“Disruptive” Greg Gaines
March 20th, 2023
Bucs DT Greg Gaines.
Joe thinks the signing of Rams defensive tackle Greg Gaines was a good hire. Joe also suspects the crowd that despised Gerald McCoy may have angry flashbacks.
GMC, the former All-Pro Bucs defensive tackle and six-time Pro Bowler, indirectly got Bucs fans howling in disgust because he was often celebrated for being “disruptive.”
Well, that’s how the co-host of BSPN’s “NFL Live” and resident football analyst Mina Kimes described Gaines when she studied the Rams’ defense.
Watching Rams D for today's pod and it's very cool how much Greg Gaines (#91) has grown this year–he's on the field a *ton* and is super disruptive. Looks more agile than he did coming out of UW. pic.twitter.com/3DQyForEAH
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 5, 2022
Uh, oh.
Joe fully understands folks may freak out looking at Gaines’ tackle numbers. For a guy who logs as many snaps as Gaines (he’s had 1,510 snaps on defense the past two years) he only had 91 tackles. That works out to a tackle on six percent of the snaps. (Yes, that’s a higher percentage than Vita Vea has.).
But if you think about it, who was Gaines playing next to? Aaron Donald, of course. How many imbecile offensive coordinators are out there that would actually choose to run up the middle with Donald wreaking havoc? Pretty damn few. Maybe none.
And one can make the logical jump that Gaines was so good against the run that teams knew better than to run his way, especially with Donald in the area.
Kind of hard for defensive tackles to disengage with blockers and run down a ballcarrier who runs away from them. So Joe’s not going to sweat Gaines’ seemingly low tackle numbers.
March 20th, 2023 at 5:49 am
“How many imbecile offensive coordinators are out there that would actually choose to run up the middle with Donald wreaking havoc?”
Answer:
Who is Byron Leftwich.
March 20th, 2023 at 5:49 am
He’s probably an upgrade or at least equal to Nacho.
and he is a few years younger so seems like a real good signing.
March 20th, 2023 at 5:58 am
Not sure I understand the argument about Gaines tackling Joe. He had 91 combined tackles in 1512 def snaps the last 2 years, for a 6.0% tackle per snap. Akiem Hicks, who Gaines replaced, had 47 combined tackles in 703 def snaps in the last 2 years, for a comparable 6.7% tackle per snap. So almost twice the tackles in twice the snaps in the same 2 years for probably the same or less money? I’ll take it.
March 20th, 2023 at 5:58 am
Tampa Bayker AND Greg Gaines are going to BALL this year!
We will become the story of the NFL as we rack up more wins in the first nine games than we had all last year.
Yeah, I said it!
Do the math! 😎
March 20th, 2023 at 6:13 am
He seems like a good signing Joe but that begs the question of why did the Rams let him walk? Are the Lambs going total rebuild like a lot people who post here think the Bucs should do and tank for 3-14? Hopefully everyone can look back at this signing in a year and say that it was a genius move by Licht.
March 20th, 2023 at 6:53 am
He is fine, but I would not call him disruptive, even from that short video. They will need Hall to be disruptive.
March 20th, 2023 at 6:58 am
FortMyersDave Says:
March 20th, 2023 at 6:13 am
He seems like a good signing Joe but that begs the question of why did the Rams let him walk? Are the Lambs going total rebuild like a lot people who post here think the Bucs should do and tank for 3-14? Hopefully everyone can look back at this signing in a year and say that it was a genius move by Licht.
^^^^^^^^
Gaines paid 12.3% state income tax in California, he’ll pay 0% in Florida. Smart.
March 20th, 2023 at 7:00 am
I want to echo the “why would the Rams let him walk” sentiment as well as with Donald getting doubles more often then not, why didn’t this guy rack up more tackles and sacks? Not sold on this guy at all. Time will tell I guess.
March 20th, 2023 at 7:13 am
No joe , do not disrespect Gaines like that ! Until Gaines starts doing a golly shucks let me help you up mr.QB while I wear a dress and eat cereal & watch batman while I smile at every opposing teams players and ask if thier kids can play on the playground for a little bit after the game you cannot compare him with mcsofty ice cream man child .
March 20th, 2023 at 7:16 am
I’m OK with it, he’ll be a solid rotational player
March 20th, 2023 at 7:27 am
What’s his favorite flavor of ice cream?
