Still Need A DE
March 18th, 2018
Don’t stop.
OK, so the Bucs added a defensive end yesterday, sort of poaching from the Super Bowl champions. Joe wrote “sort of” since Vinny Curry was released, in part because the Eagles traded for Michael Bennett who the Bucs turned their noses up on.
Again!
So Brett Sobleski of Bleacher Report scanned the Bucs roster and believes, though his article was typed before the Bucs signed Curry, that the No. 1 hole on the Bucs roster is an edge rusher.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense has only one way to go after finishing last in total defense, pass defense and sacks. Jameis Winston leads an exciting offense with explosive capabilities, yet the entire team suffers from such a woeful defense. As a result, there’s only one place to start for the Buccaneers.
Half of Tampa Bay’s 22 sacks came from their defensive tackles, Gerald McCoy and Clinton McDonald. The unit’s defensive ends managed 8.5 combined sacks. Clearly, the Buccaneers have a glaring deficiency among their edge-rushers. Premium pass-rushers don’t become available too often, though, and the organization couldn’t address this glaring hole in free agency. The Bucs, who own the seventh overall pick, are expected to select a defensive end sooner rather than later.
Joe got a lot of questions yesterday when the Jets traded up to acquire the No. 3 pick in the draft about who will fall to the Bucs at No. 7. It’s way too early for Joe to speculate but unless something really weird happens, Joe’s in the trade-down crowd. Too many holes to fill.
Trade down and get perhaps three picks in the first two rounds. Select Marcus Davenport, Derrius Guice or Sony Michel and that big guard out of UTEP, Will Hernandez.
That would be called winning the draft.
March 18th, 2018 at 8:06 am
Yep….double your pleasure …double your fun…
March 18th, 2018 at 8:07 am
seems like joe is going to continue with his “status whine”!!!! LOL!!!! and while he says the offense was “explosive” it was not where it counted!!!! In the Red zone!!!! While the defense was bad and had too many injuries, the still held their pts per game to a respectable 22nd in the league considering that the offense was once again in the bottom (26th) of “turnovers”!!!!!!!!!!! We expect the offense to be so much better than that due to all the drafts and free-agent resources that has gone to that side of the ball!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 18th, 2018 at 8:14 am
My choices @7:
1 Barkley- long gone?
2 Chubb- gone?
3 Nelson- might be there
4 Trade Back- if the above three are gone, a QB needy team might trade up
5 Davenport/ Minkah- hate to see us draft a safety or a project DE in the top 10, but that’s the price you pay when you win a week 17 matchup: move from 5 to 7. Still glad we won, but hopefully a top 3 prospect is there for us at 7?
March 18th, 2018 at 8:15 am
Need to stockpile lineman only; the best play fatboy McCoy I cluded
March 18th, 2018 at 8:15 am
Realist,
I agree with you about the D.
They also gave up a crap ton of yards and had a bad 3rd down percentage largely bc of our inability to run the damn ball on offense!
March 18th, 2018 at 8:18 am
To Trade Down requires a trade partner, and WHO might that be, with all these free agent signings ?
March 18th, 2018 at 8:29 am
Chubb, Nelson or Trade Down ideally.
If Chubb, Nelson and Barkley are all off the board and no trade offers come – take Derwin James, Denzel Ward or Vita Vea – whoever is highest on your board.
The 1st rd strategy heading into this draft seems pretty simple from my perspective.
March 18th, 2018 at 8:35 am
Trade down with the bills and grab Nelson plus get 3 extra pics! Did you see what the bills gave the Colts yesterday?
March 18th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Stop it with the Nelson getting picked that high crap. Interior OL don’t get drafted that high period. Like running backs, unless they do things never been seeing before, they are not gonna get picked that high and the team that does surely likes to play with fire, well then again we have an idiot running the show who drafted a K in the second for no good reason 🤦♂️
March 18th, 2018 at 8:39 am
Bills alredy moved up to 12 and have 2 #1s -2 #2s and so on and so forth! We could grab Davenport at 12and back at 22
March 18th, 2018 at 8:39 am
“We need shutdown Fitspatrick to shortened the field and our defense will look like top 15 defense in the league”
” vinny curry is a stud and CLEARLY will be our best dlineman in 2018″
” draft a 3 down running back ala kareem hunt and we will make the playoffs”
PEEPS here still is Klueless about Klueless Koetter. Koetter number 1 weakness and flaw is he is terrible with too many options and choices. He is better with limitations
“THE KEY TO MAKE THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN 2018 IS….
