It’s Now A Punch Line
March 16th, 2018
It’s coming.
The edge rush of the Bucs is such an embarrassment, it is now becoming a joke.
And it is only a matter of time before late-night comedians start hammering the Bucs again, just like in the old days.
This is what happens when the Bucs are 12 seasons removed from having a defensive end reach double-digit sacks, and that was Simeon Rice. An organization should be fully ashamed by that and even embarrassed how this critical position has been left to rot away by not addressing it head-on.
Yeah, Bruce Almighty tried to fix it with Gaines Adams. Fail.
Yeah, former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik tried to fix it with a collection of busts with the exception of one: Michael Bennett. And what happened to him? All together now, the Bucs let him walk away for no good reason!
When lazy Lovie Smith came on board, fresh from scouting free agent targets in his suburban Chicago basement, he directed Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to throw wads of Team Glazer loot at Ghost Johnson. Man, that was awful. In retrospect, with Johnson’s four sacks in 2014, Bucs fans today would throw a parade for the guy after what was displayed for a pass rush last season.
Since the signing/jettisoning of Ghost, whether gun-shy or not, Licht has tippy-toed around this crater on the Bucs roster. Sure, he drafted Noah Spence. Joe loves Spence and he has the heart of a lion but the guy simply cannot stay healthy. That’s not good.
For reasons unclear, Licht, to try to tackle this sieve of a position, shops at Dollar General and hopes for products usually found at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Last year, Licht dangerously rolled the dice banking on starting defensive ends coming off knee surgery (Jacquies Smith) and shoulder surgery (Spence). By the end of the second game of 2017, this plan blew up in the Bucs’ faces. Smith never returned healthy and Spence blew out his shoulder again at Minnesota.
So the Bucs were left with Will Gholston, who cannot come within the same zip code of a quarterback, and the immortal Will Clarke.
Yesterday, the Bucs touted the re-signing of Clarke, the team’s leader in sacks for defensive ends — with 2.5! This triggered a response from Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk that should echo within the walls of One Buc Palace.
Clarke played 313 snaps last year, so getting 2.5 sacks out of a spare isn’t awful. What’s awful is what they had around him. …
More work needs to be done, with new line coach Brentson Buckner needing to work a miracle to fix the front four which used to be Tampa Bay’s signature unit.
This issue has become such a laughing stock that frankly, the only logical conclusion is the Bucs simply don’t value or do not understand the value of a defensive end (this is not a Licht thing, this is an organizational thing).
In recent past the Bucs recognized they needed wide receivers and went out and got some. When is the last time this team entered into a draft not looking to draft a wide receiver? And props to the Bucs for getting that job done.
The Bucs also recognized they needed a quarterback. Boom, thanks God they got one.
The Bucs learned they needed linebackers. It may be the strongest unit on the team.
But defensive end? You cannot tell the organization is losing sleep over this position based on simple facts. Let’s review just the past year:
With two starters coming off major surgeries, the Bucs did nothing to address the position. Nothing.
With a chance to lock up Robert Quinn in a trade or right a great wrong in bringing back Bennett in a trade, the Bucs apparently weren’t motivated enough to step to the plate and guarantee their acquisition. If the team values an untested gamble of a third-round pick more than a young guy like Quinn, who already established himself in the league as a double-digit sackmeister and a gamewrecker, then there needs to be a correction of philosophy at One Buc Palace.
Granted, there wasn’t much to pick from in free agency this year. But with oodles of Team Glazer loot available in cap space, why not throw a bundle at Julius Peppers and buy a season out of him?
(Before anyone tries, Joe cannot find a direct quote from the mouth of Peppers that he would only play for the Stinking Panthers this season. If you can find a video or a direct quote from Peppers saying he would retire rather than play for a team not in Carolina, please provide Joe a link. The closest Joe can find of any such quote was a suggestion from his agent that Peppers wanted to play for Carolina. Until anyone can provide Joe a quote from Peppers that he would retire before playing for any of the other 31 teams in the NFL, this notion is nothing more than an urban legend.)
Joe vividly remembers in Indianapolis at the NFL combine Bucs coach Dirk Koetter looking right at Joe and saying “We cannot have 22 sacks,” which is what the Bucs had last year, dead last in the NFL. Joe is assuming when Koetter said that, his goal was not 25 sacks for 2018.
