“We’re Going To Have Some Competition There At Right Guard”
June 1st, 2018
“Don’t worry Jason. That Lee Roy Selmon’s gift card we gave this guy won’t work much longer. The place is shutting down in three weeks.”
It appears J. R. Sweezy is officially on fish-or-cut-bait status.
The prized free agent signing for the 2016 season hasn’t exactly turned out to be the player the Bucs envisioned. Sweezy, who started for Seattle in both of their Super Bowl appearances, blew out his back lifting weights before OTAs began with the Bucs in 2016. And last year he broke a leg in the 14th game of the season.
In the two seasons he has been with the Bucs, Sweezy has missed 18 games due to injuries.
Since the combine, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has been very coy on Sweezy’s status other than to mention how he has yet to be cleared by team doctors for football activities.
This has led Joe to write often this spring, “And who the hell knows what’s going on with J.R. Sweezy?”
Given what Licht said last night while appearing “Late Hits” with Alex Marvez, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, we may have an idea. And that is Sweezy’s job as starting right guard is up for grabs.
Answering a question from Marvez about newcomer Ryan Jensen, Licht, as he often does, made sure to recite the name of every starter in a position group. However, Licht omitted Sweezy’s name from the projected starters on the offensive line, but did add, “… and then we’re going to have some competition there at right guard.”
It is pretty clear to Joe what that means. Given how backup offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch has been instructed by Dirk Koetter to only work at right guard in OTA’s and minicamp later this month, the right guard starter will be a battle between Benenoch and Sweezy.
That is, if Sweezy is ever cleared to resume practicing by team doctors.
June 1st, 2018 at 6:15 am
And smith, maybe Cappa
June 1st, 2018 at 6:20 am
Its too bad.
If Sweezy could have played here, Like he did in Seattle- we would have had a great Right guard
Was Hoping Benenoch could have upgraded the right tackle spot.
June 1st, 2018 at 7:27 am
You know the saying “When you have 3 QBs, you don’t have any.”……same goes, “When you have 3 RGs, you don’t have any.”
I maintain that Sweezy will be cut post June 1st (that is now)….or an injury settlement….and we will free up about $6 million of cap…..that is ample funds to pick up a veteran RG…..and there will be one available.
June 1st, 2018 at 8:51 am
So they have Evan Smith listed at # 10 if that tells you anything and the others not listed here and above Evan, have all signed elsewhere.
I just don’t see a lot out there. I’m thinking we will start the season with Benenoch or Cappa.
12. Jahri Evans, G, Packers. Age: 35.
15. Patrick Omameh, G, Jaguars. Age: 28. — Signed with Giants
16. Luke Joeckel, G, Seahawks. Age: 26.
17. Shawn Lauvao, G, Redskins. Age: 30. — Re-signed with Redskins
18. Andrew Tiller, G, Saints. Age: 29.
19. Zane Beadles, G, 49ers. Age: 31.
20. Senio Kelemete, G, Saints. Age: 28. — Signed with Texans (3 years)
21. Xavier Su’a-Filo, G, Texans. Age: 27. — Signed with Titans
22. D.J. Fluker, G/OT, Giants. Age: 27. — Signed with Seahawks
23. Allen Barbre, G, Broncos. Age: 34.
24. Trey Hopkins, G, Bengals. Age: 26.
25. Kenny Wiggins, G, Chargers. Age: 30. — Signed with Lions
26. Dakota Dozier, G, Jets. Age: 27. — Re-signed with Jets
27. Tom Compton, G, Bears. Age: 29. — Signed with Vikings
28. Joe Looney, G, Cowboys. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Cowboys
29. Ben Garland (RFA), G, Falcons. Age: 30. — Re-signed with Falcons (1 year)
30. Oday Aboushi, G/OT, Seahawks. Age: 27.
31. Tony Bergstrom, G/C, Redskins. Age: 32.
32. Josh LeRibeus, G, Saints. Age: 29.
33. Amini Silatolu, G, Panthers. Age: 29. — Re-signed with Panthers
34. Matt Tobin, G, Seahawks. Age: 28. — Signed with Patriots
June 1st, 2018 at 8:53 am
Here are two good polls for you Joe:
Team position with the most depth: WRs, LB, TE…
Position with the concern for depth: OL (R side in particular), CBs, S
June 1st, 2018 at 9:25 am
I read in another national website that Sweezy would make the Buc’s final 53 man roster and while I realize that these projections are very early attention getters, it made me curious if possibly Sweezy will soon be able to compete and ultimately compete for starting RG. There is a definite premium on that position in 2018.
