Wisest Center Fix?
March 1st, 2017
Halting relocation
Yes, Joe will need medication and/or a few days with ol’ friend Stolichnaya if the Bucs move Ali Marpet to center and plan to start J.R. Sweezy at right guard.
Yes, it’s being considered.
First, Sweezy missed all of last year, including every practice, following back surgery. Please tell Joe the last time that situation had a happy ending on an NFL roster? Is the ghost of Luke Petitgout this powerful?
Second, why mess with Marpet, who played every snap last season. At 23 years old, he’s already an excellent right guard about to dominate in his third season in Dirk Koetter’s offense. Don’t fix what’s not broken.
Joe has no doubt the Bucs would like to upgrade from 2015/2016 starting center Joe Hawley. Too many knee issues and too many times getting blown up make it clear that Hawley is the weakest link on O-line, and he’s about to be a free agent.
The NFL Scouting Combine is in full swing today and the Bucs quietly could be looking to fix center in the draft — permanently.
Ohio State center Pat Elfein really has Joe’s interest. Sure, he’s an easy target after winning the award for the country’s top center. But he’s intriguing because he’s versatile and seasoned after moving from guard to center for his senior season — after he passed on entering last year’s NFL draft.
Elfein is about 6-3, 300 pounds, and that guard experience at Ohio State should pay off for him in his NFL transition.
Widely considered a major work-ethic guy and projected as a second-round pick, Elflein wouldn’t be a sexy Bucs pick but it certainly could be a very wise one — eliminating needless tinkering with Marpet.
March 1st, 2017 at 8:54 am
If you want to be great you have to get a great o line.
Something is a miss with our offensive line scouting dept.
If you can scout well you can nail them in later rounds.
There is no salary cap on what u can spend scouting.
We are one of the cheapest teams.
Go figure right?
March 1st, 2017 at 9:00 am
It’s kinda a toss up, good guards are easier to find than good centers, and without a good center, the line will always be a problem, the main point at this minute is not whether to move Marpet, it depends who we get during the draft and free agency to play center, I personally agree with drafting Eflein in the second as long as Licht gets us some WR help in free agency, and I’m not talking a JAG, needs to be someone that’s capable of starting outside that’ll pull coverage away from Evans, stop filling the WR positions with an ad on Craigslist
March 1st, 2017 at 9:01 am
Oline needs a lot of work. Joe is in denial. I’m good with marpet moving to center. If dotson even has to take one snap next year in a game the bucs are screwed. Dotson was the worst football player on the field every Sunday he played
March 1st, 2017 at 9:04 am
Dotson was by far and away the worst player on the field each week Joe. at least Hawley plays with heart and effort. Dotson is just another failed feel good story. Feel good stories DO NOT WIN GAMES
March 1st, 2017 at 9:04 am
I don’t like the idea of moving Marpet to C. Why? He is a stud RG. I don’t think we will resign Hawley – it is clear it is time to move on. Hawley was walking the streets when we signed him – my point being is that there are options out there. I like the idea of looking at Mangold, as a “bridge” player. He has a couple of years left. Then spend a 3rd or 4th rd pick on his replacement (if the “replacement” is not already on the roster).
If Sweezy is healthy, put him at LG and move Pamphile to RT – RT is where we are really weak.
March 1st, 2017 at 9:10 am
Let’s put Sims at qb, Winston at TE and Brate at center. Marpet the one position on the line that is set. why mess with it?
March 1st, 2017 at 9:10 am
I’m with the majority that doesn’t want to mess with Marpet at RG, however if they sign a top guard, I have no doubt that Marpet could make a smooth transition to Center.
March 1st, 2017 at 9:19 am
The oline is a mess. Jameis was harrassed every sunday and the run game had no lnaes open to run. Other than another reciever its top priority
March 1st, 2017 at 9:40 am
Sign Mangold, draft a guy to take his place.
Boom. Fixed.
March 1st, 2017 at 9:40 am
Yea Sweezy being healthy would be huge. Fill him in at LG and move Pamphile to RT as Harry mentioned then we would just have to fill the Center spot. Mangold makes a ton of sense from a bridge standpoint but honestly I think Elflein could be a day 1 starter so we wouldn’t need a bridge. He would be a great round 2 pick.
March 1st, 2017 at 9:44 am
Thank God sense is starting to be spoken now. Leave Ali Be!!!!!!
March 1st, 2017 at 9:46 am
^ THIS
March 1st, 2017 at 9:54 am
The OL has been a mess since jason gump proclaimed anthny collins the 2nd coming of anthony munoz….gump licht who is supposed to be an OL savant, got rid of a quality center in zuttah and an all pro LT in donald penn, then takes a turnstile in D smith to protect the franchise and lets dotson stand, the bucs OL single handedly turned dallas DE undrafted irving into a hall of famer, i am surprised that jameis lasts the whole season….if cook or a top WR do not fall to us in draft go get robinson or garrett bolles and shore up the pathtic OL, there are several OL available in FA, and there is no chance sweezy makes it “back”
March 1st, 2017 at 9:56 am
@tmax- I agree with you on Dotson. He did not have a good year. RT is a position of weakness more so than C in my opinion. At least Hawley played with grit and passion. Both positions should be viewed as in need of upgrades IMO.
March 1st, 2017 at 10:06 am
Bucsfanman
I like several of the oline pieces but as a entire unit it needs help.
