The Weak Roster
June 10th, 2015
Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.
Joe has stated many times that when a team finishes 2-14, there are more holes to fill than on a freaking screen door. On top of that, the Bucs jettisoned five starters, which one could argue were holes to begin with.
So to get the team competing for a .500 record or better, it’s likely going to take more than just one draft, as Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht said last month.
To illustrate this point, the spreadsheeters over at ProFootballFocus.com ranked the talent of all NFL rosters. This is not a power ranking, but a ranking of who has the most talent. And it is not pretty for the Bucs, as Sam Monson puts the Bucs at No. 29.
In other words, a scary thin roster.
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014 Ranking: 17
Top five players: Gerald McCoy, Lavonte David, Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, Demar Dotson
Starters who should be upgraded: Louis Murphy, Chris Conte, Johnthan Banks, Bruce Carter, Clinton McDonald
Analysis: McCoy and David are elite defensive talents, but unfortunately for the Bucs, they don’t have much around them. Players like Danny Lansanah and Henry Melton have the ability to change that, but there are still major holes at defensive end, nose tackle and safety.
No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston is the headline addition to the offense, but the Bucs are also slated to start rookies at left tackle and right guard, leaving some uncertainty around the level of protection Winston will get in Year 1.
First off, if Demar Dotson is the fifth-best player on your roster, you have very real, very serious problems. Second, Monson must be hanging with Lovie Smith if he thinks Johnthan Banks needs to be run off (the other stat geeks, Football Outsiders, are of the mind Alterraun Verner is the drag in the secondary. Statgeeks disagreeing? Slapfight!).
Joe also finds it amusing that Chris Conte is deemed in need of being run; the guy hasn’t had one snap yet with the Bucs.
Joe thought these spreadsheeters based their data on rigorous tape study and a trusty calculator. So where is the film of Conte playing for Tampa Bay? This sounds as fishy as that nonsense tarot-card-reader stat WAR in baseball.
While Joe may not agree with all of Monson’s findings, the bitter truth is real: The Bucs have a long way to go to become a consistent winner.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Like to add that we don’t need a nose tackle either. Getting tired of reading news reports from jack wagons who have never put on a uniform.
We are lacking starters and depth but the Bucs are working on it.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Weak roster in a weak division. something’s got to give.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
Starters who should be upgraded? Not sure where Sam Monson is coming from Joe.
Clinton McDonald had an very good year I thought (as did Spence). So did Jonathan Banks. Louis Murphy isn’t considered to be a starter. Conte and Carter are new to the Bucs so who is Monson comparing them to … Goldson and Foster?
June 10th, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Banks and McDonald are quality starters , along with carter . What is the guy talking about. If he had said both of our DE positions , center , guard and tackle I would agree
June 10th, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Five years of “Rockstar” Mark Dominik running the show will do that to you.
It’s a shame a top 10 pick at safety and another safety that got a 41 million dollar contract would already be off the roster after 2-3 years. While luminaries such as Brandon McDougald and Chris Conte are considered upgrades.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Its time for some around here to accept Reality!! If Lovie wants to squeeze an extra year here, he better start saying that this is a total rebuild when training camp comes around. 4-5 wins is what we are looking at right now. And the 5 wins might be on the side of overachieving considering the talent ( lack-of) and the coaching ( head conservative coach)!!!
June 10th, 2015 at 1:26 pm
@Tom S.
i will be keeping any eye and an open ear towards that certain safety in St. Louis. just curious to see if he just sucked, or did not “fit” into the Lovie’s passive system.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:40 pm
Man whatever lol. wtf is wrong with Clinton McDonald?
