Bucs Add A Tight End, Cornerback
February 14th, 2014
Your new Bucs tight end
Joe can’t get all hot in the pants about the Bucs’ latest signings announced this afternoon: tight end Steve Maneri and cornerback D.J. Moore, though both probably have a decent shot to land on the bottom of the opening-day roster.
Moore is a Lovie Smith guy. Maneri’s connection to the Bucs, if any, is unclear. Here’s the info. the team released:
Maneri (6-7, 280) comes to the Buccaneers after playing four games with Chicago in 2013, including one start. Maneri entered the NFL as a college free agent with Houston in 2010, before joining Kansas City’s active roster for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. While with the Chiefs, Maneri played in 19 games with nine starts, recording six receptions for 52 yards. Maneri played collegiately at Temple.
Moore (5-9, 190) originally entered the league as a fourth-round pick (119th overall) of Chicago in 2009. Moore played in 45 games, with two starts in four seasons with the Bears (2009-12), totaling 115 tackles, 22 passes defensed, one sack, one forced fumble, and 10 interceptions returned for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Moore, who played collegiately at Vanderbilt, played in two games with the Carolina Panthers in 2013.
The sheer size of Maneri is impressive. Joe wonders what Maneri’s former Chiefs teammate Anthony Becht, the former Bucs tight end, will have to say about him.
UPDATE: Becht has weighed in to Joe via Twitter saying, “Maneri is tough as nails. He’ll punch u in the mouth. Short route guy. Good Italian kid. I groomed him well. ;)”
February 14th, 2014 at 6:19 pm
DJ Moore would be a good slot CB. I like Leonard Johnson but he gets beat to often in the slot.
February 14th, 2014 at 6:46 pm
I wonder if we end up with more ex beats than ex Scarlett knights…….
February 14th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Super Bowl!
February 14th, 2014 at 7:05 pm
Maneri was an Offensive Tackle who converted to TE.
One would imagine he is a good blocker.
LOL, Smash Mouth Football, here we come!
February 14th, 2014 at 7:13 pm
Round’em up Lovie!
February 14th, 2014 at 7:17 pm
I see our line and run game being much better this season. Joseph will come back strong. I would almost flirt with the idea of trading doug martin to move up or gain more picks and then use them to move up. James looked better than Martin in my opinion and he was a seventh rounder. I think we can replace martin in the middle/late rounds and name James our starting back to gain some picks.
February 14th, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Moore played in 45 games, with two starts in four seasons with the Bears (2009-12), totaling 115 tackles, 22 passes defensed, one sack, one forced fumble, and 10 interceptions returned for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Sounds like a great addition!
Kevin shut up. Why the hell would we trade one of our best players on offense who is still on a rookie contract for an unproven rookie. Smh
February 14th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
@Kevin – That is a silly take. Martin is a key part of what Lovie wants to see from the offense
February 14th, 2014 at 7:37 pm
The Bucs will have the 4th best TE in the division. Oh wait Gonzales is gone maybe they will have the 3rd best TE.
February 14th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
You don’t have to agree with Kevin, but shut up doesn’t really cut it.
February 14th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
^^ Gotta stop ranking players per position within the division. It’s bad enough that Joe does this every time he wants to plead his case against Glennon. The goal is winning games, not having the top ranked player.
February 14th, 2014 at 7:48 pm
At that size, he could practically start at right guard, which may be an upgrade at this point. Looks like Lovie’s looking to beef up O-line. I wonder if he’ll deploy a running back by committee. Seems to me he was more of a bell cow kind of guy, if I remember correctly. Maybe a transplant Chicagoan can shed a little insight on this?
February 14th, 2014 at 7:53 pm
What makes him our best player on offense??? What makes him so good when a seventh rounder showed as much potential and more power than a first rounder. If you were smart you’d see you can get something out of him and end up with just as good as a player for “loves offense” in the middle rounds to pair up with James. But your probably one of the guys shouting to sign Vick to a fat contract to watch him icing his ribs 11 games out of the season…….SMH!!!
