Has Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ SS Mark Barron Hit the Rookie Wall?

[FlyingScorpion]

Pushing him to the limit to see how much he can handle. Im cool with it as long as the offense can rock it

[Detrimental]

There are quite a few safeties who are better than Thomas.
Dashon Goldson
Ryan Clark
Jarius Byrd
TJ Ward
Danieal Manning
Morgan Burnett
Bernard Pollard
Eric Weddle

I value coverage ability way, way, way more than tackling ability. About half of those guys are just one dimensional safeties and that are only good for stopping the run - coverage eh not so much and they are Pollard, Clark, Goldson, and Burnett. And just looking at the coverage ability through 11 weeks only Byrd, Weddle, Reshad Jones, and TJ Ward have been better. So Thomas at #5 through the first 11 isn't far-fetched to calling him the best, still plenty of ball to be played. From what I've seen though in games, I would not want anybody over him except maybe Ward.

[chace1986]

There are quite a few safeties who are better than Thomas.
Dashon Goldson
Ryan Clark
Jarius Byrd
TJ Ward
Danieal Manning
Morgan Burnett
Bernard Pollard
Eric Weddle

I value coverage ability way, way, way more than tackling ability. About half of those guys are just one dimensional safeties and that are only good for stopping the run - coverage eh not so much and they are Pollard, Clark, Goldson, and Burnett. And just looking at the coverage ability through 11 weeks only Byrd, Weddle, Reshad Jones, and TJ Ward have been better. So Thomas at #5 through the first 11 isn't far-fetched to calling him the best, still plenty of ball to be played. From what I've seen though in games, I would not want anybody over him except maybe Ward.

FWIW, PFF has Earl Thomas ranked #50 out of 60 safeties(who have been on the field at least 50% of the snaps) in coverage this year. Byrd, Jones, Weddle, Goldson and Clark are all up in or around the top 10.

Statistically, Thomas isn't event he best safety on his team. Chancellor has allowed 0 TDs as opposed to Thomas allowing 1. Passes thrown against Chancellor have been completed 62.5% of the time as opposed to 69% against Thomas. Avg yards per catch on Chancellor is 9.4 as opposed to 12.8 on Thomas. Kam is also the better tackler of the two.

Personally, I would say that Thomas is a good border line top 15 safety.

[bradentonian]

There are quite a few safeties who are better than Thomas.
Dashon Goldson
Ryan Clark
Jarius Byrd
TJ Ward
Danieal Manning
Morgan Burnett
Bernard Pollard
Eric Weddle

I value coverage ability way, way, way more than tackling ability. About half of those guys are just one dimensional safeties and that are only good for stopping the run - coverage eh not so much and they are Pollard, Clark, Goldson, and Burnett. And just looking at the coverage ability through 11 weeks only Byrd, Weddle, Reshad Jones, and TJ Ward have been better. So Thomas at #5 through the first 11 isn't far-fetched to calling him the best, still plenty of ball to be played. From what I've seen though in games, I would not want anybody over him except maybe Ward.

What makes you think Barron is any less one dimensional than the guts you listed.  I think a guy like Pollard is probably Barron's ceiling.

[captainjimbo]

Barron will have a huge day against the Falcons.  Have faith!!!

[ryan24]

It's hard to say who is at fault and when without knowing the plays, but it does seem like Barron seems to be at the center of where a lot of big plays are happening. I know a lot of Buc fans wanted to kill him after the Lafell TD (maybe I did too...) but I rewatched, looks like the underneath coverage (Lbers) got sucked in and the Mike wasn't able to turn to see the ball wizzing by their head. Would love to see some more splash plays from Barron, I bought all of these Red Baron pizzas too to support him. 

Barron was a bit late getting over but the primary on that one was clearly the LBers and has been on some other busted coverages blamed on the DBs.

[The Anti-Java]

I think he will be fine.  If a guy is drafted early and doesn't make the ProBowl his first year, people tend to trash him.  There have been many great players that spent their first year getting a feel for the league.

