Who Will Be the Most Improved Player this Season? | Bucs Insider

people a chance to do that. Of course, today is the franchise tag deadline, so of course that is applicable to Shack Barrett on our team, and I just want to hear what your thoughts are and what it seems like is going to happen and how this could affect the team, you know, not only this year, but just sort of moving forward with him. Yeah, this is the first time we've actually had to worry about this, not worry, but taking a account this particular date in a while.

The last time we had anybody franchise tag was way back in two thousand twelve with Kick or Connor Barth and they had a new deal worked out by May. So this is kind of an unusual situation for the Buccaneers. But um, you know, in terms of it being a deadline. What it is is it's a deadline for the team and the player to get a long term deal done. Uh. It's not actually a deadline for anybody signing their franchise tender. It just means that once four o'clock today passes, you

can't do a long term deal. The only two choices for the player are to sign that tender and make it his one year contract for this year, or to hold out like Levian Bell did two years ago. I think, and you know, I'm not sure it went so great for Levy on Bell. It's it's you're not gonna see that very often, and in fact, as recently as I think yesterday, Shaq Barrett said on NFL Network that he would be playing on the one year term if they couldn't work one out. He's he said he really wanted

to get a long term deal done. He said the team really wanted to get a long term deal done. But in this current environment with you know, the nation and everybody in quarantine COVID, Uh, it's just it's tougher to get done. So let I'll play the one year if we don't get a deal done, and hopefully we can then get a long term deal done, especially if he has another great season, which I think everybody expects

that he will. So um, it's a deadline in one respect, but it's not like he has to rush to one to the event held Trading Center and get it signed today. I would suspect he'll probably get it signed whenever he returns to to work with the rest of the players. That would be my guess. Great, and uh we have Daniel from Lakeland again. This is who his eleven year old daughter promised the cookies last time. So yeah, did

I get Did I get it right? Uh? Yeah, he said to message them for the cookies on how to deliver. So this this it's like you're it looks like you're in your golden um. He said. This year's question is do you think Ronald Jones is going to have a breakout year? And he pointed out how in college his junior year was his breakout year, and so what does this mean about potentially how he could be doing at this point now that he's been in the system for

a little bit. Well that that whole family really knows bucket or football very well, don't they to know? The the career trajectory in college of Ronald Jones. UM, I'm not sure what a breakout year would what we quantify as a breakout year. Though he had a little bit over a thousand years from scrimmage last year. UH, and if he were to get you know, two or three hundred more than that, do we quantify that as a breakout.

The reason I wouldn't necessarily percent say he's going to break out like have UH just a huge season is that Keishaw Vaughn is in the UH in the equation now too, and we don't know how much of a split there's gonna be between those two guys. It's a it's possible that Keishaw Vaughn is a more dynamic partner for Ronald Jones than Peyton Barber was last year, particularly when it comes to catching passes out of the backfield. So, UM, I expect Rond Jones to take another step forward. And

I'm not the only one who would say that. UH coach Areans and has said that several times during this offseason, So I think it's a up for it. I don't know if we'll end up oneifying it as a breakout though, Okay, and UH East I I think UM, asked, who do you think will be our m v P on defense and offense? Is that e s ai? Yes? Um, I think you pronounced it right. I'm guessing m v P on defense. You know, I was just thinking about this because I have to answer a similar question in a

mail bag for tomorrow. Uh. If a guy, if somebody has a huge sax season, again, it's probably gonna be him. So Shack Barrett has another fifteen sacks or something, it's probably gonna be him. But let's say that doesn't happen, and we maybe have Shack and JPP and they're all flirting around ten to twelve sacks. Um. I think it'd probably one of the two of Lavonte David and Devin White, And I'd go with Lavonte David as a safer choice right now. But there's a possibility that Devil White has

a huge breakout season this year. And if he does, if he's a guy that offers you a lot of big play, you know, interceptions, sacks, because we know he has the capability of getting sacks. I think he had two and a half last year, but I think he could do more. Um, I think it's gonna be one of those two guys would be my guests and was I also asked who would be on offense. Well, the

safe bet is always the quarterback. So if you take this team from last year where the offense was very prolific in a couple of respects, but also obviously turned the ball over too often, if it's similarly prolific, maybe not passing yards again, and now you're taking care of

the football, it's probably gonna be your quarterback. So Tom Brady is the safe bet unless somebody like Chris Godwin, Mike Emens or Gronkowski has like goes craziness twelve to fifteen touchdowns, but it's it's a little hard to project that when there's so many guys that can catch passes

for you. So Tom Brady is the obvious answer. Yeah, Tom, tom Brady might benefit for that award just from the fact that you're either there are so many weapons that maybe no one guy is going to have a massive year, which could end up being better for your team, not as good for him on an MVP award, but better for the team over. I think you always want your m VP to be your quarterback. Your season probably is going well. If that's the case, it's a great point.