CUT DESEAN JACKSON”
KOBE FAKER
March 18th, 2018 at 8:42 am
Your a dumb ass! Skip a sure thing who will help ur run game and pass game with our new center and Marpet moving back ! Why do that who would want to run up the middle and give your quarterback time to pass
March 18th, 2018 at 8:53 am
Watched a lot of weird things happen in the first round. What if, and don’t say it’s impossible, Saquon Barkley fell to 7? Would you take him?
March 18th, 2018 at 9:04 am
I got news for you folks: look at the few teams picking immediately after the Bucs. THEY DONT NEED QBs!! So no qb needy team is trading up for our spot at 7. Any other team would be trading up to take a player we likely need just as much. So a trade down I don’t think is any possibility.
Also, with the 2 DTs and hybrid DE/DT curry we signed in FA, I think you can rule Vita Vera out at this point.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:07 am
Joe. Can you comment on the contract status of Sweezy? What is he owed and if he’s due any roster bonuses in the near future?
It seems that his status is very important regarding this draft. With the moves made thus far if he is still on the roster, he would move back to LG which is where he played in Seattle. While I may like Nelson, I think picking a Guard at 7 is nuts. If Seeezy can play LG, then we can draft his future replacement in later rounds.
I’d rather have an impact player at DE, CB, Safety or RB before taking a Guard at 7. Just my opinion.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:08 am
Wanted marriotta but been a Winston supporter since bucs drafted him and still am but his stupidity showed on that last play versus the saints . He finally was accurate in a deep ball, smh.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:11 am
If Barkley is there at 7 do we take him or trade the pick? We would surely get some significant offers. I would be tempted to trade the pick and turn number 7 into a DE and a RB like Guice.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:19 am
Damn Bat …. that’s a tough one very tough… not only is Barkley a great RB he is a very high character guy.. I’d take Barkley !
March 18th, 2018 at 9:21 am
I’d take Barkley in an instant.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:25 am
K.bassuka,well they normally don’t get taken that high unless the player is a left tackle but that will not be the case for nelson!there isn’t anything normal about this kid!You might want to go watch some film on the guy before making a statement telling someone to stop the crap!this guy is a beast and if he is sitting in front of our bucs when they pick Tampa better run to the podium!I don’t think he makes it past pick 6,that’s how good Nelson is.mel kiper compares him to John Hannah ,and comparisons like that are very rare .now,time for you to go study!!!
March 18th, 2018 at 9:27 am
Thanks joe
Now captain obvious is staring at me as I am taking an ASJ dump. Been in here for 10 minutes.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:27 am
Buccaneer scotty, I’m not sure how much you follow this here thing called the NFL draft. But there ain’t no sure thing. Never will be. Too many variables. That is why smart teams stock pile picks because it is basically a crap shoot.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:31 am
Batman wood,no need to worry about Barkley, he won’t be there at pick 7!
March 18th, 2018 at 9:31 am
And what would and team trade up for if all the top guys are gone?
March 18th, 2018 at 9:36 am
A premier player will be there…..i think we sit tight unless for some bizarre reason Barkley is one or two picks away, then pull the trigger on a switch….The Jaguars picked up the rookie RB and he did wonders for Bortles. Winston is a more talented player then Bortles and with a RB like Barkley, it would be too much for a defense to prepare for.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:40 am
Getting pass rush is about more than just the players, it’s about getting teams into predictable passing situations.
How does nobody understand this?
You have to win on 1st down in order to get in those situations. These signings have gone a long way towards that goal.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:40 am
Trade UP and get Barkley.
Pound the rock.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:45 am
If we trade back I’d rather Nelson at 12 rather than Davenport if he’s still there. We need to address a lot of positions but more importantly we need bona-fide multi year star talent. Nelson is more of a sure bet than Davenport. Hell I’d rather get one of the safeties or Ward then risk a pick on Davenport. @ yeah Joe Will Hernandez would get the running game up & going for sure
March 18th, 2018 at 9:47 am
@John Meeks
I don’t listen to Kiper, don’t think he’s a good talent evaluator. You in the other hand may need to double check on the other players in the ND line making Nelson’ s job easier. I saw him against Miami and he didn’t looked that overpowering against not well seasoned players.
