“I Love Watching Him Play”
April 28th, 2019
The new Buccaneer nobody seems to be talking about is the Buccaneer who warms the heart and football eyes of one respected NFL Draft guru.
Kentucky safety Mike Edwards, the Bucs’ very-late-third-round pick, has the admiration of his college teammates, per general manager Jason Licht, who told media yesterday that all the Kentucky guys the Bucs talked to said they’d want to bring Edwards with them if they were drafted by the Bucs. (Hey, maybe manbeast DE Josh Allen will have a place in Tampa Bay history after all.)
But Edwards also has the respect of Daniel Jeremiah, the former scout turned top draft dog at NFL Network.
“I love watching him play. He’ll play in the deep half and get his hands on a lot of balls,” candid Jeremiah wrote on NFL.com.
Joe has head Jeremiah, who was down on the other Bucs third-round pick, cornerback Jamel Dean, talk about Edwards’ playmaking ability in prior weeks.
Could Edwards be Arians’ Tyrann Mathieu in Tampa? Edwards doesn’t seem to have the same raw talent, but he was a true ballhawk in college with 10 picks.
Edwards also led all SEC defensive backs in tackles during his sophomore (100) and junior (96) seasons.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:12 am
I live in Lexington and watched this guy play up close on many Saturdays. He is a heck of a safety and was an absolute steal in the third round. We should be excited about this guy.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:24 am
What’s going on with the UDFAs? I heard on NFL network at the end of the draft that we picked up a DE, but not a peep about it from Buccaneers.com or JoeBucsFan.com? You guys holding out on us?
April 28th, 2019 at 10:29 am
If I recall, Joe doesn’t like to talk about these guys because he thinks they have no chance to make the team. Of course players like Brate and Humphries were UDFA’s and are often better players than those picked in rounds 5-7.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:31 am
Soon to be Cap Casualties:
Ryan Smith – Cap Number 2 million.
Kendell Brice – Cap Number 1 million
Devante Harris – Cap Number 750k
Willaim Gholston – Cap Number 3.75 million
=====
Total Cap savings assuming minimum roster is 500k per player is 5.5 million without touching McCoy.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:31 am
DE Kahzin Daniels, Charleston (Signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo)
WR Malik Taylor, Ferris State (Signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rapoport reports)
WR DaMarkus Lodge, Mississippi (Signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports)
That is all I can find for UDFAs at the moment.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:33 am
I know many Bucs fans are upset the we have drafted so many DBs in the past few years, but the down right truth, we are a passing league. Our weakest link last year was defending the pass, so it makes sense to draft in this area.
Good coaching cannot fix something so broken. It takes good personnel too. I think Arians realized this by going over last years tape. We need speed on the defense and these new guys can fly.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:35 am
Upon further review, I found these are the current UDFAs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
G Zack Bailey
DE Kahzin Daniels
WR Damarkus Lodge
WR Malik Taylor
C Nate Trewyn
At least we got a guard and a center. Not that they will make the team, but at least Licht looked at those positions.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:35 am
UDFA Signings
G Zack Bailey – South Carolina
RB Bruce Anderson – North Dakota State
DE Kahzin Daniels – Charleston
WR DaMarkus Lodge – Ole Miss
TE Isaiah Searight – Fordham
WR Contrelle Simpson – Richmond
S Lukas Denis – Boston College
WR Malik Taylor – Ferris State
April 28th, 2019 at 10:38 am
Bruce Anderson is a local kid that may have a shot.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:38 am
We were saying the exact same thing about Justin Evans a few years ago!! I’m convinced the 3rd selection should have been DE Jaylon Ferguson.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:38 am
Bucs Sport writer Greg Auman has the following UDFA signing with the Bucs:
QB Nick Fitzgerald
ATH David Pindell
RB Bruce Anderson
WR Malik Taylor
WR Cortrelle Simpson
WR DaMarkus Lodge
TE Isaiah Searight
C Nate Trewyn
G Zack Bailey
DE Kahzin Daniels
S Lukas Denis
LS Dan Godsil
April 28th, 2019 at 10:39 am
Elijah Holyfield has signed the Carolina!!
April 28th, 2019 at 10:41 am
Good to see competition at longsnapper.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:41 am
My Comment Is Awaiting Moderation
Good Day And Goodbye
April 28th, 2019 at 10:43 am
Looks like Zack Bailey is the UDA that is most likely to make Bucs.
