Dezmon Briscoe Makes Case For First String
August 12th, 2011
Let Joe make this perfectly clear: Joe LOVES Arrelious Benn. The Bucs wide receiver was just coming into his own last year when he blew up his knee which made Joe sick, still does to this moment.
Joe’s not sure whether it’s the fact Benn played for a college that Joe damned near went to or that Benn is one of the nicest guys Joe has dealt with in the NFL. Joe just likes the guy.
But the way Dezmon Briscoe played late last year, in training camp this year and tonight in the shutout of the Chiefs, Joe can see right now that Benn will be in a fight for his gig thanks to the way Briscoe is playing and this is not lost on the Bucs quarterbacks.
“Briscoe is a nice pick up for us,” Josh Johnson said after the game of the Bucs radio network. “He’s been putting the work in. You can tell he is hungry from being on the practice squad and he is taking advantage of every opportunity given to him. We know as quarterbacks that if we get the ball to him he will make the catch.”
Briscoe, who led the Bucs in receiving with four catches for 60 yards, even caught the eye of Raheem Morris.
“He kind of knows what’s going on and now he’s fitting himself into the role,” Morris said at halftime.
“It’s good to produce on the field,” Briscoe told the Bucs radio network.
The way Briscoe is producing, Benn will have to work to make the starting lineup. The old saying is if you snooze you lose. Getting hurt was not Benn’s fault at all. But in his void, Briscoe is shining.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Here’s another question… With the emphasis on the return game squarely on the punt returners qhile minimizing the kick returners.. do we value a great punt returner more highly than a function WR and good KR? If we do, Jock Sanders showed some serious moves and return ability as a PR and if he keeps it up might find his way onto the roster. He is lightning bug quick and far stronger than you’d think, he broke several tackles on numerous occasions. He did fail to field a fair catch cleanly, but he did get a nice return out of it.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
This is not subtraction by addition. The Bucs just got a whole lot better with Briscoe playing at a high level. They both will play. It simply makes Benn raise his level of play too!!
August 12th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
Brandon:
It pains Joe to write this as Joe covered Jock in high school and is really pulling for the guy to make the team, but if Jock makes the final cut, it will be solely because of punt return skills. He’s at best the No. 7 receiver on the team currently. Plus, he’s only 5-6. Pretty tiny for a wide receiver in the NFL.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
@Macabee.. Agree with you 100%. No reason we can’t have 3 high level receivers.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
There’s no reason they cant all see the field at the same time. I still think Benn is going to shock the hell out of a lot of people this season. I think the kid can be a monster.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
I agree, Fear.
Also, I though Spurlock and Stroughter did well. Surlock is starting to age now, but he’s still useful.
On the KRs, I hate this new kicking rule.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:08 am
Benn will get his job back if only because he was a second round pick last year. Not to mention the promise he showed before injury. Plenty of teams have 3 good WRs. So too can the Bucs.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:19 am
Here’s the way Joe is looking at it:
1) Mike Williams
2) Sammie Stroughter
3) Dezmon Briscoe
4) Arrelious Benn
5) Michael Spurlock
6) Preston Parker
7) Ed Gant
8 ) Jock Sanders
Is Joe missing anyone?
August 13th, 2011 at 12:26 am
Let’s roll three wide with K2 as the TE and see how many teams can guard Mike Will, Rejus Benn, Dez Briscoe, and The Soldier!
August 13th, 2011 at 12:57 am
There is no way Stroughter starts before Briscoe(even with that awesome diving catch in the 1st quarter).
Benn better find a way to make it on the field soon because the competition is thick.
August 13th, 2011 at 1:18 am
Best. Problem. To. Have. Ever. Depth at WR? On the bucs?? Someone slap me, I’m dreaming!!!
August 13th, 2011 at 1:18 am
I think you got it right Joe, but I think they keep 6 WRs this year – one of which will have to double as a KR. Preston Parker is going to have to step it up to beat out Ed Gant who is having a good camp and is the fastest WR. It want help Parker to keep dropping TD passes as he did tonight. Jock Sanders only hope is special teams as a KR, which he could win if he can also double as a WR. More likely, Stroughter or Spurlock will be the KR, because of the 35yd line rule. Gant and Sanders are still elibible for the practice squad.
August 13th, 2011 at 2:29 am
Thank God Gruden isn’t the coach anymore or we would have to keep Briscoe and Benn on the sideline.
August 13th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Nothing wrong with Tampa having so many wide receivers Joe 🙂
Briscoe is awesome, and according to people who have seen him in training camp, one of our best receivers, though Shawn King is not high on him ?
Briscoe is a gamer too, not just a training camp Icon, remember the last saints vs tampa game, and that incredible catch Briscoe made ?
I just cleaned a roof for Coach Early, who coached Benn in High School !
Coach early lives up in Lake Jovita now, up in Pasco. Coach Early is very high on Benn, and so am I. Benn was really coming on, before he was hurt.
I am not quite as high on Stroughter as you are Joe. You have him picked number 2, I would place Briscoe there.
Hey, was it not Sabby The Goat who told us about Stroughter ? Maybe we can send Stroughter To Kansas City to reunite with The Goat, and get a good draft pick ?
JK, of course.
August 14th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
2) Sammie Stroughter what is your thinking process on this Joe?