- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Butch Davis: Barron drafted because of Graham
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:17 pm
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:17 pm
LINK
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted safety Mark Barron specifically to help them defend New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, according to testimony from former Buccaneers assistant coach Butch Davis.
ProFootballTalk unearthed that interesting nugget after obtaining a portion of the testimony from Graham’s recent franchise-tag grievance hearing.
“We took Mark Barron in the first round simply because of Jimmy Graham,” said Davis, who served as a special assistant to the head coach.
Davis was testifying on behalf of the position that Graham was a wide receiver. But as PFT pointed out, the testimony was actually turned against Davis on cross examination by the NFL, when Davis admitted that the Buccaneers didn’t draft a cornerback to cover Graham and that they would never have drafted a safety to cover Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
It hasn’t exactly worked; the Saints are 4-0 against the Bucs since Barron arrived.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted safety Mark Barron specifically to help them defend New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, according to testimony from former Buccaneers assistant coach Butch Davis.
ProFootballTalk unearthed that interesting nugget after obtaining a portion of the testimony from Graham’s recent franchise-tag grievance hearing.
“We took Mark Barron in the first round simply because of Jimmy Graham,” said Davis, who served as a special assistant to the head coach.
Davis was testifying on behalf of the position that Graham was a wide receiver. But as PFT pointed out, the testimony was actually turned against Davis on cross examination by the NFL, when Davis admitted that the Buccaneers didn’t draft a cornerback to cover Graham and that they would never have drafted a safety to cover Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
It hasn’t exactly worked; the Saints are 4-0 against the Bucs since Barron arrived.
This post was edited on 7/8/14 at 7:18 pm
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:24 pm to TheFreakyRobber
quote:Hah.
It hasn’t exactly worked; the Saints are 4-0 against the Bucs since Barron arrived.
I like how we're good now.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:31 pm to TheFreakyRobber
So they drafted a guy who struggles in coverage to cover the best TE in the NFL? Pretty terrible argument to begin with and easily refuted as pointed out in the OP.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:36 pm to Melvin
yeah way to completely shoot yourself in the foot
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:47 pm to TheFreakyRobber
I think butch is a damn liar.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 7:59 pm to TheFreakyRobber
this article is very intriguing and shows the NFL did it's homework with this case.
I never even thought of that angle…but this is pretty damning:
I never even thought of that angle…but this is pretty damning:
quote:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted safety Mark Barron specifically to help them defend New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, according to testimony from former Buccaneers assistant coach Butch Davis.
quote:
Davis admitted that the Buccaneers didn’t draft a cornerback to cover Graham and that they would never have drafted a safety to cover Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 8:03 pm to LSUzealot
quote:They always do when it's potentially going to lose them money.
this article is very intriguing and shows the NFL did it's homework with this case.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 8:15 pm to LSUzealot
quote:
and that they would never have drafted a safety to cover Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
Seems like Graham's lawyer could've turned this around by referencing the Saints drafting Vacarro and signing Byrd. We didn't do that to cover TEs.
This post was edited on 7/8/14 at 8:16 pm
Posted on 7/8/14 at 8:21 pm to saintsfan22
Turned it around how? This was about a safety being drafted to cover a tight end, and that same team not drafting a corner to do so. And that same team also wouldn't draft a safety to cover a wide receiver.
So if they wouldn't draft a safety to cover a wide receiver, then they saw Graham as a tight end.
Us drafting or signing safeties has no effect on how other teams cover Graham. Not sure where you're going with that.
It was also stated that other teams use linebackers and safeties to cover Graham even when he is in the slot or out wide, rarely using a corner to do so. The Pats were the only team to exclusively use a corner on him and that corner had the size of a typical safety.
Edit:
I see you've edited but that still doesn't make sense as it relates to Graham. What argument is to be made?
We didn't draft Vaccaro to cover wide receivers(not exclusively or even half the time). Byrd isn't going to be playing much man. That has zero impact on the Graham situation.
So if they wouldn't draft a safety to cover a wide receiver, then they saw Graham as a tight end.
Us drafting or signing safeties has no effect on how other teams cover Graham. Not sure where you're going with that.
It was also stated that other teams use linebackers and safeties to cover Graham even when he is in the slot or out wide, rarely using a corner to do so. The Pats were the only team to exclusively use a corner on him and that corner had the size of a typical safety.
Edit:
I see you've edited but that still doesn't make sense as it relates to Graham. What argument is to be made?
We didn't draft Vaccaro to cover wide receivers(not exclusively or even half the time). Byrd isn't going to be playing much man. That has zero impact on the Graham situation.
This post was edited on 7/8/14 at 8:24 pm
Posted on 7/8/14 at 8:24 pm to saintsfan22
quote:
Seems like Graham's lawyer could've turned this around by referencing the Saints drafting Vacarro and signing Byrd. We didn't do that to cover TEs.
I'm not following you. Vaccaro wasn't shadowing teams top WR's.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 8:27 pm to Patrick O Rly
If anything I believe Vaccaro played man against TEs and HBs more than against slot receivers.
I know Vaccaro was used a lot against Tony G. That actually plays in to what the Bucs did with Barron and Graham which would again help the NFL's case.
Not seeing how that helps Graham at all.
I know Vaccaro was used a lot against Tony G. That actually plays in to what the Bucs did with Barron and Graham which would again help the NFL's case.
Not seeing how that helps Graham at all.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 9:20 pm to saintsfan22
quote:
Seems like Graham's lawyer could've turned this around by referencing the Saints drafting Vacarro and signing Byrd. We didn't do that to cover TEs.
huh?
Posted on 7/8/14 at 9:24 pm to bonethug0108
Butch Davis says
Saying he's must not be a WR because you wouldn't draft a S to help defend a WR isn't necessarily correct.
It shows teams bring in safeties to stop WRs as well as TEs.
quote:
drafted safety Mark Barron specifically to help them defend New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham
Saying he's must not be a WR because you wouldn't draft a S to help defend a WR isn't necessarily correct.
quote:
Us drafting or signing safeties has no effect on how other teams cover Graham. Not sure where you're going with that.
It shows teams bring in safeties to stop WRs as well as TEs.
Posted on 7/8/14 at 9:25 pm to saintsfan22
quote:Meh... Not really.
It shows teams bring in safeties to stop WRs as well as TEs.
Posted on 7/9/14 at 1:44 am to saintsfan22
quote:Still not relevant unless you can show me one safety who spends even half his time in man coverage on a WR. Just because a safety covers a WR occasionally doesn't mean that that's why they brought him in. It's only a small part of the job, not the meat in other words.
It shows teams bring in safeties to stop WRs as well as TEs.
That's like saying we brought Strief in to be a TE when we still had Stinchcomb. Just because he played that role occasionally doesn't mean that's what we brought him in to do.
quote:Not straight forward 100%, but Davis said they drafted Barron to cover Graham, compared Graham to tall receivers like Calvin Johnson, and then said they wouldn't draft a safety to cover Johnson.
Saying he's must not be a WR because you wouldn't draft a S to help defend a WR isn't necessarily correct.
Teams draft tall corners to defend tall receivers, not safeties. Teams draft safeties and LBs to defend TEs and backs. That's why even when split out Graham still mostly drew LBs and safeties in coverage.
This post was edited on 7/9/14 at 1:45 am
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News