“No Matter What He Said To Get The Job, He Ain’t Locked In To Anybody”
June 26th, 2019
One great mystery in the world of the Buccaneers is how new head coach Bucco Bruce Arians answered a simple question from Team Glazer during the interview process.
“What’s your plan for 2020 if you think Jameis Winston doesn’t have what it takes?”
Of course, Joe wasn’t in the room for the answer — or the question. And neither was any other media.
At this point, Arians’ answer is almost irrelevant. He got the job and things change in a hurry, as does the balance of power in an NFL organization.
This was a subject on SiriusXM NFL Radio yesterday morning with Bob Papa and iconic retired NFL offensive guru Charlie Weis.
During a lengthy discussion about the Bucs, Weis said he completely agreed with the statement “no matter what [Arians] said to get the job, he ain’t locked in to anybody,” referring to the quarterback position.
Weis said America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, has all the tools to succeed and a tremendous coaching staff to help him, but Weis countered that Jameis also had strong coaching during the Dirk Koetter regime.
The Bucs must draft a quarterback next season if Jameis doesn’t take a step forward in his game, Weis said, and Jameis being just ok after five seasons shouldn’t stop the Bucs from selecting his potential replacement in 2020.
So is Jameis the biggest key to the Bucs’ 2019 season? Weis doesn’t think so.
He’s all about fixing what he called an “awful” Bucs defense that just lost it’s only “legitimate” pass rusher in Jason Pierre-Paul.
Weis really liked the Devin White pick at No. 5 overall but is not hopeful for a Todd Bowles turnaround that’s significant. “All I can say is good luck,” Weis added.
As for Jameis, Joe completely agrees that Arians would have no problem getting divorced from Jameis after this season, if he thinks he can find better immediately.
Could that be a trade for Derek Carr, if Chucky sours on him? Carr would have three more years on his contract at just under $20 million per season (2020-2022).
Hopefully, Jameis just plays consistent football and stays healthy so there is zero quarterback drama. That would be so refreshing.
June 26th, 2019 at 11:07 am
Jameis is not our problem. Hard to evaluate a guy without a running game or defense. Look at his 2013 year. Had two productive running backs and a great defense. He torched teams and wasn’t one to force balls to score points because he wasn’t down 21 at halftime.
June 26th, 2019 at 11:16 am
“Give up a 2nd rounder to the Dolphins for Ryan Fitzpatrick””. Jason Licht
June 26th, 2019 at 11:21 am
@andrew
Then if you cannot evaluate him with those problems and he does not make a difference, then surely they should not pay him 30 million with those huge problems!!!!!!!!!! Better to fix those problems and just draft a new QB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 26th, 2019 at 11:38 am
Jameis is the problem … can’t win games turning the ball over … he’s made reckless passes in his career … even in college … he needs to knock it off … nothing is gonna change him now … been doing this his whole professional career
June 26th, 2019 at 11:46 am
Andrew,
Exactly how many games has the been behind 21 pts at halftime?
(Actual number please)
June 26th, 2019 at 11:48 am
“Hopefully, Jameis just plays consistent football and stays healthy so there is zero quarterback drama. That would be so refreshing.”
Oh, if Jameis plays to the cross section of what we’ve seen so far, there will be no QB drama. Winston will be G-O-N-E. Now THAT will be refreshing. He’s just not worth the baggage. Right now, he has to prove why he should be retained. Right now, he’s gone…
Only fools would risk dropping $20M+ per year over several years for a guy who has already not done what he was brought here to do in 2015, who with one more off-field slip-up risks being permanently banned from the NFL. Time to move on.
June 26th, 2019 at 11:58 am
Weis is like a politician. He says Koetter is a good coach because Koetter somehow is still coaching. If Koetter didn’t get an OC gig he wouldn’t be saying that. I believe if Jeff Fisher was still coaching he’d be saying Goff is getting good coaching. These coaches never bash each other. Total waste of time.
June 26th, 2019 at 12:04 pm
D1,
Andrew’s right on point. Do your own research if you want to prove someone wrong.
June 26th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
“What’s your plan for 2020 if you think Jameis Winston doesn’t have what it takes?”
I honestly don’t think this question was ever asked as Jameis is the least of their worries.
June 26th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
There is just no way to place this teams issues on one player. I am surprised that sentiment logically exists. That is just me though.
June 26th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
If Arians is truly this amazing ‘qb whisperer’ and Jameis is beyond fixing (which I wholeheartedly believe because he now has years of muscle memory, bad habits and horrible reflexes to try and erase), Arians chose was Gab11 who he and Leftwich had before and chose to work with again… So if Arians is so great at an coach but can’t help JW, why can’t he show his coaching chops with Gab11 since he has already had a substantial time coach in before now…
Not saying Gab11 is the answer but I’m convinced JW isn’t!
June 26th, 2019 at 1:25 pm
If Jameis can pass the eye test this season and play inspired, somewhat mistake free football, then he will get his new future contract. If he keeps turning the ball over at the most inopportune times, then TUA should be our first pick for the race to the bottom. …again
June 26th, 2019 at 1:58 pm
Have people (Joe included) forgotten that Duffner on the fly working with Smith’s D & a gang of street FAs at LB and the secondary did damn respectable with this defense the 2nd half of the year?
June 26th, 2019 at 2:02 pm
Training camp is coming.
June 26th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Carr, better than Winston? LOL!
I guess if you’re into 3 yard passes – ie, you’re a big Mike Glennon fan, then Carr is the man for you.