No less an authority than Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian said a few months ago on SiriusXM NFL Radio that unless a team can generate a pass rush, it has no shot for its defense to close out games. How many games did the vaunted defense under the watchful gaze of Mike Smith cough up last year? How many sacks did it have? Do the math.
The fact the Bucs play in a quarterback-rich division only magnifies the need for quarterback pressure. Judging by the collective shrugging of shoulders at One Buc Palace over a pass rush, this apparently has gone unnoticed.
Again, Joe can only go by evidence. And the evidence suggests this organization simply does not value an edge rush. If it did, steps would have been taken already to solve this issue. Options were there in recent weeks but all were passed.
It is now a comedy show and just like years ago when Johnny Carson used the terrible early years of the Bucs as a nightly punchline, Joe is expecting soon for Jimmy Kimmel to start mocking the Bucs pass rush, or lack thereof.
The next step from a comedy punchline is irresponsibility. And that’s about where we are at with a lack of any edge rush. Twelve seasons folks, 12 seasons without a double-digit sack artist. That’s beyond shameful.
Just going by evidence, the Bucs are much more concerned with winning the Accountant’s Cup than they are about pressuring the quarterback.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
Okafor just resigned with the saints. Oh brother…
March 16th, 2018 at 12:02 pm
I think we’re getting a Chubb-E.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:06 pm
“we cannot have 22 sacks!” that’s right Koetter we’ll be lucky to get that.
I’m guessing 19.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:07 pm
This team has once again become the official LAUGHING STOCK OF THE LEAGUE!!!!!
March 16th, 2018 at 12:10 pm
We are the LEVERAGE TOOL of free agency!!!!!
March 16th, 2018 at 12:12 pm
Buc luck would have Chubb falling to #6 and someone leapfrogging us to grab him. lol
March 16th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
What is baffling is that Koetter and Licht are the same guys that have been saying, like in the closing press conference of the year and at the combine, that the dline did not get the job done and we have to get better. So now they are sitting here doing nothing to correct that issue that they clearly know about. I mean they cant go crazy getting guys I get it but they also cannot just sit here and keep things the same as they KNOW based upon their own words that it will not work. I am completely baffled as to what is going on right now.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
Joe are you going to bring up Quinn over and over? The Bucs made an offer for a guy with a bad back and the Rams chose to trade him somewhere else. Like it or not there was no fix to the DE in this FA class and teams chose not to trade with us; its not like there is a tree they can just grab DEs off. We are all aware of the the futility of the Bucs DL – what’s next, another article on our kicker fails, the demise of Martin or how we didn’t draft Cook?
March 16th, 2018 at 12:14 pm
This organization will continue to be a dumpster fire until the Glazers have the good sense to hire a team president who they empower to run the franchise on their behalf. They have proven themselves to be totally incapable of making sound football decisions since they dragged their feet on firing Gruden. The fish rots at the head, and this organization has stunk since basically around the time Malcolm handed things over to the Brozos.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:15 pm
no one wants to play for a lame duck staff!!!!!!….players know dirk smitty and licht are on the hot seat……why play for a coach that will be gone next year!!!!!….FA want $$$$ and stability……glazers wont cough up the $$$$ dirk smitty and licht are far from being stable!!!!!!
no urgency….no excuse
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
March 16th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
2018= #1 pick in 2019 = Nick Bosa and a new regime. #TankForBosa
March 16th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
Be careful there’s a lot losers on here, that like what the buc’s are doing!
It takes time for edge rushers and Cb’s to learn their craft, so to just count on the draft is stupid.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
It’s insane. The blueprint is so obvious man. Every elite D has an elite pass rush.
Look at Carolina in our own division. They basically just draft D-line players every year + LBs and don’t put much into their secondary; and are consistently a top unit.
I thought the Schiano experiment was evidence enough that building a D from the back end is absolutely a flawed philosophy. No Pass rush = doesn’t matter if you have 4 Darrel Revis in his prime.
I doubt the Rams would have refused to trade with us if we upped the offer to a 3rd rounder. I doubt that Bennet trade doesn’t get done if we give a 4th vs them getting a 5th. I’d go back and make those deals right now.
We are desperate as f*ck at that position but acting like all is OK.
If we go into the draft as-is; we better literally draft 4 defensive ends in the first 5 rounds. another pick can go to RB. But that’s how important pass rush is. Moreso than another OG / S / CB or anything else. Especially a F8cking run stuffing DT.
And even then – our best hope would be Ayers/Spence staying healthy since htey’ll be rookies that need to develop.
