Licht Should Make A Call
August 24th, 2018
Versatile OL for sale?
In case Joe has readers today who are just popping in after being away for a few months (why would you do that?), here is something that has been a Bucs theme in recent weeks:
There is urgency within the walls of One Buc Palace, specifically with the coaching staff. No one has to tell folks that Team Glazer has little tolerance for a coaching staff that loses and only once has the Glazer family kept a coach who had two consecutive losing seasons.
And that guy won a Super Bowl for them.
Last year the Bucs were 5-11.
So with the offensive line beat to hell in late-August — the Bucs had four of their top six tackles watching practice Wednesday or not even on the field — Joe finds it difficult to believe Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht won’t add a tackle or some lineman out there that is versatile enough to play guard.
This past week, the Bengals have been shedding salary like a collie sheds hair in the summer. They threw to the curb 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.
The Bengals are clearly in a firesale.
So Joe suggests perhaps the Bucs should see if Bengals offensive lineman Clint Boling can be had. A 2011 first round pick, Boling is normally a guard but in the past has played some left and right tackle.
If the window of return for starting left tackle Donovan Smith is accurate (Joe is dubious), he may only miss two or three games. Boling could, in theory, play at left tackle and when Smith is healthy, bounce to right guard.
This summer, the Bucs have given Caleb Benenoch every opportunity in the world to win the right guard spot and he hasn’t taken hold of the opportunity. Joe likes the fire from Alex Cappa but the dude is so green and raw. With so much urgency hinging on this season, can the Bucs trust a rookie from a Division-II school to get the job done at right guard? Besides, it sure seems the Bucs are hoping Cappa succeeds Demar Dotson at right tackle some day.
Boling, in the past six seasons, has missed a grand total of six games.
August 24th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
Bucs are hoping Cappa succeeds Demar Dotson at right tackle some day.
He’ll NEVER be a good NFL OL. Waaaaaay to slow. He got absolutely manhandled in Tenn but some no name DT. I felt bad for the guy, really.
August 24th, 2018 at 1:07 pm
Licht drafts like I draft in Madden. 25 speed but 100 strength?! I’ll take him!
August 24th, 2018 at 1:13 pm
Cappa was a reach by Licht. He was hoping to redo his magic like he did with Marpet. One of Joe’s competitors did a comparison of each of their measurables and Marpet was miles better than Cappa in every single category.
August 24th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Entire oline outside of marpet has been horrible and will continue to be horrible. Dotson should have been out of league years ago. Line is joke just like franchise
August 24th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
“This summer, the Bucs have given Caleb Benenoch every opportunity in the world to win the right guard spot and he hasn’t taken hold of the opportunity.”
That saddens me since I thought Benenoch had good athleticism and played on a record setting (fewest sacks in UCLA history) UCLA offensive line.
At the risk of getting 813 all fired about excuses…is there any chance that Benenoch’s injuries have held him back a bit?
August 24th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
I agree wit DaJoe. Make the call. Why you are at it call the Bills and see what it will take to pry Shady McCoy loose.
August 24th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Surely hasn’t helped.
August 24th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
We can skimp on Cappa’s salary because he can serve as a bouncer at Mons Venus to earn extra bucks.
August 24th, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Tbbf
Buccaneer players are not tough enough to bounce at chucky cheese much less a fine adult establishment like mons….
August 24th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Joe I don’t think that cutting bait on Fatty Baker indicates that the Bengals are in a fire sale, but merely that they have common sense.
August 24th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
.
Go look at the transactions the Bengals have made this month. The team is shedding salaries.
August 24th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
Joe,
Trading for Cleveland’s Spencer Drango & Oakland’s David Sharpe would be solid moves.
Reasons
Both Are Still Young
• Age: 25 | Spencer Drango (G/T) | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 315
• Age: 22 | David Sharpe (T) | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 315
2-3 Years of Control Left on Contracts
• Spencer Drango | Current: $681,000 | Free Agent: 2020
• David Sharpe | Current: $555,000 | Free Agent: 2021
Both have been solid stop-gap prospects for incumbents
• Spencer Drango | Joe Thomas
• David Sharpe | Donald Penn
Sure, they’re both far from finished products but at least we’ll have something to work with.
August 24th, 2018 at 2:31 pm
Cappa was estentally a 4th round pick we picked him with the last pick in 3rd round we traded up with the extra 4th round pick we got from the Pats when they traded up with us so give the kid some time small school not all picks can come in year 1 An start come on guys GoBUCS oh An I like this guy Joe make the call
August 24th, 2018 at 2:40 pm
For a team that will be cast strapped presumably in the foreseeable future.
Acquiring both prospects would give the team cap flexibility, and possible insurances in case Donovan Smith & Demar Dotson struggle with injuries this season.
Plus if we decide to let both Donovan & Demar walk in 2019; the cupboards are not bare.
