“They Expect Me To Be An All-Pro Player”

August 5th, 2018

Talks coaching and expectations

The Buccaneers may have drafted two rookie cornerbacks in the second round this year, but that doesn’t mean the regime has stopped leaning on Vernon Hargreaves to live up to his draft status.

The No. 11 overall pick in 2016, Hargreaves was benched last year, stripped of his outside cornerback position and shuffled inside before missing the second half of the season with a hamstring injury.

Hargreaves said last week that the team isn’t just looking for him to bounce back; they are demanding he perform like a superstar.

“The expectations have grown for me. They expect me to be an All-Pro player. They expect me to be a Pro Bowl player,” Hargreaves told reporter Mike Nabors on camera.

“They expect me to impact the game and that’s what I plan on doing. And I appreciate that. Coach Koetter, all the coaches, they expect highly of me, which is why I get coached so hard, which is why everything comes on me. And that’s the position I want to be in and that’s the position I want to be in. Like I said, I’m getting better. I’m working on it and things are looking good for us this year.”

Interesting stuff from Hargreaves. Joe’s intrigued how Hargreaves perceives he’s being coached hard and has a lot of responsibility. Perhaps Hargreaves feels he was unjustly stripped of his starting corner gig last season?

Hargreaves also said he thinks general manager Jason Licht did a great job drafting two cornerbacks because the Bucs needed the depth behind the starters.

22 Responses to ““They Expect Me To Be An All-Pro Player””

  1. Pryda... sec147 Says:

    who has more odds to succeed VHG3 or Spence? I think VGH is going to benefit big time from the “pass rush” but honestly if I see him sitting 8 yards off a receiver I’m going to go mental

  2. JDR Says:

    There were so many great players we missed on

  3. BUC_40 Says:

    Joe – Your title is messed up 😉

  4. SB Says:

    When VH played at UF he had one of the best pass rushing lines in the Nation.
    Hopefully our pass rush this yr is twice what it was last yr.
    If so………….Whewh what our secondary will be able to do.

  5. uothegut Says:

    I was at Thursday’s practice, VH3 looked much qicker than in the past. He looked comfortable also. I was also impressed with how friendly he was after practice.
    I was a hater , I am now a fan!

  6. Duthsty Rhothdes Says:

    Hope he finally shows his draft position, bucs should have drafted laremy tunsil a franchise left tackle

  7. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    I think VH3 will end up starting opposite Grimes and Stewart will be in the nickel.

  8. Bucwatcher Says:

    Just say Cooper. Cooper schooled him in college and Cooper schooled him last year at home. VH is a bust.

  9. Season Is Over Says:

    This guy really gets it.

  10. Destinjohnny Says:

    Vh3 was so pedestrian in college
    I never understood his high draft status

  11. Alaskan Abdominal Snowman Says:

    He is a Buc so of course, as a Bucs fan, I want him to succeed.
    I hope the competition brings out something in him and he stops being timid and goes for broke.

    Also Vernon played his best in college as the left cornerback i thought. Since he’s been here Grimes has had that on lock. I just hoping maybe being out of his comfort zone at first maybe contributed to his aggressiveness.

    Like i said i hope he is more comfortable and just goes for broke this year. It will only push the rookies harder too if Vernon is keeping them off the field. Come on, with this pass rush Myron Lewis could play corner here.
    Go BUCS!!

  12. jmarkbuc Says:

    The draft is a crap shoot for every team, but yes when you are selected number 11 they (we) expect you to be an all pro.

    I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad that this has dawned on him.

  13. Defense Rules Says:

    @Joe … “Perhaps Hargreaves feels he was unjustly stripped of his starting corner gig last season?” VHIII was taken to the cleaners more times than I can remember Joe. Nothing ‘unjust’ about it … he was terrible at right outside corner. I will admit however that when he played left outside CB in place of Grimes he looked somewhat better, but I still think that nickel is where he’s best suited. M.J. Stewart will give him a run for his money there IMO. All-Pro might be a tad premature.

    I think the battle for right outside CB will be between Ryan Smith & Carlton Davis. Long ways to go to the first game though & a lot can happen in the meantime. Ryan had a rough first year at outside CB, but I wouldn’t count him out just yet.

  14. 1sparkybuc Says:

    Hopefully next year we won’t need Grimes.

  15. Jjones Says:

    I’m a UF fan and I’m pretty hard on the players. VH3 was anything but pedestrian in his college career. I’ve seen him have an off game in college but never anything pedestrian and is why I was so excited he was drafted. His issue is a lack of confidence when he transitioned to the NFL. Now, his play while in the NFL HAS been pedestrian due to that lack of confidence. At this time he seems to sound far more confident, than I’ve ever heard, and If he can match his confidence with his athletisim many will be silenced.

  16. TouchDownTampaBay Says:

    Don’t put too much pressure on yourself Vernon. The fans are expecting very little from you and are ecstatic that the front office drafted two corners in the second round this year.

  17. Godeep66 Says:

    It’s not what they expect of you it what you think and demand of yourself. They drafted two corners for a reason. This guy is lost in space.

  18. Jeffbuc Says:

    JDR I just went and looked at the first round of the 2016 draft. We didn’t miss out on much. The whole draft after Elliot doesn’t look to good in the first round. About 5 receivers who haven’t done anything. Couple other corners I have never heard from. And a bust that Arizona picked who hasn’t even started a game in Robert ndechiwas

  19. Bucsfanman Says:

    I don’t expect VHIII to be “All-Pro”. What I expect is for him to do his job and stop acting like a buffoon every time he makes a play.
    The best scenario is for him to regain his form and contribute. The “finger-wag” HAS to go though!

  20. m0j0 Says:

    VHIII has learned his lessons and taken his lumps, now it’s time to rise up and be the best at what you do!

  21. Owlykat Says:

    Next year look for VHIII at Left Corner and Stewart at Slot Corner and Davis at Right CB! And all three playing press corner. With a good pass rush and holding up WRs with good press coverage, the WRs don’t get open at their spots and QBs get sacked holding the ball.

  22. Echase Says:

    All Pro??? He won’t be starting in week 6. He is a true bust. But he can smoke him some flex thou