The Bucs & Kadarius Toney
April 26th, 2021
Bucs GM Jason Licht
What if in the bowels of One Buc Palace, the conversation is about building the most dangerous offense in NFL history?
If that’s the case, and Joe doesn’t doubt it might be, then what is the next move?
Bringing back Antonio Brown would a great start. Love him or hate him, Brown was dangerous and productive last season. But it seems Brown does not want the Bucs’ contract offer, or the Bucs are tempted to keep it low until after they go fishing in this week’s NFL Draft.
And that brings Joe to Florida Gators receiver/returner/running back Kadarius Toney. The guy is electric with the football, and Joe is confident his shiftiness and explosion will translate to the pro game. Joe sees Toney highlights and thinks of chasing one of those superballs in a parking lot, the crazy bouncy little rubber things.
What a fun player. Toney can score from anywhere, and he would be an upgrade for the Bucs at returner, and a chess piece for the Bucs’ offensive gurus to figure out as the 2021 season progressed.
Would Tampa Bay really go after such a luxury pick in Round 1? Toney is projected to be a late first-rounder, or a second-round pick.
If general manager Jason Licht and Bucco Bruce Arians are committed to keeping their foot on the gas, and if they expect their defense to force a lot of punts, Joe could see Toney getting the call. Man, he quickly would become a fan favorite after making a lot of camp-meat defensive players look thoroughly stupid during preseason games.
April 26th, 2021 at 6:07 am
I would be ok with Trask being picked up and learning under Brady. We see how that one additional intelligent tool can put the entire puzzle together and it’d be best for someone like Trask to learn Brady’s techniques or what’s able to be absorbed
April 26th, 2021 at 6:33 am
Our offense is stacked. Let’s not forget we only have a year at most with Suh, Pierre, Gholston. We need to focus on defensive line in first n second round. Let’s not go back to 2018 shame n embarrassment of a defensive line. History has shown that u can always find a Percy Harvin type player in the later rounds.
April 26th, 2021 at 6:39 am
Bucs trade their 1st and 2nd round pick to the Dolphins 2nd rounders 36 and 50 then draft Trask and Toney.
April 26th, 2021 at 6:49 am
Brown to too busy hanging out w/ that idiot (sleezeball?) Jake Paul, instead of w/ his teammates in public
April 26th, 2021 at 6:54 am
Luxury pick for sure. You get instant payback. But there is only one ball. We just need to see how everyone picks in front of us. Predicteding the #32 is like roulette. We get the entertainment of watching everyone trying to build a team to beat us. Go Bucs.
April 26th, 2021 at 6:59 am
Antonio Brown had his chance to sign with the Bucs but blew it. Now many teams are doubting whether he is worth the headache per court hearing and the NFL decision on any repercussions for his off-the-field actions.
April 26th, 2021 at 7:02 am
Never heard of this guy but I loved the description. Do we take a luxary pick? I dont know what better scenario would be needed to go with a luxary pick……..I wont be at the party but if i was I think i might be charting this guys name…….He is a Gator so you cant hate. How fun would it be to have a Gator work out for us? CHOMP CHOMP BRO.
Plus Im pretty sure this guy would get the seal of approval of that Ford truck guy. It dont matter if that guy was dead wrong last year when he craved a RB…..Hes a Ford guy and thats good enough for me.
April 26th, 2021 at 7:27 am
Toney is electric for sure, but more gadget player than true receiver watching him as a gator fan. So if you want to use him for Benn’d arounds, quick screens and returning kicks, great! But running routes and out-physicaling DBs like Godwin or Evans do ain’t gunna happen, especially in the NFL (as opposed to the DBs from Charleston Southern or Tennessee).
He’d be the 5th WR on the depth chart, kind of fill a similar role to Scooter, and not a like for like replacement of Godwin if they can’t resign him. Just have to keep that in mind, if you’re burning a 1st round pick on him.
For my money, I’d rather have an edge rusher than a gadget WR / returner. And I say that as a UF homer too.
April 26th, 2021 at 7:39 am
Never draft a gadget player that high…
1’s -3’s should be future solid “starters.”
April 26th, 2021 at 8:05 am
Fits my criteria for a explosive player, I have not mentioned him because I have never seen him getting to 32. I guess it depends on the cost of moving up, I would bet JL will be asking teams as he gets closer.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:11 am
Cobra i understand your point about gadget players but let me ask you this………If you took a guy named Devin Hester with a #32 pick would you say its worth it? Or what if it was a Darren Sproles? Or a Donte Hall or Randle El.
Also if I remember right Tyreek Hill was considered a gadget guy coming out. Just sayin.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:21 am
@JimmyJack: in hindsight, yes.
