Buccaneers See A Top-5 Running Back In Peyton Barber
March 11th, 2019
The love for Peyton Barber inside the walls of One Buc Palace runs extremely deep. Joe learned last week that it runs far deeper than Joe ever imagined.
In fact, Bucs officials see Barber as a guy they expect will be top-5 rusher in the NFL this season. And no, that’s not analysis from men sitting around drinking whiskey and talking loudly in lewd establishments.
Bucco Bruce Arians and Jason Licht blew lots of smoke talking about Adam Humphries and DeSean Jackson this winter, but it wasn’t smoke from Arians when he gushed about Barber over and over last month.
In 2018, five NFL running backs ran for more than 1,100 yards. In 2017, seven RBs broke the 1,100-yard mark. Together, all those guys, over both seasons, averaged about 9 rushing touchdowns per season.
Joe can say with certainty that the Bucs would consider Barber to have underachieved if he cranks out 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns through a full season this year.
Really, that’s how highly they respect and value Barber at One Buc Palace.
It’s why there’s been no restricted free agent tender slapped on him yet. The Bucs want to lock him down for years. Joe wonders today if Barber will gamble on himself and insist on the one-year tender. The deadline is Wednesday afternoon.
However the Bucs assess Barber, they still need a running back desperately. They’re extremely thin at the position.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:28 am
Top 5 is crazy lol.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:31 am
Yo Brucie???????
What you and Gump smokin??????????????
Top 5…….?????
more like TOP 35…………gimme a break
on any other team he’d be a 3rd stringer
March 11th, 2019 at 11:31 am
I don’t understand the strategy to publicly praise a player before a contract is signed…..It would seem to me that strategy only raises the price.
It’s one thing to say you like a player but to single him out is another.
Correct me if I’m wrong here.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:33 am
Joey….understand your sentiment but IMHO this hinges totally on the “new upgraded” OL. Teams with great OL’s can plug and play RB’s…Barber has enough talent in that kind of situation.
Now Joey if you wish to make the point that the Bucs do not yet appear to have a great OL I agree! They better find at least one true stud in the draft and even then their run blocking remains suspect.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:34 am
TOTAL f*ckin lunacy! We will see.
Go Bucs! Get Quinnen!
March 11th, 2019 at 11:36 am
The “real” fans could see it!!!!!!!!!! They are just talking about just in the NFC South division right??????????????
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, That the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 11th, 2019 at 11:36 am
And RoJo will lead the league in rushing…pass the bong…
March 11th, 2019 at 11:37 am
My thoughts on Barber are well known. He isn’t top 5 in the division.
Oh but he did rank 199 with 92 yards receiving.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:39 am
“Joe can say with certainty that the Bucs would consider Barber to have underachieved if he cranks out 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns through a full season this year.”
What do you mean by this? Joe means exactly what was written. –Joe
Are you saying they will think he has underachieved up to this point? Or that they expect him to eclipse those totals you mentioned?
Because if it’s the former, how would you be able to determine whether or not the Bucs deemed that it was the coaching staff underutilizing him rather than Barber underachieving.
Or, and this is a novel concept which I’m sure you’ll love, perhaps by some chance it was the offensive line being offensively bad at run blocking. And that fact Barber overachieved considering what he had to work with in front of him. That couldn’t be the case though could it?
March 11th, 2019 at 11:40 am
Whatever they are smoking in that front office is gonna prove to be lethal for licht. So they are projecting he’ll be a top 5 back based on what? How are they gonna make that happen? BA came out and said the o line needed the most work so changing out the right guard will make him top 5? Do they even realize who the top 10 in the league are? All of them are certainly faster than barber. Sure hope they are blowing smoke to keep people off the trail of the running back they want in the draft
March 11th, 2019 at 11:40 am
NPRSageBoy Says:
March 11th, 2019 at 11:36 am
And RoJo will lead the league in rushing…pass the bong…
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AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA………omg……….that’s so funny
Thanks for a good laugh, you made my day talking about this bust
March 11th, 2019 at 11:41 am
This is insanity. Barber isn’t even top 5 in the division!!
March 11th, 2019 at 11:43 am
He could be a top 10 running back with a solid right side of the line.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:44 am
BA deserves the benefit of the doubt. This is not Koetter’s team. TWO separate coaching staffs now have graded Barber a starter at the least. We have too many holes to fix we aren’t going to get pro bowlers at every position. I want to see how BA and company use Barber/Jones if they are serious about sticking with these two.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:46 am
So you mean to say they expect him to run for more than 1,100 yards and score more than 9 touchdowns this season?
March 11th, 2019 at 11:50 am
Please let me sell you some swamp land! Top 5? Not on your life.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:50 am
In today’s NFL I’d think of all purpose rushing/receiving yardage vs just rushing yardage in terms of calling anyone a “top 5” back. I’d imagine that sets the bar a lot higher than just looking at rushing totals
March 11th, 2019 at 11:51 am
He’s not a top 5 running back.
