Bucs “No. 1 In Line For Mariota”
December 15th, 2014
Peter King of theMMQB.com is of the mind the Bucs are after Oregon QB Marcus Mariota.
Sometimes actions speak louder than words. In Joe’s view, actions mean something, words are too often empty soundbytes.
Take the Bucs quarterbacks (will ya?). Josh McCown plays like a refugee from the UFL, which he is, with his constant and wanton disregard for ball security.
Mike Glennon has now been benched twice and Lovie Smith seems more interesting in contacting a 24-hour stomach virus than playing Glennon, his treasured “quarterback of the future.” There simply is no logical reason to believe the Bucs will count on either of their two quarterbacks next year.
That has led folks to believe the Bucs will bag a big name quarterback with, potentially, the No. 1 overall pick in next spring’s draft.
Include Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-listening, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame in that group. He is of the mind Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota will be wearing a Bucs uniform come next year.
Marcus Mariota. The Jets won, meaning he doesn’t have to think of going to the vortex of pain and tabloid embarrassment that has eaten alive so many young quarterbacks. And the Bucs lost, meaning Tampa Bay is number one in line for Mariota, the Heisman winner and by far safest quarterback prospect in the 2015 draft. No one is saying it’s a cinch, but Tampa Bay—with two very good receivers, a good young tight end, a smart front office and a stay-the-course coach in Lovie Smith—gives a young quarterback as good a chance as anywhere to be able to reach his potential.
How does King know it is lock, stock and barrel that Mariota will be drafted by the Bucs? Is he really the safe pick over Jameis Winston? There’s a helluva lot of guesswork here from King.
Joe knows King only catches a game or two of college football a week, if that. He admits as much (he once claimed he had no idea who Gene Chizik was when Auburn was defending national champs, which speaks to his shallow knowledge of college football). Maybe King isn’t aware Oregon doesn’t run a pro-style offense, unlike the kind Jameis Winston runs with Florida State (to be fair, FSU does run some spread as well)?
Spread-option quarterbacks often struggle learning the NFL ropes. There’s a learning curve there. It’s not to say Mariota can’t learn an NFL offense, but it will take time. This is exactly why Joe is spooked by Mariota. A boy scout off the field, yes. But an NFL quarterback?
Does Lovie have the patience or job security to be able to withstand two, maybe three years (or longer) for Mariota to figure out an NFL offense — NFL defenses? The learning curve for Winston should be shorter.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
I saw him on that show this am. I also heard dungy on there this morning also. I missed marriotta on there though. But basically we going to draft him because Dungy’s son went to Oregon smdh
December 15th, 2014 at 3:07 pm
The Bucs can trade down with the Jets and perhaps still get Winston along with a mother lode of picks…..
The true value of the number one pick is not just that you have first choice of who you want…but you have a pick that is coveted by many other teams…especially teams looking for a QB.
I think the Jets & Mariota make a good match…..
I’d take the Jets 1st, 2nd and 3rd….in the 2015 draft…..
December 15th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Anything besides Jameis Winston at QB if the bucs are sitting at #1 overall is foolish.
Since when is a guy having good character enough to get him drafted #1 overall.
Id rather roll the dice on character than ability.
Mariota is a huge bust waiting to happen.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
do not care which one they pick but damnitt pick one of em
December 15th, 2014 at 3:20 pm
Does Lovie have the patience or job security to be able to withstand two, maybe three years (or longer) for Mariota to figure out an NFL offense — NFL defenses? The learning curve for Winston should be shorter.
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This is the critical point: Mariota probably doesn’t help Lovie next year…and Lovie needs to win next year or he has no year 3. But Jameis is Jameis and if Mike Williams is too unseemly for Lovie, Jameis likely has no shot of being picked.
Which is why Randy Gregory and Leonard Williams are absolutely in play whether people want to accept it or not. QB is no lock at all and even if they draft a QB there’s at least a 75% chance McCown is the opening day starter next year.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:20 pm
Say no to JW.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
This is freaking football not rocket science. Mariotta has plenty of brains, he’s no cement head like Jameis. Mariotta can LEARN any system.
