Bruce Arians And Kickers
April 27th, 2019
Joe assumes whoever had been the primary kicker scout at One Buc Palace over the past five seasons was sent to a remote region of Alaska or has a new job.
Enter Bucco Bruce Arians, a man with a lot of experience with kickers.
Arians’ son Jake was a successful college kicker who had a brief stint with the Buffalo Bills. Arians knows all about kicking and he admitted to Joe back at the NFL Owners Meetings that having young Chandler Catanzaro (remember him?) and an inexperienced snapper/holder tandem helped sink his Cardinals back in 2016.
That, Arians told Joe, will never happen to him again.
In fact, Arians was clear years ago that his team never fully recovered after Catanzaro missed a game-winning kick against the Patriots in a highly-hyped Sunday Night Football game to open the 2016 campaign. They played .500 football after that until Arians retired.
The Bucs just drafted a kicker in Round 5, Matt Gay out of Utah. Maybe he’s good. Nobody really knows until the NFL pressure is on. It represents competition for Cairo Santos, who was re-signed this spring.
It’s still pretty darn stunning that the Bucs made this pick. Joe’s head continues to shake.
April 27th, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Stunned over a less than 10% chance of success no matter who we picked in this round?
Licht’s UDFA’s will have a better chance for success than the last two round of any drafts.
UDFA’s are numerous and you get to pick any or all of them you can persuade to come into camp. Late round draft picks are restricted to just ONE shot at success. They are not that much better than UDFA’s.
April 27th, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Frees up $800k in salary space since you have a rookie pool already set and Santos is obviously gone. They need that money to keep McCoy.
April 27th, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Clearly Arians and others aren’t happy enough with what they’ve seen in Santos and the other K signed. What the Bucs really need is a no kidding Kicking Coach. When is Ghost retiring?
A coach like this would be no cap hit and all out of hide by the Glazers, and could double as the scout. I kicked in high school and college as well as played soccer through college. My take is there is no way a guy who has not been a kicker can coach a kicker. And the Bucs have missed badly for the last six years. Clean it up with a K coach.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Here is a question for all our capologists. Does money spent on UDFA’s or late draft picks to encourage them to come to camp to try out count against our salary cap. Or do they have to make the team and actually earn a salary for the season to count?
April 27th, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Joe Bruce was interviewed on ESPN and they asked him how he feels that they haven’t drafted any toys for his offense. Bruce quickly snapped in reply saying the K is his toy. Sure sounded as if Bruce was well aware about who this kid is. It is the best hope that Bruce and his new staff have scouted this kid himself……..The list of Licht kickers is too embarrassing to talk about.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:01 pm
@Magadude
Given how many assistants we’ve already hired why not one more. Your idea makes perfect sense.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:01 pm
I’m good with the pick today. But I’m still sick knowing that maybe the pick Licht wasted on Aguayo could have been RB coming off his second pro bowl by now.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:03 pm
I see that they’ve raised the white flag over One Buc Place.
Just who is the #1 overall pick next year that they’re tanking for?
He better be great!
Why wait?
Fire Licht tonight!
April 27th, 2019 at 3:04 pm
Jimmy jack
I respect the positivity. I try too. But are you kidding me .
This isn’t Arians. This is Licht. After the bust of all busts
I get a kicker is key. My bro was a kicker so I get it
The problem is – he wouldn’t have been drafted
Zero value.
Maybe the last pick of round 7
Learn how to play poker fools
April 27th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
Bird you are a freaking liar dude. You have no idea where any of these players are getting drafted just like the rest of us.
Not that it matters anyway. If he is a good player it’s a good pick. Undenayble.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
The only issue I really have with this pick is that we gave $2.7m to a punter, who was one of the worst in the NFL, because he was a good kickoff man. You generally then go after a super accurate, even if weak legged, kicker. Instead the Bucs got a HUGE leg – which means we could have saved $2m on a punter. That’s where this makes no sense.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:08 pm
I am behind the tanking theory. But wouldn’t it make more sense to draft better and just call bad plays, and put the wrong personnel in? Secretly build while you tank for the #1 pick. Iam afraid this draft may just give us a linebacker and nothing else.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:08 pm
At least now we know which jersey 813broccoli will constantly wear!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
48hrs until the return of “The Buc Realist” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 27th, 2019 at 3:08 pm
So we take what most pre draft publications say is not even the best kicker in the draft … Atlanta and Carolina Immediately take the next 2 best running backs left. Maybe a reason we been in the cellar since Licht took control.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:09 pm
I loved the Arian hire…starting to have my doubts given his age ( hello golf cart ) and desire to be “different” with coaches and this dumpster fire of a draft. Maybe it seemed like such easy money when Licht Weight begged him to come ( and save his hide in the process. ) Good lord…have mercy!
