Schiano: Crabtree’s Been A Really Good Addition
June 15th, 2013
The tight end competition is easily the most wide open on the Bucs. So Joe finds it worth noting any clues that come out of the New Schiano Order.
This week, Greg Schiano gave a take on two hopefuls: Nate Byham, who caught a touchdown pass against Carolina last season, and newcomer, free-agent pickup Tom Crabtree.
“We went out and got Crabtree and I think he’s really been a good addition,” Schiano said. “Byham is more healthy than he was anytime last year, and I think you can see a little more pop in his step.”
Still in the mix at One Buc Palace is second-year man Danny Noble, who was a surprise rookie to make the roster out of training camp last season. Noble played half the season before hitting injured reserve.
And here’s a trivia question: What Bucs tight end has the most receptions?
Answer: Zach Miller. He caught 45 receptions for 470 yards and five touchdowns with Jacksonville from 2009-2011. But a shoulder injury sent him to injured reserve early in the 2011 season, and hamstring and chest muscle injuries got him waived before the start of 2012.
Miller’s an interesting dude. He’s a former starting college quarterback (Division II, Nebraska-Omaha) who successfully made the transition to “athletic” tight end (his words) after being a project sixth-round pick by the Jags. The Bucs pounced on Miller immediately following last season. Miller told Joe he had a workout with the Bucs and inked a contract in early January, before Crabtree was signed in March.
Who knows what will shake out at tight end? But Joe can say with confidence that the Bucs absolutely plan to run the ball over and over and over, and they’ll keep the best two blocking tight ends.
June 15th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
I think Crabs will be our leading receiver at TE this season. he may even end up have twice as many receptions as Stocker.
June 15th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
My guess is we’ll be keeping Crabtree, Stocker and Miller. If Miller hasnt completely healed his shoulder, he’ll go on IR.
June 15th, 2013 at 2:32 pm
Do you all think our TEs will have better offensive output than K2 does with the Jets?
We better not lose week 1 because of a Winslow TD, that would be awful.
June 15th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
steveK
I really hope Mr. Barron delivers a bold hello to Sargent Win-SLOW week 1. Yeah between the revis homecoming and now winslow bucs it might be an opening day must win.
June 15th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
F&*# Winslow dude. He will be DJ’ing at some club and not even come in for training camp. He is the definition of camp fodder.
June 15th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Any truth to the rumor that Myron has been working out….bulked-up….and will get some reps at TE in camp?
June 15th, 2013 at 3:40 pm
@JOE
Joe, Wow, already a Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign ad? Really?
June 15th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
^ made up
June 15th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
SteveK,
All Winslow TDs are automatically called back due to “offensive pass interference”. What you suggest is impossible.
June 15th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
I had to watch K2’s soldier rant today, what a talented moron.
June 15th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
If Joe is right and they’re keeping the two best blockers, then Stocker and Byham are locks as they are by far the best blockers. You can pencil in Crabtree as well for his pass catching and decent blocking. I don’t see a place for Miller. They definitely aren’t keeping 4 TE’s especially if Dominik was being serious about keeping 3 QB’s.
June 15th, 2013 at 3:52 pm
He’s been a really good EDITION? Really?
Geez.
“Hey Snook. A-hole-like complaints are not appreciated.–Joe”
June 15th, 2013 at 4:04 pm
Block in the run game & be available to catch the ball in 3rd down conversion situations. That’s how the Bucs offense seems to use the TE (& FB for that matter).
June 15th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Joe does not share my great hopes for throwing to one of the TE’s from two TE set? Maybe not copious chunks of VJax like yardage, but the chains will keep moving. Saves some wear and tear on Martin too.
There will be mismatches on the scale of Winslow’s and Schiano’s personalities!
June 15th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
It will be interesting to see how many TE’s they carry into the season. We already know that an extra position will now be used for a 3rd QB. So depth will suffer now, somewhere else on the roster, compared to last year.
June 15th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Hey Snook, maybe Joe’s on to something calling it the Crabtree Edition….I think he’s going to be great for us.
June 15th, 2013 at 5:53 pm
BIff:
Actually, it’s Mike Sullivan, the Bucs offensive coordinator, who doesn’t share in your hopes.
June 15th, 2013 at 7:22 pm
Don’t know if anybody else has noticed, but Rutgers WR Tim Wright has been changed to a TE on the Buccaneers.com website.
June 16th, 2013 at 9:46 am
Fair point Joe, Biff needs to put Sully on speed dial.
Defenses will be sweating trying to contain Martin and the deep threat had results last year. VJAX and MW’s YPC both scraping 15 per is stellar.
The middle of the field is ripe with opportunity and TE and slot are the biggest question marks this year.
Having Demps in the slot could be interesting too.
June 16th, 2013 at 9:52 am
@Brandon
Saw where they switched Wright. He goes about 220 and has good height so he must block fairly well to moved to TE.
Can’t be worse than Winslow or Clark there.