The Status Of Charles Sims
November 16th, 2016
Potential availability detailed.
As Bucs fans are wont to do, they recognized a name of a running back who was cut yesterday and Joe got Twitters asking if the Bucs will bring the guy in.
“The guy” is Christine Michael from the Seahawks. All sorts of red flags go up for Joe when a team with Super Bowl aspirations releases a guy a week before Thanksgiving. Besides, the Bucs are getting healthier at running back.
Everyone’s favorite Muscle Hamster, Doug Martin, returned last week. Jacquizz Rodgers, who was in a boot last week, may return by the end of the month. It’s Joe’s experience that a guy in a boot is generally three weeks away from playing once he loses the boot.
Then there is Charles Sims. The original backup to Martin, Sims was placed on injured reserve earlier this year and multimedia maven Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com explains how and when Sims could return this season.
Yes, Sims can return to the active roster this season if the Bucs choose to use their one “designated for return” injured reserve exception on him. Tampa Bay has seven players on IR at the moment, and Sims looks like as good a bet as any of them to get that designation. If the Bucs do choose to bring Sims back, the best-case scenario has him first eligible to play in a game on Dec. 11, against the Saints.
A player who is “designated for return” cannot begin practicing until six weeks have elapsed from the day he was placed on injured reserve. He can’t play in a game until eight weeks after that date. Sims was placed on I.R. on October 10, early on the same Monday that the Buccaneers later beat the Panthers in Charlotte. That means the first day he could be eligible to return to practice would be Nov. 21, and the first day he could be eligible for the active roster is Dec. 5. Just as with the PUP list, the process begins by a team declaring a 21-day window for the player to practice without counting against the 53-man roster. The Bucs could start that 21-day window later than Nov. 21, or they could start it on Nov. 21 but not activate Sims until Dec. 12.
So, if you add up all of this information: Martin has returned, Rodgers will return, Sims likely will return, all in the coming weeks, Joe doesn’t see the Bucs going out and signing someone else’s trash like Michael.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider is one of the best in the NFL. It’s difficult for Joe to fathom if Michael is any good, why Schneider would wash his hands of him in the midst of a playoff push. That just doesn’t add up.
November 16th, 2016 at 7:07 am
Sorry. Not sold on Simms. I know he did well as a spell back last year, but as soon as you make him the bell cow he faulters. He is too tall to excel in this running scheme and he runs like he’s wearing a back brace for scholiosis. He will never be a successful #1 back.
November 16th, 2016 at 7:11 am
However, he is extremely important to the passing attack and invaluable as a slot receiver when his number is called for those situations. Just not as much a runner.
November 16th, 2016 at 7:17 am
I have to agree with Fire the Glazers. I am not big on Simms. But I would be excited to see how a Martin and Rogers tandem would work. Those two together could be a huge handful for a defense to stop. Then throw Jameis in with that… NICE
November 16th, 2016 at 7:19 am
Would love to see CS34, he is easily the most explosive player on the offense!!! He is great in pass blocking and blitz pickup!!! Even though running up the middle his not his strength, Running up the middle on Denver when they are keying the run will not work for the majority of running backs!!! This offense needs as many explosive weapons it can find!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!
November 16th, 2016 at 7:31 am
He Is the third down back now. Rodgers better runner up the middle with this oline. Takes to long to get moving and dances to much. Doesn’t hit the hole hard. Great in space though. Need to get him outside and in the slot more. Use like a wr since we are challenged there
November 16th, 2016 at 7:36 am
Give me a break… Nonkne was complaining about Simms last year when he averaged 5 yds a carry. The Run game as a whole has been off this year. Whether it’s the Calls, OL, or injuries. If we are going to make a push the OL needs to Wake the F Up!’
November 16th, 2016 at 7:37 am
Always watch the feet of a running back and it will tell you what his brain is doing. Simms is a “dancer”…when he is running into the hole his feet are constantly dancing not running…he is confused and not running…the defense catches up to him before he makes up his mind. he will not make it as a running back, maybe as a slot receiver.
November 16th, 2016 at 8:37 am
Should not have used a third round draft choice on a running back.
He dances to much, is way to indecisive and gets tackled to easily.
This team had way more needs than RB with the third round draft choice.
Another GM blunder wasted pick.
November 16th, 2016 at 8:43 am
Charles Sims is an asset. To have him back would be essential. Just in regards to the screen ot opens up a good amount of the playbook you cant automatically assume the screen is coming and its going wherever Humphries is. Those checkdowns are key because it opens up the top and you know Koetter and Jameis would like nothing better than to drop a few over the defense’s head to Big Mike.
November 16th, 2016 at 8:44 am
Then I assume there is no need for a culture-change in our backfield!! Ha ha ha, GO BUCS GO COLIN WE STILL LOVE YOU MIKE NOT MY PRESIDENT (gotta get that T-SHIRT) STEP/UP AMERICA!!
November 16th, 2016 at 8:48 am
All of you guys talking about Charles Sims. Why don’t you guys strap it up and hit the feet. Calling that man a dancer. You realize he’s originally a wide receiver how many wide receivers you see taking it straight up the middle. Dude has a niche, stretch the defense. He’s more likely to take it outside its not a knock on him its what he does. He pass protects well and is a good safety valve. How many of yall were complaning when he took it to tbe house from 50 yards out last year?
November 16th, 2016 at 8:51 am
Rodgers and Martin are good for ground and pound. But neither is going to cause the OLBs and DEs to fly to the flats. Sims brings an extra element though lacking ground and pound but respect that man’s craft.
