Career Saved!
October 11th, 2016
Career with Bucs secured (for now) columnist claims.
It was a kick that may have made Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht cry. The kick seemingly also saved Roberto Aguayo’s days with the Bucs.
For now, that is.
That’s what Orlando Sentinel sports columnist George Diaz believes. He suggests Aguayo, who is hitting on only 50 percent of his kicks, secured his current status as the Bucs kicker of the future with his game-winning boot last night.
No, this isn’t Tuesday Morning Quarterbacking. It is the reality facing a young man who for much of the short season, has been a waste of a No. 2 draft pick.
Nobody takes kickers with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, but then again, the Bucs have a “culture” that never makes lemonade out of lemons. It’s always a bit sour at One Bucs Place.
Joe isn’t sure who should be happier, Aguayo or Licht? After all, it was Licht who put his genitalia on the chopping block to trade up into the second round to draft Aguayo. If Aguayo gets cut, which Joe simply cannot envision whatsoever this season and perhaps not even next season, he will be signed somewhere else and possibly succeed.
Licht? Rarely do general managers get rehired short of them previously leading a team on a Super Bowl run.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:45 pm
This is disgusting. The bar is so damn low.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:45 pm
It would be foolish to cut him. Which kicker – currently on the street – would be a definitive upgrade? And this kid has a demonstrable track record of success, even if it’s just at the college level. And it’s not like a miss this year is going to keep the Bucs from going to the Super Bowl.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:46 pm
He’ll get through this year for sure, if he’s still struggling at the beginning of next year he’ll be gone.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:47 pm
According to The Buccaneer BrownEye Bugle…best selling author of elf erotica for pre-teens, Oh No Arguayo had all year to prove his worth…or lack thereof.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
Maybe a lower bar is what RA needs….a lower cross bar.(and wider uprights)
October 11th, 2016 at 12:49 pm
I think it’s funny how impatient you guys are with 22 year olds. Do you beat your two-year old children too? Sad…
October 11th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
Knew that was coming. 🙂
October 11th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
@NewTampaBuc – is that a serious question? There are literally hundreds of guys currently not employed that do better than 50% kicking mostly 30 something yard field goals.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:59 pm
Licht will never cut Roberto
Never, he will be fired before he admits he made another bad 2nd round pick
October 11th, 2016 at 1:00 pm
@DB55 thank you!!! Nobody in today’s millennial world can just sit back and WAIT! He’s twenty freaking two and a rookie. Leave him alone and let him grow..same goes to all those who want jameis thrown into the Gulf of Mexico..just relax..@joe I’ve been searching for articles non Bucs based about how they won the game..all I see is how Carolina lost it..no love
October 11th, 2016 at 1:21 pm
Are you freaking kidding DB. If he weren’t a Nole you would be all up his ass. Geez the homerism here is great. He shanked two point blanks, costing six points.You waited on Janikowski because he could kick 70 yrd field goals. This guys only ability was to be automatic under 45, he’s not even that. We won, that’s great but if this guys kicking for us 3 yrs from now I’m shocked.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Sit back and wait, the theme of the Tampa area, wait until next year, than the next, than the next
October 11th, 2016 at 1:23 pm
He’ll be ok… we can’t cut him. We’re in this together, proud of my Bucs lasnight, we fought hard. The dline stepped up big considering all the injuries, and I hate typing this but it seems to my like Lavonte David is slowing down. He’s been invisible this season.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Dude kicked a game winning field goal. Let’s give him some room!
October 11th, 2016 at 1:32 pm
Nole fans (who probably never even attended the school) say be patient. While other well run NFL teams find kickers who can make easy kicks who are late round picks or undrafted free agents. Never will understand the idiotic logic of rooting for a school you never attended
October 11th, 2016 at 1:32 pm
He’s 4/8 on field goals
October 11th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
It’s ridiculous Tony, it blinds these people to logic and objectivity. The schools mean more the the Buccaneers on this site . I’d prefer if they just comment on Joe Seminole or Joe Gator fan.com.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:41 pm
There was no more pressure on our kicker, then on that winning and final kick last night. Had he missed, many of us though that Tampa would go shopping, and sign another kicker at the bye week coming up. Yes, that kick saved his ass.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:42 pm
The fact that Licht put his arse on the line to grab this kicker in the second round is the only reason he is still on the roster. At this point in the season he is not doing any better than Kyle Brindza did last year and we all saw how fast he got cut. I am glad he kicked the game winning field goal last night and we should all still be enjoying the win. However, to gain the confidence of Bucs nation, he needs to kick better than 50%.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:47 pm
Worse case scenario Cary a second kicker, you might bench Aguayo but can’t cut him. We can carry 3 QBs no need for that carry Aguayo before you cut him.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Even Pablo is esceptico (skeptical)”
October 11th, 2016 at 2:07 pm
id like to see him make like 10 in a row over next couple games so that the story goes away lol and he’s back to league avg even with the bad start
October 11th, 2016 at 2:11 pm
I think he will be just fine. There is an adjustment period to kicking a different football and smaller uprights in the pros. Most rookie kickers have issues.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Joe, you know full well that Buccs fans have no patience. See Glennon Mob….see every rookie in recent history (you’re even seeing whining about Jameis). Again people, let’s give (early round) rookies at LEAST two years, and ideally three before we throw in the towel.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Robert AguaOh,no is really bad at what he does at the professional level at which he does it. This normally means you are no longer employed. But that’s the real world and his employment does not exist in the real world because his employment is being artificially preserved to protect the fevered ego of the genius that drafted him in the 2nd round.
