Playing For A Draft Pick
December 25th, 2014
Alan Dell of the Bradenton Herald believes the only winning the Bucs should focus on Sunday is winning the draft.
So the Bucs are on the cusp of something big. They are “this close” to the most important loss in franchise history.
It’s a loss that can set up the franchise for success for the next decade, and beyond.
The Chase for Jameis.
Of course, for various reasons Joe doesn’t agree with, many Bucs fans are not on board. They want a timid if not painfully shy spread-option quarterback from Oregon. How well did it work out when the Bucs drafted boy scout leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman?
Of course, ornery Alan Dell of the Bradenton Herald chimes in with his outlook on what the Bucs should do (hopefully) when they lose Sunday, if they lose.
The first pick in the draft means there will be a bevy of trade offers from other teams, if you want to go that route. Just saying.
The Bucs need to lose in the worst way. This is a team that has never had a franchise quarterback, except for a tease from Josh Freeman.
They haven’t had the first overall pick since 1987, when they chose Vinny Testaverde, who became a quality quarterback after he left Tampa Bay.
As Dell points out, echoing a sentiment Joe has typed, just when has a left tackle saved a franchise?
Joe has never, ever seen a left tackle march a team 80-yards downfield for a game-winning score. Kansas City and Oakland, just this season, proved you can find quality left tackles on the street.
Hell, the Bucs themselves proved this premise. Roman Oben, the starting left tackle for the Super Bowl champion Bucs, was signed by Chucky before the 2002 season (oh, winning with Father Dungy’s players, eh?).
Joe can promise you will not find a quality quarterback knocking on doors looking for a job.
December 25th, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Father Dungy won with Sam Wyche’s players.
December 25th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
True!
He didn’t draft Lynch, Sapp or Brooks.
December 25th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Merry Christmas everyone!! U2 Joe, I appreciate the hardwork you put in to give us tbis forum to vent our frustrations with this franchise.
Aside from ME13, Banks, LVD and JaSmith, we don’t have much to be thankful for as Bucs fans. I can only hope that after Sunday’s game we will all be able to look back several years from now and be thankful for Josh McCown for tanking that Week17 game allowing usto secure the #1 overall pick and draft our savior. But as luck has it being a Bucs fan, we will probably wish we won this game bc whoever we pick will be a bum and the player selected after ours is on his way to the HOF. We were the first mouse to the cheese… and much like people who play the lotto, it’s THE HOPE that draws them in, not the actual winning. So as a Bucs fan the most obvious fix is usually a trap bc the hope thirst game..
I often wonder what it’s like to be a Patriots fan…must be nice…. nawwww that’s too damn boring…
December 25th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Ughhh I’m so sick of hearing that (Gruden won with Dungys team nonsense)!! Who did we play against in the Super Bowl?!! Grudens OTHER TEAM!!! I doubt something like that has ever happened before. Stat man! Where u at??
December 25th, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Merry Christmas everyone!
Am I the only one wary of both Winston and Mariota? Spread run first qb or pocket passer with terrible decisions on and off the field.
I’d love for someone to trade away their future for our pick. Yes, I know a tackle has never saved aa franchise. 3 1st rounders, a 2nd, maybe a 3rd can definitely save a franchise.
Everyone gets on me for actually wanting my team to win instead of thinking of the future. Well what better way to think of the future than winning the draft the next 3 years instead of 1 if some poor GM is willing to roll the dice?
December 25th, 2014 at 5:07 pm
Winston can’t dodge bullets forever, and the pressure of the NFL is REALLY going to expose the cracks.
December 25th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
Espo, I’m on board brother, for the same exact reasons you are plus I think next year’s draft class will be better. If we can wheel and deal for extra picks next year, we can give our next coach (if necessary) some ammunition to rebuild with.
The only can’t miss players this year are Amari Cooper and Leonard Williams. Man, if we could grab either of those guys and a cpl extra picks, we would be locked and loaded and ready to grab a better more NFL ready QB next year.
December 25th, 2014 at 5:25 pm
Didn’t Aaron Rodgers play in a spread offense in college?
December 25th, 2014 at 5:26 pm
Still think we should fix a few holes first. But if we draft a QB, I’d rather have Winston than Mariotta.
