Jason Cole still criticizing Bucs draft

[cyberdude558]

This guy is dead set on the belief the Bucs draft was bad because we didn't take Claiborne.


Picks: SS Mark Barron, RB Doug Martin, OLB Lavonte David, ILB Najee Goode, CB Keith Tandy, RB Michael Smith, TE Drake Dunsmore
Grade: C
Analysis: The Bucs made a highly questionable move to drop from No. 5 overall pick to No. 7 and then got jumped by Dallas at No. 6 to take CB Morris Claiborne. The Bucs got Barron instead and said after the draft that Barron was the guy they wanted all along. OK, if that's true, there's ample reason to question the logic. Frankly, cornerbacks are simply a lot more valuable than strong safeties in the NFL. Furthermore, Barron is a true in-the-box safety, meaning that the Bucs are projecting his coverage ability. Yeah, Barron is a great player, but this is 2012, not 1994, when teams are throwing constantly. Barron has to be Troy Polamalu for this to pay off. As for the rest, Martin should be a huge upgrade and David fits nicely into the scheme.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--2012-nfc-draft-grades--defensive-minded-eagles--packers-earn-high-marks.html;_ylt=Av9CNEkEdTobEomIYasoysc5nYcB

[Signed]

He should watch this video about five times;

[caradoc]

If Claiborne was the guy we would have taken him at five, period.

No way we would have gambled on losing him for a fourth if we really wanted him.

[Biggs3535]

Cole is one of the worst national reporters out there.  He's only slightly ahead of La Canfora and Clayton.

[traew01]

I keep hearing this argument about today's modern passing league... and it just seems counter-intuitive to me...

In actuality, Mark Barron is EXACTLY what you want today to attack today's passing oriented offenses.

He is a guy who can play the run AND the pass - so when you replace a linebacker with a defensive back - you still have a player on the field who can act like a linebacker and play the run much more effectively. And in obvious running situations - he almost serves as an extra linebacker.

This is what I really loved about Cody Grimm's game when he was healthy. He was decent in coverage, but he served almost as an extra linebacker in stopping the run. Go look at our run defense stats when Grimm was in there - and compare them to when he was out of there. Night and day.

So I think this argument is simply back asswards. Actually the league is moving towards players like a Mark Barron and the rest of the NFL recognized it, which is why he was such a hot commodity as the draft approached. And guys like Mark Barron are extremely difficult to find. So I personally think he is a great pick. Gives our defense so much more flexibility.

[BuccaneersMagic1282]

John Clayton said th same thing. Analysts either love our draft or think we are stupid for passing on Claiborne. We'll just have to see.

[caradoc]

The bleacherreport guy gave us a crap grade because "trading up for Barron didn't sit well" with him.  Apparently someone explained that we didn't trade up because he changed it to "drafting Barron didn't sit well" but the grade stayed the same.

[GameTime]

I keep hearing this argument about today's modern passing league... and it just seems counter-intuitive to me...

In actuality, Mark Barron is EXACTLY what you want today to attack today's passing oriented offenses.

He is a guy who can play the run AND the pass - so when you replace a linebacker with a defensive back - you still have a player on the field who can act like a linebacker and play the run much more effectively. And in obvious running situations - he almost serves as an extra linebacker.

This is what I really loved about Cody Grimm's game when he was healthy. He was decent in coverage, but he served almost as an extra linebacker in stopping the run. Go look at our run defense stats when Grimm was in there - and compare them to when he was out of there. Night and day.

So I think this argument is simply back asswards. Actually the league is moving towards players like a Mark Barron and the rest of the NFL recognized it, which is why he was such a hot commodity as the draft approached. And guys like Mark Barron are extremely difficult to find. So I personally think he is a great pick. Gives our defense so much more flexibility.

nice post.

[nubcake]

If he'd done his homework he'd realize that SS is the QB of Schiano's defense. This would be like criticizing Washington for taking RG3 over Blackmon, to a lesser extent.

[traew01]

I keep hearing this argument about today's modern passing league... and it just seems counter-intuitive to me...

In actuality, Mark Barron is EXACTLY what you want today to attack today's passing oriented offenses.

He is a guy who can play the run AND the pass - so when you replace a linebacker with a defensive back - you still have a player on the field who can act like a linebacker and play the run much more effectively. And in obvious running situations - he almost serves as an extra linebacker.

This is what I really loved about Cody Grimm's game when he was healthy. He was decent in coverage, but he served almost as an extra linebacker in stopping the run. Go look at our run defense stats when Grimm was in there - and compare them to when he was out of there. Night and day.

So I think this argument is simply back asswards. Actually the league is moving towards players like a Mark Barron and the rest of the NFL recognized it, which is why he was such a hot commodity as the draft approached. And guys like Mark Barron are extremely difficult to find. So I personally think he is a great pick. Gives our defense so much more flexibility.

nice post.

Thanks. I am waiting for someone to now throw my initial negative reaction to the pick in my face. I admit I was caught off guard -- I think many of us were so fixated on Richardson, Kuechly, Caliborne - that hearing Barron's name called was a stunner. I just did not even research Barron as a possible pick by the Bucs. But the more I have looked at his highlights, and seen with my own eyes how he plays, how physical he is, and how versatile he is.... I really am sold that he was a much better pick for this team than any other player. Do we still need help at DB? Yes, most definitely. But I really see the logic in the Barron pick and I am on board, after initially roasting Dominik.

But that's why I am just an idiot fan who operates on emotion and lack of knowledge.....

[bucfan33]

I keep hearing this argument about today's modern passing league... and it just seems counter-intuitive to me...

In actuality, Mark Barron is EXACTLY what you want today to attack today's passing oriented offenses.

He is a guy who can play the run AND the pass - so when you replace a linebacker with a defensive back - you still have a player on the field who can act like a linebacker and play the run much more effectively. And in obvious running situations - he almost serves as an extra linebacker.

This is what I really loved about Cody Grimm's game when he was healthy. He was decent in coverage, but he served almost as an extra linebacker in stopping the run. Go look at our run defense stats when Grimm was in there - and compare them to when he was out of there. Night and day.

So I think this argument is simply back asswards. Actually the league is moving towards players like a Mark Barron and the rest of the NFL recognized it, which is why he was such a hot commodity as the draft approached. And guys like Mark Barron are extremely difficult to find. So I personally think he is a great pick. Gives our defense so much more flexibility.

nice post.

+1

Guys like Mayock, Casserly & charles Davis all have said Barron is a potential Pro Bowler. When's the last time that was said about ANY of the Buc's draft choices?

[Capt Kidd]

I remember hearing a radio interview with the 1st Dexter Jackson after he had won the Super Bowl MVP and left for the Bengals. He mentioned that after he left the Bucs run defense was never as good. Sounded kinda braggadocious at the time, but it was true. Safety is such an underrated position.

[bucfan33]

I remember hearing a radio interview with the 1st Dexter Jackson after he had won the Super Bowl MVP and left for the Bengals. He mentioned that after he left the Bucs run defense was never as good. Sounded kinda braggadocious at the time, but it was true. Safety is such an underrated position.

A great Safety ( Lott, Lynch, Ed Reed, Palamolu....) has as much impact on a defense as any position on the field. They can influence an offense into always having to account for them and they can set the tone for any reciever wanting to come across the middle.

[bucs63]

When it comes to the Bucs, Jason Coles is always a **CENSORED**

[traew01]

When it comes to the Bucs, Jason Coles is always a **CENSORED**

I agree. He is generally 100 percent negative towards the Bucs. There must be a history there....