Now if you think he can’t throw the ball well enough then say it! If you think Oregon has succeeded because Mariotta can run the ball so well he doesn’t need to pass it, then say it!
There are smart people and dumb people. God hands out smarts in different levels and talent in different areas. For all one can gripe about Glennon he learned the offense quickly under both OC’s because he’s clearly one of the brightest players on the team.
Please just stop with this spread offense nonsense. Yes it will take awhile for Mariotta or any QB to get used to the increased speed of the NFL no matter what kind of offense they run. In fact a point could be made that a guy who has run a pro set all through college mind be overconfindent and make more stupid rookie mistakes until he realizes NFL DB’s and LB’s are not the same speed as college.
@Joe I honestly do not understand how you could pimp for Johnny Football before last years draft( yes in fairness I realize you would have also been happy with Bridgewater) and worry about Arroyo. Johnny Football won his Heisman with his legs and reckless play and Mike Evans ability to hoover up any pass thrown to his zip code.
Physically Jameis and Mariotta represent approximately the same gamble although Mariotta is a tad faster and Jameis has the stronger arm. Both have enough physical ability to play in the league.
And so what is left. Brains. Coachability and the OFF FIELD activities. Haven’t we been through enough of that with JFro…Mike Williams…Taxi belting Aquib Talib…the list is already long why add Jameis to the mix and risk lengthening that list?
December 15th, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Well, if we draft him and he has trouble learning the NFL ropes, please for the love of Steve Young lets not chase him out of town like we do every qb after a seasons. Not every rookie is Tom Brady.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:24 pm
We need a HC that knows offensive football and excellent QBs, Love is clueless on this as he has demonstrated unless this is his way of getting a franchise QB by playing McCown.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:36 pm
FSU will lose to Oregon and Winston’s stock will fall as other QB’s stock will rise. If the Bucs can trade down to at the most pick 10 then they would still get Winston may be even later. Can’t fix everything next draft but with Winston and a couple o-lineman in the 2nd plus a middle linebacker and speedy wr. The Bucs will do just fine next season if the defense comes out the gate playing like they are now. A better o-line will afford the Bucs to run the ball more putting less pressure on Winston. A competent oc will call for more screens and short passes to the tight end and Sims out of the backfield. And with defenses having to stack the line it will leave Evans and VJAX one on one and Winston would just have to put the ball in the vicinity and they will catch it. You won’t be able to lean on the rookie so the rest of the team should carry them for the year. Bucs split in their division and by the looks of their schedule next season should win 7 or 8 more games. Record 10-6 or 11-5 and if anyone says otherwise just look at the what the Bucs have lost by this season in a retooling year.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:39 pm
It is hardly nonsense. Go through the history of spread-options quarterbacks who came to the NFL and it is ugly. Quarterbacks in gimmick offenses struggle with pro style in the NFL. Sorry, Joe isn’t playing ostrich.
Trust Joe, this is on the forefront of general manager’s thoughts. It’s a big unknown. This is not a trivial element in any way.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:44 pm
The safties, cornerback(1), and other d-line help will come the following year. The Bucs will make the playoffs next season in this putrid division and go further in 2016. But people on here will still be pissed that they could not win the 1st playoff game against some NFC West opponent. Also a winning season with three pro-bowlers from that squad and national accolades will do wonders for this team and franchise.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:45 pm
“a smart front office”?
Really? Collins, Johnson, McCown, the entire OL. How did we get that label?
December 15th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
@Newbucsfan
A serious not snarky question for you or anybody who has seen it. Is there an opening line yet on the FSU-Oregon game? Just curious what Vegas thinks about this game.
I think it is easily the most compelling contest left. Alabama will crush Ohio State and probably FSU or Oregon. Perhaps I’m allowing my homer glasses to interfere here but I think FSU has a better chance against Bama than Oregon.
Having said that I’m not sure FSU gets past Oregon but I really like their chances.
I shall NOT be making a decision on who we think we should draft at QB based on ONE game however. Just as I’m not down on Jameis for ONE incident. It’s the pattern of stupidity that frightens me.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
Also:
Mariota > Winston
December 15th, 2014 at 3:49 pm
@Joe
Excellent points on the history of spread offense QB’s. But if you’re going to use history and FACTS against (FACT how unfair) then I have to return a volley.
