Breaking Down the LeSean McCoy Signing | Bucs Insider

take whatever we can get out there. So uh, and we've had exciting news of signings and it just so much has been going on this last week. So let's go ahead and start for now with Lashawn McCoy that edition. And I wanted to hear your thoughts on that signing overall, and then now that we've also gotten to hear from him, he spoke to the media the day, which if you haven't gotten a chance to see that, it's up on

buccaneers dot com. So based on the signing and then what you've heard from him saying in his media session, what are your initial thoughts. Yeah, I'll get to Lashan in the second. I wanted to start by saying something I forgot last week, which was the first time I was back in the office doing this that the only reason I can do this without wearing a mask is I'm in my own office with the door closed and nobody else in here. Otherwise I, like everybody else, has

to wear a mask everywhere we go. I didn't want anybody watching this to think that I'm messing up with the rules and endanger in the team because player safety and getting the season going is the number one issue. So there's right there. There is also that that lanyard has a chip tracer in it. If I get within ten feet of a player, it starts beeping in a very annoying noise. It makes me feel like a criminal,

so um, believe me, that won't happen. Yes, And it's funny because it makes me think that it's like a shock caller, Like I think about that with dogs where they get close to the fence and it's like beets to warn them that I'd love to see if you kept going if it also has a bit of a shock factor, And I thought, I'm not gonna find out. Yeah, let's not find out the noise that the noise has

battened up. Believe me, believe me on that Lashawn McCoy. Yes, he he got signed early enough yesterday, you know, you know, it had been reported for several days. But he still had to do the COVID test and had to do the normal physical but he got it all done in Thailand Tuesday morning to go out on the field with the team. So he's already had one and he's doing one now, I presume workout with the team. And then he did a one of these zoom interviews afterwards, and

I really I really enjoyed his interview. And you know, you can tell a guy is is not phoning it in. He's he's actually really paying attention and looking Francis when he makes like good natured jokes. He's not just saying whatever cliche one day at a time. Give somebody asked him what Several times he was asked about what he thought his role would be in the offense, and um, he answered, well, I think I'll probably get somewhere between twenty and twenty five carries a game. And my brain

went immediately before I realized it was a joke. I'm like, wait, that's like the feature back, Like very few guys get twenty five carries in the game, and if they do. They're like Ezekiel Elliott. You know, it's not a common thing in today's nfluh. And then then he cracked and started laughing. And he doesn't know, nobody knows yet what his role is going to be. But this is a guy um that average four point six yards per carry

last year with the Chiefs. Now he his role was reduced and he didn't really get to play in the priests in the postseason, but he was pretty good when he was on the field. And he's started two years old. He's coming off his lowest production season because he didn't get to play that much of his career. But I still think it's a guy that might have something offer.

We're gonna find out, and it kind of makes that running back room catch up to the tight ends and the receivers in terms of there's a lot of guys there and it's hard to tell who's gonna get fed the football the most. But we'll find out. Is something I have to figure out pretty quickly, of course, with the you know, with a short training camp. Yeah, that's true. And just a reminder to everyone, we always love answering your questions, so go ahead and put those in the comments.

Section underneath the Facebook live video. UM, and I know that. You know, we just talked about the fact that we don't exactly know what Lashawn McCoy's role is going to be, but we did see that. Clifton asked, what kind of impact can you see him having at his age? So knowing the Lashawn McCoy that we've seen in his six Pro bowls in those years, UM, how similar different do

you feel like he could be? Or just even looking at this Buck's offense and what they might need looking at maybe why they signed him, what would your guests be about what they want him to be doing. I think he's something of an insurance policy. Um. You know, we did have three running backs go on the COVID list. Now that's probably temporary, and it doesn't even mean that any of them or all of them contracted the virus.

They could have just been in contact with someone who did. UM. So you know, at the moment you're down a few bodies. But also in the regular season, you're counting on either Ronald Jones becoming more of a receiver or Keyshawn von the rookie coming in and they think he can be a pass catcher. And I want to differentiate. And Ronald Jones actually sort of alluded to this, and I'm sorry

not Ronald Jones, uh. Lashawn McCoy actually alluded to this when he was talking yesterday that there's a difference between being the checkdown guy the quarterback looks around, can't find me open, checks it down to the running back who's out in the flat um. Most running backs can do that just fine, but but they often offenses will ask running backs to go split out into the slot and run an actual receiver routes, not necessarily deep ones, but

a number of difference he routes. And he mentioned that he can do that, and I think we believe the team believes that that Keishawn Von can probably do that too. But you don't really know. You don't know for sure, and because there's such an abbreviated time before the season starts, it's probably a little, I don't know, you feel a little unsure about expecting a rookie to do exactly what you're hoping he will do. Now, running back is a position that a lot of rookies can assimilate into the

NFL very quickly. There's rookies who make big impacts at running back every year, more so than most positions. But still they don't have a lot of time, so you're not sure. So you know, and and Bruce and and Jason I had both talked about how in today's NFL most teams have a running back by committee. I think that's what Bruce arians wants. It also allows you, it gives you depth. So if guys aren't available by for injury or illness, for other reason, you have other guys available.