February 14th, 2014 at 7:54 pm
Everyones talking about trading up well you can’t do that with our shortage of picks…you gotta better idea???
February 14th, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Orca…thanks for being in on the joke.
February 14th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
Never said he was our best. I said one of. And I’ve watched and re watched every single bucs game since 09′ and we absolutely have not had a running back as good as Martin. Argue all you want with that but that is the truth. And to be honest if we got Vick and he took us to the Super Bowl, guess what, he’d be my new favorite QB! Idc who we bring in I just want to win some damn games and play in December! And I am all for trading back if the guys we want aren’t there at 7, but why in the hell would we trade our best RB who is still under a ROOKIE contract for someone who may or may not be as good. Ever heard of a bird in the hand worth 2 in the bush?? We have Martin in our hand.
February 14th, 2014 at 8:41 pm
Wouldn’t be surprised if they convert Tim Wright to WR
February 14th, 2014 at 8:46 pm
@Kevin
I completely disagree with trading Martin.
1- He proved he can do it for an entire season, not just a few games.
2- The offensive line played the best games of the year when James was in the backfield. I don’t know why they played better, but watch those games again and you will see.
3- Having a 1 back system rarely works in today’s NFL. except for Peterson, and Lynch(can’t think of any more off the top of my head). The game is too physical.
I like the idea of acquiring more picks and I also like how Jame ran, but i’m not willing to give up a 1,600 yard rb, who does not cost us much.
February 14th, 2014 at 9:19 pm
I don’t know if these guys are any good or not, time will tell. But I gotta say that I like the way Lovie and Licht are going about stacking wood in the woodshed!
February 14th, 2014 at 9:38 pm
Media b itched and moaned about JG and GS bringing in their players. Joe giving Lovie a pass?
February 14th, 2014 at 9:40 pm
I wonder if Lovie will catch fan flack for every ex-Bear he drafted that he adds to the Bucs roster the way every ex-Scarlet Knight was vilified (even Tim Wright was until he proved to be a good player)?
February 14th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Love these pick ups – I bet we sign free agent at de- word out of my sources at ua is that the bucs are really spending heaps of time checking out Cj Mosley which makes perfect sense- he is the best coverage backer in the college ranks-
February 14th, 2014 at 10:11 pm
Kevin keeps spewing this garbage about trading Martin. It’s the craziest thing I’ve read here in a while. Dougie fresh will be back, and he’s going light it up. He seemed a bit aggravated last season, maybe he hated playing for schiano and running the same four plays every Sunday against 8-9 man boxes.
I’ll say it.. Doug Martin by far our best playmaker on offense and I believe he’ll have a great season under Tedford.
February 14th, 2014 at 10:45 pm
Barry & NY Buc, Difference is these guys have made plays in the NFL. Why would you NOT want a Devin Hester or Tillman??
February 14th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
I like Martin, not that I don’t see him having a great season, but I also think there are other backs that can perform just as well grabbed in the middle rounds. Thats
all
February 14th, 2014 at 11:06 pm
I can’t tell if Kevin is trolling or not? Kevin, were you a fan of the Bucs in 2012? You know, the year Doug Martin had almost 2,000 all purpose yards and a Pro Bowl appearance. The play of the offensive line in the first half of this year was horrid and Martin had to create any yards all on his own.
Mike James looked good in exactly 1 game against the seahawks when the whole team went crazy in the first half and played like an actual football team before falling apart in the second.
So you want to replace a proven Pro Bowl caliber player coming off a shoulder injury with an unproved (sorry 300 NFL rushing yards don’t cut it) guy coming off of a fractured ankle so that we can get an extra draft pick and move up. By the way, who are we moving up for?
There is exactly zero chance of us trading Doug Martin. Just stop.
February 14th, 2014 at 11:57 pm
All ex bears all the time.
February 14th, 2014 at 11:58 pm
These moves prove lovie is fully the boss and Jason is a puppet. That’s wrong but it is what it is.