Mother of god
March 16th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Have had no one tell Joe this, but guessing agents are steering clients away from the Bucs for this reason. They see a GM with only months left on his contract and a 5-11 team and agents see uncertainty in the near future.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:18 pm
we need a good DE a CB and a RB……all three positions we need high talent, maybe Light need to wake up…then we need to add depth and we will be fine…….
March 16th, 2018 at 12:19 pm
We have met the enemy and they are us.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:21 pm
Failcons 2.0
March 16th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Joe, you finally put together the ultimate article on the Bucs non-action for a DE.
I concur on all points.
This is organizational failure at its best.
At least we’re good at something.
Abandon Ship!
March 16th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
I have been using the Bucs as my Punchline for 42 years. An after many, many laughs, I still use them as my Punchline.
I’m working on new material for this season
March 16th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
The Bucs should be banned from picking any other position but DE in the first 3 rounds of the 2018 draft. The punishment for being so ignorant as a franchise.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
My guess is Licht is going to draft Davenport or Vea with the 1st round pick, DE with the 2nd, RB 3rd…Huge gamble to rely on the draft to vastly improve this train wreck of a D-line!
My crystal ball says this time next year, the Bucs will have a new coaching staff and a new GM, which means we have to start over…AGAIN!
Licht does a decent job drafting players but the poor guy is clueless in assembling a playoff caliber roster!
March 16th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Mr. Wonderful from The Shark Tank to The Glazers:
“I forbid you to own an NFL team….”
March 16th, 2018 at 12:30 pm
AKick’nTheBucNuts:
Thank you.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:33 pm
So Joe should pretend it never happened?
OK, so Quinn may have a bad back — he played in more games than Gholston and Ayers did last year and got damned near four-times the production.
Given Quinn’s numbers, the Bucs need to hire his chiropractor.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:34 pm
I’m starting to belive the lack of trades for a DE means Licht is planning on using those picks as ammo to trade up and get Chubb.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:34 pm
This will be Lichts and Koeyters last season with the Bucs, and I hope the Glazer’s sell the team. This cant go on any longer.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Joe can you call Jason Licht and ask him when those BIG FREE AGENT SIGNINGS are coming?
March 16th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Problem here is, Licht might be working as a scout for another team when Chubb turns the corner and is able to make an impact.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:39 pm
I don’t care how bad our pass rush is, but Robert Quinn was not worth a 3rd round pick, so whoever is in that camp needs to just shut up already! Should we have added to the original 4th round pick we offered? Absolutely!, but to go up to a 3rd round pick would’ve been idiotic and if you think we should have the. You’re an idiot as well!
March 16th, 2018 at 12:42 pm
I get the rational behind Joe’s assertions and no the Bucs haven’t really gone after a top flight pass rusher in the draft. Still, there are two flaws in the argument today and right now. First, we don’t know what Brentson Buckner thinks about the existing Bucs DEs or what he believes he can do with them to improve or what he can do with the whole defensive line for that matter. Second and as I’ve said before, whether you have a single player get 16 sacks or four players get four sacks each you still have 16 sacks. So, what the Bucs need to aim for is the number of sacks playoff and championship teams get, as a team, regardless of how they’re added up. If that average number for playoff teams is 44 for example, then whether one guy gets 11 and the other ten defenders get 3.3 each or 11 guys get four each, you still have 44.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:43 pm
Stop! If you knew a third round pick could give a 22-sack team at least eight sacks, you couldn’t pull the trigger fast enough.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:45 pm
The Bucs are actually a 17 sack team minus Clinton McDonald.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:46 pm
This isn’t anything new but this off-season officially seals the fact that Jason Licht stinks at free agency.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:46 pm
I’m at the point agreeing with some who say that DL, CB, OL and RB are where the Bucs go to in free agency. My concern is that that is a big gamble. If Jenssen signs with the Colts and Pamphile signs somewhere else who do we have to fill that void? Does anyone know? I’m just curious. Again there has to be some sort of opinion inside the building that one of those top prospects are gonna fall to them. At least I hope that’s the case at this point.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:46 pm
I think Licht is employing a classic strategy. Don’t do much of anything to address major needs in free agency. Then hope and pray that the draft breaks perfectly and you get all the players you could ever want.
“It’s a bold strategy Cotton, Let’s see if it pays off for em.”
March 16th, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Rick:
Here is where the math gets in the way.
