OTAs but Evan Smith needs to be cut altogether for team chemistry purposes. This line looked great in the last game and this whole organization is in grinning mode after Jeremiah Warren play against the Bengals. The whole team is all of a sudden raving about Warren. I got to say I thought they were planning to move Marpet there at some point but he good where he at which is right guard because Edwards is a backup at best this season. Kevin Pamphile is interesting to as he continues to get healthy and could be an option at right tackle once or if Cherilus and Dotson dont work out this season with their current situations. Jeremiah Warren is one more rookie that will take a starting position from Evan Smith. Its time for us to move on from him the players are now for it and the fans have been saying it as well for a while.