Hunting For Offensive Linemen Not That Simple
August 31st, 2012
The injury to right guard Davin Joseph has really set forth an ugly chain of events
To paraphrase Joe Theismann, unless the Washington Redskins’ backup defensive linemen are Supermen, the Bucs’ reserve unit on the offensive line is a shambles.
The Bucs’ backup unit couldn’t pass block and couldn’t run block Wednesday, Joe isn’t entirely sure they could block someone from stealing their beer.
Naturally, with a smashmouth run game and wanting to keep Josh Freeman’s jersey clean, if there is another injury to the starting unit of the Bucs offensive line, it could result in dire consequences.
So it is clear Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik will be surfing the waiver wire hoping to find someone, anyone, who can stop a cool breeze when used in a pinch.
Not so fast my friends (thank you, Lee Corso). It’s not as if the Bucs are the lone NFL team scraping the barrel for offensive line help. Like the Bucs, both the Packers and the Steelers have had injuries to the front line (for the Steelers, this is a rite of summer).
So if you are X-offensive lineman who just got cut by Y-team, who exactly would you want to play for, a team that has a realistic goal of a Super Bowl within its sights, or a team that is just hoping to get to .500?
Sure the Bucs — depending on what day and what source one checks on salary cap space; a subject Joe loathes more than the thought of a nude Rosie O’Donnell — could overspend to get a backup lineman, but what general manager in his right mind is going to overpay for a guy who may never play?
UPDATE: It seems the Bucs braintrust, like Joe, was revolted by what passed as an offensive line Wednesday night and is cleaning house of its backup offensive linemen.
Again, per workhorse Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, Jamarcus Hardrick and (Hey) Moe Petrus are now unemployed.
Joe is happy for the time being. Why? You don’t know how hard it is to work in a Curly Howard line in a football story, do you?
August 31st, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Saw OL Reggie Wells was released by the Packers. Seems like the kind of player the Bucs (and many others) would take a look at. And Joselio Hanson would be an upgrade over Biggers, Lewis, etc. Hopefully the team comes away with few additional bodies to improve the depth.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:16 pm
“Joe isn’t entirely sure they could block someone from stealing their beer.”— lol Joe …Agreed …. its going to be a long season … Freeman’s accuracy is worrisome enough…. now we have no OL depth and DL depth …
lets see what the Rockstar can do..
August 31st, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Seems more and more likely the OL back-ups and RG will some from Hardman-Dotson-Larsen and that might OK. All play better with better players around them.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Joe, you’ve GOTTA stop with the Rosie O’Donnell stuff! I was eating, and now, I’m not sure that I’ll be able to eat for the rest of the day!!
August 31st, 2012 at 1:23 pm
I sure they are..but I hope they monitor the Ravens, Phil-49ers cuts
August 31st, 2012 at 1:24 pm
“So if you are X-offensive lineman who just got cut by Y-team, who exactly would you want to play for, a team that has a realistic goal of a Super Bowl within its sights, or a team that is just hoping to get to .500?”
This confuses me Joe?
Does a cut player have a say in where he goes once he’s on the wire?
Am I missing something here?
Please explain.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:27 pm
BKNY:
Sure. Guys that are cut are free agents. It’s not like baseball where claims are put in for players.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Joe, I believe players with less than 4 years in the league have to pas through waivers, where the Bucs are in the 5th spot as far as claiming order goes.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Jah Reid (2011 3rd rounder) cut by the Ravens.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Saw that too Sensible, loacl kid from UCF too. Can he play guard though?
August 31st, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Thanks for the explanation, Joe + FlBoy
August 31st, 2012 at 1:42 pm
When players are waived, I do believe that teams can put in claims for them in the first 24 hours. Teams like the Packers and Steelers with good records will not be able to make those claims if the losing teams like the Bucs claim said player. I may be wrong but I think that is how it works. The worse your record the higher priority of your claim.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Joe you are incorrect. Waiver wire claims are still in effect until Saturday. The Bucs have high waiver wire priority so could claim some decent backups.
Any NFL player with less than four years experience is “waived” and goes onto the waiver wire and is subject to being claimed; if he’s not claimed only then does he become a free agent.
Any player with more than four years NFL experience is “released” and immediately becomes a free agent.
Waiver claims are due tomorrow afternoon and then we’ll see which players, if any, the Bucs are awarded.
Why do you think they call it the “second draft”, anyway? It’s because waived players don’t have a choice where they go if someone claims them.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:47 pm
@ FlBoy84
Meh, more of a tackle than guard but he’s got the size to play inside 6″7″ 324 lbs.
August 31st, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Josh might have a hard time seeing over him, I’d keep him at tackle. 🙂
August 31st, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Anyone know if teams/agents are required to wait until the 9pm deadline (insert joke) to discuss contracts with 4+ year players, or is it every man for himself once the team tells the player to hit the road? Saw Okoye was negotiating with Chicago, wasn’t sure what the rules were.
August 31st, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Dan Koppen (center) released by the Pats. Might be an option with Zuttah sliding over to RG. Just a thought, though it might be a bit late for him to build a rapport with Freeman at this point.
August 31st, 2012 at 2:07 pm
“It’s not as if the Bucs are the lone NFL team scraping the barrel for offensive line help. Like the Bucs, both the Packers and the Steelers have had injuries to the front line”
That’s irrelevant to the Bucs for the most part because players that get cut aren’t free agents. They have go through waivers before they can become FA’s. That being said the Bucs should have a higher waiver priority than the Packers and Steelers due to the teams win/loss record last year. So the Bucs will have the chance to pick up any released players before the Packers and Steelers.
August 31st, 2012 at 2:10 pm
@Lion,
That only applies to players with less the 4 yrs in the league.
August 31st, 2012 at 2:15 pm
SIGN ANDRE GURODE. Perfect temporary fill in for Davin Joseph!! Lots of experience and five pro bowl appearances!!
August 31st, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Appreciate the stooges reference
August 31st, 2012 at 2:28 pm
@FlBoy84
Thanks for the tip!
August 31st, 2012 at 2:30 pm
Still, most likely the players that will be released will be less than 4 year players; if vets do get cut the Bucs will just have to throw more money at them lol.
August 31st, 2012 at 4:39 pm
“Joe is happy for the time being. Why? You don’t know how hard it is to work in a Curly Howard line in a football story, do you? ”
And that’s not even mentioning Shemp !
August 31st, 2012 at 5:29 pm
TJax enjoyshemp.
Not so hard.
August 31st, 2012 at 7:06 pm
As bad as the backup offensive linemen were, they were no where near as revolting a nude Rosie ODonnell.. Just the mental imagery of that makes me want to gouge my eyes out.