Draft The QB, If He’s Worthy
December 31st, 2013
“The best coach nobody talks about,” says a former NFL GM.
Former Redskins and Texans architect Charley Casserly, now of NFL Network, dove into his general manager experiences and NFL study to talk all things Bucs, including the process of hiring and more on WDAE-AM 620 today.
Casserly called Lovie Smith an “outstanding candidate” for the Bucs but delivered more names on his short list.
Former Colts head coach and current Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell is “the best coach nobody ever talks about,” Casserly said. And Casserly noted Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, the longtime Jets assistant and former Army head coach, as men he would interview.
Caldwell is an intriguing candidate. He’s has been to a Super Bowl as both a head coach and a coordinator. And he’s had the priestly blessing of Father Dungy, who Team Glazer is likely to consult with on the restructuring of their organization. Caldwell’s offense in Baltimore sputtered late this season, but he was credited with reviving Joe Flacco and being the catalyst of the Ravens’ Super Bowl run last season.
Considering Team Glazer interviewed Zimmer in 2012, and Sutton is an older guy with a limited resume, Joe suspects they won’t get any interest in the coming days.
Casserly hit on many Bucs topics, including saying he was somewhat surprised that former rockstar general manager Mark Dominik was booted considering it’s widely believed the Bucs have a strong talent base.
Also, Casserly said he likes Mike Glennon but definitely would advise the Bucs to draft a quarterback with the seventh overall pick, if they grade the QB worthy of that slot. Casserly also spells out the mindset of hiring a head coach before a GM, hiring a GM first, or hiring a leadership team in one shot to “go to work Day 1.”
The full interview is below.
December 31st, 2013 at 3:41 pm
I really hope we find a franchise quarterback.
December 31st, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Not a fan of this…. Ravens offense was putrid this year. Caldwell benefited from being gifted the Colts job w/ a healthy Manning. When that went down hill the team was horrible. I know he had Curtis Painter as a QB that year, but Glennon is closer to Painter than Manning.
December 31st, 2013 at 3:51 pm
Just say no to drafting a QB. That offensive line still has too many issues. The pass rush has too many issues. This is how you win in the NFL, by protecting your QB and getting after the other guys QB.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:00 pm
The only way to win in the nfl is with a good qb. Need that first
December 31st, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Jimmy Garoppolo…..
December 31st, 2013 at 4:15 pm
While it’s not a complete rebuilding, it maytake more than 2 years to get something positive.. Just saying
December 31st, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Great quarterbacks are harder to find than 300lb fat guys. Get a QB then start reworking the lines and add some depth.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:17 pm
bucrightoff Says
“Just say no to drafting a QB.”
I disagree. We can find offensive line guys outside of the first round. Finding a QB in later rounds is possible but much more difficult.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:29 pm
Jim Caldwell as Buc’s head coach? Oh Heck No
December 31st, 2013 at 4:36 pm
coaching peyton manning is the second best way to look like a great coach regardless of how good you actually are. the best way, of course, is being an assistant for bill belichick.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Didn’t Raheem beat that guy on MNF?
December 31st, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Funny story…
Aaron Rodgers drafted 24th
Drew Brees drafted 31st
Tom Brady drafted 199th
3 of the 4 elite QBs in this league, outside the top 20 picks. Statistically speaking, you’re much more likely to find an elite QB picking 30th than you are 7th. Outside Bridgewater its a bunch of projects and big risks. Not worth the 7th overall pick, sorry. Better than 50/50 odds if we draft a QB #7 he won’t be the QB within 3 years.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Also, you don’t need a good QB to win the Super Bowl. See Flacco, Joe. You need, however, great pass rush. See the Ravens, the Giants, the Steelers, the Patriots, the Bucs, the Colts, pretty much every Super Bowl winner post 2000 except Green Bay and New Orleans.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Just my opinion, but no matter what transpires… I believe they’re on a long track to returning to the play-offs.
December 31st, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Joe, now that the NSO is gone, there is a much better chance that your dream QB Johny “spoiled rotten” Football might actually get drafted by the Bucs.
I just don’t see him as anything more than a flash in the pan. With his scrambling style of play, he will get hurt, and then all that scrambling is gone. True the NFL is a QB driven league and without that QB, your team will never be any better than .500, I just don’t see him as that guy. Right now, I don’t see Glennon as that guy either. We need a better o-line for any QB or RB to have a chance to succeed.
December 31st, 2013 at 5:03 pm
As I’ve said before…what is wrong with having two great QB’s and trading one later on, but in the process, making sure you have a franchise guy. I think it is worth the #7 pick…if the right guy is there.
December 31st, 2013 at 5:07 pm
“… considering it’s widely believed the Bucs have a strong talent base.”
Considering we have depth issues across every single position except for RB/LB I can’t imagine why anyone would think that much less someone paid for analysis like Casserly.
