Falling Shorts
November 4th, 2016
Jason Licht’s Cecil Shorts signing is failing
Starting wide receiver Cecil Shorts is reminding Joe of sackless George Johnson and sackless Kyle Moore.
Those defensive ends combined to play 26 Bucs games without a sack.
How does that happen?
Shorts, a six-year veteran signed just before opening day this season, has started two games and played in five. Shorts has a whopping two catches. TWO!!! He’s been targeted 10 times. The man played 62 snaps last night.
That’s got Joe running head first into Ira Kaufman’s locker at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
How is this happening?
Based on watching the games, it’s easy to see there is no chemistry between Shorts and America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston. Shorts played under Dirk Koetter in Jacksonville, so he should feel at least a little comfortable in the offense. He’s also had plenty of time to study. But it’s just not clicking.
And Shorts is the opposite of however one might define the phrase “deep threat.”
Joe liked the Shorts signing in September. It was the right move. The Bucs were desperate because general manager Jason Licht neglected the wide receiver position in the offseason, preferring to rely on overpaid and increasingly brittle Vincent Jackson, misplaced Calgary Stampeder Donteea Dye, hapless Kenny Bell and hope for a healed Louis Murphy.
Shorts had 220 career catches and Licht likely got a good reference from his friend Bill O’Brien, the Texans head coach. Go Cecil!
But there’s a reason the Texans had enough with Shorts. And it seems Bucs fans are watching it every week.
November 4th, 2016 at 11:35 am
Hey, I got an idea. Let’s craft a beer after the guy who assembled this turd buffet.
November 4th, 2016 at 11:42 am
They should’ve kicked the tires on Justin Hunter when he was available. He may or may not have worked out but was at least worth a look.
November 4th, 2016 at 11:43 am
At least he’s out on the field. You can’t say the same about Licht’s big free agent acquisition.
November 4th, 2016 at 11:52 am
Jason Licht ale is tasting more bitter by the week Joe!!! You need to do a Jason Licht confidence poll!
November 4th, 2016 at 11:57 am
Anquan Boldin is looking better every day. We should have signed him when we had the chance.
November 4th, 2016 at 11:58 am
62 snaps yesterday for worthless shorts but wben russell sheppard gets ready and healthy to play, koetter the clown will give shep only 20 snaps
Because a gunner on the special teams, helps jameis when he is blitzed and loosens up the defense for me13
Theres something about koetter
November 4th, 2016 at 11:59 am
Give me 1 good move Licht has made and I’ll give you 10 bad ones
November 4th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Anquan Boldin, Marvin Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rueben Randall, and Muhammed Sanu were all available in unrestricted free agency… There were several premium prospects available where the Bucs should have picked in rounds 3 and 4 of the 2016 draft… Jason Licht is a terrible GM.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:14 pm
Jason Licht has been the GM here for three years and has accomplished nothing as far as building this team into a contender. Horrible free agent signings, mediocre drafts, etc. Theo Epstein turned the Cubs from a last place team into a World Series champion within a few years.
The Bucs need a GM that knows how to scout talent and draft playmakers and give Buc fans a reason to believe again. This whole defense needs to be gutted. On offense, we need to add another quality WR and RB to complement Jameis and Evans.
Jason Licht needs to be fired after this season!
November 4th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
ALL/POWER LICHT is where THE CONSPIRACY BEGINS!!
November 4th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Anyone notice yet ANOTHER former Bucs defensive player dominating last night for the Falcons… a certain DE we gave up on for nothing? Wow… imagine if we had Talib, Michael Bennett, and Clayburn still in the mix. Tampa fires coaches and gets rid of players too quickly. Period. We need dogs out there. Tough SOBs with attitudes. This notion of drafting. Ice guy team captains the last decade has proven to be a lme PR BS tactic. It also proves that the players the Bucs gave up on had the talent.., they just didn’t have the scheme or coaching. The Bucs need stability. Period. So many guys were out of position because for many of them, it’s their 3rd or 4th different scheme in 5 years. That’s got to stop. Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it again and again.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:28 pm
Light needs to get us a speedy wr, true LT, 2 safetys, and a friggin pass rush.
We lack play makers on offense, outside of Jameis and Evans.
Our lass rush is beyond pathetic. The defense should have a makeover.
We need to sign better free agents. Licht’s FA track record with us is meh at best.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Everyone loves it when they are proven right, and this is my turn.
