Bucs May Have To Play Keep-away
March 8th, 2018
Limited options.
A week ago, it was grim surveying potential answers via free agency or trade for the greatest need of the Bucs, a defensive end.
With Robert Quinn and Michael Bennett off the market, it is even worse.
Now the Bucs have to play keep-away.
In the Tuesday edition of the famed “Ira Kaufman Podcast,” Joe spoke openly that it sure smells like the Bucs are hoping new defensive line coach Brentson Buckner can wave a magic wand, squeeze three sacks out of Will Gholston, and then Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will wear out rosaries hoping Noah Spence can stay healthy for six games and record five sacks.
At that point, the Bucs will beat their chests and boast that those eight sacks would have been what they got from Quinn or Bennett, but at a much cheaper investment.
You know, math!
Barring a trade for, say, Olivier Vernon or signing Julius Peppers or outbidding Seattle for restricted free agent defensive end Dion Jordan with a second-round pick, the Bucs may become the only NFL team that will have to gameplan against its own defense.
If they can’t upgrade defensive end, the Bucs will need to go hogwild in beefing up both guard positions and getting two running backs that can tote the rock, say Darrius Guice in the draft and Carlos Hyde in free agency.
This is what happens when a team paints itself into a corner by being fully inept for over a decade in drafting/developing/acquiring/keeping quality edge rushers.
An NFL team bolstering its offensive roster and gameplanning against its own defense in order to be successful and save jobs, as our president and Commander in Chief might Twitter, “Sad!”
March 8th, 2018 at 12:04 am
2-14 here we come. Top prospect in the 2019 draft anyone?
March 8th, 2018 at 12:10 am
Well, if the strong rumor about McCoy going to the Raiders for their second is true, then maybe the Bucs can draft another DE. Of course, then they are without their 6all pro DT, so there is a problem with that idea I guess.
March 8th, 2018 at 12:14 am
I won’t say anything bad against Will G., cause I simply won’t..But I think he will have a damn good year..and don’t @ me, I am not interested in getting in a debate..
But I do know one thing…I am glad we got Buckner..
March 8th, 2018 at 12:16 am
I’m beginning to worry about Jameis being suspended. The Glazers are packing it in for next year
March 8th, 2018 at 12:18 am
At some point being a good gm but not successfully addressing the defensive end position is crazy. The super bowl champs got a guy we’ve been rumored to days after Quinn gets traded for less than what we offered. At some point we have to evaluate everyone. Something is up. Licht isn’t getting it done. It’s super early and he needs to be successful in the draft. While also pulling off a trade to help us compete come September through January.
I hate reading these stories getting my hopes up then to find out a targeted player went elsewhere. Next is Grimes to the Rams or Eagles or somewhere else followed by a story we offered more then what he accepted.
March 8th, 2018 at 12:19 am
@Mike Evans GOAT
Well Nick Bosa is the top pass rusher prospect for 2019. Which works out pretty well because it looks like we will desperately need one again.
March 8th, 2018 at 1:07 am
**********************
SO, we could have had Marcus Peters, Robert Quinn and Michael Bennett for our 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks this year and a second next year … and added about $20mil to the salary.
With that $20mil we could sign a new starting CB (say Malcolm Butler) and SS (say Tre Boston) and a RB (say Carlos Hyde) and with the picks we could draft, say, Josh Sweat (3rd), Chad Thomas (4th) and Kendrick Norton (5th).
Would YOU rather have Quinn + Bennett + Peters … or … Butler+Boston+Hyde+Sweat+Thomas+Norton?
Personally, I’d take the latter, especially considering a locker-room with both Bennett and Peters in could give Jameis a heart attack.
********************
March 8th, 2018 at 1:08 am
The Bucs are the laughingstock of the NFL. After all the hype and busting into last place, neither pundits nor players want anything to do with them. So it better be through the draft, and maybe Buckner can tickle Peppers into coming into town to play and teach the youngsters how to rush the passer.
March 8th, 2018 at 1:23 am
Horse Liver
Stop making crap uip…. cancer93 is NOT a 6x All Pro… big difference between all pro and her meaningless pro bowls
March 8th, 2018 at 1:27 am
Send 93 to chucky today get the #2 and plan for 2019
March 8th, 2018 at 2:00 am
Tmax,
He’s a 4 times All-Pro.
Yes not the same thing as 6 times but it’s closer to the truth than you state.
