“It’s Totally Fixed”

May 31st, 2019

The biggest and most uplifting Buccaneers news of the day was delivered by Bucco Bruce Arians.

What a glorious day this is.

Arians was hit with a very simple question after practice. A reporter asked him to name a position, following 10 days of OTA sessions, that jumps out and makes Arians say, ‘We’re not as bad as we thought at that position.’

The head coach had a quick answer.

“Yeah, probably secondary, we’re really, really good,” Arians said with extra energy in his voice. “With Carlton [Davis] and Vernon [Hargreaves], we knew we had two solid corners. Now we got five solid corners. Ryan [Smith] came along. So yeah, earmarked as a problem set back in January, it’s totally fixed. Just knock on wood they stay healthy.”

Bucs fans should sleep very, very well tonight. Carlton Davis, Vernon Hargreaves, Ryan Smith and a couple of rookie corners have the complete confidence of Arians’ accomplished staff.

Joe might even start drinking early.

57 Responses to ““It’s Totally Fixed””

  1. Sarasota Garey Says:

    Were better just by Brent “Im not being paid enough to cover a number 1 receiver” Grimes is gone.

  2. NOSBOS Says:

    Yea.. They back there mirroring our guys. They may be young but they won’t be a weakness I assure. Ask Carmen.

  3. DB55 Says:

    Come on man Ryan Smith will be amongst the first cuts along with VH3. Not buying this but I’ll happily buy you a beer or three. 🍻

  4. NOSBOS Says:

    Again Carmen says these young legs are forcing “All” our QBs to go the checkdown. If they’re step for step with ours they’ll be step for step with whomevers.

  5. NOSBOS Says:

    55 Ryan Smith ain’t going no where.

  6. AtlBuc Says:

    Were better just by Brent “Im not being paid enough to cover a number 1 receiver” Grimes is gone.

    That’s the one thing his mom could not defend him on

  7. SOEbuc Says:

    That’d be sweet if Bowels could come in and turn Ryan Smith’s game around. Please don’t put VH3 on the outside. We’ve watched his past tape of that when he wasn’t injured and it didn’t go well. He looked like a good nickel CB last year even if it was for only two days.

    DEAN FOR #2 OUTSIDE!!!

  8. JGhoti86 Says:

    So nice to hear. Is it too early to have an ice cold brew to that comment/news?! Here’s to hoping they stay healthy and keep progressing….cheers 🙂

  9. JimmyJack Says:

    Yep I like this. I did scratch my head at the draft when the choices were made but I like the idea of having a good(it better be!) young & cheaper secondary. Kinda like what we did with our WRs and how we keep drafting them keeping us strong.

    Just keep drafting and developing and those position should remain strong.

    Then you spend your big investments on the lines and at other positions………As much crying as y’all do about our trenches both lines have been addressed. We have a 3 man DL with a Top 10 pick and a $10 million man leading the way……On the OL we have three guys making mega dollars…………Rather then whining about last year’s performance I’m going to expect these players to play to the potential they ate being paid for in 2019!

    GO BUCS!!!!

  10. TouchDownTampaBay Says:

    Not buying it. They wouldn’t have used 2nd and 3rd round picks if they had any faith in any of those guys.

  11. Bucsdelight Says:

    Weren’t we just talking about how Hargreaves was next to go out the door after GMC? Now all the sudden he is good to go.

  12. Lubby Smith Says:

    Everyone’s a solid corner!!!

    Arians and his 275 assistant coaches will make every Bucs fan’s wildest dreams come true!!!

  13. JGhoti86 Says:

    …and albeit very early in the offseason, it’s nice to hear such positivity from BA regarding the TWO positions I was worried about the most heading into the offseason; DB and RB. If this holds true, I feel very confident heading into the year that we can compete and hopefully WIN some games this year.

  14. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Ryan Smith can tackle….and is great on ST….

    I think the addition of Bunting & Dean (speedy & speedier) have made the big difference.

    We needed the speed and we needed the depth….

  15. SOEbuc Says:

    DB55

    I’m gonna have to go with NOSBOS on this one. Not a starter, but Ryan smith is very good DB depth having experience in both the safety and CB position and he is better than Javion Elliot or Isaiah Johnson. Kick those two to the curb along with VH3 and JPP so we can get a lil bit of dough.

  16. Lord Cornelius Says:

    Ryan Smith was quietly our best graded corner last year per PFF.. over VHIII/Davis/Grimes in about that order. All were bad grades tho lol

    Looking forward to seeing this group the most because that’s where we need the most improvement. It’s also exciting because who knows who the starters might be and any combo won’t surprise

    Guessing they want it to be VHIII/Davis outside with Bunting at nickle and Dean/Smith backing up the outside spots, but who knows what will play out via competition. Just going by body type / speed Bunting has the mold of a #1 on the outside more so than Hargreaves who has historically been very good in nickle.

