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Buccaneers Round Table: Is T.J. Ward right about his comments?

By David Harrison

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 03: Denver Broncos safety T. J. Ward visits the SiriusXM set at Super Bowl LI Radio Row at the George R. Brown Convention Center on February 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM )
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 03: Denver Broncos safety T. J. Ward visits the SiriusXM set at Super Bowl LI Radio Row at the George R. Brown Convention Center on February 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM ) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 15: Running back Adrian Peterson #23 of the Arizona Cardinals steps up to the line of scrimmage during the first half of the NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 15: Running back Adrian Peterson #23 of the Arizona Cardinals steps up to the line of scrimmage during the first half of the NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Buccaneers 38-33. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

David Harrison

T.J. Ward spoke openly about his frustrations with his snap count since joining the Buccaneers prior to the season opener against Chicago.

In his Monday press conference, head coach Dirk Koetter stated Ward should have gone to someone who could actually impact his playing time, hinting that his decision to air his grievances to the media was not the best route to get what he wanted.

Then, on Wednesday, Jenna Laine reported for ESPN about Ward regretting his handling of the situation. He didn’t retract his words, but showed some remorse about how he went about conveying them.

Still, the point remains, the former Broncos safety and All-Pro player believes he should be on the field more for a defense struggling to find it’s footing in 2017.

I, for one, agree with him. Now, I’m saying this assuming he wouldn’t be calling for increased playing time unless he felt he firmly grasped the defensive plays and scheme.

It’s no secret Mike Smith runs a complicated defense. One predicated on reading and reacting quickly and correctly. One misstep, or correct step too late, and it could mean big plays and big gains for opposing offenses. This is what we’ve seen mostly this year.

So, while I agree Ward should have handled things internally, I understand his frustrations. This seems to be the off-season of all-star discontent. First it was Adrian Peterson’s frustrations with being more of a seat filler that stat getter in New Orleans. Now, this.

Bottom line is, the Buccaneers have one of the worst passing defenses in the league. It isn’t solely on the secondary, but what’s being done now isn’t working.

Ward has done this for a while now, and he’s done it well. I’d say it’s time to listen to him a little bit.

Next: Panthers Q&A

This wraps up The Pewter Plank’s round table on T.J. Ward’s recent comments about his playing time.

What are your thoughts? Which writer’s opinion do you agree with, and which one do you hate the most?

Also, put yourself in this arena, and let us know what you think!

Comment below, on Facebook, Twitter or through email, and let us know all your thoughts on the 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers!

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