Roster Beginning To Bubble
August 25th, 2019
Nervous days for backups.
The final days of preseason and the first two or three days of Weekl 1 of the regular season are not fun times for fringe players.
Nor should they be, said Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians yesterday in his day-after presser.
When asked what players on the fringe of making the final-53 man roster need to have good games in Dallas later this week in the final preseason game, Arians didn’t single anyone out. Instead, he sort of called every backup out.
“All of them. All of them,” Arians said of who needs to ball out Thursday night. “I think every position, if there is a better player available [after cutdowns]… don’t relax.”
In other words, if you are not a starter or a top backup, don’t sign an apartment lease until October, if you’re is still here. So for the bubble players, bust your tail and find a place to rent month-to-month.
As far as receivers go, Arians sounded as if Justin Watson, Bobo Wilson and Scotty Miller are fighting for perhaps two roster spots.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:17 am
Watson is gonna need a helluva game to beat out Scotty Miller. Nunez-Roches deserves to make this roster as a backup DT. He’s played his a$$ off and produced.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:29 am
I wasn’t impressed with Miller from what I saw in the stadium live Friday night. Haven’t watched the tape though. I really do not want to re-live that experience. My recollection off hand is they both caught a couple, but I thought Miller got more targets, and even lost one or two he should have had. Could be wrong. I think Hudson makes Auclair and maybe even Brate (if Bucs are desperate enough) trade bait, though I haven’t watched Hudson’s blocking a a lot yet. I said last week and maintain that Barber is more vulnerable to cuts that either Ogunbawele or Ellington. When Smith got himself suspended, that put him on the bubble and I’ve not seen enough to make him worth the shuffle of keeping. But they have time to decide that.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:30 am
@BA … ” if there is a better player available [after cutdowns]… don’t relax.”
My favorite new BA line. Changes they are a’comin . HOPE reigns supreme. Still.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:32 am
Really easy? What exactly has Miller done to beat out anyone? He fair caught a punt with 15yds of open field in front of him, and let the rest hit the ground, so he showed zero return ability. He has one catch in all of preseason. Watson caught everything Friday, and is big enough to block, and just as fast. Can’t believe fans are in love with this little dude from power house Bowling Green. Miller couldn’t make the Gator roster.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:38 am
DR
I relished the thought of a hard nosed, straight shooting coach, but beginning to wonder if BA is more BS.. 72 coaches and right now we still look dysfunctional
August 25th, 2019 at 9:38 am
Magadude … Agree with you on Wilson over Miller, but I’m betting that the Bucs will keep 4 TEs (including Hudson). Also betting that Ryan Smith will make the team, but he doesn’t count against the 53 for the first 4 games so you’re absolutely right that ‘they have time to decide that’.
Within 2 players, I think our 53-man roster will look like this after our initial cuts, but before we add 2 new OLinemen (in place of 2 on this list). I think BA will go with a balanced team: 25 offense, 25 defense, 3 S/Ts.
o QB – Winston, Griffin
o RB – Barber, RoJo, Ogunbowale, Ellington (1 possible replacement later)
o WR – Evans, Godwin, Perriman, Watson, Schnell, Wilson
o TE – Howard, Brate, Auclair, Hudson
o OLine – D Smith, Marpet, Jensen, Cappa, Dotson, Watson, Bailey, LeRibeus, Benenoch (2 possible replacements later)
o DL – Suh, Vea, Allen, Nunez-Roches, Gholston, Ledbetter
o OLB – Barrett, Nassib, Nelson, Spence
o ILB – LVD, White, Bucannon, Minter, Bond, Cichy
o CB – Davis, Dean, VHIII, Murphy-Bunting (R Smith won’t count while suspended)
o S – Whitehead, MJ Stewart, J Evans, D Stewart, Brice
o P – Pinion
o K – Gay
o LS – Triner
August 25th, 2019 at 9:40 am
Hodad,
I think Miller signaled fair catch, before the ball left the punters foot.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:42 am
Jmarkbuc … Interesting that you say that. I was reading an interview with Freddie Kitchens (what he said after the Bucs game Friday night) and I could see BA’s ‘training’ all over that interview. He blasted their offense (OLine particularly) in more ways than one, but sweet-talked them in other ways. You could surely tell that Freddie is a BA disciple.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:48 am
@DR…I like the lineup…haven’t the each’s myself. I do think they’ll carry 3 QBs one way or the other through October’s trade deadline. I like having 4 TEs, think it’s prudent given two TE sets used and this O line needing alll the blocking they can get.
August 25th, 2019 at 9:50 am
I was hoping Miller would make it but his play last Friday was terrible. He was completely chicken to run back any kicks and dropped passes and played chicken there to. He needs to be cut! Watson is just as fast but is not scared and worked on and fixed his drop problem and was very good last Friday and Bobo Wilson is valuable both as a special team player and returner and can backup our WR positions. Bobo and Watson both should make our team. The WR we are hiding will be on the Practice Squad too. When Edwards returns he will start with Whitehead but for now Justin Evans will start. Ogunbowale should start at RB with Jones. Barber appears too sluggish but he should backup Ogunbowale and save his legs for later in the season if needed!