    Either way the nickle CB/S is playing 65% of snaps so we will need 3 legit guys out there most plays

  17. Alaskan Abdominal Snowman Says:

    I love Ryan Smith!!! As an ST ace… Plz keep him off the defense, PLEASE!!!!

  18. TexBuc Says:

    Ryan Smith was always regarded as a man press CB coming out of college, no surprise when asked to play to his strengths he excels.

  19. DB55 Says:

    All were bad grades tho lol
    ————-
    Lmao. Exactly.

    Ryan Smith will not make this team fellers. You guys are funny man, really really funny.

    But again wtfdik

  20. WyldKat Says:

    I still can’t believe the whole Mike Smith thing.

  21. Duthsty Rhothdes Says:

    I really think bruce arians feels bucs fans are backwoods trailer park embeciles who do not know what winning football and good players look like. Ryan Smith, CMON

  22. JimmyJack Says:

    Ryan Smith is a nice depth player to have.

    If we ever do get into a big game and one of our corners goes down it can be a very scary thing relying on a bench Corner. If R.Smith was the guy we were looking at I wouldn’t be scared. I’d be confident he could perform his job……..That’s not a easy thing to say about a depth guy.

  23. DBS Says:

    All fixed in underwear football. Nobody can touch anybody. No real pressure. Ok then what ever BS you want to try to feed.

  24. Magadude Says:

    The Bucs are right on schedule. BA isn’t missing a beat. March through July, blow smoke. August to December, put out fires. In January, start cleaning up the ashes.

  25. Magadude Says:

    “Joe might even start drinking early.”

    Drink out of joy, drink out of sorry. Just drink.

  26. Magadude Says:

    ^^^^sorrow

  27. chopshopp Says:

    Kool-Aid all around.

  28. PriMech54 Says:

    Joe should write an article about when a reporter asked BA about the mentality of the team under the ‘previous head coach’ and how they ‘found a lot more ways to lose games’ and Bruce brushed it off as chump sh!+. He said “It’s gonna start at the top, and if I feel that way it’s gonna permeate down for sure”

    It was very telling.

    Teams become a reflection and take on the mentality of their head coach and his staff. Soft, confused, unprepared and weak willed were all things that defined the Bucs under Dirk Koetter. This youthful secondary is no exception to that rule. They will play physical at the line and benefit from a defense that is built around simple communication and concepts.

    “disrupt the line of scrimmage and cover your guy, i’ll take care of the rest, yes indeed baby!”

  29. JimmyJack Says:

    PriMech I agree. And I have also heard Bruce say he likes to have multiple leaders on the team. To have leaders within all the position groups.

    The DB position worries me with leadership. I’ve heard good things about Mike Edwards and TBH he sounds like our best hope. He is also a guy that is a rookie 3rd Rounder and I have never saw play once in my life. Let alone play for the Bucs…….Leadership from our Secondary sounds bleak at best.

  30. Buc4evr Says:

    Wait and see, but the scheme they will be playing in will help the secondary a lot. I’m going to be optimistic at this point.

  31. Tom S. Says:

    LOL I was open to believing Davis and Hargreaves could do well but when he added Ryan Smith to the list that takes away all credibility of his assessment. Sure Bruce, Ryan Smith is great now because of some underwear football practices. Never mind those first 45 NFL games were he looked like a CFL player ran on the field and started covering the other team’s best receivers.

    You know who looks forward to seeing Ryan Smith in the defensive backfield next season? Drew Brees and Matt Ryan. They are probably more fond of Smith than Bucco Bruce is.

  32. passthebuc Says:

    I wonder about the glazers. Why do they always look out of town for HC’s and GM’s?
    There is such brilliant material right here that post on your site that the Glazers could hire from Joe.

  33. Cobraboy Says:

    What a difference coaching and a new scheme can make.

    Does Mike Smith have a job?

  34. WyldKat Says:

    I take great comfort in that the defense can’t possibly get MUCH worse. So, illogically, it has to get better. Or go sideways. Which is an improvement over worse. So better.

  35. TexBuc Says:

    A zone based defenses primary mission is to keep the ball in front and not allow the BIG play while relying on the secondary to make the tackle. With the goal that an offense cannot march down the field without making a mistake.

    A pressure defense with man press primary mission is to delay and redirect the WR to where the defense wants them to go and deny them a completion. With primary goal being the defense will not allow the completion.

    The difference in the type of CB’s needed or either defense is as big of a difference as there is for OL in a offense that runs a Zone running versus Man power.

  36. AlteredEgo Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Says:

    Good !…and it should be a position of strength will all the high picks addressing the back end…all youngsters too….

  37. Bird Says:

    Todd Bowles will bring the house.

    At least it will be fun to watch
    May still need another year / draft / FA to get next level
    The Bucs have never been a blitzing team

  38. Rod Munch Says:

    Oh God… if we’re still relying on Ryan Smith, then we already know the outcome.

