Picking A Bubble Player
July 7th, 2022
Giovani Bernard better be careful.
So why does the veteran Bucs backup running back have to be worried? Well, BSPN has chosen a player from each NFL team, a veteran, that is in danger of having his bubble popped and being out on the street looking for work in September.
And for Jenna Laine of ESPN, the Bucs veteran that might want to rent is Bernard.
With Leonard Fournette becoming a three-down back, Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s improvement and the Bucs selecting Rachaad White in the third round of the NFL draft, where does that leave Bernard? He’ll be 31 in November, and he caught 23 passes for 123 yards and had 58 rushing yards on eight carries last year. If White assimilates into the Bucs’ system quickly and can consistently pick up a blitz, Bernard could be left out.
Joe doesn’t believe Bernard is in danger of getting bounced. When he is healthy and on the active gameday roster, he always finds a way into the game.
If you think about it, Rachaad White basically replaced Ronald Jones. So if the Bucs keep four running backs, Bernard likely is safe.
What Bernard has to worry about is if some camp meat guy or future Geek Squad manager balls out in training camp and preseason. Still, the Bucs are gunning for another Super Bowl. Who do you think Tom Brady prefers blocking for him and catching passes out of the backfield, a veteran like Bernard or some kid from East Cornfield State in his rookie season?
Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs will do Brady wrong and stick him with some Dare Ogunbowale-wannabe like they did to Jameis.
July 7th, 2022 at 12:57 am
Good ol’ Jenna . She can often be counted on for a take that makes you want to scratch your head.
July 7th, 2022 at 2:06 am
He’ll be like Shady McCoy for us
July 7th, 2022 at 2:40 am
False. Ke Vaughn fills in RoJo’s slot now. Frankly, Fournette fills it in; RoJo should have been the lead back for years, but it didn’t work out. Gio may wind up on the street, if Rachaad turns out anything like his mega-hype among some Bucs fans.
July 7th, 2022 at 2:53 am
He looked electric and dangerous on every carry and after every catch.
I actually he was criminally underused last season.
Every time he touched the ball, he looked fast as a MF.
If anything, he needs MORE touches!
July 7th, 2022 at 5:11 am
I think the cat pee in her apartment is getting to her
July 7th, 2022 at 5:22 am
steele Says:
July 7th, 2022 at 2:40 am
False. Ke Vaughn fills in RoJo’s slot now. Frankly, Fournette fills it in; RoJo should have been the lead back for years, but it didn’t work out. Gio may wind up on the street, if Rachaad turns out anything like his mega-hype among some Bucs fans.
^^^^^^^^
If you watched the games last year, you saw that Vaughn was a dropped pass waiting to happen, even when Brady threw as soft as he could to him. Bernard is a reliable receiver, albeit injury prone last year.
July 7th, 2022 at 6:18 am
How do i get her in my
Fantasy football league?
July 7th, 2022 at 7:21 am
He’s a cheap insurance policy for $1M, but I don’t like how he’s used. He’s a neon sign that says “pass” when he enters the game. I prefer all the backs to have three down usage. Every nickel counts for a team looking to get back to the SB, and he could be a casualty depending on how strong KV & RW look. Licht needs a piggybank for the unexpected and all GMs have to gamble a little to build the bank (see JPP & Suh).
July 7th, 2022 at 7:24 am
We will probably keep 4 RBs……the likely bubble will be a CB….
SMB, Dean, Davis, Ryan, Zion & Delaney with Cockrell being cut…
And I agree with Teacherman…..Bernard was underused
July 7th, 2022 at 7:38 am
Obviously this is the silly time of year, with everyone & his brother pulling predictions out of their wazoo to fill print space.
Bucs traditionally keep 4 RBs because some are better than others at certain things (like rushing, receiving & pass protection?), and oh ya, RBs get hurt. Quite a bit normally, even bulls like Derrick Henry. As of right now we have 5 RBs on our roster: Fournette, Bernard, Vaughn, White and Barner. Pretty good chance Barner will be odd-man-out (he wasn’t thrown to last year but did get 4 rushes for a grand total of 0 yards, with a longest run of 1 yard). Of course, I’m sure we could find some TV pundit to predict that this’ll be his breakout year.
Lenny’s the workhorse and for good reason: he produces (and oh ya, Tom Brady has confidence in him). Gio also produced last season, when given the opportunities (only had 8 runs & 29 targets, with 23 catches). First loss to the Rams was a good example. He didn’t get any run opportunities in that game, but he was targeted 10 times & made 9 catches (for 51 yds & 1 TD). Vaughn was the opposite on the season though; he rushed (36 attempts) a lot more than he was targeted (8 targets, 4 catches). White of course is still the unknown (but with great POTENTIAL it seems).
Bottom line to me is that we have 4 decent RBs, one of whom is a well-rounded bull and 3 others who’ll find their niches as the season rolls on. Personally think that we’ll be running considerably more this year than in recent years, and that all 4 RBs will get time on the field. Tom Brady will be the one IMO who ultimately decides how that field time splits out.
July 7th, 2022 at 7:45 am
TBBF … ‘the likely bubble will be a CB…. SMB, Dean, Davis, Ryan, Zion & Delaney with Cockrell being cut’.
Bucs list Ryan as a Safety, although I think he’ll likely see more time as a Nickel. Still think they’ll keep Cockrell, and he’ll end up being the 6th CB. They’ll probably keep 4 Safeties: Winfield, Edwards, Neal & Ryan, unless someone like Warner, Turner or Cooper really impresses Todd Bowles & earns a spot.
July 7th, 2022 at 8:21 am
Scotty
July 7th, 2022 at 9:07 am
Scotty will make the team provided he is back to full speed after turf toe. .
Dardung is in bubble trouble however. Besides not being able to return kicks or punts, at least he can’t run a route, can’t catch, and has perfected the art of falling down before tacklers arrive.
July 7th, 2022 at 9:18 am
I think all of our RBs are safe with the exception of Kenjon Barner, but I do like the mix of talent we have in Lenny, Bernard, Vaughn, And White moving forward. It’d be nice to have a handful of games where we’re seeing 2nd half garbage time this season to get Vaughn & White some reps for the sake of experience.
July 7th, 2022 at 9:36 am
We won’t keep him over a better player just to have 4 backs on the roster. I’d be fine with only three backs on the roster to start the season. Just keep 2 backs on the PS you can call up when an injury happens, or bring Gio back. I doubt any team picks him up if we cut him. Another player you can put on top of that bubble is Ty Johnson. Don’t see him making the team either.
July 7th, 2022 at 10:43 am
That boy better learn how to run under kicks…
July 7th, 2022 at 3:43 pm
Vaughn is going to have to show a lot to keep his spot on the team – as he just doesn’t look like anything special. His college tape also didn’t look like anything special. And his combine numbers weren’t anything special. He doesn’t really have any notable trait, which is why the pick was so strange in the first place. But the dopes, who every year, say the Bucs have to draft a RB, despite there being plenty available for free, well they got their way. Anywho, I’m thinking Vaughn doesn’t make the team, but also that Gino doesn’t make it either, and the Bucs either pickup someone else who can also return the ball, or they find another vet who gets cut loose. Although you shouldn’t completely count out Gino, he was a very good pass catching 3rd down RB, one of the best in the NFL, but RBs do have a tendency to fall off very quickly.