‘Tweeners Are Good
February 28th, 2011
The Bucs may be looking for a versatile defender like Buffalo's Arthur Moats.
When Chucky and Bruce Almighty were running the show, the duo did not want players that coaches couldn’t figure out where to play. In other words, no ‘Tweeners.
That edict has changed under Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik who is looking for football players no matter their size. As a result, per Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times, that makes life easier for Bucs scouts.
But with coach Raheem Morris incorporating so many multiple fronts as defensive coordinator, including more 3-4 looks, those hybrid players are in play this year for Tampa Bay in the NFL draft.
“Raheem’s flexibility of what he wants to do has really helped our draft board be more fluid then most clubs I think,” general manager Mark Dominik said.
“It helps us now really open up the board more, and we love it. We’ve always had a hard time figuring out these tweener guys, and we just take them off our board and don’t get them. So it’s disappointing. This keeps those guys alive, and I feel like a lot more teams keep going back to the 3-4, which is great because it also opens up some of those (4-3) guys as well.”
Stroud points to Auther Moats of the Buffalo Bills as one of those types of players the Bucs are now targeting. Ryan Kerrigan is another name Stroud dropped.
And here’s a key element Stroud notes that may tip the Bucs’ hand: Dominik has often publically stated how he is fond of collegiate team captains because of their intangibles.
Kerrigan was a captain on his Purdue teams.
February 28th, 2011 at 9:56 am
Kerrigan size 265 and 6’4 is small for a DE but should be ideal as a OLB.Reminds me of Clay Matthews.Sounds like a good tweener to me.
February 28th, 2011 at 10:05 am
Wow, 6’4 265 is too small? What a crazy game we love.
That article was yet another reason to like where we are headed.
One of these top DEs have to be available at 20, I’ll take anyone over the scrubs we had last year.
February 28th, 2011 at 10:17 am
Lorig is a tweener between fb and de and te and practice squad. Maybe we should sign ben zobrist. He can play 2b rf 1b ss …..
I wouldn’t mind seeing aldon smith in this role
February 28th, 2011 at 10:19 am
Kerrigan is the same size as Lamarr Woodley.Woodley played DE at Michigan and Dick Labeau converted him into one of the best OLB in the league.
February 28th, 2011 at 10:29 am
At the Senior Bowl weigh-in, Kerrigan came in at 6-3, 255 instead of 6-4, 263 as advertised. He played very well in the game, but got man-handled in the drills. Most mocks have him at 20 or later. He is being slotted as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme. The only team that has shown interest above 20 is Jacksonville at 16. Watch the combine today to see if he improves on his 4.82 time in the 40, on he will fall farther. If the Bucs want him, I think they will have their chance.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:18 am
I was not high on Kerrigan at first, but I am all in now.
He has all the intangibles, is relentelss and is bigger than I thought (about 6’5″ and 267). For some reason I thought he would be barely 250, I guess just because he is lean. He plays with leverage though and that is the key when lean.
1. Ryan Kerrigan DE Purdue
2. Bruce Carter OLB UNC
3. Greg Romeus DE Pitt
4. Nate Irving ILB NC St
5. Derrick Locke RB kentucky (or Hunter or Rogers if there)
Those are the five I am targeting in a mock I’ll be doing.
There are obviously others at LB and DE. I still like Clayborne and Watt in round 1 as well.
I think Bruce Carter is the second coming of Brooks.
I also think romeus will be one of the top pass rushers in this draft when we look back in 3 + years
BUT…. it is all a crap shoot, just having fun with it.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:19 am
Macabee
I thought they said he was closer to 6’5″ and 267?
Whatever.
All I know is the game film does not lie, he can play
February 28th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Macabee
One other thing, the 40 time means absolutely nothing except for WRs & DBs and RBs… and even then it does not mean that much.
A DE just needs to be quick and relentless and have a variety of moves.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:37 am
For example:
I wonder what Bruce Smith’s and Reggie White’s 40 times were? Probably not too good, but leverage, quickness, and the neccasary moves made them the two best pass rushers at DE ever.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:41 am
dave, the full 40 time as a whole doesnt mean that much but the 10 yard splits do. i still maintain that as of right now it will either be kerrigan or carimi getting their name called at the 20 spot. carimi is what trueblood should have been.
February 28th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Kerrigan is off to one hell of a start at the Combine. 31 reps and 4.67 40! That seems pretty athletic to me. I’m on board with this guy!
February 28th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
MOBucs
Yeah, the more I watch Kerrigan, I think he is perfect for a 4-3 DE.
He appears smaller because he is lean. I fell for it at first as well. When you watch him play, however, he is strong. He plays with leverage and he is relentless.
THE COMMISH made an interesting observation:
The Steelers want Pouncey to go with his twin. to get him, they may have to move up and get past the Bears, Eagles, and Chiefs.
That means spot 20 (Chiefs at 21).
Raheem and Tomlin are prtty tight. Could there be a trade down deal?
They would still be able to get a damn good DE at pick 31 and another in round 3 (Romeus). PLUS they would get an extra pick or 2, probably one in round 2, at worst round 3, along with another later on.
Just a thought that I felt was interesting
February 28th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
We’ve already known this about the Bucs being open to drafting tweeners for weeks.
