Bucs Have No Need For Mark Ingram
February 24th, 2011
Joe is starting to fully appreciate the football calendar. In the NFL it differs from college.
In college football, in chronological order, there is bowl season, recruiting season, spring football, summer workouts, training camp and the season.
In the NFL there is the playoffs, Super Bowl, silly season, draft, OTA, training camp and the season.
The silly season is when fans — with no logic or reasoning — begin pining for Player-X on their team because they heard the guy’s name before.
This generally frustrates those in the fourth estate. Peter King, recovering from an illness this week, lashed out at fans for cherry-picking names as if it’s a $50 brunch buffet.
This too irritates Joe but Joe is starting to learn to laugh at this.
Take a chat recently on NFL.com. A Bucs fan from the Bahamas tried to make the case to Steve Wyche that the Bucs need to draft Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
Darin, Freeport, Bahamas
Blessed Steve! When the Bucs pick, if Mark Ingram is there should/would we take him? Thank you.Steve Wyche, NFL.com
What A G’wan D? As for taking Ingram in the first round? Nope. Get a pass rusher. As Tampa learned last season when it procured the undrafted LeGarrette Blount from the Titans when he was waived, you can find a good RB later in the draft if in the draft at all. The Bucs have got ot find people to get to the passer.
This really cracked Joe up. Unless a team has but one hole on its roster and that hole happens to be running back, drafting a running back in the first round is a terrible idea. It’s a bad investment. Joe wouldn’t draft a running back before the third round.
The NFL is littered with stud running backs who were afterthoughts on the first day of the draft. While Joe believes it is vital to share the load in the backfield to save wear and tear on running backs and to extend their shelf lives, drafting a running back, even Ingram, is a bad move in the first round.
February 24th, 2011 at 9:31 am
The NFL is a passing league. Not that you don’t need a good RB, but get a QB to pass the ball and pass rushers to get the QB.
February 24th, 2011 at 9:37 am
There are other situations where drafting a RB in the first makes sense. Say for example, if Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson is sitting there. However, there isn’t a RB in this class that warrants such respect and we have The Flying Duckman toting the pill for us. We got the best RB in the draft last year and didn’t even draft him. I have full confidence in our front office to hit another homerun in this years draft. I say resign Caddy and don’t change wasn’t isn’t broken. Leaping LeGarrette is here to stay!
February 24th, 2011 at 10:01 am
I agree with Joe and many others… and disagree with TOMMY BOY.
Never draft a RB in round 1. If it is a big need I would take one in round 2, but still prefer round 3-4 for said RB.
They are a dime a dozen and there are too many good ones out there later. There are several guys this year that will be available in round 3+ that are speedy guys that would compliment Blount perfectly.
J. Rogers
Locke
Deivne
Hunter
etc..
February 24th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
That all makes great sense. I have seen many of Ingram’s games and he is probably my personal favorite in this draft. I think he will be a great RB in the league, probably in Miami or NE and gone before we pick. If you get one single star player in a draft, you had a good draft. Ingram, I believe he will be that player. The Bucs have now had 2 drafts in a row with stars, but the previous 8 or 10 did not net one single star player. Dom started in a big hole and no way he picks Ingram, but I bet Dom will find one or two possible stars in this draft, but my hope is for at least one. If you have to trade away 3 or 4 picks to get that 1 or 2, then do it…. and a FA or 2 would put them over the top IMO.
Bama also has a good TE. Saban is a jerk but has done a great job there. Bama is a nice talent pool.
February 24th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Bad teams need to draft the best punter available in the first round. He’s going to have the ball in his hands on 25% of offensive plays and you just can’t rely on non-elite talent for that position.
2nd round long snapper.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
agreed, RB seems to be the most interchangeable position on the field
February 24th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Mark Ingram is gonna be a star in the NFL, and is worth a first round pick to SOME team, but not Tampa. Tampa has Blount and Caddy, we are all set at that position.