And I think that's what happened with the Chiefs last year. You know, they he did a lot early on, and then his role kind of diminished because they had other guys, and you know, getting through the season, it might take all of those guys. Yeah, yeah, that's true. Um. Scotty Martinez asked, how is Gronk looking coming a year out of practice? Does he look like he never skipped a beat or look a little sluggish? He looks big. He looks very big. You know. I watched the practice the offenses,

uh practices on Monday and Tuesday. They're running a lot of routes and uh, you know, as far as I could tell, he looks like he's moving just fine. I did highlight one play. At the very end on Monday, they were doing red zone throws and for the most

of receivers those were back corner fades. You know, these are just this isn't giving anything away because these are regular routes that every team runs practices that weren slants and posts and so on, And there were running some routes for the tight ends end up in the back of the end zone and Tom Brady threw it like fifteen feet in the air because he knew that gron

could go. Man. And Gronk is six ft six two whatever he is now sixty pounds, you know, that's why he's trying to get to He's already six ft six with long arms when he also jumps, and I mean he caught a ball so high, and I'm like, nobody could have gotten that. A quarterback can throw it there and know it won't be intercepted and maybe this guy can go get it. So that was the most eye opening thing I saw from Gronk on the first couple of plays. That sounds exciting. I can't wait to well.

I mean, yeah, I just think about that, you know, cambraid and you know they've just been the red zone options now and Mike Evans and how big and long he is, Like, it really does feel like the play can just be Brady covering his eyes and throwing it up and one of those guys is going to come down with it. Uh that that'll be my contribution to play. I'll tell Byron this is my idea. Tell him to turnin backwards, heave it over his head. One of one

of those guys has it. Um Okay, Daniel said, I'm nervous about our depth in the defensive line and outside linebacker at the ass rusher. Have you heard that they have anyone in their sites? Well, I agree on half of that. I think the d line, the the down lineman depth is fine, especially within domin con Sue Nacho's back. I know we lost bow Allen, but he really didn't

have a ton of snaps last year. Um Nacho can take more of those We drafted Khalil Davis, h we got Will Goldston, Vita Vella Vita Vea is probably gonna take more snaps this year. That's what Todd Bole said. So I don't think we have any issues with depth on the down lineman. I agree on the outside linebackers, at least in terms of there's not much proven behind Shack and jpp Um. Anthony Nelson is obviously the best hope, the best case scenario the drafting the fourth round pick

that I know. They felt really good about getting him in the fourth round. Last year saw his rookie season kind of slowed down by hamstring injuries, but they liked what he did when he was in practice. Um, if he could step up and be the next Carl Massive, that third man in the rotation or a guy that starts when somebody's not available, I think you'll be fine. But it's it's definitely fair to be worried about that. Um, do they have anybody? There's a lot of guys still unsigned,

claim Matthews types that are unsigned. I don't know if the Bucks are looking at him or not. At the moment. They actually have to get the roster down by a few spots before August six, so it's a possibility. Um, it wouldn't shock me. I mean, I was saying all along, I didn't think we're gonna sign another running back, and then we signed with Shawn McCoy, So so what do

we know? Like, I just think that I had a lot to do with it feeling like a good fit and maybe maybe worried about the depth there, so it could be the same issue, yeah, Sean said. Tristan mentioned last week and his interview with the media he was looking forward to going against the best pass rushers in the league, including Shock. How fun is that matchup going

to be in practice? Um, and then I'll add my little part out of the question of how important is that for him to have guys like that in practice with such a reduced offseason, no preseason games. I mean, you kind of forget the impact that having good players on your team has on your team in practice. Yeah,

that's that's a very good point. He's gonna need He's gonna need those guys too, Sharpen and iron On ironed, Uh, yeah, he's not gonna get any preseason games, and the first time he takes a live snap will count and he'll be protecting Tom Brady presuming he wins the right tackle job. And of course, Bruce Arian said, no, no, rookie is guaranteed a jobs, so he still has to win it. But he's obviously the guy that they're expecting to be

the one step in there. You know, it's a tough transition for even the best offensive tackle prospects to transition from the college into the NFL. And that's even from a from a like an old line factory like Iowa. I mean, those guys. You can hardly find a guy that you could expect to be more ready for the NFL to make that instant transition than Tristan Worth. So that's good news, but it's still a tough position to make a transition at and that's particularly true in pass blocking.