John asked, who is supposed to have a better year out of the tight ends that we have. Well, I mean, I think Rob Gronkowski is gonna get the most playing time. I think he'll be on the field the most. Um, But it's probably gonna be close between him and o J. Howard because you know, surprisingly o J actually played the highest percentage of snaps he's ever played last year, and I know it was seen and it was probably true that it was a bit of it wasn't the year

that everybody's expecting from o J. Howard. Um, it did get better as the season went along. It was definitely better in the second half, but he was on the field all the time. And you know, coach Areans has said that he probably that we were totally set to work in twelve personnel, which is two tight ends, So we were in that about twenty two percent of the time. I think last year, I think that number is gonna go up a little bit. Um. So both those guys

have a shot. But Rob Gronkowski is likely to get the touched. I would think he'd get more targets than the red zone. And he's also a guy that can take that past. You know, you're at the fifty yard line. You throw that past to him over the middle of he catches the twenty five and he's bouncing and off guys and running over guys. So he's more like to get the more touched on everything. And Delvin asked an

interesting question. He said, how do you see COVID affecting our scouting in the upcoming draft if there is no college football? Well, infects everybody the same way. I think there's a possibility, uh that even if there is football, that some of the top prospects or guys that considered or considered top prospects, uh might opt out and might not play because it might not be worth it to them. Um. Yeah, it makes it makes the scouts jobs a lot harder.

And I guess what they have to do is just pour overtape from previous years and go back to the notes they took on those guys. But that's that's tough because every year there's a new group of guys that are on your watch list that you maybe didn't scout or sit down and talk to when you campus. Uh. I think it makes it a ton harder. Um, but it's at least it's a level playing field for everyone. Yeah, that's that's true. Um. Ryan asked, how comfortable do you

think the team is with the backup quarterback position. Well, I I'd say pretty comfortable at least in terms of of of acknowledge of the system and the guys have been around for a while, um Blaye Gabber and and Ryan Griffin. I think it'd be a little bit tougher if you were completely starting over in that room. You obviously you're starting over at the starter with Tom Brady,

but at least your backups have been here before. Because there's no off season as of yet, they haven't had any chance to practice or really learn the system on the field. So if you had brought in, like say you traded for Nick Foles or something to be your backup quarterback, which would be an expensive proposition, but I'm just throwing out hypotheticals, UM, it would be a lot harder.

So I think they'd feel comfortable in that regard. You know, how how comfortable are you that these guys would step in and produce at the same level as Tom Brady. You can't really say that about Ryan Griffin, as much as we all like him, because he's he's I think he's thrown four passes in his career so in the regular season. And Blaine Gabart offers a little bit more. He's actually started games for Bruce Arians before, but that was a couple of years ago. So it's probably similar

to a lot of teams. You feel reasonably good about your backup quarterback, but you really hope you don't have to go to that option. And Rob ask do you think all Claire will get some snaps this season? So we talked a lot about, you know, the Cam and o J and Gronk part, but then you do still have you know, Tanner, Hudson, Antonia Claire, Like, there's several guys in there, So what do you feel like their

roles could potentially be. Yeah, that tighten room is just packed, and uh, that does make it a little tougher for some of those guys. Oh Claire obviously, Uh, the coaches love his blocking ability. Towards the end of last season or actually I guess around the middle when Anthony got hurt and went to I r UM, coach Arean said he thought he was one of the best blocking tight ends in the entire league. And and co just place a lot of value on that. You know, Coach Arean's

always did in Arizona. His Titans didn't usually have huge pass catching numbers, but they were involved and some of them were really good blockers. And yeah, it's a it's a tough one to figure out because it feels like if anybody is getting snaps taken away by Rob Gronkowski, it might be him. Because Rob Gronkowski is a fantastic blocker.