4 times….All-Pro.
March 8th, 2018 at 2:47 am
Joe, with all of your whining, you support the biggest Koetter.
March 8th, 2018 at 2:53 am
At what point are we allowed to storm the gates at 1 Buc Place to forcefully remove Licht from office?? 0-8? 0-12?
March 8th, 2018 at 4:07 am
After reading through the comments here, the Bucs fan base has once again proven to be among the most clueless in the NFL.
No wonder why the team is a joke. Most of the fan base, as shown here, are the stupidest MF’ers in pro football.
March 8th, 2018 at 4:49 am
@Mike Evans Goat and @Blake
For sure Nick Bosa next year lol
March 8th, 2018 at 5:03 am
Don’t sleep yet.
Ndomukong Suh and Richard Sherman are due to be traded or cut.
Now, if Licht doesn’t make a play for either, then it’s time to review his job status.
March 8th, 2018 at 5:36 am
NFLNut speaking some sense but I doubt anyone is paying attention. Too busy looking at the sky falling.
There is going to be plenty of change on this roster, guaranteed. Everyone is fired up because moves are being made and you all so desperately want to type in joebucsfan and see we added somebody.
Help is on the way in the coming weeks. Time to make the RIGHT moves for the team and not the fans. Forget selling tickets and bring them in with wins.
March 8th, 2018 at 5:43 am
The pass rush was fine in 2016 and I expect it to be fine again in 2017. Licht will bring in a free agent and a rookie and then Joe will finally get onto a different topic.
March 8th, 2018 at 5:57 am
orlando joe there wasnt any pass rush in 2017 nor 2016, the bucs had worst defense in the NFL, mainly due to the lack if impact of the defensive front. And to ppl who think trading GMC is dumb, what have been the results of the bucs with him on the defense?
March 8th, 2018 at 5:59 am
Well, if we don’t get a DE in FA…..that doesn’t stop us from drastically improving the team at other positions.
RB, G, CB, S, DT, K would be positions that could be improved.
Perhaps we can stack the offense & defensive backfield so well that we can overcome the poor pass rush.
March 8th, 2018 at 6:00 am
Just because we might be in a hole with our defense doesn’t mean the season is already lost Joe.if we pick up say Carlos Hyde AND pull off an upset in the draft and say trade up and get Penn State Saquoan Barkley our offense may be UNSTOPPABLE!If Djax and Winston finally start connecting and we have the services of Hyde and Barkley teams will be scared to face us.
March 8th, 2018 at 6:05 am
Even if we were to bolster our offense would we be able to score over 20 a game anyway? I dont think so
March 8th, 2018 at 6:32 am
In October we were already looking at the 2018 draft. Now that the draft is little more then a month away we’re already talking about who we can get in the 2019 draft. Ain’t easy being a Buc fan.
March 8th, 2018 at 6:39 am
Bucs are NOT the laughing stock of the NFL. Cleveland (zero wins) is. Offseason moves are underway…I’ll reserve judgement in the moves until the moving (draft, free agency, trades) are done. Orher option (constantly posting how we suck and deserve more) is not helpful or accurate at this point. Go Bucs!
March 8th, 2018 at 6:55 am
Its so funny to see the sheep and Joe in full despair!!!! The “legal” tampering is still days away and they think this season is already a loss!!!!!!!! They want the GM, who is very good at drafting, to have already trade away most of the Bucs picks!!!!!!!!! The strength of the GM is drafting!!!!!!! So that is why you don’t trade away your picks!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
March 8th, 2018 at 6:59 am
Dusthy Rhodes
I don’t think you watched the Bucs in 2016 if you don’t think they had a pass rush.
38 sacks that season was good enough for being in the top 10. Pass rush will be fine in 2018 if Spence stays healthy. You heard it here first bee-yotch.
March 8th, 2018 at 7:10 am
It is far too early to be giving up on 2018…..we haven’t even gotten to FA and we have all of our picks including #7. We have a nucleolus of young talented players and even if you don’t have faith in the coaching, we have continuity and players will be familiar with the schemes & playbook.
It is frankly sickening to read some of the overreactions and purely negative comments…..it’s fine to offer criticism but the same diatribe posted time and time again makes me wonder about the sanity of the poster.
Let’s just hope they don’t get anywhere near our schoolchildren.