March 18th, 2018 at 9:48 am
I am happy with Jameis last minute TD with Godwin and with the win and would not trade the situation for a loss …. but that now seems will be at the expense of a more opportunistic draft day position especially if Barkley, Nelson and Chubb are gone and there are no trade down partners
March 18th, 2018 at 9:52 am
TeddyTB,your not getting Nelson at pick 12,put the pipe down!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:02 am
Joe,
That Draft would be the most help possible for this team.
Then we pick up a Cornerback and Safety
I still like Ryan Smith. He looked promising in his rookie season.
His problems were the Absolute ineffectiveness of our Defensive ends
Which still has not been addressed in any way.
I know there are people here, who want to draft a CB or safety in the first round
Heres the Sad truth
We could have Dion Sanders and Darrelle Revis in their prime, and the secondary would still suffer
NO ONE can cover an NFL reciever forever. With our Defensive ends- who are all primarily run stoppers- A QB has forever.
Thats why we were the worst defense in the League
Two great DEs make average Cornerbacks look like superstars
Two bad DEs make stuperstar Cornerbacks look like bums
We can draft defensive backs, until Hell freezes over. It wont matter.
Until we get a pass rush- the defense will suck
March 18th, 2018 at 10:03 am
K.bassuka, I don’t need to check the other players in the Notre dame line,this kid Nelson was the best on that oline by far!Nelson was the best in the country!you need to go watch tape before getting on here and telling us that Nelson didn’t look over powering!You are making yourself out to look ignorant making comments like that when everyone on this site knows Nelson is a big bad son of a gun!I’m being nice by say gun!Nelson is the 2nd best player in this draft behind Barkley!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:04 am
They need a lot
A whole lot more than a DE
March 18th, 2018 at 10:08 am
Capt Tim …. yep that’s it in a nutshell
March 18th, 2018 at 10:08 am
I’ve been repeating on this site for months that the Bucs need to sign a hoard of dlineman to battle and compete for the right to play and to build actual talented depth.
The Bucs don’t still need a single DE. They need multiple. A talented rotation of hungry lineman.
The Bucs still need another beastly interior offensive lineman.
They still need 2-3 more DEs.
It’s time to build the team the right way.
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:10 am
If we trade back and picked up an extra 2nd round pick, this would be ideal 3 rounds, imo of course.
1) Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
2) Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP
2) Josh Sweat, DE, FSU
3) Rashaad Penny, RB, SDSU
There are too many holes on this team to fill with the early picks (first 3 rounds). We would still need a CB as well. I would understand if people would swap out, in this scenario, Sweat for a CB. I just think we should get 2 pass rushers out of the draft.
March 18th, 2018 at 10:10 am
MOST PEOPLE think the Jets traded to 3 for a quarterback. I think most people are wrong. They jumped up to get Barkley before he goes with the 4th pick.
March 18th, 2018 at 10:12 am
Every scout,GM, player evaluator,fan,etc.knows Nelson is a bad dude!only person that doesn’t is k.Bassuka, I think we all should just listen to mr.Bassuka! Some people never seem to amaze me!Maybe he is talking about futbol, not the national football league=NFL!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:14 am
Bonzai, I think the jets are after Baker Mayfield brother!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:16 am
All in all Joe it COULDVE been worse this Free agency season…we COULD’VE kept Baker,kept sackless Ayers,kept average McDonald….or maybe get guys that just played AND help win a super bowl,guys that were key parts of last year’s best run defense…or keep Tree Molester Baker.lol.to put things in a nutshell,we could’ve gone into next season with the same players that did nothing last year or roll the dice and get new players that have been to the super bowl and know how it feels and what it takes to get there.
March 18th, 2018 at 10:16 am
Jets didn’t give up all those picks for a RB !!!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:20 am
And food for thought for the “Trade up for Barkley” crowd, with all the WRs and TEs this team has, do you think Dirk or whoever is calling the plays is going to give Barkley 25-30 touches a game to make it worth it? Like Fournette, Zeke, Bell, and Gurley?