I said from the get-go that Cecil Shorts was a horrible signing. I wanted them to activate Superback from the practice squad instead. They didn’t, and he got stolen away.
Dan would have addressed several issues. Yes, he needed development, but hey, how many times have we pulled guys off the squad and seen them excel all of a sudden?
Being right about Cecil Shorts is bitter sweet…but I’ll take it.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Bonzai,
I hear that. There’s got to be at least one wr on a practice squad more worthy than Shorts of the opportunity.
Why didn’t Licht address WR this past offseason? Hays irresponsible and foolish to not have something more invested into the position.
Aguayo may do well, but we cut ASJ Anne Jen could catch passes. That’s one less guy to catch the ball.
Why didn’t we explore a trade for a wr?
Is Jonthan Banks really worse than what we have?
November 4th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
How about we trade our kicker for a 2nd round pick>? any takers i here hes the best kicker in ncaa history!
November 4th, 2016 at 12:39 pm
Stupid ass iPhone and its autocorrect bullish!t
November 4th, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Judas is installing 24 hour video/motion sense/infered cameras and detectors in front of the the doors and windows of each glazer offices at 1 buc place. Its shoot first and ask questions later for anyone wearing a suit
You can fart from drinking 1 can of that lousy jbf licht ale, and judas can find which a $$ it came from
November 4th, 2016 at 12:41 pm
Stevek Says
“We lack play makers on offense, outside of Jameis and Evans.”
I disagree.
We have Brate and Humphries. Both of them are turning into great players. They’re young, but are coming along very well. By next year, they might even take elite steps.
Ali Marpet is top of the line. Donovan Smith is coming along and I think will work out well…his learning curve is a little harder at tackle, but he’ll get it.
And Martins injury has hurt us and helped us. First, he’s a great RB…but injury with him is a constant concern in my book. However, we know Sims is good, and Rodgers and Barber are turning out to be pretty good too. More development and we’ll have fantastic depth with RBs.
So far as needs on offense? I say:
WR (need that speedy one with good hands).
Center (need one that can stay healthy. I love Hawley, but he’s injured all the time)
RT our current RT is just not getting it done.
Defense?
Honestly, I love Gerald McCoy, but if we could get two first rounders and a 2nd? I would trade him in a heartbeat. Yes, he’ll do better elsewhere, that much is certain…but we need to build with picks and we can do a lot with those new picks, including replace him.
We need:
Safety
DT
DE
OLB
CB (a good taller one would rock to replace Grimes)
November 4th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Any free agent kicker out there would could have picked up would be doing better than Aguayo right now (who by the way is the worst kicker in the league stat wise). Guaranteed! And we could have gotten a stud defensive end and receiver in his place. Probably one of the worst moves ever made by a Bucs GM.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:44 pm
Bonzai Donovan Smith is and has been flat out horrible. Of course, you think Agauyo looks great too.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
Let’s not forget the inaccurate throws and JW3 not seeing the field.. open receivers were missed and not thrown to while forcing other throws.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:49 pm
This article had 2 big surprises for me Joe:
1 – There’s a ‘JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters’? There’s something regal about the term ‘world headquarters’. Does it serve free Jason Licht Craft Beer or do y’all have to pay for it?
2 – Cecil Shorts has caught 2 passes? I must’ve missed those two. I thought he was still batting .000 for the season.
Speaking of Licht, it’s interesting to see more & more fans questioning his drafting and free agency moves. Bucs had plenty of money at the start of FA to fill some obvious (pressing) needs, but he did relatively little to improve the team’s depth especially. His drafting prowess has turned out to be a joke. Hard to miss on a #1 pick, but it’s the #2, #3 and #4 picks I think that take the real skill to hit on (#5 thru #7 is a roll-the-dice adventure from what I’ve seen). Through 3 seasons of work I’ve come to one conclusion: the Bucs ‘Licht at the end of the tunnel’ truly is the train coming in the other direction.
November 4th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
What stud DE/WR would that be? Talking out of your arse. In school you should have been taught to cite your work, be specific and use facts not general non specific phrases. Please enlighten us. What 3rd-4th round DE/WR would make us 6-2 right now?
November 4th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Bonzai,
Neither Brate nor Humphries have breakaway speed. Martin lacks that too. Our offense lacks breakaway speed. We need to bring that element to our offense in order for us to take the next step. I agree with Marpet. I would live a 1st round LT and move smith to Og/rt
November 4th, 2016 at 12:56 pm
start with drafting men…no midgets and holy rollers that love helping the other team up off the floor…….and smart would be a plus because this team is flat out dumb….
