Interior Defensive Line Is A Strength Not A Need
April 6th, 2024
Monster in the making.
This guy was doing a good job breaking down what the Bucs need to target in the draft until his last offering was a big fat ol’ facepalm.
No, the Bucs do not have a need on the interior of the defensive line.
Eight-year NFL veteran and Tampa native (he played a Alonso High School, UCF and for Todd Bowles with the Jets) Leger Douzable seems to think the Bucs need to beef up their defensive interior).
Appearing on a CBS video breaking down the needs of all NFC South squads, Douzable came across with some solid research on the Bucs until he stated his final need is interior defensive line.
“They need someone opposite of YaYa Diaby,” Douzable said of the edge rush. “Joe Tryon, I think he can be a supplemental piece, that third guy. They need to draft a guy who can be a starter.”
In order, Douzable says the four needs of the Bucs are cornerback, edge rusher, interior offensive line and interior defensive line. Douzable thinks the Bucs trading Carlton Davis is a big hit to the secondary.
Co-host John Breech added he thought the Bucs trading away Davis was “weird.”
That last remark about interior defensive line sort of shot Douzable’s credibility. Joe thinks interior defensive line may be the strongest area of the Bucs roster. Vita Vea was a Pro Bowler in 2021 and is a complete beast. Calijah Kancey might overtake Vea in production this year. Yeah, he’s that good. And Greg Gaines is excellent stuffing the run.
(Notice Gaines was on the field when the Bucs stopped the famed Philadelphia tush-push?)
Joe will have a story later in the spring about a stat Joe stumbled across that blew Joe’s mind about Kancey’s run defense. It sure appears Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht belted a home run with this Kancey.
As far as Douzable’s analysis, no sir, probably the last need of the Bucs is interior defensive line.
April 6th, 2024 at 11:11 am
The rotation inside would be complete if Logan Hall could step up his game this season!
April 6th, 2024 at 11:17 am
Was thinking same Buc’s Fan.
So if the season started tomorrow, who are our 5 people up front? Edge Diaby/JTS? Inside Kancey, Via and Hall?
April 6th, 2024 at 11:20 am
Everyone is forgetting how good Mike Greene was playing before he got injured. He’ll be back also. Maroons need to type words to fill screens, nothing more.
Jason knows way more than some unheard of football player named Douchable.
April 6th, 2024 at 11:26 am
It’s always a good idea to draft a DT. Especially in a draft like this when its got some depth. DT classes have been weak lately due to the way the game has changed in college. 3 rotation front means you need 5 solid players. Some of these DTs in this draft play up and down the line. Just because they’re listed DT doesn’t mean he won’t be lining up on the edge on early downs. At least 4 to rotate and one is likely to be injured. Vita is almost 30 now. Big 350-pound guy in their 30s don’t stay healthy. It all starts up front. If the best player is a DT you get him.
April 6th, 2024 at 11:33 am
Agree with Stanglassman.
Vea’s shelf life is nearing its end.
April 6th, 2024 at 11:37 am
Hall got better last year. Put in a lot of work. He was stout against the run and set up the OLBs for sacks. Hall will be a legit player next year.
CK is a beast. He was killing Detroit in the last game of the year. He’ll have +10 sacks next year.
April 6th, 2024 at 11:44 am
Vea’s shelf life is near its end🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 and the dumbest comment of the year award goes too…
April 6th, 2024 at 11:53 am
The Bucs did nothing in free agency to replace Will Gholston or Pat O’Conner.
Mike Greene is injury prone and below average.
Vea is 30 years old and isn’t as effective when he plays more than 60% of the snaps.
Kancey will improve this season but was one of the lowest graded D-lineman in the NFL last season.
Logan Hall is below average and has probably already reached his ceiling.
If one of the top D-line fall to the Bucs at pick #26 I wouldn’t mind our GM making the pick…
April 6th, 2024 at 11:58 am
Time to help the offense…..C/G…..WR3, TE, RB
April 6th, 2024 at 12:10 pm
DT is a position of strength in this draft – and we ARE likely to draft one at some point. Maybe earlier than you think…
Ditto for WR.
