Confidence In A Backup
December 29th, 2021
Bruce Arians explains.
Practice may not make you perfect but busting your tail in practice might give you a chance.
Backups provided juice on the field Sunday and maybe for some underperforming regulars to wake the hell up.
Joe was encouraged that the immortal Cyril Grayson, Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Kenjon Barner replaced stagnant regulars and not just gave the Bucs a shot in the arm, but played key roles in the win over the Stinking Panthers.
In his day-after presser, Bucco Bruce Arians discussed why he gave Grayson a shot.
“Just watching him practice every single day,” Arians said. “Like I said, nobody works harder. He’s putting on the other team’s show [on the scout team]. He does a hell of a job.
“I’ve got all the confidence in the world in him because I know he will block.”
Joe is disappointed in Tyler Johnson. The second-year receiver from Minnesota had a strong postseason. Joe thought if Johnson made the jump so many second-year players do, it was possible that the Bucs were looking at him to fill Chris Godwin’s shoes (Godwin is a free agent in the offseason).
Instead, Johnson came to training camp out of shape. After getting back into shape and playing OK, lately his play has slacked off. Enter Grayson, who caught three passes for 81 yards and helped spring Vaughn on a 55-yard touchdown run with his blocking. Good stuff.
Then there was Barner. Given a chance to return kicks with the underperforming Jaelon Darden on the dreaded COVID list, Barner at least showed aggressiveness and demonstrated maybe he belongs on the field. Arians raved about how he runs north and south.
No, Barner didn’t exactly remind anyone of Devin Hester. But he sure as hell didn’t look like he was trying to be the next bad Dexter Jackson either.
Hopefully, the play of Grayson, Vaughn and Barner lit fires under the arses of the guys who were replaced.
This time of the year with so much to play for, no player should be guaranteed playing time off past performances, salary or draft slot. If the Bucs are to repeat as Super Bowl champions, it is production, not resumes, that will be the difference.
December 29th, 2021 at 8:09 am
Play Grayson. Let Johnson sit. The team does not have time for players who do not know the plays. Darden, bench.
I also hope they throw at least one easy pass to Vaughn to give the kid a chance to redeem the drops. Other than that, run. Jets have 32 sacks and give up 4.5 yards per rush.
December 29th, 2021 at 8:15 am
I’d like to see Trask get some playing time in the last game, assuming that it doesn’t affect our final playoff seeding.
December 29th, 2021 at 8:17 am
Tyler Johnson has regressed, not sure if he has gotten lazy or just doesn’t care about being in the nfl anymore. Seems like he has the skill set, just not the motivation?
December 29th, 2021 at 8:32 am
Let’s not let Scotty Miller of the hook…..he’s done nothing since coming back.
December 29th, 2021 at 8:35 am
Miller and Johnson have been deceptions. Grayson played great.
December 29th, 2021 at 9:00 am
Let’s not throw in the towel on some of these guys prematurely because all of the ones folks are talking about are at least under contract for next year. None of them are getting very many reps in games, and who knows how many they’re getting in weekly practices (or walk-thoughs … whatever).
What makes great players great IMO is that they perform at a high level CONSISTENTLY. It’s one thing to have 1 or 2 or 3 good games against mediocre opponents, but to go our there week after week after week and consistently perform at a high level is surely a lot more difficult. For some it happens in Season 1 and continues on (guys like Suh & LVD). But for most it seems to be a process of growth, and some guys don’t seem to ‘grow’ as fast as others.
Will Gholston comes to mind. For a number of years, lots of Bucs’ fans would’ve been perfectly happy to get rid of him. Biggest gripe? Not enough sacks, although most everyone agreed he was good against the run. Don’t hear many fans calling for his head anymore. Big Will consistently improved, and has become a key rotational player on this DLine. Who knows, maybe guys like Miller, Darden, Johnson, Vaughn, Barner (and others like Trask?) will grow over time to become more consistent contributors. Only time will tell.
