Noah Spence is Shining Bright

Bucs Gm Jason Licht had a big smile on his face, watching Noah Spence dominate like he did as the players went full pads this morning. For Licht to be able to not only get Hargreaves but Spence as well in the second round is just not fair. Spence is a first round talent and was the best pass rusher from this draft class. It showed in camp today as Spence was unblockable and was in the backfield often today. He has a lightning quick first step to go along with the ability to turn the corner coming off the edge. Here is a couple tweets on Spence's big day as his potential and ability was shining bright today.

Smith and Spence have a diff level of twitch to them! They can not be blocked consistently in the pass game right now! #Bucstrainingcamp

— Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) July 31, 2016

The pads are on and DE Noah Spence is among the shiniest stars of #Bucs practice. He's been in the backfield a lot.

— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsNFL) July 31, 2016

Spence is clearly showing he is ready for primetime and the Bucs are going to need him to produce this season and help this pass rush get back to the days of old. It's still early in camp and Spence needs to show he can be consistent and put together good practices back to back. This defense already had good speed but now with Spence added to the mix the d-line is just that much more athletic and quicker all the way around. If Jack Smith can stay healthy, him and Spence should dominate off the edges with McCoy getting most of the attention. The Bucs needed to get G.McCoy some help and it looks like it has finally arrived.

Winston and Evans Showing Improved Chemistry

Last season it seemed that the Winston to Evans connection was just little bit off throughout the year as they couldn't create any consistency. Evans had 12 touchdowns his first year and only 3 this past year, part of that was due to defenses doubling Evans in the redzone while the rest was just Jameis and Evans timing being just slightly off. Winston and Evans want to be a dominant passing duo in this league which is why they have been training together all off-season. So far it looks like the work has paid off as the two look to be in sync and have shown good chemistry during the first two days of camp via Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com

If Jameis Winston & Mike Evans were looking for better chemistry this year, looks like they've found out. They've hooked repeatedly today.

— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) July 29, 2016

This team will need these two to play up to their abilities if they want to make the playoffs this season. I know Jameis is going to bring it, and Evans has the capability to be unstoppable but he needs to stay focused. If both can get on the same page and maintain that focus every week it will be hard for defenses to stop. The Bucs have dynamic duo with these two and it looks like it is about to be unleashed this season. This offense could be scary good for the next decade with Winston and Evans at quarterback and receiver respectively.

Winston to Evans.#bucscamp pic.twitter.com/9PhNMUC0jg

— PewterReport.com (@PewterReport) July 29, 2016

Bucs D-Line Showing Versatility

NFL games are usually won in the trenches and over the past few years Bucs Gm Jason Licht has done a good job of building up both lines. The offensive line has tremendous depth with at least 7 capable starters, and now this past offseason it was the d-line's turn to acquire much needed depth. The Bucs added veteran Robert Ayers and drafted heralded rookie Noah Spence giving the Bucs defensive line more quality depth. Today at training camp we got a look at a possible rotation for the d-line as the first team was Ayers, J.Smith at end with McCoy and Mcdonald at tackle which is a quality starting line.

Then the second unit had Noah Spence, Howard Jones at end with A.Spence and Will Gholston at tackle which gives the Bucs a very athletic second group.  The Bucs were rotating Gholston and N.Spence in with the first group as Gholston was being used at tackle and end usually during run situations while Spence was coming in with nickel personnel. It is going to be exciting to see how creative Mike Smith gets with his personnel as he should be able to put pressure on the qb with his front 4 especially in passing situations. 

The Bucs can put N.Spence, J.Smith at the end and then move Ayers inside next to McCoy which gives you 4 capable pass rushers and one of them should win a one on one most of the time. Last year the offensive line became a strength of this team perhaps this year the defensive line becomes a strength as well, and if the Bucs want to make playoffs this year they are going to need a strong d-line. This d-line has everything from athleticism, strength, versatility, and most importantly quality pass rushers. To bring winning back to Tampa, this d-line will have to be one of the strengths of this team, or it will struggle to win consistently.

