The Ultimate Position Battle?
July 23rd, 2018
Gerald McCoy and his new position coach, Brentson Buckner.
It’s the time of year when football media likes to reference “position battles” at training camp. It’s usually a boring exercise, but this year Joe believes a very unique position battle could be brewing in a hurry.
Will new and heralded Buccaneers defensive line coach Brentson Buckner call the shots on who starts and plays on his unit — and who gets what kind of reps in training camp?
Joe sure hopes Dirk Koetter hired this bold, brash and experienced coach because he plans on listening to him.
Heck, Koetter himself has humbly said many times he doesn’t get involved much with the defense because he might mess things up and that’s why he hired his accomplished friend Mike Smith.
Smith is known as a coordinator who trusts his coaches and delegates. But now that the Bucs are extremely deep and talented at defensive line, there could very differing opinions on who is the best player for the best situation.
Suppose Buckner thinks Will Gholston and Vinny Curry are his best run-stuffing defensive ends and he wants to turn Jason Pierre-Paul into more of a pass rushing specialist? What if Buckner thinks highly-paid Curry has lost a step and sees him as a bottom-of-the-depth-chart guy? What if Buckner thinks Noah Spence is ready to start after a monster preseason?
Joe thinks a d-line battle among the power brokers at One Buc Palace could be inevitable if everyone stays healthy.
If so, that would fall under the category of “good problem,” but it would need to be skillfully managed by Coach Koetter.
July 23rd, 2018 at 12:40 pm
Buckner looks tougher than McCoy
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Tinker bell looks tougher than mccoy…. hope you are renting mr Buckner. Coaches don’t last long around the cryin clown
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:09 pm
Competition brings out the best in everyone – as does a strong rotation.
Jason Licht did an unbelievable job of stockpiling DL talent this off-season – especially considering there were so few DE options available in FA and the draft.
I expect to see night vs day improvement from the Buccaneers Defensive Line in 2018.
If that is the case – then this team should absolutely have a winning season.
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Like I’ve been sayin for eons here…So goes our Defense..So goes our Wins. Bucs play strong sound/solid Defense? A couple of Td’s and a field goal..or two Wins it for us. BUcs play their usual sorry A.. Defense and…We lose…..everytime.
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:16 pm
Man you McCoy haters are ridiculous. Now Mcoy’s coach looks tougher than him. So we should cut him because he doesn’t look tuff. Maybe all our future draft pics and free agents can be selected on there looks now if they don’t look tough we should pass on them. Jason why did you draft a guy in the first that everyone had a 6th round grade on. Because he was the toughest looking sob in the draft. Have to make the fans happy and they want guys that look tough.
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:16 pm
If we clean up a few things on offense (run-game, turnovers), and at least get a consistent kicking game, we really only need the defense to be average. Believe me, “average” is a SIGNIFICANT improvement for this team!
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:33 pm
DEFENSE has been the Bucs’ identity since Day 1. When Raheem replaced Chucky, everyone thought were going back to our defensive roots because an offensive HC was replaced by a defensive one. Not so fast (#27, #9, #30 in POINTS ALLOWED in his 3 yrs). When Schiano replaced Raheem, everyone thought our defense was gonna blossom. Again, not so much (#23 & #21 in his 2 yrs). Surely Lovie would improve that defense when he was hired. Not hardly (#25 & #26 in his 2 yrs). So along comes Scapegoat Smitty in 2016. Essentially the same talent level, but the defense DOES in fact improve … to #15 in POINTS ALLOWED … but then slips again in 2017 to #22.
Would’ve used YARDAGE ALLOWED instead but something in the back of my head keeps telling me that yardage doesn’t win football games … POINTS do. Something about ‘If you have more POINTS at the end of the game than your opponent, then you WIN.’ I like that rule.
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:35 pm
Holding players accountable and real competition is the fastes way for a coach to lose his job or get run out of town. Accountability and winning clearly are batmans kryptonite
July 23rd, 2018 at 1:53 pm
It’s all about who is showing up and producing day in and day out, aka being consistent. We do have some talent, but they need to take the coaching and apply it on the field if they want playing time on a regular basis. Hopefully they all play well and we have a great rotation that keeps the whole line fresh and furious.
July 23rd, 2018 at 2:09 pm
D.R.
Your first sentence points to a real team deficiency.
“DEFENSE has been the Bucs’ identity since Day 1.”
And our team has lost it’s way with the lost identity. We thought Jameis was about to create a new Buc era of offense…but I suspect you’ve pointed us in the right direction.
Whatever I’d like for the team to get an identity of some sorts….are we a
“smart” team? Nah
“physical” Nah
“efficient” Nah
July 23rd, 2018 at 2:48 pm
The Beotch is Back……
July 23rd, 2018 at 3:44 pm
Joe i agree 1000 percent…competition brings out the best from every player..the way our d line performed we must do it..
July 23rd, 2018 at 3:48 pm
dirk needs to grow a pair….being scared to get involved with the defense because he’ll mess things up….that’s some major BS right there….
how long has he been coaching?….and he’s hasn’t learned anything regarding defenses in which he could give some instructions or advice to his coaches or players…..
and folks wonder why we have a “soft” team….their being led by a weak minded coach….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!
July 23rd, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Funny, I bet the same haters of Winston and McCoy in the comment section would be the first to kiss their arses should the Buccs win a title.
July 23rd, 2018 at 6:34 pm
The only thing softer than Ol’ Softie93 is Jeffbuc.
Dude, you sound like a beotch.
July 23rd, 2018 at 6:43 pm
@feelthepewterpower
You are 100% right on that one!!
GOBUCS
July 23rd, 2018 at 7:25 pm
GMC has it going on. Going to be mean as hell this year. 8 sacks and he won’t be the leading in that department.
Shado 31, out.
July 23rd, 2018 at 7:39 pm
As much as i Rip the Bucs lack of talent at some positions.
The d line should be better than last year and fun to watch
We should have the 15th best d line
July 23rd, 2018 at 7:55 pm
Buckner is the Dline coach so let him coach the Dline?????
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:15 pm
StPete, I don’t know if you go back to read ‘follow-ups’ but I love that observation about Smart team (Nah), Physical team (Nah), Efficient team (Nah). I’d personally like to see us become a more BALANCED TEAM that’s gonna beat the snot out of the other team on both sides of the ball. In other words, BALANCED AND PHYSICAL. I love watching smash-mouth football, even if it ends in a 7-6 final score. It’s not just the idea of physical dominance, it’s also the idea of strategy & tactics & precision (well-executed plays?) & consistency. I think that too many fans don’t appreciate how difficult it must be to sustain a long, grind-it-out, eat-up-the-clock, march methodically down the field drive … and SCORE. Or how difficult it must be to compensate for a couple of ‘weaknesses’ on an otherwise talented team (kinda like the little Dutch boy trying to plus the holes in the dike?). NFL Football truly is the ultimate TEAM SPORT IMO.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:52 pm
D.R.
Yeah I read the follow ups. Agree about balance…that’s a wonderful attribute and we may actually be getting close.
A lack of balance is why our great defense only had one SB. I’d be happy to find our next Brad Johnson…
July 24th, 2018 at 4:34 am
mccoy might be too concerned with his hairdoo and his look…some could construe this as a girly look…that’s a whole other thread imho
July 24th, 2018 at 3:51 pm
How about a McCoy for Aaron Donald trade