April 6th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
Mike Greene.
April 6th, 2024 at 12:20 pm
BoricuaBucFan Says:
April 6th, 2024 at 11:44 am
Vea’s shelf life is near its end🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 and the dumbest comment of the year award goes to (I fixed it for you)
__________
How many more years do you think he’s got?
He’s a beast but he’s not in great shape.
I give him 2 more years max.
The NFL average for interior DL is about 3.5 years BTW.
April 6th, 2024 at 12:26 pm
Yeah, we’re one year from labeling him a bust (though some already have). Right now the Bucs are trying to turn him into Gholston’s replacement. Not sure that project will be a success).
April 6th, 2024 at 12:26 pm
Two, maybe three, is about right.
April 6th, 2024 at 12:38 pm
Interior DL is the last need on the Bucs Defense. As much as I was mad at Hall for blowing Jensen’s knee out while Brady was going thru Giselle’s phone noticing a Jujitsu trainer saved under the name Jody Poundtown, he did show some flashes last year, seems to have turned the corner. Also in Nickle sets, only 2 IDL are on the field. The combo of Vea and Kancey is about to emerge as lethal, and the trio including Logan Hall lacks weakness
April 6th, 2024 at 12:40 pm
on a serious level. Let Hall walk when his contract is up, but for now there is zero need to draft an Interior Dline
April 6th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Nice point about Top D- line player. But overall without the line giving their guys hell, doesn’t that also slow the pass rush down a little. We do Gel together sometimes and kick @rss.
April 6th, 2024 at 12:46 pm
As far as spots we do need to draft, not quite sure how we have 2 spots on the Oline that need improvement and don’t draft an IOL within the top 3 rounds. Last thing we need is a C or G that takes years to develop and turns out average. If you notice, JL is adept at drafting Oline, but he typically grabs them in top 3 rounds (Smith, Cappa, Marpet, Wirfs, Goedeke, Mauch), which keeps the talent level high. It’d be foolish to draft an IOL low. Ya take a stud high. Period. Especially when you have 2 spots that need some TLC
April 6th, 2024 at 12:54 pm
Good Lord, someone needs higher standards.
Unless Joe has this guy confused with someone else, are you referring to the Mike Greene who has six total tackles in his career and not one other stat???
Only the dude’s mother would pimp that as “good.” If Mike Greene is “good,” what is Logan Hall, future Hall of Famer???
April 6th, 2024 at 12:55 pm
ROTFLMAO!!!
April 6th, 2024 at 12:56 pm
Thought you’d like that Joe. Lolol
April 6th, 2024 at 1:07 pm
If there’s a stud DT left at 26 I’d grab them. Let Kancy line up a bit more on the edge. If we can’t get pressure on the edge lets get it up the middle. Lets see how well Kirk moves if he can’t step up in the pocket.
April 6th, 2024 at 1:28 pm
We need to sign Gholston back for one more year and I think we should put Vita Vea on the edge more. He did good when we moved him over.
April 6th, 2024 at 1:31 pm
Noone seems to realize we play a 3-4 defense.
Our interior defensive line is NT.
Our defensive line is DE- NT- DE.
THEN 4 LBers, 2 Safeties, 2 CBers
And in reality, we usually play 3 Lbers, and a 3rd CB. The Slot CB.
We ALL KNOW we need a Passing DE and Pass rushing Lber.
I think we are set at NT. We need 4 starters, before we worry about 3rd string Nose tackles.
April 6th, 2024 at 1:31 pm
If both JTS AND HALL don’t step-it-up this coming season and play at least close to a (modern day) Pro Bowl level, then I SWURR. I have had it up to HERR with those two. Bout over it. Imagine if/when they look awful again next season – How you gone feel bout it? Such a waste. No excuse for either one.
April 6th, 2024 at 1:31 pm
If all the top EDGE, Centers, Guards, Tackles, CBs and WRs are gone then replace Logan Hall. So no.
April 6th, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Yaya didn’t even start all season he’s gonna be a monster
April 6th, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Find us a pass rush next season! I don’t care if we have to make a deal with the devil to do it. We lost 4 games last year because of a lack of one. Get it Done.