Competition at Slot WR Shows on Day 1

The Bucs have two star receivers in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson whom both will be a big part of the offense this year. However, the bigger story is who will be the team's slot receiver as a fierce competition is brewing there and it showed today. The top two candidates are Adam Humphries and Kenny Bell whom both are entering their 2nd season. Humphries was one of the big surprises last year while Bell didn't play due to injury after shining all off-season. Well the competition might have just gotten tougher after today's performance by special teams ace Russell Shepard. Shepard hasn't been able to produce as a receiver, mostly making his impact on special teams but perhaps this year is the year that changes. Making big plays against Brent Grimes helps via JP Peterson.

Russell Shepard catches deep ball from Jameis beating Brent Grimes by a couple steps

— JP Peterson (@JPPetersonSprts) July 28, 2016

Again they are not in pads so until that happens we can't get too high on this but it is encouraging to see. Shepard is a guy I have always been high on as the physical tools are there, but it's about putting the mental side of the game together too. Today was a good start for him as he was making big plays consistently, but he is going to have to be consistent everyday if he truly wants to be a bigger part of the offense. Not to be out done, Kenny Bell made big plays today as well showing his speed and quickness like in this video via Greg Auman.

Video: Jameis Winston hits Kenny Bell on quick pass at #Bucs practice. pic.twitter.com/DinKr57ybe

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) July 28, 2016

Again same goes for Bell as needs to be consistent and prove he is capable of doing this in game situations. Then there is the current slot receiver Adam Humphries who is Mr. reliable and right now has the edge to win the position. Humphries has great hands and is very consistent in his route running as he shows here via pewterreport.com.

Winston to @adamhumphries13 #BucsCamp pic.twitter.com/XecGO0iT0T

— PewterReport.com (@PewterReport) July 28, 2016

This is only day one of camp but this slot receiver battle should be a fun one to watch as we inch closer to the start of the season.

Playoff Run on the Way?

Today the Bucs reported for training camp and some of the players took some time to speak with the media. The common theme was this is a very talented roster and it is time to make some noise by winning games this year. 5th year running back Doug Martin was very excited talking about the team and he feels this is the best roster he has been apart of and feels playoffs is within reach. The whole team has a real confidence and is thinking playoffs according to Martin.

Doug Martin, going into his 5th season, says this is the most optimistic he's been about a playoff run. Says the whole team feels that way.

— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) July 27, 2016

As he should feel that way, this team has the pieces in place to make a playoff push so why not in 2016. Doug Martin will be one of the big pieces on offense as this team will need him to produce and stay healthy like he did in 2015. As I have mention before, one of the Bucs strengths is running the football and with a great back like Martin that should continue this season. This Bucs team has confidence throughout and everyone looks hungry to make something happen this season. The team is tired of losing, now it's time to go out there and make winning a habit.

Past Their Prime

With the season getting closer, the Bucs are equipped with a very talented and deep roster which is something they haven't had in quite some time. As we head into training camp, things like injuries or certain players become available does occur in which Bucs gm Jason Licht must be prepare for at all times. The current roster is not set and is always fluid as the team is always looking for ways to get better. Licht in the past has done a great job of finding key players in August to help this team during the season. For instance, Jacquies Smith two years ago, then last year in Godser Cherilus and Joe Hawely whom all have been big contributors for this team.

Now as we head into August this year, fans want to see the team add a big name like Dwight Freeney or Roddy White and while those two guys could certainly help sometimes it is just not the right move. Gm Jason Licht said it best yesterday while on 620am that signing the name player isn't always the best move.

#Bucs GM @jasonrlicht: "Signing the name isn't always the right thing to do. Sometimes, they're past their prime."

— Buccaneers on Scout (@TBBucsOnScout) July 26, 2016

Now this doesn't mean the Bucs haven't look at these guys as the Bucs look at all players available, but it means perhaps these two guys are just not what they used to be. Now again the roster isn't set and injuries do occur so maybe the Bucs give these guys a call in a few weeks. For now the Bucs have a more than capable roster and it should be a fun season in 2016.

Jameis Should Have Improved Vision in 2016

The Bucs did not have many bright spots last season, but one of them was the play of rookie Qb Jameis Winston whom continued to improve as the season went on. Winston went on to throw for over 4,000 yards plus 28 total touchdowns verses 15 interceptions and 2 fumbles lost. That's pretty good considering he was rookie plus having two rookie offensive lineman and not having an consistent receiving options throughout the season. Now everything wasn't perfect as Jameis must still improve in all areas, but one area that needs work is his vision in scanning the field. Lets take a look at Jameis's first interception which happened to be his first throw of his career.