March 8th, 2018 at 7:29 am
Reach87
Bucs are and have been a laughing stock outsdide of 1 year under mckay and grudens super bowl…. that’s 40 out of 42 years of ineptness. Thank god gruden was able to clean up dungy clowns mess fast… dungy the clown coached a horrible team with a great defense and wasted whyces hall of farmers.
And the icing in the cake is bucs have the WORST winning % in league history… being a fan is one thing but being completely in denial is laughable
March 8th, 2018 at 7:43 am
The picture of Jason Licht has him making that stupid face. I have looked at tons of Film on Jason Licht, and he never made that stupid face back in Arizona.
Same with Jon Gruden !
What is it about Tampa that makes our Head Coach and General Manager make faces ?
March 8th, 2018 at 7:46 am
Chris apple
Glazers have created the nfl version of the black hole in Tampa. You would look the same knowing full well you were handcuffed by incompetent owners with no intentions of fielding a respectable team
March 8th, 2018 at 7:52 am
Orlando Joe you must have your green card with that stuff you spewin, I am guessing its easier to watch the bucs BS they throw out there if you have some jack daniels and bob marley by your side
March 8th, 2018 at 7:58 am
@TBBF- It’s hard to get excited when you’re a Buc fan, especially after so many years of losing.
There’s a lot that can still be accomplished this offseason to build the team. If there’s a blueprint and an identity, it makes it even easier. Right now, we have to hope that this organization knows what it’s doing.
We have made HUGE mistakes in FA by throwing money at players that just don’t work out. Apparently people have short memories. I’m OK if they take their time to bring in the RIGHT FA’s and draft picks, that’s what good teams do. Throwing money at it does not fix the problem. There has to be a foundation.
BUILDtheTRENCHES!
March 8th, 2018 at 8:01 am
Bucsfanman
They have taken thier sweet arse time sir… don’t you think 16 years between meaningful wins is enough patiences
March 8th, 2018 at 8:17 am
tmax- That’s why all we have is hope. It’s the “16 year plan”! Drive the fanbase to despair then, in one offseason, turn the franchise into the NE Patriots South! 12-15 years of double-digit wins! Picking in the draft in the 30’s, FA’s clamoring to play here!
It can happen.
HOF bust for Koetter, Smitty’s defense getting some cool nickname like “skull-crushers”!
GMC finishes his career with back-to-back 20 sack seasons, Kwon becomes a verb: “You got Kwonned”!
Jameis breaks every record there is as Mike Evans surpasses Jerry Rice.
Lombardi Trophy, here we come!!!
March 8th, 2018 at 8:18 am
Bucsfanman
Awful early for the bottle but what the hell
March 8th, 2018 at 8:25 am
It’s 5 O’clock somewhere! Cheers!
March 8th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Chandler Jones + pick #15 for our pick #7. Arizona gets a cheap QB. We get a pass rusher. I’d do it..
March 8th, 2018 at 8:49 am
Totally confident, right guys?
March 8th, 2018 at 9:06 am
@Bucsfanman …you had me dreaming for a sec. Lol
CHEERS!!!
March 8th, 2018 at 9:20 am
Your nucleus is players on their first contract. Your solution to that is getting Bennet when you are in a draft and play mode?? Quinn- I understand the frustration truly I do. He’s 27 and legit. Licht should’ve done whatever it took. But don’t for one second rule out trading up for Chubb and signing a mid tier d end. They might also plan on minkah and moving back in to the first for Davenport or vea. It’s March and free agency hasn’t started and morons say “were the laughingstock” do you really truly believe anyone outside of Tampa laughing saying they didn’t get Bennet ROTFLLLLMAO?? They’re not. Get over the 2019 talk, get a life and go outside and enjoy the Florida sun. My god. Wait for the draft to end before you panic.
March 8th, 2018 at 9:47 am
@LifeOfABucFan
I totally agree with you. I’ve watched film where WG is bull- rushing 2 men towards the quarterback but never gets there. If he learns some techniques he will be a beast. He doesn’t seem to be able to discard his man and get to the QB
March 8th, 2018 at 9:54 am
TBChucky- in a heart beat, I still think D James is more of a playmaker than Minkah, JMO
March 8th, 2018 at 10:01 am
Realist,
I want a GM that can put a winning product on the field. I want my GM to get us an edge rush by his fifth year.
It’s been 11 years since a Buccaneer achieved double digit sacks in a single season. Is this the year? Simeon Rice is a FA after all. I bet he could get more sacks than some of the DEs on our roster.
