Dirk Koetter: Expect More Alex Cappa
December 15th, 2018
It’s time
A tidal wave of Caleb Benenoch critics hit Clearwater Beach months ago.
Joe’s favorite assessments were from two ex-Buccaneers. Anthony Becht called him a “finesse” type player. (Yeah, because that’s what you want at guard.)
And John Gilmore said after last Sunday’s game that Benenoch is a menace to professional football.
“I think it’s actually irresponsible for him to play,” Gilmore noted on the Bucs’ postgame radio broadcast.
Yes, fans of good, interior offensive line play have seen enough of the Bucs’ starting right guard.
Despite making 13 starts there this season, he looks out of position. …Joe is being kind.
Last night, Dirk Koetter was asked by a fan caller on the Buccaneers Radio Network whether rookie guard Alex Cappa might get more work in the final three games. And the caller asked about Cappa playing left tackle where he played in college.
Koetter responded praising Cappa and explained the third-round pick is working at right guard, left guard and center, and fans indeed should expect to see much more of him on the field this month.
That was a departure from the weekly answer Koetter seems to give about Cappa, which had been along the lines of he’s competing for reps and rookies need time.
Joe sure hopes Cappa gets a legitimate shot to replace Benenoch in these final games. It’s valuable experience, and Joe can’t imagine Benenoch needs more time for a proper evaluation.
December 15th, 2018 at 2:16 am
Cappa has not been good but can it really get worse than Benenoch?
Even if he is just as bad, he is younger and will be on his rookie contract longer. Also, he needs the reps, let him learn on the job. Let him start and I will bet he gets better by the final game.
Or
Just keep doing this ridiculously idiotic thing where you rotate guards all game. Yes, Dirk will probably do this option instead.
It’s a Buc’s life, stuck in Succaneer Cove.
December 15th, 2018 at 5:02 am
Is the game on tv today, i cant find that guide joe has
December 15th, 2018 at 5:05 am
Aw crap its saturday,dumb a$$ me,my bad
December 15th, 2018 at 6:00 am
@Alaskan … “Cappa has not been good but can it really get worse than Benenoch?” Probably not, but pity poor Jameis (or Fitz if Jameis gets hurt).
One of the things I love about the NFL Alaskan is how good teams are at exploiting their opponents’ weaknesses (great way to ‘cull the herd’?). Players like Benenoch (to name but one on the Bucs) get ‘exposed’ quite regularly. Problem is … others pay the price for their mediocrity. And ultimately so does the team.
This is the OLine that Licht built, and quite simply, it’s being ‘exposed’ regularly. It’s run-blocking is well-below-average, and the ones who ‘pay the price’ are our RBs (who weren’t world-beaters to begin with?). Its’ pass-blocking lately has been atrocious IMO, and Jameis has been the one ‘paying the price’. But so has the team. As many of our opponents’ OLines (and their DLines) have improved with each game, ours has regressed IMO. That’s totally unsatisfactory; position groups are supposed to IMPROVE as the year rolls on, not regress.
Agree with you about seeing what Cappa has, but so far haven’t been impressed. Would also like to see what Liedtke & Wester have (they’re our ‘depth’ right now). But if we’re going to be competitive next year, this OLine needs to be rebuilt. Personally in favor of sliding Ali back over to RG and Donovan to LG (providing he’ll re-sign for a reasonable price of course), and keep Jensen at center. Then draft 1 tackle (Rnd 1 or 2 pick expected to start right away) and sign another in FA (another starter-quality). That’d end up being a very expensive OLine (with 4 veterans), but our options are really limited at this point.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:16 am
An easy blitz package would be to send linebackers and safeties through either Benenoch or Cappa.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:16 am
Marpet has quietly gone about his business. Our other three starters are getting their name called out too frequently for penalties or giving up sacks. For an ex
O-lineman Licht has failed to build a quality O line.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:30 am
Frankly, I don’t know why Marpet has not been put back at right guard. He was best there. Maybe it is because Smith’s game is so weak?
December 15th, 2018 at 7:39 am
Meanwhile JR Sweezy continues to start at gaurd for the Seattle Seahawks, dont worry they only lead the league in rushing.
but that’s none of my business…
December 15th, 2018 at 7:52 am
Licht trying to replicate the “magic” of outwitting the rest of the NFL by trading up for a small school standout ( see also Marpet ). In a draft that could have turned the fortunes of a floundering franchise, Licht parlayed a first round trade back for multiple picks into little to nothing. The first 5 picks of the draft have shown squat. Time to turn the Licht’s Out. The only drama left will be to see if he matches Dominik’s Five Years of Folly/Futility.
Dom’er 28-52
Licht’s Out 27-50 with 3 to play…
A tie would be fitting…not sure where the win comes from. MAYBE against the Falcons at home…don’t count on it though.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:55 am
Y must being a buccaneers fan bring so much pain??