March 11th, 2019 at 11:53 am
Phil on this board he is a future All Star
March 11th, 2019 at 11:54 am
@Stpete
They havent made any changes on the OL yet. Anything is possible but Barber was 9th in carries and 19th in yards. The only spot on the OL that might change is RG and Idk if a RG is going to give Barber a 30% boost in production which is what he wouldve needed to be top 5 this past season.
An improved OL will help Barber for sure, but Top 5 expectations are a little much
March 11th, 2019 at 11:55 am
All things considered, I agree that Barber could be a top 5 back. He hits the hole fast and hard, the problem being that due to poor coaching/management/execution, there have hardly been any holes. Dude makes yards all by himself. He can pass block. He can catch (when asked too). He’s strong and durable. No he is not Barkley or Zeke, but those two guys stand alone. Let’s see what Barber can do with some better coaching! Let him loose baby!
March 11th, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Jeebs I have some WorldComm I’d love to sell you. Its coming back, I swear.
March 11th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
So what does he lacks that makes him so terrible in everyones eyes? He runs with great power, good vision, he has decent shiftiness but he lacks elite speed. He can catch and just cause Koetter didn’t ever run screens doesn’t mean he can be really good in that facet of the game. He’s a good back and certainly a starter in this league, not elite but plenty good enough if our line blocked anyone.
March 11th, 2019 at 12:16 pm
Top 5 in the NFC South is a stretch let alone NFL…come on!
March 11th, 2019 at 12:17 pm
Barber is gonna surprise all of you. He has the talent to go over 1100yrds.
March 11th, 2019 at 12:21 pm
AwShbucs Says:
“So you mean to say they expect him to run for more than 1,100 yards and score more than 9 touchdowns this season?”
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It would be surprising to me if he doesn’t achieve those numbers.
March 11th, 2019 at 12:23 pm
That seems like a no brainer, since the Bucs only carry 4 RBs on their roster.
March 11th, 2019 at 12:26 pm
He’s an 1000 + yd runner with a competent Oline in front of him, 5 times a game would this guy have attempt to make 2 people miss behind the Los
March 11th, 2019 at 12:45 pm
Barber runs hard an has decent vision the prob is the oline. Better blocking an he could easily run for 1100 yards. If we block better everyone one will see not saying he’s the next AP but I think he will surprise a lot
March 11th, 2019 at 1:35 pm
Realist you’ve been saying that for years. “(Insert year here) will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
March 11th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Barber can be a productive back if we address the OL first. I’d rather have a good OL and an average back than an average line and a great RB.
March 11th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Barber is easily my favorite Buc. Y’all don’t know what you’re talking about cause you only respect ESPN highlights. You can’t win with nine home run hitters in the lineup. You need those walks and singles to win.
In football term when Barber hits a single it comes in the form of crushing bones which is sorely needed on this soft ass team. He’s more valuable then y’all think
March 11th, 2019 at 2:42 pm
People think i’m crazy but his style reminds me of a poor man’s Priest Holmes. He gashes with power, if he could get a bit cleaner with catching dump passes and screens, he has serious upside and great value. He’s a guy that can sneak up on people this season. So much focus will remain on Evans, Howard, Godwin…I think Barber and whoever fills in the slot will get some solid production this year.
March 11th, 2019 at 2:48 pm
Jeebs Says:
“All things considered, I agree that Barber could be a top 5 back. He hits the hole fast and hard, the problem being that due to poor coaching/management/execution, there have hardly been any holes. Dude makes yards all by himself. He can pass block. He can catch (when asked too). He’s strong and durable. No he is not Barkley or Zeke, but those two guys stand alone. Let’s see what Barber can do with some better coaching! Let him loose baby!”
I agree.
March 11th, 2019 at 2:55 pm
Jeebs Says:
“All things considered, I agree that Barber could be a top 5 back. He hits the hole fast and hard, the problem being that due to poor coaching/management/execution, there have hardly been any holes. Dude makes yards all by himself. He can pass block. He can catch (when asked too). He’s strong and durable. No he is not Barkley or Zeke, but those two guys stand alone. Let’s see what Barber can do with some better coaching! Let him loose baby!”
I agree. Fix the trenches, fix the Bucs!
March 11th, 2019 at 5:28 pm
Yep and Smith is a top 5 tackle, Vernon is as top 5 corner, Winston top 5 QB, Godwin top 5 WR , Vita top 5 DL . Damn surprised we didn’t go Undefeated and win the Super Bowl having top 5 talent at every position, he’ll of job Licht!!
March 12th, 2019 at 12:31 pm
Maybe if they let us start using a 6th O lineman!!!
Oh wait, or either we actually coach the 5 we have.
Brilliant.
Let’s try that 1st.