Lukewarm On J. R. Sweezy
March 20th, 2016
Good or bad signing?
It seems folks looking at the signing of new Bucs left guard J.R. Sweezy are split. Football people love it. The stat geeks are horrified.
One national scribe seems torn.
That scribe would be Greg Bedard of SI.com. He is lukewarm but thinks Sweezy has a high ceiling, giving the signing a C+
Buccaneers sign OG J.R. Sweezy
Details: Five-year, $32.5 million deal. Tampa Bay needed a veteran guard after Logan Mankins retired, and it got one in the former Seahawk. He’s not comparable to Mankins, but Sweezy is a converted defensive tackle so his best football could still be in front of him if he develops better down-to-down consistency. Grade: C+
Bedard makes an interesting point. Sweezy has only played guard four years. If Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop can coach up Sweezy the way he has Ali Marpet, this might just be a steal of a signing.
If nothing else, Sweezy has a mean streak and the road grader also has a ring. Knows something about winning. That’s not a bad thing.
March 20th, 2016 at 8:37 am
Man he looks intense. I also wonder if any of these stat geek types ever actually put on football pads and had another human being collide into them. If the answer is no I have very little respect for they’re input.
March 20th, 2016 at 8:47 am
How about let’s let him play a few downs for us before we trash him too much…..I think this was a solid pick….it didn’t cost us a draft pick….he’s young, big and nasty……if he started for the Seahawks….he’s good enough for me.
March 20th, 2016 at 8:47 am
I give it a B
I think it was a solid signing, a player that comes from a super bowl winning franchise and has a winning mentality wich is important now in order to change the loser mindset here in Tampa. Not to mention a mean streak to him wich is also important to,this team. We dont have enough of those guys. “Gotta have sum dog in ya” as they say. And most importantly he has yet to reach his full potential. I think his best football is still ahead of him.
March 20th, 2016 at 9:04 am
He looks like he eats puppies.
March 20th, 2016 at 9:07 am
I’ll take the comments from the “football people” over the stats guys any fricking day in this sport.
I’ll also take the fact that Seattle did not want to lose him, and several Seattle players and coaches did not like it one bit, as a good sign
March 20th, 2016 at 9:08 am
NOLE
I don’t like the stat geek either, but you do not have to have played to make a good analyst or coach. I hate that notion.
March 20th, 2016 at 9:13 am
Dave I respect coaches takes and some analysts. Stat guys now that’s another ball game. And 86 I 👀 ya 😉.
March 20th, 2016 at 9:16 am
We needed a guard, and we got us a good one, who still has many years of football left, w/o spending a draft pick.
March 20th, 2016 at 9:19 am
Good run blocking and its thought he will look alot better with a QB who doesnt hold on to the ball forever
March 20th, 2016 at 9:37 am
The dude just isn’t that good. He’s not Bruce Carter or Tim Jennings, but he is just an average guy that is now being asked to switch positions.
March 20th, 2016 at 9:38 am
Bringing in sweezy, awesome name by the way, and grimes brings something that the Bucs desperately needs, a badass attitude, that killer instinct, no one on offense or defense has that type of mentality….great moves just from that perspective
March 20th, 2016 at 9:48 am
Joe, who else has a killer attitude but these 2 guys, most follow there leaders McCoy David n Jackson, not bashing those guys, they have each had really good careers, but each are laid back leaders, granted jameis is a fiery leader, but that’s it…even ayers brings that late bloomer, fight from being a bust dimension, guys who fight from being undrafted (grimes) position changers (Sweezy) bust to success (ayers) and back from injury (Robinson) are all valuable commodities to transition from a laid back/lay down team (4 losses closing a season) to a team that fights, from that perspective I personally love theses moves
March 20th, 2016 at 10:09 am
They say Ali has that same mean streak, our O line just might be feared one day if that type of player becomes the norm.
Imagine even thinking that, after our thoughts in 2014
March 20th, 2016 at 10:17 am
NOLE
Definitely. I like the coaches and ex player takes. But there are some great analysts and coaches who never played.
March 20th, 2016 at 10:18 am
MARPET
And SWEEZY
On the inside with attitude is awesome. They just want to get after it and crush dudes.
