Stocking Up
April 2nd, 2017
“I made what team?”
Yes, Joe knows there are still Bucs fans who have an unreasonable and factually inaccurate dislike of Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
(A guy from a certain town in north Texas springs to mind as does a caller to SiriusXM NFL Radio.)
These folks, to be polite, are not living in reality.
Last month, Eliot Harrison of NFL.com chose an All-Under 25 team of NFL youngsters. Of that squad, the Bucs had three players listed, led by America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. Also in that group are Mike Evans and Ali Marpet. Joe will include the write-up Harrison had for each player.
Jameis
Statistically, he is behind both Dak Prescott and Marcus Mariota. Yet Winston, the youngest of the three, is asked to do so much more on a football field in spite of that youth. He’s already thrown nearly 300 more passes than Mariota, even though both came into the league the same year. (Of course, Mariota has missed some time due to injury — but that’s part of this equation, too.) Ultimately, Winston’s lack of help — juxtaposed with Mariota’s luxury of leaning on a top-flight running game — landed the Bucs QB a spot on this list. Asked one of our resident scouts here at NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah, to rank them if he was starting an expansion team. “1) Winston, 2) Prescott, 3) Mariota. Obviously, it’s really close.” There you go.
Evans
Evans turned 21 in the preseason of his rookie year, so despite already catching 238 passes in the NFL, he won’t turn 25 until August of 2018! Evans put up career highs in catches and yards last season, while leading the league in targets. There were times in 2016 when Evans represented the entire Bucs passing attack. The arrival of DeSean Jackson and continued development of TE Cameron Brate should only help Evans.
Marpet
His name might sound more like the goth chick in “Breakfast Club,” but Marpet can run over a lot of people (including high school wrestler Emilio Estevez). A product of tiny Hobart College, Marpet has started every game he’s played in the NFL. Frankly, he probably should’ve gone higher than 61st overall, although he was the highest-drafted pick in the history of NCAA Division III football.
Joe expect to soon be referring to Marpet as a “goth chick” any time soon.
So, if the handful of the blind can’t see Licht is building something special here, then Joe can’t help them. Licht’s grand slam draft of Jameis, Donovan Smith, Marpet and Kwon Alexander is very likely the best draft class since Father Dungy Sam Wyche picked Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, both in the first round.
So stop with this nonsense Licht doesn’t know what he doing. Suggesting otherwise is simply trolling.
April 2nd, 2017 at 9:50 am
And left Kwon off his list, SMFH.
April 2nd, 2017 at 9:50 am
Serious question: If we give credit to Licht as the GM for that monster draft (which I agree with), should we not also give credit to Rich McKay for that 1995 draft with Sapp and Brooks?
April 2nd, 2017 at 9:54 am
Worth adding no other team has 3 players listed…Should have had a 4th with Kwon also. Licht and staff have really infused the roster with young talent! Excited to see more added with this draft!
April 2nd, 2017 at 9:54 am
Simply trolling.
Some of us have known that for awhile now Joe. lol
April 2nd, 2017 at 9:59 am
Yes, ridiculous they left Kwon off their list. Maybe they had a 3 player per team limit!
April 2nd, 2017 at 10:00 am
Joe expect to soon be referring to Marpet as a “goth chick” any time soon.
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Can’t be any worse than calling Mike Evans as KY Jelly last year after he came off a season in which he dropped six balls in a rain game to skew the dropped catch stats.
April 2nd, 2017 at 10:32 am
Let me troll: a kicker in the second round, A- Other than being a BACK-STABBER, that’s my only problem with him so far. B- if we can’t get this Wall Built This Year….that will become a problem for him!!
April 2nd, 2017 at 10:59 am
I see need really is one or two starters to be drafted, he doesn’t have to wow draft this year. Give me atleast a starting safety, running back or defensive end. He has to hit on the running back and safety because he hasn’t seriously addressed those spots in the draft yet. One starter new starter on offense and defense should get us atleast back at the top of the wild card talk. It’s hard to argue he’s not doing a good job considering the optimism about this team. I’d say even the contracts he’s getting free agents to sign is evidence he knows what he’s doing which is more than can be said for the lady two gm coach
April 2nd, 2017 at 11:00 am
I have always liked Licht (except for that that stupid pool jumping when we went 6-6). He’s good at drafting and scouting and I like his modo of build through the draft. When you put those two things together you can make a damn fine young football team. I also think he’s smart in FA. A lot of people don’t like him in FA cus he doesn’t do enough and the idiots don’t like him cus they want him get a DJax salary type player every year. And like my modo says, “at least it’s not Mark Dominik.”
April 2nd, 2017 at 11:00 am
Yep he is definitely the man when he kicked that moron loser Lovie right out of the league 👏😅
April 2nd, 2017 at 11:05 am
I believe the O-line isn’t as big of an issues as a lot do. Not a big fan of moving Marpet but if he works out at center the have sweezy and Pamphile at gaurd. Then RT is the weak link. I think Djax will open the Defense up and Winston will be able to get rid of the ball quicker. This O-line wasn’t an issue in 2015
April 2nd, 2017 at 1:08 pm
Lol DallasBuc has really made an impression on the Joe’s…
April 2nd, 2017 at 3:17 pm
I agree candian, I would really like to see them land a stud wr….STUD in the draft in case there are any problems with evans or Djax. One injury away from being the same offense as last season right now
April 2nd, 2017 at 7:43 pm
Mariota and Dak aren’t close to Jameis … they’re close to Wentz, in fact Wentz may be better than them both … Jameis is in an entirely different class already with guys like Luck, Stafford, Roethlisberger, etc.,.
April 3rd, 2017 at 5:12 am
NFLNut I agree wholeheartedly with you. I think Jameis is the best young QB in the NFL. The problem with most Bucs fans is they can’t or won’t appreciate a good thing until it’s gone. Now God-forbid if he were for some reason to go to another team then they would be able to see how good he is (see Steve Young, Doug Williams, Vinnie Teststeverde et. Al.)
I for one believe we have a once in a lifetime talent that if we keep surrounding with the right pieces and he can stay healthy and don’t lose his mind, could go on to become one of the all-time greats of this game.