Cato June (1 Viewer)

[gump]

with TB, it is true brooks is most important player (but rice was fairly important in his prime)...

Agree that he WLB is not the most important position, but disagree about the Tampa situation. Warren Sapp is the most important, and effective, player the Tampa 2 has ever had. The zone gets shredded, no matter how good your LBs are, when you can't pressure the QB. While Rice was good at that, so was Sapp...and he also stuffed the run...freeing up Brooks to roam. That defense was scary before Rice arrived.The Tampa 2 needs a great DL, and preferably a great DT, more than anything.

 

[redman]

with TB, it is true brooks is most important player (but rice was fairly important in his prime)...

Agree that he WLB is not the most important position, but disagree about the Tampa situation. Warren Sapp is the most important, and effective, player the Tampa 2 has ever had. The zone gets shredded, no matter how good your LBs are, when you can't pressure the QB. While Rice was good at that, so was Sapp...and he also stuffed the run...freeing up Brooks to roam. That defense was scary before Rice arrived.The Tampa 2 needs a great DL, and preferably a great DT, more than anything.

Said another way, because the cover-2 requires 7 guys to cover the field beyond the line of scrimmage, the four linemen are on their own to generate pressure, without much in the way of blitzing.

 

[Capella]

with TB, it is true brooks is most important player (but rice was fairly important in his prime)...

Agree that he WLB is not the most important position, but disagree about the Tampa situation. Warren Sapp is the most important, and effective, player the Tampa 2 has ever had. The zone gets shredded, no matter how good your LBs are, when you can't pressure the QB. While Rice was good at that, so was Sapp...and he also stuffed the run...freeing up Brooks to roam. That defense was scary before Rice arrived.The Tampa 2 needs a great DL, and preferably a great DT, more than anything.

agreed that for tampa, that UT is the most important, IF you have a great player like sapp. he made such a difference it's mind-boggling.but a lot of what the bucs try to do is to route the offensive traffic towards the weak-side...which has made the sure-tackling of brooks so important over the years.

 

[redman]

with TB, it is true brooks is most important player (but rice was fairly important in his prime)...

Agree that he WLB is not the most important position, but disagree about the Tampa situation. Warren Sapp is the most important, and effective, player the Tampa 2 has ever had. The zone gets shredded, no matter how good your LBs are, when you can't pressure the QB. While Rice was good at that, so was Sapp...and he also stuffed the run...freeing up Brooks to roam. That defense was scary before Rice arrived.The Tampa 2 needs a great DL, and preferably a great DT, more than anything.

agreed that for tampa, that UT is the most important, IF you have a great player like sapp. he made such a difference it's mind-boggling.but a lot of what the bucs try to do is to route the offensive traffic towards the weak-side...which has made the sure-tackling of brooks so important over the years.

Agreed, Cappy. The WLB has the least pass coverage responsibilities and has much more freedom to flow to the play to make tackles. In fantasy terms, the cover-2 WLB tends to be the defensive MVP because he racks up tackles. The fact that a great player like Brooks and a mediocre player like June could resemble each other in fantasy performance simply tells you that the scheme is more important than the skill for fantasy evaluation.

 

[gump]

agreed that for tampa, that UT is the most important, IF you have a great player like sapp. he made such a difference it's mind-boggling.but a lot of what the bucs try to do is to route the offensive traffic towards the weak-side...which has made the sure-tackling of brooks so important over the years.

That's true. I just can't get that excited about the June signing...not as excited as I would be if we signed a great DL.I wish the "next Warren Sapp" was out there for the taking at #4...I just can't let go of the good ole days

 

[Purpulhippo999]

i think with June gone, it's gonna be harder for the colts to win the world series

 

[BucFan]

That's true. I just can't get that excited about the June signing...not as excited as I would be if we signed a great DL.I wish the "next Warren Sapp" was out there for the taking at #4...I just can't let go of the good ole days

Keep an eye on Marcus Thomas out of UF. He looks like he could be a disruptor for this defense at the UT position. He should be available in the 2nd-3rd round range with his history. Not quite a 1st round talent like Sapp was, but remember the Bucs got Sapp because he droppped due to issues like Thomas...

 

[gump]

That's true. I just can't get that excited about the June signing...not as excited as I would be if we signed a great DL.I wish the "next Warren Sapp" was out there for the taking at #4...I just can't let go of the good ole days

Keep an eye on Marcus Thomas out of UF. He looks like he could be a disruptor for this defense at the UT position. He should be available in the 2nd-3rd round range with his history. Not quite a 1st round talent like Sapp was, but remember the Bucs got Sapp because he droppped due to issues like Thomas...

