Be careful, Bucco Bruce Arians. Be very careful.
That’s the message for Arians from former Bucs guard and current popular local radio personality Ian Beckles. The proud product of Indiana University has a cautionary tale for the new Bucs coach. Be very, very careful that malcontent wide receiver DeSean Jackson doesn’t con you.
In a recent edition of his podcast, “In the Trenches,” Beckles seems very scared Jackson will play nice with Arians, enough that Arians might get sucked in by Jackson’s charm and speed and then Jackson will repeat the stunts he pulled with Dirk Koetter and blow up the team.
Beckles was answering a question from an e-mailer who said he was getting turned off by Arians possibly sucking up to Jackson based on Arians’ recent comments.
The two were supposed to have a sitdown last week to help Arians determine what should be done with Jackson. Whether that meeting took place is not known and if it did, the results also are not yet known.
But Beckles has seen enough of Jackson’s act that Beckles wants him gone.
[Beckles reading a portion of the e-mail]: I am losing respect for Arians kissing Jackson’s arse on TV. … Is Arians serious or pumping up portrayed value?
Ian Beckles: I think it is probably a little bit of both. I think Bruce Arians would like to make it work if possible. I don’t think he knows if it is possible right now. Dogging out one of your players before you get to know them doesn’t help anybody. So Bruce Arians is going to do what he has to do to up the stock of DeSean Jackson. You don’t want to lower the stock. Is it evident that Jackson doesn’t want to be here? It’s pretty evident. And it is pretty evident he doesn’t like what Jameis Winston has to offer. So that puts Bruce Arians in a really tough situation. Do I think DeSean Jackson is going to be here this year or next year? Probably not. I don’t think so. With all the money that he is being paid, I don’t think it is a fit. I just don’t think he wants to be here. You don’t want to be three games into the season and then he’s acting a fool and wants to be out of here. You know what, then you have to sit him down and not play him but you have to pay him. Or, you can cut him, but you’d still have to pay him. So before you make that decision to keep him around you better hope he is happy enough not to make a bunch of noise.
The one main thorn in Jackson’s side in this whole mess is America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. And Arians (or Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht) is not getting rid of Jameis, at least not before Jackson’s contract expires.
Jackson is about to enter the third year of his three-year deal and Jameis also is entering the final year of his contract.
So if the biggest sticking point for Jackson won’t be taken care of to satisfy (pacify?) Jackson, Joe isn’t sure how Jackson can be happy or how Arians can conclude Jackson is happy?
I suspect that Arians wants to put his best foot forward with Djax…..but in the end, this will be about money…..if you keep Jackson…..where are are you going to find $10 mil for the many other roster needs you have?
I trust Arians to make the right decision here…..look at it this way….which path has less risk……keep Jackson and hope he pans out…..or cut/trade him and use the money on other players.
That seems like a simple answer to me.
Winston and he are feuding…off the field. That relationship will never be fixed.
As usual I agree with TBBF. However this is one of those rare times when I agree with Ian completely.
Again though I would say just put the personal stuff aside for a second.
DJAX is simply not a good value for the Bucs. The Rams..maybe.
He is truly the one trick pony…he has speed and nothing else. He doesn’t block, he doesn’t go over the middle, he doesn’t have bad hands but they’re not great and he doesn’t do much in the way of fighting for the ball. IE…he’s no ME, Godwin, Hump or OJ.
We do not have a need in this area and OJ has gotten open deep for both Bama in their playoff run as well as the Bucs.
ME gets open deep because of his physicality and size. Godwin also doesn’t do badly. We still have fans here that are upset with Godwin’s TD to end that 2017 season and cost us a couple of spots in the draft.
So there is no need on this team for a true luxury like a one trick pony who is fast and not much more. There are many ways to stretch the field we simply don’t need a speed merchant on a team loaded with targets for JW. There is only one football! It will still be tough to spread the targets around so many gifted targets.
Doesn’t matter one bit whether Jackson is happy or not. What does matter is that he comes with a $10 mil pricetag. Bye bye DJax. Next!
Wish DJax was cut already.
I get why we have to play this little game of acting like he’s wanted – so as to try to maintain some perception of “value” for his “services”.
But is it really worth it to go through all this? Just so we can try and sucker some team into trading a 6th rd pick for Jackson and his $10M salary for 1 more year?
I say no. Its nothing but a big unnecessary distraction that we don’t need heading into yet another offseason of “hope”.
Bucs need to just release DJax and move on IMO….
Tampabaybucfan–yes the answer is simple,make him feel comfortable ,than trade him.Ba loves speed,but we need the money honey.You really want a new black corvette,but a small compact car is what you can afford.No more pie in the sky–we need tough,smart,dedicated players.Yes Mr. Jackson —we need players that practice every day like it is the last two minutes of the Super Bowl!!!!!!
Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Do not let this brat have his way. You put on the uniform then u practice n play with effort as expected, or u WILL b held accountable with discipline.
WHY ?? Fits had no issues connecting with Djax …speed kills !
Arians being a huge upgrade over Koetter is the key factor. All of the dysfunction last year , and even the year before with Baker, was due to Koetter being a weak head coach.
If DJax becomes a problem, Arians will deal with it, but I think the respect Arians and staff will bring will solve the drama crap.
Bucs need talent on OLine , DLine and Linebacker- that’s where the focus should be in draft and free agency.
Humphries is a good player, but I’m not trading DJax for Humphries, which is basically what you’re doing if you sign Humphries.
JW was benched for three games. What happened to the DJAX Fitz connection in those games? DJAX got 50 % of his 700 plus yards in the 3 of the first four games. What happened to that connection?
Here’s a thought expressed by some NFL folks…the DC’s watched film and simply had their safeties account for him.
Oh…he’s a nice dog…he has only bitten a few people…Licht blew this BIG time !….
DJack is gone. Nothing to see here, move along. Everything you see and hear from this point forward is nothing but posturing to maximize trade value, which at this point is a late round pick at best. Licht’s greatest mistake wasn’t signing DJack, but rather missing the opportunity to trade him to the Texans, Cowboys, Eagles, etc…..
I’m not worried about DJ much. Keep him or not..Arians will Not put up with a lot of DJ’s Shenanigans. Arians will sit him or trade him..mid season. He;s not a coach to be messed with. He did it to a couple of AZ players. I don’t see DJ hangin around the whole season unless he has a major attitude change. Because once he starts his pouting…The hand will fall.
His trade value at his age is late round at best.
He makes about 600k a game to catch maybe 3 or 4 passes and isn’t happy?
That just means he’s horrible as a human.
You don’t publicly destroy a guy who had trade value. Holy Jesus are you people stupid. The guy can literally get you a good draft pick, perhaps as high as a 3rd rounder, you morons think you down him down and cut him because… well, because that’s what losers do, they talk down their assets before dumping it because it makes them feel better for 5 mins, until they realize there’s a bunch of teams all fighting to sign him. Idiots.
Munch…DJax’s trade value was /will never be higher than just before last years trade deadline…he would have gone to a play off bound team…Licht blew it as he knew DJax was unhappy and according to the media asked to be traded….A 3 last fall would have been realistic, not so much now.
You can’t trade him if the whole League thinks that you are going to cut him.
But you gotta talk nice in Public so that you keep all options open.