Yeah, sure, if you have four defensive ends get 2.5 sacks each that leads to 10 sacks. Trick is, you can’t have four defensive ends on the field every play. A 2.5-sack guy is still a 2.5 sack guy.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:47 pm
I said free agency sorry I meant the draft.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Joe
Did someone say Quinn wasnt worth a 3rd round pick?? 😂😂😂
I would of traded my 3rd and 4th
March 16th, 2018 at 12:51 pm
Talib Traded To Hollywood (JBF March 8th, 2018)
@Joe … “Breathe easy, Bucs fans, Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter have a plan to fix the NFL’s 32nd-ranked defense. That might not include Brent Grimes, their very best cornerback, but there is a plan.”
It’s Now A Punch Line (JBF March 16th, 2018)
@Joe … “Just going by evidence, the Bucs are much more concerned with winning the Accountant’s Cup than they are about pressuring the quarterback.”
Funny what a difference a week makes, isn’t it Joe. Only took a week to figure out that Licht’s ‘PLAN’ is to fatten the Glazer Boyz’ wallets. I’m wondering now if the strategy all along has been to operate this team as close as possible, year after year, to the 89% of the CAP minimum spending requirement laid down by the NFL. That puts $20 mil extra in their pockets annually.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Joe Says:
March 16th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Problem here is, Licht might be working as a scout for another team when Chubb turns the corner and is able to make an impact.
——————————————————————————————-
I agree 100% with you that if this team fails in 2018, it will likely be because of Lichts inabilty to address the DE position and he will be shown the door. He must know that as well, which is why I think he will do everything he can in the draft to get the best possible DE he can (vs say trading down with Buffalo and taking 2 lesser prospects). We all know he HAS to draft DE, we’ll have to wait and see which one(s).
March 16th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Not sure what’s more entertaining how pathetic bucs organization is or reading the ignorant fan posts concerned with salary cap and over paying… it’s beyond dumb how some of you think. If you guys feared losing as much as the meaningless BS you spew about cap, not worth it, and character glazers would be forced to field a respectable team but thanks to all you dumbasses they have plenty of apologists to support failure
FEAR LOSING NOT THE SALARY CAP
March 16th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Anyone know what the late night joke was????
March 16th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
They re-signed a 2.5 sack guy
They signed a DT with 2 career sacks in 4 seasons
They signed a DT with 7 career sacks in 7 seasons
Their DT who had 5 sacks in 3 starts wasn’t re-signed
Yep, these are the Bucs, typical Bucs moves
March 16th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
Good job with this take. I don’t necessary agree with your frustrations over Quinn and others. If we look back we probably should have taken DL in the 1st over VH3 and others over the last 10 years. At my office we all have all agreed that the best teams seem to take OL and DL in the first round every year regardless of other holes. And even then, what is the first round DL success rate – less thank 50%? Licht is drafter, he’s is better than anyone we’ve had around here since rich Mckay, but my friends it appears we are just going to have to out score everyone this year.
March 16th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Bucs throw high picks away left and right and you fools are worried about a 3rd for a PROVEN players…. flat out ignorant…. just 2 YEARS ago licht flushed both 1st rd and 2nd rd picks down toilet on a 5th rd short, slow and stupid cb followed by a kicker…
March 16th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
So if I were a FA I wouldn’t come near this place with a 10ft pole. We most likely are going to stink worse than red tide this year and do a little better than 5-11 MAYBE. If I’m a pro athlete I’d rather go to the Browns where you can ACTUALLY TELL they want to win. Coming to Tampa for a FA is like going out with the Browns sister who’s seasick but still wants to party on the boat.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Joe Says:
March 16th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
no one wants to play for a lame duck staff
Have had no one tell Joe this, but guessing agents are steering clients away from the Bucs for this reason. They see a GM with only months left on his contract and a 5-11 team and agents see uncertainty in the near future.
***************************************************************
makes sense!!!!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
March 16th, 2018 at 1:03 pm
in madden i signed suh
March 16th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Glazers are totally tanking it this year. We should of known when they resigned the coaching staff. They have resigned some of our good young players for hefty dough. They know Jason Licht is not good in FA signing in what was not the best year for FA signings. Now they’re hoping Licht can get one more nice draft before they wipe out the entire town of OBP next year when they will hire the next 3-year coaching staff and GM. Got a very good feeling they’re trading up for Chubb now. Or I hope they are.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
This level of negativity from Joe rivals the annoyance of the Johnny Football offseason.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
I will stay with the position that the existing talent needs upgrades….That being said the players often voiced frustration with the “stunts” Hayes stuck with and maybe with Buckner the staff believes a better version is already in place. Spence will be the difference….if he flames out, the defense is toast
March 16th, 2018 at 1:21 pm
Since the signing/jettisoning of Ghost, whether gun-shy or not, Licht has tippy-toed around this crater on the Bucs roster.