June 26th, 2019 at 2:36 pm
Jean Lafitte … I think you’re right that Jameis has to cut down on the turnovers to pass muster, but he ALSO has to regain a team LEADERSHIP role to earn a 2nd contract. He’s got a LOT to prove this year IMO before the Glazers will be willing to sign him to an extended contract for upwards of $150 mil. They’ve already put a HUGE investment into him (#1 pick in the 2015 draft & upwards of say $50 mil?) and I’m not so sure they’re convinced that it’s paid off … BOTH off-the-field AND on-the-field. IF I were them, given what they’ve got at stake, I’d be in a ‘You’d better REALLY show me some good stuff and wow us or it’s Bye-Bye-Jameis’.
The 2020 draft has several good QB candidates it sounds like, but I suspect that IF the Bucs have say an 8-8 season that we’d be drafting someplace in the middle of the pack with no chance at someone like Tua. And personally I’m not sure that’s what we need. A BALANCED TEAM can operate quite well IMO with a decent QB. Remember Brad Johnson’s numbers the year we won the Super Bowl? Yup, 281-for-451 (62%) for 3049 yds, 22 TDs & 6 INTs … fairly pedestrian AND conservative (Brad only threw for 54% in the playoffs BTW).
Point being though, IF Jameis turns out to be just an ‘average’ QB, will the Glazers shell out big bucks for his services for several years to come? I think not. He’s going to have to really wow them I think to earn a big payday … and rightfully so.
June 26th, 2019 at 2:46 pm
Curse of Gruden,
“Allen is right. Do my own research.”
You see, I don’t have to do my own research to invalidate Allen’s and a plethora of other fans who claim every game winston is behind 21 pts at half.
I mean it requires a single game where the lead at halftime was only 20 pts to invalidate those claims. So I don’t need to dig thru the Web to find something to support such ludicrous nonsense.
But if I did, Id quickly learn …There’s not a single game last year that at the half the Bucs , lead by winston, we’re in that position. But I ask you, do you expect facts to change a false premise? I’m more than willing to make a bet.
So put up…or..well..you know.
Scoreboard friend.
On a more conciliatory note. I will gladly say that I m not a fan of propaganda as a means to support a single player on a team. Those who do , OK because it’s about being a fan. Respect!
Personally, I see no need to consume B.S. in order to fully support winston . Obviously, you and others are uncomfortable with a head on approach to the subject. I understand completely. Just don’t expect everyone else to fall in line.
June 26th, 2019 at 3:18 pm
You take a list of Winston, Mariota, Prescott, Carr, Goff, Allen, Mayfield, Darnold, Jackson, Trubisky, Rosen and ask who’ll be a staring quarterback three years from now?
Wentz and Mahomes look like sure things, but of this bunch the first four are all in the land of “if they can’t figure it out this year that’s it.” Hiccups from some of the others will be tolerated As long as they’re on rookie contracts, so maybe 55%-60% of the list.
June 26th, 2019 at 3:37 pm
Hey Maga I know that’s you tmax. Again you must be one of those people who think this game is NOT a team sport. Yea Winston has made bone head mistakes. Some are his fault some arnt. Having to play ketch-up cuz the defense is a sieve not his fault now he has put the team in a whole but not all the time. His stats have improved every year. Good sign better coaching all around him will make him better if it doesn’t oh well then we draft or sign another. But for you to hang some off field issues over his head that happened more than 3 years ago is just immature everyone makes mistakes the dude does way more for more communities than you do for 1
June 26th, 2019 at 5:16 pm
I wanted Jameis in the draft and I think he’s going to be improved this year…but Licht should be shot if we don’t draft a QB in 2020 if the Bucs are in the top half of the draft. It will be a few years before there is a QB class this good again and (assuming the Bucs improve under Arians) they won’t be drafting in the top 5 for awhile. That means no low hanging QB fruit in the draft. Better to draft a QB in 2020 and have him sit than deal with high price free agent QB in two or three years.
June 26th, 2019 at 5:41 pm
If Winston is not the guy and we have a middle of the pack season we would be screwed. Either be in the hunt and prove he can get an extension or have a horrible season and move up to get the best quarterback in the draft. I do not want to be stuck in middle of the pack with the teams who are high enough to get impact guys but not top tier quarterbacks. Dont want to see us adding some throwback journeyman again.
June 26th, 2019 at 6:21 pm
Weiss also said NOTHING of the changes on D in scheme and coaching which just goes back to national guys not being plugged in to specific teams. His attitude towards the team reflected no chance of changes making a difference on D. He is correct about one thing though.. The D has been horrendous recently.
June 26th, 2019 at 6:50 pm
Can we give the kid a running game and a decent D before we run him off?
June 26th, 2019 at 6:55 pm
Christopher yes and look what Jameis did with that better defense. After that Cincy game he was really smart with the football. He has never played a season with a defense that was anything but an embarrassment. Jameis is going to make a lot of these clowns shut up this year.
June 26th, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Jameis is always going to be ranked between 18-24th best
If that’s what we want then that’s what we want
I personally want a top 5 qb but they don’t grow on trees
June 27th, 2019 at 2:00 am
Jameircus part 2
Winston takes Las Vegas
June 27th, 2019 at 8:11 am
#1bucsfan how about having to play catch up because of a Int or fumble in the first quarter? That the other team did its job and scored. Who again is at fault? Is it the Defense who couldn’t stop the opposition on a short field, or the person responsible for turning the ball over? I think it is both. When and if our “Franchise QB” can improve his accuracy, decision making, and ball placement. He may have a shot at a second contract. I’d say if any of those three are not improved upon he wont get that chance here. Yes, he may go on to another team and be that guy we all hoped he could and would be here. Or maybe they get the same show we have watched for five seasons. I am very excited to see how well our HC can improve the things Winston has issues with. It it doesn’t happen we move forward. These sideways or backwards steps need to end. Always move forward. Just like we did when we let McCoy go we brought in Shu to replace him. A forward move. Not side to side or backwards but forward movement.
Go Bucs!