Bucs Derrick Ward is frustrated....

RZR

RZR

Sun-kissed & restless
With losing, not frustrated with his team.

Bucs RB Derrick Ward practiced with his teammates on Tuesday. Ward missed Monday’s OTA, and held his first interview since early in the 2009 season. Ward said he was frustrated with the Bucs losing games but was not angry with the team or his role as a backup behind Cadillac Williams.

“My mindset wasn’t down or anything, I was just taken aback by the way we were losing,” said Ward. “I’m not used to losing, especially the first seven games. I came from New York and we were winners every year, so I had to take a step back and look at my surroundings and take a look at myself and re-evaluate myself. This year I’m coming back stronger. My work ethic is to a T, and I’m ready to go.”

Link: Ward Frustrated With Losing, Not His Role | Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pewter Report

As fans, we were quite disappointed with Ward too. However with the key ingredients starting to blend together in the offseason, we might just have some spicy chili to serve up come September!
 
Rachelle has brought up an interesting subject in Derrick Ward and the Bucs Running game. I myself thought Ward was going to be more prominent in the running game last year as did many others. I even made a move in a 5 keeper league to move up and grab Ward in a pre-camp draft last year. But low and behold Cadillac Williams comes back from two season ending injuries and recovers enough to open the season as the starter. Ward became an after thought and maybe shouldn't have. Caddy pulled off a whole year as a starter but the comeback was a bit of a mixed blessing. Caddy put up some decent stats but maybe a bit light in yards per carry and light on TDs (4). He did add 3 passing TDs which was new to to his resume. But the Bucs rushing attack really didn't strike fear in opposing Ds. Caddy would get ya down there but not really pound it in for score. Graham used to get going and rip off chunks in a drive and pound it for a score too. So Caddy was good from a fantasy point of view but not as a RB in real life tearing a D up. The Bucs Rushing attack was a little spongy and soft. Caddy was more like Cadadequate than Cadillac. So does the Bucs need more Ward or Graham this year. Or does Caddy with a completely healthy off season come back with a bit more swagger and thunder in his backpack? These are questions that the Bucs need need to answer about the running game this year and us as well as Fantasy Football Owners.
 
Very true, the rushing attack never really took off. I too was excited about Ward adding the pirate ship to his list of accessories last year. Freeman and Morris have been working diligently to pump up the passing game but without a viable pair of RB's the offense isn't going to spend enough time on the field to move the chains into scoring range, often enough to survive in a tough NFC South division.

Ward's ability to mentally rebound and rebuild with the 2010 Bucs is a critical puzzle piece new shaping picture. From a fantasy perspective, well he's less injury prone than Caddy and IMO will be used against tougher D's more than Caddy in boulder and bruiser situations. But I do see Caddy getting more red zone action.
 
First of all, I'm surprised that Derrick Ward actually thought that the Bucs were going to win last year. Everyone and their mothers knew that wasn't going to happen. He should have been better prepared for a loosing season.

With that said, the Bucs used Ward very much the same as NY did. Last year he only carried the ball 112 times, but he only averaged 3.6 ypc. In NY, during his last 2 seasons there, he had 125 attempts with a 4.8 average, and 182 attempts with a 5.6 average. That can't really be blamed on the OL because they are the best bunch Tampa has ever had.

The Bucs really wanted Caddy to be the #1 guy all along last year. Everything out of camp was that Williams looks to be the starter, and that's what happened. I think that they were hoping that the addition of Ward would give Caddy numbers like Brandon Jacobs. The last 2 years that Ward was in NY to complement Jacobs, Brandon had 202 attempts for a 5 yard average, and 219 attempts for a 5 yard average. Last year they gave Caddy the ball 211 times, but he walked away with a 3.9 yard average.

It seems to me that the Bucs game-plan all along was to pass it more than they were letting off. They wanted Josh Freeman to be an Eli Manning type of QB near the beginning of his career, with a balanced, spread out rushing attack that would complement each other and the passing game.

Unfortunately, the Bucs just aren't the Giants, so Ward and the Bucs organization needs to get that out of their heads. We have a very good TE in Winslow, and 2 beast prospects at WR from the draft that we all expect to start right away (not to mention the little guy at WR they drafted late last year). Tampa's defense was also a huge factor. With teams beating us up and down the field (until Raheem fired the D-coord and took over play calling- which btw, the Bucs D allowed only 17 ppg after that change), the Bucs couldn't run all game long. Unfortunately, as well, that was the strongest part of their offense.

With that said, I think now that we know how they want to play Josh Freeman and these young receivers, they should just stick to their original game plan. Perhaps increase Caddy's and Ward's carries by about 10-15 touches each, but I'm actually a fan of letting that QB and WRs grow, if that's what the team believes is best. This is of course also assuming that with the defensive acquisitions, Raheem can keep the game close enough for a young offense to do some damage, or at least manage.
 
rotoworld,

The St. Petersburg Times speculates that Derrick Ward could see more carries per game this season.

Cadillac Williams averaged 13.1 totes a game last year while Ward's number was called just 8.1 times per game. Neither back cracked the 4.0 yards per carry mark. The Bucs appear intent on keeping Ward more involved this season, and we're expecting a pretty even split in carries when the dust settles.
Source: St. Petersburg Times
 
rotoworld,
Bucs coaches were not pleased that Derrick Ward missed an entire set of workouts last week because of a "dental situation."

The workouts were "voluntary," but it sounds like the Bucs think Ward just decided to take the week off. It's not going to help his plea for more carries behind Caddy Williams, although we're still about two months away from training camp.
Source: St. Petersburg Times
 
rotoworld,
Derrick Ward returned to Bucs OTAs this week after missing four earlier workouts due to a "dental issue."

The Bucs coaches were reportedly not pleased that Ward missed so much time because of his teeth, but Ward came back on Monday saying he wants to be a leader. He's fighting for an even share of carries with starter Cadillac Williams.
Source: St. Petersburg Times
 
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