Obvious Bucs Will Draft Linebackers
April 14th, 2011
Occasionally, Joe gets into an e-mail scuffle with a reader.
Joe gets lots of e-mail, usually Bucs tips, jokes, penile enlargement ads, and words of encouragement, but sometimes Joe gets hate mail or stupid Bucs takes that said reader thinks is football gospel.
Today’s genius hater decided to hammer Joe and every other Bucs fans who thinks the Bucs will draft a linebacker or two:
“Joe, you and Mr. Commish are idiots if you think the Bucs are looking at linebackers. They’ve got three young starters and Tyrone McKenzie and good backups. It shows you know nothing about football.”
Joe’s not going to re-print the whole exchange. But it’s obvious that linebacker is a position of need on the Bucs.
Aside from the fact that the Bucs can’t stop the run, Barrett Ruud, Quincy Black, Adam Hayward and Niko Koutouvides are all unrestricted free agents, so The Tampa Tribune reported months ago. It’s the most number of unrestricted free agents for any position on the team.
There’s no way Mark Dominik is going to bank on those guys returning. He can’t, with free agency eventually coming after the NFL Draft.
Joe’s happy to wager that Dominik takes a linebacker in the first three rounds.
April 14th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
That reader clearly knows nothing about the bucs, i see them drafting atleast 1 linebacker and MAYBE even signing one in free agency. we need more depth at the position. you can NEVER have enough linebackers!
April 14th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Not even worth the response. That guy was an idiot!
April 14th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
The Bucs have on Roster “I beleieve”
Geno Hayes
Dekoda Watson
Tyrone McKenzie
WHOA What a lineup ??
Ruud,Black,Hayward and Koutovides I believe are all FA’s
April 14th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Our Lbs have been described on a highly resPected draft site as” a total trainwreck, needs upgraded at all 3 positions”
All true, and ’nuff said’
April 14th, 2011 at 12:31 pm
sorry for all the E’s in believe
April 14th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
If we’re not counting Houston and Ayers as straight OLB’s and we assume Chris Carter isn’t a top 3 rd guy (also could be called a non-OLB), then they haven’t had any top 3 Rd LB’s in for visits (aside from Q. Sturdivant) and they haven’t interviewed any of them either. The guys they seem to be targeting (McCarthy, Irving, Dent) are mid-to-late round guys.
Strange that they’d have a guy charged with marijuana possession (Sturdivant) even in for a visit after Tanard Jackson and Jeremy Stevens.
I’d consider Ayers to be an OLB, but I figured I’d try to take the side of the reader. I also think we’ve heard quite a bit about how Ruud is on the way out. If we hadn’t lost Bisaccia, I’d feel more confident in us re-signing Black and Hayward.
I’m praying they come away with both Akeem Ayers (can play all 3 LB spots for us and some RDE) AND Mason Foster (OLB or MLB), so I’m clearly hoping Joe’s right.
April 14th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
But javato, you got the i before the e AND the i after the e. Better safe than sorry? 🙂
Not since Derrick Brooks have we drafted a LB in round one. We really, really need LBs, even moreso than DEs.
April 14th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Here are the LBs the Bucs have brought in for a visit or worked out. Most players for any position. They’ve brough in more LBs than DEs.
Fresno State linebacker Chris Carter (4/12).
North Carolina linebacker Quan Sturdivant (4/7).
Georgia linebacker Akeem Dent (4/11).
*Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy (4/11).
UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers (4/?).
April 14th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Wait… You mean I can directly email you my whiny, smart-ass, know-it-all comments and not have to post them under articles? Oh, happy day!
April 14th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Joe, your emailer made a couple very good points.
1. We do have young starters and Tyrone McKenzie.
2. He/She apparently doesn’t want us to get any better.
While I agree we’ll draft a linebacker at some point during the draft, I can’t help but wonder what our current guys can do once the 4 guys in front of them learn to stuff their gaps. Except for Barrett Ruud, of course.
April 14th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
haters gonna hate Joe. Linebacker is an obvious position that we could improve.
April 14th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
I may have read this wrong, but Joe is saying we will take a LB in the draft…he did not say what round, and yes I am too lazy to go back an look. The reader is saying we will take a LB in the draft. I do not believe niether gave a round that the LB would or would not be picked in. Just saying…
April 14th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Just laugh at him and ask where his radio program is or where his website that 620 wdae endorses is located. Always love when people with a computer try to rip on people who get paid to spread their ideas like this fool.
April 14th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
“They’ve brought in more LBs than DEs.”
Again, I think this depends on your definition of LB vs. DE for some of these guys (CCarter, Ayers, Houston).
If you say 2 of those 3 are DE’s, then those+Kerrigan, Jordan, Bailey=5.
Remaining+Sturdivant, Dent, McCarthy=4. (They supposedly were all over Nate Irving at the Senior Bowl too I thought so arguably it’s 5).
I also think the Bucs would be looking at Dent and McCarthy slightly later than 3, but it’s tough to know value on midround guys. Joe’s claim is that they pick a LB in top 3 rounds. I think it’s like 98% that they draft a LB and probably 85% that they draft one in the top 3 rounds. Carter having a hosted workout and a private visit seems like a good bet.
April 14th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I dont think Q.Black is a guy that needs to be replaced. I think Geno is the biggest weakness by far. Also everyone has to remember Rudd was our signal caller for the defense. We cant let him go and expect an upgrade in the MLB position next season (Rookie, 1st year starter).
April 14th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
Achetti813:
Joe has pointed that out quite a few times. 🙂
April 14th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
The bucs might have good linebackers that Raheem thinks can be capable starters…
Dominick will be smart enough to draft a few decent linebackers so that we can get some quality backups. I dont think we will spend a first round pick on a linebacker however.
we need help on the outsides of our frontseven… We have or middle set for the next ten years(price, mccoy and mckenzie.)
April 14th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I agree with a LB in the first 3 rounds. That makes great sense. The question is which one will they take.
April 14th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
The Bucs will almost certainly take a LB the only question is where, and it could be Rd 1 if they really like Akeem Ayers or reach for Martez Wilson.
Gooooood riddance to Barret Ruuuuud. Though I think Raheem will try to get the Bucs to keep Quincy Black around.
April 15th, 2011 at 11:20 am
I don’t see how Geno was the biggest weakness, if im not mistaken he was second in leading tackles