December 29th, 2021 at 10:02 am
Johnson coming into training camp out of shape was downright dumb. Maybe he forgot there are hundreds (thousands?) of dudes who would kill to be a backup receiver on a Super Bowl champion.
December 29th, 2021 at 10:03 am
Bucs don’t have time to screw with guys to let them “grow.” They are trying to win a Super Bowl. The only bowl the Bucs were trying to win when Gholston was young was the toilet bowl.
Bad teams have the luxury (?) of giving guys time to “grow.” Good teams do not.
December 29th, 2021 at 10:18 am
If Brady is throwing to Greyson then he has passed the Brady field test. Brady saw enough in the Saints game and requested Greyson, that’s why he is on the field, nothing to do with BA or BL. As far as Barnes, anyone that can run 5 yds without falling down is an improvement.
December 29th, 2021 at 10:18 am
IMHO, it is inexcusable for Tyler Johnson to be out of shape.
We most likely will be looking for Chris Godwin’s replacement next year, so how can Tyler Johnson flash when he is not in shape ?
Yes, Grayson looked good, and his block sprung Vaughn on that TD Run.
December 29th, 2021 at 10:54 am
Buc4evr Says:
December 29th, 2021 at 8:15 am
I’d like to see Trask get some playing time in the last game, assuming that it doesn’t affect our final playoff seeding.
^^^^^^^^^
I doubt Trask plays a down this year. That said, I don’t get the “Trask is a wasted pick” narrative. Questions I have for the “Trask/wasted pick” crowd:
1) How do you know what the Bucs have/have not in Trask?
2) Wouldn’t you want a young QB to learn from the guy known as “The GOAT”?
3) Who is the “must have” player that would’ve made a difference this year? So we can compare the 2 players when we actually know how their NFL careers went.
December 29th, 2021 at 11:00 am
Joe in Mich……..Trask has been a backup most of his career. Yet he has prepared like he was starting so when he finally got his chance all he did was throw 69 tds to 15 ints and almost win the Heisman.
Believe me, he is preparing for when Brady hangs ’em up and he is picking his brain every chance available
December 29th, 2021 at 11:06 am
SB and how do you know this? Does Trask even dress for the games? Isn’t he 3 or 4 on the depth chart?
December 29th, 2021 at 11:34 am
Personally I don’t think Tyler can come close to filling godwins shoes. Earlier this year I thought we could let him go but dam his blocking makes Micheal Clayton look bad. Like B.A says he does all the dirty work and does it well and that’s why he rewards him getting the ball this is no secret. Tighten up Tyler Johnson and Darden.
December 29th, 2021 at 11:43 am
Scotty Miller has done nothing? Did you watch the Colts game?
December 29th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Key fumble recovery on punt return. But on offense, you are correct. He’s done nothing. Major reason for that is that he missed a lot of games. So Joe doesn’t think it is fair to compare him to guys like Tyler Johnson or Jaelon Darden.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:02 pm
Depends on your perspective.
If you are solely living in the now — which the Bucs should because they are playing for now, not two or three years down the road — drafting a corner at the end of the second round would have had much more of an impact on this year’s team than a quarterback who may start two or three years from now.
That cornerback could have been the difference in a win/loss. With homefield advantage so critical, yeah, a corner would have had a much bigger impact.
If one is looking down the road for the Bucs when Brady, Gronk, Brown, Playoff Lenny are all gone, then yeah, the Trask pick makes sense.
Not anti-Trask or pro-Trask. See both sides.
December 29th, 2021 at 12:47 pm
Buc4evr
I agree with u, TJohnson doesn’t seem to have a lack of motivation. His body language gives off a don’t care anymore type demeanor. I’m wondering if it’s the fact that BPerriman, CGrayson n KVaughn has outshined him over the past several weeks.
December 29th, 2021 at 5:46 pm
dmatt, rather than take the Rojo approach maybe Tyler should strap one on and fight for his job.