Jameis failed to see number 24 and thought his out route was going to be wide open, unfortunately it ended in a pick 6. If Jameis can see that he needs to step up here and hit the checkdown to Martin its a easy first down, hopefully these kind of plays can be avoided in 2016. Jameis should improve in this area due to experience and having a better understanding of defenses. Getting the feel for the speed of the game should help Jameis slow down the game more and we saw that last year in the middle of the season where Jameis played his best football. No one works harder than Jameis, so I would expect him to display better awareness and vision when throwing the football this year, limiting the dumb interceptions.

With better vision, it should allow Jameis to be more accurate as well which will help get his completion percentage up over 60 percent. So when watching preseason, these are things to look for from Jameis in that he is showing better vision and hitting the open man. Now Jameis won't be perfect in his second year as there will be mistakes but with the amount of work he puts in, I expect we will see less errors in 2016.

Finding an Identity

Before last year, I was always saying the Bucs need to find an identity on offense and defense and stick with it. Now this was an issue due to the revolving door with the coaching staff and players as their was no consistency on both fronts. However, with Dirk Koetter taking over the offense last season we finally saw an identity on offense which was playing a balance style with establishing the run early with medium to deep play action passes mixed in. The Bucs found their identity which was playing physical by using their strengths which was running the ball to open up the play action passing game. With the Bucs offense going into their second season in the same scheme they look to build upon last year and continue to enforce a physical style of play on offense with explosive plays mixed in.

This offense is built to run the football so why not take advantage of that and make it known to opposing teams that its going to be a physical game when they play the Bucs. Now Koetter wants an balance diverse offense but it is good to know that the offense has something it can lean on every week and that is the running game. With two good running backs in Doug Martin and Charles Sims plus a physical offensive line led by second year guys in Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet, this running game could reach a new level this year. Koetter will likely bring back the 6 man o-line along with the 3 tight end sets which he used to run and pass out of which confused opposing defenses.

The play above just shows what this offense is capable of and that it could be one of the better offenses in the league this season. With pretty much the same personnel returning, hopefully the Bucs can build on the identity that was formed last season and continue to be a smash mouth explosive offense in 2016.

Win the Turnover Battle

There are certain things that NFL teams must do well every week to win consistently in the league. One thing that every team strives to be the best at is having a plus turnover ratio because if they achieve it that usually means more wins than losses. Now this doesn't guarantee a spot in the playoffs but it definitely puts the team in a better position to win most games. It also doesn't mean a superbowl win as the Denver Broncos were minus 4 in turnover ratio but overcame it due to great talent on defense. However for the Bucs winning the turnover battle is very important as they tend to play in a lot of close games in which usually the turnover battle decides the game.

Last season the Bucs had a minus 5 turnover ratio, having 28 giveaways to 23 takeaways which is just sub par and is not winning football. The team committed 15 interceptions plus 13 fumbles on offense while the defense collected 11 interceptions and 12 forced fumbles. I can understand the 15 interceptions since Jameis Winston was a rookie and he was learning on the field but 13 fumbles is atrocious and should never happen. The Bucs must do a better job of securing the football and make sure bad fumbles do not occur. On defense more interceptions must occurred as usually 15 ints is average but 20 should be the standard, and is something this team can definitely achieve. This defense will be more aggressive plus more talent should help this team to create more takeaways which hopefully will add more wins.  If the Bucs want to make a playoff push, they need to win the turnover battle consistently. 

Progress Must be Made This Year

The Bucs have been in the NFC south cellar for the last 5 seasons and are hoping 2016 will present a different outcome. Lot of things have gone wrong for this franchise starting with poor drafting, bad coaching hires, and striking out in free agency. Some has been bad luck like Carl Nicks career ending injury, or the team being hit with mersa, or even worse the offensive coordinator lost for the season due to a heart issue. The Glazers have not hesitated to make change when they feel it's necessary as they have fired 3 head coaches over the last 4 years. Over the last two years, the Glazers might have found the winning combo in Gm Jason Licht and new head coach Dirk Koetter along with franchise Qb Jameis Winston.