March 20th, 2023 at 7:50 am
What is Gaines’ favorite kimono color?
March 20th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Normally, I would think Joe would be attributing Gaines’ success to the fact that he played next to Donald & Donald was double-teamed leaving Gaines with single coverage.
Has anyone found the contract details? I am unable to.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:14 am
If he was a great as this esteemed BSPN alleged analyst kimes claims then why would he get to the bucs who have bottom of the barrel funds?
March 20th, 2023 at 8:17 am
Gaines played next to Vea in college. The middle is going to feast as long as the Bucs draft another interior DL to create a proper rotation.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:23 am
The Bucs NEED a full-time DT since Suh left. That he can log that many snaps is already an upgrade, IMO.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:25 am
This isn’t a good comparison to how we felt with GMC. Again, context is incredibly important in this discussion and comparison. Our frustration was where GMC was drafted vs production. Gaines is an undersized 6-1 DT and was drafted in the 4th round, plus he a nose tackle, not a 3-technique like McCoy. I’m good with the term disruptive for the role he’ll be playing, any sacks will be a bonus.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:32 am
He reminds me of your classic “run stuffer”
…..he not quick enough to wreak havoc in the backfield….bit he’s good enough to stonewall a player at the line
Good signing IMHO.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:32 am
You can call McCoy a softy all you want, it’s not even a discussion that he was a better player and had a better career than Gaines will have. Anyone who claims otherwise is just hating.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:43 am
TheBucsAnthem Says:
March 20th, 2023 at 8:32 am
He reminds me of your classic “run stuffer”
…..he not quick enough to wreak havoc in the backfield….bit he’s good enough to stonewall a player at the line
Good signing IMHO.
^^^^^^^^
Did you watch his highlight reel? Gaines caught a few QB’s from behind, he looks to have a least decent short area quickness and lots of hustle.
March 20th, 2023 at 8:43 am
Johnw1c5
ROTFLMAO!
March 20th, 2023 at 8:46 am
Solid signing, we might’ve looked at Gaines back in 2018 and kept tabs on him. It’ll be interesting to see how he and Vea play off eachother. Kind of curious to see what his role will be in the IDL rotation
March 20th, 2023 at 8:56 am
@ Joe in Michigan
I did watch some tape from the NFL and his college at UW.
I didn’t see anything that impressed me except for his run stuffing abilities at the line. Yes, he caught a few QBs…..but that was not consistently done.
ALSO….REMEMBER….he was playing next to the BEST DT in the NFL…Aaron Donald. I think that’s why he didn’t get alot of buzz in Free Agency….NFL teams are just assuming that he looked better than he was because of who he played next to.
The Vita Vea didn’t look so good last season because he was missing SUH taking on blocks…..if they can replicate that again this season with Gaines….then his signing is a Homerun.
March 20th, 2023 at 9:24 am
I do not pay attention to woman football writers.
March 20th, 2023 at 9:34 am
Tampa Bayker?
March 20th, 2023 at 10:20 am
Licht wouldn’t have signed him unless he saw the fit, and we’re not chasing guys like Hicks and Julio Jones anymore. Great signing.
March 20th, 2023 at 10:46 am
HC Grover Says:
March 20th, 2023 at 9:24 am
I do not pay attention to woman football writers.
—
same
March 20th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
I’ve watched this guy through his entire life in sports.
I’m from his hometown. Pop Warner to pros, soccer, baseball etc. I had kids his age. Gaines is extremely disruptive. A great deal of a good interior linemen’s job is to be disruptive. If you can’t get to the gap mover your blockers into the gap and shut it type stuff. He excels in effecting plays that he can’t physically make the tackle. Extremely good tackler. Things that effect his stats like playing gap and a half a great deal of the time against running QB’s also didn’t any of you read that he played the entire ’22 season with a torn labrum and torn bicep tendon? It effected his stats. Why didn’t the Rams bring him back? They are broke. 45+ million in dead cap. They didn’t even tender league minimum backups. I think it was BS on the Rams part. He played injured for them and was still the best they had and they snub him? Ask AD who he wants next to him. He’ll tell you. Great signing for the Buc’s
March 20th, 2023 at 12:39 pm
Cool, Bigdaddy!
March 20th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
Joe said “How many imbecile offensive coordinators are out there that would actually choose to run up the middle with Donald wreaking havoc?”
Uhm … Byron Leftwich, for one!