Defense Growing Old
March 18th, 2016
The Bucs continued to bolster their defense, a pathetic lot last year, by signing former Jags and Crows linebacker Daryl Smith yesterday.
With the new edition, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht might want to order a few cases of Ensure. Because his defense is quickly becoming an NFL senior citizen’s home.
One could argue the three defensive free agents the Bucs signed are in the sunset of their careers.
Smith is 34.
Brent Grimes will turn 33 this summer.
Robert Ayers will be 31 by the start of the regular season.
While the Bucs got stronger at each level of the defense, it is likely all three are stop-gap players. Surely they won’t be around more than a few of years.
Perhaps this is the new NFL? That coaches not named “Gus Bradley” really do have but two years to turn things around. Maybe that is why Dirk Koetter is not afraid to go after older players?
While signing younger players is smart, by the time they develop after being drafted, Koetter may be gone if the losses mount. Better to win games and establish some foundation and some job security and then develop the youngsters.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:06 am
I like all three guy’s, most teams have a good mixture of youth and old vet’s no big deal to me. Go Bucs!
March 18th, 2016 at 5:22 am
I don’t care about age, if you can play you are good with me. Young players and older players ussually come at a discount price as well. Rookie contracts are great to have, but some guys getting a chance to play out their careers usually don’t break the bank either. Sure beats overpaying free agents that haven’t proven anything in this league.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:23 am
I like oatmeal and would gladly read that magazine. BTW, they’re not old, they just lack youth.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:40 am
I will surely say a stupid think, once again, but to me this guys seem to have strong personnality, especialy Daryl Smith! I mean, huge professional player, player with the good attitude, the kind of guy who arrive first at training and are the last to leave.
And I think it will also bring a new attitude to this defense.
Kwon Alexander has been quite impressive before his suspension, so Imagine now, if he is intelligent enough, and I think he is, to discuss, and learn from a HUGE pro like Daryl Smith.
It seems than more than talent only, the BUcs management is looking for a Logan Mankin attitude, the kind of guy who is an example for his teamates and who is also able to speak in addition of the coachs.
and I Like that !
March 18th, 2016 at 5:43 am
That is exactly what they are doing, mixing it up and getting teachers, as well as players. Add some high skilled rookies on defense and let the old guys school em up. Worked pretty well for the offense.
March 18th, 2016 at 5:47 am
Koetter and licht….the leaders of the new succesful tampa bay bucs!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 5:51 am
Maybe these are the guys we should have been drafting instead of Brian Price, Bowers and Clayborn. Our problem is there are not enough hits like McCoy and Martin.
March 18th, 2016 at 6:26 am
You know Daryl Smith is a tough sob after starting for the Jags under Del Rio then starting for the Ravens the rest of his career. He is as durable as they come and could be great depth if Licht lands a better option. My concern is his vast experience in 34 not 43 but as a vet I expect him to pick up whatever coach Smith throws at him.
I’m good with it.
March 18th, 2016 at 6:51 am
I will take a couple of old players with Coach Smitty (Mike Smith) over the old scheme that no longer works unless you have Hall of Famers and Pro-bowlers stacked everywhere!!!!
That magazine should say ” Tampa2 defense Enthusiast”!!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 7:07 am
SLB is on the field about 40% of the time in a 4-3 or he can run stuff from the inside in a 3-4, freeing up LVD and Quan to blitz. All conjecture mind you.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:07 am
Regardless, it is nice to let a rookie develop behind the scenes Atleast for a little while and not be forced to start when not ready due to lack of depth,
It also gives a better opportunity to go BPA based on general needs
March 18th, 2016 at 7:10 am
As long as they still have enough left in the tank to help the team this year as well as help show the younger players what is required (film study, diet, workout routine, etc) to last in the NFL then I could care less if they’re merely a stop gap. After two years of watching this team play a soft schedule yet get routinely pasted before halftime I will be happy if some of these vet signings can at least help keep the team in December talks for a playoff berth this upcoming season.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:22 am
I would not be suprised if those three positions ate the first three we draft this year. I like it. Just sayin’
March 18th, 2016 at 7:27 am
Are not ate. Unless they are yungry maybe.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:28 am
Smith spent his first 4 years in Jax with M Smith. Not saying we’ll look like a Jags D from 10 years ago, but he’ll have a leg up in learning the system.
H’s got the size to play inside too.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:29 am
Love this site, but it is murder to use with an android phone. Just sayin’
March 18th, 2016 at 7:32 am
This frees us up to sniff out another LB in the draft to develop. I suspect the FO has several on the board in the later rounds.
Biff is all in on Miles Jack…. but it’s a pipe dream.
March 18th, 2016 at 7:34 am
“Love this site, but it is murder to use with an android phone. Just sayin.”
It’s murder to use if you’re Mike Glennon too!
March 18th, 2016 at 7:41 am
Just maybe this team learned something by the way Logan Mankins coached up our two rookie OL. Warhop was incapable of doing so. I believe all of our free agents will pan out and provide the leadership we badly need and Licht will go BPA just the way he did his first year here and everyone was criticizing us taking a West Virginia RB when we already had three good RBs. In hindsight even that pick sure paid off last year and sharing some of the RB load kept our star back fresh and made him the second best RB in the NFL!
March 18th, 2016 at 7:44 am
As long as the base is built with the draft and youth I have no problem with this. Chucky’s problem was he didn’t build a base through the draft.
March 18th, 2016 at 8:30 am
Bucs need to improve to 9-7 this season or else certain people need to be on the “hot seat”.
March 18th, 2016 at 8:38 am
9-7 this season or else certain people need to be on the “hot seat”.
Thats funny!!! Especially considering that the Sheep were ready to see the “lovie Disaster Year 3” after a 6-10 season!!! How about you guys try to be Buc fans and let the New regime get in place their scheme’s and coach the lovie out of the leftover players and let the chips fall as they may this year!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 9:21 am
Watch Koetter exceed expectations and get us in the playoffs then the incompetent Lovie Smith apologists come out crying that he did it with Lovie’s team!!
I am genuinely optimistic about the future and upcoming season for the first time in years, probably 2012.
Go Bucs
March 18th, 2016 at 10:00 am
@realist…how can you say that and the last staff only had 2 years!!!! you were calling for lovie to be fired after the titans game…now you want bucs fans to be patient…I think we have been patient enough…10-6 with a playoff game or licht and dirk are on the hot seat…with licht firing lovie and the signing of all the seasoned vets licht is suggesting that this team is ready to win now….anything less than the playoffs is a failure….GO BUCS!!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 10:27 am
i think it shows alot of confidence as a first time head coach to go and get such an experienced DC and then recruit a bunch of rather outspoken vets to play under him. weaker personalities might have hired assistants they could bulldoze and fill the locker room with kids who won’t push back on a coach
March 18th, 2016 at 10:28 am
@813bucboi
I was calling for lovie to be canned before that!!! But The Titans game was year 2, after a 2-14 season!!! Knowing that lovie would be a failure here, we still waited until a couple of games before the demands and handing out pink slips!!!!
March 18th, 2016 at 11:13 am
Early to mid 30’s is still young for a man so the tank is not empty. It depends on which position you play for sure. I’ve read men don’t fully mature until they are 26 years old, so these older 30ish players are still young men.
March 18th, 2016 at 11:21 am
@realist…exactly my point…dirk is on a short leash…or at least he should be…GO BUCS!!!!