The pressure is on Gm Jason Licht and head coach Dirk Koetter to produce and win now, especially Licht because Koetter is his guy and even though he is taking over a 6-10 team, the expectation is to win right away by making a playoff push. It's time to make real progress this year, no more coming up short or playing below expectations, it's time to put up or shut up for the Bucs in 2016. Over the last few seasons, I felt the team had the talent to make the playoffs but the seasons have only ended in disappointment.

It's time for this team to put it all together and start playing to its ability which should lead to wins. This is probably the best roster the Bucs have put together in quite some time as it has quality depth on both sides of the field. The coaching staff is experienced and has great teachers across the board. This team has no excuses not to win this year and definitely should not be in last place in the division when the season ends. Progress must be made this year, or else the door will be open for more potential firings.

Defensive Side of the Ball

During a piece of NFL network, NFL's Jeff Darlington gave his insight on the expectations of the bucs defense and had a few pieces of what newcomer Robert Ayers thinks about this new defense.

This team was quite frankly terrible at the start of OTA's, they weren't where they needed to be. Now as minicamp wrapped, he noted that we're less terrible now, but he said that we got the pieces in place to be a really dominant defense.

Ayers coming from the giants defense from last year obviously knows what terrible looks like as they ranked dead last in overall defense last year to go along with last against the pass. He is also right in saying that we have all the pieces in place with cornerstones in McCoy, David and Alexander, not to mention young talent that could play huge roles this year in VH3 and Noah Spence. The bucs have a full rotation of defensive lineman finally and one of the strongest groups of linebackers in the NFL to go along with it. The biggest key is bringing all of it together and working as a team and it seems as if Ayers notices that they are improving. No one is expecting the defense to go from worst to first but we need to see some progression with every game.

Noah Spence is Adding to His Pass Rush Arsenal

The Bucs are hoping Noah Spence can be that dominant pass rusher that they have been searching for since the days of Simeon Rice. The Bucs were lucky to get Spence in the second round because he was the best pass rusher in the draft. Spence made some bad decisions but it doesn't mean he is a bad person, and he is ready to turn the corner with the Bucs. Spence was very good in college with 20 sacks combined between his time at Ohio State and Eastern Kentucky. Spence is just a natural as he has good athleticism and outstanding quickness off the snap allowing him to get to the Qb quickly. Spence's go-to move is the outside speed dip and rip which can be very effective if executed properly. Watch Spence do it perfectly against Donovan Smith who Spence will go against in practice every day now.

Now that move can be very effective but to be a great pass rusher you have to have a counter or a inside move to set up the outside move. Lets take a look at Dwight Freeney who is one of the best in the game in setting up left tackles by using his spin move inside to get sacks.

Freeney does a great job of making it look like he is going to use the outside rip but does a great job of spinning back inside and its a easy sack. Now Noah Spence is looking to add the spin move to his rush game as he has been working with pass rush specialist coach Chuck Smith who tweeted this out a couple days ago.

The RedField Spin (Outside Spin) Legend @RobertMathis98 is the best to do this Pass Rush #Salute #NoahSpence 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/13hizvPHX2

— Chuck Smith (@chucksmithnfl) July 8, 2016

Now this is an outside spin move which has been perfected by Robert Mathis which can be very effective and can be used to set up inside rips or swim moves. This is great to see from Spence who is working hard to add to his pass rush ability and if he can effectively add this move he could be very dangerous for years to come. The outside spin move makes sense for Spence as it will allow him to use his speed off the edge which is his best attribute. It's still early and Spence has a long way to go but it looks like he wants to be great and will be someone to watch when training camp starts.

Blitzing is Returning to Tampa Bay

No more sitting back and allowing the quarterback to have all day in the pocket, those days are over for the Bucs as they get ready to enter training camp. Bucs defensive cordinator Mike Smith is looking to bring an more aggressive style which will include more exotic looks and sub packages. Most importantly, Smith will not hesitate to dial up blitzes to create more havoc in the backfield which hopefully will lead to more turnovers. Mike Smith knows he can't give these Qb's time because they will cut his defense apart if he does, so that means he has to bring pressure.

