Big Chance For Burnette
May 16th, 2014
A glance at the list of tryout players the Bucs have in rookie minicamp today through Sunday reveals Chris Burnette is the only undrafted player labeled “guard” in the mix.
That seems like quite an opportunity for the young man.
Burnette, (6-3, 314 pounds) was a three-year starter at Georgia at right guard.
So he’s a guard, and the Bucs need guard help.
A pre-draft analysis of Burnette on NFL.com offered the following:
STRENGTHS: Solid base strength to match up with wide-bodies in a phone booth and stand his ground. Flashes shock in his punch and a mean streak in his play. Plays with awareness. Seeks to finish blocks. Has practiced at center. Three-year starter in the Southeastern Conference. Is book smart and football smart and capable of setting protections.
WEAKNESSES: Has short arms and is overly fleshy. Is stressed easily by quickness and is late to cut off the rush and adjust to movement laterally in-line or in space. Is turned too easily. Average recovery speed vs. stunts and counters.
Burnette might finally be healthy. He was a second-team, All-SEC selection as a junior, despite battling a separated shoulder and a torn labrum. He had offseason shoulder surgery before his senior season in 2013. He didn’t miss a start last year.
Joe’s not trying to build Burnette up. he’s just a tryout player, but you just never know. A guy like this with significant college experience might have been training like a beast the past three months and remaking his “fleshy” body.
May 16th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I mean the worst case scenario is we still have crappy guard play… Might as well give the kid a fair shot.
May 16th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
Am I the only one here who actually likesJamon Meredith? I have a feeling he will bounce back to 2012 for this year. He is mobile and athletic, I think Ted fords scheme will work to his strengths
May 16th, 2014 at 12:59 pm
Here’s how I see it.
Test him this camp –
> Learn his positives and negatives against his peers
> Learn how fast can he process information
> Learn how well does he take to coaching
> Does he fit the scheme (only Tedford and staff will know)
Post Camp –
> Is he willing to commit to transforming his body
> Workout regimes
> Is he a film rat
> How serious is his commitment to himself
> How did his body hold up over the past mini-camp
Summer Camp –
> Can he apply what he learned?
> Can he hold his own against the starters on our defense?
> How does he respond to adversity?
> Can he play consistently with a mean streak?
I think that any of the above could apply to the hopefuls at Guard. Either way we will come away with someone to play there and develop. Most of it is who develops the chemistry the fastest and who’s coach-able.
May 16th, 2014 at 1:06 pm
@ Architek
That’s way to complicated….simply ask him…” Are you willing to donate a toe?”
And….What the hell is wrong with a “fleshy” body?….oh, that’s right we’re talking about football players….
May 16th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Why was a 3 year starter for Georgia not drafted?
May 16th, 2014 at 1:14 pm
^^^^^
Because SEC I’d overrated
May 16th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
we face some scary defensive lines this season. as diligent as L & L have been building up depth and shoring up weak areas, i just don’t understand the risks being taken along the OL. you don’t find starting offensive linemen walking the street at this point in the offseason, one of the best ones out there is the one we cut. with a little more maneuvering under the cap we likely could have kept 2 of the 3 starters we cut and still been okay to sign our rookies
May 16th, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Sounds a lot like a run blocker, maybe he can find a place due to the shallow depth chart.
I know it’s a homer view but I can’t help but think how great it would be to hit a home run on a UFA and get a 10 year starter at a crucial position.
That’s a good question Jim, it really makes you wonder.
May 16th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
SEC overrated? hahahahahha.
Championships. That is all that counts.
May 16th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
Oh and the routinely SEC heavy top 25, top 10, etc. come seasons end. Bowl wins over the last decade or so. List goes on.
May 16th, 2014 at 1:23 pm
@pick six….I think and this is just my opinion that this offense is going to be so up tempo and full of quick passes that it wont leave a lot of time for the pass rush to get there. With our receivers it should be hard for anyone to blitz us. Thats just my take I am not too worried. I could be wrong…
May 16th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
He’ll make it to camp but not much further, there will be a bunch of serviceable linemen freed up from other teams during camp.
May 16th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
He’ll make it to camp but not much further, there will be a bunch of serviceable linemen freed up from other teams during camp.
May 16th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
No Pablo,
You are not the only one that likes Jamon Meredith. In 2012, Doug Martin had a breakout year and Freeman set club records. He is a lousy tackle, but a pretty good ROG (doesn’t play the left side as well). I have no idea why he was moved in 2013. I have no problem with Jamon starting at ROG!
