“He’s Yoda”
February 23rd, 2021
Will “Yoda” Moore get a shot to develop a QB?
Our beloved Buccaneers have built perhaps the greatest quarterback incubator in the history of the NFL, yet there is no young QB hatchling in the nest to raise.
Joe was aching for the Bucs to draft a young QB ever since Bucco Bruce Arians arrived, but the Bucs passed in 2019 and 2020.
Joe looked at all the Bucs’ seasoned and lauded quarterback gurus and yearned to stick a young guy in there to develop in case Jameis Winston didn’t work out. And then Joe’s desire doubled when Tom Brady arrived because a newcomer could learn from Mr. Six Seven Rings.
Yeah, the NFL quarterback world has been turned upside down with rare trades of talented QBs and a free agent QB winning the Super Bowl. And that change at the position might go on for years to come. But Joe would still love to see the Bucs find a quarterback to groom that potentially could replace Brady or a be a stellar backup.
Recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian interviewed Bucs offensive consultant and QB guru Tom Moore. And then Polian devoted a segment to talking about what a football genius 82-year-old Moore is.
It got Joe thinking again about the Bucs making this the year to secure a young arm with real potential.
“He’s Yoda,” Polian said of Moore. “He’s a font of wisdom and experience and knowledge. I’ve spent so many wonderful hours not talking football with him but asking questions and listening to him. He’s invaluable. He’s tremendous. And he really, really is knowledgeable about quarterbacks.
“You know, we’d go out and work out quarterbacks, and I’d just sit there and watch him conduct the workout. He has a drill which measures arm strength, by the way, that’s better than any drill or any gun or any statistical electronic measurement you can find; it’s obvious to the naked eye.
“Like I said, he’s a man of few words but they’re always right on target.”
Bruce Arians, Byron Leftwich, Tom Moore, Clyde Christensen and Tom Brady — man, Joe would love to see what those guys could do with a young QB growing up around a championship team.
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:11 am
Kyle Trask with 64 overall.
Kid threw 65 TDs to 15 INTs in 20 games started. And rushed for an extra 7. Dude lost his top 4 WRs to the NFL in 2019 and proceeded to throw 43 TDs in 2020 to a new group of Wrs.
Some Brady tutelage will do Wonders!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:17 am
I am surprised much more has not been said About Tom. Game after game years ago you would see him on the sideline when he was running the high powered Colts offense with Peyton for Dungy’s Colts. He is almost like an institution in the NFL for offense. Was very glad Bruce brought him to the Bucs. He has been with Bruce for years. Do not be surprised if they have to drag Coach Moore off the practice field one day and lay him to rest when his time comes. He is an awesome coach, that absolutely loves what he is doing. And the Bucs are very fortunate he is a part of the team. GO Coach Moore and GO BUCS!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:25 am
And yes I totally agree Joe, they need to find a QB to groom somehow – some way, free agent or draft. Whatever it takes because the Day is coming when the Living Legend, Lord of the Rings, Tommy boy rides off into an awesome florida sunset. Brady is way to beyond being fazed in the least by another QB. He would be an excellent help to the process of the next QB, in this awesome “QB incubator” as you called it. GO BUCS!!!!!
February 23rd, 2021 at 12:48 am
Come to think of it, if Brady gets to groom a young Buc Qb and happens to be successful; he will then get to be the Real Qb Guru. No contest.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:02 am
Could easily see the Bucs drafting Trask. Strong arm and lots of upside potential.
BUT… with that said…
Rarely are future NFL starting QBs not drafted in the 1st round over the past many years.
If the Bucs are serious about drafting the post-Brady QB of the future, they need to surprise the league and trade up in the 1st round to get a guy that really believe in.
Maybe they can package OJ Howard and/or some other trade assets to move up in their first (along with their #32 pick).
For example, if they think Mac Jones can be a future NFL stud, then you move up to the middle of the 1st round to get him.
But drafting a QB with a 3rd to 5th round pick is most likely not going to yield a future starter. The odds are just highly against it.
February 23rd, 2021 at 1:48 am
The true qb whisperer.
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:01 am
I get the kind term view, but we’ve got a year, maybe 2-3 more with TB12. I’d prefer to see how Bucs draft players that can help the Bucs win NOW.