Buc’s gave him signing bonus and have a dead cap hit of $45K for him if released this year.
Some scouting reports:
Big interior blocker. Listed at 6-5, 315 but looks bigger than that.
Former tackle, smooth mover at guard.
Enough strength to drop his hips and re-anchor against most DTs
Capable of generating impressive power in the run game.
Capable pulling guard.
Looks for work.
Started 38 games at South Carolina. Has started at right tackle, left guard, and center.
A four-star recruit out of high school, Zackary “Zack” Bailey was a finalist for South Carolina’s Mr. Football in 2014, his final season at Summerville. The No. 4-ranked recruit in the state, he elected to stay home, choosing South Carolina over Clemson, Florida and others. He bounced between center and left guard his first two years before moving to right tackle as a junior, returning to left guard for his final season in 2018. Bailey suffered a broken left fibula in the regular-season finale, missing the bowl game and East-West Shrine Game. He has adequate quickness and footwork in his setup, but he is tightly wound with suspect contact balance, lacking the ammo in his punch/recoil to recover. While he flashes brute power as a run blocker, he overexerts himself and needs to clean up his technique.
As a guard, you can tell it’s a more natural feel for him. Put him in that spot and he’s in his phone booth. That’s the best way to describe him: a phone booth type of player. Putting him in space isn’t necessarily his forte, but letting him play in that small area or a in a “box” and letting him keep his hands on your chest plate and powering through is the best way to go. With that being said, putting him in a blocking scheme that is reliant on zone blocking wouldn’t be the best move. Having him play in more of a power running scheme would suit him best.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:45 am
@AlabamaBucsFan Says:
April 28th, 2019 at 10:33 am
Preach!
77% completion rate against our defense.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:46 am
He passes the “Kalind Test”! 100 tackles or 100 catches in a season? You can do it. You can play WR or play on D if you can rack up that many.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:54 am
People only look at the starting stars. Depth can make the difference when trying to make a playoff run.
Remember last season when both VHG and Grimes went down and we were forced to start two rookies. Yeeoowww. Talk about no learning curve…just jump right in.
This season we should at least have some depth with NFL level players if not superstars in our DB.
April 28th, 2019 at 10:58 am
ATH David Pindell
What is an ATH?
April 28th, 2019 at 10:59 am
The Bucs better knock it out of the park in FA. The draft is a disaster.
April 28th, 2019 at 11:00 am
Edwards is a huge HoneyBadger fan & has played like one for UK for the last 4yrs.
He is ball hawk & sure tackler in open space. Has instincts & the intangible IT factor…He can blitz, cover the slot & play anywhere in the DEF backfield. Was a key on-field & locker room leader from his SO yr forward. Never in trouble, never a problem & made his team better every yr on campus.
Another UK player that could have jumped last yr & went in the 5th/6th…But returned – graduated w/ distinction & led his team to best season in 40yrs – by grinding every day with determination & consistent effort.
The team mate everyone would go to war with & knew he’d go to war with them for them. The kind of guy Bucs fans will grow to love in coming months/years.
April 28th, 2019 at 11:09 am
WalterFootball kind of liked Bucs UDFA signing of Ruskin/1-AA powerhouse NDSU Bruce Anderson, projecting him as a 3rd day late 4th to 6th round pick but an injury in practice prevented him from playing in the Senior Bowl though he was invited. Hopefully he can come in and make the roster along with the Gamecock guard that geno711 mentioned above and judging by Licht’s success with UDFAs when compared to day 3 draftees perhaps they will have a chance to land a roster spot or get on the practice squad…..
BTW, that Edwards kid was a baller up in Kentucky and I hope he can repeat it at the next level as the guys he will be up against in the ATL, NO and Carolina will be a tad more quick and talented then the guys he schooled when Kentucky beat up on Vandy, the Gators, Louisville and USC…..
