Bucs Looking West For RB Help
August 25th, 2018
The running back the Bucs brought in for a look today isn’t just a live body freshly unemployed.
In the chess game that is the NFL, Terrance West is especially notable because he just spent training camp with the New Orleans Saints and that means the Bucs would be very happy to have him on their side to pump all the Saints intel out of him they can.
The Bucs open their season in 15 short days in New Orleans.
Don’t think this goes on in the NFL?
Just ask Cameron Brate how Rob Ryan, the former Saints defensive coordinator, absolutely grilled him on the Bucs after Tampa Bay cut Brate and he signed with New Orleans back in 2015.
Ronde Barber has talked about this common practice. Barber has said he thinks coaches love the info they get from a guy recently released by another team but it can backfire, he said, because it gets in defensive players’ heads and can prove unreliable.
Regardless, Joe suspects the Bucs would love to have a guy like West in the house to pump him for information. Dirk Koetter apparently thinks releasing general injury information could give an opponent an edge, so he must be the kind of coach who would like to interrogate a player with real knowledge.
West, 27, is no slappy. He’s a proven NFL commodity.
Slowed by a calf injury last year,West, had two touchdowns with the Ravens and averaged 3 1/2 yards per carry on just 39 attempts. In 2016, he rushed for 774 yards on 193 carries with Baltimore, and he caught 34 balls with one for a TD.
The Bucs play the Ravens this year, too.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:19 pm
Well after Barber the rest suck so might as well sign him.
It can be hard to beat out Rogers or jones at this point.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:23 pm
Shaun Wilson seems to have the juice. I would not want to see T West take snaps from S Wilson. T West is a serviceable NFL running back. Nothing more nothing less. Actually I don’t think he’s any better than Quiz. So Barber, RoJo, Quiz, Wilson. I guess if they are going to carry a 5th back for a week. Sean Payton has been calling plays for the same team for over a decade. The Bucs staff probably knows more about the Saints than does T West.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:25 pm
Even if West doesn’t provide great or reliable info…this has to at least get in Peyton’s head a bit in terms of play calling. He can’t be sure how much West will give up. Why he could be one of those dreaded “flippers”.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:35 pm
Postman I think your list there is spot on. Honestly feel our weakest runner right NOW is Rojo and that’s sad to say considering I’ve been reaaaally hopeful for him to have some big gains on any of these first 3 games, but aside from that lively pass and catch I haven’t really seen anything dazzling out of him.
Please don’t misconstrue this as me being regretful if the pick. I still think he has a long career ahead of him and could do very well. I think he will share a similar path as Barber actually, who if I remember correctly was also slow-going at first in terms of getting his assignments down and just playing naturally fast and aggressive. I know Rojo can play fast but I don’t see the needed vision or instinct YET. I think it’ll be a slow progression but a good one for him. I know he had wonderful success in college but this is a whole new game for him so he’s not going to have the same success doing the same exact things. He will need to grow (and please add like 10 lbs of muscle by next season!!) and learn before he will be a strong asset.
Still rooting for the guy!!! And plenty of other wonderful draft picks this year that should have an impact early, so it shouldn’t be that big a deal.
But ya if Barber goes down, we officially will have no run game to speak of.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:39 pm
“Hey Gump! Josh Adams !
I sent you a video I made in my Mom’s basement”
Kobe Faker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w_fkG8Qtrk&t=518s
August 25th, 2018 at 7:39 pm
And one more thing to add: I am all in on Barber this year! I just love his no nonsense style of running. He is down field and not afraid to lay a hit and also rather elusive. Most importantly I can just sense his attitude, the guy WILL be a successful RB1 with a huge impact, and nothing anybody says or does will stop that from happening. The man is running with POW-AH and nothing is going to stop him.
Go Bucs!
August 25th, 2018 at 7:43 pm
west is an upgrade over RODGERS without thinking twice
August 25th, 2018 at 7:47 pm
Intel is the best observation about bringing this guy in? Especially considering we need another back on the roster with experience
August 25th, 2018 at 8:17 pm
If Barber goes down, are the Bucs really happy with the rest of the RB’s to carry the load? I’m not.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:22 pm
Rojo needs time. It’s just that simple. I like what he potentially brings to the passing game early but he needs time. Thankfully, Barber looks very good. Looks like the Bucs are uneasy with potentially having 2 rookies on the roster at RB.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:23 pm
Derwin with the int vs Brees, while fat boy still isn’t playing
August 25th, 2018 at 8:33 pm
Derwin is a stud. I understand what the Bucs were thinking but he is a complete stud.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:44 pm
Seriously. What the hell is going on with Vea? To think of the grief that GMC caught in his early career over TORN BICEPS!
August 25th, 2018 at 8:57 pm
Joe do you think the Bucs brought in West mainly because of his background knowledge of the Saints and Ravens? Or was this a roster upgrade thing?
