Hoping For A Breakthrough
July 2nd, 2018
Big year in 2018?
Yeah, much was made about the Bucs flipping defensive line coaches this offseason, bringing in former Stinking Panthers lineman, fiery Brentson Buckner to replace ineffective Jay Hayes.
If there is any defensive lineman who should benefit from Buckner it is Noah Spence. The third-year defensive end has been mostly injured in his short NFL career. When he has played, he hasn’t embarrassed himself.
Multimedia maven Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com writes that this finally could be the year Spence becomes a force. If he can stay healthy.
I’m not saying that Spence only has one skill and that he would be lost at any other spot. We have seen him drop into coverage from time to time without incident, and he stopped the run better than expected when he was forced into more early-down playing time in his rookie season. He has added muscle and weight to a pretty significant degree this offseason, has had a special sort of surgery to avoid incurring more of the shoulder injuries that have plagued his first two years in the league and he believes he’ll be better able to handle bigger blockers this year. We don’t really have enough evidence yet to know how much Spence is capable of in the NFL, but it’s reasonable to believe his best days are ahead of him.
Joe will never forget two things last year that should have tipped Joe off to something terribly wrong with the Bucs. Both shouldn’t have ignored because both were big signs of bad news.
One was when Simeon Rice came to Bucs training camp and worked out with Spence. Afterwards, Spence told Jenna Laine of ESPN that Rice showed him moves that he never heard of or saw before. That was a major red flag. A guy literally comes off the street and shows Spence, then in his second training camp, NFL moves that surprise him.
The second red flag had nothing to do with Spence but was when Bucs coach Dirk Koetter constantly groused about bad practices.
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:03 am
Fingers crossed…if he can bring him game it will be HUGE !
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:05 am
The wild card on this defense, for sure. I’m a believer in Spence and we’ll need him to take the big leap because of all the great QBs on our schedule.
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:09 am
I’m not sure it’s accurate to characterize Rice as merely “someone who came in off the street”. He was one of the best rushing DEs ever and I’m sure he knows a lot about the position and how to play it. That said, Jay Hayes should have known those moves as well. Glad we have Buckner
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:17 am
How do you say “X-Factor”?
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:27 am
Homer…a former first round number 3 draft pick.. one of the main cogs of the Bucs SB winning D…20th all time NFL sack leader. Yeah..he might be older, past his prime, and somewhat out of shape…but hardly off the street.
And now Jameis fires his agents…. Have a feeling this isn’t going in the right direction.
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:30 am
Mark….is is not clear if Jameis fired his agents…or the other way around…not saying either…but this is a perfect example of folks coming to conclusions based on guess,emotions or in general poor reading comprehension
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:36 am
We almost need Spence to be Von Miller or DeMarcus Ware like, lofty expectations, but that is what this defense needs. They also need to see Payton Barber running hard on offense, I can remember how a Mike Alstott run got the defense going as well, once again lofty expectations, but that is what we need.
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:40 am
rrsrq….lots of talent compared to recent years….if everyone does their job/assignment….plenty of splash plays coming in 2018 on both sides of the ball
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:44 am
is this the last year spence will be called the “X-factor”…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:44 am
Its just criminal,how this team has historically ruined or wasted good players.
They wasted some of McCoys best years- purely by being stupid.
No other excuse
Last 2 years the Bucs have played a 6’2”. 230# pound guy at DE. Playing against 6’6”, 320# left tackles
Insanity.
Spence came here at 250#. Someone( Hayes?) had him LOSE 20lbs.
Thats an outside Lber. NOT a DE. They asked him to GAIN 30lbs this year.
Dont think that will help. It might, but I doubt it
Spence played some Lber in college, whete the OTs arent nearly the monsters they are here.
The problem isnt Spence.
Its the Bucs are to Stupid, to know how to use him properly.
He should be in on Passing downs primarily, as a rush LBer
Think of the Disruptive Von Miller
Bucs dont wanna do it- Because they dont want to sit Alexander or David on 3rd down. problem is, they tried Rushing those two last year- and they both SUCKED at it.
Pass rush has to take priority over egos.
Otherwise, they are gonna ruin yet another players career, because they dont know how to play him
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:54 am
Altered…go listen to Florio at Pro Football talk.. “As it was explained to PFT on Friday, Winston initiated the move. It’s nevertheless possible that the agents were the ones who decided to move on. (We’re currently trying to nail that specific fact down.)”
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:55 am
Agents/Jameis part ways…. He really doesn’t need an agent until 2019….Bucs have already picked up the 5th year…..and he sure will not be getting much in endorsements…certainly nothing he can’t negotiate at market price on his own…
July 2nd, 2018 at 11:57 am
Something is wrong with this organization. Not only do good players come here to die, so do good coaches.