April 28th, 2019 at 11:11 am
Cap Number saving if released:
Released Ryan Griffin – Saved: $805,000
Released Kentrell Brice – Saved: $975,000
Released Rakeem Nunez-Roches – Saved: $655,000
Released William Gholston – Saved: $3,750,000
Released Kendell Beckwith – Saved: $491,428
Released Justin Watson – Saved: $419,129
Released Corey Nelson – Saved: $645,000
Released David Rivers III – Saved: $570,000
Released Ryan Smith – Saved: $2,025,000
Released Noah Spence – Saved: $1,273,132
Released Bobo Wilson – Saved: $645,000
Sounds good, but it’s really not that simple. You have to look at players expected to be on the 53-man roster.–Joe
That gives us enough money to sign all draft picks. The reason I say Bobo Wilson and Justin Wilson is that Buc’s signed Perriman and gave him 4 million guaranteed (dead cap money) and then just got Scotty Wilson in the 6th round. I am guessing Arians likes Perriman and Scotty Wilson more because of their speed.
Obviously this is not going to be anywhere near correct but just shows me and I hope other’s how easy it is to keep McCoy.
April 28th, 2019 at 11:22 am
The drafting of the 3 DB’s is an indictment on Licht’s past drafts. He has invested heavily in the secondary during his tenure as GM and the results are lacking. I’m predicting that M.J. Stewart and Ryan Smith will be cut sooner rather than later. M.J. is short and slow and Ryan has the measurables but lacks ball skills.
April 28th, 2019 at 11:22 am
AlabamaBucsFan,
Take Ath David Pindell from your list and add WR Anthony Johnson/Buffalo. Pindell is a tryout player selected to go to the Rookie Minicamp on May 10th. He is not an UDFA yet.
BTW, of the CBS top 25 players not selected in the draft, WR Anthony Johnson is #1. WR DaMarkus Lodge was #11.
April 28th, 2019 at 11:30 am
DooshLaRue: ATH means “athlete” normally reserved for a gifted player out of high school/college who is not yet committed to a position……..
April 28th, 2019 at 11:35 am
Should have drafted Will Grier instead
April 28th, 2019 at 11:49 am
They got their new Honeybadger after all.
April 28th, 2019 at 12:23 pm
@Nos
Exactly!! O ye of little faith. why can’t the masses see that the same guys (Bruce/Todd) who found honey badger in AZ. and the same one (Todd) who found Adams in NY. Are now selecting DB’s for OUR Bucs.
Oh yeah Bowles PLAYED the POSITION as well.
What if we hit on ALL of our Secondary picks while also DEVELOPING Smith/Hargraves. Then what will you guys have to say????
April 28th, 2019 at 12:38 pm
^^^^
Saying BA “found” Mathieu and Bowles “found” Adams is a bit dramatic. Both were elite prospects coming into the draft. Mathieu fell to the 3rd because of off the field concerns. Adams was a Top-10 pick.
Mike Edwards should not be compared to them. He might fill the role they played in Bowles’ defense, doesn’t mean he will do it as well as they did. Don’t put that kind of expectations on him
April 28th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
In watching film of this kid, he could be the major steal of this draft. He’s always on, around and near the ball making plays. Always. He does Not shy away from contact. Runs fast and hits hard. I got the feelin he is going to be a very good one in the NFL. He’s a playmaker and play..stopper.
April 28th, 2019 at 1:02 pm
Just a little info on Rickym Holmes from Benedict college. He is athletic as ever but at Benedict College he didnt get coaching. With that being said. He has the size and strength to be successful in the league. This is one guy the coaching staff can mold into whatever they want him to be. I will be watching closely and rooting for him.
April 28th, 2019 at 1:15 pm
This arguably deserves its own JBF article/thread, but if you wanna feel good about one of the Bucs’ new UDFAs, watch this piece about Kahzin Daniels
https://youtu.be/Kjdmo2m44x0
April 28th, 2019 at 2:43 pm
Im coming around to it….its just….bleh, no trenches other than Nelson….and others who were still there when we grabbed him…but I’ll get behind the kid and hope he turns into a pro bowl player!
April 29th, 2019 at 6:55 am
Simple question.
Yes or no.
Despite the cap, are we a better team with GMC or without?
April 29th, 2019 at 7:29 am
Geno711, Only the top 51 players count against the salary cap. When rosters expand during the off season, most of those players don’t count. Cutting a minimum salary guy like Watson does nothing because you have to replace him with someone making the same amount. Look for big money guys to restructure without taking a pay cut. We will have to give signing bonuses and move 2019 salary to 2020. The cap is expected to increase 40-60 million next season according to some articles I read. We also have to cut or redo McCoy.
April 30th, 2019 at 11:09 am
Never get excited about a Jason Licht defensive draft pick. I have made this mistake before.
So don’t tell me, show me then I’ll get excited.