November 4th, 2016 at 12:57 pm
Well some of the blame on Shorts not getting targets has to go to Jameis. The dude seriously needs to spread the ball around better. Evans is by far our best WR, but getting some of the other guys involved will help keep the chains moving (and the defense off the field/rested)
November 4th, 2016 at 12:59 pm
Some bimbo on ESPN called Shorts our deep threat before the game.. He had 1 catch for 12 yards before we started yesterday.. Made me lose a lot of Faith in ESPN.
November 4th, 2016 at 1:32 pm
The issue isn’t that we signed yet another guy no other team wants its that like Mark Dominick the roster talent was foolishly over estimated only person who didn’t know the bucs packed playoff talent is Jason licht. I like that hire because I thought he would be bold but he lacks vision and common sense apparently. There’s a reason why Mike Evans is who he is. He was drafted to be what he is but this gm’s motto seems to be one teams trash is another teams treasure which is why he thought it was okay to trade up for special teams help, I’d rather use that approach for special teams not every down players. Glazers should feel embarrassed charging what it cost to watch this team lose. The pick was always Winston because they knew it would get people to buy season tickets why else would you not upgrade your roster
November 4th, 2016 at 1:32 pm
At least Licht isn’t ruining his suits jumping in the pool.
November 4th, 2016 at 1:36 pm
I think I’d prefer to see Jason Licht in a pair of jean shorts…
November 4th, 2016 at 2:04 pm
Just because Licht was an assistant to a few good GM’s doesn’t mean he’ll be one. Also just because he played offensive lineman doesn’t mean our offensive line will be good or he knows how to draft better ones either.
November 4th, 2016 at 2:34 pm
This team needs speed somewhere. We have it nowhere. No one. Not a skill player anywhere that can either stretch or cover pure speed. Mike Evans is most likely the fastest reciever buy he will never be considered a speed guy. Every team needs at least one. As Gruden would say, “we need a player with juice” I love the athleticism of Evans and Grimes and VHIII but we need some speed!
November 4th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Our secondary looks like Junior High Kids, Our Linebackers are lightweights.
We have no receivers or D Lineman. Time to start the Fire Joe’s mancrush Jason Licht. Page.
November 4th, 2016 at 4:09 pm
All of Licht’s genius personnel moves are on display with every cowardly loss. He has a knack for picking up weak players (i.e. Ghost Johnson, Collins, ASJ, Aguayo….) Koetter may not be the answer but he wasn’t exactly given passionate and talented players. His biggest mistake was hiring his buddy Mike Smith. I dream of the day the Glazers either sell the team or at least bring in someone who knos waht he’s doing, fire Licht and Smith and trade away GMC, LVD and Martin.
November 4th, 2016 at 4:11 pm
Chris Says
“Bonzai Donovan Smith is and has been flat out horrible. Of course, you think Agauyo looks great too.”
There you go putting words in my mouth. I bet you are a Trump supporter too.
I said Donovan Smith has a learning curve and WILL be good…as in not yet.
And I did not say Aguayo was good. I said he’s get better.
Reading comprehension is not your strong suit.
November 4th, 2016 at 4:16 pm
Stevek Says
“Bonzai,
Neither Brate nor Humphries have breakaway speed. Martin lacks that too. Our offense lacks breakaway speed. We need to bring that element to our offense in order for us to take the next step. I agree with Marpet. I would live a 1st round LT and move smith to Og/rt”
There is a difference between breakaway speed and deep range speed, right?
Humphries is getting faster. Go back and look at his tape from last night. Look at the speed he turns to run after catching. He’s getting faster, and I think that’s coming with experience. He won’t be a fast deep threat, but he will have some breakaway speed.
I agree with you otherwise. But Breakaway isn’t just what defines a player as good. We do need a speedy guy…but in the end, it won’t matter unless he can catch and Winston can throw to him. And Winston won’t be able to regardless until the oline starts playing better.
November 4th, 2016 at 8:42 pm
I’ve honestly questioned every single move Jason has made. Just to be proven correct time and time again.
He has done nothing to improve the team in 3 years. Tired of all the passes he keeps getting from everyone.
Where is the litch confidence poll @Joe ???????