LaVar Arrington Talks To Joe
April 30th, 2015
Former NFL linebacker and current NFL Network analyst LaVar Arrington.
Joe is emptying a notebook of recent Bucs-focused interviews with national NFL media types. Below, former monster linebacker and current NFL Network talking head LaVar Arrington discussed with Joe how Lovie Smith can rebuild the Bucs.
JoeBucsFan: Warren Sapp has always said it takes two years for a team to learn a Tampa-2. Now Lovie Smith doesn’t run a full-blown Tampa-2. Last year, Lovie’s defense early was horrible early and the team played better down the stretch. Do you expect a bounce-back year for the defense?
LaVar Arrington: It takes time. Sapp is right. It takes time to build to where it is supposed to be. You have to get the right personnel in place. I think we live in such a quick society now; everyone wants everything so quickly, that people have forgotten that sometimes it is a process to build success.
Joe: And that is the same with a rookie quarterback, isn’t it, which the Bucs probably will have this year? I’ve read where people have called Johnny Manziel a bust and he’s only played six quarters. How can you bury a guy after only six quarters? That’s reckless.
Arrington: It is. It is. If the fanbase and the front office and ownership is patient enough and brave enough to actually weather the storm, I think Lovie Smith is a fine man and obviously a proven coach. At the least, if it doesn’t work out, at the least you have to give him the opportunity to identify what the problems are rectify them to the best of his ability. Then at that point, start the process of whether he is doing a good enough job or not.
Joe: Would it be smart for Lovie to draft a quarterback? First, it could buy him time. Also, Lovie is a guy who is defense, first. He doesn’t need the young quarterback, if he has his defense, to put the team on his shoulders. That would allow the rookie quarterback to ease in.
Arrington: I would build from the inside out if I was building a team. Trenches first. You have [Gerald] McCoy. You have some good guys on that team. Shore up your lines, both of your lines first. No reason to get a quarterback if you can’t protect him the right way.
April 30th, 2015 at 9:15 am
here is an excerpt from the final profootball talk mock draft:
1. Buccaneers: QB Jameis Winston, Florida State.
2. Eagles (from Titans): QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon.
3. Jaguars: LB Dante Fowler Jr., Florida.
4. Raiders: WR Amari Cooper, Alabama.
April 30th, 2015 at 9:16 am
That’s a great way to build the team. It’s the right way to build the team. I think we’re in an extraordinary position this year by having the first pick with a QB available that is worthy of being taken in that spot. That’s not to say that every other move doesn’t need to be made to build those trenches but the position has to be addressed.
April 30th, 2015 at 9:17 am
A voice of reason
April 30th, 2015 at 9:19 am
Challenge to Joe(s):
24 Jameis Winston posts before 8 p.m. this evening….
April 30th, 2015 at 9:22 am
Winston will be a good nfl QB. but with the no.1 pick, I don’t want good or acceptable. I do believe he will be our no.1 choice and I hope he will be great.
April 30th, 2015 at 9:22 am
By midnight, sure. What else is there to write about?
April 30th, 2015 at 9:25 am
as he said, build the trenches.
April 30th, 2015 at 9:27 am
Any chance that we will see an “around the NFC South” article to start the season off talking about draft needs of division rivals?
April 30th, 2015 at 9:55 am
Bucs fans deserve great QB play more than any other fan base. If it’s Winston or if it’s Mariota, I just hope it’s the right guy! Go Bucs!
April 30th, 2015 at 10:03 am
Joe, I have a sneaky suspicion a deal has been in the works with the Bucs and Eagles from the beginning. We are now hearing rumors of the Eagles making certain players available for trade. Interesting that those players may fit certain needs of the Bucs. Hendricks at LB, Boykin at slot corner, possibly even Fletcher Cox.
So here is the theory for sh&ts and giggles. Eagles trade Bradford to Cleveland for one of their 1st round picks. Then package their two picks to Tennessee for the 2nd pick. We pick Mariota then trade with the Eagles for the 2nd pick and a package of the players mentioned above and perhaps a some additional picks.
Thoughts??? Let the fun begin already.
April 30th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
No coverage here for the draft. Going to be watching the websites for the Bucs pick this year. Whatever happens I hope we get a pro bowl player at pick #1. Go Bucs!