Short-Term Pain; Long-Term Smarts

August 1st, 2022

Bucs DL Logan Hall.

The pads come on today!

Yes, today is August 1 and the pads are on! We are creeping ever so slowly toward Week 1. We’ll get there, folks!

The Bucs haven’t been in pads since they hosted the Rams in that kick-to-the-groin loss to end the 2021 season. Nothing gets Joe worked up like the sounds of shoulder pads popping!

Of course, Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh are gone, two critical cogs in the Bucs’ Super Bowl two seasons ago. Both, Joe will add, are unemployed. That’s a bad sign for two dudes well over 30.

Bryan Knowles, typing in the Football Outsiders 2022 Almanac, believes while it may hurt to think of the Bucs without JPP and Suh, it’s very likely a smart move by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.

Why is that? Relying on younger guys (Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Logan Hall) means the Bucs will have more gas when they need it the most, Knowles believes. In short, by waving goodbye to JPP and Suh, the Bucs are building a team made to play in February.

… … addition by subtraction. While their leadership and experience in the system were valuable, both are well over 30 and saw their play sharply drop off last season. Pierre-Paul’s 22 pressures and 6.5% pressure rate were both career lows, while Suh’s 70% run stop rate was the worst since he arrived in Tampa Bay. Of the two, Suh still has more value and could still be brought back; he shouldn’t be an every-down player anymore but could still be a valuable part of a rotation. Moving on from both is more valuable to the Bucs in the long term, however. The Bucs had the fourth-oldest defense in the league last season with a snap-weighted age of 27.1. Because Tampa Bay has been built for the short term of Brady’s contract, that hasn’t been a huge deal, but replacing moderately effective thirtysomethings with younger players should help the Bucs more down the line.

Come January, Hall will no longer be a rookie for all intents and purposes. A young guy like Hall in a rotation with Vita Vea and Akiem Hicks the Bucs should have more stamina than with a guy in his mid-30s, though Hicks will be 33 in November.

Joe is looking forward to see Hall get his first shot at hitting today, and Joe also is eager to see what Joe Tryon-Shoyinka brings to the table after he remade his body and went camping at a pass-rushing clinic.

9 Responses to “Short-Term Pain; Long-Term Smarts”

  1. Buc4evr Says:

    Suh

  2. Defense Rules Says:

    Suh

  3. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Suh has been replaced……what we need is another pass rusher……the key to our pass rush success lies in the development of JTS….

  4. Goatfarmer Says:

    Suh

  5. Wade Landry Says:

    Both great men,Suh and JPP.Today I read the greatest winner of them all passed Mr.Bill Russell. Yes, all things in life must pass.The new emerges,JTS and LR.So,let us enjoy TB and the rest of the fellas….and Tom terrific remember when you win SB #8 this year,you’ll only have 3more to go to catch Russell.(get that new contract ready!😂👍

  6. BelleGladeBuc Says:

    Warren Sapp was one of the greatest defensive tackles to ever play the game of football.

    Warren Sapp played on a team of almost semi pro level talent while at Miami.

    Warren Sapp only started 8 games, played in 16 games, had 3 sacks, 26 tackles, and hit the proverbial rookie wall during his rookie year.

    Warren Sapp is a Hall of Fame Defensive Tackle, and his stats as a rookie are the norm for great defensive tackles when they enter the league as rookies.

    The examples of NFL Defensive Lineman coming in to the league and dominating are rare. That’s what makes the Reggie Whites, LT’s and Aaron Donald’s so special.

    The Bucs are expecting Logan Hall to be as impactful as White or Donald, but history in the NFL shows that even if you are one of the greatest of all time like Warren Sapp, the rookie wall eventually wins.

  7. AbucAway Says:

    Suh

  8. OBVIOUS Says:

    SUH

  9. unbelievable Says:

    Come January, Hall will have hit the rookie wall like all rookies deal.

    It’s a nice fantasy though