March 8th, 2018 at 10:06 am
What a truly sad pityful franchise. Owners, GM, and coaches makin money on losing. And the dwindling fan base of tampa are becoming alcoholics. Don’t put your faith in this edition of the Bucs. We will get better a few yrs down the line.its not happenning in the very near future though. Got a long ways to go Buc fans.
March 8th, 2018 at 10:55 am
It’s like having a pocket full of money at the brothel and not being able to get laid!
March 8th, 2018 at 11:04 am
waiting until after FA and draft to see if Licht redeems himself or adds proof to his ineptitude
March 8th, 2018 at 11:15 am
some of the Buccs best defensive players that did way more for the Buccs org the GMC has done or will do were traded at some point. Why is it that some think GMC should not be traded. He gets hurt every year now. Getting a 2nd for him now while he has value is better than getting nothing for him after he gets hurt
March 8th, 2018 at 11:26 am
I honestly would like to see Koetter/Smith pick their own GM……Licht will need to hit a grandslam in the draft, pray to God Spence and Hargreaves become contributors, Winston doesn’t get suspended, the entire team stays healthy….and one of our division rivals totally craps out.
This is year 5 of Licht and we really need all that to occur just to have a chance. Its not happening, particularly if ownership is not willing to spend….which you cant really blame them. 3 out of 4 seasons are last place in the division. He has to perform a miracle or we’ll be moving on.
March 8th, 2018 at 11:34 am
jameis must be getting suspended and glennon will be our 6-10 qb for most of the season…seems logical the glazers are packing it in for the year nice and early
March 8th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Glazers are stacking money in the bank
Moving overseas is expensive
The GM is saving draft picks really
A 4th round for Quinn, so a fourth round pick is a better gamble than taken Quinn. Hahahah
And did I see someone say Suh would be cut FIRST of all if he was NO WAY GMC would all that Suh is tooo mean
March 8th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Bobby M,
I agree, the only thing you left out was the Glazers need the Buc’s to fail this year…if Dirk and Licht go 7-9 or 8-8 and they are faced with the decision to bring them back, they will have to sign a 3-5 year contract, then 2019 craps out, then they will fire Dirk and Licht and be stuck paying their salaries and hiring a new gM and coach…
SO I sort of think, they want to save the $ this year, do not let knuckled head Licht commit to any long range $$$, so when the next GM comes in, they are in good cap shape…and not stuck with any GM and coaching salaries.
March 8th, 2018 at 2:00 pm
With everyone of these good DEs the Bucs pass up on, sounds more and more like they’ll trade up for Chubb if necessary. Or they’re just team Glazer and Licht being team Glazer and Licht in the offseason trading period.
March 8th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
What’s going on ATrain!
I hadn’t thought about it until you brought it up, but I remember NFL SUITS TALKING ABOUT MOVING A TEAM OR TWO ACROSS THE POND. Damn thumbs! Hit !
Anyway, with their soccer club, it almost makes too much sense.
Quinn>4th round pick all day. You take that deal. Now, you know your boy GMC outperformed Suh, right?! I’m just saying! BOTH were relative disappointments IMO.
March 8th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
I see the Bucs doing what’s best for that team right now which is staying away from free agency and saving the money to pay Winston and Evans. Once they are taken care of we go from there. To become a winner though I think they should be willing to trade a few vets like Jackson, David, and McCoy even Ayers as well. These specific four could help the Bills or Raiders if thrown on the table with Future draft picks. If we are as close as we say we are then why are we wanting to still draft in the first or second round in next year or in 2020 with all the players we’ve recently developed like Spence who is gonna work out if they change him to linebacker and Hargreaves who I think will develop plus it’s time to pay Kwon Alexander this year as well. Next year we gotta pay Winston, Marpet and give D. Smith a contract. Whoever we draft this year will be looking to get paid as well and these guys perform too. McCoy, David, and Jackson could be shopped for ransom they are veterans who deserve to win. McCoy is garnered interest from the Raiders already and I don’t think the Cowboys are far behind and they will give up a first round pick for McCoy too if they can secure a future second round pick. The Raiders are going to go after Desean Jackson and probably give up a first for some future ransom from us as well. The bills can also get a Whole 2020 draft from the Bucs if they are willing to not draft this year hold on to Tyrod and go at New England one more time. Pitches Jason Licht. Pitches