Bucs Overview: Offensive Skill Positions

[SCOUT]

QB:  Gradkowski decent accuracy, good outroute(not great);  struggles on deep balls due to limited arm strength, decent mobility and above average legs(speed), smart and quick study  aka Ideal Backup

RB: Carnell "Cadillac" Williams  Has god second gear.   Decent spin move, Not apremier back, but above average with a solid whole.  Will not make a play without help.  Below average hands and may be regressing.  Concentration seems to be an issue.  Gets better late in games.  Needs to get into rythm to be successful

FB:  Mike Alstott  On the downside of career.  Not a true FB and average blocker.  Great at moving the pile if he gets a head of steam.  Best use is as short yarddage back and against smallish defenses or to close out games.  Great to use if team fears a bowling ball type runner and fear contact (aka Washington Redskins)

WR: Michael Clayton  After freshman campaign he has lost his edge.  Some questioned his health in yr 2.  Yr 3 he supposedly improved his conditioning.  Qb's seem to lack confidence in his ability to get open.  rarely scares defenses.  Tends to draw second best corner.  Great run blocker.  Good teammate.  Average receiver whose concentration lapses.  He is developing a fumbling problem.

Joey Galloway:  Rare speed even at late point in career.  Scares defenders.  Best used on double move or "go routes"  Dislikes contact at his age which is understandable.  Has had hamstring issues, so it will be more difficult for a new Qb to get timing down due to limited practice time and fewer practice reps

Alex Smith:  May be a second coming of Tony Gonzalez.  Nice downfield speed, great hands.  Hurts defenders on contact when they tackle him.  Great blocker and fearless down the seam.  Underused in Tampa.  Great size.  Punishes corners when they tackle him.

[alldaway]

I disagree with your entire assesment.

[BucsGuru]

Scout, although I may not agree with your points, I will take the high road and avoid calling you childish names like our HALL OF FAMERS?! 

[OpTiOnMaStA]

I disagree with everything you wrote on here.

Let's just clear some things up for you.

Gradkowski - I think he is probably the guy, but two points that you wrote are absolutely contradictory. The out route in the NFL is the route that tells how strong the QB's arm is. If you can throw an excellent out like you said he does then you cannot struggle with arm strength on the deep ball. Bottom line with him is he has an average arm but needs to get his timing down with Galloway; one of the fastest WRs in the game.

Cadillac - Has a real future in the NFL. This guy is going to be a franchise, feature back for years. He needs the team to be built around him and to commit to him constantly. He needs to be fed week in and week out. He will win football games and will be a premier guy here.

Clayton - Horrible. If he is cut, I won't shed a tear. He is a bust and he needs to be sat on the bench for poor play. This week wasn't so bad, but the guy needs a real reality check by Gruden. I blame Gruden for the lack of accountability here.

Smith - Not that great at TE. He is not another Gonzalez. He could be one of the top 5 pass catchers, though. Think L.J. Smith here. Good player though, could be great someday but it will take a lot of work.

Alstott - Not even good short yardage anymore. 1st and 2nd down teams don't know he is coming and he can hurt them. 3rd down forget it. He needs to retire and save his body so that he isn't in a wheelchair before he turns 50.

Galloway - Old and may retire after this season. At worst could be a role player for a few more years. He could start for another year or two but probably will retire before then. Might have one more year left in the tank. Pretty inconsistent and doesn't help Gradkowski with timing. They really need to start working together if they are indeed going to be our starting tandem for the future here. His replacement might be Calvin Johnson who we may draft this year. That would be nice.

[SCOUT]

I disagree with everything you wrote on here.

Let's just clear some things up for you.

Gradkowski - I think he is probably the guy, but two points that you wrote are absolutely contradictory. The out route in the NFL is the route that tells how strong the QB's arm is. If you can throw an excellent out like you said he does then you cannot struggle with arm strength on the deep ball. Bottom line with him is he has an average arm but needs to get his timing down with Galloway; one of the fastest WRs in the game.

