Brady And Gronk Over The Hill?
April 27th, 2020
Talkin’ Bucs offense.
If there is a subject screamin’ Stephen A. Smith doesn’t have an opinion on, Joe hasn’t heard it.
The famous talking head for BSPN was on his “First Take” show recently suggesting it is nonsense to say Bucs quarterback Tom Brady and Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski are a couple of Dick Stockton-like fossils just hanging on for a paycheck.
Brady will be 43 when the football season begins and Gronk came out of retirement (his body was beat to hell) to link back up with his friend Brady.
So when asked by Molly Qerim if Brady and Gronk’s best days are behind them, SAS scoffed.
In fact, he said, Brady and Gronk make the Bucs a dangerous team.
“I don’t think so,” SAS replied when asked if Brady and Gronk toast. “I don’t think so by virtue of the surrounding cast they have available to them. We are not looking at numbers here. We are looking at mystique. We are looking at reputation. We are looking at closure meaning it’s time to close. ‘We are in the red zone. Who are we going to target?’ It could be Rob Gronkowski, you can get away with that.
“The man has 79 career touchdown passes. Sixty-five percent of the time Tom Brady has targeted this man since he entered the league in 2010 they have connected with one another. That’s why he has over 7,800 receiving yards and 521 receptions in his carer. All pretty much from Tom Brady.
“You take that into account and you look at the supporting cast that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have available to them. You’ve got Mike Evans. You’ve got Chris Godwin. Both studs. Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard are no joke. … Then when you take in [Gronk’s] blocking ability, that is also going to elevate the quality of their running game.”
Though SAS confessed the Bucs, on paper, are not better than San Francisco, that doesn’t mean in a playoff game the Bucs couldn’t raise up and knock the defending NFC champions off.
“Where is the weakness?” SAS asked about the Bucs offense. They are virtually capable of beating anybody.”
Well, until proven otherwise, it’s the run game. Until or unless the Bucs prove they have a run game, they don’t.
April 27th, 2020 at 3:52 pm
The guy is still young and just took a year off of the physical pounding. I would imagine he still worked out so he should be feeling great right now. He just needs to put on a little weight and get into football shape.
He is still going to be 6’6 260, and he was never a burner. Once he gets the ball he is just next to impossible to bring down with one guy. Plus you can line him up anywhere and get him on a 5’9-5’10 DB and just play bully ball.
April 27th, 2020 at 3:54 pm
Mike, Chris, and Gronk also are all great blockers at their positions too which makes us just as likely to run or pass in basically any set that isn’t empty and that will help improve the run game big time this year.
April 27th, 2020 at 3:59 pm
Can’t wait to read the replies to this one. Most here feel SAS is a loudmouth, blowhard interlocutor who knows little, if anything, about sports other than basketball.
My feeling is that he’s an arrogant showman who attempts to replace knowledge with voluminous intonation levels.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:06 pm
Think teams should double Gronk and leave Evans, Godwin and OJ/Brate with single coverage. Pick your poison. lol
April 27th, 2020 at 4:14 pm
The addition of Gronk was costly……$10 mil & a 4th round pick when TE was not a need…
But, if having Gronk excites Brady…..it will be well worth it.
As far as the running game, here are some positives…
Developing Cappa
Tristan Wirfs
Gronk
Developing Rojo
Vaughn….
And…..I believe we will sign a FA RB….
Our run game could be much improved.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:16 pm
Well just look how wonderful the Ravens, Saints, 49ers, and Chiefs are. If we are to complete with them we really have to up our running game.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:20 pm
When Smith comes on, I literally change the channel.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:24 pm
I body else has a running game when they play the bucs
April 27th, 2020 at 4:27 pm
Biggest think that Peyton Manning said he did when going from Indy to Denver was to get Brandon Stokley on the Broncos.
That enabled Stokley to also be involved in getting the others on the team used to how Peyton did things. Not every little time was Manning require to tell the teammates exactly what he wanted or needed. Some of the time that was Brandon Stokley.
Not only did bringing Gronk here give us the greatest tight end ever to go along with the Greatest quarterback ever, it also gave Brady a 2nd person to help him tell others about the tree routes that he likes.
Icing on the cake getting Gronk.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:33 pm
That’s the #1 risk in all of this ultimately.
If Brady is still Brady we’re going to f*ck some sh*t up. But if he hits the age wall at any point that’s all she wrote basically. His arm looked solid last year IMO.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:39 pm
Good observation, geno711.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:40 pm
why would you ever run the ball when you have Tom Brady throwing to all these weapons?
April 27th, 2020 at 4:41 pm
how does one figuratively change the channel?
