How Serious Are Bucs About Explosiveness?
March 27th, 2017
Big time juice in the Pac-12
Minutes after the 2016 season ended, Dirk Koetter talked about needing more explosive plays and claimed the Bucs’ total was way under anything he considered acceptable.
Clearly, it was a problem brewing inside Koetter since early last season, likely after Charles Sims got hurt, Vincent Jackson played like Kenny Bell, and the head coach realized Doug Martin ran more like Doug Marrone.
A quick fix to the speed and explosiveness problem was ordered up perfectly by Jason Licht. DeSean Jackson is still pure lightning at 30 years old, the perfect complement to Mike Evans.
But now what?
Surely, the team needs more than one guy to fix their explosiveness issues.
Bucs fans yearn for that fix to arrive in the form of a new running back. But don’t limit your thinking.
The Bucs’ kick return game was the worst in NFL history last year.
The big-time-juice player in next month’s draft is University of Southern California cornerback/returner/receiver Adoree’ Jackson. He had five interceptions last season and finished his Trojan career with eight returns for touchdowns — EIGHT! — punt and kick combined. Yeah, he’s caught his share of passes, too.
The Bucs are desperate for a difference-maker at returner. At 5-10, 186 pounds with 4.42 speed, Jackson appears to be this year’s Tyreek Hill, without the personal baggage.
If Jackson can change games and develop as a cornerback — in the nickel role or as an eventual replacement of Brent Grimes, then that’s a win in the draft.
A second round pick feels like a steep price for Jackson, but not if he can be a game-changer.
March 27th, 2017 at 11:12 am
I thought we covered this last year!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
August 9th, 2016 at 11:13 am
VT ( who turns 34 at the end of the season) Just has a lot of miles on those tires!!!! We also need some explosive, speed WR and will be top priority!!! Why have JW3 without the weapons??????
March 27th, 2017 at 11:15 am
Fast but too small. I think kinda short for CB, light for a WR. Promise as a backup/#4 WR with key special teams role, like returner. 4th round high.
March 27th, 2017 at 11:16 am
I haven’t had my usual 3 cups of coffee yet..but who is “VT” that realist is referring too?
March 27th, 2017 at 11:20 am
VT=V-Jax
March 27th, 2017 at 11:23 am
vt = very terrible 2016 = vincent jackson
sorry for the typo when I was telling you what would happen 1 year ago!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!
March 27th, 2017 at 11:26 am
VT= Vincent Jackson, I think! Sometimes the Realist gets too carried away with the exclamation points and he messes up his posts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too bad football isn’t like baseball in the sense of players with many skillsets. Why not a guy like this to play CB, WR, and returner?! Why not Jabril Peppers?! I’m just asking. I think it’s kind of funny.
March 27th, 2017 at 11:29 am
I’m okay with him at 1
March 27th, 2017 at 11:39 am
Curtis Samuel round 2 and you get your explosive playmaker working from all over the field inside of one package. Handoffs, returns, recieving – all in Samuels wheel house and the threat to score anytime he breaks free. Or if the defense messes up, you have a guy who exploits the messup with a TD.
March 27th, 2017 at 11:44 am
5’10″too short?
Fred E. Buc, I’d like to introduce you to Brent Grimes and Vernon Hargreaves the 3rd. Our starting Cornerbacks.
Both 5’10”.
Grimes makes it work, because of springs for legs and a chip on his shoulder!
Hargreaves- we’ll see.,
March 27th, 2017 at 11:45 am
Pepsi is absolutely right, Joe. Curtis Samuel is the biggest X factor in the draft, RB, WR, special teams. The dude can fly…4.31 at the Combine and plays like it. He blew by Adoree Jackson just this past season on a long reception.
If Joe is serious about Pimping for a Player, he needs to do his research on Curtis Samuels.
As it stands now concerning who we are interested in based on visits, TE Njoku has been met with three times, WR Godwin three times, so that should round out the first two rounds… then they’re interested in RBs….. They can kill two birds with one stone with Samuels… whom they’ve met with once.
March 27th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Ryan Switzer is the perfect return guy and we can get him in the 6th or 7th. I also like Samuel he would be a good pick for sure.
March 27th, 2017 at 12:12 pm
This draft feels weird because it’s the first time since Light was hired that I don’t feel we HAVE to go after certain positions early. His first draft we were all thinking WR or QB pretty much early and it became an offensive draft. The next draft we knew we needed O-line and were going to take a QB #1. Then last year we desperately needed a CB and pass rusher.
This year we have needs like all teams but nothing is absolutely desperate. I’d be shocked and disappointed if we don’t add a WR from this draft but we’re technically better off there already than last year already. It certainly isn’t a 1st round type pencil’d in need. Sure we could use a RB upgrade but we know Rodgers/Sims/Barber are serviceable and is something that could be added later.
