Pressure On Jeff Tedford
April 21st, 2014
BSPN’s John Clayton doesn’t seem enamored by what Jeff Tedford has to work with.
The greatest mystery hanging over the Bucs, short of what the team is going to do with the seventh pick in the draft, is the Jeff Tedford offense. Bucs players and coaches all but say you won’t see the Tedford offense until September.
Whatever the offense is, how Tedford can develop quarterbacks will be key. Was Josh McCown’s success with a quarterback guru in Chicago just a fluke? Can Tedford mold Mike Glennon? Can Tedford develop a rookie QB Joe is certain will become a Buccaneer next month during the three-day draft soap opera?
To hear “The Professor,” John Clayton of BSPN, Tedford better be ready to develop a rookie. Over the weekend, Clayton appeared with Pat Donovan and Aaron Jacobson on WDAE-AM 620 to discuss the Bucs and the NFL in general. When Clayton began rambling about new quarterbacks with new teams, he dropped this item about McCown:
“You look at the Josh McCown move. It’s not like a Josh McCown can take this team to 10 or 12 wins but I think he can take you to eight wins because I think he is a very good backup.”
If McCown is just a “very good backup,” then Clayton much not have any faith in Glennon. So to take Clayton’s premise, it leads to two things:
It either means Tedford better live up to his reputation of developing quarterbacks, or certainly the Bucs are still shopping for a quarterback. Remember McCown, 34, was only signed to a two-year pact.
Joe will have more of the Clayton interview later today. Stay tuned.
April 21st, 2014 at 9:25 am
All the signs point to the Bucs drafting QB for Tedford to develop. It might not be in the first round, maybe second or third round. There are no long term solutions on the current roster. Why bring in a QB guru coach and not give him a QB to groom?
April 21st, 2014 at 9:28 am
I have said this before…WHOEVER we take at #7 and WHATEVER position he plays, we simply cannot afford to make another mistake. I’m not saying he has to be a HOFer but at least an all-pro we can plug in for many years.
April 21st, 2014 at 9:43 am
“If McCown is just a “very good backup,” then Clayton much not have any faith in Glennon.” – Joe
I don’t have much faith in Glennon either, Joe, but I don’t see how you made that leap of logic with the information you showed here. I believe the Bucs will draft a QB in one of the first two rounds, but I also acknowledge we could all be wrong (doubtful; but the possibility exists) and Glennon MIGHT be the man.
Even if Johnny Manziel comes here (I doubt we’ll get him and I DO NOT favor trading up for him), I want a truly fair competition between the young QBs.
I’m okay with McCown being the starter this year. Plenty of QBs have rode the bench for a year in order to develop. I’m fine with that. I don’t think it will happen though, because McCown is not much good and he’ll look so bad the fans will SCREAM for someone else.
April 21st, 2014 at 9:47 am
brandonbucfan Says
“I have said this before…WHOEVER we take at #7 and WHATEVER position he plays, we simply cannot afford to make another mistake.”
Oh, I don’t know about that. So long as we get 3 good quality starters out of this draft, it doesn’t matter what rounds they come in. Yes, I want to score in the first and second round, but it isn’t an absolute must as long as we score in the draft overall.
Many of the best offensive linemen have gone to teams in the 4th-7th rounds, for example. I think Carl Nicks was a late round pick (not 100% sure of that and too lazy to look it up).
April 21st, 2014 at 10:59 am
Really, besides Trent Dilfer and Aaron Rodgers, who has he “developed” ?
Dilfer was a game manager, and Aaron Rodgers sat for 3 years behind Brett Favre.
Joey Harrington, Akili Smith, David Carr, and Kyle Boller also had outstanding college careers and were first round picks in the NFL draft. None of them succeeded in the NFL
Tedford failed to develop a star quarterback at Cal after Rodgers left following the 2004 season.
Not trying to be negative here, because I am as excited as any Tampa fan is for this season, just trying to keep it real.
April 21st, 2014 at 11:37 am
Chris@Apple…I’ve made that proclamation a few times on here. Many people just dismiss it. (shrugs)
April 21st, 2014 at 12:20 pm
Tedford can’t help what they did in the pros. He coached them up in college to be first rounders. That’s how you have to look at it. He’s never been an nfl coach so he’s gonna have a learning curve himself
April 21st, 2014 at 12:36 pm
@Chris and 1987
I don’t think I get the point you guys are making. Besides Rodgers and Dilfer, you listed 4 QBs who left Tedford’s tutelage as strong enough prospects to be drafted in the first round. What does their subsequent NFL success (or lack thereof) have to do with Tedford’s coaching? Are you suggesting that he should have quit his head coaching job to volunteer his time tutoring these players after they were drafted to further their development? I’m not trying to be obnoxious; I sincerely don’t get the logic. Is Tedford the one who drafted them in the first round? It seems to me that his ability to make mediocre prospects look like first rounders is indicative of his “guru” status. Am I missing something?
April 21st, 2014 at 1:33 pm
One thing I’m almost 100% sure of, is no matter what happens during the draft or the rest of the off season, we will probably have a QB controversy on our hands by October. Unless the Pats trade us Bra-dy for a sixth rounder, at least a third of the fan base will want the other QB playing.
That ought to be good for Joe’s business any ways. And bad for most of our blood pressures.
April 21st, 2014 at 3:30 pm
You also just have to understand there are many great QBs who have come and gone in this league who didn’t make it because of circumstances other than themselves. Take David Carr for example switch he and Tom B. and put him with New England and he could still be playing with 3 super bowl rings and his brother would be drafted 1st overall to Houston. What happened to Tom B. well they beached that guy he was a 6th rounder anyway he wasn’t mobile enough to avoid getting sacked.
April 21st, 2014 at 7:32 pm
draft Logan Thomas in the 4th or 5th round
April 21st, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Pete Carroll’s QBs haven’t done that great in the NFL but he is a good coach. Chip Kelly’s QBs neither but a good coach. Tedford has no control after they left college.
April 22nd, 2014 at 3:12 am
Clayton the all knowing has spoken.
It must be so…
April 23rd, 2014 at 9:43 am
Why does ANYTHING that John Clayton say hold water??!! I’ll take eight wins from McCown because the defense has the abillity to win at least 2-3 games on their own. John Clayton…gimme a break!