April 27th, 2019 at 3:09 pm
You guys first off act like every other team never drafts a bust. And you also act like no other team has ever drafted a kicker in round 5. If you let aguayo influence your future draft picks, you should be fired for incompetence. You do your work and grade the players, and draft them based on your grades. As Lovie said, simple as that. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. You can’t live in your fears.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:12 pm
GRADE 35
Pre-Draft Analysis
Gay has above-average range and connected on 8-of-11 field goal attempts from 50 yards or farther over the past two seasons. He had three field goal attempts blocked in 2018 and needs to elevate the ball better at times. He kicked off last year and has the leg strength to do so at the NFL level.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:13 pm
For all the talk about Roberto, the kid never missed a kick that mattered when he was here. He also had a better rookie season than Janikowski and if social media didn’t exist he’s not cut, they keep him around and see what happens. BTW, we CLEARLY saw that’s what the Bucs should have done with him, they should have kept him for another year and seen what happened. It’s not like the Bucs were the only team to have him with a high 3rd round grade – which is about where he was drafted at the 2nd last pick in the 2nd.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Cleveland north just took a k in the 5th as well.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:17 pm
This is the worst draft I’ve ever seen the Bucs do.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:17 pm
This kicker is Gay
April 27th, 2019 at 3:18 pm
No wonder they had to give away free tickets last year.You couldn’t pay me to leave my house and watch this Sh!t Show.
When Schiano was coach, my favorite team was whoever was playing the Bucs. I had a couple pretty good seasons back then.
Fire Licht tonight.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:19 pm
Jimmy jack
How am I a liar.
A kicker is on the boards of nfl teams int he 5th round
Watch yourself little guy
April 27th, 2019 at 3:19 pm
Here’s an answer Stpetebucsfan, each team is limited to 75k in bonus money. So no, Licht can’t spend whatever he wants on UDFA, he can divide up his 75k like everyone else. Also, as I previously noted, Licht is no UDFA guru, his hits of Cameron Brate and Adam Humphries pale in comparison to Donald Penn, LaGarrette Blount and Michael Bennett (Mark Dominik). So all hail Mark Dominik the great UDFA guru of Bucs history!! He was also fired with one more win than The Lichtanic over the same 5 years. Go figure.
scoutingacademy.com/The-Source/SourceID/11/Undrafted-Free-Agents
April 27th, 2019 at 3:20 pm
Joe
Kickers and punters being drafted all over the place now (before and right after). I think we have had a kicker problem worse than any of them. Browns. Patroots, 49ers, etc.
Get a grip!
April 27th, 2019 at 3:20 pm
Janikowski taken in the first round and exactly how many playoff games or Super Bowls did he win for the Raiders? No undrafted free agent probably would’ve gave them the same amount of wins…. you don’t take kickers in the first or second round. There’s a reason why it very rarely happens
April 27th, 2019 at 3:21 pm
Rod Munch– fully agree.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:22 pm
Janikoski was the exception.
Any team knows a kicker will be a kicker at end of draft
Janikoski started something
And it ended with Aguayo
April 27th, 2019 at 3:25 pm
Just think if you are an undrafted Offensive lineman. You would already be on hold to talk to Tampa.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:25 pm
What Janikowski started with showing that Jon Gruden was an absolute abomination when it came to the draft…. Followed him to Tampa we have sucked ever since.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:25 pm
stpetebucsfan Says:
April 27th, 2019 at 3:01 pm
@Magadude Given how many assistants we’ve already hired why not one more. Your idea makes perfect sense.
————-
Thanks stpete…so JOE, do you take requests for questions? Something you can ask (or maybe you’ve done it before).
I think the best kickers in the NFL just kinda did it on their own. Vinny, Ghost, etc. Would love to hear Licht answer a question on this. That is, hire a kicking coach with actual experience in the job. Sorry if I missed.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
@passthebuc…
Good point. Thank you for that morsel of hope. They aren’t done yet (thank God).
April 27th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Our next pick will be socially acceptable
We got razzed again by kicker
Journalists better roast Licht
He is clueless
I have given up on him
Not the team
My 5 year old nephew can pick a player
April 27th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Cleveland’s kicker is the all time leading scorer in NCAA history. Licht might be the first GM in history to draft 2 kickers in a 5 years span.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Kicker in the 5th round is reasonable. Let’s not compare this to the Aguayo debacle. If the guy sticks and is a solid kicker, then it’s a great 5th round pick. The guy has a chance. No reason to reflexively sh*t on this pick.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:29 pm
@Dave….bad as this may seem at first, I’ll bet not.
Oh, Bo Jackson is the worst draft ever. Nothing can top that one. Vintage Bucs.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:32 pm
Can’t wait to fire Licht and establish a new culture here. Garbage of a GM.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:33 pm
I am beginning to feel like my date stood me up on prom night.I am really depressed.I was positive that Bruce would give us a quality draft that other teams would admire.Now I think many other teams will be laughing at the Bucs behind closed doors.Run Jameis run–it’s going to be a rough year!!!!