I've heard a lot of locals hoping for a Thomas selection with the 2nd 2nd-rounder (#64) or our 3rd (#68).

 

[Jene Bramel]

agreed that for tampa, that UT is the most important, IF you have a great player like sapp. he made such a difference it's mind-boggling.but a lot of what the bucs try to do is to route the offensive traffic towards the weak-side...which has made the sure-tackling of brooks so important over the years.

That's true. I just can't get that excited about the June signing...not as excited as I would be if we signed a great DL.I wish the "next Warren Sapp" was out there for the taking at #4...I just can't let go of the good ole days

Well, Amobi Okoye will be available at #4 should the Bucs be inclined to do some reaching...

 

[wannabee]

I found this on the June deal that might shed light on the subject:

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

JUNE DEAL NOT SO GOOD

We were suspicious right away. The news that the Buccaneeers had signed linebacker Cato June was broken not via a call made from June's agent to one of his contacts in the media. Instead, it was announced by the Bucs' official web site, in a move that we wouldn't have even noticed if a loyal member of PFT Planet hadn't given us a head's up.

This often means that the deal, in the opinion of the agent, was not as great as it could have been.

Since word broke of the signing, ESPN.com has added to its initial story on the matter an acknowledgement that the three-year deal is worth slightly more than $12 million.

A league source confirms for us that it's a three-year, $12 million deal. Per the source, it is believed that there is an option bonus or a roster bonus in year two aimed at forcing a restructuring or a release. So it's basically a one-year "prove it" deal, similar to the contract signed by linebacker Ian Gold several years ago with the Bucs. (In Gold's case, he was gone a year later.)

Opined the source: "It appears his agents did a terrible job for a linebacker who went to the Pro Bowl [and] Super Bowl. Guys like E.J. Henderson and Pisa Tinoisamoa each got five years, $25 million with $10 million guaranteed. E.J.'s first year pays out a little less than Cato's three-year deal."

Bradie James of the Cowboys also got a five-year, $20 million contract, with $8 million guaranteed.

With all that said, the knock on June is his size, or lack thereof. Listed at six feet and 227 pounds, some believe his playing weight is more like 210 pounds.

But with Lance Briggs, a weakside linebacker in a Tampa 2 defense on a Super Bowl team, wearing the franchise tag while June, a weakside linebacker in a Tampa 2 defense on the Super Bowl winner, available for no compensation to the Colts, it's amazing to us that June didn't get signed sooner, and for a lot more money.

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[Despyzer]

ESPN.com's AM Jump had this comment today:

Cato June content with just one Super Bowl championship in his career

 

[pizzatyme]

Johnny U is spot on! June is a high-tackling product of the system. The Colts have let 3 better LBs leave over the last few years than June. Why would they sign him?

I got so tired of watching the games, from my seat and seeing June get blown out of the zip code on a block, then recover and make a tackle 7 yeards downfield.

I'm not saying I know more than "the scout" but I am a season ticket holder who has been to every home game and 3 road games the last 3 years. June is over-rated and as good as he was in passing situations, he is equally as bad on running plays.

An average goalie can make 30 saves a night and let 4 by. He is still letting 4 goals past him!

 

[Despyzer]

This thread is shocking. Fans of the team that is losing the guy hate him, and fans of the team that is picking him up think he will add quality. Who would have thought!

 

[gump]

This thread is shocking. Fans of the team that is losing the guy hate him, and fans of the team that is picking him up think he will add quality. Who would have thought!

One argument is stronger...he clearly brings value for the price the team that picked him up paid. The other side of the coin is still very unclear.

 

[Warpig]

Soooo...apparently, Cato June is worth about 1 million more dollars than Ryan Fowler?

 

[djcolts]

This thread is shocking. Fans of the team that is losing the guy hate him, and fans of the team that is picking him up think he will add quality. Who would have thought!

It's not hate, I'd phrase it as "not the end of the world." Next year, the Colts will have much bigger potential FAs losses than Nick Harper, Dom Rhodes and Cato June. Including Bob Sanders, Dallas Clark, Tarik Glenn, and all of this year's RFAs (which includes a both starting guards and starting CB Jason David). And, if Freeney isn't signed to a long-term deal, he'd be a FA again. Under this light, not signing June is simply peanuts compared to what's coming in 2008. And they'll need to save every penny they can for that.