But not with foresight.
Would you have waited to take a certain 6th Round QB higher if you “knew* what he’d become?
The draft is a crapshoot as it is. Start speculating on a draft pick is what keeps poor teams at the bottom.
If teams can miss on “can’t miss” picks, they can miss even more speculating on gadget players taken high.
The Bucs once gambled on a speedy gadget player in the 2nd Round, and he got cut after 8 games.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:24 am
@SB~LV: If Licht is looking for explosive offensive players, the kid from Ole Miss is a similar impact guy, and not so much a gadget player…and the Bucs may not need to spend draft capital to get him.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:33 am
Let’s stick with the Dline or another CB…..WR/KR/PR can be had later in the draft.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:36 am
I lean with Cobraboy on this one. I would not take Toney in the 1st round. If I had to take a receiver, for me it would be Terrance Marshall.
Not sure of all the Kyle Trask talk by posters either. He is not rated elite. I think he can be an acceptable backup. So if he, David Mills or Monds falls to end of 3rd round and you like one for long term potential – ok to grab him. But any of those guys in the 1st or 2nd round just seems not right for this current Buc’s team.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:43 am
I believe the Bucs filled that need for a slight, gadget type speedster in the 5th round a few years ago. Scott6y Miller has the advantage of being white and no one on the defense takes his speed seriously. Especially about 8 seconds before halftime.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:44 am
Toney is not a gadget player; and it is evident if you watched UF this past year. He is one of the top 5 explosive players in the draft and Mullen got him in great matchups and he won all the time.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:47 am
Cobra I hear ya. The draft is a crapshoot. But I dont think teams and GMs look at the draft as a crapshoot. I would hope teams lean on evaluations and scouting………I think if the Bucs pull the trigger on Gator Toney its because they firmly believe he will be the next Randle El.
Im not saying they should take Toney Tony Tonie. Just making a case for if they did…….Because of the crapshoot element like you mentioned I just dont think there is one set way to assess proper value. At the end of the day you are drafting people not positions.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:55 am
The problem with taking guys like Toney or Moore early is they don’t fit at all how our HC/OC use their slot receivers. We use our slot receiver as a second TE often. It’s one reason they live Godwin so much there. Look back at who Bruce has used in the slot as OC/HC. Small speedy receivers play outside in our offense, and there isn’t a lot that feeds their type of talent. Do good coaches adjust for talent? Of course, but they all tend to draft for what they prefer. So I definitely don’t see us moving up for either and would think one would have to fall to an unexpected position for us to consider it. Which I don’t think Toney would be at 32.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:55 am
@JJ: teams may not think the draft is a crapshoot, but they are as often wrong as correct regardless of the round.
If the draft were science, no first-rounder would bust, and no UDFA would become a solid player…and we know that is just a fantasy.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:57 am
I’d prefer this be a OLB/OL/DL/DB draft in no particular order.
The D is not nearly as deep as the O.
April 26th, 2021 at 8:58 am
AND (I forgot to mention), draft for ST’s. The Bucs are near the bottom in that area.
April 26th, 2021 at 9:19 am
Wouldn’t be mad if Toney was the pick, but I am eyeing Oweh or Tryon to eventually replace Gholston/JPP. Toney is electric, but a high potential pass rusher would be more important to this team in terms of depth and eventual starter.
April 26th, 2021 at 9:30 am
Trask is a very underwhelming prospect in terms of raw traits and having B- film. I don’t understand why his name keeps getting brought up often by many Bucs fans. Toney on the other hand will be an unbelievable weapon. But I also feel like he is an elite #3 receiver, but an average split wide ala Mike Evans or Godwin type receiver. It is highly likely that Godwin and Evans are bucs for life like LVD. So Toney would be the perfect fit for this offense for all of his rookie contract days at least.
April 26th, 2021 at 9:34 am
Now you’re making sense Joe. The bucs should be drafting special teams. It’s the one area they’re deficient in. Nobody they draft is going to play much. The depth chart is too crowded. Why not draft this dude
April 26th, 2021 at 9:38 am
Football games are won and lost in the trenches. Bucs are not deep on Oline and Jensen is a free agent next season with a very top heavy center draft. Draft the best center available and feed him the nasty pills that Jensen takes, Protect the franchise.
April 26th, 2021 at 9:41 am
How does Trask have B Minus film? He set all kinds of records at UF. He set SEC records too.
69 TDs to 15 INTs in only 12 Starts??? Man I would love to see your A+ film.
April 26th, 2021 at 10:03 am
I have been saying DL/LB, OL, WR/returner and no particular order in the first four rounds.
I kind of assume DL/LB would be rd 1.