In 2015 when Doug Martin was an all pro RB in Koetter’s offense, he averaged 18 carries a game. 20 touches a game if you include receptions. And that was with less options in the passing game.
Idk if this offense is built for a feature back as much as we want a feature back.
March 18th, 2018 at 10:22 am
The word “Mariota” should be banned from this site. Winston clearly has more upside and plus It’s not like we missed out on the next Peyton Manning.
March 18th, 2018 at 10:30 am
Now….@BobbyM and @Eric are standing out as SENSIBLE. Welcome to the insurgency gentlemen, glad to have reinforcements.
Licht still has all his SA-QUON, say-gone capital remaining in rounds 1-4 for 2018-2020. It’s just about making up his mind, and to save his Kessler realistically.
Blazers want a publicity-maker, Jason needs a difference-maker. ALL..should remember those.
Go Bucs! Go Barkley! Go Hold! Go Primetime!
March 18th, 2018 at 10:32 am
*keester
March 18th, 2018 at 10:34 am
*Glazers…damn auto correct
March 18th, 2018 at 10:43 am
I never said Nelson wasn’t a good player but he is not the franchise type player you are making him to be. He is not a Joe Thomas and to believe he is it’s as crazy as Mel Kiper’s hair. Nelson has a low ceiling and high floor, and that’s why he is rated that high on some experts draft.
And by the way, I have watched film, and not only highlights like most of you do.
Anyway, all I’m saying that the top picks should be reserved for High ceiling players and not safe picks. Remember when we drafted Barron(safest pick ever, said Kiper) and passed on Kuechly even though his ceiling was higher. I don’t want the Bucs to make that mistake.
March 18th, 2018 at 10:52 am
@Joe
What up with Noah Spence? I know you’ve told us he’s been laying low and not on social media but it’s hard to believe the coaching staff isn’t keeping a very CLOSE eye on his recovery and rehab.
In fact has Spence even been technically cleared to play yet?
March 18th, 2018 at 11:09 am
Bucs need to find a trade down partner from somewhere unless chubb is there. Trading down is our best bet. I don’t think the RB or the DE is going to be there. One would have been had we tanked against the Saints. Who will trade up to our Spot? I hope somebody does and we can get…3 gor 1. We need this.
March 18th, 2018 at 11:10 am
Nelson will probably be a hall of famer one day,that ceiling looks awfully good to me!joe Thomas played left tackle,Nelson is a guard.dude,I’m out on this!You are all over the place and I don’t think you have any idea what the hell you are talking about!
March 18th, 2018 at 11:18 am
********************
I now absolutely believe it’s obvious the Jets would TRIED to trade up to #2 with the Giants before settling on the deal with the Colts for the #3 pick … and their offer easily provided more than enough draft capital to get the #2 pick UNLESS the Giants plan to go QB. What I mean is … the package they gave the Colts is worth way more than ONLY Saquon or Quenton, yet the Giants weren’t having it. Why? Because the Giants have been fibbing to everyone and are absolutely planning to draft a QB and had no intentions of moving out of that #2 spot … this seems very, very likely … either that or the Giants new GM (the guy who gave Nate Solder a ludicrous $62m) is a loon.
That said … here is my revised mock:
BROWNS: SAM DARNOLD
GIANTS: JOSH ROSEN
JETS: JOSH ALLEN (word is they are much higher on Allen than Mayfield)
BILLS (will make an offer the Browns can’t refuse imo): BAKER MAYFIELD
BRONCOS: QUENTON NELSON
COLTS: BRADLEY CHUBB … OR … SAQUON BARKLEY
BUCCANEERS: WHOEVER THE COLTS DON’T TAKE … CHUBB OR SAQUON!
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March 18th, 2018 at 11:22 am
Oh so we shouldn’t go with a safe pick like Nelson but take a gamble on high ceiling players like Marcus Davenport?well,that is a approAch that will ultimately get a GM fired and set a team back five years!the bucs tried that before (can you say Booker reese)and that is just an awful gameplan!go watch soccer Mr Bassuka cause you are sounding more ignorant every time you make a statement!if you have what is considered a safe pick,you take the safe pick!potential is a word every player in the draft has!it’s also the reason for mistakes like Lawrence Phillips,Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich, kijana carter,etc
March 18th, 2018 at 11:26 am
Production over potential=good football team=GM job security
March 18th, 2018 at 11:29 am
Potential over production =bad football team=fired GM Ass!!!!
