Mind Meld
July 31st, 2018
Helping teammates.
It seems like the gamble is a good mix.
At least in the early stages.
There is always a chance when bringing in players from other teams as big-monied free agents that those players embark upon Operation Shutdown and are just content to cash checks.
That doesn’t seem to be the mindset of the high profile free agents Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht signed and traded for this past offseason.
It helps that Licht went after character guys with winning backgrounds, not slobs like offsides-jumping, Lightning-trolling, belly-shirt-wearing, practice-hating, kicker-heckling, tree-grinding , non-contact-football-loving, chicken-wings-grilling, playing-time-squawking, TV-cooking-star, half-sack Swaggy Baker.
So far, so good. It seems not only have Jason Pierre-Paul, Beau Allen and Vinny Curry fit in rather well, they’be been taking players under their wings to teach them what it is like to prepare and practice like a winner.
All three earned Super Bowl rings.
Dirk Koetter made it a point to give the three newcomers a shout out on Sunday.
“I think all the guys we brought in – I would say Vinny and Beau, and then JPP [Jason Pierre-Paul] – I’ve been impressed with all three of those guys, how they’re sharing, especially with the younger guys,” Koetter said. “I think it also creates good competition on both the O-Line and the D-Line. If you watched one-on-one pass and one-on-one run, O-Line versus D-Line, [Saturday], there were some really good battles there.
“You go down the line and you’ve got Donovan Smith versus JPP, and then over here you’ve got Gerald McCoy versus Caleb Benenoch. We’ve got great competition on both lines and that’s going to make everybody better.”
Joe really, really wanted to see Vita Vea tangle with Ryan Jensen. But Jensen has been slowed of late by a minor injury and, of course, Vea suffered a calf injury Sunday. No telling when Jensen and Vea will square up on each other next.
Look, the Bucs were bad last year. They haven’t won squat since Chucky was coaching. Bucs players should be soaking in every word from JPP, Allen and Curry.
July 31st, 2018 at 7:38 am
Usually starts in the trenches. Win the physical game at the LOS and you usually control the game. The Buccs lost too many of those battles the past ten years. Great to see them get back to physical football. That’s how the Eagles won last year. The Eagles absolutely obliterated opposing teams’ run games and could tee off on the QB.
July 31st, 2018 at 8:06 am
Just caught word that the Eagles are looking to trade Nick Foles. Go get him Bucs. Trade JW for him. Let’s go Bucs.
July 31st, 2018 at 8:18 am
Sad its taken jason licht 5 years to figure this out and build the trenches
July 31st, 2018 at 8:21 am
Godeep66 Says:
July 31st, 2018 at 8:06 am
Just caught word that the Eagles are looking to trade Nick Foles. Go get him Bucs. Trade JW for him. Let’s go Bucs.
A. This trade would be terrible for us. Jameis can be great if he can just get out of his own way. Im upset at his selfishness, but no way i give a talent like him up for a guy who is good, but a game manager at best. When you have the leagues best defense and talent oozing out everywhere it makes it a little easier to succeed.
B. The Eagles have a starting QB in Wentz. So essentially they’d be giving up a backup who just helped win them there first title for a guy who is at his lowest point in the NFL right now and is suspended for 3 games.
July 31st, 2018 at 8:27 am
watch fitzy take jameis’ job and run with it and not give it back all year….fitzy is smart af and interviews better than the coach…and that beard…that beard…he’s a genius lumbersexual!
July 31st, 2018 at 8:34 am
i have them at 2-1 going into chicago…and i don’t see them switching back to jameis at that point…stay with fitzy and what might be working…
also mccoy already seems a little bit different….then he reverts back to that nerd sh*t…then he snaps out of it…then get’s nerded again…he’s on the cusp of something if he can move on from nerd life…nerd life will get you nowhere gerald…time to make that man-cave into a porno den 🙂
July 31st, 2018 at 8:34 am
When the eagles trade Foles who will they start week 1? Nate Sudfeld or Joe Callahan?
July 31st, 2018 at 8:36 am
Dusthty
Agree but Licht must build the team depending on his coaching staffs tendencies. He definitely should have gotten linemen sooner but its only been 2 yrs with smitty. He now knows smitty is not gona create any pressure, it must be brought with 4. I think we all know now unfortunately. Last year was a nightmare. Who knows maybe Im off expecting a corner or safety blitz at least once in a season.