Basically there is no position we HAVE to go R1/R2. Because of that I’m obsessed with the idea of trading down and just grabbing as many guys as we can. I know that some say this is much easier said than done but we set up nicely for it this year – especially because at 19 the elite guys are likely gone and it’s down to Njoku / MCCaffery/ o-line prospects that are weak. Teams would have to jump the Broncos to guarantee themselves the guy they target R1 if it’s an o-lineman or RB:
19-Bucs
20-Broncos – desperate for O-line or McCaffery
21-Lions – could want a RB like Mccaffery
22-Dolphins – O-line is a need
23-Giants – need O-line – could also be high on Mcaffery/Njoku
24-Raiders – could want a RB like Mccaffery or Njoku TE
25-Texans – ?
26-Seahawks – need O-line bad
Most likely scenario I could see is dropping to 23 or 26 and getting another late 3rd. Then back into early round 2 with a team like Cleveland who has a sh1t ton of picks – and could be looking to move back up and take a QB prospect they like on a 5 year deal.
Essentially turning our 1st round pick into an early 2nd and 2 extra 3rds. With those 5 picks in rounds 2-3 we could do serious damage.
March 27th, 2017 at 12:39 pm
Joe it’s like you’re combing through my comments and posts about all my excellent recommendations. Thanks!
Samaje Perine, Adoree Jackson and Chris Godwin.
The problem with Jackson is that he has been marked anywhere from the first to the second and third rounds. They’re releasing a consensus as to where folks “in the know” would rank him. In this case, Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.
March 27th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
Im on the McCaffrey wagon still. A good returner who can be had late in the draft or maybe even UFA is Isaiah McKenzie from georgia. Miami native. Very small guy but can flat out return.
March 27th, 2017 at 1:27 pm
Fans (and media) seem to be fascinated with guys who most likely won’t be drafted in the 1st or even the 2nd rnd. Adoree Jackson might go in the 2nd rnd, might not, but he’s almost certainly not a first rounder. Got me wondering about how long players drafted in the various rnds last with their original team.
Topher Doll who covers the Denver Broncos did some fascinating research on that very subject back in 2014 (“How long does the average draft pick stick around?’) … (http://www.milehighreport.com/2014/5/13/5713996/how-long-does-the-average-draft-pick-stick-around ). He looked at all draftees rnds 1-7 for all 32 teams over a 15 year period to see how long they stuck with their original team.
By year 5 (after almost all of the the original contracts had expired presumably?) here are the percentages of the guys still playing for their original team:
Round 1 … 71.0%
Round 2 … 41.9%
Round 3 … 18.8%
Round 4 … 17.2%
Round 5 … 16.2%
Round 6 … 10.6%
Round 7 … 16.7%
By yr 3 the 5th, 6th & 7th rounders had dwindled to where only about 1/3 of them were left. By yr 4 the 3rd & 4th rounders had dwindled to where only about 1/3 of them were left. Only the 1st rounders had greater than a 50% re-sign rate after the 4th yr. Looks like it’s really hard to find a ‘diamond in the rough’ after the 2nd rnd.
March 27th, 2017 at 1:36 pm
Nice stats Defense.
If anything this shows how great our drafting has been when we have a lot of 2nd and later rounders who will likely get 2nd deals. It also shows how dumb it is to say Roberto was the worst pick of all time; when we had worse than 1/5 odds of landing any solid player with the round 3 & 4 picks we used to get him.
I’m guessing the % in the 1st round is a lot higher for the top 16 picks vs bottom 16 picks but I could be wrong. First rounders also have that 5th year option which would likely motivate them to stay longer or keep a player on their cheap deal vs cutting their losses earlier with a 2nd rounder.
March 27th, 2017 at 2:37 pm
MIXON!
March 27th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Cook who will be gone at 19 would be my 1st choice in the 1st round for added “explosiveness” – but McCaffrey is a hell of a consolation prize if he’s available.
March 27th, 2017 at 5:51 pm
We need a RB who will inflict some pain. When Doug Martin and Quizz were laying blows last year offense was able to dictate. When Simms was get the brunt of the carries we got our asses kicked on O.
March 27th, 2017 at 8:04 pm
“A second round pick feels like a steep price for Jackson”
It wouldn’t shock me at all if he went in the top 50 and was gone by our 2nd round pick.
March 27th, 2017 at 8:31 pm
Doubtful on Cook. McCaffery if they do go RB. Think they are very interested in and would make me very happy if it’s Njoku.
March 27th, 2017 at 8:35 pm
Respect Realist. Respect!!!!!!
Some people don’t like you either…
March 27th, 2017 at 8:37 pm
Brandon….Curtis Samuels will be gone when we pick in the 2nd round. Don’t see him at 19 in the first either.
March 28th, 2017 at 6:51 am
Lord Cornellius….I like your thinking