Which Bucs Newcomer Will Make The Biggest Impact?

For this weekend’s Pewter Report Roundtable, the crew tackles one other robust query. This week’s immediate: Which Bucs newcomer will make the most important affect?

Scott Reynolds: Hicks Can Make A Big Influence – If He Can Keep Wholesome

If you understand me, you understand I like defensive position play. I’m excited to see what rookie defensive deal with Logan Corridor can do in his rookie yr. Can he reside as much as the hype he’s been getting this offseason from Will Gholston, Warren Sapp and others? However the child was going to be beneath some actual strain this yr. He actually solely had one nice yr speeding the passer at Houston. That was final season when he had 6.5 sacks.

Corridor’s personal acknowledged purpose for 2022 is to get six sacks. However that’s somewhat lofty contemplating that the final 4 defensive tackles drafted within the first spherical – Sapp (1995), Anthony McFarland (1999), Gerald McCoy (2010) and Vita Vea (2018) – didn’t come near that quantity. Sapp, McCoy and Vea posted three sacks of their rookie seasons, whereas McFarland had only one.

Enter veteran Akiem Hicks, who has over 40 profession sacks and an extremely fast first step for a 350-pound man. The signing of Hicks ought to take some strain off Corridor. No matter whether or not Corridor begins or if it’s Hicks beginning at the start of the common season, each huge males will play. The 32-year outdated Hicks won’t solely make an affect as a seasoned pass-rusher in Tampa Bay, changing Ndamukong Suh and Steve McLendon. He’ll additionally support in Corridor’s growth as a mentor. If wholesome for many of the season, I may see Hicks get six sacks and Corridor come away with 4. That may be higher mixed sack manufacturing than Suh (six) and McLendon (zero) had final yr.

Matt Matera: Gage Will Assist Immediately

The Bucs signed Russell Gage in March and it might go down as a very powerful signing they’ve made this offseason. Gage solidifies the third huge receiver function within the Bucs offense and will probably be much more priceless early within the season. With the uncertainty of when Chris Godwin will return, it’ll be Gage that strikes up in his spot. There’s no changing Godwin, however Gage can be sure that there received’t be an enormous drop off till Godwin will get again.

Gage has been on this state of affairs earlier than. When taking part in for Falcons, Julio Jones was traded to the Titans and Calvin Ridley took a go away of absence after 5 video games for psychological well being causes. That made Gage the highest man in Atlanta’s offense and he performed effectively doing so. Gage can line up on the skin and within the slot as effectively, making him very versatile within the Bucs offense.

Whether or not Godwin is prepared for the start of the season or not, I feel Gage’s versatility will shine via for the Bucs. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich can get artistic in deciding the place to line him up. He’ll be a reliable receiver for Tom Brady. There’s a cause that Brady facetimed Gage to try to get him to Tampa. Brady has been known as the final word recruiter, however he doesn’t do it for everybody. He does it for the blokes that he needs. Evidently, Gage made the lower and we’ll see the worth he brings this season.

JC Allen: Mason Offers Offensive Line Huge Enhance

You may make a powerful case for the ability place gamers introduced on this yr. Rookie Rachaad White and Russell Gage may definitely wind up making the most important affect this season. Although, you can even make a case for the defensive additions like Akiem Hicks or rookie Logan Corridor. However the participant I’m going with received’t present up on the stat sheet.

The addition of Shaq Mason will make this workforce even higher on the offensive line than it has been. Mason is among the prime guards within the league. His means to open up holes within the run sport with be essential to a workforce that wishes to determine the run extra this season. Final season, he completed with a 85.3 run blocking grade, per Professional Soccer Focus. Final season with the Patriots, rushers had 467 yards working inside proper of their 2,030 whole speeding yards, per Sports activities Information Options. Practically 25% of their speeding yards got here from holes opened by Mason.

Not solely a dominant run blocker, Mason is a greater than succesful move protector. What really helps him is his time spent with Tom Brady in New England. Mason is aware of Brady’s tendencies within the pocket, which ought to permit him to purchase the long run Corridor of Fame quarterback extra time. He completed final season with a 73.1 move blocking grade, which tied for twenty sixth within the league. At first look, which will look low, however think about that Alex Cappa completed forty sixth with a 69.6 move blocking grade. Changing Cappa, who allowed 5 sacks and 7 hits final yr, Mason will show to be a direct improve. Final yr, he solely gave up one sack and three hits whereas blocking for a rookie quarterback. Think about what he’ll do blocking for the GOAT as soon as once more.

Josh Quiepo: Rachaad White Can Attain His Acknowledged Aim

Everyone knows attrition is a beast for the working again place. With the play-by-play beating the place calls for, there may be an understanding — nay, I say an expectation — that working backs should be in some kind of committee.

And that reality is the beginning of how Rachaad White could make the most important affect in 2022. His path to taking part in time is a reasonably straight line. Based mostly on his early camp work, White seems to have an inside observe on the RB2 spot, which suggests he’ll get one to 2 drives per sport spelling Leonard Fournette. Moreover, given his talents as a receiver, I totally count on him to siphon off increasingly third-down work from veteran Gio Bernard because the yr strikes on. This could give White the chance to get the ball in his palms.

Lastly, given what we all know concerning the attrition charge for working backs, it is sensible to count on Fournette to overlook a while in 2022. Fournette has missed three video games in every of his final two seasons. If he had been to overlook time in 2022, I totally count on White to slip into the “lead-back” function and get the lion’s share of the backfield work. That may give White the possibility he’s in search of.

Bailey Adams: Consider The Hype For Corridor

I’m shopping for into the hype and rolling with Logan Corridor. All the pieces that everybody has stated about him so far has constructed up excessive expectations. Head coach Todd Bowles appears happy along with his progress. Corridor of Famer and Bucs Ring of Honor member Warren Sapp got here away impressed when he labored with him throughout OTAs. In an look on the Pewter Report Podcast, Will Gholston picked him out because the participant who will escape in 2022. Then, he made the headline-grabbing declare that Corridor is “extra athletic than J.J. Watt in his prime.” How will you not count on huge issues from the second-round decide in any case of that?

In fact, Corridor remains to be a rookie. Rookie linemen don’t usually are available and make a significant splash from day one. Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds has identified just lately that even Sapp didn’t are available and rack up sacks commonly as a rookie. He had three in 1995. Prime-five decide Gerald McCoy had three himself in his 2010 rookie season. And the Bucs rookie file for sacks in a single season belongs to Santana Dotson, who posted 10 in 1992. I don’t assume Corridor essentially breaks that file, however I do assume he has the potential to satisfy the purpose he set for himself, which is six sacks. Gholston stated on the Pewter Report Podcast final month that he sees six-plus sacks out of his new teammate. what? Depend me in as being on board.

The alternatives must be there for Corridor. For some time, it regarded like he could be an unchallenged starter from day one in Bowles’ 3-4 protection. Nevertheless, the addition of Akiem Hicks has made that much less sure. Nonetheless, even when he doesn’t begin, he’ll nonetheless play a major share of the snaps. And in these snaps, I count on him to take advantage of his dimension, velocity and athleticism. With a lot give attention to Vita Vea within the center and the respect that must be paid to Gholston and prime move rusher Shaquil Barrett, I like Corridor’s probabilities to have a path to the quarterback. He could not emerge as a rookie of the yr candidate or something, however I feel he performs a large half in Tampa Bay’s protection from the soar.