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There has been much debate on why the Buccaneers went out and signed veteran defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh after releasing Gerald McCoy. But there is an answer now and it’s right from the coach’s mouth.
Via Joe Bucs Fan, Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians told ESPN that the reason for signing Suh was because McCoy just wasn’t a fit for their vision on defense as well as financially and saw Suh as a more consistent player.
“It just wasn’t a fit. Whether it was financial, whatever, on the field, you know, it just didn’t fit. I’ve been through this a number of times with guys and great players and it just comes a time when they have to separate the organization. You go back to Franco Harris not being a Steeler; this has happened for a long, long time.”
“Consistency,” Arians said of Suh. “He never misses a game, very seldom ever misses a practice. Plays extremely hard the way I like to play. He fits our three-man scheme a lot better in terms of his versatility up and down the front.”
It has been known that Arians likes consistency from his players. And while some may see it as unfair, McCoy’s inconsistent health was viewed as a liability especially with the contract he had. Plus, the coaches saw inconsistent play on the field and determined that McCoy may be a liability in their new system.
We’ll wait to see what this season brings for the Buccaneers new defense with Suh in it. After all, it is the offseason. So until this team kicks off on September 8 we all have no clue how this defense will really look.