August 24th, 2018 at 2:42 pm
*cash-strapped
August 24th, 2018 at 2:49 pm
Flexibility
Option #1 LT David Sharpe | RG Spencer Drango
LT David Sharpe | Leonard Wester
LG Ali Marpet | Alex Cappa
C Ryan Jensen | Evan Smith
RG Spencer Drango | Caleb Benenoch
RT Demar Dotson | Cole Gardner
Option #2 LT Spencer Drango | RT David Sharpe
LT Spencer Drango | Leonard Wester
LG Ali Marpet | Alex Cappa
C Ryan Jensen | Evan Smith
RG Caleb Benenoch | Cole Gardner
RT David Sharpe | Demar Dotson
August 24th, 2018 at 3:06 pm
We have 26 players that can play d tackle
Maybe we can get one of them to switch positions……
August 24th, 2018 at 3:13 pm
stpete
i think moving him around from G to T and back to G has hampered his development…..
but that’s not his fault….and i wouldn’t say its warhop’s fault either…..dirk has said he wants his linemen and a couple other positions to be versatile or have the ability to play multiple positions….
i think that has stunted his grown more than injuries…..
and the PAC12 soft anyways….lol….they don’t play any defense out there….lol…
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 24th, 2018 at 3:15 pm
LUV
drango looked good last night….he and sharp would be a solid addition….but at what price?….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 24th, 2018 at 3:29 pm
813bucboi
I would look to acquire Spencer Drango & David Sharpe for draft capital.
Possible for (2019) 3rd-5th round picks, and future draft compensation.
August 24th, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Good suggestion about Boling, Joe. If not him, somebody for backup.
August 24th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
813bucboi
In a perfect world, I would look move DeSean Jackson & others in a much larger trade with Oakland.
Trade
WR DeSean Jackson | Free Agent: 2020
LB Kwon Alexander | Free Agent: 2019
DE Noah Spence | Free Agent: 2020
For
DE Khalil Mack | Free Agent: 2019
LB Marquel Lee | Free Agent: 2021
RT David Sharpe | Free Agent: 2021
Win-Win for both parties IMO
August 24th, 2018 at 3:45 pm
813bucboi
In a perfect world, I would look move DeSean Jackson & others in a much larger trade with Oakland.
Trade
WR DeSean Jackson | Free Agent: 2020
LB Kwon Alexander | Free Agent: 2019
DE Noah Spence | Free Agent: 2020
For
DE Mack | Free Agent: 2019
LB Marquel Lee | Free Agent: 2021
RT David Sharpe | Free Agent: 2021
Win-Win for both parties IMO
August 24th, 2018 at 4:07 pm
“The Bengals are clearly in a firesale.”
because they cut a guy who probably replicated his 2017 training camp effort level this summer? or are there more decently paid guys that i missed them dumping from their roster
August 24th, 2018 at 4:12 pm
Teams aren’t typically real keen on dealing quality offensive lineman right before the season starts. It’s easily the least deep position group in the entire NFL.
August 24th, 2018 at 4:55 pm
Hmmm..another lineman from the Bungels albeit an OL. Ohhhh….I LIKE that idea!
August 24th, 2018 at 4:56 pm
LUV
I hear ya….
I just think that teams know we’re desperate and my fear is that licht may overpay….gotta spend $$$ to make $$$….but at this point, I could care less about the picks…..im in win now mode!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!
August 24th, 2018 at 5:17 pm
The Bengals cut a vet who was a backup (behind Andrew Billings) going into camp and it is a firesale?
Eh?
August 24th, 2018 at 5:24 pm
I think Smith will be ready opening day. However, I see the Buccs making a move for depth.
August 24th, 2018 at 5:43 pm
6 games in 6 years? ..that’s pretty darn reliable. Of course that’s until he becomes a Buc. Then they collect boatloads of cash and don the floppy hat. I know I’m being negative but c’mon it’s not that much of a stretch considering our past with FA
August 24th, 2018 at 6:03 pm
Joe!! it really seems like the bucs were praying for quenton nelson to fall to them in the draft. With Jameis now suspended was it really worth it to not tank the last game of the season against the saints?
August 24th, 2018 at 6:40 pm
@eightonetree … “it really seems like the bucs were praying for quenton nelson to fall to them in the draft.” We can thank our lucky stars that we didn’t get to draft Nelson. We essentially picked up TWO extra Rnd 2 picks (both CBs) because of our Rnd 1 trade. That trade obviously wouldn’t have happened if we’d drafted Nelson. So we ended up with Vea, RoJo, Stewart & Davis instead of Nelson & RoJo. We’re much better off.
And Joe, trading for Clint Boling would be great. He’s like an Ironman OLineman IMO (90 starts out of the 96 regular season games in the past 6 years). Bengals have several young guards, and Boling is 31 yrs old, so they might well be interested.