And as mentioned; 2 of the “starters” haven’t ever played for Tampa yet and not sure Conte will start or not.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:41 pm
THE WEAK ROSTER? the weak head coach. the weak phony rookie QB. the weak Oline. and so on. people still blaming Dominick really? he is better than the stiff they have now sharing his role with that bone head lovie. prediction. lovie wont make it past 2016.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:43 pm
I don’t see the point in reviewing what all the various commentators have to say at this time of year. We know half of them are ignorant about what’s going on with the team. We know predictions at this time of year mean NOTHING. So what’s the point? I don’t care what all the evaluators and predictors have to say. Even if they were predicting big things I’d say the same thing. It’s all a bunch of garbage-scented hot air whose sole function is to create drama where there is none.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:51 pm
This has nothing to do with reality. It has to do with generating clicks, ads, fans, seats in the stadium….it works financially for the sport to keep all the fans jacked through the slow summer with this kind of mindless pablum.
And I don’t mean to pick on just these guys. Herm Edwards had the Bucs going to the SB last year….does that mean we should automatically ignore Herm after such a hugh mistake.,
Same for these stat geeks….just read their numbers and you can see how absurd this entire exercise has become.
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2014 Ranking: 17
And so the Bucs finished dead last in 2014 when these guys said they had the 17th best talent? And now we’re supposed to place any credibility in their new numbers.
ALL of us are just tossing off projections and virtually ANY of them could come true. Obviously some are more likely to happen than others but I simply cannot buy into the Bucs suck worse than every other team in our division.
June 10th, 2015 at 1:53 pm
yeah joe stop posting comments from outsiders that Lovie supporters can’t handle…
Remember everyone else can be held accountable but Lovie… Free Pass Smith has a nice ring to it…
Carter has never played a full season at MLB… When he did play MLB in dallas it was not very good. Lovie has gambled on each and every free agent signing this off season. Free Pass is gambling on either health or recapture past mediocrity. Also, he has gambled on all but 2 draft picks this year…. To be fair I actually like the draft class but there are some gambles like every draft class.
at least he got the america’s quarterback pick right.
just to clarify when Lovie says you are what your record says you are he is referring to the other 31 coaches… not his own pathetic 2-14 performance.
June 10th, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Once the WIN-stons start coming this will all change!
June 10th, 2015 at 2:34 pm
Love the post of this Jess Greenberg chick. I haven’t even watched the video, but i love just having her guitar cushions in view on the page!
June 10th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
…and now we have outside media trolling this site. Jeeesh!
June 10th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
I watched the video. IT GETS BETTER!
June 10th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
girl can rip that guitar too, hot damn!
June 10th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
These guys just come up with categories and other than a few players, they just pull names out of a hat to finish their list so as to not actually have to do any real work or analysis. National media are to lazy to put any work into these type of things. This is just “underwear journalism”, as it is just not very informative.
June 10th, 2015 at 2:50 pm
Weak at nose tackle? Banks needs upgraded? LMAO! Total BS
June 10th, 2015 at 2:52 pm
Hot chicks with cleavage and guitars make the world a better place. 🙂
June 10th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Starters who should be upgraded: Louis Murphy, Chris Conte, Johnthan Banks, Bruce Carter, Clinton McDonald
once again proof you shouldn’t be writing about all nfl teams if you know nothing about them. who said Chris conte who just got here is slated as a starter and whats wrong with jonathan banks and demar Dotson is not the 5th best player on the team, he may be the best on offensive line but come on dude you look kinda stupid….Bruce Carter, Clinton McDonald? did know there were so many middle linebackers just sitting around waiting for a chance to be superstars. Clinton McDonald had an average season but he’s no pass rusher anyway. making themselves look bad. Oakland, Jacksonville and Kansas city must be below us but st Louis has nothing outside of a dominant defensive line. 29 is a bad rating, we should atleast be 28th lol
June 10th, 2015 at 3:42 pm
5 years of Dominik drafts will do that to this team. Yet the Joes think he was a good gm?
June 10th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
Nice video, wake me when season starts.
June 10th, 2015 at 4:14 pm
I was going to complain about that broad ruining an AC/DC song like Celine Dion did. Then I pushed play. Those ta tas bouncing off the guitar somehow made it better.
