To Do List

February 22nd, 2019

Everyone has a list of things they need to take care of. And for Chris Roling of Bleacher Report, he has a list Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht needs to work on in the coming weeks.

The first item, per Roling, is keeping left tackle Donovan Smith. That’s not a stretch. OK, should be done.

The second item hits a total bulls-eye: Draft a game-wrecking defensive end at No. 5.

Retaining [Donovan Smith] will let the Buccaneers draft an elite pass-rushing prospect at No. 5. The all-in gamble on the trio of Jason Pierre-Paul, Vinny Curry and Vita Vea had middling results in this area last year, resulting in just 38 team sacks, as JPP did the heavy lifting with 12.5. Another premier edge-rushing prospect would create a ripple effect on the rest of the unit.

Abso-FREAKING-lutely!

Joe points to the Kansas City Chiefs as Exhibit-A. Yeah, the Chiefs had Pat Mahomes but the Chiefs defense was turrible! So how did the Chiefs come within a Belicheat whisker of a Super Bowl berth? They had Dee Ford who could get after the quarterback, that’s why.

A pass-rusher is the second-most important player on a roster next to the quarterback. If the Bucs draft Kentucky’s Josh Allen, they should be cooking with gas featuring a defensive line with Jason Pierre-Paul, Gerald McCoy, Vita Vea and Allen. Whoo!

That kind of a defensive line could even make M.J. Stewart look good at corner.

34 Responses to “To Do List”

  1. DooshLaRue Says:

    Agreed.

  2. Bee Says:

    Hopefully if they pick a DE he’ll be smarter than Dee Ford and not jump off-sides to give the other team a 1st down on the last drive of the game. At this point, I just want the best player available. And it should be O-line, D-line or a LB.

    Dear God I hope Licht doesn’t screw this up!

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Only problem with that is GMC’s 13 mil….and landing Allen at 5….other than that, it’s a great plan.

  4. Loyaltotheend Says:

    Keeping Smith would mean the Bucs would have almost $35 million devoted to 3 players on an offensive line that can’t openup holes or consistently protect the QB

    That’s mismanagement of the salary cap for such pathetic results on the field

  5. JP_09 Says:

    Fix the trenches add LJ Scott via the draft

  6. AlteredEgo Says:

    Licht is boxed into a corner….that said he should draft Dwayne Haskins @ 5 and Move On . Bucs in 2020

  7. scbucsfan Says:

    Loyal if you let Smith go, no matter The cost, you have to fill it with someone. If he’s good he will be expensive, if he’s cheap he will be worse.

  8. JA Says:

    Chances of Allen at five? Zero percent! Thinking four teams will pass on Allen reminds me of the crazy dreamers of 2018 that pined for Saquon Barkley at seven. Barkley went #2, most likely the same place Allen will go this year.

  9. BucsFIRE Says:

    AlteredEgo Says:
    “Licht is boxed into a corner….that said he should draft Dwayne Haskins @ 5”

    ———

    Picking a QB would be a ridiculous and wasted draft pick.
    We don’t need one.

  10. Steven007 Says:

    JA, while I don’t think Alan will be there, stranger things have happened. we basically only need one team to move up for a QB to land one of the premiere defensive line prospects. Remember, OJ Howard should never have been there for us at 19.

  11. Pickgrin Says:

    “If the Bucs draft Kentucky’s Josh Allen…”

    Joe – why do you keep pining for players in the draft that will be off the board when the Buccaneers are on the clock? You mean like when there was no chance O.J. Howard would fall to the Bucs? –Joe

    No way do we trade up to #2. That would cost a fortune in draft capital. As in our 1st, 2nd AND 3rd rd picks to move from #5 to #2 which is where Allen will be selected.

    Just stop…..

  12. Steven007 Says:

    *Allen

  13. AlteredEgo Says:

    BucsFIRE Says:
    February 22nd, 2019 at 9:24 am
    AlteredEgo Says:
    “Licht is boxed into a corner….that said he should draft Dwayne Haskins @ 5”

    ———

    Picking a QB would be a ridiculous and wasted draft pick.
    We don’t need one.
    .
    .
    .
    last time I was this sure about doubling up on a position I heard the very same thing…I wanted AD Peterson and we had an uninjured RB in Cadillac Williams…. WE Do Not have a QB !….we have unproven Jameis
    draft Dwayne Haskins @ 5 and let the best QB lead the team 2020 on ~~~

  14. AlteredEgo Says:

    The QB frenzy will heat up Big time after the combine…..it always does ! with only 4 players taken before the Bucs @ 5 Licht will be in the drivers seat

  15. Loyaltotheend Says:

    @scbucsfan

    I completely agree

    Just hate the way this team overspends on overvalued talent that doesn’t produce on the field

  16. TOM Says:

    I don’t know if Roling is ignorant or just plain stupid. Maybe both. Hey Roling, did you forget about Nassib or should the Bucs throw him to the side or with your thinking cut him. IDIOT

  17. tmaxcon Says:

    this team can not win with cancer93 and lvd they simply are career losers who have either forgotten how to be winners or never were winners in the first place. the later is the obvious choice. SCOREBOARD is always right and your emotional attachments to losers is always wrong…

    if they give donovan smith a long term extension those crying about keeping a lazy loser will be wanting him run out of town by week 6 of the upcoming season.

