Koetter: “It’s No Knock On Chris Conte”
August 14th, 2018
Targeted
Man, the powerful but brief impact of rookie safety Jordan Whitehead in the preseason opener sure sent a ripple through One Buc Palace.
The young man went from an injured kid catching up after missing nearly all spring practices with an injury to being discussed as a potential impact player in the regular season.
Today, Dirk Koetter was asked whether it’s a leap to say Justin Evans could be on the field in some capacity with Whitehead this season. Evans has been playing his share of nickel corner in practice, largely because of injuries to Vernon Hargreaves and other corners.
“I don’t think it’s that big a leap. It might be one of them playing nickel,” Koetter said of Whitehead and Evans. “It’s no knock on Chris Conte. You gotta get your best guys on the field.”
Koetter also referenced a likely need to get Chris Godwin on the field, too.
There is a much higher level of urgency on this Bucs team in 2018, understandably so.
August 14th, 2018 at 12:31 pm
What ever it takes to get that W! We need to be ready to fight hard against the Aints !!!
August 14th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
would love to see whitehead and evans as our starting safeties…..as dirk said, its about getting your best on the field….whitehead is one of our best safeties this early in his career…..huge knock on conte
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
August 14th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
justin evans should be the fs… whitehead the ss idk why they move players so much let young players master their positions like good teams do
August 14th, 2018 at 12:44 pm
There we go again. the annual jealous hate of good looking Chris Conte. The envious tobacco dipping fat slob Buc sheep spewing hate toward Chris Conte because he does well with the ladies
“I have been numerous times been complimented that I look exactly like Chris Conte naked”
Kobe Faker
August 14th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Expect communication break downs and blown coverages in the secondary….between 1st and 2nd yr players, its bound to happen. CBs will be expecting help over the top, either it wont be there or a bad angle of attack will bite us. This team has “talent” on the defensive side of the ball but whether veterans or young guys, they have to learn the system and have confidence in each other executing without hesitation. Chemistry is key….we have so many new guys that its unrealistic to think they’ll mesh right away. I would expect by week 8 things start to click.
August 14th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
Hmmm, that’s not what took from Koetter at all. My take away was that Whitehead, Evans, AND Conte constitute “the best players”, and that the challenge is to get them all on the field at the same time. Hence sliding Evans down to the nickel corner.
In that scenario, it’s seems as though VH3 (not Conte) is the one left to ride the pine, or whatever it is Hargraves likes to do with pine.
August 14th, 2018 at 12:57 pm
Haha. That does sound like a knock on Chris Conte. Conte is getting $2.5 million this year. Maybe he should be one of the one’s that gets kicked to the curb before season starts. Rotate Tandy, Evans, and Whitehead at safety, and if we are very desperate at CB (like now), we can put in Evans at nickel and rotate the what look to be good rookie CB at the different positions they’re learning. And all this does is help players understand the defense better, so haters against this J.Evans practicing at nickel just shut the f#ck up and we’ll wait and see.
August 14th, 2018 at 1:04 pm
“It’s no knock on Chris Conte. You gotta get your best guys on the field.”
Um – yes coach – that kind of IS a knock on Conte (a 7 year vet/starter) when a rookie 4th rd pick with exactly ONE (exhibition) game of NFL experience under his belt clearly looks better and more capable of making an impact.
August 14th, 2018 at 1:08 pm
either it wont be there or a bad angle of attack will bite us.
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Well you’re obviously not watching tape bc this is what Chris Conte does, it’s his calling card. On top of getting run over by RB on a regular basis.
Let the safeties instill some fear you’d be surprised of the outcomes.
August 14th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
4sure a knock on Chris Conte….
August 14th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
Not sure how putting Evans in at the nickel could be construed as a “knock on Conte.” We don’t play a lot of traditional safety alignments with one guy playing in the box as the “strong” safety and the other playing single high as a “free” safety, but we showed that look several times last week with Conte playing high.
Interestingly, the Bucs list both Conte and Evans listed as strong safeties with Tandy and Johnson listed as free safeties. Whitehead, who played almost 70% of the snaps, is listed as a DB. They shot the game too tight for us to see, but it looked like we were moving him all over. If he’s too good to sit (please let that be the case), look at him to take Evan’s snaps, not Conte’s.
August 14th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
How is it a knock on Conte to move Evans to corner/nickel and Whitehead to safety?
August 14th, 2018 at 1:31 pm
go with whitehead and evans. they need playing time and hopefully will only get better. I think we have seen the best from Conte.