How about the history of Heisman Trophy Winning QB’s. Yecch…although Newton could still pan out and Carson Palmer was decent.
And so that’s why I trade down the #1 and go with Andrus Peat from Stanford an athletic and beastly tackle at 6-7 315.
Then we pick the best QB available after Jameis and Marcus.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Truth is no one knows anything. No knows who will be good and who won’t.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:53 pm
mariota > winston
December 15th, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Tennesse could easily get the #1 pick over because their SOS if we both lose out. we play GB and ours will go up they play the jags. At leat the jags or titians will win
December 15th, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Drew Brees was also in a spread offense, how did that work out?
December 15th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
Look at all the spread (read) options QBs who are struggling after having some early success.
Russell Wilson is the best of the spread option guys and he went 50% for 168 yds, 1/1 yesterday, in his 3rd year.
Winston please. He knows a prostyle system, under center and shotgun, hard to be tackled, great in the pocket, he knows how to perform under overwhelming pressure, and most important, he knows how to win.
If I remember, Sapp had red flags coming out of school too. Didn’t hurt him at all. And, I say that as a Nole. Randy Moss also had red flags. HOF for both of them.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
It’s not nonsense. Spread offense QBs rarely succeed in the NFL over the long term. They are flash-in-the-pan players.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:56 pm
I did not read one post last year about Johnny Turnover only running a spread offense at Texas A&M last year. Not one!. Yet all the sudden joe is concerned about it….haha comical
December 15th, 2014 at 3:58 pm
Putting any rookie quarterback behind our offensive line is a surefire way to ruin his career before it starts. Think David Carr.
December 15th, 2014 at 3:59 pm
Spread QBs work like a pitcher works: First time through the lineup, you could get surprised by them. But the second time you see them? Or in this case, once you get tape on them? They usually struggle mightily. It’s a worthy concern for Mariota, it’s a system that doesn’t force QBs to scan or defense or make multiple reads. It’s one read and throw and if it’s not there, use the mobility. Except that doesn’t work in the NFL.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Yeah Joe, you pimped, pined and all but cried for Johnny 8Ball who only ever played in a spread offense, yet Mariota, clearly the better QB, would be a liability? Yet, JaMarcus Russell, I mean Jamies Winston, the 14 year old in an adult body would be a better choice cause he played in a Pro “Style” offense vs college players who probably 90% grew up playing either in or against spread offenses….the argument doesn’t hold up, history proves 90% of all draft picks are busts, so that would make 90% of all QB’s are busts, spread or not…
December 15th, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Is he really a safer pick over Jameis Winston? Sure
With Winston’s reputation, who know how long he will last before the NFL suspends him for something like Ray rice and AP… If he isn’t around the team he can’t learn…. At least Mariota doesn’t make you nervous about his mental maturity like Winston.. With Winson it is not if but when he will do something sketchy and likely illegal to jeopardize his career and the Bucs season…. Avoid JW and the issues that follow him!
December 15th, 2014 at 4:16 pm
I’m not as convinced this current regime places character over every other aspect of a player’s evaluation. The current first round pick was caught on camera in a brawl outside a Miami nightclub during the offseason. The second round pick has a DUI conviction on his record.
Mike Williams was dealt because apparently he can’t play anymore as evidenced by the Bills cutting him.
A bunch of choirs who can’t play will stay get a GM and/or coach usually fired within three years. Gotta believe Lovie/Licht are going to be a little liberal on the character evaluation part if the guy has perceived talent after coming off a potential 2 win season.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
I think Joe just has a thing for bad boys.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Here is what frightens me. The entire Tallahassee community is co dependent with Jameis as are all Noles. Not to pick on them. The same could be said for virtually every major college and their star athelete.
Jameis has been sheltered. Jameis has been worth millions for a few years now.
These people are not stupid. Cam Newton’s old man was smart enough to get a school to agree to 100,000 a year. Luckily he was discovered before he could wreck his son’s life totally. Point being that you should always follow the money.
