Graham Barton Hype Train Full Steam Ahead
May 29th, 2024
Dominating underwear football?
OK, Joe really, really, really wants to believe this Graham Barton report from NFL Network’s Sara Walsh. And there is zee-row reason to believe her report is hatched in any way. She’s a strong reporter.
But Joe just cannot embrace how anyone with the Bucs can tell from underwear football that a lineman is the second coming of Ryan Jensen.
Part of Joe really wants to embrace Walsh’s feedback she got from Baker Mayfield and offensive coordinator Liam Coen (Joe saw the two talking for a long time after practice yesterday standing on the patio behind One Buc Palace getting roasted by the brutal Florida sun).
But let’s tap the brakes here.
While Mayfield and Coen told Walsh that Barton is blowing up in OTAs, let’s not forget one very major element of underwear football: There is no hitting. None. Zero. Dudes are in shorts and practice jerseys, wearing helmets.
Joe doesn’t know how anyone can determine if a lineman is all that when he cannot hit. How is that remotely credible for Mayfield and/or Coen to say how good Barton looks when he’s not allowed to do anything?
Linemen get much more physical with the blocking sleds than they ever do in underwear football.
If this were after the first week of training camp and Mayfield and Coen were lauding Barton, that’s one thing. In the first week of training camp, at least the players have had a couple of full-contact, full-hitting practices.
Even Walsh admitted she pushed back a little with Mayfield asking him how he would know. He said it was Barton’s quickness.
Joe always compares underwear football to flag football — only in underwear football there are no flags. Could you tell if a team has a stud center based on flag football? Of course not.
Yes, Joe wants to believe this. So with apologies up front, Joe will withhold judgment until seeing (and hearing) Barton use his pads that he’s yet to be issued.
Baker Mayfield on working with The Bucs 1st round center Graham Barton: “He’s a stud.” #bucs #nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/X15a9Lwqb6
— Sara Walsh (@Sara_Walsh) May 29, 2024
May 29th, 2024 at 4:24 am
I know what I saw, Jason knew what he saw….experienced QB Baker and Coen now confirm what they see….i know i know, its a little early….just trust the process
May 29th, 2024 at 4:25 am
And watch Braswell blow up too
May 29th, 2024 at 6:30 am
Bartons Quickness is what really stood out.
Edge rushers never beat him to the Corner.
Thats why Id really love to see him start at Guard. With his speed and agility, he would blow linebackers up when he was running sweeps and pulls.
Last year, everyone wanted to know why we always ran up the middle. Its because Stennie couldnt run a sweep or pull for the RB. Mauch struggled at it also. Running around the edge requires guards that can get around outside the tackle. We didnt have any last year. With Mauchs off season of training, He should be able to get it done. Sua Opeta is not gonna be any help with that. He runs like his knees dont bend. Think” The Mummy”
Even as a rookie, I think Barton would be a great pulling guard. I hope we get to see. Let Bredesen start at Center.
May 29th, 2024 at 6:39 am
Everyone is probably happy with controlling what can be controlled so far. Understanding the plays, the footwork, what Baker’s preferences are, adjustments at the line, etc. I’m with Joe though. Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth. Let’s see what happens with the pads on.
May 29th, 2024 at 6:58 am
Yes it’s gym shorts football, but lets not forget a little thing called tape. Barton’s tape backs up the claim he looks like Tarzan, and plays like him! Baker is smiling because in all his years of football he’s never seen a center as big as Barton, move as fast as Barton. He probably has the play book down too. Big, smart, fast. Don’t trust what people are saying, trust your own eyes. The kid’s a beast, the tape don’t lie.
May 29th, 2024 at 8:10 am
We are not the only team who wanted Barton….
And, yes….Baker can tell if he’s a stud…even in UF. Size, speed..power combo.
May 29th, 2024 at 8:27 am
If we had a decent center, it would be great to see him at guard. Hainsey is not starter caliber at center.
