Lack Of Competition
July 16th, 2024
How many starting jobs are open?
You hear coaches say this all the time: Competition brings out the best in players.
Or, to use the slang of the 21st century, “Iron sharpens iron.”
If you believe Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, the Bucs lack enough iron to go around. In typing his preview of the Bucs, Rosenthal doesn’t see much if any competition for starting jobs.
The Buccaneers have less starting competition than most teams coming off a 9-8 season. The lineup appears largely set.
Rosenthal has a point. What starting job is open? Cornerback? Sure smells like Bucs coach Todd Bowles has already made up his mind that Zyon McCollum will replace Carlton Davis.
Center? Well, that’s a possibility. But who would drop $5 Graham Barton is not the starting center, even though the Bucs have always qualified Barton’s position status since he was drafted.
Early reports (including Joe’s sources off the record) seem to indicate Ben Bredeson has the edge at left guard, but this is all based on underwear football. And we all know underwear football is in no way a credible way to determine a starting offensive lineman.
But Joe thinks there is one gig that is open. Edge rusher.
On face value it seems Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and YaYa Diaby will both start at outside linebacker. But if either one, specifically, JTS, has a rotten summer, would it be a shock if Chris Braswell starts?
July 16th, 2024 at 5:12 am
Rosenthal … ‘The Buccaneers have less starting competition than most teams coming off a 9-8 season. The lineup appears largely set.’
He’s 100% spot on, and that should be concerning because it indicates a POTENTIAL lack of depth (potential because you never know which youngsters are going to excel right out of the gate). TE concerns me more than any other position group on the offensive side of the ball (97% snaps for Kyle Otton was absurd last year). ILB position group is the most concerning on the defensive side IMO, but OLB isn’t far behind. Still, there’s a lot of talent there; it just isn’t very experienced at this point.
July 16th, 2024 at 6:00 am
The fact that JTS is a starter on this team is sad.
July 16th, 2024 at 6:16 am
Notice the “edge” too on the article. Thought-provoking with possibly Braswell starting. Rosenthal said that “Mike Evans is still a star.” So true!
Rosenthal on point about the Falcons: “The Falcons have an intriguing backup in Michael Penix Jr. to develop and potentially turn to if anything goes wrong with Kirk Cousins in his return from a torn Achilles.”
July 16th, 2024 at 6:19 am
Actually, iron sharpens iron pre-dates the 1st century. It’s from the book of Proverbs.
Yes, Joe only referenced it as relates to common slang.-Joe
July 16th, 2024 at 6:21 am
Slot Corner…Left Guard… Kickoff Returners , Thats all I can think of.
July 16th, 2024 at 6:35 am
Defense – CB, Slot CB, ILB, OLB
Offense – LG, WR3
Special Teams – kick & punt return
Thin line – RB, TE
July 16th, 2024 at 6:47 am
The Buccaneers have less starting competition than most teams coming off a 9-8 season.
– Bucs were 6-2 last 8 games, including playoffs
July 16th, 2024 at 6:52 am
Having starters in place is not a bad thing. It might mean that you have good quality at those positions. 2021 was the Bucs best regular season record and there were no battle for starting jobs. We ran it back.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:02 am
I agree that as far as depth there isn’t enough good competition on the D line, CB, and TE. Maybe even RB? JTS and Hall should not even be on the team as backups for their positions.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:14 am
Guys like Britt & McCollum aren’t competing because they earned their promotion or a shot at 1st dibs at being promoted to starting roles in-season last year.
Even behind starters, we’ve still got alot of personnel sorting out to do.
People don’t even talk about Tavierre Thomas, who can easily be seen as the better of our 2 FA CB acquisitions. Nickel still needs to be sorted out.
We don’t have a bunch of starting positions up, less gaps to plug, BUT we’ve got a sh*tload of talent behind our top 11 that’ll have time to sort of the pecking order and who gets first crack in personnel subs, differnt packages, and in case of emergency player.
Christian Izien & Kaevon Merriweather are forgotten men as yr 2 players.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:50 am
Competition at:
Center, Right Guard, WR 3-6, Nickel Corner, CB 3-6, Running Back 2-4, Tight End 2-4, Edge/OLB, KR/PR.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:51 am
err, left guard, not right guard. It’s early on the West Coast.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:55 am
Left Guard , and DE/OLB is what scares me. I’m not too worried about the Buccaneers Secondary ( in today’s NFL a CB is more of a glorified speed bump). I hate that the Buccaneers are putting so much pressure on YaYa so early, wish we would have gotten a veteran that didnt blow of camp , so he’d have a little help. Maybe Joe can finally finish this year or Braswell will be a beast! Fingers crossed only about a week away until I’m getting JOE’s daily practice updates!
July 16th, 2024 at 9:02 am
It’s a slippery slope! A team that brings back a majority of their FA’s know who most of their starters are. They have them in place already. That can be a good thing if they’re quality starters.
Majority of the starters are no brainers! Most of the OL, DL, and DB’s are set. Top 2 WR are the best duo in the league.
Minor tweaks is all that was needed!
July 16th, 2024 at 9:32 am
I don’t see a problem with the coaches knowing who they want, where.
July 16th, 2024 at 11:03 am
The Buc’s are one of the youngest teams in the entire NFL. We have been in complete rebuild mode for two years straight. The fact that most positions are secured is a show of how well Licht has been drafting and building our current roster. We may not be Super Bowl ready, but the fact that this team is winning on a consistent basis is fantastic. Great to be a Buc’s fan these days!
July 16th, 2024 at 11:04 am
Competent coaching will guard against complacency and any lack of urgency. The game is too competitive for anyone to retain their starting role if they don’t perform. Todd knows this.
#AsToddEvolves 11-6 Killer Instinct
July 16th, 2024 at 11:12 am
Absolutely nailed that on Joe!
The competiion at edge is gonna be monumetal in this years TC.
Hope to see some at ILB and DL as well. Can’t wait to see if Culpepper can show us something like his dad and maybe will Hall finaly get it.
Dennis, Russell, DeLoach should be mixing it up me thinks Britt will need to bring it. At the very least depth behind will be discovered.
Hope they give Klein a legit shot at either guard spot. Starter and or backup loved his tape.
Is Ahanatu still on the roster Joe? Didn’t read about him getting cut but don’t see him listed.
Go Bucs!
July 16th, 2024 at 11:54 am
IT’S ALMOST TOO BAD
MLB, LG, DL (Hall) are the weaknesses on the team. We need upgrades at these positions to be a more complete team. I’m still holding out hope we trade for a MLB vet in preseason. I expect to see upgrades at these spots next offseason.
July 16th, 2024 at 2:12 pm
Lots of competition under the surface — for “backup” roles. If coaching staff likes its Edge group as much as they let on, neither JTS nor Braswell may be first on the field. The CB room has capable FAs as well as some holdovers and undrafted candidates. Expect there will be fierce behind the scenes fights in the ILB and RB rooms for playing time.
Big concerns are over starting positions where there IS competition: LG and TE. And the depth positions of DE and WR. (Everyone who is happy with our WR depth should remember what has happened when a starter went down. Looked like an audition for the Not Ready for Prime Time Players of SNL fame).
July 16th, 2024 at 3:07 pm
Competition at nickle: Izien vs Smith
Left Guard: Brederson, Sua, Hainsey and Klein.
WR #3- Palmer vs J-Mac vs Sterling
Backup QB: Is Trask really the backup?
RB- will Bucky break more tackles and run harder than White?
July 16th, 2024 at 9:16 pm
I’m more worried about backups, we’re only deep at receiver and edge rusher and maybe corner. Deep but don’t know how talented yet