What is with this place?
July 2nd, 2018 at 12:07 pm
So….we can add DEs to the list of young players Buc coaches can’t develop…
You could add QBs to that also……folks complaining about Jameis and don’t get me started on the roster spot holder, Ryan Griffin….3 years and still isn’t good enough to be the backup….maybe not good enough to be the backup to the backup…..what a joke.
July 2nd, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Spence has already proven himself here I do not get all the ????.
I love Buckner like everybody else and he’ll help Spence reach his best but this is all about ONE thing…health. If Spence stay’s healthy he’ll be fine.
Go back over the reviews during his career…freshman year at OSU coaches thought he was better than Bosa. Rookie year with Bucs played well despite limited opportunity and a bum shoulder which he manned up and played through.
He’s clearly a gamer!
Last season during the joint practice with the Jags Spence drew rave reviews from Bucs and Jags alike and it’s not like the Jags don’t see good defense everyday.
If Spence’s shoulder is truly healthy….that is my major question and concern…I believe he’ll blow up big time this year.
July 2nd, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Altered…don’t agree that he doesn’t need an agent. Things can come up any time that might require an agent. Even the current situation may not be fully behind him, and representation might be very important.
July 2nd, 2018 at 12:59 pm
Mark and AE
I read Florio’s take as well Mark and largely agree. Some are “speculating” that Jameis hasn’t been thrilled with his management teams negotiations with NFL over the suspension as well as the general PR disaster that has emerged.
Here is the operative word for all of this. DISTRACTION.
Do we really want our star franchise QB heading into the season with all of this on his mind…now changing agents.
Jameis sees his career on the line here and I get that. IMHO Jameis is tough enough to weather that storm but are his teammates and coaches? Is he worth the risk for all the grief we’re going to get…the distraction to EVERYBODY?
July 2nd, 2018 at 1:10 pm
mark…slightly OT…I was thinking that for rookies especially if you are not a 1st rounder , considering there is a slotted salary scale based of the year prior and the current years allocation….any swinging stick with a head on his shoulder could figure out how much was coming his way and negotiate their own rookie contract saving the agent commission…these kids somehow think….my agent…your agent…my agent…WTF…find a good financial adviser and live the rest of your life above the mean……
July 2nd, 2018 at 1:27 pm
He’s seeking agents that have more NFL experience to help negotiate his next contract…..I do agree that he shouldn’t be without an agent for long.
July 2nd, 2018 at 1:36 pm
So a HOF DE comes in and shows a rookie, for the most part really, moves he’s never seen before. How is that concerning? Of course he’s going to show him moves he’s never seen before, so stupid.
July 2nd, 2018 at 1:47 pm
This is your year Noah Spence.
Go get ’em Spawn!
July 2nd, 2018 at 2:31 pm
I think this is the bucs main problem. We are always waiting on someone to reach there potential. After two years he hasn’t done anything but stay injured. And Gholston still waiting on him. Waiting on Vernon, Donavan,Marpet, David, conte, jameis, desean, oj, Godwin, and were still waiting on Kenny Bell
July 2nd, 2018 at 2:42 pm
and were still waiting on Kenny Bell
LMAO!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
July 2nd, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Kam Chancellor Played at 6’3 225
Make spawn into a vicious safety ala Kam…if he’s fast enough
July 2nd, 2018 at 4:11 pm
Hes nowhere near that speed.
Who is, besides Kam
Spawn could play MLB.
But we dont need a MLB- we have 2
So guess they’ll let Poor Noah get murdered at DE.
Typical Bucs
July 2nd, 2018 at 6:29 pm
Capt I think they tried to get McCoy help but just stuck out. Looking forward to a more aggressive approach this year with being healthy and better talent.
July 2nd, 2018 at 8:55 pm
Poor Koetter, this team ran off the good coach (Shiano) then they got the player friendly let you loaf coach, they loaf and play grabass so they get (Lovie) fired. So Joe… they are supposed to all of a sudden play for Koetter? AAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA That entire defense needs replacing. All of them ALL are loafers that don’t know how to win or have the will to win. Need evidence? Play every 4th quarter collapse last year. That wasn’t scheme, that was (lack of) skill and will.
July 3rd, 2018 at 10:37 am
I really like Noah Spence. I am rooting for this kid to have a great year. He has come in and worked his butt off and played injured. He had supposed “question marks” coming out of college but unlike some people he has turned all that around. Go get ’em Spence!!
July 3rd, 2018 at 12:57 pm
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