Where Do The Bucs’ QBs Rank?
May 9th, 2014
NFC starting quarterbacks appear set for 2014. How the Buccaneers stack up — for now and the future — is the question that keeps Joe awake at night and will keep Joe hoping the Bucs upgrade their potential at the position in the coming hours.
Here’s the NFC list, in no particular order:
Aaron Rodgers
Jay Cutler
Teddy Bridgewater/Matt Cassel
Matthew Stafford
Colin Kaepernick
Carson Palmer
Russell Wilson
Sam Bradford
Drew Brees
Matt Ryan
Cam Newton
Josh McCown/Mike Glennon
Eli Manning
Tony Romo
Nick Foles
RGIII
A super optimist might rank Tampa Bay’s QB situation at 10th best in the conference. A pessimist could put them in the cellar. Reality is likely somewhere in between.
Is that good enough?
Lovie Smith said the Bucs are in a rush to be “relevant.” But once you’re relevant, then the next step is playing in mid-January. That takes superior quarterback play in the modern NFL. Simply stated: Joe has no confidence the Bucs’ QB stable measures up to get the job done.
Some readers here think Joe dislikes Glennon and McCown and only yearns for a Johnny Football or a change for the sake of change. No. Nothing could be further from the truth. Joe yearns for wins, and fear in opponents’ eyes.
If the Bucs don’t draft a QB tonight, Joe will wake up tomorrow so eager for the season to start for a chance to be surprised and wowed by McCown. So Joe can possibly see McCown produce what he never has before in the NFL: a season full of wins, all while he readies the reins of the future for Glennon.
Joe wonders where readers really rank the Bucs’ QBs in the conference?
May 9th, 2014 at 11:34 am
I think you could realistically put the Bucs over the Vikings and have a good argument of over the Bears, Rams, and Cardinals. So somewhere between 12-15.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:34 am
They would rank the exact same even if they drafted Johnny so yeah…
May 9th, 2014 at 11:35 am
QB concerns are totally valid and necessary, but i think we should start referring to Manziel as He-who-must-not-be-named. It’s pointless now to keep him in the posts.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:38 am
McCown & Evans give us a better chance to win now IMO, than McCown & a Rookie QB.
It can certainly be argued that we need a QB for the future….2 or 3 years down the road.
Glennon is a backup….a good one…
I don’t think Lovie brought McCown in just to mentor Glennon or a Rookie…he brought him in to win games…..we will see.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:39 am
I think even more honorific is where would our offensive line rank ?
May 9th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Thing is, none of those guys can win without good players around them. I’m not naive enough to say that our QBs are in the top tier of that list. However, with the right pieces in place and better coaching, is it reckless to think that we can move up that list.
I guess we’ll see with who they draft tonight. There could be a QB of the future waiting.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Joe buc. C’mon man. Guard from Ucla if he falls to us. Those two picks alone would change this team alone. Move up to get that last sneaky pick and bucs r relevant again
May 9th, 2014 at 11:43 am
Joe, just give it up. Glennon is our QB of the future, according to our head coach. He will lead this team to multiple super bowls and you will be dumbfounded when it happens. He has traits similar to John Elway, and Elway wasn’t the most mobile QB either, just so you know. Manziel will get hurt or something will happen off the field and he will be a huge bust, just like all the other Browns picks at QB. There’s a reason why 21 teams passed on Manziel, they don’t want his trust fund baby alcoholic cocky attitude in their locker room.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:44 am
at or near the bottom.
But, apparently it doesn’t matter.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:50 am
Joe forgot to put Freeman, whom the Giants signed to a team friendly contract, with Manning on the list.
May 9th, 2014 at 11:52 am
Mid-range.
Connor Shaw is coming to Tampa
May 9th, 2014 at 11:58 am
Steve Young, John Elway
I’m waiting for the Brady comparison. Or did I miss that one?
Connor Shaw is coming to Tampa
May 9th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Many thought we’d choose Manziel, Bortles or Bridgewater….more think Carr, Garoppolo, Savage, Murry et al..(remains to be seen)
Many think Glennon is a career backup & McCown is also….
Many have been and will be wrong.
