Will Bucs Regret Loosing Ruud?

[lazoran]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Will the Bucs regret cutting Barrett Ruud loose?



The short answer is: in the long run, probably not. Ruud made a large number of plays for Tampa, but advanced metrics show he had a rather poor 2010, especially against the run (he was the 105th-ranked linebacker in yards per run tackle, at 4.8 per carry against). The fact the Titans signed him to just a one-year deal reveals Ruud's value in the marketplace.



But in the short term, with Bucs fans charged up over last year's 10-6 record, and with Atlanta and New Orleans in the division, having an experienced leader of the defense wearing pewter would seem a necessity, even an average one such as Ruud. Instead, the Bucs appear ready to go to battle with either second-year man Tyrone McKenzie, who had all of five tackles in 2010, or rookie Mason Foster, a third-round choice out of Washington, manning the inside.



General manager Mark Dominik has proved his preference for young, cheap players time and again, and the strategy has mostly worked. In this case, the "Mike" linebacker situation will be strongly affected by the play, and health, of high 2010 draftee tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price up front. McCoy lost three games to an arm injury last season (and left an early Bucs practice with a shoulder ding), and Price missed all but five games with a nasty pelvic injury that required two surgeries and the insertion of several screws. Add the health concerns of 2011 top choices Da'Quan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn, along with the legal limbo of cornerback/repeat(edly charged) offender Aqib Talib, and the Bucs have plenty of question marks on defense. By cutting Ruud, they added another.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6850035/nfl-remaining-questions-atlanta-falcons-new-orleans-saints-rest-nfc-south

Atleast they note in the long run it was probably a good move.

[SunnyD]

having an experienced leader of the defense wearing pewter would seem a necessity, even an average one

Meet Quincy Black

[JavaRay]

Black couldn't carry Ruud's jock when it comes to leading that D.   There's a reason Ruud was the leader last year even when Black was on the team.  Ruud is better.

[SunnyD]

Black couldn't carry Ruud's jock when it comes to leading that D.   

Perhaps not...

but when it comes to every other aspect of being a NFL LB?

You betcha Black has got him beat.

I don't think our defense is going to miss a beat, in fact, I expect improvement.

[JavaRay]

Black is not replacing Ruud on the field.  Black was already on the field.  so comparing their playing skills is a moot point.    Shifting the defensive play calls to Black is a downgrade however.   And there will be a learning curve, and the defense will be burned because of it early in the season - maybe all year.

[SunnyD]

Black was already on the field. 

Not on third down.

[JavaRay]

Still wont be playing the position Ruud played.  So it's a moot point.

[SunnyD]

Still wont be playing the position Ruud played.  So it's a moot point.

Yes he will.

http://www.pewterreport.com/Boards/index.php/topic,1283050.0.html

[JavaRay]

Looks like the Bucs are going to regret letting Ruud go more than I thought.   Foster isn't good enough to go on 3rd down?   Worthless.

Seeing Foster is such a liablity in pass coverage, look for teams to shred the Bucs via the pass on first and second down.

[CyberDilemma]

Black is not replacing Ruud on the field.  Black was already on the field.  so comparing their playing skills is a moot point.    Shifting the defensive play calls to Black is a downgrade however.   And there will be a learning curve, and the defense will be burned because of it early in the season - maybe all year.

It worked when the Bucs shifted Quarles over from SLB to MLB.

[JavaRay]

Black is not replacing Ruud on the field.  Black was already on the field.  so comparing their playing skills is a moot point.    Shifting the defensive play calls to Black is a downgrade however.   And there will be a learning curve, and the defense will be burned because of it early in the season - maybe all year.

It worked when the Bucs shifted Quarles over from SLB to MLB.

Obviously that is NOT what they are doing.

Who is wearing the radio helmet?

Raheem said in a press conference that Foster is going to be wearing the radio helmet because he is the MLB.  He also said that since only one guy can wear it on the field at once that when Foster isn't on the field, Black will be calling the defense using hand signals from the sidelines.

[CyberDilemma]

Considering that the Bucs spend about half the time in nickle or dime, Foster won't be seeing the field about half the time.

[SunnyD]

Seeing Foster is such a liablity in pass coverage, look for teams to shred the Bucs via the pass on first and second down.

Just because he doesn't play third downs doesn't mean he is a liablity in coverage.

Case and Point: Quincy Black in 2010

I believe there is more defensive audibling while in those formations because of the situations they are used in. Therefore, they wanted the Vet in there.

[JavaRay]

Considering that the Bucs spend about half the time in nickle or dime, Foster won't be seeing the field about half the time.

So all that talk about Foster being an upgrade from Ruud were false.

[CyberDilemma]

Considering that the Bucs spend about half the time in nickle or dime, Foster won't be seeing the field about half the time.

So all that talk about Foster being an upgrade from Ruud were false.

Only time will tell. Ruud rode the bench his first two years with the team, so it already sounds like Foster might be ahead of the curve.