“I Didn’t Really Understand The Concept”
May 14th, 2020
Being a rookie cornerback is tough.
Being a rookie corner surrounded by a bunch of young corners is even tougher, and coming to the NFL out of the University of Central Michigan makes things extra difficult.
That’s the boat Sean Murphy-Bunting was in last year as the Bucs’ second-round pick, No. 39 overall in the NFL Draft. Bucco Bruce Arians called him out after the preseason opener and he continued to struggle.
But then the light bulb went on, as it did for many in the Bucs secondary midway through the season. Murphy-Bunting can smile about it now, as he did yesterday with Joe and a bunch of other local media on a conference call.
“Early in the season I didn’t really understand the concept that they were trying to do, the concept that I needed to run on the defensive side of the ball. And so I would be, you know, missing leverage sometimes, or just out of position to make a play that I actually should have made. And that the playcall was genuinely perfect for the situation that we were in. But like I said, just understanding that part of the game, and understanding there’s more to a defense than just calling Cover 2.”
Candid stuff from Murphy-Bunting, who will be counted on in a big way to know what the hell he’s doing from Day 1. There will be no easing in with Drew Brees and a critical Saints game on opening day.
May 14th, 2020 at 5:52 am
It’s good to hear that the young guys are developing. As young as they are, this could be a formidable group for a long, long time.
You can never have enough competent CBs, IMO.
May 14th, 2020 at 6:03 am
Agree Bucsfanman, you can never have enough competent CBs. And Safeties too. Bucs have an intriguing bunch in Davis, Dean, SMB, Whitehead, Edwards & Winfield.
There’s one common thread in there though … Todd Bowles. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must’ve been last year to get such a young Secondary functioning as a UNIT. It would’ve been hard if he was working with veterans (maybe harder actually), but what TB accomplished with those youngsters amazed me.
I don’t think building on that this year will be as easy as some seem to think it’ll be, largely because of missing so much time in OTAs, etc. The saving grace might be that all teams are in the same boat.
May 14th, 2020 at 6:07 am
gonna be interesting to watch ….. they got 1 year under there belts…….
May 14th, 2020 at 6:22 am
I see an appreciation for the DB position on this site that I did not see a year or two ago. You need at least 4 good corners on your team or three who never miss time to compete. There are at least three on the field for 60 percent of the snaps. It was great to see the improvement last year.
I agree with others that think the biggest difference is TB as coach.
May 14th, 2020 at 6:57 am
A talented bunch of you DBs. These guys are going to be one of the best in a few years, if not sooner. All of them have one thing in common, SPEED.
May 14th, 2020 at 7:09 am
The other thing they have in common is desire. All the talent in the world is wasted if they don’t have that want to, to be the best. I’m not worried about Winfield as a rookie. He’s not coming out young, he’s got 4 years college ball, his body has matured already. Being an NFL DB’s son should shorten the curve too.
May 14th, 2020 at 7:10 am
@El Realist Troll:
https://www.wfla.com/news/national/watch-hundreds-of-goats-escape-run-wild-in-california-neighborhood/
May 14th, 2020 at 7:52 am
Ill say this much: you cant find a better trio of DBs in the league right now. CDIII, Dean and SMB really thrived once getting accustomed to this scheme.
May 14th, 2020 at 7:57 am
Never once heard this from VH3
May 14th, 2020 at 8:01 am
Cant find a better trio than one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL last year….. man whatever you guys are smoking, please let me know, cause I will go buy some right now
May 14th, 2020 at 8:03 am
I want you guys to watch that final drive atlanta had on us in the last game of the year. “Improved” lol
May 14th, 2020 at 8:15 am
He can say that he understands the concept, but know that toilet bowls kept the coverage simple, in his own words!!!!!!!!! And he hoped to add more diverse coverages this year!!!!!!!!!! That and they played a bunch of backups at the end of that soft schedule last year!!!!!!!!!!
The truth was and always will be revealed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s time to herd the sheep, and put t them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 8:26 am
@941Bucs….. you took the words right out of my mouth. They have 6 decent games and people are putting them in the HOF! Same people I guess that wanted to give Mike Smith a boat load of cash after his D had a decent second half.l look how that turned out.
May 14th, 2020 at 8:52 am
I think young Buc DBs were on a constant roller-coaster having to make up for turnovers on their side of the field. Surely the whole squad will look better even if we cut down on INTs by 50%.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:05 am
Senor Harry, LMAO!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 9:52 am
Sticking to the subject: this secondary should be able to help the DEFENCE lock things down when need be …just needs to KEEP GRINDING and getting better…and keep bringing in competition!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 10:26 am
Man, if SMB and JD take the next step in their progression as DB’s this defense is going to be nasty….as long as Barrett and JPP can still get to the QB.
I haven’t been this excited for a Bucs season in a long time.
May 14th, 2020 at 12:01 pm
good to hear he knows why he struggled early in the season….
under smitty SMB wouldve just said, “i just gotta play better”….
GO BUCS!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 12:50 pm
For the “negative Nancys”: 2019 DBs>2018 DBs.That’s all anyone is saying. Anyone can point to any one game or one play and say the player didn’t play well.
How about some optimism?! We saw way worse.
May 14th, 2020 at 12:59 pm
I believe undrafted free agent Parnell Motley will brig some competition to the group…he’s not afraid to hit and seems to be in position to make plays….competition is a good thing!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 3:12 pm
I feel they will be better this year, at the end of the year they were all coming along very well.
May 14th, 2020 at 8:10 pm
I LOVE the fact that SMB got specific in his answer to where he faltered. It shows maturity and he knows exactly where and how he needs to improve. I hate it when a player gives the cliche, “I gotta get better” line. You know what, we all gotta get better in something; it’s best to know what it is we’re supposed to be getting better at.
May 14th, 2020 at 8:36 pm
I’ve seen both good and bad from every DB we got, but I do think we should see some development from this group.
I wish we had a vet to stabilize the back end, but I got faith in the plan.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:35 pm
He’s the only one I trust outside of Winfield and Whitehead. They all have injury issues and should benefit from rotating with each other along with an improved Mike Edwards.