March 18th, 2018 at 11:32 am
^ Putting Ki-Jana in with Leaf, Phillips and Mandarich isn’t fair … the first and second were head-cases and the 3rd was a drug cheat … Ki-Jana just suffered a horrific injury. We could draft Quenton Nelson or Saquon or Minkah, probably the three “safest” players in the draft and any one of them could also suffer a horrific injury and turn into a “bust” … come on man.
March 18th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
NFLnut,when they talk about busts, his name always comes up!He was a number 2 pick in the entire draft and injury or not he is considered a “Bust”!again,his name shows up every time with Leaf and the other Bums!!!I know it hurts your Penn state boy molesting pride but that’s just the way it is in the NFL sir!
March 18th, 2018 at 12:11 pm
Ki-jina Carter was number1 overall pick in the draft,my bad!
March 18th, 2018 at 12:39 pm
Lmaol @John meeks, obviously you are clueless. And you should continue to watch ESPN analysts and wonder why players get pick where they get pick. We have a pass heavy system and our glaring needs are at RB, DE and CB. Why in the world you think we are drafting Nelson when we didn’t even try to sign Norwell who at the time it’s much better than Nelson?
Nelson it’s a great run blocker, but again, go watch the tape against UM and see him struggling in pass protection, which btw, it’s what Koetter will focus his offense on. Maybe you need to watch some tape on the Bucs.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Nelson it’s the 3rd OL taken in the draft and wouldn’t be surprise if he is the 1st neither, but I tell you this, if we draft Nelson and he doesn’t do anything special and a better vaue position player goes and ball out, Licht is a gonner. And that’s how the NFL works.
March 18th, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Joe why do you always post these quotes and articles about what Bucs fans very much already know? “The number one hole on the Bucs defense is edge rush.” Whoa! I did not realize that.
March 18th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
**************
JOHNMEEKS,
I don’t remember ever debating with you before, so I have no idea why you’d try to personally insult me and say something like “my boy molesting pride” but that came off very weirdly, like you have mental problems of something … strange. Anyways, I am not a Penn State fan in the least … never have been.
However, anyone who considers Ki-Jana a bust on the level of Ryan Leaf or Jamarcus Russell is a loon imho.
Ki-Jana tore up his knee in the pre-season of his rookie year BEFORE he ever even got to play one actual NFL regular season game.
He basically lost all his athleticism and turned into a fullback, but he was still a bad boy as a goal-line back as he scored 17 TDs in his first 2 years post-injury … and then faded away to nothingness.
To me a “bust” is a player like Ryan Leaf or Jamarcus Russell who sucks because they suck, not because they suffered a devastating injury.
If we traded Jameis for the #1 overall pick this year and traded GMC with the #7 pick to move up to #5, and we took Baker Mayfield at #1 and Saquon at #5 and Saquon suffered a devastating injury in the pre-season and was never the same, while Mayfield threw for 2,955 yards with 8 TDs and 25 INTs and was cut after his rookie season and then just faded away … only one was a true “bust”; the other was just an insanely talented guy who had his career derailed by an injury ala Ki-Jana Carter, Marcus Lattimore, Robert Edwards and MANY, MANY others …
BY THE WAY: THIS is a good article about busts … RJIII shouldn’t be on it as he busted due to injury as well, but for the most part the article details actual busts who sucked just because they sucked and not because of injury … and you’ll notice K-JANA CARTER is NOT in the article at all.
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March 18th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
I see Mel Kiper has come our and agreed with what I said yesterday (I said the first 4 picks will be QBs as I expect the Browns to trade down with the Bills, or maybe the Cardinals or Dolphins jumping into that 4th spot) as he is now saying the first 3 picks will all be QBs.
Kiper bugs me … I prefer Mike Mayock, but I can’t fault him for his recent take … it just seems pretty obvious the Giants are fibbing to everyone and are planning to take a QB at #2.