Until it is proven in time…nobody is right!!!
May 9th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Eric Says:
May 9th, 2014 at 11:44 am
at or near the bottom.
But, apparently it doesn’t matter.
_______________________________________________
They’d be at or near the bottom if your boy was drafted too.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Holy crap…you would think that we had Brandon Weeden and Brady Quinn as our two QB’s
McCown will be fine for a year…Tedford is the QB wisperer…so he can bring Glennon along OR the Bucs draft one next year. Glennon deserves more from this fan base than what he is getting.
The cold harsh light of truth is: is doesn’t matter who we MAY have drafted at QB, he still would have been 4th best in our conference…this year and next year. None of us know what Tedford can do with Glennon AND the draft isn’t even over yet for the love of God…it’s only ONE round.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Aaron Murray will hopefully be a Buc. Not sure he’ll be around in the 4th/5th though.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Aaron Rodgers -#1
Jay Cutler -Sucks
Teddy Bridgewater/Matt Cassel -Both Suck
Matthew Stafford-Drunk
Colin Kaepernick-#2
Carson Palmer – Old and sucks
Russell Wilson – Overrated
Sam Bradford – Sucks
Drew Brees -2 years from Retirement with that line
Matt Ryan – Choke, Choke, Choke
Cam Newton – Line Sucks, No Recievers, drafted a 4.7 guy… Good Luck!
Josh McCown/Mike Glennon – Glennon had way better stats the RG3
Eli Manning-And there goes another pick, Defense won superbowls
Tony Romo – Is it November yet?
Nick Foles – Could be really good
RGIII – Knee Brace made him suck and so did his coaches… Real stand up guy… OVERRATED.
That’s How I feel about it, Bucs at 3 or 4. Cuz I’m a Bucs fan and believe whatever I want…
Eat Sh*t Joe!!!
May 9th, 2014 at 12:05 pm
The question is which QB situation would you not want to swap with?
To me, it’s only Bridgewater/Cassel, so the answer is 15th.
With an excellent (possibly elite) defense, a #7 pick should never come our way again. To leave that situation without a franchise QB is downright sickening. Sorry, but Glennon sucks. No one’s shown me a thing he does well.
I didn’t believe in JF whatsoever, but I’d have taken that for the hope I was wrong and we might have snagged a franchise QB finally.
Darn it Free, why’d you have to be such a headcase?
May 9th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Is that bird suppose to be Chicken Little yelling “the sky is falling”?
This QB class is not that strong, so passing on a 1st round QB is not the end of the world. I’m willing to give Lovie a chance with the QB’s the Bucs have — especially since there are MUCH more glaring needs.
This is not going to be a one year fix — it’s not like they are going to the Superbowl this season. If the QB’s don’t develop this season, then there is always next year’s draft to gamble on “the guy”.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Sourgrapesfan.com
May 9th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Look, it’s as simple as… some people think our QB situation will improve as Glennon gets better (if he gets better, which nobody knows for sure) and others think a different QB with better college results/stats than Glennon will have a higher “ceiling” and our situation would improve “more” if we draft one of them. Neither is a known quantity. Will Glennon ever improve enough to be one of the top 8 (half) QBs in the NFC? We don’t know. Are the chances better with a rookie with fewer areas of concern, but less (no) experience in the NFL getting to the top 8 NFC QBs faster? Possibly, but again, we don’t know.
Glennon may end up being the next Josh McCown, a journeyman QB that is in the league for years, rarely as a starter, but get’s a chance every now and again. Or, he may be the next Tannehill, an ok starting QB but not the type that takes his team “over the top”. And (less likely) it’s possible he becomes the next Tom Brady.
Like them or not, the top drafted QBs are 1st round picks for a reason, the scouting of them has put them in a class of high probability to succeed at the next level. You may not “see it”, but NFL teams do. Any QB that escapes the first round is typically given less opportunity because they were already deemed a higher probability to not make the step to the next level. Some exceed expectations, but few become anything close to what the 1st round picks are.