The Bucs finally have quality depth at each level of the defense starting up front with the defensive line which will finally feature a good 8 man rotation. Now granted the Bucs might not have to blitz as much as the Schiano regime did due to the guys up front, but the schemes and packages will be there for Smith and his staff to utilize as they see fit. With Lavonte David, Kwon Alexander, and Daryl Smith as your LBs, it's hard not to blitz due to the fact they do it so well. So look for the linebackers to be more aggressive allowing them to play fast and make it hell for the opposing Qb. Then with the secondary which has more speed and versatility, I would expect to see more corner blitzes along with some safety blitzes mix in as well.

Mike Smith and his staff won't put up with allowing these opposing Qb's to be able to just sit back and have all day to find a open receiver. If the front four is not getting there, he won't hesitate to utilize this linebacking core and versatile secondary to help get after the Qb. In the NFL to win games you have to put pressure on the opposing Qb because if you can't do that its going to be hard to get off the field on defense. Blitzing is coming back this year for the Bucs, as this defense is going to be very flexible during the 2016 season.

Expect to See More Three Tight End Sets

Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter is an innovative offensive mind, allowing him to take advantages of mismatches. The Bucs displayed multiple formations on offense last season and one of the more successful ones was the three tight end sets which feature one Wr and one Rb along with three tight ends. This allowed the Bucs to attack certain matchups against the opposing defenses and created unpredictability on offense. It did two things as it gave the Bucs numbers in the run game and if they wanted to pass out of it, it provided max protection or mismatches in the passing game with the versatility of the Bucs tight ends. Here is just one example in how it allows Doug Martin to get one on one matchups in the running game which he will win most of the time.

The Bucs lined up in a three tight end bunch formation with Evans the lone receiver on the top of the screen with Martin as the single back. This is well designed play as the tight ends and the line downblocks allowing Martin to go against the strong side corner one on one, and Martin easily blows by him and its solid gain of 15 yards. Expect to see more of this in 2016 with a mix of run and pass taking advantage of the Bucs deep tight end group. With ASJ, Brate, Stocker, and rookie Dan Vitale the Bucs have guys capable to take advantage of the matchups that they will get in these formations. Balance will be the focal point again for the offense in 2016, and this formation is one that we could see quite often as it can be very effective.

It's Only About Winning

The culture is changing at One Buc as it is all business from the management down to the players and they only want one thing and that is wins. The message is being sent that it is time to win this year, and no more excuses will be allowed. From Gm Jason Licht, head coach Dirk Koetter, and star Qb Jameis Winston delivering the message loud and clear that there is one stat that matters and that is winning games. One player who gets the message is 2nd year receiver Kenny Bell who just wants to win via bucsnation.com.

“I’ve never really set personal goals for a season in terms of catches and yards,” Bell said. “I know that people say that it really helps and that it gives you something to shoot at, but I just wanna win football games with this team. I truly enjoy this organization, I truly enjoy my teammates, the coaching staff. I really just wanna win, I wanna win so bad. That’s what I would like to make happen this year.

This is a great mindset to have and hopefully it spreads throughout the whole roster. This team is building a winning culture like Jameis said back in January. Accountability is finally coming back to this organization as everyone is either doing their jobs or else they are gone. The days of nonsense looks to be gone, and there is only one thing on the mind and that is getting wins.

Big Year Ahead for the 2013 Draft Class

Training camp is almost here, and it's a big one for the 2013 draft class whom are all pending free agents next off-season. The 2013 draft class for the Bucs has been decent so far producing some starters and quality depth for the team. The majority of the class is on the defensive side of the ball which includes CB Johnthan Banks, DT Akeem Spence, and DE William Gholston. Not going to discuss Qb Mike Glennon or Rb Mike James because frankly, if they are playing the Bucs will not be in good shape. So who will the Bucs bring back out of this group, lets take a look at each one on the defensive side of the ball.