April 27th, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Why not a backup QB or WR?
We don’t draft til 36th in the 6th round… must be why we picked a kicker EARLY in the 5th round… they didn’t think he would be there. Either way it was way too high for that guy… trade down if you’re absolutely set on him OR pick someone else and trade back up for a late 5th or early 6th… you PUTZ
April 27th, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Let us not worry about what has been done, Lets think about how this plays out. The speed at the back end forces the QB’s take longer to get the ball out. Will that be enough for the blitz scheme to prevail? I think we need another LB. to shore up the short passing D. Or is he already in the house being retrained. If we have so many brilliant posters, let’s figure out how we win, not how we bitch.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:34 pm
I can just see it, BA yells at Gump, “JASON, where the f*ck is my kicker? It’s Thursday Night F*cking Football and I can’t find my kicker!”
Jason says,”His mom can’t get him out of bed. He’s too depressed from missing extra points.”
“Jameis said he’d give it a shot.”
April 27th, 2019 at 3:35 pm
Prehaps a good long snapper will be available in the 6th and the best holder in the 7th.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:39 pm
JPP is Light’s new holder.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:40 pm
Everything is fine! It was all COACHING last Year ! Licht is an absolute genius His last two Drafts have been For depth. This is the year he decided to draft starting talent at the DB position. ROJO Is an absolute stud Licht Just waited to break him out this year so Dirk wouldn’t get the credit. Jason you’re a genius 13 and 3 here we come.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:43 pm
@Tom S
Thanks for that answer. I suspect they get their room and board while in camp so they could spread that 75,000 around a bit.
Basically though a UDFA has to feel like Hump who chose the Bucs because he thought it was his best chance at making an impact on an NFL team. He was right.
I take your point about Dom’s success but I have to discount Legarrette Blount who was tagged as high as first round by many and certainly at minimum a 2nd rounder until everybody watched that tape of his incredibly CHEAP sucker punch of the
BSU player who wasn’t even looking AFTER the game.
I do not deny Blount’s talent but he was a MAJOR PUNK. Witness that despite that talent and success with the Bucs…Patriots and Steelers he could not stay on a team. BB and Tomlinson couldn’t handle him. Undeniable talent…also undeniable loser head case.
Still the others you bring up were talented especially Penn…but it’s not just Brate and Hump our starting RB is also a UDFA.
Still good debate with your examples providing food for thought.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:53 pm
I’m done.
Licht needs to be gone.
This draft when from a “C” to a “F” with this boneheaded selection. WE have no depth at OL, DL, etc. and this moron drafts a kicker.
Might as well have hired Mike Mayock to run our draft.
April 27th, 2019 at 3:54 pm
New Bucs logo is officiall the 70’s smileyface. 🙂 The team name is now the philanthropists. Sex offenders, female coaches, depression laden players….
Bring us your sick, your poor…
The new Arians. Out of retirement to change the world. Make it better. Softer.
And we thought Lovie was foul in hiring his buddies and family.
Bridge to rebuilding…as Arians and Licht ride off into the sunset on their unicorns.
April 27th, 2019 at 4:06 pm
Don’t forget injured Magadude
3 acl’s is a heartwarming story line
It’s good if your’e part of a cult too like this kicker and Stevie V
April 27th, 2019 at 4:11 pm
New Bucs kicker Matt Gay says he wasn’t sure if he would get drafted, maybe 6th or 7th round. When Bucs called him early in the fifth round: “I was kind of like ‘No way. Not right now.’ Kind of shocked and overcome with emotion. It was amazing.”
April 27th, 2019 at 4:16 pm
Just spoke to the Glazers, they thought the draft went so well they just gave Licht a 10 million bonus and promoted president of football operations.
April 27th, 2019 at 4:16 pm
promoted to
April 27th, 2019 at 4:19 pm
I have it on good authority that the Bucs are scouting a right guard from Xavier University’s intramural team.
April 27th, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Licht sent to scouting to the wrong college, Xavier is 7 on 7 flag football.
April 27th, 2019 at 4:35 pm
this draft isn’t really happening…it is all just a bad dream…
our red faced coach and red faced gm are just joking around with the bucs fanbase for a couple years before both being outta here…
they must be winging and ring dinging it in that draft room and playing pocket pool….
this is to dang weird…like a lady with a beard
April 27th, 2019 at 4:38 pm
hold onto your shorts, we are on the clock
April 28th, 2019 at 7:41 am
Look at the positive guys: We are the first team in NFL history with a male cheer leader. He may also serve as our 4th string “tight end”. Pre game meal: TOSSED SALAD.
April 28th, 2019 at 9:53 am
@ Cleanhouse…yup, forgot about the injuries. Just great. I know both guys are religious but wasn’t aware of “cults.”