Bucs Don’t Need Receiver Help
October 29th, 2011
Maybe before the Bucs go shopping for a receiver, Arrelious Benn should be targeted more often.
Sometimes Joe has to scratch his head wondering what some Bucs fans are watching.
Right now at the bye weekend of the Bucs’ schedule, if Joe had to pick one area where the Bucs have significant depth, it would be receiver. Apparently, not all Bucs fans see the receivers in the same light. In fact, one Bucs fan peppered Bucs beat writer Stephen Holder about how the Bucs need to bolster the Bucs receiver corps during a St. Petersburg Times chat.
Comment From Julian Wood
Any chance the Bucs look outside the organization for receiver help this year….it is pretty apparant they could use a burner on the outside.
Stephen F. Holder: I think there’s a chance. But I don’t ever expect it to be the guys you hear about on Sportscenter. It’s more likely to be somebody the Bucs have been watching who’s on someone else’s practice squad or a prospect cut by another team.
“Pretty apparent,” really? In what way?
Now if this guy asked Joe if the Bucs could use a speedy guy to come off the bench as a running back, Joe would immediately reply, “Hell, yes!”
The problem with the passing game isn’t the receivers.
October 29th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
Got to disagree. THe problrem with the passing game is alot of Freeman, some of Olsen, and much of the WRs not getting open. So Williams and K2 have more covereage rolled their way…so what… so does Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald every single play for the last few years.
The WRs have not done a good job getting open. Benn and Williams need to step up.
October 29th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
I agree that we need to add some more speed at the WR position. Definitely could use a burner. Benn is speedy but not enough.
October 29th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
RUNNING BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 29th, 2011 at 10:07 pm
A speed guy wouldn’t hurt. I don’t think it is as important as a rb. But I’d love to see a young Joey Galloway clone out there to add to the mix.
October 29th, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Benn runs a 4.4 and always gets separation. Problem is they don’t have him in the game enough and don’t target him when he’s in. Olson and Freeman seem to be stuck on Winslow & Williams. Time to move Benn up the depth chart and make him a primary target.
October 29th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
Tied for the league lead in drops and the receivers aren’t at the very least part of the problem?
October 29th, 2011 at 11:45 pm
I feel Benn is the best pair of hands they have right now He and Parker have made some great catches. Williams is dropping passes and not getting open. I’d even use Briscoe more often he goes airborne for passes and every where else on the field. Williams issue seems to be mental he went to the media exposing his bad play.He and Michael Spurlock dropped some game changing passes. I’m not sure what Sammie Staughter has to offer he should be available for the Aints game. We got the Blount Object commming back for some playaction. This Madu cat might be the shift low down gritty and grimy type of back that can change up things. We’ll see got some tought games comming up Dallas Green Bay Houston Aints the disco chickens from atlanta and I might add in Carolina is playing some great football look out here it comes are you ready
October 30th, 2011 at 12:46 am
Really, we’ve got some great receivers on this team. Half the teams in the NFL would give just about anything to have our WR roster top to bottom and would make an even swap in a heartbeat.
When I watch our offense (and I have to admit that I don’t know a ton about Xs and Os like a lot of you guys on here do) I can’t help but wonder… has Greg Olson actually sat down and pondered what these guys can do, what their individual strengths (and weaknesses) are and how to adapt his offensive schemes to make the best use of those strengths and mitigate the weaknesses? To my untrained eyes, it sure doesn’t seem like it; and what’s worse, he seems to be taking that approach with the entire roster on his side of the ball.
October 30th, 2011 at 1:02 am
There’s a reason he’s not used as much anymore, he runs bad routes and has bad hands. He has a much higher drop percentage than anyone on the team. Williams has more overall, but also has a lot more targets his way. Briscoe has taken over his spot simply because he’s a better receiver at this point. I want Benn to succeed, but that’s all up to Benn. He has his opportunities, and he has the benefit of his draft status, and he’s still not doing much with it. It’s not like they’re keeping some amazing player buried on the depth chart that keeps making plays whenever they get a chance. They’re taking away playing time from a guy who needs to improve before he sees the field more.
October 30th, 2011 at 3:37 am
I disagree and this offense needs all the help it can get. Simply put. Like Parcells said you are what your record says you are. 4-3. Not bad, not elite. Inconsistent and young. So yes any help would help but let’s first learn the basics like lining up right, proper motion rules, and how to read coverages. If we can get consistent at that then we can expand on attributes. Imo, we are still at ground 0, learning.
October 30th, 2011 at 7:03 am
We have the receivers, the problem is obviously having a running game that can control the clock, give Josh more time and options and get first downs and TD’s.
I’m surprised this is even a topic really. We ARE beyond the “Bring in T.O. (or anyone else I read about once in ESPN magazine or saw in Madden or on TV so he must be good and I want him so we can be good too!)!