May 29th, 2024 at 8:36 am
Maybe D Smith would play left guard ,, lil switch to guard late in the career and have a good left tackle back up !! Just sayin , the idea is to try and get better !!
May 29th, 2024 at 8:41 am
Hell he was a starting left tackle for the Super Bowl Champs with like a 3 mil salary/ cap hit . Hell yes bring him in at 30 years old for 3-5 mil . He would def be the best left guard , lil lazy but not dealing with the edge play in and play out may be a nice change .
May 29th, 2024 at 9:07 am
Coen doesn’t seem like the type of guy to brag about a player unless he sees it. I am going with the great news. Similar to other comments, other teams wanted Barton. We got him and are lucky we did.
May 29th, 2024 at 9:12 am
Ok Joe but Sarah has talked to two guys and they are only seeing a guy run around in his shorts too. They are saying only what you would expect them to say. 32 teams in the league right now are saying basically the same thing about there 1st rounders.
Hope this ends up being an understatement, and Barton makes it to legendary status. However He has not played any football in the NFL yet and he is a rookie. Hype indeed.
Go Bucs!
May 29th, 2024 at 9:17 am
Smith is done.
May 29th, 2024 at 9:23 am
Baker is just trying to create rapport with his new OL. That’s it.
May 29th, 2024 at 10:10 am
So far so good…
May 29th, 2024 at 10:12 am
Heck yeah, I’m expecting defenses to be parted like the dead sea. Relatively speaking of course.
May 29th, 2024 at 10:41 am
Center has to be more cerebral than guard and tackle. That part of Barton could definitely show up in underwear football along with work ethic and leadership traits.
May 29th, 2024 at 10:44 am
God Bless the rookie center that can hold his own! Go Bucs!
May 29th, 2024 at 12:06 pm
I know that the team needs to get the run game going, I just hope we are not sacrificing the pass blocking for the run.
May 29th, 2024 at 12:13 pm
Licht has a nose for Olineman like a pig has for truffles. I understand he’s not Tristan Wirfs, but he screams All Pro/Pro Bowl type athlete and attitude just like Wirfs did when he was drafted. It’s really starting to feel like Licht knocked the cover off the ball this draft.
May 29th, 2024 at 12:29 pm
Old Baker has worked with studs and duds on the OLine. Most of the studs were IOL. If he sees a bunch of JC Tretter and Joel Bitonio in this guy, trust and believe he’s gonna be all that
May 29th, 2024 at 1:47 pm
Rover, I’m loving the Billie Holiday reference!
May 29th, 2024 at 2:01 pm
I was just thinking the same thing about the Billie Holiday reference, JustVisiting.
Ditto to Rover. Good one!
May 29th, 2024 at 2:13 pm
Playing that many consecutive games takes a toll on you.
I think Donovan Smith is breaking down now.
He had a fntastic career. Has a couple of Super Bowl rings in his vault.
Its too bad he was so underappreciated by the absolutely clueless idiots here.
The knowledgable fans in Tampa understand what a great tackle he was.
The simpletons STILL are regurgitating something they read in a predraft magazine.
May 29th, 2024 at 3:33 pm
Donovan Smith has hurt knees.
He plays too upright to switch to guard.
We will survive with Sua, Brederson and Klein.
Hainsey might get cut.
Somebody may go down during the pre-season.
Anything can happen.
No depth? No Super Bowls. Fact.
May 29th, 2024 at 5:27 pm
Hainsey’s not getting cut.
Billie Holiday still gives me the chills.
I hope Barton lives up to a portion of the hype
May 29th, 2024 at 6:32 pm
Believe man, to much kinda kicking the dead horse. Over and over and over and over and F all the BS. Unless you’ve really been on an NFL field and what not you don’t even understand all of the little tiny things like one of those that have. They even know how many times your nads swing back and forth. All I hear is doubt from the very people that love them and want a winning record. Just Believe!!! Doubt just opens the door to who knows what else.