I would love K Toney,
as long as they feel they can get a contributor at DL in rd 2.
April 26th, 2021 at 10:04 am
In 2000, NFL teams averaged 4.0 kick returns and 2.3 punt returns per game. In 2010, NFL teams averaged 4.0 kick returns and 2.2 punt returns per game. In 2020, NFL teams averaged 1.9 kick returns and 1.5 punt returns per game.
Toney at least had a pr TD last season and some experience returning both. Moore has very little experience and no success as a returner. Drafting for a returner has decreased significantly in value just recently with rule changes. There will be plenty of experienced college returners available late and as UDFA.
April 26th, 2021 at 10:20 am
If we picked this type of player/receiver, I gotta say I’d prefer Rondale Moore over Toney….I know I’m in the minority w/ that opinion
Moore is partly responsible for turning that Purdue (shoutout Mike Alstott) program around too. Jeff Brohm of course too.
Too bad Moore and David Bell couldn’t have played more games together.
April 26th, 2021 at 10:26 am
19 starts……….not 12
April 26th, 2021 at 10:38 am
Toney is the wild card reach I approve of. His improvement trajectory in college has been steep and pronounced, and that was with Trashk staring him down for two years. I’d be excited to have him.
April 26th, 2021 at 10:40 am
Him, Elijah & Rondale Moore…
@32 would be a reach, get Oweh or Uwuzurike instead.
If we trade @40ish he would be an option
@64 he might be a steal but likely gone
Kyle Trash may be available in the 4th round and he is an option because that is where I expect the Bucs to pick a QB although maybe they get the Stanford kid @95 or even trade up to @89 for the guy
i would like the Bucs to pick Uwuzurike @32, a little bit of a reach but a sound pick. I also would like the Bucs to trade up with the second pick to @50ish to get Jabril Cox. Those two could contribute immediately and be future starters.
The Felton kid may be available 4th or 5th round and he can be the return/gadget guy; There’s only so many things you can do in the draft. Sign Antonio instead of drafting his replacement.I would love it if the Bucs get this guy but it might take burning some future draft picks and change to get him. As a fan I am in for it but I don’t expect that from GM.
April 26th, 2021 at 10:48 am
Hey Swampbuc………who holds the UF record for TDs in a single season?
April 26th, 2021 at 10:48 am
Passing TDs.
We all know Tebow had 55 but 23 of those were rushing
April 26th, 2021 at 10:49 am
Hey Swampbuc………who holds the career TD/INT ratio at UF?
April 26th, 2021 at 10:52 am
Excerpt from an article on SI
“Trask has posted 3627 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just five interceptions in ten games for the Gators this year.”
Yup……sounds like a “staring down, piece of trash” QB to me
April 26th, 2021 at 11:11 am
Punt returner???
April 26th, 2021 at 11:36 am
This draft is deep at WR. You don’t need to take one early. We need to build the O-Line and D-Line depth or CB perhaps. Win in the trenches.
April 26th, 2021 at 12:56 pm
Kadarius? Well that name is another WTF… Maybe it should be K’Darius or Kid Arius. Next year’s top pick Ladoozrius Wahoodrius-Jackson, Jr.
April 26th, 2021 at 1:02 pm
Qway-tarion J. Lugubrious-Smith III
April 26th, 2021 at 1:39 pm
Without many holes these are usually the types of guys taken. He is only a gadget player if you make him so. Just because a guy returns kicks doesnt mean he is a gadget player if he also plays rb and wr. He wont be a rb or wr if he doesnt earn it i can assure that. This guy will. Not saying I’d take him but i wouldnt be upset. With the team up against the cap I expect them to draft a couple guys who can, if good enough, take over for two of the higher paid players. Another deep run and salaries jump again. Gona be about replacing starters very soon.
April 26th, 2021 at 2:23 pm
If they do pick a wr at 32 I like elijah Moore the most.
April 26th, 2021 at 3:36 pm
SB — obviously you didn’t watch him play against Georgia in the second half or against Oklahoma. If Georgia had a quarterback, at all, they would have won and Trashk threw three pick sixes right into Georgia defenders chests — they just sucked enough to drop them. He is a finw college QB for Mullen’s system with all those weapons. Ever heard of Danny Wuerffel? He won a Heisman? Yeah. He sucked in the NFL. Trashk < Wuerrfel.
But massage yourself with Trashk's stats, it probably feels good.
April 26th, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Kellen Mond outplayed Trashk head to head. He got this thing called a “win.”
April 26th, 2021 at 6:41 pm
You keep saying that nonsense.
Mond 3TDs 0 INTs
Trask 4TDs 0INTs
You have some weird concepts man.