The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held a press conference introducing the newest member of the team – defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
It’s official. After passing his physical, Jason Pierre-Paul is a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s crazy how things work out, isn’t it? Some fans were losing their minds seeing Robert Quinn and Michael Bennett traded elsewhere, then from the shadows comes Jason Licht and a mega deal nobody – not even JPP – saw coming.
The Bucs gave up their third round pick and swapped fourths with the New York Giants, allowing the Buccaneers to move from pick number 108 to 102 in the deal, but more importantly than that, the Bucs finally acquired a legitimate impact defensive end to line up with Gerald McCoy. Not just one that gets after the passer, but makes his presence felt in the run game as well. To go along with his 8.5 sacks in 2017, JPP was on the field for 1,010 snaps – second most in the entire league.
When introduced, JPP talked about his excitement to not only be part of the team, but for a personal reason as well;
"“I’d like to thank the organization and Jason [Licht] for coming to get me and believing in me as well. This is a big deal. I went to school out here. Tampa Bay is like my backyard so I know a lot of the city. I’m very excited to be here. I can’t wait to get to work with those guys, Gerald [McCoy] and the other guys too. I’m very excited. It came unexpectedly but at the same time, I’m very excited and I have a lot to prove and still want to be elite. The whole city is going to be getting a great, elite defensive end and I’m ready to prove and ready to bring a Super Bowl here.I think it’s a great move. My family is excited. I’m going to be closer to my son. I had to break the news to my son and he’s three and I told him that I’m not going to be in New York anymore. I said, ‘I’m going away to Tampa so I can see you more.’ He was just excited.”"
I’m sure it’s difficult for any NFL player to live far away from their child, especially one as young as JPP’s, so being close to him has to be a major bonus.
The impact of Pierre-Paul will be interesting to see unfold. Both he and Licht didn’t hesitate when referring to him as an elite end in this game, and that’s not far off. However, since his hand injury in 2015, Pierre-Paul has missed twelve games and 16.5 sacks in those three seasons combined. Anyone who watched the press conference or heard him speak knows Pierre-Paul is on a mission to prove he’s worth every penny of the contract he has and the passion he has to win, to get better, to keep his name in the conversation of best defensive ends in the game.
“My injury, what I learned from my injury, was that I’m unstoppable, man. I thank my Dad for that because my Dad, he’s been blind for 29 years and he never complained, not once. From that, I know I’m unstoppable. It’s going to take a hell of a lot for me to get off that damn field”
With the revamped defensive line and teaming up with fellow Pro Bowler and All Pro Gerald McCoy, there’s a solid chance he will.
There was a lot of passion, a lot of emotion with JPP in his presser Friday. You get the sense, the understanding that he loves this game. He loves the competition. He loves to beat the competition. He isn’t going to be the outspoken, Sapp type leader. He said as much himself – he lets his play and his work ethic speak for itself.
A trade that began all the way back at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, Licht stressed what a long process this has been. There was time, effort, and tons of work put into the trade that Licht and the coaches feel could really put them over the top along the defensive line.
There is no denying that JPP is an immediate upgrade to not just the defensive line, but the defense as a whole. With the front four now stabilized with the additions of Beau Allen, Vinny Curry, and Mitch Unrein plus the (hopeful) return of a healthy Noah Spence, there is a lot to look forward to with the way this line is shaping out. Dare I say it has gone from a weakness to a strength?
There are still positions that need to be addressed. No one is denying that. But the trade for a dynamic playmaker of Jason Pierre-Paul’s caliber opens up the draft strategy in a big way. The Bucs are no longer pigeonholed into drafting a defensive end in the first two days. They can focus on offensive line, running back, or the secondary with those first and second round picks, then with the move up can reset and bat second on day three as they look for those diamonds in the rough or just simply build depth on the roster.
Next: Diving Deeper Into The JPP Trade
This was a big move for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jason Pierre-Paul is a player that every Bucs fan can get behind as they will find it difficult to not gravitate towards his personality and sheer desire to be the best.
He’s the kick in the pants the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed.
Watch his entire presser here and be sure to check out the latest Locked On Bucs podcast below where we discuss the trade and how it affects the draft.