April 6th, 2024 at 2:17 pm
Byron Murphy would be a nice add though. We’re not going to have a chance at any of the top edge rushers and it’s a weaker class anyways.
Logan Hall would be a better rotational player and needs competition too. Gholston is gone and old at this point.
April 6th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
@BucEmUp
Exactly … Yaya is going to be a monster for years to come. JL nailed last year w him and Kancey .. landed us our Top DT and Edge for likely the next decade
April 6th, 2024 at 2:34 pm
Hall is a bust thought he’d be ok, just doesn’t have it.
April 6th, 2024 at 3:03 pm
If Jer’Zhan Newton is still available when Bucs pick 1st round- take him and then Kancey can share DE duties
April 6th, 2024 at 3:23 pm
Simeon4HOF Says:
April 6th, 2024 at 2:32 pm
@BucEmUp
Exactly … Yaya is going to be a monster for years to come. JL nailed last year w him and Kancey .. landed us our Top DT and Edge for likely the next decade
______________
The next decade?
That phrase needs to be put to rest.
Also, if they’re both great, and I think there’s a good chance of that, then we’ll have to pay what……….50-60 million a year to keep both of them after their rookie contracts are up?
Is there gonna be enough cash to go around?
April 6th, 2024 at 3:39 pm
I would not be mad if we took Byron Murphy from Texas as BPA
April 6th, 2024 at 3:40 pm
If the best player available is a DT I’m ok with that. Hall doesn’t impress me a bit. I’d rather have an excellent second string tackle than a mediocre first string edge.
April 6th, 2024 at 4:03 pm
Willie Will Gholston took a significant step back in playing time and ability. I think it’s time we move on from him. He’s a great dude & leader but it’s time for some injection of talent there. Hall is a bust but he’s ours for another year so we are stuck with him. Make it or break it year for Hall and JTS. I could see us going DL with the first pick
April 6th, 2024 at 4:04 pm
Stan G. & Dooosh ain’t wrong…a good D-Line is a must ( especially edge of course ). Vea is nearing 40 bodywise…may not hold up much longer. Hall & JTS have more potential to become a pop duet/hair band ( think Milli Vanilli ) than they do solid starters.
April 6th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
TARD of em. Hall and JTS. It’s been long past time for both of em to step up. Especially JTS. Heck. It doesn’t even make any sense. I don’t believe he loves football. He doesn’t have the heart or motor for it. I believe he’s lacking A LOT upstairs, as well. I think all of those things are obvious to see. He has no instincts whatsoever, and is THE definition of insanity. Seriously, it’s almost comical. He does the exact same thing over and over, and again and again. You’ll literally see him out of the corner of your eye just go flyin by, then disappear off the screen entirely, from being at least 10 yards away from the actual play! Every. Dang. Time. Not even close. A Total NON Factor. Then you’ll see him come trotting (walking) back in, right as soon as the play is coming to an end and already over with. And he’ll just line right back up and do it all over AGAIN. The exact same thing. Zero Heart. No Emotion. Acts as if he could not care any less either. I get it that he was very young, inexperienced, and raw when he got here, BUT this is going into his 4TH YEAR now! He’s had plenty of time, plus lots of top tier coaching and mentoring from some of the very best in the business. Seems to have been as healthy as anyone too! There are NO excuses. If he can’t figure it out by now, then his real-life/walking around IQ must not be any higher than what his Football-IQ is LoL. So if he still hasn’t improved his technique, motor, and instincts by now, and also his strength and conditioning before the opening of camp – Then it’s just obvious he doesn’t LOVE Football.
April 6th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
OK, doubters, here is the Bucs head coach discussing most improved players in 2023 and he names Mike Greene first.
“Most improved…before Mike Greene got hurt, he was playing good football.”
Now, if you think Todd is a boob like many do, I can understand why you’d dismiss his comment. Todd knows what good football looks like, he just doesn’t know how to coach his players to get there.
But if you look at film of Mike Greene playing before injury, you will see an active disruptive player always around the football.
Don’t believe me? Ask Todd.
