Pressure!
April 24th, 2016
The draft is just a few days away. The Bucs are not unlike any other team. Countless manhours have been spent preparing for this week’s big event.
There is all sorts of pressure to get the right men for general managers. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is no different. But according to “The Professor,” John Clayton of BSPN, few GMs are under as much pressure as Licht.
Licht is five-for-five in the first two rounds of the past two drafts. He has hit on a quarterback, a wide receiver, a left tackle, a guard and a tight end. He made the steal of the draft getting Kwon Alexander in the fourth round last year. But the defense wasn’t good enough so coach Lovie Smith lost his job after just two seasons. Licht needs a pass-rusher and a cornerback in the early rounds. He made a smart move in case that doesn’t happen, signing defensive end Robert Ayers and cornerback Brent Grimes in free agency. Still, the pressure is on him to add good, young defensive players and get new coach Dirk Koetter some more talent.
Well, Licht is four-for-five. The jury is still very much out on injury-prone, undisciplined tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
A third straight season of injuries and uneven play on the field may very well seal ASJ’s long-term fate in Tampa Bay.
Joe trusts Licht, but Clayton does have a point. Pretty soon, if the Bucs do not acquire a double-digit sack guy from the edge, the prime of Gerald McCoy’s career (and tens of millions of Team Glazer loot) will have been wasted by various administrations, sucking its collective thumb and whining about no edge rush. Not only has the team has failed to acquire an edge rusher, but the best one they had since Simeon Rice left, the Bucs let walk out the door for no good reason.
This is such a need, it would not shock Joe one bit if the Bucs drafted two defensive ends the coming days.
April 24th, 2016 at 8:20 am
They should draft at least 2. So many needs tho i hope they can trade down in the first or second n get more picks. Almost draft day go bucs
April 24th, 2016 at 8:22 am
Agreed.
April 24th, 2016 at 8:32 am
Pressure. YES there is plenty of it because of our needs and Joe has hit the nail on the head. I’m glad the time is close at hand and then we’ll find out a lot more about our team. I am anxiously awaiting Thursday night and the rest of this weekend.
April 24th, 2016 at 9:39 am
Rome wasn’t built in a day. They are putting the pieces together but it takes time. If he hits this year I think we’re playoff ready but we’re still not deep enough to compete for an SB…that’s next year’s draft!
Want to see a great article..read the Times this morning. Greg Auman has a great piece on how the Bucs got Ali Marpet.
A guy whose name most of us don’t even know…Andre Forde..a Bucs scout beat the drum early for Marpet. Give Forde a lot of credit!
Mike Biehl the director of scouting for the Bucs pointed out just how hard Forde lobbied for Marpet, admiring that because as Biehl pointed out it’s really hard to jump up and down on the table for a guy from a small school.
I doubt the guy who discovered Tony Romo had a quick or easy sale inside the Cowboys structure.
And so for me far more interesting than the famous studs are the diamonds that are out of sight in small schools.
April 24th, 2016 at 11:03 am
Thats the second time I’ve heard an analyst say we got Marpet in the second. I could of sworn we got him in the third. Am i wrong? Or did we have an extra second last year? Did we move up into 2? Someone correct it for me please
April 24th, 2016 at 11:26 am
Buccaneers move back up into 2nd round to take Ali Marpet in the second round, 61st overall.
April 24th, 2016 at 11:49 am
Just build your Defense Bucs. You drafted exclusively Offense (with one exception) for the last 2 yrs. Now draft defensively. That is IF..you are trying truly build a team. Glad its almost here and I do hope we get the opportunity to trade down and get a 2 for 1 deal. Not sure this option will be there for us though.
April 24th, 2016 at 11:57 am
Thanks p’cola. Wondering if he would’ve gone in 2 being from D3 but I guess it what’s a wonderful risk by licht
April 24th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
5 for 5 Joe. Licht can’t be blamed for ASJ’s injury woes. Whenever he’s been on the field, he’s been a beast.
April 24th, 2016 at 12:27 pm
I could stretch it to 5 for 5 ,I’ll include adding a promising back up RB who looks to be a nice weapon so far.
April 24th, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Try to trade down if you don’t take Ramsey. Pick up an extra 2nd. There’s only 5 or 6 premium players plus the two quarterbacks. If we can get 4 starters like last year at DE, CB, WR and safety we will be back in the playoffs next year.
April 24th, 2016 at 12:36 pm
I would not be unhappy with Doctson the WR from TCU with a trade down. At least then we would be getting the best athelete at a position of need. The fact that Licht did not add a WR during free agency with the questions marks on VJ, Louis Murphy and Kenny Bell speaks volumes. Add more weapons for Jamies!
April 24th, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I would not be unhappy if we draft 3 D Line people, because that is how important a pass rush is to any NFL team, not just Tampa. A Pass Rush instantly improves our entire secondary. Unfortunately, we have Carolina twice a year, and Denver demonstrated the only way to beat them, and guess what ? It is with an unrelenting pass rush, something we don’t have yet, but must acquire. I want to see 3 D Line picks this year, but will settle for 2.
April 24th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
The first 4 picks need to be BPA as long as DE, CB, WR or safety after that depth picks at whatever position. NeEvem take the FSU kicker. Need to match the 4 starters from last year if we want to be a perennial playoff team. I’ll even count nickle back or slot receiver as a starter. Do it again Licht.
April 24th, 2016 at 3:23 pm
I’ll even take the FSU kicker as long as 5th round or later.
April 24th, 2016 at 6:19 pm
That just shows that even the mighty John Clayton, “The Professor”, doesn’t actually watch or know anything about the Bucs, like pretty much every other national pundit.
ASJ has proved NOTHING, just like Joe said. All he’s accomplished is being a physical specimen.
April 24th, 2016 at 10:43 pm
I keep reading things about Ogbah possibly falling into the 2nd round. That would be a steal if he does. The 1st round should be really interesting. Especially if Zeke and one of the OT falls to #9. Teams trying to get into front of the Giants will make our spot very appealing. Can’t wait, its so close yet still so far away.