Benenoch May Have Edge At RG
June 4th, 2018
Inside track to start? (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
The way the Bucs have ordered reserve offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch to work exclusively at right guard, and who the hell knows what is going on with J.R. Sweezy, it sure seems like Benenoch has a legit shot at starting there come September.
At least that is the way it smells to Joe.
Well it seems one person who works at One Buc Palace doesn’t think Joe is off base. Multimedia maven Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com senses the same thing. In fact, Smith is of the mind that’s a smart bet.
If the season were to start today, I think the answer would be Caleb Benenoch. That said, if the season were to start today, the Bucs would be in need of a right tackle, too, thanks to Demar Dotson’s ongoing rehab. Benenoch finished last year in that spot and would surely be a top consideration. So if Dotson isn’t ready for the start of the season (the current belief is that he will be ready), that might open up the guard spot for somebody else. Will J.R. Sweezy get back to full health and back into the mix? How quickly can rookie third-rounder Alex Cappa convince the coaching staff that he is a starting option? Obviously, the experienced and reliable Evan Smith is always an option.
Two things to keep in mind here. The first is Dirk Koetter is adamant that his backup offensive linemen train to be multi-dimensional. He wants them all to play two or more positions on the line at a moment’s notice.
So for Koetter to order Benenoch only to work at right guard is a major departure from Koetter’s doctrine.
Then, when Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht went on SiriusXM NFL Radio and not only omitted Sweezy’s name from his offensive line discussion but added there would be competition at right guard, that tells Joe Sweezy is on thin ice.
June 4th, 2018 at 5:38 am
@Joe … “that tells Joe Sweezy is on thin ice.” And leaves us with the question … ‘Why is Sweezy still here?’
June 4th, 2018 at 5:38 am
Seems we have options for R.G., I’m more worried about R.T.. Dotsons’ had it, depending on him to go the distance this season would be a huge mistake. It’s good to have linemen that can play any position, but I wish the Bucs would draft more for need on the O line. It’s been obvious Dotson needs to be replaced so why not draft a R.T. who’s played there at a high level for the last three years in college? Cappa might pan out as one, or a guard, or a center, but he won’t be a left tackle, and that’s what he played in college. Wouldn’t it be better had we drafted a pure R.T. now then an enigma in Cappa?
June 4th, 2018 at 6:25 am
Why is Sweezy still here? Um, because he’s injured and you can’t cut an injured player without a settlement.
June 4th, 2018 at 6:54 am
Man , I am pulling for kappa. Hopefully he is able to put on10 lbs of muscle quickly (which he will) and compete for starting gig. We want the best guys out there period.
And i understand that benenoch knows the system so has a leg up as of right now.
Hobart and humbolt would be cool to see!
June 4th, 2018 at 7:01 am
Hopefully Cappa is a fast learner…
June 4th, 2018 at 7:03 am
@Defense
Somebody mentioned on here that we could not cut him because he is still injured. I Don’t really know the rules on injury settlements,but that might be an expensive option. If he broke the smaller bone in his lower leg then that is much more difficult to heal. When my wife broke hers it healed without surgery,but we met somebody who had the surgery with rod put in. One year later she was still in a boot and the bone was not healing properly.
June 4th, 2018 at 7:04 am
Joe keeps telling the sheep how great the O-line is!!!!! But every year a see 3 new players in new positions!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 4th, 2018 at 7:59 am
Hell….let’s plug Vita in at RG…..what a monster!!! He’s young and strong and could play 2 downs on defense and then go in for the offense…..(kidding)…..but Beau Allen may be looking for some action at RG.
I have hopes for Benenoch……but, this is his 3rd year…..there should be no question whatsoever that he is ready….
June 4th, 2018 at 8:15 am
“Benenoch may have edge at RG.” I think that falls under the no sh%t factory Joe. Cappa isn’t big enough for RG right now, but if they really are trying to teach him to be multi dimensional, that’d be good to have the depth. Type up an article on who has the edge at RT. Grandpa Dotson or the Bouncer.
June 4th, 2018 at 8:21 am
@Hodad:
“Why not draft a RT who’s played there at a high level . . .”
Because many college teams put their best OL at LT regardless of where they should play in the pros.
Besides, arm length and height are important physical factors in pro OL positioning. I hear that Marpet’s arms are under 33”, which pretty much disqualifies him from the tackle positions. The OT is expected to be at least 6’5” for leverage reasons, so shorter players are put at OG.
The Bucs draft college players who have been stationed at OL because they are the best athletes and prospects for the professional OL. Once here, we refine the pick by inserting them at a spot in line with their physical build and talents.
June 4th, 2018 at 9:41 am
It’s just funny to me that there are real expectation in TB for JW and ROJO but the brilliant minds at OBP have absolutely failed to get a right side of the oline. That’s just sad , pathetic even. Sweezy hurt, Dotson hurt OKAY lets put in the scrub Caleb and some rookie Div III guy at RG? GTFOH!!! And yet you all expect JW to have time to execute the offense? Can’t be that stupid!
Just execute Just execute, STFU how tf you gonna execute when you have 3 people in your face .25 sec after the ball is snapped? How GDI how?
June 4th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Sweezy is on thin ice, because my guess is the Bucs plan on cutting him before the start of the season unless he is healthy and plays at a very high level in training camp(doubtful).
The Bucs would save $6.5MM against the cap and have $1.875MM in dead money against the cap.
June 4th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Basically it makes sense to have Benenoch do more work at gaurd after all the work he put in last year at tackle. Also for consideration is how his knowledge as tackle would be given depth with more actual performance as gaurd. The inverse is true for his knowledge of what the tackle has to do as he plays gaurd. The interconnect is important to a line that will have occasional injuries requiring backups to come in and try to keep it fluid.
This is the time to get that knowledge and confidence in Benenoch if gaurd is his weaker spot.