Ready List Ready
August 15th, 2016
“Mark, did people hound you for not signing Roddy White?”
A day doesn’t go by in which a loyal reader here doesn’t Twitter Joe asking about Roddy White or Devin Hester.
It seems unlikely Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht would ever sign these two, or one of them. But if he does, they are on his “ready list.”
Saturday, the best damned football radio show stopped in at One Buc Palace, “Movin the Chains,” co-hosted by Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller, heard exclusively on SiriuxXM NFL Radio. The duo made the pitstop as part of their annual training camp tour. It was three-straight hours of Bucs talk with many players, coaches and, of course, Licht.
Miller asked Licht if he has a list of players to call in case of injuries and Licht noted he does, which he calls his “ready list.” Licht stated it is his equivalent of the president’s football and his ready list never leaves his sight this time of the year.
“That is where we spend the majority of our time this year is having that list ready to go,” Licht said. “You know the injuries are going to come. You know you are going — hopefully you minimize them — you know you are going to have a few and it is going to seem devastating at the time. But you have to prepare for the unexpected and we do that all the time.
“Last year, a good example, was when [Demar] Dotson went down the first preseason game. We are actually calling Gosder [Cherilus’] agent while we were on the plane coming home. So we were able to beat some of the teams to the punch on that one.
“You have to be ready. You have it with you all the time. At preseason games, you have it sitting in front of you. So if something happens, you are ready to call the guys for a workout.”
Of course, Joe understands Bucs fans, slamming down their glass of orange juice after reading this, will holler, “Then why the hell hasn’t Mr. AC/DC brought these guys in?!”
It takes two to tango. Perhaps, Hester and/or White don’t want to play for the Bucs? Remember, White said this summer unless he can play for a Super Bowl contender, he’ll retire. Joe isn’t sure there is a Bucs fan drunk enough to believe the Bucs are a Super Bowl contender at this point.
Also, both could be trying to stick up teams for an obscene and unreasonable amount of cash. There’s that possibility.
Or there is the third possibility: It’s 2016 not 2006, and both of these guys quite possibly could be too over the hill. Remember, 31 other teams that haven’t signed either one.
Also, remember Licht told Joe’s good friend “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, that every possible unemployed player on the market is discussed or reviewed in daily meetings. So it’s not like Licht and his staff or the coaches haven’t pondered signing Hester and/or White.
So when Joe gets the question, “Why hasn’t Jason Licht signed Roddy White or Devin Hester?” Joe responds, “Why hasn’t Bill Belicheat or Ted Thompson or Kevin Colbert or Steve Keim signed them?”
August 15th, 2016 at 6:44 am
I would take a look at marques colston at this point over roddy white. I was screaming for us to sign the reciever/return man out of Baltimore I think, cant remember his name right now but je was available and is good at both. Its too early
August 15th, 2016 at 6:59 am
We will go as far as Jameis can take us. Don’t know if will be the Super Bowl this year but I believe he will get us there one day.
August 15th, 2016 at 7:01 am
It’s better to sign a free agent offensive lineman with a bad back then an aging receiver.
August 15th, 2016 at 7:20 am
This belief that it is on Famous to take us to a Superbowl is somewhat trivial to me. I’ll say it yet again Superbowl runs happen when you can run the football on offense and rush the passer in defense. Last season we were the number 1 rushing team in the league but had no pass rush on defense. From what I saw the other night we will be greatly improved in that area. Those two factors are the Superbowl formula. Running game and a pass rush not Jameis’s arm. Because of this my opininon is we are contenders this season. Watched a lot of football this weekend no-one rushed the passer the way the Buccaneers did in week one. Open your minds people, stop allowing your veiws to be swayed by someone else because they happen to not be able to see for themselves.
August 15th, 2016 at 7:34 am
We are about to shock some people,no one is anticipating this season’s Bucc pash rush. It was mistake allowing Spawn and coach Hayes to join this team.
August 15th, 2016 at 7:55 am
I dont mind our current group of recievers. Their aint no way they sign a Roddy White or a Colston to come in here and compete for reps. Those guys are only signing somewhere that needs them and will use them on the field. If we were to sign one of them then you would be demoting Humphries and, at this point, Russel Sheppard.
