Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
I was listening to Steve Duemig on WDAE in Tampa while driving Friday afternoon and he brought up an excellent point.
He said part of the problem with Tampa Bay right now is that the Bucs have no true leaders in their locker room. I’d have to agree with that totally. That’s the price you pay when you cut someone like Derrick Brooks and don’t have any heir apparent.
Sure, the Bucs knew the leadership aspect would have to be addressed when they made the decision to part ways with Brooks and they were hoping some new leaders would emerge. But, from what I’ve seen and heard, that hasn’t happened so far.
Veteran cornerback Ronde Barber is a good player, but it’s never been part of his personality to be a leader. Tight end Kellen Winslow probably has been Tampa Bay’s best player so far, but he’s a loner and not the type of guy you’d want leading your team anyway.
You don’t just proclaim a leader. You have to have a guy with the personality and the credentials to establish himself in that role. The one guy I see with potential here for the Bucs is middle linebacker Barrett Ruud. He’s been a good player for a couple of years and he can be a bit feisty.
But Ruud hasn’t really taken over this team yet. Maybe that’s one of the reasons the Bucs haven’t extended his contract yet. They know he can play, but maybe they want to see if he can be a leader before locking him up.
All this talk of leadership got me thinking about who the other leaders are around the NFC South and I can honestly say I don’t think any other team is lacking in leaders like the Bucs. Here’s my synopsis on the leadership situations with the other teams:
New Orleans. The Saints probably have the best leadership situation in the division right now, and it’s no coincidence they’re undefeated. They’ve got clearly-defined and very strong leaders. Quarterback Drew Brees is a natural leader and about as good as you’ll find in this category. It’s been that way since Brees arrived in New Orleans. But now he’s got complements on the defensive side. Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and safety Darren Sharper have emerged as very strong leaders.
Carolina. Despite their problems in other areas, the Panthers have strong leadership. Middle linebacker Jon Beason is still young, but he’s pretty much been the leader of this defense since the first day he walked in the door. He’s got the natural personality of a leader and the skills to back him up. He also gets some help in this area from safety Chris Harris. Say what you want about the way quarterback Jake Delhomme has played this season, but he’s still the leader of this offense. He’s still got tons of respect in the locker room and that’s become even more apparent as teammates haven’t given up on him even though he’s throwing a bunch of interceptions. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross also fills a leadership role. Receiver Steve Smith and defensive end Julius Peppers might be Carolina’s best players, but they’re both unique personalities. They’re loners and go their own way in the locker room.
Atlanta. Perhaps the best move the Falcons made this offseason was signing linebacker Mike Peterson. He’s a good player, but an even better leader. Peterson took over as a leader on the first day of minicamp and he’s also grooming second-year middle linebacker Curtis Lofton to take on that role in the future. Offensively, the Falcons get their leadership from several directions. Although he’s only a second-year player, quarterback Matt Ryan is immensely popular and respected in the locker room. He gets some help from veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez and center Todd McClure.
I was listening to Steve Duemig on WDAE in Tampa while driving Friday afternoon and he brought up an excellent point.
He said part of the problem with Tampa Bay right now is that the Bucs have no true leaders in their locker room. I’d have to agree with that totally. That’s the price you pay when you cut someone like Derrick Brooks and don’t have any heir apparent.
Sure, the Bucs knew the leadership aspect would have to be addressed when they made the decision to part ways with Brooks and they were hoping some new leaders would emerge. But, from what I’ve seen and heard, that hasn’t happened so far.
Veteran cornerback Ronde Barber is a good player, but it’s never been part of his personality to be a leader. Tight end Kellen Winslow probably has been Tampa Bay’s best player so far, but he’s a loner and not the type of guy you’d want leading your team anyway.
You don’t just proclaim a leader. You have to have a guy with the personality and the credentials to establish himself in that role. The one guy I see with potential here for the Bucs is middle linebacker Barrett Ruud. He’s been a good player for a couple of years and he can be a bit feisty.
But Ruud hasn’t really taken over this team yet. Maybe that’s one of the reasons the Bucs haven’t extended his contract yet. They know he can play, but maybe they want to see if he can be a leader before locking him up.
All this talk of leadership got me thinking about who the other leaders are around the NFC South and I can honestly say I don’t think any other team is lacking in leaders like the Bucs. Here’s my synopsis on the leadership situations with the other teams:
New Orleans. The Saints probably have the best leadership situation in the division right now, and it’s no coincidence they’re undefeated. They’ve got clearly-defined and very strong leaders. Quarterback Drew Brees is a natural leader and about as good as you’ll find in this category. It’s been that way since Brees arrived in New Orleans. But now he’s got complements on the defensive side. Middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma and safety Darren Sharper have emerged as very strong leaders.
Carolina. Despite their problems in other areas, the Panthers have strong leadership. Middle linebacker Jon Beason is still young, but he’s pretty much been the leader of this defense since the first day he walked in the door. He’s got the natural personality of a leader and the skills to back him up. He also gets some help in this area from safety Chris Harris. Say what you want about the way quarterback Jake Delhomme has played this season, but he’s still the leader of this offense. He’s still got tons of respect in the locker room and that’s become even more apparent as teammates haven’t given up on him even though he’s throwing a bunch of interceptions. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross also fills a leadership role. Receiver Steve Smith and defensive end Julius Peppers might be Carolina’s best players, but they’re both unique personalities. They’re loners and go their own way in the locker room.
Atlanta. Perhaps the best move the Falcons made this offseason was signing linebacker Mike Peterson. He’s a good player, but an even better leader. Peterson took over as a leader on the first day of minicamp and he’s also grooming second-year middle linebacker Curtis Lofton to take on that role in the future. Offensively, the Falcons get their leadership from several directions. Although he’s only a second-year player, quarterback Matt Ryan is immensely popular and respected in the locker room. He gets some help from veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez and center Todd McClure.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.