March 20th, 2016 at 10:24 am
Dave…forgot about Marpet but also hawley is also a mauler those 3 are going to be monsters in the middle…..can’t wait to see them smashing defenses
March 20th, 2016 at 10:35 am
LT Donovan Smith | Kevin Pamphile
LG Ali Marpet
C Joe Hawley | Evan Smith
RG J.R. Sweezy
RT Demar Dotson | Gosder Cherilus
March 20th, 2016 at 10:39 am
Don’t forget Kwon!
March 20th, 2016 at 10:39 am
On defense that is
March 20th, 2016 at 10:41 am
Or
LT Donovan Smith | Kevin Pamphile
LG Vadal Alexander | Spencer Drango
C Ali Marpet | Joe Hawley
RG J.R. Sweezy | Jon Asamoah
RT Demar Dotson | Gosder Cherilus
March 20th, 2016 at 10:45 am
LUV – Marpet is going to stay on the right side. Sweezy already said he was brought in to be the LG.
March 20th, 2016 at 10:46 am
That’s top guard money he’s getting paid, for a guy that’s still developing talent..
March 20th, 2016 at 11:04 am
Good run blocker has to learn pass blocking quickly
March 20th, 2016 at 11:32 am
Sweezy is probably, outside of Martin, the best signing of the bunch. Whether it is a good signing or not…we shall see. He’s young (26) and has stayed healthy.
Wish we could say that about all the signings.
March 20th, 2016 at 11:33 am
Also…Sweezy is switching sides. We don’t really know if that will work out.
March 20th, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Pickgrin
I hear U. I’ve watched Sweezy play enough- to know he can’t handle – a quality 3 tech. Don’t get me wrong – I believe a man can do anything he sets his mind to. But he would have to really dedicate himself – this offseason to accomplish that.
Switching from RG to LG, is very similar to switching from RT to LT. It’s a completely different animal your line up across.
At LT/LG – your lineup against some the best pass rushers in the league.
At RT/RG though the opposition is stronger, their typically weaker pass rushers.
March 20th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Bucs should let him play a little defensive end! Let’s see the mean streak on the D line.
March 20th, 2016 at 2:19 pm
He doesn’t have to be a world beater to make this a good signing. He needs to do his job and grow with the rest of this young unit cohesively. If they keep this group together for the long haul they will do good things together. The o-line is an area you don’t want to be dicking around with on a yearly basis.
March 20th, 2016 at 3:35 pm
@LUV 3-tech normally lines up over the right guard. See Aaron Donald vs Marpet
March 20th, 2016 at 4:04 pm
I wouldn’t say it’s just the stat guys that don’t like it – go read the Seahawks message boards, they were amazed he got anywhere close to that contract and didn’t really seem to mind that he was leaving. I mean obviously people see this guy very differently since there is supposed to have been a lot of buzz around him and teams bidding to get him – so unless the Bucs bought the hype and bid against themselves he’s coveted somewhere. I just hope the Bucs know what they are doing here. Then again they way they did his contract he’s getting $10mil this year, but there is only a $2.5mil cap hit if they let him go next season, and then no cap hit after that. So it’s a boom or bust type signing I suppose and the Bucs have the upfront salary space to make it work.
March 20th, 2016 at 4:05 pm
Jury is still out on Sweezy. Something tells me though, he will do his job. And that’s all we need him to do. He has the look and the build. We shall see.
March 20th, 2016 at 4:28 pm
Any player who nine other teams show serious interest in, there is a lot to like about. He is a highly athletic, super aggressive mauler. Teams were intrigued by his upside. That says a lot for a player who has only played the position for four years. You can see what type of players Jason Licht is bringing in. Physical, athletic, fast, aggressive, hard nosed football players. Right now it is more important to bring in players who are winners with their former team and fit the physicality bill. Sweezy is going to impact our running game as well as the players around him. Move on from the “lets have fun” attitude and bring in the “the opponent is my enemy” attitude.
March 20th, 2016 at 5:13 pm
Think he’ll be ok, but gave him WAY too much money.
March 20th, 2016 at 5:28 pm
B
I think there was a reason they switched him to offense…
March 20th, 2016 at 6:02 pm
HE killed a lot of drives here in seattle with dumb mistakes and often got manhandled.
March 20th, 2016 at 7:35 pm
We could have one of the best offensive line in the NFL and one the will last for years if we draft Ronnie Stanley. And the defence after that.We are in a good position to draft the best availble player. We need to protect our franchise QB. And they all grow together. We need to make steps in the right direction and protecting our franchise is a good step . Our defence is going to be better with a new defencive coaches, and i am sure we are going to draft defence but got to take care of the QB.