February 15th, 2014 at 12:32 am
I think it proves lovie was a great coach in Chicago and built good depth, well at least on the defense and is now bringing in some guys he knows well. Sort of eliminating some of the Variables when bringing in a F/A.
February 15th, 2014 at 1:36 am
I don’t mind Lovie going after old players. As long as he doesn’t get Rutgers players every other day.
February 15th, 2014 at 3:00 am
Umm, I think we learned this year is that we need 3,4 starting backs. We have quality depth at running back. Maybe the only position you can say that about. Davin….phhhh the guy is out of here. Trading Martin is obsurd. Let’s trade GMC and David while we are at it.
February 15th, 2014 at 5:16 am
Both look like solid pick ups to me. The Bucs could use some depth and being that Moore has played in Lovie’s defense before is its just another plus.
February 15th, 2014 at 7:54 am
Isn’t an ex-Bear a Rutgers player…just guys that will be cut later. Move along
February 15th, 2014 at 8:56 am
Lovie is kinda the 4th best coach in the division…we are doomed.
February 15th, 2014 at 9:06 am
Good move, no you are the starter sat in stone, competition in every position breeds depth. The n.f.l is moving toward tall tight end’s that specialize in short goal line type routes.
February 15th, 2014 at 9:22 am
Kevin, you are assuming the Bucs want to trade up. I don’t see that happening. And getting more picks means trading down, and no need to trade a player.
James could be shifted to FB. Martin IS our best RB. A lot of players get in a rut in year 2. Plus, the oline was bad. James is a different type of RB. He hits hard, relying on force to plow through.
Martin has the ability to spot holes when they open. That’s more uncommon than you think these days. It has taken years for the Bucs to find a guy that can do that.
Rainey found success because of his small frame and quickness. He can hide and wait for a hole, then shoot through it. He doesn’t have the ability that Martin has.
February 15th, 2014 at 9:25 am
Also, I think Martin’s numbers dropped because Sullivan insisted he run a certain direction, instead of trusting Martin’s instincts to improvise. The Giantss did not have a good running game when Sullivan was there, so he really had no clue on getting it done.
February 15th, 2014 at 9:29 am
Btw, there is a huge difference between Rutgers players and Bears players. And most players brought in right now are camp fodder tryouts. Remember, the Bucs have an extra camp before the draft. They need bodie for it.
There will be cuts right after that camp.
February 15th, 2014 at 10:23 am
Keep our 1 and 2 running backs. Hope James can come back 100% from his ankle injury.
February 15th, 2014 at 11:00 am
Kevin – You want to trade Doug Martin and give Mike James the starting duties? I was also very impressed with Mike James unexpected performance last year but not nearly impressed enough to trade our young, up and coming, dynamic star player on offense. Go youtube some Doug Martin highlights to remind yourself of how good he is.
February 15th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Unless my reading comprehension skills are lacking this Saturday morning, I believe Maneri and Lovie were not Bears together.
When Lovie was a Bear, Maneri was a Chief. When Steve was a Bear, Lovie was unemployed.
February 15th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
Our depth is already better than last year. The biggest te in the game. A cb with int’s and experience. When they clear more cap space, Licht will sign some quality players!!
February 15th, 2014 at 6:42 pm
I find it so funny when people on here keep making statements like….
“all we need to do is trade for an round pick, and replace them with someone in rounds 6 or 7”
This isn’t Madden! There are 31 other GMs and multi million dollar scouting networks making that a one-per-decade fluke!!
March 15th, 2014 at 10:26 am
[…] other tight ends on the roster, all of them blockers: Tom Crabtree, Nate Byham, Luke Stocker and manbeast, 6-7, 280-pound newcomer Steve […]
April 4th, 2014 at 9:35 am
[…] One of the great stories on the Bucs roster lies with the guy former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht says is “tough as nails” and will “punch you in the mouth.” […]
April 4th, 2014 at 10:09 am
So far I like all our new additions & why not. None of them have done anything to make me dislike them. Before complaining lets give them a chance. Also I wish they would consider adding Brian Leonard at a manageable salary. IMO I think overall he is beter than Rainey.