Verner Talks Hargreaves
May 6th, 2016
Approved.
For a guy terrible in his days in Tampa Bay and who is paid over $6 million a year, one would think cornerback Alterraun Verner would be anything but excited about a new cornerback coming to the Bucs.
But not only was Verner happy to see Vernon Hargreaves drafted No. 11 overall, Verner actually suggested he was “excited.”
That’s what Verner explained to co-hosts Booger McFarland and Ross Tucker on “The Opening Drive” yesterday, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
“I don’t watch a lot of college football but from the highlights it looks like [Hargreaves] makes a lot of plays on the football,” Verner said. “He looks to be very smooth, so I am excited. At this point of my career I believe I have football left but it is always exciting to see new blood come in.
“[Hargreaves] really wanted to be here, he really wanted to play for the Bucs. So I am excited. He wants to make this team better.”
Well, today, Hargreaves and the rest of the rookies suit up in Bucs gear for the first time and take the practice fields at One Buc Palace for rookie minicamp.
Of course, Joe will be out there. You would expect less of him?
May 6th, 2016 at 5:40 am
I would not expect less Joe. Keep the stories coming. Very interesting insight and reporting is great to have as a bucs fan
May 6th, 2016 at 6:21 am
I would not expect less of Joe. I also wouldn’t be upset if Joe went to the beach instead. I would live vicariously through Joe. It’s going to be a beautiful day.
May 6th, 2016 at 6:44 am
Verner will easily have earned more than 10 million by now. Money has become irrelevant. Seriously! He and all of his offspring are set forever.
He is now down to simply playing and enjoying what’s left of his career. Oh yeah of course the 6 million sweetens the pot but I bet he would play here for less. I’m wondering if Licht is permitted to renegotiate Verner’s deal.
I like Verner a lot. I think he provides experienced depth and who knows, given the proper coaching and a defensive system that actually works, Verner may have a rebound year. I just don’t know about a six million dollar year.
May 6th, 2016 at 6:47 am
I like the fact he wants to he here and wants to make the team better, I just think hes gonna get burned for some TDS in this league. I would keep him in the slot rotation with verner and let verner rotate with banks and grimes on the outside for his rookie season. Im just happy our guys will be playing some press coverage for the first time in forever. Should be fun to watch
May 6th, 2016 at 6:55 am
Thank the football Gods the ghost of Darelle Revis can finally be put to rest. To hear people wail over that cash money millionaire OMG. Same can said about Semion Rice thank you football Gods for Spawn. Plaese no more crying over the spoils of yesterday,we now have they’re Heir Apparent.
May 6th, 2016 at 6:55 am
Corners
LCB B. Grimes | J. Adjei-Barimah
RCB A.Verner | J. Banks
SCB V.Hargreaves | J.Robinson
Safeties
FS C. Conte | K. Tandy
SS B. McDougald | M. Wright
Note: With NFL teams lined up with three or more receivers, almost 60% of the time.
Hargreaves should have no problem taking over the slot. Bradley Roby, Kyle Fuller and plenty other rookies corners – have thrived in this role recently.
May 6th, 2016 at 7:10 am
Love you LUV but I personally feel VH3 is far to great a talent to be relegated to slot. I couldn’t give him props before the draft because he was a Gator but now that he’s a Bucc I can’t front the kid is nasty. Kevin it happens from time to time DeAndre Hopkins made Revis look silly last year. I think he’ll start on across Grimes making the transition easier because he won’t be facing number ones right out the gate. I like him day 1 against NFL number 2 WR all day long. Brent Musberger says it best while viewing his highlights”its hard to make a living one-on-one throwing at #1″. I think this pup gone be speacial.
May 6th, 2016 at 7:25 am
Verner has been nothing but class since he’s been here. This speaks volumes for his character.
May 6th, 2016 at 7:28 am
I have a good feeling about Hargreaves. I think this kid will be special for us. Can’t wait for Buc football which is a feeling I have not experienced much over the last few dismal years.
May 6th, 2016 at 7:54 am
Luvmybucs – What happened to Ryan Smith? Not giving that young man a chance?
May 6th, 2016 at 8:06 am
LUVMYBUCS A.Verner finished the year playing nickel after his RCB play was abysmal. He actually did decent at nickel, but you see him playing over Hargreaves at the RCB position and Hargreaves moving to nickel?
If its due to speed and size Verner is actually shorter and slower than Hargreaves.
May 6th, 2016 at 8:20 am
Everyone did bad in the CB position in that terrible scheme. I throw out what they all did the past two years. Verner was pro bowler befor he came here and banks was playing pretty dam well as 2nd year player and showed promise, even in lovies defense where he led team I pics. He got benched cause Locie love affair with Mike Jenkins
When a defensive coach can’t find a place for REVIS the best CB in league that tells me he can’t make adjustments and stubborn to do so.
Lovie probably would have s by deon sanders packing.
May 6th, 2016 at 8:37 am
Verner is doing everything he can to keep his job…..we are now somewhat CB rich and his $6mil could be used in FA elsewhere (WR fo example). I’m not saying he is insincere but its in his best interest to display an extremely positive attitude.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t approached with a restructure offer before the season starts.
May 6th, 2016 at 8:42 am
Might want to pump the brakes. Not sure Hargreaves is Revis quite yet.
May 6th, 2016 at 8:51 am
Verner is showing real class with this attitude.
When every player on the team is truly more concerned with “we” than “me” – then great things happen for the team.
Verner is a good dude. He’s smart as hell and a pretty solid CB IMO. I’m glad we have him and that he and Banks are getting “fresh starts” this year – because both deserve it.
