Mike Smith And Picking Old Defensive Ends
March 7th, 2016
Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith
Once upon a time, Mike Smith was in charge of a Falcons team that cut John Abraham and replaced him with Osi Umenyiora.
The move backfired.
Abraham went on to a monster 2013 season in Arizona, and Umenyiora kicked off the era of impotence for the Falcons’ pass rush.
Perhaps none of that was Mike Smith’s decision. Perhaps it was. Joe has no clue.
But Joe does know the Bucs have struggled to scout veteran defensive ends in recent years. See the impotent Johnsons of 2014 and 2015, “Ghost” and “Sackless,” respectively. The Bucs also were hot in the pants last March for defensive end Trent Cole, who signed with the Colts and limped to a three-sack season.
Joe believes the Bucs should pick another veteran defensive end in free agency this month, and then snag one in the draft. They need the help.
But who at One Buc Palace will bless that veteran DE? It seems the X-factor is and heralded defensive line coach Jay Hayes, who the Bucs ripped from the Bengals in January.
Joe’s hoping Hayes brings with him the magic eye and touch he had in Cincinnati.
March 7th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
There are a couple guys out there I like. Mario Williams is not one of them though.
March 7th, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Eye..am not impressed with Mike Smith. There’s a reason he was..let go by the ATL Falcons. The man failed to win a superbowl in ATL. What the hell makes you no football knowing Buc fans think he can get it done here? Win some games sir. Get us to the playoffs. Until then? He’s just a fired NFL coach trying..to make a comeback.
March 7th, 2016 at 12:47 pm
Coach Hayes, is the only coach on this coaching staff that the player’s trust.
March 7th, 2016 at 12:55 pm
@ Mike Johnson
He was fired as a HC for not getting a team to the SB. He only has to focus on the defense with the Bucs…a very big difference in responsibility. Feel free to express concern for Koetter “getting it done” as that’s now his mission, but Mike Smith has a lot of upside a a DC. Truthfully, I know time will tell and all, but I think Koetter is going to succeed as a HC too…homer optimism + some good stuff seen out of Koetter. Having a guy who’s not only a friend but has been a good HC before on staff as a DC should also help Dirk make the transition. Keep the faith my man, better days for Tanpa Bay
March 7th, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Forget about Smith! Licht in free agency has been awful, Bucs fans pray we aren’t awful in fa every year he is here
March 7th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
A total crap-shoot trying to find most any FA who is or was making big money…..you have to look to the players who play with a great deal of personal pride…..Revis would be a good example.
That being said…..we still need to take a chance…..it makes no sense to sit on a pot full of money and tippie-toe in FA…..simply because we have been burnt in the past doesn’t mean you give up.
March 7th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Mike Johnsons loses intelligence everytime he posts. Its comical. Loser Lovie is gone Mike. Stop being so sour. Coach Smith (Mike) has done far more than Loser Lovie has ever done. Get over it already or go Illinois fan. Your constatnt whining is pathetic.
March 7th, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Finding the right player is key here. I don’t care how old they are. CAN THEY PLAY?!
March 7th, 2016 at 1:28 pm
“Licht in free agency has been awful”
You really think it was Light who wanted to sign all those Tampa 2 guys for Lovie? When hired he quite literally said he was trying to find players that fit what Lovie Smith was trying to do. It was pretty freaking obvious how much Lovie had influence on the defensive signings at least and even Josh McCown.
McCown was Lovie’s move. If it was a Light move then explain why he was named the starter by Lovie immediately once acquired by a coach with 100% personnel control? Lovie brought in Light to get him what he wanted in FA.
Lovie was the one deciding that Gholston / Verner / McDonald were more valuable than Derrel Revis. You really think that was Light decision when all we read about was the lack of a need for Revis in Lovie’s schme?
Light said multiple times that Lovie was more interested in defensive player sin the draft than offense. People who have worked with Lovie in the past have made comments suggesting it was pretty crazy Light got him to sign off on so many offensive draft picks. Once again pretty clear Light ran the draft. Dude refered to himself as loving the scouting aspect of the job more than anything. Once again pointing to his expertise in finding talent in the draft more than anything.