June 1st, 2018 at 9:27 am
Joe, still confused about this OLine and it looks to be the weak link on this year’s team. Today’s June 1st, so why is Sweezy still here? I thought that if we didn’t cut him today we had to pay him $6 mil. And haven’t heard anything about Dotson practicing either. Is he still healing up & when’s his projected date to be back?
Who’s taking reps at RG & RT right now? Reality_43 is right … there’s not much out there to choose from. Do you think Licht will stand pat, or trade for an OLineman, or wait until other teams start cutting?
June 1st, 2018 at 10:07 am
I R Sweezy – hoping you can contribute and are close to healing. If not, it’s June 1st and the door is swinging toward your IR a$$.
June 1st, 2018 at 10:39 am
Competition is good. Should have more competition at every position. I wish we had more competition even at QB to push Winston. This is a make or break season for him so would have liked to have him feel some pressure to help motivate him.
June 1st, 2018 at 10:53 am
“Sweezy’s job as starting right guard is up for grabs”
Duh. All you had to do was watch tape of last year to know that….
Joe is sleeping on the possibility that Cappa gets up to speed quickly enough to earn the starting spot this year apparently.
June 1st, 2018 at 10:59 am
Starting spot where? Benenoch (not Cappa) is working out at right guard and Licht stated as recently as last night Dotson is starting at right tackle.
June 1st, 2018 at 11:16 am
Joe Says:
“Starting spot where?”
At RG of course. That is the only starting spot that is “open” this year.
Bucs certainly didn’t draft Cappa in the 3rd rd with the expectation of bringing him along slowly – I can guarantee you that.
If Cappa is not ready – then he’s not ready – I have no idea where he’s at since I haven”t been out there – but feel reasonably sure Cappa will be given the opportunity to compete/play at Rt Guard this year if he shows he’s anywhere close to being able to handle the responsibility at this stage of his development.
I was mainly just noting that Joe didn’t list Cappa as one of the players competing for that starting RG spot when I felt sure he would be in the mix there this year.
June 1st, 2018 at 11:18 am
It appears you and the Bucs have a different timetable if not goal.
Sure smells like the Bucs are preparing Benenoch to take over at right guard if Sweezy cannot go. He is exclusively working out at right guard which is a major departure from Koetter’s philosophy of having backups be flexible.
If the Bucs were planning on Cappa at right guard, they wouldn’t have him working at multiple positions.
Joe just cannot make up things. If there was an inkling Cappa was in the mix to start to start at right guard — as of June 1 — Joe would include his name. As of this day, the job seems to be a two-man or three-man race: Sweezy, Benenoch and perhaps Evan Smith.
Hey, maybe down the road Cappa could be starting. But as June 1, no one is even whispering that and judging by who is practicing where, that’s not the case.
June 1st, 2018 at 11:28 am
Good morning Defense!
Guess both GM and coach are hoping he heals in time to start. Joe’s been writing about his concern for the right side of the line for weeks. Fully agree.
No idea for either question. Bucs will only say they are “hopeful” Sweezy is ready to go by training camp.
Benenoch at right guard. Haven’t really paid attention to right tackle as everyone with the Bucs is confident Demar Dotson will soon be back. But Bucs have been rotating various backups in there at right tackle.
At this point? Probably will wait until preseason cuts. Joe has advocated various guys on the market for the Bucs to pick up and every suggestion readers go nuts and scream at Joe about what a stiff the guy is. Well, if there is a quality starter sitting at a bar looking for work right now, Joe is all ears.
June 1st, 2018 at 11:37 am
When you’re so concerned with getting a “deal” that you sign injured linemen in the hopes they still have something left in the tank you end up in what is known technically as the Sweezy/Nicks scenario.
Hey Glazers, how has your dumpster diving worked out? Lol
The only other explanation is that they and they’re puppets are extremely gullible and inept
June 1st, 2018 at 11:38 am
*their
June 1st, 2018 at 11:50 am
Unless Joe is totally and completely missing something as would be the rest of the NFL world, Sweezy was perfectly healthy when the Bucs signed him. Joe just cannot fathom any GM signing a lineman who couldn’t pass a simply physical. That would be the highest dereliction of duty Joe could ever imagine from a GM.