At this point, I’d stick with the QBs we have for this year. It is possible we get a QB with our 2nd round pick that has “close to” 1st round talent and is better than Glennon, but I still question if he’ll ever be that “franchise” QB we want and need. Next year, we’ll probably have to sell the farm to get a top QB, unless there’s a sharp decline in the stock of Mariotta, Hundley, and possibly Winston like there was this year, but if there is, most fans will simply say they’re not good enough, wait until 2016.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
@Seth B- “Cuz I’m a Bucs fan and believe whatever I want…”
No truer words have been said! I love your breakdown!
May 9th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
If the BUCS are going to pick a qb they like in 4th round down, don’t think you can say he is to be the qb of the future even if you believe so. Maybe that’s where L&l are going with this.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
I’d have loved to have seen Joe(s) face last night when Lovie basically said “Why would we draft a QB when we already have Mike Glennon?”
May 9th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
I agree with Brandon, 12-15 is it… Then again Lovie Smith doesn’t rank much better among HCs… The Bucs saving grace will be if the new OC can truly become 1 of the top OCs in the NFL!
May 9th, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Here’s another way to look at this list.. if all the starters went down, now how would you rank them?? We may not have the best starter but if ours goes down i feel we are sitting in a lot better position than most teams in the NFC.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:35 pm
They are ranked dead last tied with Bradford.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
@ Josh P
Great point…..who has the best backups?
May 9th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Where do the Bucs QB’s rank in the NFC? Dead last with no hope for improvement anytime soon. Maybe Manziel will be a bust. But, he could be great. A 35 yo QB who has never played a whole season? What does Glennon do better than Manziel? 1. Peek over fences. 2. ??
May 9th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
The argument can be made that superior QB play isn’t really necessary in today’s NFL. You need a smart QB that isn’t going to turn the ball over at the position more than anything, Wilson got himself a superbowl but he didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet last year; he just didn’t screw up his team’s chances by making poor decisions. If our defense can get in line with what’s going on in the NFC West then we just need a QB that won’t blow the game.
I think McCown and Glennon both fit the smart QB mold, Glennon just needs some coaching on getting the ball out quicker and he has time to learn with McCown around. Not much difference between him and Matt Ryan from a phyical standpoint.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
We had a chance last night to improve at quarterback with the best player in the draft Johnny Football and we didn’t take it. We will have to see if they address the quarterback position tonight or tomorrow but I don’t see any Super Bowls in our future with the quarterbacks we have on the roster now.
May 9th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
@seth B
Aaron Rodgers -#1
Jay Cutler – Never got better
Teddy Bridgewater/Matt Cassel -Cassel is a back Teddy=??
Matthew Stafford-gunsliner and interception machine
Colin Kaepernick-#2 bus driver with a good D
Carson Palmer – Not bad but not great
Russell Wilson – wildly Overrated plug a qb in with that D
Sam Bradford – Bust
Drew Brees -still great long in the tooth
Matt Ryan – actually good
Cam Newton – Game manager athlete playin QB.. they drafted Stovall 2.0
Josh McCown/Mike Glennon – Both had decent years
Eli Manning-jekyl and hyde
Tony Romo – Enigma
Nick Foles – great year do it again then ill believe
RGIII – talented can really play kinda a diva
Go bucs
May 9th, 2014 at 12:53 pm
Baring injury, Whoever we picked (Johnny Football) or someone else would still be worse than the worst in the NFC (aside from whatever the Vikings have).
May 9th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I am not as down on Glennon as you Joe. However, I think our QB situation is definitely the cellar of the NFC. Thats Ugly.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Right now Glennon is rated in the same type position Freeman was. Just like the coach said He was put in to soon. He also said “We have asked Mike to take a step back and get better and he has done that.” Freeman like Glennon was thrown to the wolves. Changed systems and qb coaches all the time. Well what is happening to Glennon? Looks like Lovie is smart enough not to let that happen. He KNOWS Glennon is not ready. But by looking at film he must have thought the line sucked and had to go.. And also must have seen enough on tape to think he could develop Glennon one day to be the starter.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Boy does that list say it all.
Maybe the Vikes are worse, but at least have the potential to have a franchise guy. Maybe the Cards are worse, if Palmer reverts to what he was before last year. Other than that you got me.