Johnthan Banks- CB 6'2 185 4th year

Banks has been somewhat forgotten by fans, and needs to have a bounce back year in 2016 to show he is more of the player we saw in 2013 and 2014. Banks has the physical tools to be really good, and unfortunately in 2015, he and the previous coaching staff had a falling out leading him to be bench for most of the year. Now heading into 2016, Banks is looking for redemption, but it wont be easy as he has stiff competition for playing time with Alterraun Verner and Brent Grimes looking to start as well. Banks is a playmaker with 7 ints in 3 years, and is going to need to make more plays over the next couple of months.

William Gholston- DE/DT 6'6 281 4th year

Gholston had a breakout season in 2015 in which he started in 11 games collecting over 60 tackles and 3 sacks. Gholston was a consistent player for the defense and is just continuing to get better overall as a player each year. If Bucs d-line coach Jay Hayes can unleash Gholston's pass rush ability then the Bucs could have something dangerous along the defensive line. Look for Gholston to be better in 2016.

Akeem Spence- DT 6'1 307 4th year

Spence has had moments of greatness and then at other times has had lackluster play. Spence is strong at the point of attack and is very capable defending the run. He shows some things as a pass rusher but still needs ton of growth there. Last season was cut in half due to a back injury, but showed some improvement in his technique and overall ability to get off the line quick which helped him make some plays in the backfield.  2016 will be big for him as he will compete with Clinton Mcdonald for the starting nose tackle position and will look to finally put it all together as a player.

It's a big year for these three from the 2013 class and they will have to play well if they want Jason Licht and crew to bring them back for 2017. Who is going to step up out of these 3 players, let me know what you think Bucs nation.

Jameis Culture Change Noted

Kenny Bell sat down with bucs team insider Casey Phillips on a segment called "Slice" at Buccaneers.com where Bell revealed the true effect Jameis is having on the buccaneers team.

I've never looked up to a player the way I look up to Jameis Winston. That energy and the mojo that he brings to the football field and how contagious it is on an NFL football field, with grown men who have families and stuff going on. Its one thing to be a leader in college, a vocal leader and guys get behind you, but to walk into an NFL locker room and take it over and be as contagious as number 3 has been is something thats truly unbelievable and he doesn't get enough credit for it. He's truly changing the culture of our team. Obviously its not just him but he's a huge reason.

Bell is a true believer in Jameis Winston and I would assume the rest of the bucs team feels the same. Winston is alpha dog this team has always needed and he's showing that not only by his actions but by the words of his teammates. Winston is the leader of men this losing team has been begging for and will be the direction leading forward. The bucs will go as Winston goes and it seems like the arrow is pointing up.

Robertson Shot!

Bucs undrafted free agent Dominique Robertson was shot in the leg twice this past July 4th. Robertson, whom is bucs oline coach George Warhops nephew was a favorite of RBT to make a run at a roster spot but after this it will be hard to see him push to make the roster. Robertson who has all the size and athleticism to be an NFL lineman, seems as if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Bucs put out a statement regarding the situation:

"We are aware of the reports concerning Dominique Robertson. We can confirm that he has been released from the hospital and is at home resting. We are in the process of gathering more information, but our primary concern is for Dominique's health and well-being."

Hope Robertson has a speedy recovery but looks as if his opportunity has come and gone as a Buccaneer.

Someone Needs to Step up!

It's getting closer to the start of training camp for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers which will be the start of some intense position battles along with tough decisions for coach Koetter and Gm Jason Licht. Licht and his staff have put together a solid roster this off-season and could make a playoff appearance this year. However, there are still question marks surrounding the roster, and one of them is the safety position. The Bucs stood pat at the position bringing back the same group from last year with rookie Ryan Smith being the only new addition. Who is going to step up this year and become a impact safety for this team?

I say it's going to be Bradley Mcdougald, this is a good fit defensively for him and should allow him to play to his strengths. Mcdougald was decent at times last year which is good considering the secondary was below average in 2015. Mcdougald has the physical tools and has the experience now to allow him to play even faster. He is only 25, and last season was his first full season as a starter in which he had 87 tackles and 2 ints. Now being coached by Jon Hoke and Brett Maxie along with Mike Smith who helped developed some good safeties in Reggie Nelson and Thomas Decloud, hopes he can do the same with Mcdougald. Someone out of the safety group has to step up, so why not Bradley Mcdougald.