August 25th, 2019 at 9:52 am
DR
If Arians is trying to work some Jedi mind trick, color me non-plussed. Grew tired of sophomoric mind games with Gruden.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:03 am
The talent Cleveland has on both sides of the ball is amazing, Cleveland looking like Camelot, at the moment.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:14 am
Outside of 5 or 6 players on bucs roster every teams cuts will be better than what bucs currently have… no one builds a basement DWELLER better than bucs
August 25th, 2019 at 10:16 am
Magadude … It’s quite obvious where our biggest weakness is … OLine. If I were Jason Licht, I’d be not only scouring the cutdowns when they occur, but I’d also be talking trades (BIG TIME).
And BTW, several guys played very well Friday night. Griffin, Hudson & Bailey stood out to me on offense. MJ Stewart, Whitehead, Davis, Minter, Bucannon, Suh & Nunez-Roches all had very solid games IMO.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:21 am
I don’t see where all of the Scotty Miller love is coming from. I haven’t seen anything positive from him.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:31 am
D r
The bucs biggest weakness is organizational leadership at the top…. sorry but collecting other teams garbage a couple of weeks before season starts can’t fix that…
August 25th, 2019 at 10:33 am
“We need to talk about getting fat ugly 330lb lineman but all we are worried about are boy band members
We are a Walt Disney tourist destination and not a hardcore football city”
Kobe Faker
August 25th, 2019 at 10:40 am
@Jmarkbuc you are 💯 correct. The second punt Miller fair caught was especially cowardly looking. As it was stated above, he had easily had fifteen yards of space when he caught it.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:41 am
miller is somewhere between scarred Dexter Jackson and Kenny bell. he is a complete waste of time. I guess he has a little cancer93 in him too given up before toe to leather
August 25th, 2019 at 10:42 am
We will make a big mistake if we let SMiller go. Give him a chance the boy can ball.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:47 am
Miller an Bobo over Watson
August 25th, 2019 at 11:00 am
joe, maybe the glazers can get a better ROI if they have vh3bust / miller perform as midget wrestlers at halftime the weeks they don’t have to hire bands to fill the stadium since they have once again decided not to field a competitive nfl team.
August 25th, 2019 at 11:19 am
@ Hodad
I agree. What has Miller done? He has only shown his ability to get injured often and easily. I saw that punt return. Miller should have returned that kick and did have plenty of space to make a move. But decided to fair catch instead. Lame…
August 25th, 2019 at 11:22 am
@Jmark
Agreed. Cleveland should make the playoffs this year with that roster. They might have the best D-line in the league… I’m not 100% sold on their QB yet.
August 25th, 2019 at 12:16 pm
Regardless if you’re a fringe player or not, it’s pointless to rent an apartment here with our schedule.
August 25th, 2019 at 12:24 pm
@DR You have them cutting 3rd round pick Mile Edwards?
August 25th, 2019 at 12:48 pm
Steve … Wow, you’re right (and he’s DEFINITELY one of my favorites … I see him in the same role as John Lynch in the future in terms of leadership back there). I’d initially thought that Justin Evans would start the year on IR & had Edwards in there, but stupidly just plugged Evans back in when I heard he was back practicing again the other day. The Bucs are actually stacked at Safety. Edwards obviously makes the roster; D Stewart & Brice (and Isaiah Johnson) will probably fight it out for the 5th Safety spot. Irony is that Bucannon can also play there. We’ve got beaucoup talent now on that back end.
August 25th, 2019 at 1:58 pm
Scotty Miller is not producing either because of injury or whatever. He is reminding me of Kenny Bell. Justin Watson may end up with the job but we still need a kick/punt returner. Rojo aint making it with that.
August 25th, 2019 at 2:06 pm
DR I think you can move MJ to CB to open up the safety spot. He’s been playing nickle and has most likely won’t that job.
Don’t think Schnell will make the roster. Has done nothing aside from one preseason game. He will be on practice squad is my prediction.
August 25th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Miller will at least make it to the PS…..and if he’s as terrible as some JBF fans think, then nobody will pick him up.
If we keep 6 WRs….he makes it instead of Schnell….
We will be cutting some good players…..
August 25th, 2019 at 3:58 pm
Tampabaybucfan….Agree 100%Watson making it & Miller to taxi squad. Also, instead of 6 wr’s I’d go with 5 & have Hudson as 4th TE/WR. As far as the OL, they all suck except for Marpet & Jensen.
August 25th, 2019 at 4:34 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
We will be cutting some good players…..
are your trying to sell that BS to XFL general managers or yourself?