Maybe someday we will actually aspire to have more than a game manager at QB. Somebody who the defense actually has to game plan for.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
14th. Yucs.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:06 pm
Dead last
May 9th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
The Quarterback question is settled. time to get on and support the team and our coach.. Please don’t turn on Lovey like you have on our quarterbacks.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:32 pm
Time to chime in. I hear people saying what has Glennon done. Well he set a rookie record for touchdowns if that matters. He played be behind a very suspect line that has been blown up by people that are smarter then us. Yes we were dead last in offense but I don’t put that on Glennon I put that in all those penalties, dropped passes, and generally poor play by the entire team. I think if Glennon had come out this year he would have been ranked 1 or 2.
Let’s give the kid a chance with a good line and weapons.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:32 pm
How bout let them play a few games before you evaluate the QBs. It’s a new offense in a new team full of talented players. How can you evaluate McCown if he hasn’t played a snap in a bucs jersey? He’s obviously putting in the work to be better, he’s stepping up and getting it down in practice. So far so good. BUCS!
May 9th, 2014 at 1:33 pm
I think many of you are flat out lying to yourselves. The simple fact that youfeel having the best backup is what’s important is proof you have no confidence in McCown, and rightfully so.
Come the regular season, when the Bucs are dead last in the division because of bad offense and a defense filled with injured free agents, you will all turn on Lovie and Licht.
I can now agree that WR got better. I think Evans is a good pick. I don’t have a problem with that.
What I have a problem with is Lovie flat out lying to the fans by saying Glennon is the future. And make no mistake, it possibly could have been a lie. There are only three scenarios here.
First, he was lying to fool the other teams.
Second, he really believes it, which is scarier.
Third, he was trying to drive up trade value for Glennon.
The MGM are having their fun, but they’ll mostly dissappear if the Bucs draft a QB tonight. And if the Bucs don’t? Then we, as fans, are screwed for the next few years, as if we have not suffered thru enough.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:35 pm
So you’re quitting on the regime for a single game has been played?
May 9th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Thats ok we’ve been screwed for 5+ years now so a few more wont hurt. But keep up the symphony of tears for us. Sounds so delightful.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Can Lovie really draft a QB after saying “Glennon is the future, and why would we bring a 3rd QB in”???
May 9th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Vincente Says
“How bout let them play a few games before you evaluate the QBs..”
11 years isn’t enough games??
Or 13 games?
Good lord, we’re talking about an OC coming from college who never developed a franchise QB OR an NFL offense! The player he hangs his hat on? Rogers? Had to attend three years of special QB training before he got good enough to start in the NFL. The rest were busts.
What’s that? Can’t hold the busts against him because he wasn’t their coach once they entered the NFL? Then you can’t give him credit for Rogers either.
Just because Chip Kelly found some success in his FIRST year out of college, that doesn’t mean all college guys will. And Kelly will fall on his face this year, now that there is tape on his offense.
“Wait to see the QBs play” Give me a freakig break. McCown isn’t suddenly going to get better. He doesn’t even deserve half the credit for what he’s said to have done last year!
Those five “great” games he started? He lost 2 of them. One game above .500 will remove us from getting a good pick next year and we will still suck.
Today better impress if the Bucs want my money anymore.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:55 pm
“Oh my god they didn’t draft who I wanted.” Pout, cry, whine, complain, “They aren’t getting my money anymore”…. Good? Lol. Nobody cares. Keep that crap to yourself it makes you look like a childish fake fan.
May 9th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Lovie just called… he said, “Joe Buc Fan who? Never heard of them.”
May 9th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Google up
An in depth look at the tampa bay buccaneers mike glennon.
May 9th, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Here are my rankings. The final result for the Bucs; McCown may be a short turn solution, but the team is in dire need of a franchise caliber QB.
UNDISPUTED FRANCHISE QB: Rodgers, Brees
FRANCHISE QB: Wilson, Newton
SHADE BELOW FRANCHISE LEVEL: Ryan, Romo, Cutler
HIGH LEVEL PROSPECTS: Kaepernick, RG3, Foles
MOST OVERRATED QB IN NFL: Stafford
AGING QBs: Palmer, Josh McCown, Eli Manning
THE REST: Bradford, Glennon, Bridgewater, Matt Cassel
May 9th, 2014 at 2:48 pm
I think a lot will depend on what tedford has planned. Will it be a run heavy offense? Pass happy? conervative? Run-pass-run? I am trusting Licht-Lovie are building something special and I am looking forward to it.