August 14th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Evans and Whitehead starting safeties it’s the way to go. I prefer a young player missing an assignment or taking a bad angle than an overpaid veteran( Conte ) doing the same. It’s time to out the garbage.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Again, I would cross train Whitehead at corner/safety and leave Evans at safety. Whitehead played corner in college. Ryan Smith should be on the bubble after his rotten performance at outside corner. Maybe move Ryan Smith to safety and bring Whitehead into the cornerback mix. Smith may make a better safety while Whitehead could be a quality corner. Put your players in better positions to succeed.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
Check the archives.
I called it day one.
He is the next Honey Badger.
FS/nickle/CB
Just watch.
INTS, forced fumbles, touchdowns.
Jordan Whitehead is a PRO!
August 14th, 2018 at 2:28 pm
Read my post on learning a new position about Tandy. When given the opportunity #37 is very productive. Leave Evans at Nickle. Start Tandy at Safety along side Whitehead and let the Veteran, which is a Coach on the field put Whitehead in a position to succed. With Grimes, Evans, Tandy.and Whitehead in the Secondary you would have the best back defense the Bucs could put on the field. Time for Conte and Smith and Koetter to realize Conte is not the best option. He would be a great backup if injury should occur. I may be wrong but I may not!!!!! Let’s Goooooooo!
August 14th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Maybe we can sign Sean Smith. He just got out of jail and is a free agent.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
Well, they only resigned Conte to a one year deal for a reason.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:56 pm
I’m all for Whitehead earning a starting role.
Keyword: Earning.
Make him work for it. That way working hard will be a part of his player DNA.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:57 pm
I think he was saying that Conte can’t play nickel…..so, to put Evans at nickel and move Whitehead to safety is not a knock on Conte…
Now to move Whitehead to safety and bench Conte would definitely be a knock.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:58 pm
I’m a Tandyman Bucs Fan, Keith Tandy is nothing more than Depth, and not reliable depth. He actually got his chance years ago, and did not step up.
He seems to do well if he goes most of the season without playing, then gets a couple good plays at the end of a season.
He’ll be lucky to make the team, especially if the new guy and Evans do well.
August 14th, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Whitehead was also the guy that got beat on the 2-point conversion that gave Miami the lead with less than 2 minutes in pre-season game number one on a pass from Bryce Petty. Yes, that Bryce Petty. I’ll pump the brakes on the JW31 hoopla for now. No angst or animosity, just not drinking the Kool-Aid at this point. He did make a nice play on the pass before the TD, I’ll give him that.
August 14th, 2018 at 3:03 pm
Concerning Chris Conte, he is not a superstar, but he is solid. Fans like to rag on him and other players on the defense, but the truth is they could not be utilized properly without a good defensive line.
The line is there now, so don’t be surprised if Conte has his best year in Tampa this year (assuming he starts). On a one year deal, he’ll get a good contract with another team next year, and the Bucs will be done with him.
I like him for what he is…a bridge player.
August 14th, 2018 at 3:12 pm
Conte and Tandy are booo booo players. Time to move on from both of them
August 14th, 2018 at 3:16 pm
Whitehead is a heat seeking missile! He will probably miss some time here and there with the way he plays, so you are going to need depth. Also, he will definitely miss some assignments once in awhile, but even veteran players do that on occasion. I see Conte splitting time with Whitehead initially (maybe the first 2 or 3 games), but if Whitehead keeps playing like he did in Miami, and he stays healthy, he will be starting sooner rather than later this season.
August 14th, 2018 at 3:27 pm
Not for nothing but the kid had ONE good game in preseason against used cereal boxes and future banktellers and we’re ready to anoint him the unequivocal future safety of the decade?!
Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. Whitehead has WAAAAY more to prove than an established veteran.
It’s nice to see and I hope he can continue consistently. It’s just another great “problem” to have, too many starter-worthy safeties.
August 14th, 2018 at 3:42 pm
Shabazz, agreed, but nickel has a hole cause VHIII is out (backup to M.J.)
August 14th, 2018 at 3:42 pm
Whitehead was also the guy that got beat on the 2-point conversion
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Idk that he got beat, it was a good placed ball to the outside, you’d be hard pressed to find a safety who could get over-the-top of the receiver to bat down the ball but wtfdik
August 14th, 2018 at 3:46 pm
If anyone got beat it was M.J. Stewart on more than one play.
First on a blitz where he had man coverage and allowed the wr to cross his face and get a first down catch.
Second, the TD tHe was called out of bounds bc the we didn’t get his second foot down. If I’m not mistaken it was a 3rd or 4th string wr, guarantee if that was Micheal Thomas, Sanu or Funchess it would have been a TD but again wtfdik
August 14th, 2018 at 3:51 pm
Bucsfan
Imo he won the job on his first hit. Huge contrast between the way Conte filled holes in previous run plays some may have been blitzes and how Whitehead filled the hole on that play. And he brought the lumber on more than one occasion. If I’m not mistaken he has a pbu against the sidelines also.
