They Stocked The Trenches; We Didn’t
April 27th, 2019
Through the first two rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers’ NFC South rivals drafted five linemen.
Yep, that’s five premium picks in the division used on the trenches, while the Bucs used none on linemen in those rounds, in addition to drafting two defensive backs in Round 3.
The contrast is stark.
Now Joe understands what the Bucs did. Joe just doesn’t agree with it. On the upside, at least it was refreshing to see Bucco Bruce Arians assess his defensive backs stable and not care a hoot about past picks and investiture at the position. He saw glaring weakness in the talent pool and addressed it. That’s why these guys watch practice film, not just game film, on guys like Ryan Smith and Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart, among others.
But this ignoring of the trenches over the past two days had Joe taking a long walk last night. It’s just hard to stomach for many reasons.
Are there miracles around the corner for the Bucs defensive and offensive lines? Was ousted D-line coach Brentson Buckner really part of the problem? Joe sure doesn’t think so.
Is new O-line coach Joe Gilbert, the guy responsible for a big chunk of the former mess in Indianapolis, the man to get the Bucs O-line playing nasty and with better technique? And why exactly was new O-line overlord Harold Goodwin out of football last year?
You know the old saying about winning football. In frustration, Joe put a new spin on it last night via the Tweet below.
You know the old saying, "Games are won in the secondary."
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) April 27, 2019
April 27th, 2019 at 9:33 am
speak softly and carry a big mudda fuggin secondary
#yikes
April 27th, 2019 at 9:35 am
Dru Samia with first pick. Guard from Oklahoma.
Maybe the tackle from Elon
April 27th, 2019 at 9:37 am
Draft not over yet the guards from Ohio state and Wisconsin is still available.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:37 am
A historic D Line draft class and we decided to skip the position all together. Maybe our next GM and coach will address the issue next year when we’re drafting top 5 again.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:37 am
Im going to predict another #2 nfl draft pick walks into ray jay in sept and sets another nfl record, this time it will be for 5 sacks. Bosa is going to destroy the bucs non addressed OL. Why did arians ask jameis to bulk up?
April 27th, 2019 at 9:37 am
Relax. We are switching to the 3-1-7 defense. It’s going to revolutionize football.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:37 am
Big staff, big secondary, little stick…. too soon?
April 27th, 2019 at 9:37 am
While I agree south you Joe. Gotta shake it off and get ya head right. I love this website but damn… quit being so negative. Every article is laced with negativity. It’s time to get behind our picks. Give them a chance yo. Again, I wanted dline also. It is what it is.
Go BUCS
April 27th, 2019 at 9:38 am
Think about it though
Grimes retiring
Vernon Hargreaves injured last 2 years so can’t depend on him
MJ Stewart slower then molasses so moved to safety
Ryan Smith being Ryan Smith.
That leaves Carlton Davis and who else ?
They had to get some corners big time. Go Get Morris Claiborne too in free agency.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:39 am
Lol watch our secondary get blown up every Sunday. And we’ll all be wondering “Why did we pick all these corners again?”
April 27th, 2019 at 9:42 am
Dumbest team in division stands true…the other teams get our guys, again …McCoy-C, Lindstrom-G, McGary-T and Grier! Would have been great choices for the Bucs but now they have to play against them….a Bucs life
April 27th, 2019 at 9:44 am
There’s a reason we finish last every year. If these DB’s don’t work out, this HAS to be licht’s last season
April 27th, 2019 at 9:45 am
If they get Morris Claiborne in free agency I will lose my mind. Claiborne being out there was one reason you didn’t have to lose your freaking mind and draft nothing but secondary after the first. This is so bad. And what an awful trade down in the 3rd. You drop back 20 spots and get essentially tow 4ths, which is what they were when you include compensatory picks.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:46 am
So it is Arians in charge of the draft and not Licht?
This all gets so confusing…
April 27th, 2019 at 9:47 am
Jason Licht is a master of finding the weak positions in a draft and attacking them. Continues to blow my mind that he avoids the strength of a draft every freaking year.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:47 am
Wait a second: I thought games are won with edge rushers.
Silly me. I thought football was the ultimate TEAM sport.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:47 am
A faster secondary means less targets for QBs to throw to in the first couple seconds of a play, which gives our DL time to pressure the QB.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:49 am
Heck, I’m still waiting for a PK to be drafted!
April 27th, 2019 at 9:52 am
Games are won in the trenches – and that´s true.
Every single pass or run game begins with the O- and D-Line + QB,
and the Suckaneers suck with both Lines while they could have started to build an actual cometetive football team.
But Jason Licht sucks as a GM just as Lovie Smith did as HC, so, the sooner he get´s fired the better.
Bucs Fans that demand or simply want to see a real professional Team should start to boykott the Buccaneers until Jason Licht gets fired and a inteligent Football guy gets hired!!!