December 15th, 2018 at 8:15 am
Our O-line is a huge issue. Hard to believe Warhop still has a job.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:20 am
Test
December 15th, 2018 at 8:51 am
When are we going to start holding Warhop responsible?
December 15th, 2018 at 8:54 am
Why does it take Dirk Diggler months or over a year to figure out adjustments, replacements, or firings? Is it dumb loyalty or just down right stupidity?
December 15th, 2018 at 9:01 am
@Pete Mitchell
Yes, amazing isn’t it? – JR Sweezy was a pretty consistent performer with Seattle before he got here. Then he got here and completely sucked. Now he is back with Seattle as a consistent performer again.
Sigh.
smh
December 15th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Regarding Sweezy.. Still brought up as a Licht bust… maybe its the coaching.. Nah, can’t be.
December 15th, 2018 at 10:50 am
Pete Mitchell Says:
“Meanwhile JR Sweezy continues to start at guard for the Seattle Seahawks, dont worry they only lead the league in rushing.”
I don’t think Tampa fans have a right to complain, seeing as how they all wanted Sweezy out of here anyway. If anything, they got what they asked for. And now they regret it and instead of blaming themselves, they blame someone else.
December 15th, 2018 at 11:28 am
All of the O-Line antics make me tip the cap to Logan Mankins. Traded to the NFL purgatory from the penthouse ( winning wise ) and performed admirably…in fact raised his game back to a pro bowl level. Capped it off by leaving 8 million dollars on the table vs playing out the string/contract on a team going nowhere. Mankins was a true pro…
December 15th, 2018 at 12:05 pm
I would venture to say that 75% of FA that come here is just for the money. Licht is terrible. Needs to go even before Koetter.
December 15th, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Tom, they come here because there is no accountability.
December 15th, 2018 at 6:54 pm
Glad our Oline is playing better than Houston’s is tonight. They are horrible tonight but Watson with no turnovers despite that and no running game.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:50 pm
Logan Mankins worked with Marpet and helped to develop him into a starter his rookie year. Since Mankins there has been no development of OL players and when they leave like Omameh who was developed by the Giants OLC and is a starting Guard there. When Warhop is finally fired along with Koetter we need to hire Logan Mankins as our new OLC. He could develop D. Smith as a LG and Licht could pick up Alabama’s LT in the draft and Mankins could develop Cappa as our RT and we would have a real OL to protect Jameis and get us to the playoffs even with Monken as HC and keeping our DC, if we can’t attract a really winning HC.
December 16th, 2018 at 1:16 am
I like the idea of firing Warhop and Koetter. Promoting Monken to head coach, getting high quality tackle from the draft. Dump Donovan Smith or pay him guard money and he could be left guard. Make Cappa or Wester or Liedkte or new player the right tackle.Get a run game going.
December 16th, 2018 at 4:25 am
The sleeper has awaken! I said years ago that y’all was some untalented talent evaluators. The whole town how did that happen. Let me drop some jewel on somebody listening. We scored touchdowns on most of the drives this year that Caleb Been a Knock wasn’t on the line. Go look! Evan Smith was envolved on most scoring drives then he got hurt. When Cappa comes in the pocket in the middle is more stout. Caleb has been lost since game one. His lil feeling got hurt when he got kicked out of practice for socking captain obvious. Caleb is nasty and I like it but he’s only nasty with Lil LBs then go complete softy on dlinemen. F-ing Bully! 2016 Kansas City Caleb played his ass off at RG then he got hurt why wasn’t he tried at RG because he already got torched at RT. That’s coaching! If you draft a player and play him out of position that COACHING. If you keep drafting player that played certain positions in college and you bring him to your pro team and play him out of position the learning curve takes longer. Duh! Thats been the problem for years! No take that!
December 16th, 2018 at 4:27 am
Untalented talent evaluators. The whole town of ya!
December 16th, 2018 at 4:29 am
I wrote a whole paragraph That didn’t make it sorry for you Joe
December 16th, 2018 at 4:47 am
Liedtke and Wester should play tackle. Marpet and Cappa guards. Jensen center. From what I seen on tape that how I would run it. Someone tell me why for years we keep drafting players and playing them out of position. Way back to Mason Foster! Mason played the mic when he was a strong coming out of college. Now we played Carlton at LCB when at Aurburn he was RCB. Soon as he stared to press the receivers in his natural position y’all gave him praise. M.J is a LCB that what he played a North Carolina but we got him at slot. I can go on and on so I think we need to draft players at their original position or fire coaching that’s trying to reposition a player. It takes longer for a player to develop learning a new position. Another thing why is everybody getting crossed trained to play another position but Noah Spence. I would stick him right over the TE and tell him to stay in his hip pocket. Use him as a hybrid LB ala Julian Peterson!
December 16th, 2018 at 10:30 am
Lol when are y’all gonna start putting some blame at the qb position … it stinks jameis sucks …. he should have won that game in the 4th … but it didn’t happen… he’s not in the top 15 for starting qbs because he can’t win games when they count in the NFL … can’t wait until he’s gone