June 10th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Not adding anything new here but that’s a crazy a$$ article. McDonald is considered solid as is banks. Can’t speak for carter or conte but they are considered good fits for Lovie defense. And like you said haven’t played..lmao. Did this dude see the interior of our offensive line last year? Or our de situation. Wow. Please blacklist this dude joe. Ps–am I the only guy who like Murphy as a reserve reciever. Why is this guy so maligned. He’s a decent backup. I’d say #4 or 5 type ideally..
June 10th, 2015 at 5:55 pm
Only thing we are deep in is…Do Do…
June 10th, 2015 at 6:48 pm
If the Bucs roster wasn’t so poor and the disaster at Offensive Cord, din’t happen last year we would not have been able to obtain a premier player in Jameis.
It worked out for the best in the long run for the Bucs.
June 10th, 2015 at 6:49 pm
Man does she have two weapons of Mass Destraction
June 10th, 2015 at 7:56 pm
Nice bonus video Joe. Took 2+ minutes before I had any inkling to scroll down and read the comments.
Good one Gator.
June 10th, 2015 at 8:09 pm
Joe is a looser he so negative its crazy there is a lot of teams with a lot of holes covered up with a good qb and good coaching if tom brady did not play they are very average at best
June 10th, 2015 at 8:42 pm
That should temper the enthusiasm of all we Buc fans who hold lofty views of a winning record or better for the upcoming season.
June 10th, 2015 at 9:02 pm
@Pick…Thank you very much sir.
June 10th, 2015 at 9:05 pm
Drafting Ali Marpet in the 2nd and then not taking a flyer on La’el Collins shows the total buffonery that is running this organization…..if the draft is to protect Jameis, draft collins
June 10th, 2015 at 9:58 pm
wow. her boobs have 900,000+ youtube subscribers
June 10th, 2015 at 10:39 pm
Dusthty Rhothdes Says:
June 10th, 2015 at 9:05 pm
Yeah, so every other team in the league that needed OL that passed on Collins is also being run by buffoons right? Jeezus, if you’re gonna make up a reason to criticize, at least make up one that makes sense. The stupidity on this site continues to amaze me.
June 10th, 2015 at 10:59 pm
salish, dont know the needs of the other teams, however do know the needs of this 2-14 horrible team and that is OL, so yes gamble on a d3er then gamble on collins a definite future all pro, ignorant ppl resort to name calling, and people accepting the crap the bucs are serving enjoy losing, show me anyone who likes losing and well then because your so smart you know the rest
June 11th, 2015 at 12:01 am
Understandable.
June 11th, 2015 at 12:46 am
My opinion is….wait, what was this article about? Sorry got a little distracted for some reason.
June 11th, 2015 at 9:46 am
Our WR’s are not weak, thats for sure. Especially with the addition of Bell and Humphries! Adam Humphries was LOVED by all the Clemson fans Im surrounded by….a great blocker and used in special package type plays. As long as Winston is getting enough protection, I see our offense blowing the doors off of some of these teams!!!
at least a .500 season, but probably more.
June 11th, 2015 at 10:33 am
“not taking a flyer on La’el Collins”
I’ve seen this said in other posts. I wonder if the posters realize that Lael Collins dropped ot the bottom of the draft because of his “connection” to a double homicide. Not saying he’s guilty or innocent, just pointing out that NFL teams were simply unwilling….NOT JUST THE BUCS…to gamble a high draft pick.
2nd…given that situation Collins and his agent let it be known they would not sign as a bottom draft picks because free agency actually game them a much better bargaining positions.
3rd My first two points have already been reported as fact. The point I can neither refute nor make, nor do I believe any of you know, is just how hard the Bucs went after Collins in free agency. It’s not like the Bucs were Collin’s most attractive option.
2-14!!! The Bucs clearly made some major mistakes. We don’t need to create any additional “mistakes” that aren’t even necessarily true.