^^^Joe such a descriptive and apt metaphor. You sir have obviously grad-gimated from your hooked on phonics course. Congrats.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:26 pm
Sooooo think outside the box and fix the dang probem!!!
The Bucs package their entire draft capital to move up and get only two players…Chubb and Vita Vea. The get a good deal from the Dolphins on how much of Suh’s salary the ‘Fins are willing to eat and they sign Suh. Spence gets healthy.
Can you imagine THAT DL…Chubb and Spence for an edge rush…GMC and Suh rotating and sometimes combined in packages with Vea learning his craft from the two old Vets…we keep McDonald for depth. I haven’t even mentioned Gholston…he may be gone to make that draft happen.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:29 pm
AnotherbucsfanGM
I am an idiot in your book, and I am glad. I KNOW quinn was worth a 3rd round pick. As joe stated rookie DEs dont rack up sacks. The guy had 19 sacks one yr. 62.5 in 7 yrs. He is 27 y/o. He Had a bad back, it looks good now as evidenced by his 6 sacks in the last 5 rams games. So he had over 25% of the bucs team total of 22 in his last 5 games by Himself!!
This team needs a robert quinn in the worst way. Only problem Was he was a ram. And then he was served up on a platter and licht passed. Just watch who licht takes in round 3, then watch quinn this year. Anyone saying quinn isnt worth a 3rd is way off. Ive studied every one of lichts drafts. Go back and do it.
Good article Joe. I feel your pain. Licht must not have watched this team play last year
March 16th, 2018 at 1:32 pm
Quinn’s services are worth a 3, and Licht should’ve offered a 3 to the Rams.
Licht got cute, offered a 4, and lost.
Joe the Bucs effing suck again’
March 16th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
Tmax, you left out the ineffective, injury prone, 3-4 outside linebacker turned defensive end.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:46 pm
Tmax
We wasted a second on ASJ leading to using a 1st on another TE while Brate the NFL’s leading TE in TDs is on the roster.
We wasted a 1st on VH3, a 3rd on Simms, a 4th on Ryan Smith, a5th 6th and 7th in 2015.
So yea throwing a couple of late round picks for a proven pass rusher would have been smart.
March 16th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
I think that Licht believe he can get 4 starter in the draft again and everyone will praise him
March 16th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
“They have a plan…..”
SMDH
March 16th, 2018 at 2:08 pm
My team doesn’t suck I love my football, I just hate the people they hire to do a job and I have to watch them fail in New and fantastic ways every single year. There in no team painted in such a corner at any position in this year’s draft like the bucs
March 16th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
You know what, now that we have unanimously determined that the Buc’s are the laughing stock of the NFL, litterly have the worst coaches and front office in the NFL, can’t attract 2A high school players to play for them, and have becoming the classics text book for all the anger management patients on this site the Glazers should move the team to London or as far away from Tampa as possible. Happy karma would return to our beautiful city, we would all live 10 years longer, and on Fall Sundays we could play with our grandchildren, go to the beach, or watch the football team we loved before we moved to Tampa.
March 16th, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Latest mocks have Chubb going #1 to the Browns and they pick a QB at #4 (Darnold)
Chubb is out of reach so just fkn forget it, just like Barkley. Best hopes are Fitz, James, Ward, Vea (who I want but just not at #7, trade back a few spots and still get him), and Nelson. Or I guess we could land Davenport which is probably going to happen at #7. He’s not so bad….has potential, uh, im trying….
March 16th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
I wonder if the reason players on other teams take pay cuts is because they are threatened with a trade to Tampa? If I was a GM I would do that.
March 16th, 2018 at 3:24 pm
All you people need to see a doctor.
Last year we had a core that was gonna go on a run.
This year everyone sucks.
The only difference from this time last year to now???
We signed our core guys. Got ride of the FA bust (and likely problems)
March 16th, 2018 at 3:27 pm
Most likey the uncertainty of our coaches and GM remaining is an issue.