We have a handful of very good players but the floor will fall out immediately with a couple injuries.
Top 2 CB’s and WR’s stay and the rest are throw aways. O-line collapsed, D-line is hilarious, I just do not see it. I see talent but not a strong talent base.
December 31st, 2013 at 5:08 pm
And i’m not even confident saying our RB’s and LB’s are in a good place depth wise
December 31st, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Whatever, I don’t care much who is brought in to coach as long as it’s not Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher, neither would leave their cushy well paid talking head gigs. The Bucs need a new and upcoming offensive stalwart for head coach. I don’t have a clue who that is, but I enjoy posters opinions. Glennon will probably be with the team next year, We have a back up QB at least, regardless of all the Glennon bashers.
December 31st, 2013 at 5:42 pm
“Draft The QB, If He’s Worthy”
That begs the question, who will be there that is worthy at #7?
December 31st, 2013 at 5:58 pm
There is one thing for sure….there is no consensus on the new head coach….or whether to draft a QB with our first pick…much less who that QB should be.
THe only consensus is that we have several missing pieces to our offense and at least a couple on defense.
Most would agree that we can’t do much worse with coaching (we think)….especially OC.
I would be happy with an experienced, proven winner as a HC regardless of Offensive/Defensive mind as long as the OC or DC is strong.
December 31st, 2013 at 6:22 pm
I just hope we get the right guy this time, after all he will be the 4th head coach in a little over 5 years. I don’t like the trend.
December 31st, 2013 at 6:32 pm
I think people are getting too hung up on QB. Of course it’s great if you can get a QB like Tom Brady or Payton Manning. But realistically, how many of those are there out there to get? Those guys are freaks of nature that most teams will never have.
Where exactly do you find a guy like that? Free agency? Who? Cutler or Rivers…aging QBs who didnt win anything even when given more talent than the Bucs have? The Draft? Bridgewater is going to Houston. So who do you draft at #7? Manziel? Is that your franchise guy that’s going to keep up with Cam Newton and Drew Brees?
Cam Newton was a #1 overall pick. Matt Ryan was a #3 overall pick. The Saints hit the Mega Millions jackpot by signing Brees…probably the best free agent acquisition in the history of the NFL. The Bucs are never quite bad enough at the right time or lucky enough in free agency to get QBs like this.
Glennon may be the best level of QB we are going to see unless you want to really tank the season and go 1-15 to get Jameis Winston next year. But that won’t happen because the Glazers will spend enough money for the Bucs to win 4 or 5 games even if the team completely sucks.
December 31st, 2013 at 6:56 pm
When manziel gets hurts before the bye week, joe will be yelling about needing to shore up the o line.
December 31st, 2013 at 7:10 pm
A dislaimer. Jim Leavitt is a friend of mine. He got a raw deal at USF and is currently doing a good job as the linebacker coach for the 49ers. I know for a fact that he wants to be a head coach again. He built a great program at USF but his next position in the pros will probably be as a defensive coordinator. He’ll do that or possibly go back to a college program. I’d love to see him stick it to Genshaft and land a job with the Bucs.
December 31st, 2013 at 7:31 pm
I think Jay Gruden would do well with Glennon even though I’m not a fan. The Bengals have been averaging 40+ points in December even with Andy Dalton throwing 4 picks against the Ravens.
If they can get Clowney fine, if not get Taylor Lewan at LT. Aaron Murray may fall into the 4th round. Manziel might fall into the 2nd. If Murray can heal completely and be brought into the new offensive system slowly, the Bucs may have the steal of the draft.
I heard a rumor that Marcus Mariota has reconsidered staying at Oregon.
December 31st, 2013 at 7:48 pm
What about Josh McDaniels as an OC?
December 31st, 2013 at 10:38 pm
Hiring Caldwell would be about as exciting a hire as team Glazer firing then hiring Dave Wannstedt for the HC position…pass. But at least we know that whoever they hire will be probably be fired in two years, so those not liking the hire will be able to hope for better days in relatively short time.
January 1st, 2014 at 12:11 am
I would like to state for the record that I am happy at my current job and declining all of the NFL head coaching job interviews.
January 1st, 2014 at 9:12 am
With 17 million in cap room some issues can be addressed in Free Agency. Keep an eye on Blake Bortles tonight in the Fiesta bowl, he is under the radar but quite a quarterback.
January 1st, 2014 at 1:03 pm
The only problem is that I do not see any QB other then Bridgewater that are worthy of a seventh overall pick!
January 1st, 2014 at 1:08 pm
@ Clowney
Did you watch Michigan games this year or last years Outback Bowl? Lewan has regressed miserably, absolute turnstile against MSU. They don’t face a lot of good fronts in the little 10. Maybe he will turn it around in the pros but I highly doubt he’s a top 10-15 pick this year.
Much better tackle, qb, and d-line prospects that will be available at 7th overall.