October 30th, 2011 at 7:53 am
We are in need of a speed WR that can stretch the field ala Mike Wallace, 4.28; Jacoby Ford, 4.22 – we already have good WRs that run in the mid 4.4s. We need blazing speed on go routes that can get behind CBs after the first 10-20 yds that can catch the long ball which Freeman is quite capable of throwing! If he is really good like Wallace, he will draw double coverage deep and open the middle for Benn and Williams. Dominik promised this type of receiver at the end of last season – didn’t happen.
October 30th, 2011 at 8:34 am
Ed Grant ran a 4.37 40 time and he will be what Rah preach next man up!
October 30th, 2011 at 9:14 am
People just want someone fast. They like the visual appeal. There is nothing that says fast guys help teams. Tons of speed recievers come and go but it is the route runners that become elite: TO, Welker, Fitz, A. Johnson, Jennings, Driver, White. While speed guys are fast and cool, they generally don’t put up the consistent numbers of route runners.
Benn and Briscoe have been getting by CBs all year, but since the OL is terrible at pass defense, the routes can’t develop and Freeman can’t go through his reads.
Get an upgrade at RT and LG and Freeman will find plenty of targets down field. Guaranteed.
October 30th, 2011 at 9:33 am
DeSean Jackson is a free agent at the end of the year. This guy epitomizes what the Bucs lack.
October 30th, 2011 at 9:44 am
@Deeb
We need an upgrade at WR, sure those guys you mentioned may not have the “top” speed, but they are all elite WR’s.
A burner at WR to set the edge is exactly what this offense needs.
October 30th, 2011 at 10:00 am
@SteveK Do you know what the common denominator is for all those WR I named? All of those receivers became great because they had/have solid to great pass protection and solid/great QBs. We have neither a solid QB nor solid pass protection right now. The QB will be helped by the OL who in turn will deliver to the receivers. It can not and does not work the other way around. Receivers and QBs need time. Our guys do not have that right now.
So what you are saying is that speed makes up for crappy routes and hands….. Who outside of Deshaun Jackson fits that profile? Most speed guys don’t do much: Troy WIlliamson, Percy Harvin, Daunte Stallworth etc. Even Deshaun hasn’t done much in his career yet. What is the point of a “speed guy” if we can’t get him the ball?
October 30th, 2011 at 10:05 am
Wow…..I don’t know where to start…..
1. Who ever thinks Benn is running a 4.4 is high. Maybe at the combine with the wind at his back, bit not after shredding a knee. A 4.4 isn’t even that fast.
2. Did someone actually say any team in the league would want our receivers? Considering what Steve Smith has done this year, we might have the worst in our division.
3. There is a difference between potential and production.
4. League leaders in drops
5. Zero separation
5. No one to stretch the field. I’d look a Kendal Wright, or Hilton in the 3rd next year. Both are 190 lb 4.2 40 wr/kr that could make a huge difference.
October 30th, 2011 at 10:22 am
We have a deep and talented group. The problem is that all of them are “good” players, and I feel we are missing that 1 “great” player. I think everyone has potential to get better but none would be truly elite.
But these type of wr’s just don’t grow on trees. We have enough tools to get it done, I agree with some people’s concerns with the offense being molded to the talent, instead of square pegs being put into round holes.
Every single skill player on our team played in a spread offense in college. We are starting to see in the NFL that a spread offense with the right personel can be effective. Why do we still run a West Coast style offense?
I think that’s my biggest question about the o right now, not who our WR’s are or aren’t.
October 30th, 2011 at 10:57 am
Tampa’s offense depends on running the ball. When we run well, we pass well, simple as that.
October 30th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Its the correctable penalties going away that will takes us to the next level.
October 30th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Teams see that josh is struggling so they r going to make us pass (8 men in the box) if they know that we can beat them by running the ball they r going to take that away so we have to pass down the field to open up the running holes.special with GB cause he’s a down field runner not a cut back runner. When teams start 2 respecting the passing game like last year we will b a better football team. Last year with the passing game going Blount was able 2 break runs because they respect the unknown (m.w, been and josh arm ) with the ball in the air
October 31st, 2011 at 11:02 am
4.4, 4.3…who gives a rats #@% !! There is such a thing as game speed and that is what really matters. Run good routes and you’ll get open. Having said that…our problem is not in the passing game, our problem is in the running game. When Blount is in and we run the ball well (or Graham against New Orleans) we win the game because the play action actually WORKS and Freeman has time to throw. When we can’t run the ball we do what every other team in the NFL does when the running game doesn’t work….we lose. It’s not rocket science. We need another stud RB to give Blount a breather and not lose production.
October 31st, 2011 at 11:05 am
@mbaby…you have it backwards. The running game opens up the pass, not vice-versa. The play action is what keeps the DB’s and linebackers honest. It’s always the Michael Turners and the Frank Gores who command the respect of the defense. Once the run is controlled then the defense can go QB hunting.