It’s kinda hard to tell what the Bucs are thinking at RB with 2 rookies being talked about.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:11 pm
West has a short week of practice and one game look see… can’t see him bumping anyone other than Rojo and that is a long shot
August 25th, 2018 at 9:16 pm
I was cool with the Vea pick but we are about to start the season with zero contributions from our first 2 draft picks. Not a good look for Licht if we start the season slowly.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:25 pm
Derwin looks like I thought he would. Great interception of Drew Brees.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:27 pm
BTW
Jamies looks great while Mariotta looks awful this preseason.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:58 pm
Derwin isn’t coming here. Might want to get over it or move to LA.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:35 pm
I have faith that Vea will become a monster. A man with that size strength and quickness is destined to be great so long as he can learn solid technique and has a huge drive, I think all of that is accounted for here currently – he simply just needs to get and stay healthy.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:56 pm
Yes are draft is a complete failure. Vea didn’t take a preseason snap so he is a bust. And James had a pick that Conte would have got on a horribly thrown ball by Brees. It wasn’t like it was some great play it was a floated ball that James ran 10 yards while the ball was in the air and intercepted. But after watching that game it looks like Brees age might be catching up with him. I know it is just preseason but he wasn’t a physical specimen to begin with. Let’s wait until vea takes a snap before we label him anything. But on topic on went and looked at Rojo college highlights again just because I forgot with all the preseason tape on him we have seen. But he has been getting hit in the backfield every time he touches it. I am watching it live so I don’t know if it was the wrong hole he is hitting but nothing has been there for him. But then you see the rookie from duke take the same pitche left and gain 8 untouched. I really don’t know what we have right now it’s preseason. The lions and browns went 0-16 after going 4-0 in the preseason. But it is nice to see are offense humming in the preseason for a change. Are qbs including Allen have a 102 qb rating in preseason. Don’t care of it is a scrimmage I will take that
August 26th, 2018 at 12:01 am
Jeff
Too much common sense in that post for JBF.
August 26th, 2018 at 12:09 am
Don’t be so quick to write Rojo off. He’s been running behind an offensive line made up of men that will be employed at your local bar. Barber, on the other hand, has run behind our beast starters. With that said, I think Barber has looked explosive but Jones will be a great complement.
August 26th, 2018 at 5:32 am
@Cobraboy … “If Barber goes down, are the Bucs really happy with the rest of the RB’s to carry the load? I’m not.” Me either Cobraboy. I seriously doubt that Terrance West is the “improved depth’ answer, but you never know. In any event, there’ll be some decent highly-experienced RBs cut shortly (there always are at this time it seems), and we’ll have an opportunity to add some RB beef IF Licht chooses to go down that path. I for one hope that he does, because injuries are just a fact of life in the NFL & we don’t have anyone on the roster right now who can run between the tackles like Peyton Barber can for us.
Oh and since we’re talking about Christmas in August, we could also use an experienced (and versatile) OLineman Jason, as well as a veteran CB who can play outside opposite Brent Grimes. That’s not too much to ask, is it Jason? A quality RB, CB & OLineman for depth. Besides, it’s not your money. Go ahead, splurge.
August 26th, 2018 at 5:59 am
Joe loves the Mark Dominick school of Any Has Been or experienced Never Was is better than draft picks . Please don’t make things up about Joe. There are better things to do. Also, if you re-read this post, nowhere will you see Joe advocating to sign West. –Joe This is a bad move unless it is just to pick his brain for Ravens info, which won’t yield anything the film doesn’t show. If it’s just a body to get through pre- season, ok, but let’s don’t go backwards……
August 26th, 2018 at 7:21 am
We are setup for failure. Poor RB’s coupled up with a banged up OLine will entice defensive coordinators to blitz. I only hope Fitzpatrick gets through the first three games healthy. Ronald Jones appears to be a bust
August 26th, 2018 at 8:49 am
Jeffbuc..not to be that guy but there’s this word “Our” you might want to learn. Reading your otherwise well written post with “Are” where “Our” should be was painful
August 26th, 2018 at 11:40 am
Fairminded
That was a fair point to make but I feel perhaps for Jeff because of my own struggle with homonyms. I have an excuse…as I grew older it just got worst.
Used to be one of the best spellers in my class. Now I frequently mix they’re…their…there inappropriately you’re…your…unless I carefully proof read my stuff I’m horrible with homonyms even though I know better. I’ve lost my touch in old age. LMAO
August 26th, 2018 at 1:39 pm
Vea will probably not do much this year. I am scared of the Jones pick. He has not had much room to run in games but he should stand out in practice, which I don’t know that he has. I believe he has run behind the first team some without much production. At this point he is not even productive. I sure hope he hits his rythem.
August 26th, 2018 at 3:09 pm
Ft. Lauderdale guy that knows the heat. I do like the fact that he can give us saints/ravens info. He is smaller like all our RBs other than Peyton Barber, but 774 yrds two years ago is good sounds good for a 27 year old back up. So I think it would come to him and the older Quizz, and I don’t think they’re dropping him. Shaun Wilson really impressed on the return game last week so he’s gonna be number four. He could become a good RB but I think he needs some more touches in practice. If RoJo still cannot gain one yard by week 6, I’d say bump him back and let Wilson get more touches in some games.