You literally cannot have too many good cornerbacks on your team in the NFL. With the signing of Grimes, drafting of Hargreaves and hiring of quality DB coaches – I think the Bucs have turned a position of weakness last year into a position of strength. And done so I will add for not much more than the cost of a single CB had Licht not jettisoned the ridiculous contract that Dummynick signed a rehabbing Revis to.
May 6th, 2016 at 8:56 am
Luther- Totally agree. He’s been a total pro. I think he and Banks are going to have good bounce-back seasons this year, now that they have better coaching that will let them use their talents the way they should. I’m sure Hargreaves will take one of the starting spots before long, but if he’s in the slot for a year, I think that’s fine.
May 6th, 2016 at 8:56 am
Joe…Tony the Tiger would say….You’re Grrrrrrrreat!
May 6th, 2016 at 9:03 am
Verner needs to step up his game. Scheme or no scheme, since he’s been with the Bucs, He’s gotten beaten regulary..consistently..like a drum! Both him and Mr Banks. Both of them are running out of excuses. That’s right, I said it!
May 6th, 2016 at 9:10 am
Good luck VHIII…the secondary can’t get any worse.
Just remembered Raheem 2011….
Slapped myself.
May 6th, 2016 at 9:16 am
Joe let us kno all!
May 6th, 2016 at 9:17 am
Yeah, I’m with you guys on Verner; he’s been nothing but class. If he and Banks can bounce back, we’ll be set at CB.
Hargreaves is a rookie and WILL get beat, all corners do. It’s how he develops, that’s the key.
Is it football season yet?!
May 6th, 2016 at 9:21 am
That’s why they call them highlights, the lowlights are ignored. Big things come in small packages.
May 6th, 2016 at 9:35 am
How about the nightmare that was the secondary in Greg Schiano’s first year — which included the almighty Aqib Talib — specifically the day Eli Manning blowtorched them in the fourth quarter?
May 6th, 2016 at 9:45 am
Joe, I don’t think Verner has anything to be worried about. He was our nickel last year and probably will be again this year. Lovie had a terrible secondary scheme (aka- his son with little knowledge coaching) and I think all of the evaluation done in the last 3 years has gone completely out the window. I think Verner and Banks both make this team. The ones on the out are probably the two who ended up starting at corners at the end of the year after the musical chairs charade.
May 6th, 2016 at 9:46 am
@Mike Johnson- We’ve heard about the scheme over and over ad nauseam. I, for one, have a serious problem believing that football players don’t make plays regardless of the scheme. I mean, how do you just stand there play after play watching the slant?! Scheme be damned, if you’re a good football player you make a play. There’s no question that it didn’t work( the scheme), I’m just saying that if Verner and Banks are worth their weight, they would’ve made plays. We didn’t see that. That the scheme is different does not necessarily mean these guys turn into better players. Coaches coach and players play. Lets hope the new system bodes well for these guys.
May 6th, 2016 at 9:56 am
Joe I’m not a wait an see type of guy. I’m not an expert but I know bad@$$ when I see it. I didn’t see him play in highschool but I’m sure he was nice. It translates from one level to the next. In the NCAA he displayed a skillset that got him drafted early in the first round. I see no evidence that would suggest he in turn will not become a dominant player in the NFL. Don’t need him to become Revis just need him to be the best VH3. That will suffice and in my opinion place him on the same level. And again thanks for the spotlight I’ve noticed you and attention to me for quite some time now.
May 6th, 2016 at 10:13 am
@Bucfanman
So in your eyes the players should just play whatever technique THEY think is best and not listen to their coaches? That will get you benched faster than playing their tech. and getting beat. We all know now that Lovie told the corners to allow the slant “Slants won’t beat you letting them get behind you will”. to paraphrase what the corners have told us since Lovie’s departure. Anyone could see the frustration on the cbs faces allowing the wrs a free release and lane to the inside. I do believe it got slightly better once Kwon started stepping into the opening faster once he understood his position responsibilities better.
May 6th, 2016 at 10:29 am
“How about the nightmare that was the secondary in Greg Schiano’s first year — which included the almighty Aqib Talib — specifically the day Eli Manning blowtorched them in the fourth quarter?”
Ug…the Giants game. 2012 was pretty bad too, hence Revis deal in 2013. Lot’s of carry overs from Raheem though. Barber of course doesn’t count. Biggers, Talib, Tanard (Gruden) Cody Grimm….Yeah 2012 was pretty bad too, but there’s an easy excuse for that. Raheem was in his 3rd year(albeit the Glazers being cheap) and Schiano was in his 1st.
May 6th, 2016 at 11:04 am
Wait and Raheem was what? A former SECONDARY coach!
Holy crap!
May 6th, 2016 at 11:42 am
@Stanglassman- That’s not what I’m saying at all. Think of it this way; if you and I were playing flag football and I were covering you and getting beat by the same move every time as you were dancing in the endzone, I would make it a personal vendetta to either clean your clock at the line or jump the route. I’m not a pro and would do that, that’s pride. I don’t want you talking about how you torched Fanman all game, that’s disheartening. So our CBs get burnt game in and game out and they don’t feel this way? And, how many people are watching? Pride alone would make me want to make a play.
I go back to the fact that you can only put so much blame on coaching, players have to make plays.
May 6th, 2016 at 12:16 pm
Didn’t Malcom Butler win a Super Bowl jumping a slant route???? Yeah Lovie slants cant beat you. OMG and that was the strategy we employed? No wonder all of our DB’s played back 20 yards off the line of scrimmage. Conservative defense at its absolute worst!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 7th, 2016 at 1:43 am
Just met Marcus Maye he said out of Tabor and Hargreaves he’d take Hargreaves. I think Licht made the right decision. And as a nole it hurts to say, but we’re in good hands ‘