Lovie had personnel control not Light. That type of power plays WAY MORE into free agency than the draft because you are going to sign all your draft picks regardless of who has that power.
If you didn’t see all these clues then I don’t know how to help you. I’ll evaluate this years free agency moves as attributable to Light either way.
March 7th, 2016 at 1:28 pm
@mike johnson, you realize the same could be said of old Wade Phillips too…fired for failing to make postseason noise with a Dallas team that were good enough to contend, but has been close to outstanding as a DC at multiple stops. there are no shortage of highly successful teams or units that rely upon guys who did not make the grade as head coaches. and by the way, the Mike Smith era in ATL was up there with the Tony Dungy era in TB, the man has nothing to be ashamed of as a head coach
March 7th, 2016 at 1:40 pm
@Lord Cornelius- I think that there was definitely influence from Lovie but I have a hard time coming to the assessment that the success of the draft was ALL Licht and the failure of FA was ALL Lovie.
I don’t agree or disagree with Tampa Tony, I believe that Licht has as much to prove as anyone else on this team. He was here for the 2 Lovie years and a good GM would’ve fought for what he thought was good or bad. We didn’t see that, therefore, call it Licht’s contract year. We have to have FAITH because all we have is faith at this point.
March 7th, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Couch…I don’t know. I kind of like his constant whining.
March 7th, 2016 at 1:59 pm
Licht has conceded he shares in the free agency failures. Lovie had final say but Licht had input on what free agents were brought in
March 7th, 2016 at 2:01 pm
Hey, this is a “at first you don’t succeed try again,” game. Just think how valuable a GM or coach would be who picked a perfect player every time. I agree we have had our share of losers, but like TBF says we can’t stop trying. Stop trying to find fault with every UFA and believe that with good coaching, the right scheme, and a second chance that player may become an All-Pro. Otherwise fold your tent and get the hell out of town.
March 7th, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Amen martinii, amen! Nobody’s perfect.
March 7th, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Martinii said exactly what I was going to say!!!
Amen to that statement!!
March 7th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Light did fight for what he thought was good (Koetter) and what was bad (Lovie).
Dude was hired by Lovie and in two years identified him as a problem. Pretty ballsy imo. His statements about finding players without having to worry about scheme is an obvious indictment towards the type of relationship and personnel strategy he had with Lovie even if he won’t say so.
I won’t say it’s 100% Lovie for FA but he was a HUGE influence while its very debatable by anyone whose know Lovie that he was driving our draft picks. He wasn’t calling the drafts in Chicago far as i know and Light is a professed scout expert. Lovie came in and said the o line was unacceptable and said McCown was our starting QB. So even those bad offensive moves that year seemed pretty directly desired by him. The defensive ones are just obvious (mike Jenkins)
every single clue paints to this narrative and every local bucs writer got that same vibe. Just seems pretty obvious
March 7th, 2016 at 8:02 pm
I am glad the glaziers were smart enought to get rid of lovie and promote koetter. If Mike Smith suceeds as our dc it means he will fix the secondary. If he fails which I think he will becasue there is no reason he wouldnt have stepped in to save his job in atlanta, I hope koetter is smart enough to promote hayes to dc and not stay to loyal like lovie did. Good news is that is smith suceeds, he will get hired as hc somewhere else and hayes will be promoted by default. Win win!!!
March 8th, 2016 at 8:32 am
I think coach Smith will do just fine here. If u look at his resume he was a very successful DC. He knows what he’s doing, thank God he got rid of the Tampa 2 base cause that was not working with the players we have. When M.Smith resurrects this defense and gets us back on track he will be snatched up by another team as a HC and u guys will be crying. Watch. Let’s just hope coach Hayes is our awnser. We will be better on defense this year, the question how much better?
And now that Lovie is not around to wisper in Lichts ear who he wants as far FA, let’s see how he does because I do believe Lovie had a big part in choosing the talent he wanted for his scheme. We already know he can draft so if he can evaluate talent in FA like he does in the draft, we will be a very successful franchise in the future.