Assessing The Fresh Blood
October 16th, 2022
Newcomer starting guard Shaq Mason is on a list of a dozen newcomers assessed by Ira.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
Sage Ira’s work is presented by Bill Currie Ford.
It was a very busy offseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – not necessarily a productive one.
Instead of returning all 22 starters from a championship team, the Bucs made a flurry of moves in the spring and summer. Through five games, most of the newcomers have struggled to contribute. To be fair, injuries have played a major role in some circumstances.
Some.
Here’s a fresh look at the fresh blood:
SHAQ MASON: Excellent return for Jason Licht, who stole Mason from the Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick. Mason has started every game at right guard and has proven to be an upgrade from Alex Cappa.
RUSSELL GAGE: Twelve of his 23 catches came against Green Bay in Week 3 and he’s still earning Tom Brady’s trust. A long gain of 15 yards and an average of 7.5 yards per reception aren’t what the Bucs had in mind when they signed Gage as a free agent from Atlanta.
LOGAN RYAN: His football intelligence has rubbed off nicely on Tampa Bay’s young defensive backs, but Ryan has played only 54 percent of the snaps. He has posted an interception and a forced fumble, but a foot injury has Ryan sidelined in Pittsburgh.
KEANU NEAL: This physical safety is starting to see more action while Ryan recovers. He has played 50 percent of the snaps in the past two games and is starting to make his presence felt.
Akiem Hicks has spent most of the season on the bench.
AKIEM HICKS: A foot problem has sidelined him since Week 3. With only one QB hit, Hicks hasn’t made much of an impression on Buc Nation as he tries to replace ultra-durable Ndamukong Suh.
JULIO JONES: A major disappointment to date, Jones has played all of 50 snaps all year. He has one catch since injuring his knee in the season opener. Todd Bowles is being very cautious with the future Hall of Famer.
KYLE RUDOLPH: Signed on the brink of training camp, Rudolph looks like he is done at the age of 32. He has seen only 18 snaps and has caught only one pass.
JAKE CAMARDA: The Bucs have to be pleased with both the distance and the hang time of Camarda’s punts. Only six of his 22 kicks have been returned.
LOGAN HALL: Tampa Bay’s initial selection in the 2022 draft has flashed his skills sporadically with 2 sacks and 4 QB hits in limited playing time. His snap count of 41 percent figures to rise significantly.
LUKE GOEDEKE: This second-round pick has lined up at left guard for every snap through five weeks. He’s been flagged for only one holding penalty, but he needs to show more physicality as a run blocker.
RACHAAD WHITE: It’s been a mixed bag for this third-round rookie. He can’t be happy with an average of 2.2 yards per carry, a grim reminder of Ronald Jones’ struggles in 2018. Still, he’s starting to make an impact in the 0passing game.
CADE OTTON: A fourth-round pick, Otton is beginning to come on while Cameron Brate recovers from a concussion. He caught six passes against the Falcons last week. The Bucs would like to see a better average yards per catch than 7.6, but Otton is trending up. His blocking? Let’s call it a work in progress.
Ira loves that lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles!
Ira Kaufman Has A High-Octane Brady 2023 Debate And A Fiesty Receivers Discussion, Talks Defensive Mindset, Running Game Perspective, Steelers Game Predictions, NFC South Changes & More
October 16th, 2022 at 9:19 am
Cool assessment, I’d like to see one for the guys we let walk this last offseason too!
October 16th, 2022 at 9:28 am
The best ability is availability!
October 16th, 2022 at 9:31 am
You are spot in with your assessments. We knew Julio and Akeem could be great additions if they stayed healthy. Sadly, they have not. Sometimes signing a vet works…sometimes it doesn’t. Drafting is still the key to building a winner.
October 16th, 2022 at 9:58 am
I think Jason Licht has done a great job overall.
Hicks and Jones are still both too injured to help out much.
Cade Otten has been a very pleasant surprise, and I think White will come on, the more playing time he gets
October 16th, 2022 at 10:24 am
“Paging Akiem Hicks”…
I expected more out of Hicks than Julio. It’s not like the Bucs didn’t know about their injury histories.
Definitely a “mixed bag”.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:54 am
Good summary. Satisfactory recovering from injures (soon) could likely make some big changes in some. Hope so.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:16 am
You have to consider the fortunes of the main player the Bucs passed on in the Jags trade and that is Devin Lloyd. Lloyd is on pace for 180 tackles and 7 interceptions which would easily eclipse even the most optimistic projection for any Bucs draftee.
Camardas’ average return yardage is 9.87 compared to 8.0 for Pinion , so is Camarda outkicking his coverage? Kickoff out of bounds in KC game right after Bucs scored giving KC the rock at the 40 and leading to a score was awful.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:34 am
Can someone get Leftwurst to comment on why he insists on running Lenny left of Hainsey and behind Goedeke 95% of the time when he’s got pro bowler Shaq Mason and All-World Tristan Wirfs on the right? Can Goedeke pull, run right and block a little guy? It seems like he’d have a better chance of blocking a CB than a beastly grown up like Grady Jarrett.
The great Lenny run that they executed in the SB where they go heavy right and pull the LG. Let’s try that at so,e point today, Bymron, when the situation is set up for it. Instead of some random call, like the close your eyes and point to the sheet method you seem to employ.
I hope Tom’s nightmares have stopped.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:37 am
Ko Kieft ??????
October 16th, 2022 at 11:39 am
Julio, Rudolph, and Hicks are all major disappointments.
Julio showed some ability for a few plays.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:42 am
Ok showed athletics and grace on a beautiful sideline back shoulder catch against the Chiefs. Maybe nobody saw it. A thing of beauty. He’s more than just a blocking barbarian.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:45 am
We need to get younger. To many old has been injury prone veterans have been signed. It is a waste of money as they do nothing but ride the bench do to injuries or just can’t play. See Julio Jones, Akiem Hicks, Logan Ryan and Kyle Rudolph for example.
October 16th, 2022 at 11:53 am
BucsFan81 …you’re 1000% right!
October 16th, 2022 at 12:02 pm
“KYLE RUDOLPH: Signed on the brink of training camp, Rudolph looks like he is done at the age of 32. He has seen only 18 snaps and has caught only one pass.”
.
.
… and dropped one. :/
October 16th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Current regime seems to be repeating Chuckies mistakes – relying on nonproductive or injury prone veterans.
October 16th, 2022 at 12:44 pm
Good article!
October 16th, 2022 at 12:48 pm
Bucs are the second to oldest team in the NFL @ 27.21 years average.
October 16th, 2022 at 4:18 pm
I would like to see fresh blood at OC… no preparation, no ideas.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:14 pm
Did I miss The summery of our other rookie TE?
October 17th, 2022 at 2:45 pm
Patriots replaced shaq mason with michael onwenu their sixth round pick in 2020. Onwenu has a pff grade of 82.3. Mason is 65.4. I guess you could say that mason is doing better than cole strange, the first round pick and other guard who has a pff of 58.3. Of course shaq mason makes 7.3M against the cap. Onwenu $895K. Cole strange 2.2M
So in summary
Shaq mason pff 65.4 hit against cap $7.3M
Patriots two new guards
Michael onwenu pff 82.3 hit against cap $895K
Cole Strange pff 58.3 hit against cap $2.2M
October 19th, 2022 at 3:01 am
Ira
Kinda mailed it in on Goedeke didn’t ya?
More wrong there than a blurb about run blocking.
BTW his pad level in run blocking looks like a pass set.