May 16th, 2014 at 1:50 pm
I wish Aaron Sears was still a buc… His story is tragic.
May 16th, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
May 16th, 2014 at 1:06 pm
@ Architek
That’s way to complicated….simply ask him…” Are you willing to donate a toe?”
And….What the hell is wrong with a “fleshy” body?….oh, that’s right we’re talking about football players….
—————————————————————-
LMAO!!!!!!!
Somehow that would solve all of our issues at G.
May 16th, 2014 at 2:12 pm
“Has short arms and is overly fleshy.”
The “fleshy” body can be fixed in the weight room, with the conditioning coach. The short arms can be fixed by this doctor in Venezuela… never mind.
“Is stressed easily by quickness and is late to cut off the rush and adjust to movement laterally in-line or in space.”
This is a little tougher to overcome. Building strength ‘might’ add to his physical quickness, but if he is being “late to cut off the rush…” because he cannot (mentally) process fast enough, it isn’t likely to change. The NFL is a WHOLE lot faster than college.
“Is turned too easily. Average recovery speed vs. stunts and counters.”
Getting “turned” can be fixed by good coaching, but (as above), if his recovery speed is mental, rather than physical…
The cost of seeing if he has enough upside is minimal.
May 16th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Isnt incognito still out there?
May 16th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Yes
May 16th, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Mort Says
“I mean the worst case scenario is we still have crappy guard play… Might as well give the kid a fair shot.”
I agree. Between the tryouts and the guys on staff, maybe they’ll get lucky.
I’m actually surprised there are not more undrafted guys trying out at guard.
May 16th, 2014 at 2:36 pm
@ Kevin
Yea….come on and blitz us….leave our WR/TEs open or 1 on 1…..If I’m McCown….i just throw up a lob anywhere on the field and….bingo!!!
May 16th, 2014 at 2:37 pm
Hawk Says:
“Is stressed easily by quickness and is late to cut off the rush and adjust to movement laterally in-line or in space.”
This is a little tougher to overcome. Building strength ‘might’ add to his physical quickness, but if he is being “late to cut off the rush…” because he cannot (mentally) process fast enough, it isn’t likely to change. The NFL is a WHOLE lot faster than college.
“Is turned too easily. Average recovery speed vs. stunts and counters.”
Getting “turned” can be fixed by good coaching, but (as above), if his recovery speed is mental, rather than physical…
The cost of seeing if he has enough upside is minimal.”
Well, you are right, but practice makes improvement. If his coach is good and prepares him properly, he can overcome thru practice so that when things happen it becomes instinct.
But he is a long shot.
May 16th, 2014 at 2:47 pm
“Overly fleshly”?
Is that fat?
May 16th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
@ Buccaneer Bonzai
Yes. As I stated, if he gets “good coaching” (and if he’s coach-able), he can ‘improve’.
The question will be, can he improve enough to be competitive?
I’ve watched Ryan Leaf (and others) who never could get the game to slow down in their head. Was it coaching or was college speed their ceiling? It’s a crap-shoot, because there is no way to know before they play.
You are right that he is a long shot. The fact that the Bucs are (currently) short at guard is an opportunity for him to grow. Another possibility for guards is the training camp blood-letting. Several O-linemen were taken high enough to warrant immediate play. That would spell doom for an expensive veteran.
May 16th, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Word is Mike Glennon has “brute strength” combined with “blazing speed” and will be plugged into the starting guard position while awaiting his destiny to become the Franchise!
May 16th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
Hawk Said:
“Has short arms and is overly fleshy.”
The “fleshy” body can be fixed in the weight room, with the conditioning coach. The short arms can be fixed by this doctor in Venezuela… never mind.”
Yeah but have you really seen his arms? He looks like a T-Rex. Short little spindly things.
May 16th, 2014 at 5:41 pm
It’s easy to under estimate the strength and agility of a tall wiry man at QB, such as Glennon.
May 16th, 2014 at 6:20 pm
This was the time to call torn labrum a significant injury Pablo not so much with a RB. I think that it maybe why he struggled to recover against speedy rusher’s moves. Maybe he is healthy now.
Just refer to MG8 as Mike Cannon or Mr. Cannon- please.
May 18th, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Good on his feet. Thinks quickly.. Better than most. You haven’t truly watched him play. Check out his film. He’s a beast and has protected his quarterback for 3 years. His only weakness it that he tries to protect too much. Buccaneers would be lucky to get him.