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:25 am
Sign Dak Prescott after Brady retires. That’s if the Cowboys franchise tag him for 2021, which I think is a possibility.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:55 am
If we sign Barrett, Godwin, Succup, and David – super tall order – the you could make the reasonable case to draft a future QB in the first round (because, in theory, you have relatively small holes on the roster to fill). The holes that might remain may not warrant a first round pick. I like the idea of Mac Jones or Kyle Trask with the #32 pick to get groomed in our QB factory under TB12. The only thing that would change my mind is if a talented edge rusher fell to us.
I wonder if anyone has asked/TB12 his thoughts on the team drafting his replacement to groom. I’d hate to create the Aaron Rodgers situation here in Tampa. I’d rather TB12 was on board and not whining about surrounding the team with talent to win this year.
February 23rd, 2021 at 4:24 am
Lol, I laughed as soon as I saw the title and that picture. I would love to get a young quarterback in the first three rounds, but I don’t think that it’s realistic if we are chasing another super bowl. Maybe if a guy that the draft nerds thought was a surefire top 15 prospect fell to us at 32 I’d be cool with it, but I’m thinking that we’ll need to reload through the draft after free agency at other positions.
February 23rd, 2021 at 5:52 am
Trade back from the first pick up an extra second and go get Trask along with de, dt or db
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:36 am
I literally brought this up last week in the comments section of a different article and got snapped at by Joe about how it would never happen because Arians doesn’t want to. Let’s be consistent here please.
February 23rd, 2021 at 6:52 am
Great great piece on Tom Moore. Since BA already owns the title ‘The QB Whisperer’, maybe Moore should be ‘The Coach Whisperer’. Got a hunch that when Joda speaks, BA (and everyone else) listens.
@BradyBucs … “if they think Mac Jones can be a future NFL stud, then you move up to the middle of the 1st round to get him.” I’m a huge Mac Jones fan, and he’ll be long gone before our #32 pick arrives. That said BradyBucs, I agree with you completely about doing something reasonable (like packaging OJ with our #32 pick) to move up to draft Mac Jones.
February 23rd, 2021 at 7:31 am
I would be all for drafting a QB to groom. But that #32 pick is needed to replace one of the defenders we will lose in FA. Really can’t afford the luxury of drafting a QB, especially not before the 3rd
February 23rd, 2021 at 7:56 am
For real joe. We need to go out and get several young developmental players that can be groomed for the next year or 2 QB is deff up there at the top along with DT, DE and LB. Suh , jpp and LVD arnt getting any younger and need to be replaced sooner rather than later maybe in a year or 2. Please set us up for future success
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:10 am
@BradyBucs the flip side to your point is that not one single QB drafted between 2009 and 2016 in the first round is still with the team they were drafted by. Out of those, you can argue only Stafford, Luck and Tannehill have been major successes with the jury out on Newton, Goff and Wentz. While most successful quarterbacks are drafted in the first round, you can find some gems outside. Tom Brady, Drew Brees (just!) and Russell Wilson are prime examples. Derek Carr is at the Goff and Wentz level but he wasn’t a first rounder. Going further back, Brad Johnson, Brett Favre and Kurt Warner were also not first rounders.
You have to strike lucky but it is possible.
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:01 am
I wonder if Brady doesn’t play well with young QBs?
February 23rd, 2021 at 9:37 am
Draft Jamie Newman out of Georgia by way of Wake Forest who opted out for the college season at #64, two years behind Brady and with that QB room, he has the arm strength, mobility and size (and smarts). He could be the answer for years with our young core of players that will still be in their prime.
February 23rd, 2021 at 11:40 am
Just keep drafting lineman, DB’s, and receivers. Brady can be a QB coach when his career is over. That’s when we draft a QB again.
February 23rd, 2021 at 2:16 pm
I was hoping that could have been Josh Rosen, but instead of sticking around for a championship and a shot at the active roster next year, he bolted for 49ers. Makes no sense to me. Hope we draft a good QB.
February 23rd, 2021 at 3:13 pm
Yes, I agree totally Joe. We need to draft a QB to groom under Brady et al. It’s the perfect time.
February 23rd, 2021 at 8:08 pm
I’m a fan of both Jones and Trask, but if Yoda focuses on the upcoming draft and sees some lesser known QB draft pick that could be a better pick, I would trust him to know better. Please listen to Yoda Jason!
February 26th, 2021 at 11:04 am
Apparently Josh Rosen disagrees!