About That Pass Rush
February 14th, 2014
Could Lovie mold Notre Dame DE Stephon Truitt into a 43 end?
Yes, the Bucs need a pass rush. But do they draft a defensive end in the first round? That’s the question.
Sure, everyone this side of Steve Spurrier seems to be riding the jock of Jadeveon Clowney, a manbeast from South Carolina. It sort of irked Joe that when he was asked about the whispers — that Spurrier seemed all too willing not to deny — that he took off plays in college, Clowney dodged the question basically saying people who asked the question never played football.
Smells like a little bit of a wide receiver diva there, doesn’t it?
Well, unless something shocking happens, Clowney likely won’t be there when the Bucs pick, short of trading up. So do the Bucs wait and draft a guy later or do they panic and reach for a defensive end?
Joe was looking at NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s ranking of top 50 players in the draft, and the next best defensive end (sans trying to convert an outside linebacker into a guy who plays with his hand in the dirt) is Stephon Tuitt of Notre Dame. Jeremiah projects he’ll sink to late in the first round. Tuitt is also better suited for a 43 defense.
So Joe wonders if, rather than gambling on the draft at trying to make a guy fit into a 43 defensive end, the Bucs simply go out with Team Glazer’s vault and buy an established defensive end in free agency?
February 14th, 2014 at 6:05 pm
This will be the most important pick this year. We need dominant pass rush. MG8 can be the best Qb in the division if we have DE that are consistently sacking the QB’s. How will Brees out play MG8 if he is always taken to the ground. That is Buc’s plan.
February 14th, 2014 at 6:09 pm
DJ MOORE!!!! what a big pickup!!! He was huge the chicago bears defense when he played for Lovie hopefully he can keep it up..
February 14th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Stephon Truitt is a big guy 6-6 315 lbs, so he might be good against the run, but I do not know about a pass rush. He might have to shed a few lbs. I take that back this kid is pretty fast for his size and he can rush from the DT position. He needs better pass rush moves though.
February 14th, 2014 at 6:19 pm
Stephon Tuitt is 6-6, weighs 312lbs, and runs the forty in 4.92. Not an edge rusher. Played DE at Notre Dame, but registered for the draft as a DT.
I have no further comment. Kony Ealy, maybe, but Tuitt as rush DE, not!
February 14th, 2014 at 6:21 pm
Joe,
I watched Clowned get interviewed on the Jim Rome show, and came away with the same conclusion as you. He gave an incredibly weak argument against the idea of him taking plays off. Literally maybe the worst I’ve ever heard. He laughed and was very unapologetic for being caught speeding going 110. He said everyone speeds, he just got caught (actually, everyone doesn’t go 110, my car would explode at that speed). He even admitted that he knew before the year started that he wasn’t coming back (which further proves that he was taking it easy last year). Now I fully understand where he would be coming from, but at the same time it puts a bit of a red flag that there’s not enough of a competitor in him to still want to be the best. He’ll probably still be great, but I’m much less certain of that then what I felt at the end of last year.
February 14th, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Trent Murphy…aka the nations sack leader. Blue collar guy, nasty guy, high motor Stanford guy, he will probably be there in the 2nd. He is my #2 DE. Above Ealy, and Tuitt.
February 14th, 2014 at 7:52 pm
I agree on getting a DE in free agency, at the right price.
February 14th, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Jurys still out for me on Clowney. I want to see him at the combine give us everything and no sitting out some of the itinerary. I would also like to see him at his Pro-day and not skip it like Johnny Manziel. Clowney has a lot to prove at this point, especially when his old ball coach questioned his tenacity. If he does well he’ll be a consensus top 5, but if he struggles he may be available at 7. Then the ? becomes “Do we take the risk?” Can Lovie get out of Clowney what others have been trying to this point? Will he be a prima donna?
February 14th, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Just shows how much Joe knows or is this mark dominik? Couldn’t tell the difference when it comes to evaluating dline man.
Doesn’t take a rocket science or expert to realize Tuitt isn’t an edge rusher.
February 14th, 2014 at 8:37 pm
I have been banging the drum for Tuitt for months here. The guy CAN pass rush. He was a freak at ND and his numbers were great playing next to Nix. (Another guy I want!) I’d love to have a guy that big play end. ESP if we get Allen or Peppers.
February 14th, 2014 at 8:43 pm
I think our defense is ready to be great right now, so I’m in favor of going out and getting a proven pass rusher in free agency. Aside from maybe Clowney, is any rookie going to be as good as Hardy or Bennett next year? I highly doubt it. I’d focus on offense as much as possible, because aside from RB, we need help at every single position. We are a couple stud DE’s away from being an elite defense.
February 14th, 2014 at 8:59 pm
What Macabee said. Though I prefer a trade down into the 20’s and take Dee Ford.
February 14th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
While sitting here counting all the 312lb pro bowl edge rushers in the NFL I thought I would post a review of Stephon Tuitt.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1893212/stephon-tuitt
February 14th, 2014 at 9:23 pm
I (Yar, Norse God of football) have sent Clowney for the Bucs. They must obtain him at all costs or they will be stricken with my rath and be forced to remain at the bottom of the NFC south forever! Yar has spoken.
February 14th, 2014 at 9:47 pm
Have seen some mocks with Bucs taking DE Ealy from Mizzou. Watched his film on YouTube and he looks like he would be a perfect fit. Very quick off the edge at 6’5 275
February 14th, 2014 at 10:18 pm
@Stagger
I really like Murphy, too. He is a great athlete and seems very intuitive. Love his motor as well, and watching his highlights I just see a really good football player. Not sure how the Bucs are going to land him, though.
