Bruce Arians Puts in Extra Time With Offensive Linemen at NFL Combine, Amen
4 min read
Image Credit: Michael Conroy | Associated Press
Good news out of Indianapolis!
To say that when I heard this news that I was happier than a drunk in a liquor store with a narcoleptic clerk is an understatement. When Arians first arrived in Tampa Bay to take the helm of a floundering ship, there was only one thing that I took issue with coming out of his talks with the local media, and that was his statement concerning the offensive line. When previously asked about the line, he replied, and I paraphrase this, “We are fine on the line.” I about fell out of my chair. If there was one area that I personally took an interest in, it was the offensive line and the need to have serious upgrades at most of the positions. So to hear the new boss saying we were fine, just floored me.
When Arians arrived, he said the O-line was “fine”.
How could such a respected coach, especially when it comes to offense, say such a ridiculous thing? I hate to say it, but I knew better, and I felt like he should have too. I felt like he was doing the same thing most fans do and was completely ignoring one of the real problems with this team. With so much hanging on Jameis Winston’s ability to overcome the interception problem, why wouldn’t such a smart coach recognize the role that the offensive line plays in a quarterback’s success? That statement before last season took the air out of my tires and discouraged me greatly.
Hopefully, this draft will be different.
Fast forward to post-season 2019, pre-season, pre-draft 2020.
After a season of being the number four most sacked team in the NFL in 2019 with 47, and a run game that never really took off until the last two games of the season, Bruce Arians, now knows the offensive line isn’t “fine” anymore and truthfully it wasn’t when he got here. He now knows this truth to be self-evident. I say that because the NFL is having their draft combine currently. Bruce Arians had this to say about what he’s been doing in prep, and during this combine 2020, to address the Buccaneers’ needs,
“I probably watched more offensive line than I have in years because again, there’s a lot of good, quality guys up and down [the line] – centers, guards, tackles,” said the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ head coach. “I usually like watching skill players more, but I spent a lot of time this year on the offensive line. There’s about five or six tackles that are big-time,” – Bruce Arians – per Scott Smith, Senior Writer/Editor for Buccaneers.com
Draft history for the Bucs hasn’t been kind to the line positions.
After the huge success of the 2019 draft, the Bucs find themselves in an odd position. For the first time in a long time, they don’t have as many needs as usual, which is a good thing in more than one way. They are less likely to pass over an offensive lineman in this year’s draft. One of the best 5 or 6 tackles should still be there at #14 of the first. Now the chances that the Bucs will throw down on a tackle in the first round are slim. They have only drafted two tackles in the first round in the last 29 years, only one in the last 19. It has been a thorn in the back of my mind for years that this team doesn’t pay it’s dues in draft picks for such important positions. The squeaky wheel needs the grease, and nowhere else on the team is the squeak louder.
It’s a glaring need that will help Winston and Jones.
It’s not a stretch to say that doing so in the first round – if they take the right guy – will benefit Jameis Winston and Ronald Jones tremendously. Honestly, I’m hoping they take one in the first, and at least one more line position from the third on. The perfect situation would be a left and right tackle in my book, but you don’t know who will be there and if it would make good sense. Hopefully, though, there will be both there that they can’t pass on. Let’s hope this draft will be remembered for a couple of offensive linemen that will be with us for a very long time.