  18. JA Says:

    007–

    Agreed, Howard was a steal at 19, but Howard was in nobody’s mock as a top three prospect. Allen is everybody’s mock to go between 1-4. Believe me, I want Allen as much as anybody on this site, including the Joes, but I don’t see it happening. I can’t imagine Allen getting past the Niners or Jets.

  19. Joeypoppems Says:

    Im becoming a huge Brian Burns fan and early projections say we can trade back and get him. Sign me up for that

  20. BucsFIRE Says:

    Pickgrin Says:
    “No way do we trade up to #2.
    Just stop…..”

    —-

    Always respect your posts, Pickgrin, but don’t understand this one.
    Who the HELL knows whether or not this could happen?
    I am of the mindset that if you are deadest on getting a guy, you damn well find out if you can go and get him.

  21. BucsFIRE Says:

    AlteredEgo Says:
    WE Do Not have a QB !

    —-

    We do, man. I am sorry that you are mistaken.
    Drafting a QB would be a completely unnecessary decision.
    Backups are a dime a dozen. JW will be here for many years, and will succeed.

  22. scbucsfan Says:

    Joe, like that vet said, if you pine for something unrealistic like Allen why don’t you go for Bosa. Why dream of the second hottest girl in your class when you can’t get either.

  23. scbucsfan Says:

    Like I’ve said freaking auto correct

  24. Armybucfan Says:

    If we would have sold our souls to the devil last draft to pick up Barkley we wouldn’t be having this conversation because we wouldn’t be anywhere near the top of the draft order like we have been for so many years before. Oh but wait we need those draft picks…..hahaha look at us now.

  25. Bucsfanman Says:

    At #5 the Bucs better not screw this up. The pick needs to be a difference-maker, a perennial pro-bowler, someone who can change a game.

  26. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    We absolutely, positively cannot trade up for any player from #5…….all we have is draft capital and not that much of it……we actually should be looking to trade down….get the best player available when we pick and use the extra pick (s) wisely for a change.

  27. Joeypoppems Says:

    @Armybucfan

    You do realize the team that drafted Barkley is picking 6th… right?

  28. 813bucboi Says:

    dont think allen will there….

    joe’s talking about how OJ fell but thats not comparing apples to apples…..TE is no where near as important as DE….if OJ was a beast at DE for bama he wouldve went top3 easy….

    im praying that the jags and dolphins fall in love with drew lock and d.haskins and bosa falls….

    #REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!

  29. Pickgrin Says:

    Exactly 813bucboi.

    Comparing a TE dropping in the draft to a pass rushing specialist – is almost like saying – this particular high end Safety prospect dropped in the draft 2 years ago, so maybe that means a top 5 rated QB will fall 15 spots this year.

    The importance of the two positions to any NFL team is not even in the same universe much less stratosphere….

    Allen will not be on the board past the 3rd pick. No way – No how.

    There are good DL prospects through at least 3 rounds in this year’s draft.

    Assuming Williams, Bosa and Allen are all off the board – the Bucs need to trade down and get as many good players for DL and OL as possible in the first 3 rounds.

    OT, DE, OG and DT should be our first 4 picks in the 2019 draft – and if they can all come from the first 3 rds via trade down – THAT is the way to go!

  30. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    And here I was thinking that Carl Nassib earned the opposite starting role.

  31. Dirks Great Granpappy Says:

    Loves when people say but we have Nassib and jpp so we’re set at de. Injuries happen. People need a play or a series off and what then? Nassib should be our 4th or max 3rd de. Allow him and the rookie to develope a little bit before expecting them to get 15 sacks and not have toadmax whine and moan(I wanted to use different wording but we all know tmax is a little b**ch)

  32. 813bucboi Says:

    pickgrin

    i 100% agree…..

    OT, DE, OG and DT should be our first 4 picks in the 2019 draft – and if they can all come from the first 3 rds via trade down – THAT is the way to go!

    #REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!

  33. teacherman777 Says:

    Nassib is day 1 starter.

    Nassib and JPP go HARD.

    Getting a 3rd down FREAK pass rusher sounds awesome to me.

    Let JPP, Vea and Nassib wear linemen down.

    Then attack with speed off the edge.

    GMC also needs another protege.

    Drafting a great DT at #5 is a great investment.

  34. DayOnePaul Says:

    Things happen on Draft Day. Warren Sapp was the best player in the Draft when the positive tests leaked out and he fell to us at like 13. Videos show up of players doing bong hits, stories come out about players dragging their girlfriend down stairs by their hair, players get called in for questioning regarding a murder, videos are released showing players punching out a woman in public, and stories break about fictitious girlfriends.

    We’re all anxious to see our Bucs draft a Hall Of Famer, but it’s still very early in the process.