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Joseph returns to Tampa Bay as Rams starter
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_cdb36e69-1fbc-510e-ab4f-e8d7185a6bb5.html
Davin Joseph is all smiles when talking about his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even though they unceremoniously released him last March. Then again, he’s usually all smiles anyway.
“It’s a business, right?” Joseph said. “They all say that when they fire you. So it’s a business. I’m going to work. I’m going to do my job, and hopefully we’ll come away with a victory.”
After eight seasons, 100 games and two Pro Bowls with Tampa Bay, which drafted him in the first round in 2006, Joseph was “fired” by the Buccaneers and new coach Lovie Smith.
He wasn’t signed by the Rams until May 28, but a little over three months later finds himself in the starting lineup at right guard and facing his former team Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
The Rams “gave me a heck of an opportunity,” Joseph said. “They gave me all the support, specifically with the strength and conditioning staff, the trainers, coaches.
“And they helped me to be able to compete for a starting position because coming here I was playing off a couple injuries from the previous year. They helped me through that.”
After missing the entire 2012 season with a knee injury for Tampa Bay, Joseph suffered a staph infection in that knee in the summer of 2013. That setback impaired the rehab process. Although he started all 16 games for the Bucs, in looking at Joseph on tape the Rams felt he basically played on one leg last season.
But with the help from the Rams’ training and strength staffs, Joseph’s knee and overall level of conditioning were in top shape when training camp started. Slated for backup duty behind Rodger Saffold at right guard, Joseph found himself starting at right guard in the third preseason game, Aug. 23 at Cleveland.
Saffold was moved to left guard, and No. 2 overall draft pick Greg Robinson found himself on the bench.
“They gave me the reps,” Joseph said. “I tried to maximize them the best that I could. They gave me a chance and I’m running with it.”
Even with the bump up to the first unit midway through exhibition play, Joseph didn’t get a real sense that he was a bona fide starter until being held out of the preseason finale against Miami with the rest of the starters.
So shortly after one door closed in Tampa, another opened in St. Louis.
“Exactly,” Joseph said. “And that’s how the league works. Your time at one city may be done, but you can end up somewhere else and you can earn a job.”
Joseph played all 67 snaps in the opener against Minnesota but realizes he has to keep performing to stay in the lineup. You’ve got to figure Robinson will be starting at some point.
“For me to keep this job, it’s gonna take a lot,” Joseph said. “It’s gonna take a lot of focus, a lot of work, a lot of effort to continue being the starter and help this O-line grow.”
Like the rest of the offensive line, Joseph had some bumpy moments in the 34-6 loss to the Vikings. In the second quarter, Joseph couldn’t get to his block pulling left, resulting in a 3-yard loss by Tavon Austin on a carry out of the backfield.
He gave up a quarterback hit later in the quarter and was penalized for a false start in the third.
“I did OK,” Joseph said. “There’s some things I can do to help myself. There’s some things I can do to help my teammates. And so we’ll focus on that and get it cleaned up.”
As for playing his old team, Joseph said it’s about the Rams, not him. He’s certain to run into one of the Bucs’ top players — defensive tackle Gerald McCoy — frequently on Sunday.
If Joseph can neutralize his former teammate, it could be a successful day for the Rams against a Tampa defensive front that is missing both starting defensive ends because of injury.
As for seeing and facing many of his old friends on the Bucs, Joseph insists Sunday will be no stroll down memory lane.
“They’ll be friends of mine forever, so it’s not like because I’m playing them, they’re enemies,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean I’m not gonna try and kill ’em on Sunday.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_cdb36e69-1fbc-510e-ab4f-e8d7185a6bb5.html
Davin Joseph is all smiles when talking about his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even though they unceremoniously released him last March. Then again, he’s usually all smiles anyway.
“It’s a business, right?” Joseph said. “They all say that when they fire you. So it’s a business. I’m going to work. I’m going to do my job, and hopefully we’ll come away with a victory.”
After eight seasons, 100 games and two Pro Bowls with Tampa Bay, which drafted him in the first round in 2006, Joseph was “fired” by the Buccaneers and new coach Lovie Smith.
He wasn’t signed by the Rams until May 28, but a little over three months later finds himself in the starting lineup at right guard and facing his former team Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
The Rams “gave me a heck of an opportunity,” Joseph said. “They gave me all the support, specifically with the strength and conditioning staff, the trainers, coaches.
“And they helped me to be able to compete for a starting position because coming here I was playing off a couple injuries from the previous year. They helped me through that.”
After missing the entire 2012 season with a knee injury for Tampa Bay, Joseph suffered a staph infection in that knee in the summer of 2013. That setback impaired the rehab process. Although he started all 16 games for the Bucs, in looking at Joseph on tape the Rams felt he basically played on one leg last season.
But with the help from the Rams’ training and strength staffs, Joseph’s knee and overall level of conditioning were in top shape when training camp started. Slated for backup duty behind Rodger Saffold at right guard, Joseph found himself starting at right guard in the third preseason game, Aug. 23 at Cleveland.
Saffold was moved to left guard, and No. 2 overall draft pick Greg Robinson found himself on the bench.
“They gave me the reps,” Joseph said. “I tried to maximize them the best that I could. They gave me a chance and I’m running with it.”
Even with the bump up to the first unit midway through exhibition play, Joseph didn’t get a real sense that he was a bona fide starter until being held out of the preseason finale against Miami with the rest of the starters.
So shortly after one door closed in Tampa, another opened in St. Louis.
“Exactly,” Joseph said. “And that’s how the league works. Your time at one city may be done, but you can end up somewhere else and you can earn a job.”
Joseph played all 67 snaps in the opener against Minnesota but realizes he has to keep performing to stay in the lineup. You’ve got to figure Robinson will be starting at some point.
“For me to keep this job, it’s gonna take a lot,” Joseph said. “It’s gonna take a lot of focus, a lot of work, a lot of effort to continue being the starter and help this O-line grow.”
Like the rest of the offensive line, Joseph had some bumpy moments in the 34-6 loss to the Vikings. In the second quarter, Joseph couldn’t get to his block pulling left, resulting in a 3-yard loss by Tavon Austin on a carry out of the backfield.
He gave up a quarterback hit later in the quarter and was penalized for a false start in the third.
“I did OK,” Joseph said. “There’s some things I can do to help myself. There’s some things I can do to help my teammates. And so we’ll focus on that and get it cleaned up.”
As for playing his old team, Joseph said it’s about the Rams, not him. He’s certain to run into one of the Bucs’ top players — defensive tackle Gerald McCoy — frequently on Sunday.
If Joseph can neutralize his former teammate, it could be a successful day for the Rams against a Tampa defensive front that is missing both starting defensive ends because of injury.
As for seeing and facing many of his old friends on the Bucs, Joseph insists Sunday will be no stroll down memory lane.
“They’ll be friends of mine forever, so it’s not like because I’m playing them, they’re enemies,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean I’m not gonna try and kill ’em on Sunday.”
