“Jason, I’d rather not talk finances right now. After last week my portfolio is redder than Cody Mauch’s hair.”
Look, Joe loves the Bucs signing Alex Anzalone. There were better, younger linebackers out there, but the Bucs, as one expected, passed on them like walking past the canned green beans at the neighborhood lunch buffet.
Joe guesses the way the stock market took a nosedive last week has folks at One Buc Palace antsy about signing checks. So it’s off to the bargain bin.
Yesterday, not only did the Bucs pass on many better, younger linebackers, they also sat on their hands trying to address an edge rush. To be fair, the big fish is still out there, a guy who reportedly wants to play for the Bucs, Trey Hendrickson.
Ben Solak of BSPN noted yesterday on Twitter that Hendrickson is no longer a three-down lineman. You know who else isn’t a three-down edge? Chris Braswell. He should be nowhere near the field of play on passing downs.
In fact, if Hendrickson can’t defend the run, that’s perfect. Have Braswell on the field on first or second downs and have Hendrickson on the field on obvious passing downs. Simple.
But a guy who (apparently) is not great against the run is usually the kiss of death in Todd Bowles’ eyes.
Then there is Jamel Dean. He signed with the Steelers yesterday. So the Bucs lost their best cornerback. Now *if* Bowles moves Jacob Parrish to starting outside corner, then Joe can breathe easier.
However, at the combine last month, Bowles gave no clear indication he was going to move Parrish. Had Dean stayed, Parrish should replace Zyon McCollum. But Bowles wouldn’t commit.
So if Bowles keeps Parrish at nickel corner, with Dean now gone, your starting cornerbacks are Benjamin Morrison and McCollum.
How’s your breakfast taste this morning?
If the Bucs don’t upgrade the edge rusher issue — and Joe’s not talking about some four-sack slappy; Joe’s talking about a real legitimate edge rusher — Bucs games ought to be fun this year watching quarterbacks with enough time to brush their teeth pick apart Morrison and McCollum.
Fun as in if you are looking at a five-win season.
Joe has nothing against Morrison at all. Good dude. Shows flashes he could be something when he’s healthy. But to think he’s ready to be thrown into the fire as a starter takes some sort of serious blind faith.
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