Celebrating Stocker
December 18th, 2014
(Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Surprises of this Buccaneers season include Luke Stocker making the roster, Luke Stocker staying healthy, and Luke Stocker becoming one of the most versatile guys in the offense.
After the Bucs got buried in Detroit, Lovie Smith celebrated Stocker’s hustle and forced fumble following Josh McCown’s end zone interception.
And the love continued on the Buccaneers Radio Network this week. Tight ends coach Jon Embree stepped to weigh in on all things Stocker.
“Luke has done a good job for us playing from the fullback position, doing some of that stuff and helping us block on the second level,” Embree said.
Stocker’s veteran position coach went on to say his effort is a model for the other tight ends.
“Luke is a guy that’s always taking things seriously. He takes this playing football very serious,” Embree said. “And he is a pro; he works at it. He wants to be good at the little things because he knows he many not have the same talent as other people that are playing this game. So he understands his edge is being able to do the little things, knowing what to do and knowing how to do it, and playing at the utmost ability, with the utmost ability that you have on every play. And that’s what he does.”
Damn that former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik. How dare he draft a tight end in the fourth round that can actually contribute and play special teams.
Look for Stocker, 26, to be re-signed by the Bucs after the season, when his rookie contract expires. As a blocking tight end who’s improving at fullback and can set an good example for Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Stocker is the kind of versatile guy who can help a team save a roster spot.
December 18th, 2014 at 10:43 am
I admit, I was very wrong about Stocker. He’s been solid all year – exactly what you want from your third string TE. At times, he’s been our best TE.
December 18th, 2014 at 10:46 am
One of Dominick greatest draft picks. Keep trying Joe! I’m sure at seasons end there will be a ton of offers for the Pop Star’s services. Not really..
December 18th, 2014 at 10:51 am
Wouldn’t bring him back for much above the league minimum. Simply doesn’t catch enough balls or is even a remote passing threat.
December 18th, 2014 at 10:55 am
So Lovie wants to lose out to pick Marriota.
Having a rookie franchise QB buys Lovie more time.
Folks… it is as simple as that.
December 18th, 2014 at 11:02 am
It’s taken how long for Stocker to be a contributing member of the team? And we’re going to celebrate Dominik why?
December 18th, 2014 at 11:06 am
Damn, I swear if Joe put an article about one of our guys ending world hunger, 90% of the comments would be hate towards someone from the Buccaneers – past or present. Hell, we are all sick of losing, but some of you seem to truly enjoy the misery!
December 18th, 2014 at 11:06 am
In fairness Brandon most of Stocker’s problem getting on the field have been due to injury.
I like our TE lineup right now. We have good bookends. Pass catching ASF and blocking Stocker. Myers and Brate seem like adequate backups, if they can afford to keep Myers and he stays in this mess.
Not saying we have the best TE’s in the league, just that they can be competent next year and we have so many holes to fill that TE is off the radar for me anyway,
December 18th, 2014 at 11:08 am
I was hoping when we drafted Stocker….he’d be one of those that the Buc Fans would scream L-U-K-E!!!
Hasn’t happend but he is worthy of a roster spot…..Luke, good guy….congrats!!!
December 18th, 2014 at 11:27 am
Terrible passing option, always injured. So far, better at backup Fullback then third TE. if the bucs resign him it will be league minimum. If there were not so many holes, most competent NFL GM find this production with 6th round pick.
2 4th round picks for Stocker is one of the reasons the pop-star is not in the league anymore!
December 18th, 2014 at 11:37 am
O yea @Joe we spent 2 4th rounders on a backup fullback and a 3rd string te!!! Woohoo. We should throw a party for Mark dominik for leaving us in such good position with his brilliant drafting we have had so much depth these past few years how could I not have seen it. Thank god for dominik!!!
Rolls eyes
December 18th, 2014 at 11:52 am
@Joe
In all do respect , but WHY would you resign a guy with insufficient productivity or pattern of health issues?
Hey… I’m happy for the kid…He’s is playing the best of his career….but whats ironic is that its also CONTRACT year. We’ve been burned in the past with limited production headed into a contract.
Reference- YOUR beloved Mark Dominik resigning Michael Clayton, to a 5-year, $25 million contract. Or resigning Quincy Black to a five-year contract worth $29 million with a guaranteed amount worth $11.5 million. Or etc etc etc…lol
And Joe this not an attack on you or valued opinion. Just shooting the breeze.
December 18th, 2014 at 11:54 am
*He’s playing the best of his career
December 18th, 2014 at 11:55 am
this guy sucks…always hurt…do nothing fake
December 18th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
I have been on this guy since I saw him at training camp his first season. Maybe he’s been given more chances than he deserved but this season he has thoroughly proved me wrong.
December 18th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
You guys just can’t stand a success story can you? I hate being wrong too but sometimes I just can’t help it.
December 18th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
so the guy makes 1 play in what 3-4 years and now he has value? sorry he’s not the guy you count on being there in the trenches…wow when this guy gives you hope as a fan you have sunk to a pretty mediocre level of expectations from what is supposed to be the top league in the world for this sport….nope
December 18th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
4 Seasons (Career)
Games Played: 41 out of 64
REC: 33
YDS: 290 Average Per Catch 8.8
TD: 1
*IMO Give a Undrafted kid… at the position a shot.
December 18th, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Celebrating Luke Stocker?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
This a a freaking joke!!!
A bad waste of multiple draft picks bad…
I mean we are supposed to be happy about our fourth string TE who is below average even when he is healthy which is seldom…
December 18th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
you guys are awful, i agree with some of the posters on here. find a bright side will you…at least he is producing and becoming a solid player on a roster, many teams have that. Wish we still had Tim Wright to go with him. Anyway, I feel the injury bug continues to haunt this club, from mccoy thru ASJ think of all the names we have seen that didn’t pan out. Benn, Price, Black, Nicks, ASJ, Mccoy, Sims, Clayborn, Foster, etc, etc etc….
December 18th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
What’s really funny is that you guys claiming he can’t play have absolutely no idea what in the hell to look for. He’s not in the game to be a receiving tight end, so you can try to look intelligent by showing receiving stats, but it just makes you look stupid. He’s not in the game to catch passes. Never has been, never will be. In case you didn’t know (and obviously many of you don’t), pretty much every team has a blocking tight end. They don’t catch passes and fill up the stat sheet. However, if you watch Stocker block, he’s pretty damn good. Obviously most of you just watch the ball, which is totally fine, but to slam the guy for something you have no idea what you are watching is pretty dumb. I guarantee if you watch him block, you’d feel differently about his value. (and this is all from a guy that couldn’t believe he made the roster, and wasn’t happy about it)
December 18th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
Joe –
Are you taking back all of the posts you’ve made about Stocker being a bust (in other words)?
Nothing wrong with that if you believe he has finally come around. I just read this and the first thing I thought of is “didn’t Joe used to bash this guy often?”
December 18th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
@joe
Why do you kiss Doms butt?
Stocker wasnt a bad pick. He just had bad luck.
Dom whiffed on 90% of his picks.
I dont hate the guy, but stop acting like he did a good job.
He did a terrible job!!
December 18th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Wow… Dominik’s crowning achievement.
He TRADED UP…. to get a third string tight end…. that doesn’t actually PLAY tight end but contributes on special teams.
What a freakin’ find.
December 18th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Yeah this is truly a joke. Celebrating stocker? He almost made it through 1 full season healthy.
Wow. The bar is that low huh?
Luke Stocker, who we traded up for to draft, while Julius Thomas was sitting there 15 spots behind him…