April 27th, 2020 at 4:47 pm
Not worried about Gronk. Hell, he’s only good for 6 to 10 games anyway. He has not completed a season since 2011. Can’t blame him for taking 10 mil to do nothing. That’s on us. I am worried about our 43 yr old statue of Liberty though. One big hit and he’s on his way to an expensive nursing home over in Clearwater. I’m even more worried about..who is our backup when he goes down?
April 27th, 2020 at 4:54 pm
The one who is old, tired and should retire is Steven A Smith.
April 27th, 2020 at 4:56 pm
He asked what our weakness was, well now it will probably be at quarterback. Watch this (below) and convince yourself we got better.
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/12/tom-brady-patriots-offense-struggles
April 27th, 2020 at 5:07 pm
Gronk is a proven weapon….but make no mistake, Brady hasn’t had anything close to Evans in a long time. Evans made Manziel into a Heisman Winner/1st rd pick and Winston into a 5,000 yd passer who now sits as 3rd string in New Orleans.
As for age….no matter how you slice it or dice it, Brady today is still more mobile and athletic then Brad Johnson was during our SB run….and to go one step further, he’s better now then Manning was in Denver and they went back to back SB just fine. When Manning left, back down the toilet for Denver. A high functioning game manager can still carry you far in the NFL.
April 27th, 2020 at 5:11 pm
Gronk is not worth 10 million. We’ll be lucky if he plays more than 12 games.
April 27th, 2020 at 5:15 pm
Everybody agreed with the need to “fix” the run game. We all agreed that ROJO had a solid year last year and should contribute 1000 total offense yards this year.
I was hoping for two RB’s in the draft. While not the two I thought about both picks make sense from a TEAM perspective
Adding Gronk upgrades our run blocking and hopefully it won’t just be him. With any luck Gronk can rub off on our other TE’s when it comes to blocking. Again I remember how Logan Mankins fired up our OL while he was hear, hopefully Gronk and a rookie #1 draft pick will also contribute to our run game.
The team is ready! I just fear what happens if we have a weird season. OTOH we now have a veteran team at the skill positions we should be able to get our act together as quickly as our competitors.
April 27th, 2020 at 5:34 pm
Wesley we will be lucky if the Bucs play more than 12
April 27th, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Stephen A. Smith is great, he may be too loud for your taste, but please tell me a time when he doesn’t know what he is talking about. He is a person with an opinion, aggressive yes, but when is his opinion invalid
April 27th, 2020 at 5:59 pm
As of right now these are the weaknesses. Lack of depth at pass rusher and defensive tackle, lack of a true dynamic game changer at running back. And that’s pretty much it.
You could point to lack of experience in the secondary, but with the recent addition of Antoine “twizz” Winfield Jr, the sheer amount of talent and aptitude for making plays on the football in our defensive backfield is so astoundingly stacked that the lack of a true grizzled veteran in that room almost doesnt matter.
This team, provided the key cogs stay healthy (please lord) this team is poised to add another Lombardi to the trophy case.
April 27th, 2020 at 6:14 pm
The running game ought to be much easier to establish with a cerebral QB who:
• Can turn the towel boy into a 600 yard receiver
• Doesn’t throw 30 picks
• Doesn’t throw 7 pick-sixes
• Doesn’t open 6 games with an INT on the opening drive
Of course this is Bucslife and none of us would be shocked if it turned into a disaster, but what can you do?
This team is built to win now, Brady & Gronk notwithstanding.
They’ve got to win or the whole darn thing will be blown up, and would either way no matter who’s under center.
April 27th, 2020 at 6:18 pm
At least ESPN isn’t spending all their time talking about racial injustice anymore
April 27th, 2020 at 6:47 pm
No team going against the bucs had a running game
April 27th, 2020 at 7:15 pm
These idiots think Gronk is going to get his All-Pro numbers of snaps and stats. A guy that was All-Pro with the GOAT is definitely going to teach players skills and what it’s like to be in Tom’s locker room. Not to mention ticket sales. They started saleing Gronk authentic the day after they signed and I still can’t get an authentic LVD. BS. We already know about our weapons we had, but now I’m most excited to see Johnson (Godwin 2.0) in the red zone at the moment.
April 27th, 2020 at 7:52 pm
Well, Joe, you can’t say they haven’t addressed the running game.
1st round pick on RT
3rd round pick on RB
FA TE Gronk who was one of best blocking TE’s in NFL
You may have preferred other draft picks, but you can’t say that -on paper -the run game isn’t upgraded.