FIRE JASON LICHT TONIGHT!
April 27th, 2019 at 9:52 am
Having to totally restock the secondary last night shows how many picks that the genius Jason Licht squandered on DB’s previously
April 27th, 2019 at 9:53 am
Join it Bucs fans, if you want an actual professional run Football team, join the FIRE LICHT TONIGHT movement!!
April 27th, 2019 at 9:53 am
Is there anyone out there that was happy with our secondary, including Joe?
If not…..chill out!!!
April 27th, 2019 at 9:54 am
9 dbs since 2016. 3 dlineman since 2014. Jason Licht continues to set this franchise back. Unreal.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:55 am
Joe(s) ain’t being negative…just keepin’ it real after a decade + of dunce led drafting. Tough always trying to polish a turd…
April 27th, 2019 at 9:57 am
Negativebucfan.com.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:57 am
Does anyone remember Mad magazine Spy vs Spy? When Joe vs Joe writes a column I never know if it’s the good or bad joe whining.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:58 am
With the new leadership in the building I’m just rolling with the bucs offseason and draft until the second quarter of the season. Regardless of how I feel right now my stronger inclination is to believe BA will put a competitive product on the field.
April 27th, 2019 at 9:58 am
They can save it. Samia, Bryce Love, Udoh, Rodney Anderson or kazir Daniels in 7th
April 27th, 2019 at 10:00 am
Shout out Pablo.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:00 am
BrianBucs Says:
April 27th, 2019 at 9:52 am
Having to totally restock the secondary last night shows how many picks that the genius Jason Licht squandered on DB’s previously
Bingo BrianBucs!
It’s one thing if it was a complete new regime throwing good draft picks after bad…but Licht Weight over-drafting/ trading back to continue to draft more corners/safeties with many questions. The kicker ( no pun intended) is Licht Weight acquitting himself “ these picks aren’t an indictment on my previous botches”. LOLicht!
April 27th, 2019 at 10:01 am
There’s no question our secondary was in absolutely abysmal shape heading into the season and had to be addressed. The issue here is the valuation of these DB picks when compared to other positional talent on the board. Couple that with being fleeced and punked by the Rams (take a look a who they seated with picks 70 and 79 and tell me we wouldn’t be better for those players) and it’s completely understandable to have a bitter taste about how the team has managed this draft. We still need quality OL, DL and RB help. There’s still time. In the end, if we come out with MLB, CBs, S, OL, RB and DL, things may seem a little brighter.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:03 am
The only positive spin on this:
-Most all these secondary players were not reached per most draft sites
-They all have speed / size
-Secondary probably weakest / most questionable position group on the team
That’s all I got. You don’t build teams ignoring premium trench positions
April 27th, 2019 at 10:04 am
Reaches*
April 27th, 2019 at 10:04 am
Actually they are won in the secondary now. Ask Belichess,you know the coach who finishes near the bottom of the league in sack every year but ends up winning yet another super bowl.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:06 am
Belichess will routinely rush 3 and drop 8 into coverage. He doesn’t care about sacks,Big hits,or even pressure for that matter. He cares only about giving the ball back to 12.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:07 am
Joe how about the fact that we drafted 4 players and the rest of the division drafted 6.. total. Let Bowles cook the damn soup!!!
April 27th, 2019 at 10:08 am
Kick @$$ draft thus far,defenses are built from the back he back forward now. Been saying it for awhile.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:10 am
Can’t fill all the holes in a single draft.
Arians took a look at the roster, made his evaluations and decided the most glaring weakness right now is the secondary and the lack of a true 3-4 MLB on the roster.
Can’t blame the guy for trying to shore up what he considered to be the weakest positions on the team.
And there are still some strong players at OL and DL on the board. Not obvious Pro Bowlers, maybe, but guys who can compete in their rookie season and realistically become starters in their second season.
It ain’t over till it’s over.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:12 am
There were some good olinemen/edge rushers out there. So we take a mike and double down on corner. Again. So frusterating. I was willing to accept Devin Whute just cause he fits the culture so well. But taking two corners on day two for the second year in row… its so maddening…
April 27th, 2019 at 10:13 am
NFC south OCs are going to have a monster year against this team…
RBs are going to run all over this defense and when they panic and crowd the box to stop the gashing, qbs will pick them apart through the air….
NO defense is successful without a strong line…
Top 5 pick in the draft again 2020!