This is why you CAN NOT FIRE COACHES AND GMs every other year.
If your gonna suck. AT LEAST DO IT HONORABLY.
Makes a difference to DIFFERENCE MAKERS!!!
March 16th, 2018 at 3:37 pm
The Bucs aren’t bad enough to be a punchline – which is sort of the problem. They’re no bad enough to be endearing, and obviously they’re not good either. With Jameis at QB the Bucs simply can’t be that bad, even if the defense blows leads like at GB, at Buffalo, against Detroit, at Carolina and the kicker loses games like with the Pats and Falcons, even with all of that the team will still be in the realm of being mediocre if Jameis is healthy. So next year the team will be 7-9 and you just end up with complete disinterest while wasting away years of Winston’s and Evan’s careers.
March 16th, 2018 at 4:46 pm
Meantime back at the Buc Defensive office…Mike Smith is ordering exotic snacks for his pressbox Cuisine and a brand new set of..Lazer Binoculars..to get a better view of..whats wrong with his Defense.
March 16th, 2018 at 4:59 pm
This is beginning to look like the glazer boys are contempt on tanking this season or our GM is really dumb as hell. I can’t imagine our GM and head coach not being active in free agency with the holes on this team and the cap money they have.they just can not be this damn dumb.i have come to the conclusion that the glazer boys really don’t want to win here in tampa.the strange thing is they seem to want to win in soccer!we Americans don’t give a damn about soccer unless it’s during the world cup.the glazers are Americans I do believe,so I’m fu**ing lost!wtf is going on????
March 16th, 2018 at 5:25 pm
The organization had a virtually unprecedented opportunity to add young Pro Bowl talent to both the offensive and defensive lines.
I’ve literally been the most repetitive and vocal commenter that the Bucs #1 priority this offseason needed to be to solely focus on the trenches.
I’ve said numerous times that they need to sign/trade/draft at least 8 new players on both lines to come in and COMPETE and battle the incumbents for both starting and backup spots.
Let the competition bring out the best in each player, then let the best players play based on their performance.
The Bucs have yet to do this. Two DTs and nothing else.
There are still players out there that can help…
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!
March 16th, 2018 at 6:09 pm
“no one wants to play for a lame duck staff”
Joe…you know it…I know it…the question is, why doesn’t the average Buc fan understand that? All they have to do is ask if they would want to start a new job for a company that was likely having a complete management change over in a year?
March 16th, 2018 at 9:24 pm
Joe. Stop the hate mongering. Have some faith. If you can’t and you must, hate on the coaching. Hate on Jamies pissing away games. With all the talent on offense, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be in shootouts. Smith should have been able to dial up blitzes but he’s not a schemer. If we get one pass rusher, some corner help and Winston can keep from losing the game, we will be ok. I’m really not sure what your hard on for Licht is but he’s building the team the right way.
Apply this comment to 70% of your posts.
March 16th, 2018 at 9:30 pm
I have seen all the articles and talk about what the Bucs haven’t done
SO. Joe how about WHY???? The Bucs are doing this
I think it’s to tank the team and ready for a Move to London
Raise prices / No changes on a 5-11 team / Nothing in FA
What else could it be BRAIN DAMAGE?
March 16th, 2018 at 9:33 pm
If Noah Spence can play the entire season and we get a starter at CB in FA or the draft I guarantee that the defense will exceed 30 sacks this year. In 2016, just two seasons ago the defense had 38 sacks. The difference was a healthy Spence and two former All-Pro’s and a first round pick at CB which allowed for our DC to blitz more. The LB’s and secondary added 10 sacks that year and by covering the receivers for an additional half second Ayers and Gholston added 7 sacks. Now that C Ryan Jensen has been signed I bet there probably will not be any more FA signings. Draft James or Ward in the first then Michel or Chubb in second and a guard in third. This team plays an easier schedule this year and with a kicker they will win at least four of those seven games they lost by 6 points or less giving the Bucs a 9-7 season.
March 17th, 2018 at 4:40 am
Have had no one tell Joe this, but guessing agents are steering clients away from the Bucs for this reason. They see a GM with only months left on his contract and a 5-11 team and agents see uncertainty in the near future.
What did they see last year and the year before that? And the year before that…
March 17th, 2018 at 9:00 pm
If the offense score more than the other team, it won’t matter what the defense does. Nuff said. (cue up The Deliverance banjo music) signed – A Buc fan