And and you know he's gonna right off the bat, He's gonna have Cameron Amaron Jordans, like you said, and there's not a lot of let up on the schedule. There's a lot of good pass rushers there. So yeah, if Shaq, can you know, give him a little welcome to the NFL this is what it's like here and JPP as well, Um, that will help a lot. But you know what I liked about Tristan works because that

question was mentioning his interview the other day. He he didn't he wasn't really willing to go with you know that common Hey, you're such a nice it's clearly like he seems like a gentle, nice guy when you're when you're watching them on these in interviews, He's like, do you have a switch that flips and then you're a mean nasty dude on the field. He's like, no, not really. You know, I don't think you have to flip a switch.

You just have to beat your guy and then beat him again on the next snap, and then beat him again on the next snap, and then that's just as good as like, you know, talk of trash and spitting and yelling at him. If you just beat him constantly, that's as intimidating as being a mean, nasty guy and flipping the switch. I just really like that answer. I thought it was it was very genuine. Yes, I agree with that, and it's true. I mean, we think so much about whatever kind of attitude you have to have

all your do your job. Who if you're doing your job, who cares? I much rather have a guy that's nice and gets his job done, and a guy that's trash talking and me and all the time, and then you know, gets beat like yeah, I mean, I know before we started this, a couple of minutes before we started, I started just yelling and screaming obscenities at you, just just to flip that switch to get ready exactly. That's how I got everybody's like that. That's why I was like,

I know Scott's ready. Now that's ready. Um. Byron and we kind of talked about this in terms of the Lashawn McCoy signing and then also with uh defensive ends and you know, different other the positions, but he has Do you think we'll have another big signing before the season starts. If so, I think it would be an outside landbacker. Um. You know, I think Lashawn McCoy is probably the big shot you took right before camp. It's not a time when teams in the Bucks in particular

have generally added big names. It happens from time to time. You know, you got the Logan Makings trade a few years ago and stuff like that. Sure, and the Buccaneers clearly are all in. I mean, every move that has been made this offseason has proven that they're all in. So it wouldn't be shocking, but it's not something that normally happens. Okay, Jermaine asked, how many Pro Bowlers do you think we will produce this year? Jermaine Jermaine phillips, Nope, nope, nope.

You used to call him Flip. That was his nickname. I like that nickname. Um, how many Pro Bowlers we I think we talked about this, didn't we? Yeah? I think maybe that somebody suggested they thought five or so. Yeah. I thought that was crazy, and then I started counting it. I mean, we already had Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Shack last year. So and and all those guys obviously

are quite capable of repeating. And especially once you get your foot in the door in the Pro Bowl and you've been to a few of them, you get that Pro Bowl momentum. I'm not sure the Pro Bowl is actually gonna be played, by the way, but they will probably still pick it even if they don't play it. So you can start with those three. Is a pretty

decent guest. And we're all hoping that, um, the greater attention that's gonna come to the Bucks because we have Tom Brady and Rock Brenkowski and we're considered, uh, you know, good postseason candidates will shine a spotlight on guys that maybe have been underappreciated. Obviously, the poster boy for that,

for good reason is Lavante David. Um, you could see that a lot of people think this might be an opportunity for Alan mar Pett or Ryan Jensen, some of the good offensive lineman Donovan Smith that have been playing well. I don't think you get more than one of them, but you might get one of those guys. Maybe Alan mar Pett gets his first Pro Bowl and already you're

at five at this point, right, So maybe Devin. If Devin White becomes the playmaker that everybody expects, he could be a top ten linebacker in the NFL and which might make hip top five in the NFC, and he could get in there. Um. You know, Bruce Arians said the other day that he thinks Carlton Davis is a top ten cornerback in the NFL. If that's the case and it's recognized, he's got a shot at the Pro Bowl. So you know, know, all those guys aren't gonna make it.

But um, I could see if the Bucks win. And that's what happened in the nineties when they were winning, they were getting five, six, one time eight guys in the Pro Bowl. And you stop winning, you go for a few years and you're happy when you get one or two. So if the Bucks win, I would say five, Okay, well that's gonna do it for us on this edition of Buccaneers Inside Our Live presented by Miller Lite. Thanks

as always for those awesome questions. We are so excited that football is happening again out there at Advent Health Training Center, and we're also getting even closer to Scott and I getting to do training camp live. So I know it's tough for people knowing they won't be able to come to training camp practices. We're gonna do our best to get you as much coverage and make you feel as much like you were there as possible. So that's gonna be starting in about a week and a

half hopefully. Uh So, Yeah, thanks for tuning in, thanks for all those questions, and we'll see you next week.