  39. Don_RyJo(e) Says:

    I’m worried about you, Joe(s). You drink when you’re happy. You drink when you’re sad. Intervention, anyone?

  40. BigPoppaBuc Says:

    Everyone hating on Ryan Smith but I have seen that guy play his tail off in a scheme that was just destroyed by every OC that faced it. I like Ryan and he sure has taken his lumps in the past, but some coaching and a more aggressive scheme could turn him into a reliable player either starting or as depth.

  41. Swamp buc Says:

    Passthebuc!

    A little comedy on a Friday is very nice.

  42. Swamp buc Says:

    Hey cobraboy what do ya think about the new kicker?
    You looked into him yet?

  43. SOEbuc Says:

    Is it me, or was Ryan Smith playing man scheme when he was setting records and winning awards at safety and CB at NCCU? Coming out of a small school but now with a couple years in the NFL under his belt, maybe Bowles secondary scheme can return him to playing lights out football. Enjoyed that comment BA.

  44. PriMech54 Says:

    @jimmyjack absolutely man, leadership is definitely key especially in terms of communication and ‘quarterbacking’ that secondary. Honestly, something that I feel isn’t being talked about is that Buccanon will spend alot of time getting snaps in the secondary and could help the youngins

    @bigpoppa I second that notion as well, when Ryan was played in a press fashion he has had a few games where he was ranked very highly out of all corners for that particular week. I’m sure Bowles has seen the film and will look to replicate that

  45. Brandon Says:

    BigPoppaBuc Says:
    May 31st, 2019 at 4:57 pm
    Everyone hating on Ryan Smith but I have seen that guy play his tail off in a scheme that was just destroyed by every OC that faced it. I like Ryan and he sure has taken his lumps in the past, but some coaching and a more aggressive scheme could turn him into a reliable player either starting or as depth.

    ____

    Agree 100% Smith was decent when playing to his strengths. Mike Smith’s D was terrible for everybody. I think Hargraves will be much better being more physical. I was against drafting a small slow CB that high but literally every Bucs fan signed off on it. Then Mike Smith put him out on an island 8 yards off his receiver… absolute recipe for failure. Joe Haden is similar in stature and speed as Hargreaves and succeeds when allowed to press. Ronde Barber succeeded in a press zone scheme despite being even smaller and slower than VHIII. The fact that most of you knuckleheads breathed a sigh of relief when Mike Smith signed an extension in 2016 tells me how little most of you know anyways. His scheme was garbage then too but you idiots wanted him back while I prayed some team was dumb enough to make him their HC. I hate always being right.

  46. GoBuxFla Says:

    I honestly do not think we had a talent problem, it was a coaching problem. Mike Smith thought it was still 1991.

  47. neal Says:

    So according to DB55 the CBs that are going to make the 53 over Ryan Smith (other than the 4 we know are locks) are DeVante Harris or Jalen Allison. lol.

  48. BigMacAttack Says:

    Last year Derp was asked the same question.
    His reply: “I like our trainer and the water boy is killing it”.

  49. DB55 Says:

    Neal

    No, I don’t think they’re on the roster yet.

  50. Dom>Licht Says:

    If we are so good at CB why did we waste a whole draft on more of them?

  51. PriMech54 Says:

    @Dom<Licht

    Because they needed to turn a position of weakness into a position of depth and strength very quickly. And they didn't waste a whole draft, genius. They invested a couple second round picks on two guys with legit speed who fit the defense.

  52. Echase Says:

    After drafting 99 DBs in the couple of drafts they should be better, but I have zero confidance in the worst GM in the league.

  53. Sport Says:

    Nice!!! Can we finally put to bed you don’t draft for need, you take the BPA. We loaded up on secondary in this draft (and last), and BA just basically said we drafted for our greatest weakness….and it worked. Thank you and good night.

    In BA I Trust!

  54. rrsrq Says:

    Ryan Smith is quick and not afraid to tackle. Just what Bowles is looking for. Smith had the greatest learning curve of any DB on this team, now take that with a terrible scheme and terrible coaching, it’s like ROJO, confidence is huge. The only way Smith is not on the team is if they bring in a vet CB like Claiborne or PP

  55. BucsBall80 Says:

    Nice.. If these guys ball out, will be a team to recon with. Dosent underwear football favor the offense though? 7on7 stuff? Thats good to hear we have some decent competition. It should help the receivers get better.

  56. Joe Says:

    Dosent underwear football favor the offense though? 7on7 stuff?

    Big time!

    Again, it’s flag football without the flags but with helmets. No hitting. No tackling. Quarterback always has time to throw. No one in his face.

  57. Allbuccedup Says:

    This team is 27-53 in Jason Lichts 5 long years as GM. Thats an average of 5.2 wins a year. Last two years 5-11 thats about as good as its going to get with this clown in charge. BA and TB might squeeze out. 6 or 7 wins thats about it. The Glazer boys don’t care about winning its all about smoke screens to sell tickets. Look at the oil spill fiasco.