December 25th, 2014 at 5:38 pm
When the Bucs took Testaverde all those years ago the fans were on board with the selection. Like the rest of the possible franchise QB’s that have played for the Bucs, the surrounding cast has been subpar. If nothing else Lovie got rewarded with a high pick to help his and the Bucs game.
December 25th, 2014 at 5:46 pm
Three things there:
1. Spread option quarterbacks can succeed in the NFL, but it is a learning curve. The list of spread option QB failures is massive. Joe has talked face-to-face with GMs and it is a big fear with them. For every Rodgers, there are five Vince Youngs.
2. Rodgers sat, what, three years on the bench, learning the NFL. Would Bucs fans be OK with Mariota sitting the pine until 2018?
3.. Joe heard Phil Simms talk about how Rodgers was night and day a different quarterback from when he was a rookie. Basically, Mike McCarthy had to deprogram him and reprogram him. Again, it helped that he was on the bench for three years.
December 25th, 2014 at 5:57 pm
When the Pack drafted Rodgers they were thinking 5 years into the future, we have have to think 6 months into the future….we cannot trade away a chance at a franchise QB, but if some GM is stupid enough to offer up his team’s future for the pick, I’d have to think hard about not taking it. There’s lots of ways to maneuver around a draft board, multiple picks in low rounds can help move the chess pieces….
December 25th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
checking the offshore sports books point spreads. indy at titans. titans +6.5 N.O. at bucs. bucs are +3.5
December 25th, 2014 at 7:00 pm
Its not the qb that s worries me. Its the offensive coordinator that has to groom this qb that worries me the most.
December 25th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Buccfan37 Says:
December 25th, 2014 at 5:38 pm
When the Bucs took Testaverde all those years ago the fans were on board with the selection. Like the rest of the possible franchise QB’s that have played for the Bucs, the surrounding cast has been subpar. If nothing else Lovie got rewarded with a high pick to help his and the Bucs game.
————-
Actually, as part of my 8th grade English assignment, we had to write a letter to a corporation. I wrote mine to the Bucs and asked for information, I also begged them to keep Steve Young and NOT draft Testaverde.
December 25th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
The Bus do not need to play to lose, just play they way they have all season, the loss will take care of itself. Go Titans
December 25th, 2014 at 7:10 pm
I think we can trade back, pick up extra picks, and Winston might fall right into our lap much like Sapp did so many years ago….Go Bucs
December 25th, 2014 at 7:23 pm
Joe Says:
December 25th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
Father Dungy won with Sam Wyche’s players.
True!
He didn’t draft Lynch, Sapp or Brooks.
———————
So why couldn’t Lovie and his assistants craft schemes to utilize Dominik players without gutting the team and capitalizing on what they could do?
The last OL didn’t meet their salary expectations but they could run block.
Just saying…
December 25th, 2014 at 8:14 pm
Winston will be huge draft bust so if losing is the only way to get him, just win baby!!
December 25th, 2014 at 8:19 pm
The Bucs should draft Winston but I think he will fall and the Bucs can trade down and get him later. If he gets past the jets there is no telling how far this kid could fall down the board. In actuality there would need to be some defensive players that shine bright and some to come out of no where for this type of slide to happen. Also teams need to feel like Lovie will go defense and not take a risk on Winston for this to happen.
December 25th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
The Bucs are a defensive team in a finess division predicated on offense. Winston fits this team especially if the Bucs can shore up the o-line a little and pick up peterson and blount in FA. With a running game of AP, Blount and Sims and an above average defense (12th in the league) the Bucs would beat the hell out of the teams in this nfc south division. The Bucs are not a spread team they are physical, their offensive skill players are physical. Forget all of that running around the field QB sh!?
Lovie and this team talk that boy scout stuff but this team is mean. How many times did those packer wr get alligator arms catching the ball in the middle. Did you see the Bucs put Lacy out the game.