April 27th, 2019 at 10:15 am
Your supposed to draft in order to win the division I don’t understand not addressing pass rushers when your rivals are shoring up the offensive line. Licht is one of those guys who thinks if it was good last year there’s no reason it will change. Other teams are drafting to stop your passing attack. This guy has proven he’s not the right general manager and it was solidified. His life is in Arians hands now and he has to hope for big success
April 27th, 2019 at 10:19 am
Joe…I think it obvious that Arians and Bowles think a number of the players were under-talented, and a number of the coaches… poor at best. I’d imagine we will know in about six months. If they are right, we should see a vast improvement on O and D, and Special Teams. And we will see some young guys really developing and coming into their own. If not? Same old same old.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:21 am
Arians is making these picks, make no mistake. Licht is just doing the leg work. If you want to blame someone for focusing on certain positions you can look at the head coach. Licht is providing the talent evaluations and then just doing what he’s told.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:25 am
Pass rush in a 3-4 doesn’t really come from the DLine, it comes from the LB’s usually. Our LB stable is JPP, Nassib, Barret, White, David, Bucannon, Minter, Bond. That’s not a bad group of LB’s if you ask me. We will be blitzing a lot as well, so pressure will be coming from all over. I’m more worried about the DEPTH on the DLine than I am worried about where our pass rush will come from. Blitzing and a decent stable of LB’s will take care of that.
Now, since we will be blitzing a lot more, you need corners to be able to run and cover. We didn’t have that (and still don’t know what we have), but it makes plenty of sense that we overhauled the defensive backfield.
It may not be what I wanted or envisioned, but I get reasoning. It’s not as absurd as you say Joe.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:29 am
Time to call for Jason’s job people.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:30 am
NOSBOS,
Here’s something to support your line of thinking.
The two teams with the lowest sack totals, Rams and Pats.
The two teams with the highest # of QB pressures, Rams and Pats.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:30 am
forgot to include Spence ** in LB stable (not that it makes a difference, but he is included)
April 27th, 2019 at 10:33 am
So Licht does nothing to improve the D-Line and we 4/7ths of our secondary are rookies? Ya, this should work out fine.
I don’t mean to be so negative, but how can anyone think this is a big enough improvement to win. Joe, what are we not seeing?
April 27th, 2019 at 10:34 am
I will be shocked if the Bucs don’t go with an OL in round 4.
There should be some good ones available.
Saw a re-mock of rd 4 that had the Bucs taking a G from Arkansas–Hjalte Froholdt. Only problem with that is he is projected as either a 6-7 rounder or even a FA. So taking him in rd 4 might be a reach.
But the Bucs seem to love reaches…
April 27th, 2019 at 10:45 am
TB22…are they reaches or guys somewhat under the radar with good athletic ability and leadership ability, for their positions? I think the later. Now can these guys be “coached up” into quality players? Many of them haven’t had nearly the quality of coaching we see in the Big Ten, SEC, etc., or training. Bowles thing he and his crew can develop them. I hope so. Wouldn’t it be nice to really see us develop some guys on the D side of the ball? How long has it been? Not since Tony Dungy, it seems to me.
April 27th, 2019 at 10:47 am
I don’t like our last picks in this draft . The first round is ok but we draft a lot of dbs last year and none of them were game changing players and now we doing the same thing this year. Where’s the running backs ? We pass up on all those offensive linemen and d lineman for dbs again. This will be another bad year for Jamies cause we will not be able to stop no one and he will get blame for ever lost our team has this year. This is getting old now . I’ve been a bucs fan since the mid 90s when the Oilers left my city. We can’t blame Jamies for this to . If I was Jamies I would ask for a trade .
April 27th, 2019 at 10:52 am
Bucs fans ,I have to believe the new coaching staff is relying on a pass this year.Expecting 8-8 or worse.
I watched The Saints help themselves ,the Falcons help themselves and Im convinced Carolina got the most underrated Qb in the draft.
While good ol Mr Licht moved backwards 24 freaking spots to pick up some more lunchmates for the DB room.
April 27th, 2019 at 11:06 am
New England had last pick and so far are killing it. This is why they are winners. Every player selected are from major college programs that were blue chippers coming out of high school. Us, we use a premium top of the 2nd round pick to choose a DB from an obscure losing program. wtfdik ..Maybe Bunting works out but we sure missed on some big names to grab him.
April 27th, 2019 at 6:45 pm
first off, Jean, program may have a small bearing, but our best O lineman of the last decade or more came from a division III school. I can think of so MANY star NFL players who did NOT go to big name schools.
There is absolutely ZERO confirmed method for drafting NFL players. Ultimately its still a lottery.
Second, I think were going to have a VERY different defence than were used to, and much like when Dungy took over, we don’t really know what they are doing. Imagine wondering, why all the undersized def. linemen, corners that tackle, safeties with speed, a Middle linebacker who can’t rush QB but super fast. If we go to a 3-4 with a linebacker bringing the 4 man, we may have all we need on the line for now. Ive just seen too many Bugs drafts that seem so good, and we stink. and so many that get voted C or D and we have4 playoff season in a row. Lets let Arians do this thing