Robert McClain: Super Bowl Artist
May 10th, 2017
More on the newest Buccaneer
Your Buccaneers were one of just seven NFL teams that did not draft a cornerback this year.
That’s why they turned to a Super Bowl corner this week.
Yes, brand new Bucs corner Robert McClain, a veteran of seven seasons, started through the playoffs and in the Super Bowl for the Panthers during the 2015 season.
Last year, he battled for time at nickel cornerback with Carolina against ex-Buccaneer Leonard Johnson. McClain lost and was cut in December. He closed the season with the Chargers.
McClain is an interesting addition. The guy was left on the street through this year’s free agency. And the Bucs were thin at cornerback before the draft, so they certainly could have signed McClain weeks ago without waiting to see if they drafted a corner. That’s not a great sign.
However, McClain spent three years (his best years) with Mike Smith in Atlanta (2012-2014). So clearly Smith thinks McClain can contribute and has the right mentality for a Bucs defense that jelled big time late last season.
Perhaps McClain is here mostly to push Javien Elliott and Hey Jude Adjei-Barimah to their limits? Or maybe he’ll be the lead nickel out of the gate in training camp?
The nickel battle just got very real in Tampa.
McClain seems like a pretty intense guy, an artist. Joe found this neat video below that highlights McClain’s other passion.
May 10th, 2017 at 7:10 am
he battled for time at nickel cornerback with Carolina against ex-Buccaneer Leonard Johnson. McClain lost and was cut in December
And this is something to get excited about?
Definitely not.–Joe
May 10th, 2017 at 7:11 am
Joe, are you only interested in this guy because you mentioned the Bucs needing to go out and get a CB on Ira’s podcast?
UMMM, Joe’s interested because he’s a new player that appears to have a strong shot to contribute. –Joe
You do know he only made 4 plays in that Superbowl…and two were assists…right?
He’s nothing and won’t be on the team long. Perhaps slightly longer than Riley was.
Riley was never on the team.–Joe
May 10th, 2017 at 7:29 am
You can never have too many CB’s
May 10th, 2017 at 7:35 am
He lost out in a battle for a roster spot to Leonard Johnson?
May 10th, 2017 at 7:36 am
Please sign a corner.
May 10th, 2017 at 7:36 am
Complaning as though Ryan Smith & Josh Robinson have proven to be anymore effective? I’m quite perplexed by some of your reactions. We’re merely adding Depth not Debt.
and if he so happens to make a key interception vs Tom Brady or perhaps deflect a Matt Ryan pass propelling us to victory on MNF….please save the applause, keep calm & reflect.
May 10th, 2017 at 7:38 am
Why are we not signing Mcourty????
Why are we not maxing out our salary cap????
GMC has 2 years left. Desean has 2 years left. Grimes has 2 years left. Ayers and Baker have 2 years left.
Jameis, Kwon, Marpet, Hargreaves, and Smith are all
CHEAP for the next two years!!!
We have a two year window before Mike Evans and Jameis Winston become some of the highest paid players at their position, in the NFL.
Why are we not more urgent!!!!!????
May 10th, 2017 at 7:45 am
teacherman777, if those numbers are right…man are things going to get expensive soon.
Licht better start filling holes and depth with some really good young players…because when those contracts come up, money is going to get tight.
May 10th, 2017 at 8:21 am
I would love to make a comment but unfortunately regardless of my opinion it will be delayed for consideration. I’ve been told I am just a small fish…..sad.
You are not a small fish. If you are in moderation, it’s either a system glitch or the result of past naughty behavior from your name or IP address.–Joe
May 10th, 2017 at 8:23 am
We have eight corners on our roster now
May 10th, 2017 at 8:38 am
” It seems Ryan Smith is going to lose his ballgirl gig”
“Just like a ballgirl in a baseball game accidentally grabs a baseball in fair territory, Ryan Smith, instead of catching the ball and kneeling in the endzone, Ryan Smith accidentally ran with the ball”
“At least Ryan isnt Josh Huff who grabs the ball and starts running the basepaths to homeplate”
Kobe Faker
May 10th, 2017 at 8:40 am
Looks like the bucs and tricky jason licht swung and missed again on his whacky move of going after NC AT & T corner ryan smith instead of maybe drafting an SEC corner like Brian Poole who started in the super bowl for the falcons
May 10th, 2017 at 8:51 am
Who needs good corners and a pass rush in our division?
Not like we play any good quarterbacks. Patchwork sounds like the way to go.
May 10th, 2017 at 8:58 am
Eric….awesome RACK HIM
May 10th, 2017 at 9:14 am
From Dubai……I agree we need more talent and this was a very deep draft for CB’s. I am disappointed that we didn’t save our picks and let the draft come to us. Two years in a row we have wasted possible picks (depth) to move up and take a kicker and SLB very high in the draft. Both of those players would have been there if we would have drafted in our original spot. Plus I love Licth’s drafts through the first 4 rounds except those two bone head moves…. there is no way Beckwith was a late first round talent on our board.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the teams direction and leaders Licth and DK, but those knee jerk draft reaction might really hurt us before our playoff window evaporates in 4 years.