Let Hump and Shep play I say. They are not incalable and they can make plays and help us win. Now if one of our top two recievers goes down today thats a different story. Glad Jason has a list ready. Wonder who would get the first phone call if we needed a starting reciever?
August 15th, 2016 at 8:10 am
@Noles- agree with you assesment of running game and pass defense. Dont undervalue the importance of a great QB though.
You get into a big playoff game and everything that got you there goes out the window if theres two minutes left and you need a score to win. A great QB will be the difference between winning or losing in a moment like this.
Winston has proven to me that he can drive the ball down the field in a pressure moment. Of course dropped passes, missed FGs and needless pentaltys can hinder QB perfection. It takes a special team to go all the way IMO. Cant wait to see if the Bucs can clean up their game this weekend!!
Go Bucs!!!!!
August 15th, 2016 at 8:15 am
Oh trust Buccaneer I agree, I’m just not mentioning Famous in the equation to help people understand some of us are highly enthusiastic about our new QB but at the same time we are not saying its all on him to bring us a championship.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:00 am
Marques Colston would be a nice signing if V-Jax goes down.
But not as a backup. He can’t lay special teams.
Roddy can’t play special teams and he is too slow now anyway.
Hesterwould be a good signing as slot receiver/return man.
August 15th, 2016 at 9:26 am
Interesting note on the “Ready List.” Surely all teams have them, but it was covered in the Amazon Prime All or Nothing series covering the Cardinals. Steve Keim’s team of scouts had their ready list and employed it when they scooped up DT Red Bryant after one of their guys went down. And obviously we know where Licht comes from…
August 15th, 2016 at 9:46 am
Last year at this time we had the #1 waiver postion and ac/dc GM talked about how important that was and he was going to grab a few good players. Not really.
August 15th, 2016 at 10:21 am
It takes two to tango. Perhaps, Hester and/or White don’t want to play for the Bucs
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I really hope this isn’t the case. We have 5-6 pro bowlers on this roster plus a great city. Could it be the Yelp reviews for 1BP that keeps these FAs away? Looking at you Boldin.
Maybe its an ownership issue, I’ve met the glaziers boys they’re not exactly inspiring men who you want to play for, imho. IJS with all the millions they’ve spent firing HCs they could’ve invested in an indoor practice facility, a private jet and signing bonuses for top flight FAs, but what do I know?
August 15th, 2016 at 10:37 am
Hester and Colston would not bring any value or security to the Receivers corp. Hester has NEVER been a full time threat at WR he is good for a couple of plays a game only. Please do some research on Colston before claiming that he can help the bucs. He can no longer get separation and is often injured.
so it’s important for bucs backup WR to play special teams as noted above yet Louis Murphy who does not play special nor has ever done anything in his entire NFL career is a valuable asset to the bucs. SMH!!!
August 15th, 2016 at 10:46 am
I think we’ll see at least another week of assessment of our current WRs before there are any decisions.
I agree with tmax’s take. The Hester experiment at WR has already been tried and failed and Colston is primarily a possession receiver that’s injury prone. I don’t see any benefit there.
August 15th, 2016 at 11:07 am
Jacoby Jones I’ve been trying to remember his name all morning and that’s it nice size veteran wide receiver who is excellent in the return game for whatever reason he is currently a free agent not sure why but I would take him over Roddy White Marques Colston or Devin Hester call the man he’s waiting to play for somebody
August 15th, 2016 at 11:18 am
Jacoby is a really good return man, I think hes a little old but still good. Not sure what he is lime in the locker room
August 15th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
I could live without White although I was one of the fans calling for his signing. I still wouldn’t mind signing him. With that said, Hester is a guy I would love on this team as our returner. I don’t care if the guy is 46 years old. He can catch the ball and make some explosive returns happen. Our special teams, particularly kick/punt returner was atrocious. Koetter was pissed and he is not going to accept the current status.
August 15th, 2016 at 2:19 pm
Keep in mind..Hester stated he will decide in October if he is fully healed..I think I read Bucs and Titans were the two teams interested in him..
And as far as WR..PLEASE give Andre Davis a shot..and I mean give him the damn ball more than twice (which he easily caught both on Saturday)..