[chace1986]

I think he will be fine.  If a guy is drafted early and doesn't make the ProBowl his first year, people tend to trash him.  There have been many great players that spent their first year getting a feel for the league.

It's not about making the pro bowl. Think Lavonte will make it as a rook? Nope. The pro bowl means nothing. When Davin Joseph can have a terrible year and still male the pro bowl, then it needs to atop being used as a barometer for determining of a player is good or not.

What should be expected from the #7 overall pick is for him to come in and be a solid player and not be a glaring weakness on the defense. At times that's what Barron has been, a weakness. He has played poorly since the KC game. He is tied for the team lead in missed tackles. He is caught out of position too much. I don't see him getting better this year. Hopefully with a good offseason and camp he can come out next year and be solid.

[The Anti-Java]

I think he will be fine.  If a guy is drafted early and doesn't make the ProBowl his first year, people tend to trash him.  There have been many great players that spent their first year getting a feel for the league.

It's not about making the pro bowl. Think Lavonte will make it as a rook? Nope. The pro bowl means nothing. When Davin Joseph can have a terrible year and still male the pro bowl, then it needs to atop being used as a barometer for determining of a player is good or not.

What should be expected from the #7 overall pick is for him to come in and be a solid player and not be a glaring weakness on the defense. At times that's what Barron has been, a weakness. He has played poorly since the KC game. He is tied for the team lead in missed tackles. He is caught out of position too much. I don't see him getting better this year. Hopefully with a good offseason and camp he can come out next year and be solid.

I was exaggerating using the ProBowl example.


And if Barron is as bad as you seem to think, don't you think he would of been benched by now?   In the midst of a playoff run?

[chace1986]

I think he will be fine.  If a guy is drafted early and doesn't make the ProBowl his first year, people tend to trash him.  There have been many great players that spent their first year getting a feel for the league.

It's not about making the pro bowl. Think Lavonte will make it as a rook? Nope. The pro bowl means nothing. When Davin Joseph can have a terrible year and still male the pro bowl, then it needs to atop being used as a barometer for determining of a player is good or not.

What should be expected from the #7 overall pick is for him to come in and be a solid player and not be a glaring weakness on the defense. At times that's what Barron has been, a weakness. He has played poorly since the KC game. He is tied for the team lead in missed tackles. He is caught out of position too much. I don't see him getting better this year. Hopefully with a good offseason and camp he can come out next year and be solid.

I was exaggerating using the ProBowl example.


And if Barron is as bad as you seem to think, don't you think he would of been benched by now?   In the midst of a playoff run?

Not if they feel that there isn't an upgrade sitting behind him. Also they might be hoping that with more reps he gets better. I probably wouldn't bench him. I would probably get A Black a few more reps though.

 So you don't think Barron has been playing poorly over the last month?

[The Anti-Java]

I think he will be fine.  If a guy is drafted early and doesn't make the ProBowl his first year, people tend to trash him.  There have been many great players that spent their first year getting a feel for the league.

It's not about making the pro bowl. Think Lavonte will make it as a rook? Nope. The pro bowl means nothing. When Davin Joseph can have a terrible year and still male the pro bowl, then it needs to atop being used as a barometer for determining of a player is good or not.

What should be expected from the #7 overall pick is for him to come in and be a solid player and not be a glaring weakness on the defense. At times that's what Barron has been, a weakness. He has played poorly since the KC game. He is tied for the team lead in missed tackles. He is caught out of position too much. I don't see him getting better this year. Hopefully with a good offseason and camp he can come out next year and be solid.

I was exaggerating using the ProBowl example.


And if Barron is as bad as you seem to think, don't you think he would of been benched by now?   In the midst of a playoff run?

Not if they feel that there isn't an upgrade sitting behind him. Also they might be hoping that with more reps he gets better. I probably wouldn't bench him. I would probably get A Black a few more reps though.

 So you don't think Barron has been playing poorly over the last month?

Black has played well, so IMO they see something in Barron, or else I think Black would be getting a hell of a lot more snaps.  Schiano and Co. seem big on the teaching aspects, so they may subscribe to the theory that the more snaps Barron gets, the better he will be.