April 6th, 2024 at 4:52 pm
Hall had maybe 1/2 a sack last season with a lot of snaps. Jer’Zhan Newton is mostly in the top 15 prospects and had 7.5 sacks in the Big10. I’m good with him at 26.
April 6th, 2024 at 5:25 pm
Joe, your articles are becoming absurd. It literally seems like the entire objective of this site is to prop up Jason Licht. You continually minimize his mistakes while exaggerating every ‘accomplishment’.
Vita made a pro bowl 3 years ago. Kancey looks promising, but naturally you create premature hyperbole about how Licht hit a home run with him. Of course, no mention of Licht’s massive mistake drafting Logan Hall. And Greg Gaines is an excellent run stopper? He had 24 tackles last year and a run stopping PFF grade of 47.9.
You’re starting to lose credibility with this subjected, biased agenda of trying to turn Jason Licht into an infallible football God.
You’re being silly. Logan Hall hasn’t been good, neither has Tryon-Shoyinka, who Joe has written about endlessly. Licht has been a superior GM since the 2018 draft. The record, the roster and the cap situation is there to be scrutinized. There always will be misses. The PFF grades are meaningless to Joe. It’s not premature hyperbole on Kancey. He produced coming off an injury as a rookie and showed dominating characteristics. Looks like a legit first-round pick, which is a major win. –Joe
April 6th, 2024 at 5:37 pm
@Booger – exactly. People keep saying JTS always gets so close to the QB, he just needs to finish! Nope. Every offensive tackle in the league knows to just push JTS wide to the outside and by the time he finally makes the arc back to the QB, the play is over. JTS falls right into the gameplan of the OT. Rinse and repeat. Dude is soft and clueless. A huge swing and miss for Licht.
April 6th, 2024 at 5:41 pm
Four defensive linemen are not enough, just like three corners are not enough.
April 6th, 2024 at 5:54 pm
There’s no sense demonizing Joe ( one of them, anyway) for having an opinion. Anybody else either. I happen to think that if we could get someone like Jer’Zahn Newton we should grab him, but I wouldn’t trade up very far for him because we have other needs too. Jason Licht ain’t gonna ask either one of us what we think. I happen to think Licht is one of the best GMs around. Now I don’t think much of Todd Bowles, but Licht sure as heck couldn’t fire him after last year’s late turnaround. If he gets us to the divisional round again next season I might even start to actually like the guy.
BTW, JTS is more meh than terrible, but Hall blows chunks.
April 6th, 2024 at 7:12 pm
Dave Pear really does have CTE.
Sad what that can do to a person’s cognitive ability.
😢
April 6th, 2024 at 7:47 pm
I shocked by all the Mike Greene talk.
Maybe the only guy he is better than on the team is Robert Hainsey. But don’t mention that to the writers of this blog.
April 6th, 2024 at 8:04 pm
Dave Pear … ‘Todd knows what good football looks like, he just doesn’t know how to coach his players to get there.’
Hmmm, and yet his players, particularly on defense, seem to love him. Seems to have done a pretty decent job putting together multiple Top-10 finishes on defense. For a guy who doesn’t ‘know how to coach his players to get there’ that is.
Our interior DLine needs beefing up. If we lose Vea (again), we’d be in a world of hurt for the rest of the season. We pulled it off in 2020 primarily because we still had Suh, JPP, RNR & Shaq, and Gholston played extraordinarily well that season (led the team with 20 QB hits & also had 3 sacks & 44 tackles).
Who’d pick up the slack this season if Vea goes down? Gaines? Kancey? Hall? Diaby? JTS? Back in 2020, Suh, JPP, RNR, Shaq & Gholston had 26.5 sacks, 72 QB hits, and 220 tackles among them. Last year, Gaines, Kancey, Hall, Diaby & JTS together had 18 sacks, 33 QB hits & 165 tackles. Fairly sizable difference IMO when Vea is taken out of the equation in both seasons. And that doesn’t take into account that Devin White was able to contribute 9 sacks & 16 QB hits largely because our interior DLine created enough holes for him to effectively blitz that season to take up some slack in the pass rush.