July 31st, 2018 at 8:43 am
Ya Jason does not understand roster building 101
That’s why we have to bring in 3 free agents along the d line and trade for a jpp
July 31st, 2018 at 8:56 am
Fitz didn’t come here for a chance to start. Keep on dreaming but the guy is a backup at this point and he’s not better than Winston. He has enough common sense not to get into off field issues but not a better player and has had one or two really good seasons. Seems the Mike Glennon moon loves to root for any journeyman quarterback out there
July 31st, 2018 at 9:10 am
but hey what if fitzie has a season like he did with the jets a few years back…can we just imagine!
July 31st, 2018 at 9:13 am
just imagine jameis never get’s to grab at jensen’s crotch all season…jameis will be crazy jelly of fitzenfuss and will be frothing at the mouth to get in the “ball game”…
pun intended 🙂
July 31st, 2018 at 9:15 am
All these vets showing the young guys how it’s done is great, and it doesn’t hurt that the D-Line coach is calling players out for not doing things the right way every day. I have no doubt that when the bullets start flying, we are going to see the D-Line dominate games next season, and that is truly exciting as a Bucs fan!
July 31st, 2018 at 9:18 am
We have tremendous depth on the Dline….the Oline, not so much….concerns there if there is an injury.
July 31st, 2018 at 9:35 am
Brees Saints
Wentz Philly
Big Ben Steelers
short passing attack. putting YAC players in open space vs the redheaded Matador Kwonie and mimi kwonie Justin Evans
32nd rank pass defense and the off coords are going to run the ball between the tackles? the other NFL playcallers are not that stupid
“Can someone tell Kobe how in the world does Gump not bring in a veteran corner? BTW, have any body have a Forrest Gump sighting? The Glazer spokesman has been MIA”
Americas Poster Kobe Faker
July 31st, 2018 at 9:41 am
How many times did Joe say “Linemen do not score points, so they will not win us games” over the last few years?
Clearly, linemen on both sides are making a huge difference.
I would like to know how the offensive linemen looked during padded practice though.
July 31st, 2018 at 9:42 am
Kobe Faker, I really wish you would learn to type English. lol
By the way, they did sign a veteran corner. Brent Grimes. Who was no longer under contract with any team.
July 31st, 2018 at 9:44 am
adam from ny Says
“but hey what if fitzie has a season like he did with the jets a few years back…can we just imagine!”
More likely he has a Josh McCown-like performance, except for the first game, where we’ll have the element of surprise. Hopefully, it will last through the second game too.
July 31st, 2018 at 9:49 am
Tampabaybucfan Says
“We have tremendous depth on the Dline….the Oline, not so much….concerns there if there is an injury.”
I have a feeling the depth there is much better than we know. There are some untested factors, so we don’t know what to expect.
For example, if Dotson goes down, Leonard Wester or Alex Cappa will step in. Alex Cappa is projected to play guard, but he played right tackle in college and was a brute. If Leonard Wester wasn’t looking so good, I would suggest Cappa would replace Dotson, but Wester has been looking great.
And that means Cappa would be depth for RG and RT. Not too bad depth at all.
July 31st, 2018 at 9:53 am
Kobe right on and rodgers cromartie a top FA corner still available along w at least 3 high level calber starting safeties
July 31st, 2018 at 9:55 am
If Cappa is the starting RT, start looking at nick bosa from OSU, cause the bucs will pick in top 3 and have new coach & gm
July 31st, 2018 at 10:19 am
Godeep66 Says:
“Just caught word that the Eagles are looking to trade Nick Foles. Go get him Bucs. Trade JW for him. Let’s go Bucs.”
Just caught word that the Bucs might draft Vinny Testaverde, let’s trade this Steve Young and go after Vinny in the draft instead!!!!
July 31st, 2018 at 10:30 am
Get ride of Doug Williams too– Williams was paid $120,000 a year, the lowest salary for a starting quarterback in the NFL. After the 1982 season, Williams asked for a $600,000 contract. Hugh Culverhouse offered $400,000…
July 31st, 2018 at 11:16 am
I am so terribly confused on why there is so much support for JW, isn’t he a modern day Ryan Leaf. He has a terrible record, a terrible TD to turnover ratio, and an even worse public relation nightmare hanging over his head. He is a loser on and off the field. Why care so much????
July 31st, 2018 at 5:14 pm
Thread is about the D-line….morons talk about trading the qb…sad.
Go Bucs!
July 31st, 2018 at 10:36 pm
Great read. Do you think this is the last year of Jameis and Koetter? I think Koetter doesn’t make it through this year before getting fired. Seems like Jameis has worn out his welcome also.
July 31st, 2018 at 10:43 pm
Not if they win.
Thanks for the compliment.