Everything Joe has heard is Sweezy blew out his back pumping weights after he signed with the Bucs.
June 1st, 2018 at 11:58 am
Sweezy missed a grand total of five games in four years with Seattle. Played in all 18 games for Seattle in 2015 just before the Bucs signed him. Where this narrative started that the Bucs signed an injured player is baffling.
June 1st, 2018 at 12:04 pm
Hi Joe, Thanks for the reply.
Meh…I’m not buying that Sweezy was healthy when the deal occurred. I think the Seahawks knew he was done (as you’ve stated many times back injuries are the end for linemen). The Seahawks either scammed the inept Bucs or underplayed the injury. Either way the injury was not made public (probably so as not do diminish the “splash” value and potential ticket sales bump).
Same thing with Nicks except that the toe was public knowledge.
Unlike the Bucs, good teams don’t rid themselves of top-shelf talent for “no good reason” or just to avoid paying a salary. The Seahawks played the Bucs like a fiddle.
It’s like finding Steve Jobs personal iPad for sale at a flea market. Unless you’re a fool you know there’s a catch
June 1st, 2018 at 12:12 pm
Howard:
What you are suggesting is the Bucs never gave the guy a physical which, honestly, Joe cannot stretch his mind enough to wrap around just how stupid that would be. Not only is it standard operating procedure, it may be required by the NFL.
Seriously, that would be a fireable offense. That might be as dumb or maybe dumber than if the medical staff told a coach a player had a broken leg and the coach ordered the player back onto the field. Not giving a free agent signee a physical is way past the level of stupidity. Say what you will about Licht but he’s not dumb. The guy was in pre-med when he decided to get back into football. Given medical background and football background (he was an offensive linemen) Joe simply cannot wrap his brain around not giving a guy a physical, even if that is an option.
Highly doubt Licht would be employed today if he actually did that. “Negligent” doesn’t begin to describe a stunt like that.
June 1st, 2018 at 12:21 pm
I doubt Sweezy was in terrible shape at the time of the deal and I’m not fingering Licht. Howard likes the Licht.
What Howard is saying is that the Seahags may have been aware through their intimate knowledge of Sweezy that physical red flags were popping up (e.g. reoccurring but minor tweeks of the lower back) they saw the writing on the wall and decided to unload Sweezy before the cracks in the dyke turned into a gushing leak.
My “gullible and inept” verbiage is mainly directed at the Glazers long-term management of the team and not at Licht.
Licht is 3x the GM the rockstar ever was.
Heck, Licht could possibly turn the Glazers team into a winner. Imagine that.
June 1st, 2018 at 1:29 pm
It’s June 1..No dead money impact right??
We can sign anybody to wear the floppy hat and watch..Send him on his way.
June 1st, 2018 at 2:17 pm
Jmark – Sweezy has a $1.875M dead cap hit no matter when he is cut – if he is cut this year.
The only difference June 1st made is that 1/2 that dead cap hit now rolls over to next year. Which is why I figured they would cut him before June 1st to be over and done with it. Although I believe that Sweezy not being medically cleared yet made that not possible.
June 1st, 2018 at 2:18 pm
Jmark – Sweezy has a $1.875M dead cap hit no matter when he is cut – if he is cut this year.
The only difference June 1st made is that 1/2 that dead cap hit now rolls over to next year. Which is why I figured they would cut him before June 1st to be over and done with it. Although I believe that Sweezy not being medically cleared yet made that not possible.
June 1st, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Bucs should cut their losses with Easy Money Sweezy. I personally like him but….he is a permanent on and off the IR guy. He will not and has not fully recovered from his back injury. Sure..he will flash. Even play in a game or 2 or 3. But its time to say goodbye to him. Its been time.
June 1st, 2018 at 7:05 pm
I can assure you sweezy blew his back out in the gym after the bucs inked him.i can also assure you he will never be the player he was!back problems for a guy his size is career ending!you can’t play guard in the NFL against men as big and quick as Bigfoot with a bad back!go see any surgeon or chiropractor you want!Sweezy is done!!
June 1st, 2018 at 8:58 pm
Well if Sweezy is on fish or cut bait status, at least he’s got the right hat for it.
June 1st, 2018 at 9:12 pm
I think Sweezy is gone. Licht will bring in a veteran guard after TC cuts.