Ultimate Endorsement
December 3rd, 2020
Tristan Wirfs
It’s very interesting hearing a Buccaneers defensive coach chat for a while and apparently get most excited about a Bucs offensive player.
That’s what happened this week when the Bucs gave outside linebackers coach Larry Foote a radio platform.
The conversation shifted to rookie right tackle Tristan Wirfs taking on Shaq Barrett in practice before this season started. That opened a door for Foote, a two-time Super Bowl-winning linebacker, to basically call Wirfs the best offensive lineman in Bucs history.
“I’ve probably been in this league close to 20 years, I’ve never seen an offensive lineman rookie look the way he looks,” Foote said. “I don’t care if it’s early pick, middle pick, late pick, free agent. And you’ve seen it Day 1 when he was in there. ‘Like, whoa, this kid is different.’ We definitely struck gold with that pick and that guy being there that late in the first round. But he’s a stud; he’s going to be an All-Pro here on out.”
Very high praise for Wirfs, who Joe believes is at least worthy of your Pro Bowl vote.
Foote went on to note that while Shaq beat Wirfs and taught him lessons in training camp, it was rarely a clean beat, mostly “plan B and C.”
So if Wirfs is an All-Pro right tackle, Rob Gronkowski is healthy and rounding into top form, and the Bucs are fresh as daisies coming off a bye week, shouldn’t they be able to pound the rock against the Vikings’ 23rd-ranked defense?
December 3rd, 2020 at 6:49 am
Speaking of Gronk – Lost in all the panic and craziness, is that he looked AMAZING Sunday and outshined Kelce who had a great game in his own right. 6 for 106, showed speed etc. This is a great opportunity for the Bucs to use these next 4 games to work on faster starts, work in more 2 TE sets and play action, better game prep, maybe stop going single high safety so GD much, get their confidence sky high heading in to post season. I’m a big believer in that talent always wins in the end, the Bucs have the talent. Now let’s put it together and be consistent
December 3rd, 2020 at 6:55 am
Wait until he physically matures and has another season of experience. The guy is going to be dominant. I think he will turn out to be the best OL in the 2020 draft.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:10 am
Run ROJO Run, Run ROJO Run, this is a game to remember to RUN the Ball. lol, but maybe not, lol seeing how pass happy they have been forced to be. Please just score early so the Defense is not freaked out scared like last week, maybe not play Winfield 20- 25 yards back lol. He was so far back he could not even get over to help out Davis at all, and most of the times he was not really affecting the play at all. That is definitely on the coaching staff. The way he was lined up, it took him right out of the play many times. GO BUCS!!!!
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:18 am
No one really knew Wirfs was gonna be this good until now
except he’s an exceptional athlete at the combine……….that’s it
Next season…………..he needs to be moved to LT and get rid of Donovan’s Smith lazy pedestrian ass
Donovan Smith is a paycheck player………….nothing more
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:36 am
We need to save big money in order to pay Godwin & LVD……cutting/trading Smith….moving Wirfs to LT & drafting a RT would be a good start.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:41 am
Anthem,
Absolutely right about the new Softie, Durable Donovan Smith.
He’s here for the money. Probably really wants to be a jazz DJ.
And yes Joe, we should run the ball early and offer against the Vikings.
Note to BL:
Maybe pass on first down on the the first series to set up the run on second down.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:52 am
No excuses. It’s time to take what we’ve learned, what we know works, abandon all else and take these Viking MF’s to the woodshed – and never stop for the rest of the season.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:54 am
Draft a left or right tackle in the second or third round. Trade or release Smith sign Beachum for a lot less.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:55 am
NEWSFLASH: They are all here for money. I’m not here to defend DS but if it was so easy to replace him, he would already be gone. We barely got Wirfs as terrible as we were. What are the chances we have the good fortune of finding a LT in the draft with a winning record? Starting Left Tackles make good money because they are hard to find.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:59 am
Bucs need to to average 30+ these next few games, maybe 40 against the dirty birds, because they are capable of putting up those kind of numbers, whatever CDIII did last year against Julio and D-hop, he needs to repeat against the Vikings and Falcons. Stop the TE for the Lions (shut out).