February 15th, 2014 at 12:34 am
“Sure, everyone this side of Steve Spurrier seems to be riding the jock of Jadeveon Clowney”
No different than the pit bull grip you Joe’s have on Manziel’s.
February 15th, 2014 at 1:01 am
@rdbucfan
lol
February 15th, 2014 at 7:22 am
Tuitt isn’t even close to an edge rushing 43 de. Nobody, anywhere, ever could convert him to that role.
February 15th, 2014 at 8:34 am
Your talking about divas?
Cough cough Manziel…
lolol
February 15th, 2014 at 8:43 am
If soome is there in round 2, like a Trent Murphy, take him. The only way we get Clowney is if rumors cause him to fall to us…much like Warren Sapp did. So rumors like him taking plays off could be false, but could also be a gift for the Bucs, because if he is there at 7 they have to take the risk.
They have no choice.
However, the referred target aside from Clowney is QB.
Other than QB or OL, I don’t see Lovie spending his very first pick on offense. He will not take WR in my opinion. I could see him getting a safety with the intent of replacing Goldson next year. DE is the priority, along with QB.
So far, we don’t know what kind of QB the Bucs want. I think Tedford woulld lean toward a scrambler, but I think Lovie might prefer a pocket passer. If Lovie gets his way, there are a couple guys that can be taken in round 2, and Matt Schaub would be the obvious veteran to bring in. Glennon might take a backseat to Schaub for a couple years, but is young enough to groom.
If Tedford gets his way, I think on of the top three QBs will be targeted, or a guy like Sanchez brought in (someone that can scramble but looks to pass). My money in this case is that Glennon won’t last because he won’t fit Tedfords mold.
February 15th, 2014 at 9:02 am
Just an observation: the highlight reel on Ealy is 2 minutes and contains the same 5-6 plays repeated from different angles. Murphy has an 8 min reel, with out lame hype music, just play after play after play.
February 15th, 2014 at 10:23 am
If we were gonna take a pass rushing DT and make him a DE it would be Aaron Donald. The end.
February 15th, 2014 at 10:39 am
How many young defensive ends do we need?? Gholston, Bowers, Clayborn….need some experience there. Joe eluded to it in the past with Simeon Rice, bring in someone who’s had success in the NFL and knows how to get to the quarterback. Someone to show these guys how it’s done, I don’t even care if he’s not good in run defense but please just someone who can sack the QB! Jared Allen is who I’m hoping for. We got the pieces in place on defense, just need someone who can rush on the end! Don’t need another project, young guy to develop. It’s such an integral part of winning and losing in the NFL.
February 15th, 2014 at 10:53 am
We’ve already got guys like truitt. Murphy, Early and Ford are great fits for DE if they don’t get a pass rusher in FA.
Murphy is a beast. Would love to see that cat hunting QBs for the Bucs.
February 15th, 2014 at 10:54 am
Ealy*
February 15th, 2014 at 11:24 am
Trent Murphy would be my pick. The way he plays reminds me of Kuechly (Carolina)
February 15th, 2014 at 11:35 am
Sold on Clowney physically. Not sold on Clowney mentally..
February 15th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Sanchez is horrendous, on par with Freeman.
Please stop with him lol
February 15th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
I’ve been riding on Clowney’s jock for several years, I admit, it was love at 1st sight.
There is perfectly simple explanation for Jadaveon taking plays off. Every team SC faces plans their offensive attack around JC. They run away from him or the QB sprints right 90% of the time. Clowney spends most of the game chasing after the action with trailing linemen diving at his ankles or knees.
He is often injured, limps off the field, gets taped up and then returns. It doesn’t make sense to sprint after every play run to the opposite side. He has to save some energy for the 10% of the time they run directly at him.
Looking forward to his lucrative pro career is not that unusual. Imagine what he thought when his team mate, Marcus Lattimore almost lost his leg in a game. Marcus dropped from an early 1st rounder to a very late 4th rounder. Of course, Spurrier dipped into his fat wallet and made up the $20,000,000 difference…..NOT!
Driving 110 mph in a quality automobile is not that unusual. Some cars are so well built that you think you’re driving 40 until you glance at the speedometer and realize you’re doing 90. Once my daughter and I were driving 115mph on Alligator Alley in the middle of the night, we noticed some headlights rapidly approaching. A BMW passed us like we were standing still.
Once when driving 80mph on US301 near Starke, FL a Ford Bronco passed me doing well over 100 MPH, FL plate number, UF 1. It’s driver, Steve Spurrier turned and grinned at me. 30 seconds later a cop car, flashing his lights, pulled alongside and motioned for me to pull over and wait for him. He then chased after the Bronco.
I turned around and went the other way. He certainly wouldn’t be writing a speeding ticket for the coach of the National Champion Florida Gator’s head coach.
Too bad, Jadaveon Clowney doesn’t have that kind of clout.
February 15th, 2014 at 5:14 pm
One guy I like in round 2 if we haven’t touched the pass rush yet in FA or rd1 is Easly from UF. (I’m a die hard Seminole btw) but before his injury he was lighting it up. Don’t think the Bucs haven’t noticed. If he’s healthy, I could see that regardless of Allen, Peppers, etc.
February 15th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
Unless they just want Bridgewater or clowney they will stay at 7. No matter what happens at the 7 pick we will get a really good player who fills a need. Rather its Manziel, Watkins, Mack we’re going to herbs good player. I wouldn’t mind us moving up tho to get Bridgewater and then go hard after Hardy in FA for our pass rush. Draft a quality TE in the second or a good slot WR.