You already know how I feel about Conte but as you say it’s only one ps game so I’m really looking forward to see what happens on Saturday. Mariota still not throwing more than 7 yards downfield. Lol.
August 14th, 2018 at 3:54 pm
Buc Samaria Bonza and Lamarcus I see neither of you read the facts I posted on Learning a new position I posted on Tandy. Buccaneer Bonzai I guess your pissed cause Tandy took your Boy Contes spot in 16 and excelled and Lamarcus you are about like Smith in evaluating talent ….Boo Boo player my Boo Boo!!! Coaching staff like you 2 better wise up or another season of gloom is ahead, especially with Jameis sitting the first 3!!! LETS GOOOOOOO!
August 14th, 2018 at 3:59 pm
Whitehead is a starter. Simple as that. He should have been drafted in the first round but had some personal problems to work through. He is going to be a stud for us for a long time. We should all be excited to watch him develop.
August 14th, 2018 at 4:21 pm
I thought Whitehead looks like he needs work on his technique. He seemed a bit indecisive which is to be expected, but dang when that guy sees a hit he makes it count!!
Big hits mean more then meets the eye.
Really hope this guy works hard for us and earns playing time. We can really use more playmakers back there.
August 14th, 2018 at 4:28 pm
A guy like Whitehead is why people need the shut the eff up about Conte. Anybody that’s paying attention could easily see they are building up the secondary through the draft. That is their plan and it’s working.
They want somebody to take that job from Conte. Until that happens they have Conte who will always be where he is supposed to be and will always know his responsibility. Not a superstar but has good hands and can make some plays.
But I bet the Conte crybabys we’re also whining when we drafted Justin Evans. Forrest through the trees man forrest through the trees.
August 14th, 2018 at 5:00 pm
whitehead and evans might be our best athletes at safety. i’ll be watching this preseason to see if they are also our best safeties, which is a slightly different thing. Drew Brees will find and exploit an out of position safety or a safety and DB who failed to get on the same page. might want to wait until we get Brees, Foles, and Big Ben behind us before we throw all that youth onto the field at once
August 14th, 2018 at 5:03 pm
Conte is so lost on the field, I swear I saw him looking at Google Maps during the Falcons game.
August 14th, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Name a corner or safety that has not been best ….in the NFL!!
August 14th, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Bucs Trooper you are so full of it man. If Conte was playing out of position he wouldn’t have a job here.
August 14th, 2018 at 5:26 pm
I agree with Sumo and M0J0.
Whitehead is not going to be a standard run of the mill safety. He will be an IMPACT player…literally. Will he get penalties…probably…will he send a message to every receiver in the NFL South YES!!!
Sumo is correct when it comes to Whitehead’s fall. He was mysteriously suspended by the Pitt Coach and yet he also got decent reviews for how he handled it.
His major downsides will be his health…he plays with reckless abandon and lives to blow people up…that means on occasion he’s going to blow himself up…he did miss some games with Pitt. And can he still play this style yet keep penalties to a minimum. And yeah he his aggression can sometimes burn him in coverage. But of all the draft picks this kid truly has the chance to be a breakout star…I think Vea will be better because of his freakish size but Whitehead is a heat seeking missile.
I think Joe will allow this link because it’s from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette at the end of 2017 when Whitehead announced he was coming out a year early.
There is no bias other than the typical Panther coverage may have but you can read for yourself the impression Whitehead left in Pennsylvania.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/12/11/jordan-whitehead-nfl-draft-pitt-football-pittsburgh-panthers-acc/stories/201712110111
August 14th, 2018 at 5:34 pm
They like Whitehead and Evans so their solution is Evans at nickel!? Omg it baffles me how stupid they can be. Here’s an idea…how about Evans and Whitehead as your starting safeties. Seems simple to me
August 14th, 2018 at 5:35 pm
Should’nt even be a question of whether or not Godwin is on the field
August 14th, 2018 at 6:09 pm
Kobe Faker Says:
August 14th, 2018 at 12:44 pm
There we go again. the annual jealous hate of good looking Chris Conte. The envious tobacco dipping fat slob Buc sheep spewing hate toward Chris Conte because he does well with the ladies
“I have been numerous times been complimented that I look exactly like Chris Conte naked”
Kobe Faker
I heard many ladies say the same things about you Kobe but it was from the eyebrows up, sorry dude.
p.s. How was your first day of high school?
August 14th, 2018 at 8:39 pm
Chris Conte is the Ryan Smith of safeties.