The money here has been paid to advisers and protection of Jameis. And yet they STILL can’t keep him under control. Millions on the line and still no results worries me.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:48 pm
And what did he truly do that was actually devastating? Embarrassing for him and the school, absolutely.
Got the hook up at publix? Not ok, but, we could find that every successful major D1 program? (If you think he was actually shoplifting, ok)
BB guns with friends?
Yelling profanities?
Giving a girl the peen that she wanted?
Soda in ketchup cups?
Yes, even Nole’s can say he is immature, but, people do grow up. Some do it slower than others. And most don’t have a national microscope on them at every moment.
Like I said, Randy Moss had character concerns. So did Sapp. If can often work out to HOF results.
We can give Brooks the role of mentor.
And, even if they don’t draft Winston, I don’t a spread option QB. Too many have peaked early then struggled.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Yeah but Winston has his freedom. He seems like the tougher QB and that’s just what the Bucs need.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:20 pm
Yeah draft a left tackle that should get us to the playoffs and very far next year… Ugh.
Get a top flight QB or attempt to for once please. We are cutting Collins or moving him elsewhere on the line. You can have a really good line, a really good defense and you might make the playoffs once in a while. Big deal, it’s the same core of teams almost every year in the playoffs primarily because of their QB. Listen I understand you need other things around you but that still the common denominator. If you want a team that just makes the playoffs with a solid QB, really good defense there is plenty of room and seats in the Bengals or Chiefs camps.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:37 pm
if mariotta spooks you joe , how about the thought of Winston getting thrown out of mons venus weekly ( or any and all of the places in the “Bermuda triangle” as dungy used to refer to it ) after he signs that big,fat contract,
December 15th, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Winston can’t do you one bit of good from jail, why is that so hard to understand. Liars and thieves and punks like him only get worse never better, any half-smart person knows this. The right move would be to trade the pick for more picks. Let’s build the lines. You keep Glennon’s jersey clean and he will win plenty of games, especially with our backs. You win in the trenches period!
December 15th, 2014 at 8:21 pm
This year QB draft is thin plus putting a player in tampa with a questionable past never works out well. This team has too many holes to worry about a QB now, we still have no idea who will run the offense next year. Trade down collect picks and wait another year
December 15th, 2014 at 8:47 pm
You guys are all over the place with your comments. Let’s not forget about your desire to draft Manziel… I think you need to attend scouting 101 at HCC to give yourselves some meaningful credentials
December 15th, 2014 at 9:08 pm
It’s the right move… he may never be a top 5 QB, but we might get a good top 10 QB with him.
His field vision is very good, and he throws a bad ball better than anybody. With an o-line that we have no reason to suspect will improve, a QB that can run like lightning should he have to is a plus.
December 15th, 2014 at 10:23 pm
I certainly hope everyone talking up Winston is a biased FSU fan. That would be the worst possible move to pick him up. He is a head case who can’t stay out of trouble….. No thank you! Mariota might have some issues learning the NFL system but he has a good accurate arm and he’s fast. How humble he was during his heisman speech showed me a lot. Mariota should a stud and we are going to get him.
December 15th, 2014 at 10:33 pm
MARIOTA! YESSSSS!!!!!!! PINHEAD WINSTON NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
December 15th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
StPeteBucsFan Says:
Here is what frightens me. The entire Tallahassee community is co dependent with Jameis as are all Noles. Not to pick on them. The same could be said for virtually every major college and their star athelete.
Jameis has been sheltered. Jameis has been worth millions for a few years now.
These people are not stupid. Cam Newton’s old man was smart enough to get a school to agree to 100,000 a year. Luckily he was discovered before he could wreck his son’s life totally. Point being that you should always follow the money.
The money here has been paid to advisers and protection of Jameis. And yet they STILL can’t keep him under control. Millions on the line and still no results worries me.
I agree, lets see how he holds up when he takes the Wonderlich and goes through the interview rounds at the combines and perhaps the FSU pro day and see how he reacts. That should give the scouts some gauge of his emotional maturity and how he reacts to questioning with the kid gloves off.