So if you're gonna do two tight end sets, last year when o' claire was healthy, he was usually on the field in two tight end sets, or at least, if not usually a lot of the time because he's such a great blocker. But if you have Rob Rob gron Gronkowski is a great blocker, it's obviously I would think tempting to put him with O. J. Howard or Cambraid or Tanner Hudson somebody that's a dynamic pass catcher

as well. So, you know, presuming we keep if you keep four tight ends, and you probably do because that room is so stacked, then I don't know which one is the odd man out with the five guys we just talked about, including Tanner Hudson, but if let's say, oh Claire is on the roster, it probably is a matter of him being in on certain packages. But I would think it'd be tough for him to get the same number of snaps, but I'm not sure because they do love his blocking. So yeah, there's so much to

factor in with that position. I feel like it's one of the ones where it can make such a huge difference between special teams blocking that there's so many different dynamics of that position that it's even harder to evaluate who and what will be used in what ways. It's you know, it's not so much like a Mike Evans where you just kind of know this is this is his role that the Titans really bring a lot to it. Um and apparently east I said thank you for spelling

and saying his name correctly, which is great. And he also asked which second year player will have the biggest jump. Yeah, that's let's see here. Well, I guess I have to go with Devon light I kind of already half predicted such, um, Devin, you know, fifth overall pick. They expect him to step right in and be a big playmaker right from the beginning, And then he had the knee injury in Week two and that basically cost him four or five weeks, and then it took a little while to knock the rust off.

But then you saw towards the end how dynamic of a player he could be. UM, So I would probably put him. You know, I feel like Sean Murphy, Bunding and Jamal Dean kind of already made their leap towards the end of last year. They could still make another leap, but man, I think if they play as well as they were playing in the last month or so, you're already happy with what they're doing. Um. I guess it could be Scottie Miller that that's sort of a dark

horse candidate there if he wins the third receiver job. Again, I think we've talked about this. I'm not sure how many targets the third receiver in this offense is gonna get. I tend to think the second tight end is probably gonna get more than the third receiver, but he's gonna be on the field a lot because the three receiver set is your most common offensive formation. So I would probably say Devin White, but Scotty Miller would be my would be my backup pick. I guess the only guy

I didn't mention maybe it was Matt Gay. I don't know about kickers making leaps, you know, unless you're talking about Martin Gramatic and his famous leaps every time he made a field goal. But um, you probably don't remember that case. I don't remember it, but I know of it. He was very he was. He was famous for every field goal, was like the biggest celebration in the world. Didn't Didn't that end up being kind of a problem at one point? No, not for him, his brother Bill.

His brother Bill did the same thing and pull and I think blew out his knee doing that. That's right. One of my favorite questions I've seen in a while, Chris wants to know kin Scott Smith jumped out of a pool and land on his feet, so obviously in reference and well, I mean, when my son was was really small, we had one of those little kiddie pools. I think I could do it out of that. Yeah, I can. I can jump out of a puddle and

land on my feet. I was trying to think of other things that Tristan Worths could jump out of, just if that became a thing. The best one that came to mind was the Salvation Army bucket on the sideline. Remember we're in Dallas and Zeke Elliott jumped into It's way more impressive to jump out of it. Yeah, if you go back and watch that video, Zeke has to climb out of it, but from probably just jump jump right out of it. That's incredible. I just can't believe

his athleticism. It's it really is amazing overall. Do you feel like he's someone that as we talk about guys that are being asked to come in right as rookies. We were talking about Devin White being asked to do that, do you feel like Tristan works is in a position that he could do that. Yeah. I think it would be surprising if he's need did not win a starting job. And the Buccaneers need to take a step forward on the offensive line. Now, the offensive line of the coaches

were actually pretty pleased with most of those guys last year. Um, so I'm not saying we're starting from a bad spot that they do need to take a step forward, particularly in terms of run blocking. Uh, He's he's a powerful guy. Obviously, the stuff jumping out of the pool and so one shows how nimbly he is for a guy's size, so that's what you're talking about in terms of past protection.

But generally a rookie lineman, very few rookie lineman, even the even the best ones, even ones that turned into All pros perennial all pros, aren't usually one of the best offensive lineman in the league the rookie year, especially tackles, So it would be a bold bet to say he steps right in and plays at an all pro level. But you want to you want to see powerful run blocking from him, and then you just want to see him at least a comptent level in terms of pass blocking.

But you see, he has the tools to become a very good pass blocker, and and that's what I hope we see out of him. Obviously, I hope he steps right in is fantastic at both, but judging from what rookie lyman usually do, that would be asking a lot. Okay, well, that's gonna do it for us. On this edition of Buccaneers Insider Live presented by Miller Lte, Thanks as always to all of you for all those amazing questions. Scott, thanks for the analysis, and we will see you guys again next week,