Graham Barton Already Taking Charge
May 13th, 2024
Being “loud and vocal.”
OK, Joe knows one thing about Graham Barton as an NFL player even though he’s only been through two open rookie minicamp underwear football practices.
The Bucs’ rookie first-round pick is a take-charge guy.
Elijah Klein thinks Barton is a leader. On Saturday, Barton explained what he is doing to demonstrate he belongs as the starting center.
“The biggest thing that [offensive line] coach [Kevin] Carberry kind of — the message has been — just being a leader, right?” Barton said. “‘You’re the center. Get in and out of the huddle. Get the offense set. Get the line set.
“‘You are calling the huddle. You are setting the line.’
“So, just being that kind of a leader, that voice that people looks toward when they have questions at the line of scrimmage or the defense gives us a new look and being able to get in and out of calls. I think that is the main focus right now.”
This is cool, like the Bucs are telling Barton, ‘Hey Rook, we want you to be a center. Centers take charge. Don’t be bashful. Take charge. We drafted you for a reason. Be that guy.”
Barton added Carberry wants him to be “loud and vocal.”
Now what very little interaction Joe has had with Barton and what Joe’s seen on video away from a football field, Barton doesn’t impress Joe as a big personality one would associate with being “loud and vocal.”
That doesn’t mean he can’t do it, but Barton may need to work on that. Tristan Wirfs was sort of like Barton as a rookie, and Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said they have similar personalities. Joe’s seen how Wirfs has grown into a big personality and a team leader.
It seems Barton’s goal over the weekend was to take charge.
Joe will say when it comes to thinking quickly and deciphering the looks a defense shows, you can’t ask for much more than a Duke grad handling these duties.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:07 am
I give Carberry props for this. Barton is a sharp guy, the kind of guy you want at center. Rookies aren’t the loudest guys out there for a reason. So Barton needs to develop this leadership now. I hope the loud leadership expands to the defense too.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:09 am
Glad to see some accolades for our # 1 pick after all the C.G first round pick bashing.
Barton was a position of need late in the first round. It’s obvious he was our top pick for that position because there were no other C/Gs selected ahead of him.
The only question is whether we could have traded back and still gotten him…..I suspect that opportunity wasn’t there or their was fear he would be taken.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:14 am
Still waiting to hear Jensen & AQ Shipley have met with Barton(And Klein) to show him(them) the way. Shipley really does need to just be hired in some capacity and be on the staff as a coach/consultant for the summer.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:17 am
I am pretty sure the Cowgirls would have taken him with the 28th pick thinking he would still be there after they traded back a few spots.
Jerry is a CLOWN (lucky us)! Not sure if it is him, Dak or the combo of the both of them as to why they are who they are.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:23 am
So far, Barton IS “that guy.”
Of course, the padded heat of August could tell a different story.
But so far so good.
It is beautiful when “Best Player Available” is a “Position of Need.”
Let’s see how he moves VV when the pads come on.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:32 am
Cobraboy … ‘It is beautiful when “Best Player Available” is a “Position of Need.” Let’s see how he moves VV when the pads come on.’
Great line Cobra. Still remember JL saying before the draft that we had a LOT of needs. Center was certainly one of them.
I’m still trying to visualize Graham moving Vea though, and it’s just not working for me. How do you move a mountain? Best most seem to do is keep Vea off their QB.
May 13th, 2024 at 9:55 am
“I’m still trying to visualize Graham moving Vea though, and it’s just not working for me. How do you move a mountain? Best most seem to do is keep Vea off their QB.”
According to Pro Football Reference, Vea had 13 total pressures in 2023. Less than one per game. Seems that teams can be pretty good at keeping Vea off their QB.
May 13th, 2024 at 10:01 am
If they double him.
Then Kancey will eat.
May 13th, 2024 at 10:18 am
dude seems to be the next wirfs, jensen quality OLman…….can’t wait to see. him AND the other big man joe wrote about tossing sleds and built like a fridge
May 13th, 2024 at 11:14 am
Joe, has any doubt you’ve had about Barton being our opening day starting center been erased yet?
May 13th, 2024 at 11:53 am
TBBF
I haven’t heard much criticism on the Barron pick. There are always going to be a few critics. Most everyone was shocked (including the Bucs) that he lasted to #26. Drafting interior OL top half of the first is can be questioned if your team has a bigger need at a premium position but not late in the round. You can find adequate starters in later rounds in the interior OL if you’re lucky and give them a few years to develop. The Bucs are getting a plugin starter, team leader, and potentially perineal all-pro for the next decade. Trading back with Barton on the board would have been foolish. If The Bucs did it and missed out on him there would have been two worse moves stories on day one. Add the Bucs trade back and miss out on getting their Center to the Falcons take Qb debacle.
May 13th, 2024 at 12:20 pm
I’m sorry I gotta address the elephant in the room! Why does Jason Licht have to always take a kid that started a one position and draft him cause the Bucs desperately need him to be able to excel at another position that he hasn’t played in years???? Braswell the tape speaks volumes before you ever meet him in person(the level of conference competition says a lot also) So what am I insinuating about Barton?? I challenge anybody to find recent tape of him going head to head against legit projected NFL type talent!! I see him playing Tackle rag dolling undersized LBers with toothpicks for legs( people who watch football know the ACC has fallen off big time lately) Just hope he’s not a BUST cause his job is to move other big strong men for a living and I see a lot of holding going on for guys that are way smaller than him- I know- taking a gamble so hope it works
May 13th, 2024 at 12:33 pm
Yeah Cobra, I’m with DR I don’t think Vea can be moved.
May 13th, 2024 at 2:27 pm
RBuc: That one is easy. On MOST teams, the best athlete on the line plays LEFT TACKLE. So, drafting tackles and moving them inside is not really a big deal. The basic techniques are very similar no matter where you line up. Some positions work best with specific body types, but its not like the difference between QB and line, or WR and line.
May 13th, 2024 at 5:30 pm
VV going against Barton in practice is gonna look like 2 sumo’s going at it. Svelt sumo’s, just big agile guys. Where are the Men on Film guys when you need em.
May 13th, 2024 at 6:55 pm
VV may not move, but it will make Barton better.
May 13th, 2024 at 7:31 pm
RBUC – moving from tackle to interior happens all the time – best O Line athlete on the team. Not a concern. Barton played C well as a freshman. Barton went up against Verse last year, and it was tough but he did alright. He’s projected by most to move inside – and those people know a hell of lot more about foosball than you and me.
May 14th, 2024 at 12:59 am
2nd worst PFF grade of his career against FSU and I get it they move them all the time. I hope we don’t regret passing on JPJ thou that made his bones playing Center thou! I just think sometimes Jason over thinks the obvious and yes I’m aware of the concussions
May 14th, 2024 at 1:11 am
For the record Mauch is a HUGE reach