Kyle Brindza’s prompt termination was a function of the real world where the GM had to take that ego hit. Continuing to trot this incapable player out on the field is a clear indication that the GM has no interest in acknowledging his judgement failure at the expense of this team and organization. It’s gross.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
@Buc15 – WRONG!!!!
October 11th, 2016 at 2:17 pm
There is no adjustment period for kickers not having a nervous breakdown every time they trot out into the field!
October 11th, 2016 at 2:18 pm
Problem is, a player at a critical position keeps fueling the fire with subpar kicking. You know of any kicker who keeps his job hitting only 50 percent of his attempts?
If Aguayo starts making field goals at a higher rate, the kvetching will die down. He had to understand being such a high pick everyone and their brother would be waiting for him to fail.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:42 pm
it seems to my like Lavonte David is slowing down. He’s been invisible this season
—————-
rather than attacking the ball Smith has him eating up blockers. For what I have no idea, I guess so conte can get run over every play. It’s a mystery to me.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:42 pm
“It’s only 5 games, he’s only 22 years old,” he’s a KICKER! It’s not like he has to learn a play-book or understand defenses. HE IS A KICKER!
He gets the leeway because of his draft status, and for that reason ONLY.
50% isn’t good enough I don’t care how you spin it.
I find myself holding my breath when he kicks. It’s NOT fun. I hope he and Jameis are working on their accuracy during the bye week. We need them!
Good win though!
October 11th, 2016 at 2:48 pm
Jason is okay scout who doesn’t get the big picture of building a team
October 11th, 2016 at 2:48 pm
buc15 Says:
October 11th, 2016 at 2:11 pm
I think he will be just fine. There is an adjustment period to kicking a different football and smaller uprights in the pros. Most rookie kickers have issues.
_______________________
Goal posts are same in NCAA and NFL.
October 11th, 2016 at 3:47 pm
I heard Gruden make a couple of comments last night about when he drafted Janikowski as a rookie he wanted to cut him. He was only about 60% his rookie year, so we have to give him time because he is a high draft pick, which so very few kickers are even drafted at all. So most teams have the “luxury” of trying out several young undrafted kickers just trying to beat out the veteran. More than half of NFL teams have a kicker over 30 years old. “The hardest part is getting in,” said Cary Blanchard, who kicked eight seasons in the NFL. Don’t forget he’s a rookie draft pick, who just happens to be “just” a kicker. Is anybody suggesting we cut VH3 because he gave up a touchdown? Or Noah Spence because of his lack of pressure? Rookies need time, and kickers are no exception.
October 11th, 2016 at 4:30 pm
No kickers are the exception. There is no playbook to learn or schemes to understand. They have one job and it is exactly the same as it was in college. Kicking at FSU and kicking for the Bucs are EXACTLY the same thing. This is the one position in football that requires absolutely zero time to develop.
October 11th, 2016 at 6:05 pm
Wouldn’t it be something if the season came down to Aguayo making (or missing) a field goal to get into the playoffs? Licht created this mess, he’ll need to clean it up. Some moves are ballsy, others just plain stupid.
October 11th, 2016 at 7:04 pm
lol 50%
The dude is on the hot seat and rightly so
They should have a backup plan coming in just in case other wise it’s just out right irresponsible.
October 11th, 2016 at 7:05 pm
The league average kicker makes 80% of their kicks. Somehow Licht thought he could give up enough assets to get an even better return in the draft. Not only is there no improvement, we are talking about a kicker who made a gimmie kick after missing two earlier gimmie’s and just saved his job by getting to 50% on the year (lest we forget the missed XP)
Augayo’s kicks do not not look good. He does not look good. Licht sure as hell does not look good after the debacle. No one can expect the 2nd round kicker will start making 90% of his kicks now. It’s a matter of whether he will have to be shelved on IR or if he can be just mediocre enough to survive the season as a starter. This is what being a bad GM is all about.
October 11th, 2016 at 7:41 pm
He got very lucky. Might not have come down to the end of the game if he had made the two earlier. Misses were crucial in the Rams lose. Every time he misses one of those field goals all players, coaches, fans, and the genius GM head’s drop for good reason. AND WHEN WE BREAK DOWN, THE SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN!! So he better step it up real quick if we want more wins.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:46 pm
Makes me want to puke that we traded up in 2nd round for a kicker.
Not all that impressed with the game winner as it was only a bit longer than a PAT.
An above average high school kicker would make that one more than miss it.
Just thinking about that boneheaded draft choice causes my blood pressure to go up.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:18 pm
And to think that we spent a MUCH NEEDED 3rd and 4th round pick on this BUM.
October 12th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
What everybody (including Joe) keeps conveniently forgetting is that the whole “trading up to the 2nd round” was a freebie. We gave up our 3rd rounder which we would probably have used on Aguayo, and we gave up another pick that we only had for a few minutes that came when we traded down a few spots. So in reality we drafted Aguayo with our 3rd round pick. The fact that Licht was smart enough to jump in front of some other people who were ready to pounce on Aguayo shows his skill.
Berto will be fine, all the freakers need to calm down.
October 12th, 2016 at 8:04 pm
From a draft investment & opportunity cost perspective, there aren’t many (if any) kickers that are truly worth drafting at all. The Bucs could have promising rookie prospects at WR and SS right now. Kwon Alexander was a 4th round pick, so it’s certainly possible to get productive players back there.