May 9th, 2014 at 2:56 pm
Bonzai- You have taken this to a new level. You can spend your money wherever you want but give this thing a chance before you start burning your tickets in effigy. My goodness L&L just got here and you’re jumping ship already?! Over a draft pick?!
May 9th, 2014 at 3:03 pm
0-0
and because they haven’t done what individual fans think is the smart football move, they’re being written, You people need to get over yourselves.
May 9th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
@bonzai
“Today better impress if the Bucs want my money anymore”
Seriously, tell me two things. How long did you give Mark Dominik? When did you stop buying tickets for his comedy of errors?
Be honest.
May 9th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
I am still surprised at how quickly this fan base turns on the buc players. All the ragging on Glennon is reminiscent of fans calling McCoy a bust after his second year. Jeez, give the young man a chance. I suspect it’s the same dumb thinking that ran Steve Young out of town. He is still way too green to know what we have. You guys remember running 2 plays into the teeth of 8 man fronts an expecting the rookie QB to bail the offense out of 3rd and forever. This happened over and over and over. Hardly any QBs are successful in tha senario. Most facing that come away with very high interception rates. I will say he didn’t show any glimpses of 4th quarter heroics or taking the team on his back, but I think the jury is still out on if that was his fault or due to the situation he was put in. He played well enough to get a second shot.
May 9th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
I’d have loved to have seen Joe(s) face last night when Lovie basically said “Why would we draft a QB when we already have Mike Glennon?”
………………………
LMAO
May 9th, 2014 at 3:33 pm
Bucsfanman Says
“Bonzai- You have taken this to a new level.”
Thank you, I aim to impress 😉
.
Oil Derrick Brooks Says
“Seriously, tell me two things. How long did you give Mark Dominik? When did you stop buying tickets for his comedy of errors? Be honest.”
Actually, Mark Dominick impressed me with his trade skills from the start. Jason Licht did no such thing.
We just went through years of rebuilding, and now we are suddenly starting again. I d@mn well have a right to be upset when I waste my money.
Jason Licht has done NOTHING to impress. He released guys to clear cap room, I get that. But he only improved one position in free agency (DE). He worked several trades and got no more than a 6th rounder. He spent most of the freed up cash on players with injury histories. Yeah…I’m impressed (rolls eyes). The not even played games yet applies to coaches, not GMs.
Tedford has done NOTHING to impress. Lovie claims to have learned his lessons during his year off. That may be the case, and I’m hoping it is so, but signs are pointing in a completely different direction.
May 9th, 2014 at 3:40 pm
Actually, Mark Dominick impressed me with his trade skills from the start. Jason Licht did no such thing.
And, that is EXACTLY the point. Whatever Dominik did to impress you, it resulted in 28-52. So, maybe you are focused on the wrong things.
Because if you liked Dominik and if you liked Freeman, you pretty much aren’t worthy of being in any GMs ear.
Results matter. Wins matter. Dominik won the best dressed and best off season award, and it amounted to absolutely nothing but running the team into the ground.
In fact, if you thought Freeman was actually a franchise QB, it might be best to take the opposite of whatever your opinion is.
May 9th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
Bonzai- I was worried about you man. I thought we had lost you for a minute. I can see by your response however that you are still kickin’.
I get your apprehension, I’m not exactly 100% sold either. It’ll be a while before we see the actual product though, so hang in there!
May 9th, 2014 at 4:00 pm
“The not even played games yet applies to coaches, not GMs.”
In what bizzaro world is this EVER true? The GM builds the team, to guess what, WIN GAMES.
In your world, that Eagles squad a few years ago must have been your DREAM TEAM too. Nothing on paper matters or they would have been a winner. On the field is ALL that matters.
May 9th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Kaepernick and Wilson can be reasonably ranked at 9 and 10. Remind me again which 2 QBs played on the last 2 Super Bowls?