May 10th, 2017 at 9:21 am
there will be salary cuts made before season starts, relax
May 10th, 2017 at 9:26 am
MAX OUT OUR SALARY CAP?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?
SMH… Come on dude.
May 10th, 2017 at 9:59 am
Dusthty Rhothdes Says:
May 10th, 2017 at 8:40 am
Looks like the bucs and tricky jason licht swung and missed again on his whacky move of going after NC AT & T corner ryan smith instead of maybe drafting an SEC corner like Brian Poole who started in the super bowl for the falcons
———————
He did the same thing this year. Drafted Justin Evans rather than DeMarcus Walker. Plus, Licht be wasting picks i.e. Ryan Smith, ASJ, Aguayo and more.
I bring up Walker bc DE is more valuable than a safety who has trouble wrapping up, allegedly. Plus ya keep talking about getting ice cream some help and what not.
Shiiii, Teez Tabor went 2 picks after walker and that kid is pretty nice and I hate gators.
After Godwin the pat pick a RT with a lot of nasty. Antonio Garcia. Now we have 11 WR and 2 broken RTs.
A great man once said:
What the he11 is going on out there?! – Vince Lombardi.
May 10th, 2017 at 10:15 am
I still don’t get some of your evaluations.
The people prioritizing OL and DE. Well we got Sweezy and Jack back which are essentially additions to the roster. Not to mention the improvement of both our rookie stud Spence and Donavan/Marpet.
We needed Safety. We went with the best one available in round 2 and just in case you didn’t know, Licht/Koetter had him in the first round. I trust their judgment a lot more than anyone on here.
Corner would have been nice, but we can’t fill all the holes. Once you get past the first 3 picks, it’s 50/50 or less that a player will work out. OJ was common sense, Evans has excellent coverage skills and all the talent in the world to be elite, and godwin was IMO the BPA by a mile. This is debatable but I think our offense is set for a long, long time. We’ll see how rb is when the season starts.
Oh and the trade up for beckwith, well the guy could have been a first if it wasn’t for his injury. Apparently GB wanted him bad and we snaked him. If he is what they say he is, we have the best lb core in the National Football League.
Soo funny the negativity before these players even have 10 minutes of professional coaching.
May 10th, 2017 at 10:29 am
Eric
You might be a bit lost. I was talking about Licht’s wasted picked like Ryan Smith, ASJ and Aguayo. Moving up for a MLB seems strange to me but again wtfdik
May 10th, 2017 at 10:31 am
na man, I wasn’t really addressing you.
I could be compiling a bunch of different opinions of our roster in one rebuttal. Not necessarily directed at you, sorry.
We have some really dumb fans though.
May 10th, 2017 at 10:39 am
We do.
May 10th, 2017 at 10:49 am
While running back is a concern, with the wide out and slot receivers, (not to mention OJ and Brate), I could run the ball for a 5 yard average. This is a defensive coordinator nightmare deciding where to place his secondary. No more eight men in the box. That would be suicide. This would be a great time for Jacquez’s contract to come up.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:16 pm
He is a upgrade over Jude and Elliott. But that’s not saying much.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
Jason McCourty is the top available free agent CB and McClain is one of the worse.
May 10th, 2017 at 1:39 pm
@ Joe – You are not a small fish. If you are in moderation, it’s either a system glitch or the result of past naughty behavior from your name or IP address.–Joe
Always wondered why this happened!!!
Joe – i promise to be good moving forward.
May 10th, 2017 at 2:13 pm
We have such short memories here! You can’t build perennial contenders in just 2 off-seasons. There are only so many draft picks and only so many decent free agents and there are 32 teams trying to do the same exact thing; Get better!
May 10th, 2017 at 2:19 pm
Thanks Joe for staying on top of things !! This is the only place I go to any more due to your thorough coverage of the Bucs ! Live in NC and check your site a couple times every day and live for the IRA airings on Tues and Thurs !keep up the excellence !
May 10th, 2017 at 2:27 pm
I figured he was signed as depth, and to hopefully push guys like Elliot and Hey Jude.
But hearing he lost out to LJ makes me question whether he still has anything left in the tank at all.
Wasn’t Ryan Smith a 5th rounder? Anything past the 4th is a crapshoot IMO…
May 10th, 2017 at 2:54 pm
I have a feeling the Bucs will draft MULTIPLE CB’s next year … and a RT hopefully!
May 10th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
I’m telling y’all Javien just didn’t play much, he battled for a scholarship after being a tryout guy for FSU when he gets experience he’ll be great
May 10th, 2017 at 7:06 pm
And he worked his way up to a starting role and you can say what you want about FSU but fact is they get some of the best athletes in the nation and the conditioning work Jimbo had them doing is second to none, they come alive in the 4th quarter just like someone we know in the NFL…. JW and who’s to say we don’t line up Tandy in Wilcox with Evans moving to the slot.. we got options this year.. best man on the field
May 10th, 2017 at 9:45 pm
have watched McClain for years; he tackles, is not afraid of contact like some CBs and plays SMART. Savvy vet; Bucs are getting great value IMHO.