April 27th, 2020 at 8:03 pm
Joe you wanna let ndog post links all the time now???? How about I start posting articles about why Winston sucks there’s plenty out there.
April 27th, 2020 at 8:04 pm
By the way ndog I see Kirk cousins knows how to get paid!!!!!
April 27th, 2020 at 8:05 pm
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
April 27th, 2020 at 8:27 pm
So the leagues blueprint is to get younger and faster like the Chiefs and yet we are getting older and slower. Makes perfect sense.
We literally went out and got a QB that has gotten worse in basically every category over THE PAST 4 YEARS and expecting him to get better with a brand new coaching staff, brand new teammates, almost no off-season and a much harder division than he has ever played in. Take away the name of what he DID FIR SOMEONE ELSE and tell me any of you would actually be happy about that.
Remember it is not what someone has done, WHEN IT WASN’T FOR US, it is what are they going to do.
There is very little chance this works then what? Oh yeah it’s ok cause Brady was great for another franchise.
Who gives a sh!t what he did for someone else?
April 27th, 2020 at 8:27 pm
Yes YoungBucs you are a clown we all agree.
April 27th, 2020 at 8:30 pm
Most here have convinced yourself that GOAT THE GREAT WHITE HOPE will be that one piece that takes the BUCS to the Promised Land …not gonna happen, not even with his side kick BROKE BACK MOUNTAIN MAN GRONK THE DRUNK!!….this guy will only play 50% of the offensive plays and with no running game as of yet, where is the explosive offense is to come from?….TB12 may be this all-cerebral QB and I ain’t jealous because I know just what your hiding when you feel that way…for you see I can still solproblems…read effectively…comprehend effortlessly…but can his body take the physical pounding it takes to get the ball down the field!! Check this sheet: last year we had a warrior at QB, who took on that physical pounding and as told kept slinging it down field and I don’t give a damn how cerebral he is TB12 will get hit but the true test will be how many times will his brain tell him to get up and fight for that next first down with no running game…
April 27th, 2020 at 8:50 pm
NDog there are some great new medicines for the depression you are suffering from
April 27th, 2020 at 8:52 pm
Come on Ndog, give this lineup a chance.
April 27th, 2020 at 8:58 pm
Think about this, the Bucs take Dobbins or Akers in the 2nd, trade up in the 3rd with their 6th and take Ashtyn Davis at S, use their higher 4th and OJ to trade up into the 3rd to get a DT (Jordan Elliott) and 6th rd pick. Use your compensatory 4th rd pick to get a G/C.
This would have been possible if Licht didn’t give away both 4th rd picks unneccesarily. Better talent at RB and DT. Slightly lower talent at S and an extra offensive lineman. As an added bonus, you’re not over the cap by $3.75M like the Bucs are today thanks to overpaying for Gronk.
Just think about it.
April 27th, 2020 at 8:59 pm
Big Hog giving Ndog a hug, charming!
April 27th, 2020 at 9:16 pm
So watcha sayin NDog is that the Bucs are going to be worse with Brady than with your boy Jameis who’s now a back up?
April 27th, 2020 at 9:39 pm
NDOG
You’re probably a heads I win tails you lose kind of guy. So if the Bucs lose you can say I told you so…if the Bucs win it will not be Brady but how great the team is and how much better”Blameless” could have done.
You have ZERO credibility.
April 27th, 2020 at 9:45 pm
@Buc1987
WOW!!!!!!! That was some racism right there!!!!!!!!!! I know he did not work out, but man, take it easy!!!!!!!!! than with your “boy” Jameis who’s now a back up?
That was unnecessary!!!!!!! I am highly offended, and must tell you that it was not right!!!!!!!!!! I mean, what will be said next???? That ole stale biscuit has the “white” errrrrr I mean “right” players!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 27th, 2020 at 9:56 pm
Great question 1987 we should be better on defense with JPP playing the entire season and not having VH3 and rookies all over the secondary. We should be similar in the WR room as I think Johnson should be able to match what Perriman brought, in a different way. Our running game should be better cause Dotson admitted he didn’t want to run block and HOPEFULLY these two new backs will bring more than Barber. Now in the passing game we will probably take a step back, but Gronk will help, with of course less TOs but also less production, but hopefully the running game offsets that. Now our kicker is still shaky and as we all know he costs us two games last year. Keep in mind Brady has always played close games and is used to having a great kicker. So in summary if we stay healthy we are looking at 10-6ish but if we have injuries 6-10 and if we lose Brady early 5-11. The difference between me and most on this board is I love the building process and seeing it all come together and yes there is a chance it happens this year but even if it does it will be all over the next day. Whereas if we kept building we would have had a much longer window and probably over time the same odds as this one year, but in that case we would still have a shot after it working. I know everyone is going to jump on me and that’s ok I just have a different view and truly believed in the direction we were going and don’t believe at all in the current situation cause there is no direction just now.