Gholston’s unlikely to be re-signed, except maybe if someone goes down in the season (he wasn’t all that effective last season). Greene MIGHT step up, but so far there’s no track record there to indicate that he will. Hall & JTS MIGHT also step up, but I don’t see anyone holding their breath on that. Gaines is a space-eater, and very dependable at the point of attack IMO (doubt he’ll set the pass rush world on fire anytime soon). Kancey & Diaby are both poised to step it up big-time IMO, but they’ll both need help to optimize their game (Vea provides that help inside, but if he goes down I don’t see anyone waiting in the wings to step up as of right now).
So ya, IF there’s a DT beast available in the Top-3 rounds, Bucs should be willing to pull the trigger. He’d help us this year (as Gholston’s replacement) and especially in future years.
April 6th, 2024 at 8:31 pm
Potential Draft Picks:
• Darius Robinson
• Mohamed Kamara
• Fabien Lovett
Potential Depth Chart:
• 5TECH: Darius Robinson | Logan Hall | William Gholston
• NOSE: Vita Vea | Fabien Lovett
• 3TECH: Calijah Kancey | Greg Gaines | Mike Greene
• RUSH: Yaya Diaby | Joe Tyron-Shoyinka | Anthony Nelson
• SAM: Mohamed Kamara | Randy Gregory | Markees Watts
April 6th, 2024 at 8:37 pm
This is stupid.
April 6th, 2024 at 8:46 pm
The national media does not realize that Carlton is fragile goods, guaranteed to miss several games a season and cannot play zone. They also did not see film on Davis from the Texans meltdown. Detroit got fleeced for giving up a day 2 pick for him.
April 6th, 2024 at 8:47 pm
Mike Greene
Markees Watts
Of course, would hit the practice squad
April 6th, 2024 at 8:55 pm
I wouldn’t be mad if we got Kneeland in the first either to be more of a 3-4 DE
April 6th, 2024 at 8:56 pm
Last year, Yaya Diaby relentlessly challenged Joe Tyron-Shoyinka for playing time, ultimately seizing his place in the lineup. Demonstrating remarkable aptitude against the run and as a pass rusher, Darius Robinson will emerge as a force with unparalleled potential, eclipsing even Logan Hall and significantly fortifying our defensive rotation.
April 6th, 2024 at 9:34 pm
NOW WE JUST NEED A DIFFERENT STARTING QB.
🙂
April 6th, 2024 at 10:02 pm
Would not mind if the 26 pick for Tampa was either IOL or IDL build the trenches up. Newton seems to be the best one even over Murphy imo but either Murphy or Newton would not be disappointing in first round. Would prefer a DT or C before a corner though. I feel real confident in Licht and will probably be happy with his decision, Go Buc!
April 7th, 2024 at 1:14 am
These defensive players regressed under Bowles coaching.
Devin White – gone
Carlton Davis – gone
Jamel Dean – lucky to not be gone
These defensive players are playing at the same level as when they were rookies, not improving.
Vita Vea (lots more untapped potential, a HOF talent without the consistent performance)
Joe Tryon Shoyinka (still a headless chicken)
Logan Hall (still invisible)
Then there’s the pass defense at large, regressing severely.
And someone writes a 9,265 word post to somehow make the point that his players love playing for him therefore he ,ist be a great cos h.
Players loved playing for Raheem Morris, too. That 4-12, 10 game losing streak where half the players quit was a thing of beauty. Players loving a coach means squat in terms of whether he’s actually a good coach.
Todd gets high marks for being a father figure, a counselor, a good dude.
He’s a losing head coach with two teams and his specialty – defense – is regressing. Them’s facts. Puff up some more words for eloquent excuses. Reality is different.
April 7th, 2024 at 10:38 am
Bowles scheme has a 3-4 base but he does exotic things with his players so I am going to call it hybrid. Drafting a quality defensive lineman will only help the rotation and, perhaps extend Vea’s career.
Go Bucs!!!
April 8th, 2024 at 7:48 am
Dave Pear. If it wasn’t for the defense we lose both games against the lowly Panthers because the offense sucked both games. When the bucs went on a 6 game losing streak 5 of the loses was because the offense couldn’t score and defense stayed in the field.