December 3rd, 2020 at 8:06 am
Pound the rock, that’s funny Joe. By pound do you mean giving Rojo 11 carries instead of 10? Or how about pound him to the bench, and let your boy Fournette come in? Eleven games in I don’t remember the Bucs really committing to the run in any of them. I don’t believe we’ll be pounding the rock anytime soon.
December 3rd, 2020 at 8:18 am
Buc50,
Let me state this another way……
Of course they’re all here for the money, that’s just a stupid statement, but players like New Softie DS seem to be here ONLY for the money and have no passion for the game itself.
Watch his play, it’s very obvious he could give two sh!ts.
Compare Durable Donovan’s play to someone like JPP.
Night and day difference in game day passion.
Donovan WILL be replaced.
December 3rd, 2020 at 8:34 am
What I said still stands. If it was easy to replace him, he would already be gone. People sitting on the couch eating cheetos calling a starting LT soft…nothing more stupid than that.
JPP plays a skill position where high emotions work in your favor.
December 3rd, 2020 at 8:49 am
That’s a very snack-specific statement Buc50.
I can only assume it has to do with the enraging Orange45 color.
😄
December 3rd, 2020 at 9:22 am
Sorry, I should have added tweeting. 🙂
December 3rd, 2020 at 10:08 am
I’m down for getting another OT in the first or second. If that player was good we could be set at OT for the next decade.
December 3rd, 2020 at 10:13 am
Before everyone pronounces Licht a genius for drafting Wirfs, let it be remembered he fell to us.
He was not expected to be there, when we drafted.
Taking him was a total no brainer.
December 3rd, 2020 at 10:20 am
Licht traded up to get Wirfs, so he didn’t exactly fall to the Bucs.
GREAt pick.
December 3rd, 2020 at 10:50 am
Everyone blasted Licht for that trade, too. Let’s give Licht some love for the 2020 draft class.
Every team that drafted a OT before Wirfs is kicking themselves.
December 3rd, 2020 at 10:54 am
basically the jersey to start rockin’ is a wirfs in the pewter
December 3rd, 2020 at 11:25 am
If all the OT’s were available when we picked, I guarantee Licht would have picked at least 2 or 3 of the others before Wirfs!! We got Lucky!!
December 3rd, 2020 at 1:06 pm
@Buc50
I’m all for keeping DSmith. He’s been solid despite what critics say. The issue is the salary cap next year. He’s making the 2nd highest amount on the Bucs and can be cut without penalty next offseason. A lot of teams are going to be in the same boat, forced to cut talented players. We’ll have to get cheaper at LT, but not necessarily worse. I think it’s more likely they sign a free agent and maybe draft a developmental player later. First couple rounds have to address the D line.
December 3rd, 2020 at 1:25 pm
@ArmchairGM I can agree with that one. We might need to think about QB in early rounds as well.
December 3rd, 2020 at 3:21 pm
NDog.. I thought the same thing reading this thread… that and we are without OJ Howard
December 3rd, 2020 at 5:21 pm
@Buc50
It’s going to be a crazy NFL season next year with the cap crunch. The Bucs’ future is clouded after 2021. Brady and BA will probably be gone. I doubt they draft a QB given BA’s distaste for prepping for the future when he won’t be around (see his comments about drafting O-linemen).
@NDog is an idiot
I read somewhere that Wirfs was Licht’s #2 and Jedrick Willis (Browns LT) was #1. Take that with a grain of salt as it’s all speculation. Wirfs was every pundit’s #1 tackle with the only knock on him being that he might be better as a RT than left. It was a safe pick, but Wirfs has exceeded those high draft pick expectations.
December 3rd, 2020 at 7:08 pm
ROJO must get 25 carries against the Vikes – we must establish the run game and everything else will magically fall into place
RUN THE BALL
Wirfs might be the LT long term, he is clearly a stud
December 4th, 2020 at 12:37 pm
BucsAnthem: You just said what I’ve been saying for months about lazy ass Smith.