Thanks for being civil Cannon and 1987.
April 27th, 2020 at 10:20 pm
🤡🤡🤡🤡
April 27th, 2020 at 10:45 pm
Are you listening to this guy?
Ndog is talking about being civil
He calls people clueless And idiots and morons every day cause they do not share his opinion on jameis
That is the definition of hypocrite
You guys waste your time with Ndog
He is a dang weirdo people
He claims he schools people on debates with bringing facts …claims to be a bigger fan then you …claims to know more about football
Dont even respond to him. He will go away soon. He is a saints fan now. Think he said he wouldn’t root against saints when they played bucs
April 27th, 2020 at 10:49 pm
nole fans . Wow
April 27th, 2020 at 11:05 pm
Steven007: No hugging at this time …..social distancing you idiot…come again when you get a little stronger!!!…..ps…keep your mask on and be safe!!!
April 27th, 2020 at 11:30 pm
Only fools believe Arians is good. He’s garbage. A diva wide receiver coach at most.
“Look, there’s no better teacher. If Drew never said a word to him, he would observe more than he’ll ever learn in football just by learning how Drew does things. He’s an incredible leader. He’s an incredible studier of the game, how he breaks down his opponents.
“And then you throw in [offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael, [quarterbacks coach] Joe Lombardi and [coach] Sean Payton on the offensive side of the ball and those creative minds, Jameis Winston will learn more football in a year than he has in his lifetime.”
April 28th, 2020 at 12:12 am
BigHog, let’s be honest, it was more than a hug big boy. Just trying to be polite.
April 28th, 2020 at 1:14 am
Steven007::: I see you like to watch….. you want a hug…down on your knees and bring your knee pads….You gonna learn…coming for the BigHog will never end well for the insurgent!!!
April 28th, 2020 at 6:46 am
“Accountability, Pride, legacy
You Sheep dont know what that is but the Goat does
There is nothing that is going to stop TB12 from the playoffs and most importantly better record that Billichick and the Patriots for these next 2 final years
All the moves are being addressed and told to beforehand with TB12
The reason OJ Howard IU s still here is because of
Tom Brady
The screaming and yelling will come because
No one is going to make Tom Brady look bad”
Kobe life coach Faker
April 28th, 2020 at 7:42 am
More concerned with the kicker situation. A lot these games will come down to kicking. If you still have issues it doesn’t matter who’s the QB is or how great our D is.
April 28th, 2020 at 8:31 am
Take a look at this video and tell me we did not get better at QB.
https://youtu.be/BaTejC5RXsw
Let’s compare this 2019 Brady highlight video to a selectively edited video showing only Jameis’s 30 picks, and then ask whether we improved by signing Brady. To say we went backwards at QB is…well I don’t know what it is, but it’s not a statement supported by the evidence.
By all accounts, the Bucs have an extremely talented roster. With ten fewer picks, five fewer pick sixes, and two fewer missed game winning FG’s, the Bucs are in the playoffs last year. It’s still a young team that will rely on several vets whose careers are nearing an end. But I’ll take two relevant, competitive years with Brady, JPP, Suh, and Gronk, and hope we can fill their shoes when the time comes.
April 28th, 2020 at 2:32 pm
I think that Vaughn kid is going to surprise a lot of people… From what I’ve read he ran behind a horrible o-line and teams keyed on him but he still got a lot of yards!! Really intense dude too!! Seems like a Peyton Barber accept this dude will gain a few yards more during the tackle and has a much better chance at breaking one!! Hope that’s how it goes!! But I think rojo is going to absolutely blow up man!! Behind this line and making him the feature back that ACTUALLY GETS THE BALL IN THE SECOND HALF!!! I think he’s going to be the break out player in the whole NFL!! 1,200 yards rushing and 800 passing!! Mark it down!!
April 28th, 2020 at 5:03 pm
43 year old brittle guy who played with 3 injuries last year behind a better OL than the Bucs have. Threw a lot of passes in the dirt doing a chuck and duck with open receivers. Then we have the guy with a severe back injury from college that he’s reinjured twice, and few times he played a full season. When he was in his 20’s. Out of football for a year, claims he’s still in football shape…lol…he looks like a kid wearing his dads clothes he’s lost so much upper body definition. And these two are going to suit up in a few months and play football?
And $40M in cap space tied up, some more of it next year, even if neither of these two are still playing.
Well…good luck with that.