December 25th, 2014 at 8:36 pm
This Bucs team may not put up 50 points in a game but if they beat the snot out of ryan, brees, and newton then they won’t either. A defense has to be mean to force turnovers otherwise you are hoping for a mistake/luck. I like that this defense feels like they have to do more for this team to win. They’ll go ballz to the wall next season from the jump
December 25th, 2014 at 8:52 pm
Maybe this is the Chicago in me but I wanna see julio try to go over the middle all game for 200 yards on this team next season. I wanna see if ryan has the time to throw the ball to him that many times. I wanna see the offense run the ball hard and not skip around so much and make the opposing defensive players make business decisions. I wanna see teams that come to RJS and feel beat up, sore, and slow by the 4th quarter with the sun shining bright and no shade. I want them to remember how good that air conditioning felt at halftime and want the game to end as soon as possible so they can get back there. Forget an interception, I want the reciever to catch the ball so that McDougald can hit him so hard that he goes back and yells at his qb in their huddle. This is the team no one wants to play not that finesse spread bullspit.
December 25th, 2014 at 9:04 pm
Joe it’s apparent that you have not watched much film of Marcus. To call him timid….I’m a fan of yours but come on.
December 25th, 2014 at 9:13 pm
Freeman was never a Boy Scout, he had issues pre draft. Freeman is much more Winston than Mariota. He just wasnt in the spotlight like Winston. Lovie no doubt wants Winston, but the glazers can’t risk another epic flame out at QB.
December 25th, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Trade it for an O-Line for Glennon!
December 25th, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Seriously, what is with Joe’s inability to evaluate collegiate quarterback talent? First we got pounded with Johnny Manziel (who?), and now it’s Jamarcus…er…Jameis Winston.
December 25th, 2014 at 11:05 pm
What, should Joe be pimping Jeff Driskel?
December 25th, 2014 at 11:21 pm
I’m just saying this guy has bust written all over him. It’s clear as can be. Sorry. The best move for the franchise will be to trade back and go after Connor Cook or, even better, Christian Hackenburg in 2016. Those 2 can actually translate to the NFL and have no baggage. The problem is, lovie needs to win now, so doing what’s best for the Bucks might not be what’s best for lovie.
December 25th, 2014 at 11:22 pm
Phone spell checked Bucs. My bad.
December 25th, 2014 at 11:48 pm
Cook is going back to school this year. Hackenberg has more interceptions than touchdowns. Even if those guys are good. Who says we will be in position to draft one or the other. We are in the rare position this year, we keep waiting we are going to be in the position the Texans are in this year.
December 26th, 2014 at 12:23 am
without an O-line makeover, Jameis or Marcus or whoever will be a bust. So, what to do?
1. Trade the number 1 pick for a late first round number 1 and a late first round number 2.
2. Pick up a quality left tackle and a quality guard.
3. Stick with McCown at QB.
December 26th, 2014 at 12:39 am
I’m sorry, Seminole Bill, but your post is ridiculous, and I’ll clarify as to why I feel this way:
1. If the number one overall pick is traded when two potential franchise QBs are available, the Bucs better be getting something closer to the RG3 package of picks as opposed to just a late 1st and 2nd.
2. The Bucs can grab linemen in rounds 2 and 3, and they can also release Collins and take another shot on a free agent, just to cover all corners.
3. McCown can return as a number two if Glennon can be traded, but he cannot be expected to start much longer if this team ever expects to win.
As a fan, I hope for the best, starting with locking up the number one overall selection. Let’s do this!
December 26th, 2014 at 9:50 am
@ArmchairGM
Allow me to clarify. I know that comma was kind of confusing, but what I meant to say was we could go after BOTH quarterbacks next year. In addition to this, Christian Hackenburg is by far the best quarterback prospect among collegiate players today–at least as it concerns NFL transition. Taking 20 minutes to google him and, upon quick analysis, state that because he threw more interceptions than touchdowns he will not be very good is nonsensical. Any scout worth their salt will tell you that kid has it all and, barring injury, will be a top 5 pick when he comes out. You have to look at everything–accuracy, arm strength, mobility, velocity, vision, pocket presence, escapability, etc etc. And, of course, the fact that he plays for Penn State and does not exactly have the greatest show on turf around him.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:53 am
If we trade down, we can use any picks we acquire next year to trade up and grab one of these 2 guys. This will allow us to use our picks from trading down this year on putting a team around them, i.e. OL, DE, etc.
If we cannot trade down I think we have to take Mariota, but like I said earlier a trade down is optimal.