It Was The Staff, Too
March 23rd, 2014
Lovie Smith’s coaching staff has as much influence on Evan Dietrich-Smith signing with the Bucs as Lovie did.
When center Evan Dietrich-Smith signed with the Bucs, it marked yet another cog in the team’s massive roster makeover. Shoot, it seemed whenever Lovie was asked about the roster prior to the free agency dinner bell ringing, he would finish his answer with, “but we were 4-12.”
There was no question the Bucs didn’t think much of their offensive line. Three starters are gone and Joe wouldn’t be shocked if there is more movement.
Last week Dietrich-Smith appeared on “Movin’ the Chains,” co-hosted by Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio. And yes, a trend continued; Dietrich-Smith admitted a big reason he signed with the Bucs was Lovie.
But it wasn’t just because of Lovie, Dietrich-Smith noted an endorsement and assistants.
“Last year we had [running back] Kahlil Bell [in Green Bay] and he played multi-years with Lovie and had a lot of good things to say, and guys I know throughout the league who played for Lovie and had good things to say about how he ran his program,” Dietrich-Smith said.
“Then when you get down there, you can sense it. They have three head coaches on their staff. Leslie Frazier, Jeff Tedford and Lovie himself. The staff is stacked. It’s really cool. And that was a big part of the signing. If I wanted to go somewhere it would be; one, for a coach that knows how to win and, two, make sure he has a good staff.”
Sure, Tedford has never been a head coach on the NFL level but has significant college head coaching experience (as did Greg Schiano). But Joe understands where Dietrich-Smith was coming from. Tedford isn’t a football neophyte.
Joe assumes Dietrich-Smith meant he didn’t want to play for a coaching staff that had little experience, no matter how many zeros were on the check.
March 23rd, 2014 at 9:28 am
I haven’t been this excited for a season since, Dunn, Alstott, Rice, Sapp, and Lynch were roaming OBP. So good to hear positivity from the mouths of players not sullied by the last decade of this organization’s moves. Go Bucs!
March 23rd, 2014 at 9:38 am
@Joe
Who is the 3rd starter?? I might be having a brain fart this early in the morning..
March 23rd, 2014 at 9:41 am
So…anyone know the REAL reason Davin Joseph has not signed with anyone yet? Is his old knee injury worst than first thought?
March 23rd, 2014 at 9:53 am
“Joe assumes Dietrich-Smith meant he didn’t want to play for a coaching staff that had little experience, no matter how many zeros were on the check.”
Yeah, right!!!
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:26 am
i personally think the o line is fine the way it is right now. however im just like every fan hoping that nicks comes 100 percent and ready to go . im just being optimistic. go bucs
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:38 am
If nicks can be 90 percent of what he was than I like the olines chances to be good . To me our new online is unproven. Its scary.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:42 am
Doubt this would happen but… Say if Joseph doesn’t get signed and we are in May after the draft.. I’d call him up and see if he wants to re-sign for the Vet minimum along with incentives for games he does start and he could be depth along with Meredith if Nicks or Zuttah don’t pan out at guard.. Unless there is another Vet that’s out there that would come cheap… He would be a band-aid till next season when we can use a higher pick or picks on the O-line..
With only 5 picks I wouldn’t use them on the O-line personally(rather sign cheap vets) we still need to get TWO WR with SPEED, an actual field stretching TE(Myers/Wright over the middle type TE) a 3rd S, MLB , and of course a QB 🙂
I know that would be 6 picks too..
Glad btw that people are jumping on the Fales bandwagon(talked about him months ago)
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:46 am
Go Licht! Go Lovie! Go LILO! Go Bucs!
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:47 am
Joe there is a big difference in playing the teams that Cal plays like USC, Oregon, Stanford, etc and the teams that Greg Schiano played in college.
I don’t know if Jeff Tedford’s teams played against Pete Carroll’s USC or Chip Kelley’s teams but the level of the teams is no comparison.
March 23rd, 2014 at 10:57 am
Not 100% sure on Tedford yet, but I suspect he’ll be a major upgrade over the Jagz/Olson/Sullivan train of sadness. Call it a hunch.
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:00 am
We should see some more moves before the draft.
I like that this new regime is all about a fresh start.
Sorry to Davin and Penn, but you just weren’t warranting your pay.
I would love for us to trade down a couple of times this draft and stil up picks.
March 23rd, 2014 at 11:40 am
The Bucs only cut two starting O-linemen — OG Davin Joseph and LT Donald Penn.
March 23rd, 2014 at 1:50 pm
This sounds to me like a man who is hungry to win. Love it.
March 23rd, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Now we have all the players we need for our OL. With all the Free Agents we don’t need over five draft picks for all the rest of our needs so I would not trade down at all unless all the players I wanted were gone. Get DeShawn Jackson and draft a QB at 7 and a MLB in the second round, then we are all set for a great year. I would trust Licht to find us the best player available the rest of the picks.
March 23rd, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Owlykat…your entire post forgets that the Bucs STILL have no depth.
March 23rd, 2014 at 2:45 pm
If nicks could be 85% healthy it would still be good. Like Schiano said for Revis last year. “Well at 85 or 90 percent, he’s still better than players that are 100 percent”
March 23rd, 2014 at 3:20 pm
Come for the staph leave with the staph!
March 23rd, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Wrong Bucsondeck LMAO!!!
March 23rd, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Trade back. Earn another 2nd and 3rd.
Draft 2 guards in the second.
Boom.