Cadillac - Has a real future in the NFL. This guy is going to be a franchise, feature back for years. He needs the team to be built around him and to commit to him constantly. He needs to be fed week in and week out. He will win football games and will be a premier guy here.

Clayton - Horrible. If he is cut, I won't shed a tear. He is a bust and he needs to be sat on the bench for poor play. This week wasn't so bad, but the guy needs a real reality check by Gruden. I blame Gruden for the lack of accountability here.

Smith - Not that great at TE. He is not another Gonzalez. He could be one of the top 5 pass catchers, though. Think L.J. Smith here. Good player though, could be great someday but it will take a lot of work.

Alstott - Not even good short yardage anymore. 1st and 2nd down teams don't know he is coming and he can hurt them. 3rd down forget it. He needs to retire and save his body so that he isn't in a wheelchair before he turns 50.

Galloway - Old and may retire after this season. At worst could be a role player for a few more years. He could start for another year or two but probably will retire before then. Might have one more year left in the tank. Pretty inconsistent and doesn't help Gradkowski with timing. They really need to start working together if they are indeed going to be our starting tandem for the future here. His replacement might be Calvin Johnson who we may draft this year. That would be nice.


1ST, I see your Icon in Bruce, so I know you cannot be objective.  Secondly, Bruce can throw the outroute, but it is obvious he cannot throw consistenly down the field.  Can he throw the deep out?  NO

Can he throw a short out. YES

Bruce is not the answer.  We will not win anuthing with him.  Your assessment of Clayton shows your lack of awareness of the total job of a WR which is run blocking in the West Coast system.  As far as Joey goes I can only say you must be wearing the John Gruden shades becasue without him we would not have but a handful of TDs this year.

You really need to get the football basics book out and study.  Take your buddy Ray with you.  He seems unaware of these basics as you are.  Hope you enjoy watching this crappy team.  I won't spend the gas money to watch until they dump Gruden.  He sucks.

[alldaway]

Scout you seem to not understand football basics.  Option called you on it and  you are back tracking now.  If a QB shows he can throw the out route like you said here it means they have enough arm strength.

QB:  Gradkowski decent accuracy, good outroute;  struggles on deep balls due to limited arm strength, decent mobility and above average legs(speed), smart and quick study  aka Ideal Backup

[SCOUT]

Nope.  nice try

[alldaway]

Nope.  nice try

I am not even trying.  I am just reposting what you posted.    Are you saying you are wrong?  The scout can never be wrong!  How dare I question the scout's wisdom!  I am the evil All_da_way!

I also agree with Option in that I see Alex Smith more like LJ Smith not like Tony Gonzales.  Tony Gonzales dominates and I do not see that with Smith so far.

[SCOUT]

Smith is far more talented they realize.  So is Stovall.  And for that matter so was Thomas Jones!

[SCOUT]

I have modified my post.  Good does NOT mean great.  I suppose when you tell somebody "good job" that means Great?

[alldaway]

Smith is far more talented they realize.  So is Stovall.  And for that matter so was Thomas Jones!

Smith is a second year player and Stovall is a rookie.  They are talented but both have not shown they are dominant like Tony Gonzalez.  Thomas Jones is a good player but he is not dominant either.

Tony Gonzalez and LT are talented players but also dominating players for their position. 

I have modified my post.  Good does NOT mean great.  I suppose when you tell somebody "good job" that means Great?

If it is good it means it is enough for the NFL level.  Another swing and a miss.

[Samari28]

Scout please go back to the hole you crawled out of as that assessment was awful  -  you must be a soccer fan

[Itchalot]

Galloway stated on his show that he wants to play for the Bucs again next season.  He is under contract and its up to the Bucs if they want to keep him around. If they do then Joey is up for another round. I think we need him even if he isn't what he used to be. He still takes up the attention of the defense.