Reggie Brown Has Found New Life With Bucs
June 6th, 2010
Long before the end of last season, it was apparent who fans wanted jettisoned from the team more than they wanted cheaper beer at the CITS: blocking icon Michael Clayton.
For whatever reason, the Bucs embattled wide receiver became a symbol of the bungling Bucs as the team sank from playoff contender to doormat of the NFL in a nightmarish season.
If the loud, vocal critics didn’t get Clayton’s attention, a somewhat minor transaction by Bucs general manager probably did: acquiring Eagles veteran receiver and former University of Georgia stud Reggie Brown for a draft pick.
(Drafting two receivers in the first four picks also certainly must have gotten Clayton’s attention).
Brown fell out of favor with the Eagles, not unlike Clayton with the Bucs. But Brown believes his career is rejuvenated with the Bucs, so he told Joe’s friend the Backwards Hat, aka dapper Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger.
“I had a little hamstring injury in the preseason of my fourth year,” Brown said following an offseason practice at One Buc Place on Wednesday. “I wasn’t practicing, and the coaches never felt confident in me after that. I was hurt at the wrong time.
“It was frustrating,” he said. “But I knew I could still play this game. All I needed was a chance.”
The Bucs now have a crowded corps of wide receivers. In addition to rookies Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams, there’s second-year stud Sammie Stroughter, special teams guru Mo Stovall and the oft-forgotten Mark Bradley to factor in along with Brown and Clayton.
Joe is of the belief that Clayton will be back for his final year with the Bucs, as he will play out his contract, though this is hardly locked in stone. For Clayton to retire with the Bucs, he’ll have to repeat the success he had his rookie season where he appeared to be an All Pro in the making.
June 6th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Know what else Reggie Brown does? Play special teams. And well
June 6th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Brown + Clayton = UNSTOPPABLE
Who needs BM when you have that potentially devastating combo?
June 6th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Eric is in so much pain.
June 6th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
“Joe is of the belief that Clayton will be back for his final year with the Bucs, as he will play out his contract, though this is hardly locked in stone.”
Uhh, what? He signed a new contract last year…he still has FOUR years left…
June 6th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Matt:
Only the first two years of Clayton’s contract are guarenteed salary. This season is the second year of the contact. Should have been more specific.
June 6th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Joe here,
Matt – To be more specific would be to say to play out Clayton’s guaranteed money, which really only goes through 2010, rather than the four-year deal. … FYI, there’s some division on this at the JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters. Some think Clayton is done unless there’s an injury.
June 6th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Ugh, I hate writing this. Richard Mann never developed a young reciever in all the years he was here. EVER. Is it possible that with a different coach, that (shudder) Clayton could show some of the talent he brought here as a rookie.(ugh, that hurt). Tell me if Im wrong Joe, but every account I’ve ever heard is that Clayton is a hard worker and a good teammate. He isn’t some lazy bum with a sense of entitlement.if he was, it would be easy to discount this guy. But all I’ve heard is that he works his butt off. Is that your take on him? I expect to get bombed for this by the other Bloggers, and I probably deserve it. But as much as he’s dissapointed, he looked like an Allpro Asa rookie.
No matter who starts this year, the recievers Im excited to see are Stroughter, Mike Williams, And Arrelious Benn. That’s the trio I wanna see grow with Freeman. I think teamed with Winslow,and Graham out of the backfield, our passing attack may grow into something exciting!!
June 6th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Ideally, Clayton will have a great preseason so some team will show interest aND FALL PREY AND maybe they can get a 5th rounder. That is optimistic, but I am worried they won’t cut him and won’t trade him unless they get at least a 5th (maybe 6th).
I like clayton, unlike many others, I just think he REALLY needs a change of scenery. It would be a win-win to get rid of him.
June 6th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Joe here,
Capt. Tim – Joe, too, has heard great things about Clayton’s work ethic, but you could say that about at least half the guys on the Bucs. What does it all mean if you prove several years in a row that you can’t get it done? Joe can’t blame Richard Mann for Clayton falling off the map after a great rookie year. Surely it wasn’t Mann’s fault. And while Mann didn’t develop much of a young receiving corps, he definitely got it done with Antonio Bryant, and with Galloway as his No. 1 for a while, he surely didn’t need to do much there. …As for being a great teammate, Joe has heard good and bad when it comes to Clayton.
June 6th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
@Capt.Tim
Hopefully our new receivers coach, Eric Yarber, has what it takes. Here’s a bio of him from:
http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/yarber_eric00.html
Yarber coached the 49ers’ wide receivers in 2003 and 2004, guiding Pro Bowler Terrell Owens to a 1,000-yard season in his first year. Yarber also played an integral part in the development of rookie wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, who led the team with a 15.1-yard average per catch in 2004.
Yarber was a member of the Oregon State staff from 1999-2002. He coached the receivers for three seasons after switching from running backs coach following the 1999 season. During Yarber’s tenure, the Beavers sent two receivers to the NFL in 2000, as Chad Johnson was a second-round selection of Cincinnati and T.J. Houshmandzadeh was the seventh-round pick of the Bengals.
TO, Chad Johnson, Houshmanzadah. That’s impressive.
June 7th, 2010 at 12:12 am
Eric “the Savior” Yarber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gonna teach Clayton to catch after five years in the league!
Obviously, Clayton is just as talented as TO!
June 7th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Thanks, Patrick, great info on Yarber.
And , yeah Dave, that’s what I was thinking. Maybe we get a some trade value for him. No way he could revive his career here.
Ah, and Eric. Football really makes you this miserable?? REALLY??
Come in off the ledge,and go make some friends, get a girlfriend, buy a dog!!
Even if ALL your worst fears about this team come true, WHO CARES!!.
Just stop watching, they don’t fire the FANS! You can survive this, and go on to lead a normal, productive life. Even if they are 0-16!
Damn, it’s just a football team!