Young Guns Overlooked
July 12th, 2024
Puzzled.
One reason Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was — and still is — so perplexed why so many people last year shat on his team (and still do) is he looks at his roster and asks, “What’s the problem?”
The Bucs are gunning for a four-peat as kings of the NFC South hill, and a fifth-straight postseason appearance.
While so many others in the national #NFLMedia see the Stinking Panthers-version of Baker Mayfield, Licht sees a young team that has yet another year of experience and growth that, oh yeah, also was a couple of plays away from an NFC title game.
As noted handicapper turned stathead Warren Sharp points out, only the Packers had more snaps from young players than the Bucs did last year. Just on offense alone, as Sharp documents, the Bucs had 55 percent of snaps from players with three or less years in the NFL.
And this percentage is not counting the current rookies, two of which ought to be getting a lot of snaps, center (?) Graham Barton and receiver Jalen McMillan.
No wonder Licht is so irked at the naysayers.
% of offensive snaps from players in their first 3 years in the NFL:
63% – GB
62%
61%
60%
59%
58%
57%
56%
55% – TB
54%
53% – PIT
52%
51% – NYJ, IND
50% – JAX
49%
48% – CAR, ATL
47%
46%
45% – CHI, LAC
44%
43% – TEN
42% – KC, DET
41% – WAS, LA, NE, SEA
40%
39%
38% – HOU
37%
36% -…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) February 25, 2024
July 12th, 2024 at 12:43 am
I honestly believe that Diaby and Kancey will Really step up this yr, and I think Braswell will be starting by week5 if he doesn’t win a starting role in camp.
I think Defensively we will be a good deal better than last yr.
I also think McMillan is as good as Odunze.
July 12th, 2024 at 1:56 am
Special K will light it up this season and Diaby is freak of nature. Never seen a man that large bend a corner at his speed.
July 12th, 2024 at 2:36 am
Cretins gonna crete.
July 12th, 2024 at 3:47 am
You can add Tykee Smith to that list Joe.
July 12th, 2024 at 9:31 am
And Sean Tucker from last year?
July 12th, 2024 at 9:53 am
Ideally you’d like to be somewhere in the middle, but I get your point.
The naysayers have valid points. We don’t have a very fast offense. We have a new offense again for the 2nd year in a row. Our offensive line is a work in progress. We don’t have a bonafide pass rusher. Our LB and secondary depth are extremely questionable.
I could just as easily see this team winning 5 or 6 games as opposed to 9 or 10.
July 12th, 2024 at 12:40 pm
That’s OK with me if they don’t see the Buccaneers as a threat as long we are practicing like we will be a force this year and they are practicing like it’s a easy win these other teams will find out just like Mike Tyson found out against Buster Douglas.
July 12th, 2024 at 12:57 pm
The Saints came in at 21%.
July 12th, 2024 at 1:38 pm
Overlooked even by our fellow fans!
July 12th, 2024 at 5:10 pm
Interesting that Atlanta / Carolina tie up and are fairly youngish.
NO… geriatric… happy to see it.
July 12th, 2024 at 5:20 pm
after roughly a decade, jason has overall drafted at least as good as a team a few points away from conference championship.
his misses were covered fairly well in free agency.
his allocations of draft capital went to prioriity positions, arguably edge rusher shortchanged a little, perhaps due to a lack of options.
Obviously brady was a great moment in bucs history, if not football history. the youth is a temporary offset of that situation, yet its still by objective standards a success even now. jason is at least an equal to the rich mckay era imo, perhaps one assistant short (monte kiffin).
i look forward to the further development of the talent we have plus additions we will be making im sure.