March 1st, 2017 at 10:26 am
Marpet is not moving anywhere else. He could/should be in the Pro Bowl at RG. Maybe that will happen if the Bucs continue to progress and our players getting more noticeable.
tmax
Yes Dotson was extremely ugly last year. I would love to see big Benenoch come in and ball out.
March 1st, 2017 at 10:27 am
I must be the outlier, then.
While it’s hard to argue that Ali has been exceptional at RG, it cannot be denied that he absolutely has the perfect build for a Center. And if during camp, they find that Sweezy is playing well enough to start, put him in a RG and let Ali play center
March 1st, 2017 at 10:35 am
I get you celly, marpet does look like a perfect center. But if we put him there we still have to worry about results, then we have to worry about RG also. what if the RG gets hurt and we have to move Marpet back to RG. Now we have 2 positions to worry instead of 1. just not worth the hassle. Now that I said this they will move Marpet to center and he will be a every year pro bowler and in the ROH when it’s all said and done. lol
March 1st, 2017 at 10:41 am
Dotson on an island, so easy to see when he gets beat, but Hawley would get blown up so often up the middle, not his fault, he’s light in the pants, that’s also why he stayed hurt. I’m okay with drafting a C in the second round, long as we get some weapons for JW in round one. If top weapons are gone, trade back, pick up an extra pick, now you can go after the C from OSU, LSU or Indiana
March 1st, 2017 at 10:55 am
When there are quality FA centers out there (such as Mangold, etc), I just don’t see how we can afford to spend a 2nd rd pick on a C, when we have so many other pressing needs that are expensive in FA, such as WR, DL, RB and maybe S and also future/developmental OL prospects.
March 1st, 2017 at 11:02 am
I’d bring Mangold in for a talk. Look at how much Atlanta’s line play improved after bringing in Center Alex Mack last year. Mangold could help us (at least for the next few seasons) in that same way until we can groom a young guy to take over. That is, if he is physically in shape to play for a couple more years.
March 1st, 2017 at 11:08 am
Or you could put the two together for the next 15 seasons and they would know each other so well, Jameis wouldn’t have to even consider what the offensive line calls are.
March 1st, 2017 at 11:09 am
Winston and Marpet that is.
March 1st, 2017 at 11:15 am
Jeagan…..that is such an excellent point….not sure if licht even approached mack last year….but great point on that!!!
March 1st, 2017 at 11:23 am
JC Tretter. Make it happen.
March 1st, 2017 at 11:33 am
I would love for marpet to move to center….then sign ron leary, let pamphile play RT, and pray sweezy is healthy and can be as dominate as he was in seattle….GO BUCS!!!!
March 1st, 2017 at 12:09 pm
Sign Mangold and move Ali to LG and Sweezy to RG. That’s if Sweezy actually plays
March 1st, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Joe,
Is it true that Sweezy has finally been cleared to practice?
March 1st, 2017 at 12:21 pm
Sweezy? Who?
March 1st, 2017 at 1:24 pm
Releasing
(RT) Demar Dotson ($4,300,000 savings)
(C/G) Evan Smith ($4,500,000 savings)
Sign
• (RT) Ricky Wagner (Projected AAV: $7M)
• (T/G) Austin Pasztor (Projected AAV: $5.2M)
• (T/G) Luke Joeckel ($3M reclamation project)
LT Donovan Smith | Leonard Wester
LG Kevin Pamphile | *Luke Joeckel
C Ali Marpet | Ben Gottschalk
RG *Austin Pasztor | J.R Sweezy
RT *Ricky Wagner | Caleb Benenoch
March 1st, 2017 at 1:48 pm
For those of you that are concerned about Marpet moving from Guard to Center.
Several Hall of Fame Centers intital played – two or three years at guard (or tackle).
March 1st, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Late to the party, but I’d also prefer to see Ali Marpet stay at RG and for us to draft a quality Center who could start this year (to replace Joe Hawley). Would also like to see us sign Matt Kalil (LT) as a FA … projected market value: $7 mil. Kalil’s young (just turning 28) and started every game for the Vikings in 2012-2015, but was hurt last season (only got 2 games in). Part of Bucs issues on OLine is that we have limited flexibility & signing Kalil could solve that, even if he ends up playing RT (he did make the Pro Bowl as a LT). Ricky Wagner is another good OT option, although don’t think he’s played LT. Personally would still re-sign Hawley to a 1-yr contract as insurance, plus keep Dotson (as insurance also). Would love to see JR Sweezy bounce back, but after 1-yr on the sidelines with a back problem, I’m not real optimistic about him winning a starting gig.
March 1st, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Center and RT both need upgrading. Figure it out Jason Licht. Swapping some players around without bringing in more talent sounds like a plan destined to fail.
Best to assume Sweezy won’t be available then be pleasantly surprised if he is than to actually count on JR being one of the answers you are looking for to improve the OLine.
If Mangold checks out physically – I think signing him to a one year deal with a 2nd year option would definitely be a start in the right direction.
March 1st, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Elflein will not be available to us in the 2nd, he’s the best center prospect in the draft, he will go first round. He should still be under consideration from us though, especially if we can trade back into the 20s and get him and an extra 4th.
If not Elfein then Mangold needs to be the answer until we can draft and groom his replacement.
Those are the only 2 good options we have if we don’t move Marpet.