November 16th, 2016 at 9:15 am
bucs don’t have a single reliable running back on the roster. plane and simple… martin is taking the year off as per his normal pattern, martin was not playing well before the injury and will not play well the remainder of the season, rodgers and smith both have major injury concerns and have missed time previously nothing to get excited about buc fans. it’s another case of gm gambling on unreliable players. bucs are in the same position they were at beginning of season gambling on unreliable injury prone players in key roles… licht the gambler.
November 16th, 2016 at 9:15 am
Sims is not a starter, but that does not diminish his value. He and Doug were tops in the league last year, also remember ATL first game of the year, the guy provides a spark in the open field, its simple as that
November 16th, 2016 at 9:45 am
Sims ASAP
We need his explosive plays
Unlike predicable koetter, the best playcallers are using rbs as pass catchers on the slot and backfield along with the main runner. The best playcallers attack the wrakest pass coverage defenders. Why pass avao9nst the #1 corner, attack the worst pass defenders, linebackers and safyied8
If somehow we can be 2-1, and have me13, shep, and sims spreading the field, we have a chance to make the playoffs
November 16th, 2016 at 9:55 am
@Buc’n Enough Says:
“Should not have used a third round draft choice on a running back.
He dances to much, is way to indecisive and gets tackled to easily.”
I completely agree. And at the time we disparately needed Oline help. Just like we needed DE, WR and S in this draft and we move up for a friggin kicker. I won’t go as far as to to call for Licht’s head – he has done a lot of good too. But he needs to stop being cute with his drafting.
November 16th, 2016 at 10:40 am
Lol at everyone’s opinions of Sims as not a leading back. I think that is evident and pretty much common sense. But then, everyone proceeds to suggest that he is not a good running back or worth the pick. The guys is a complementary back! We’ve always known that but gave him the reigns when Doug went down and Quiz was still a question mark. He is probably one of, if not the best, complementary back in football. He had less drops than any other rb last year. He is made for that roll and once he’s back, he will flourish again. He is definitely worth the pick as evidenced by his production last year when he worked along side Doug. Rotate Doug and Quiz with Sims as a receiving threat or a check down option and this offense will be rolling. Especially when we replace VJax. Sims is a baller!!!
November 16th, 2016 at 10:45 am
I agree with Eric 100%
November 16th, 2016 at 11:18 am
Sims is not a feature back, but as I’ve been saying for years:
He is extremely dangerous and a change of pace / out of the backfield / slot weapon. Extremely effective. Needs to improve his hands this year though. Too many bobbled interceptions. That can be fixed.
November 16th, 2016 at 11:41 am
*dangerous as a
November 16th, 2016 at 11:53 am
Julian Jordan Says:
November 16th, 2016 at 8:48 am
All of you guys talking about Charles Sims. Why don’t you guys strap it up and hit the feet. Calling that man a dancer. You realize he’s originally a wide receiver how many wide receivers you see taking it straight up the middle. Dude has a niche, stretch the defense. He’s more likely to take it outside its not a knock on him its what he does. He pass protects well and is a good safety valve. How many of yall were complaning when he took it to tbe house from 50 yards out last year?
——————
Sorry, he was recruited at Houston as a RB, not a WR. When he left Houston as a RB, he transferred to WVU where he continued to play RB, not WR. A no point in his career, from high school to NFL was he anything other than a RB.
November 16th, 2016 at 11:58 am
I dont like Sims at all and feel he should get cut at seasons end. I dont care if he returns and would rather see Sweezy or Murphy before Sims.
November 16th, 2016 at 12:24 pm
Kobe – pretty sure you’ve called Koetter predictable for going run/run on 1st/2nd down too often right? You’ll likely spin that once we look at the actual numbers by series which I’ll point out below. Also – Winston just had a game where he spread the ball around more than he ever has… i.e. our offensive attack was taking what the defense could give us. The run game was bad but we still had to take our shots to keep the defense honest. I like more screens / motion plays as well but we don’t have the best personnel for it right now. Sims would be great.
Anyway this was our 1st & 2nd down numbers from last week:
1st series – run on 1st down / pass on 2nd down
2nd series – pass on 1st down / run on 2nd down
3rd series – pass on 1st (penalty) / run on 1st / pass on 2nd
4th series – run on 1st / run on 2nd / pass on 1st / pass on 2nd / run on 1st / pass on 2nd / pass on 1st / pass on 2nd
5th series – run on 1st / pass on 2nd / run on 1st / pass on 2nd
6th series – pass on 1st / pass on 2nd / pass on 1st / pass on 1st / run on 1st / pass on 2nd
7th series – run on 1st / pass on 2nd / pass on 1st
8th series – pass on 1st / run on 1st / pass on 2nd / pass on 1st / pass on 2nd / pass on 1st / pass on 2nd / pass on 1st / run on 2nd
9th series
At this point it was 27-10. We then got the safety and a long drive for a TD to ice the game; where we went run heavy but still passed to keep the chains moving.
We ran it on 1st down 8 times and passed it on 1st down 12 times; with many coming in that last drive. Up till that point it was a 50/50 guess what we were going to do; and the same for 2nd down although we were in 2nd and long more often than not which typically dictates a pass. This paints a picture of a balanced game plan that shifted towards the pass as Winston got hot and we were going for the kill.
November 16th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
RB’s are a dime a dozen. If the o-line is strong they prosper, if not they all suck.