"Offseason Needs" by WalterFootball.com

[nitey]

WalterFootball is either forgetting or dismissing Dotson as our starting RT, I'm not. The Bucs coaching staff, other offensive linemen and PR raved about the potential/ability of this guy and I would be very surprised to find that he doesn't win the RT position. I'm sure it will be presented to the fans as a 'competition' but my take is that it's Dotson's job to lose. So I don't really feel that tackle is a problem as Lee played well enough last season to be more than a adequate backup and we all know that Dotson was playing LT while Penn was holding out so he'll be the backup LT. I think we'll either address the guard position via FA by either signing Joseph back or someone equivalent. So I don't see a Day one or two pick on the offensive line. Those picks I think go to the defense.

IMO, unless we pick up someone in FA to play MLB, I see that position equally as important as DE.

In our scheme, the MLB calls the defense so he has to be intelligent, the Bucs want a more physical presence at the position than Ruud, so he not only has to be bigger, he has to be stronger and meaner. That type of guy you only USUALLY find in the first couple of rounds.

Remember Jamie Duncan? The guy had talent, the correct body type, but reportedly lacked football instincts and wasn't quite as intelligent as we required. Ruud on the other hand, is very intelligent and apparently puts the defense in the correct position almost all the time, but he has trouble shedding blockers and making tackles closer to the line of scrimmage. He's maxed out his body type, so he's unlikely to get bigger or stronger and as a result, he gives up an extra 1-3 yards to the ballcarrier. If we want to get better at stopping the run, that has to stop.

The MLB is the quarterback of the defense and IMO is as important to the play of the defense as Freeman is to the offense. Rumor is that the Bucs really like McKenzie as a potential MLB, but quite honestly, we can't afford the luxury of hoping that he'll make the transition? I really hope we spend a day one or two pick on someone to take over the middle of the defense. If I was calling it, I would say that the Buc's spend their first 3 picks on two DE and a MLB, unless they pickup someone at either position in FA that can take over one of the positions.

JMO.

[blind melon]

Read the in the lab feature with McKenzie...  Good Stuff.   I think that young man just may make Ruud obsolete.

This is going to be one of the biggest deals in the Bucs offseason - figuring out who is going to be our starting MLB...

[nitey]

I like the PR 'In the lab' features, but some of the players touted didn't make it big. Stovall, Cory Lynch are two that come to mind. I don't know enough about McKenzie to say one way or the other, BUT MLB is too important to our defense to not add some stiff competition. I would like to think Morris learned that lesson after giving free starting passes to the likes of Sabby, Zuttah in 2009, C. Williams in 2010. Every year we should strive to get players to push the starters or replace them.

[nitey]

BM,

Just read the couple of articles in the new magazine about McKenzie and it does inspire a lot of hope. It's always great to hear that the coaches are high on a young guy. As a former 3rd round pick, that attests to the fact that he's got some talent and it appears that he just had a bit of bad luck with the injury. Here's to hoping that he can be that physical middle linebacker that we haven't had in a while.

That said, I still would feel better if the Bucs drafted another interior linebacker in the draft. McKenzie has been playing the Will linebacker position as well as the Mike position. This report just seems to indicate that the cupboard isn't bare, but it's still not well stocked either.

[BuccinTex]

All I know if that this Bucs fan is not going to be happy if Trueblood is a starter, Faine is on the roster, and Stovall is not cut way early.    Unless Ruud wants to sign for top 15 MLB money and not top 3 money he can go too.

[JDouble]

Rather than go LB in either of the first two rounds, I'd like to see us pick up two LBs in the 3rd and 4th round. Guys like Mason Foster, Nate Irving, Mario Harvey, and Casey Mathews are just as good as a Greg Jones or Bruce Carter imo, but much better value in the 3rd and 4th, instead of the 1st or second.

I think no matter what you here between now and draft day, it's all smoke and mirrors. We will get a pass rusher with our 1st round pick. My guess in Robert Quinn, Ryan Kerrigan, JJ Watt or Justin Houston.

[tbb345]

I'm starting to think that Quinn and Von Miller will be definitely be gone by the time we pick. It is also very likely  that Kerrigan and Aldon Smith will be tool. I think the pick will end up being between Adrian Clayborn and Justin Houston.
At that point, I think it's a toss up. I may even want Clayborn because I think you can draft a guy like Jeremy Beal in the 2nd round whereas I don't see any LDE's as good as Beal to take in the 2nd round.

[yuccaneers]

Clayborn would be a LDE in the pros where as Beal would be a RDE or situational rusher type

[PassThePigSkin]

Clayborn would be a LDE in the pros where as Beal would be a RDE or situational rusher type

I think Beal can be a everydown DE in the NFL, we get Beal and Clayborn/Kerrigan better run help and better gap control across the line.