Brian Baldinger Hails Graham Barton As A “Rare” Talent
September 12th, 2024
Jason Kelce-like?
Joe doesn’t like stretching for comparisons because if you get carried away, it’s easy to look foolish or a step away from being senile.
For example, a first sign Joe’s old man might have been losing it was when he compared former Cardinals first baseman John Mabry, just an OK player, with Stan Musial.
So Joe was taken aback when a guy Joe greatly admires, former 11-year NFL offensive lineman and current Calijah Kancey workout partner Brian Baldinger of NFL Network, highlighted a play made by Bucs rookie center Graham Barton. On the play, Barton quickly got to the second level and locked up future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner.
In one of his “Baldy’s Breakdowns” All-22 reviews, Baldinger said the play was so good, so rare, he only remembers seeing “maybe” one center ever do that the past decade and it was recently retired Eagles center Jason Kelce.
Dude! A center in his first game in the NFL and we’re comparing him already to a guy who will make the Hall of Fame?
As the great sports radio voice of Chicago, Mike North, would say, “Take. It. Eee-zee!”
Joe respects Baldinger but Joe thought that was a bit of a reach for a center in his first game. And Wagner isn’t the player he once was.
So Joe yesterday asked Todd Bowles about Baldinger’s claim, that Barton was making Kelce-like blocks on the second level. Bowles wouldn’t comment, but he didn’t disagree with Baldinger’s claim either.
“I’ll ask ‘Baldy’ the next time I see him,” Bowles said. “Graham is tough – that’s why we drafted him No. 1.
“He’s got some things to learn, but we like his feistiness and aggressiveness.”
Well, Baldinger isn’t alone in raving about Barton. Joe already brought word how former Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Chucky really thinks Barton could be “Offensive Rookie of the Year,” which is borderline crazy talk. A center?
Chucky backed up his contention with whiteboard breakdowns of Barton.
You can watch below and decide if Baldinger is reaching or not.
.@Buccaneers @grahambarton53 hooking @Bwagz This is rare; like @JasonKelce rare but normal for this @DukeFOOTBALL prodigy #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/0JAwu3Yf8f
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 9, 2024
September 12th, 2024 at 4:14 am
The Caitlin Clark of NFL centers!
September 12th, 2024 at 5:28 am
Barton is competitive athletic and a technician. Good player, but I want to see the mean streak come out and for him to put more players on the ground.
Kinda like Zach Frazier from the Steelers. The former wrestler pancaked falcon players on 10 different plays. 10. That was nasty!
September 12th, 2024 at 5:38 am
While drafting interior O linemen isn’t sexy, it is very necessary. The Bucs have their O line set for a few years to come.
September 12th, 2024 at 6:29 am
The dream decade continues. We are getting closer to our next trophy.
2025 is within reach. In Licht We Trust!!!
September 12th, 2024 at 7:33 am
Having played some O line back in the day I can tell you that reaching on a LB is not as easy as Barton makes it look on that play. I took on LBs from LT not center…Wow!
First of all he is covering quite a bit of ground to just get to Wagner who is at RILB.
Second is getting an angle on said All Pro which he does amazingly well.
Third is he actually gets a real block not just standing in the way which is the best most O linemen can do on similar plays. Think Donovan Smith who could not pull that off on his best day.
I will add that anytime you ask a 320lb man to move athletically like that and hit a moving target who is trying not to get hit? I have seen Barton do this kind of thing already more than once. It is no coincidence that Coen is putting he and Mauch out there on screens.
Go Bucs!
September 12th, 2024 at 8:04 am
N yet clowns at pff had him rated low. I’ll take an x line word for it and my eyes balled out
September 12th, 2024 at 8:06 am
Jose, would you say Graham Barton has moxie?
Oh yes El Guapo! Graham Barton has lots of moxie!
September 12th, 2024 at 8:14 am
Bingo !
Wirfs and Barton were both passed over OLmen that fell in the Bucs lap !
September 12th, 2024 at 8:54 am
We might have two future hall of famers on the oline – Wirf and Barton.
September 12th, 2024 at 9:04 am
Joe will repeat again for masses: Every NFL suit Joe has spoken with over the years thinks The Tribe’s offensive line grades are the biggest joke since Sam Kinison last did standup. Same with Bill Belicheat who has openly mocked them more than once.
September 12th, 2024 at 9:06 am
Well, Bucs could’ve drafted Darius Robinson, DE, who is currently out with a calf injury just like Kancey… Bucs couldn’t have made a better 1st round pick
September 12th, 2024 at 9:09 am
Barton didn’t allow any sacks, but I saw him get beat to his spot a couple times, letting the DT into the backfield
September 12th, 2024 at 9:20 am
Can he play D line? Kancey is killing us.
September 12th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Good stuff about Graham. He is learning and doing great out there.
September 12th, 2024 at 11:35 am
yep…he just wanted to give bobby wagner a big ole hug 🙂
September 12th, 2024 at 12:28 pm
And of course you see Schaad miss that huge hole that was opened up by that block. The guy has horrible vision unless he’s in an open field. He’s a third down back at best.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:20 pm
62 is so fleet afoot that he was flagged for illegal man downfield on a play he didn’t release too soon. The officials eyes told him there was no way a 62 is that far ahead of the play unless he cheated. The replay official was not asleep, thankfully.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:32 pm
What the hell is this place doing?
September 12th, 2024 at 5:51 pm
@jugheadfl1 that was my thought exactly. If he bursts there he’s probably downfield another 15-20 yards. Might be exaggerating but man that was a monster hole. I really like White, so this isn’t me hating, I just think that appeared to be an easy option to take.
September 12th, 2024 at 5:57 pm
I don’t agree on most of that, just saying he missed a seemingly obvious path. I also don’t know if he’s a 3rd down back, I don’t remember seeing him fight for more than a handful of needed 3rd and short. He mainly gets yards that aren’t fighting tough. I don’t want to put him out there and say get us this tough 3 yards when everyone knows we’re running.
September 12th, 2024 at 7:12 pm
Do you draft centers in the first round- if they are rookie of the year?
Barton had some outstanding plays. Had some bad ones too.
That’s what happens with rookies. But what you look at is his flashes of greatness.
Yeah- Barton is gonna be a great one.
We are set at Tackle and Center for years to come.
Our guards looked bad. Not as much on run blocking, but on pass blocking.
Let’s see how the Lions play Mauch and Bredeson.