February 28th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
there wont be any damn good de’s left at 31 dave. theres no way they’ll trade down if one is available at 20. this isnt the same draft as last year, the talent falls off much steeper the deeper you go.
February 28th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
GOTBUCS
Not saying they should do it, just pointing out an interesting observation from the Commish.
Personally, I DO think there will be very, very good DEs available at 31.
It might be a situation where if a certain player or two is available at 20, they do NOT trade.
If they are not, and there are 4-5 other guys at DE and/or LB they like, then they might trade down assuming they land one of them.
At this point, we do not know who will be there. I do know that other than Bowers and Quinn at DE and Von Miller at LB, almost every so-called 1st round DE & LB COULD be available at 20 OR 31:
Cameron Jordan
Adrian Clayborn
J.J. Watt
Ryan Kerrigan
Cameron Heyward
Aldon Smith
Akeem Ayers
Justin Houston
Martez Wilson
I don’t know which ones are really first round talent, no one does, but if they like 4-6 of them that are still avilable at 20 and the Steelers want to trade up…. it should be looked at STRONGLY
February 28th, 2011 at 4:46 pm
MObucs- yup. the knock on Kerrigan was lack of pure speed to be an edge rusher. But his 4.67 beats both Robert Quinn and Aldon Smith, the two guys a lot of people(including myself) were looking for to be combine freaks. The only 1st round DE that beat Kerrigan in the 40 was Justin Houston with 4.63. Kerrigan’s stock undoubtedly is going up from the combine.
February 28th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
GOTBUCS
Don’t fall into the trap. Every year, they over analyze every single to a fault. Next thing you know, half the fan base thinks everyone other than the top 5 are a bust waiting to happen.
Many, many starters come out of every single round.
The pros have said this draft is extremely deep at DE and have been forcasting that for a couple years. The Bucs lined themselves up for it by targeting DT last year.
Personally, I think Quinn, Kerrigan, and Romeus will end up being the best pass rushers in this draft and Romeus will be avilable in round 3-4
February 28th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
That’s my worry Gitrlvr. Kerrigan may have just moved into the 15-16 range with his performance today.
February 28th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Dave, I understand that this is a deep class of DE’s, but it’s top heavy. I don’t base my opinions on what the “pros” think. You don’t pass up on a higher rated guy hoping to still grab a lower rated guy 11 picks later. If anything, Dominik will move up.
February 28th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Incidentally Martez Wilson ran a 4.4 – which is unbelievably blazing fast for a big MLB who can hit. I didn’t think he was value at #20 but this changes things. His stock will skyrocket and he should now be a lock for the first round. Maybe if the DE they covet is gone at #20 Wilson is now a viable option.
February 28th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
sorry 4.44 – still unreal speed for a linebacker.
March 1st, 2011 at 2:21 am
To elaborate on the Pittsburg trade theory, some of the “experts” are seeing Kerrigan going to Jax now after his outstanding combine performance. If the Bucs trade Pittsburg #20 for their 1st and 3rd round picks, we could offer Miami our extra 3rd rounder as well as our 7th rounder to trade up to get Kerrigan if he is still there at that spot. Last I checked most mocks had Miami getting a RB at that spot and the chances are good that a quality guy would still be there at 31 for them, so they would be more apt to make a trade like that. Just theory though.
March 1st, 2011 at 2:23 am
Pretty funny. I was just looking at the 2012 draft that walterfootball.com has up and they have Tampa picking 29 of 32. We’re goin’ to the playoffs guys! Fire the cannons!!!
March 1st, 2011 at 7:56 am
Walterfootball had us picking 19 by week one last year. The guy is a prophet. Also predicted both Freeman and McCoy as our picks. If he picked us at 32, I’m starting to look for Superbowl accommodations!
March 1st, 2011 at 9:32 am
I noticed that Walterfootball was pretty good in some predictions of trades and mocks last year as well.
I don’t agree with alot of what they say, but who do you do that with really? I am taking more notice of them.
At one point they had the Bucs taking Kerrigan, Bruce Carter, Quan Sturdivant, and Greg Romeus
Righ now they have them taking Clayborne (with Kerrigan, Ayers, and Watt as possibilities).
Then Bruce Carter OLB UNC in round 2,
Kelvin Sheppherd ILB LSU in round 3,
Shane Vareen RB Cal in round 4,
Rick Elmore DE AZ in round 5.
If this is what happens, I’d be pretty excited even though I am getting skeptical on Clayborne and really, really want them to take Greg Romeus DE of Pitt.
I’d be excited though because I would trust the Bucs brain trust that they know what they are doing, although I like what they had them taking initially better
March 1st, 2011 at 10:57 am
Why does everyone want the Bucs to take Greg Romeus so bad? There is a reason a guy with top ten type talent has had his stock fall to the middle rounds. The guys had back surgery for christs sake. Any back problem you need surgery for tends to become a lifelong chronic issue. Its hard enough to sit in a chair and work in an office with back issues let alone play professional football. Speaking as someone who suffered from lower back pain for years, it is pretty debilitating and I finally recovered but all it takes is lifting a box thats a little too heavy to throw me out of whack again. I couldn’t imagine what the physical pounding of playing defensive end in the NFL would do to someone’s recovering back. Chances are this mans ability to have a lasting NFL career are shot. Thats not even taking into account his currently blown out knee.