“Potential” Intrigued Melton
March 12th, 2015
Love and respect for Lovie Smith is what draws most of his players to the Buccaneers head coach. In other circles, it is called relationships.
New Bucs defensive lineman Henry Melton played with Lovie in Chicago and knows him well.
But it was also a relationship he had developed with stud defensive tackle Gerald McCoy that greased the wheels of Melton’s arrival.
So too did the Buccaneers team.
Few players willingly want to play for a 2-14 club with uncertainty (at this date) at quarterback. Instead of seeing a really awful team, Melton saw things differently, so he told the fourth estate at One Buc Palace today.
“Honestly, I thought they were a good team,” Melton said of the Bucs. “It’s just how football is. We had a few games in Chicago I remember where, a couple games can go your way or they can’t. If you have some guys to finish it off and if you find some guys to make that last play at the end, that’s what’s going to be the key.
“I saw a lot of potential in this team and they’re real close. They kept telling me they lost a lot of games by a few points. And that’s how it is. Everyone is trying to win games in this league and everyone’s good. So if we get some more of those wins that they missed out on last year, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Well, at the very least, with Melton, the Bucs sure added depth to their defensive line. And there is still the potential of free agent Greg Hardy, who is still dangling out there.
Joe suspects after the Bucs draft Jameis Winston to kick off the festivities April 30, they very well may trade back up in the first round for a defensive end. The draft is top heavy with defensive ends, and we all know that there are players who, for a variety of reasons, slip sometimes into the second round.
March 12th, 2015 at 4:14 pm
These are solid FA pickups…..like McDonald….these three, Melton, Carter & Conte will earn their paychecks.
Keep these kind of players coming…..would like one good DE to add to our defense….then I think we will be solid.
March 12th, 2015 at 4:18 pm
Rotate them in and out Lovie!!!
March 12th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
heh. Bucs scout standing with Mariota at Oregon Pro Day right now.
March 12th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
@tbfan
I’ve been looking for these type of signings for 4 years, Rah signed a f’n punter, schiano went ape and signed whoever had a name, L&L did the same last year. Just glad they learned from their mistakes
March 12th, 2015 at 4:32 pm
Liked everything except Conte. His injury history looks brutal. 2 conclusions, back injury, bruised both shoulders …. Plays like a warrior, durable as glass.
March 12th, 2015 at 4:41 pm
@dreambig
We’re both in agreement about everything but Conte I posted the same thing under a different article. Just a few mins before
March 12th, 2015 at 4:43 pm
Word is if Bucs trade back into the first it will be for Ereck Flowers or Cam Erving. If no trade, plenty of quality DEs to snag in the second (Preston Smith, Golden, Harold, Kikaha, Odigizuwa). NO GREG HARDY.
March 12th, 2015 at 5:15 pm
With the first pick in the 2015 nfl draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Leonard Williams DE/DT USC
March 12th, 2015 at 5:20 pm
Lovie was 2-14 last year and had no MRSA or QB meltdowns to blame. He did lose an OC right before the season. But that OC had NO NFL experience.
IMHO coaching was worse than the talent level last year. This team could have won 4-5 more games with better prep, coaching and play calling. Yes the “offensive coordinator” was a Clyde Christiansen level incompetent but it was Lovie’s choice to not find a better signal caller.
And so I’m not here to defend Lovie’s performance last year…it sucked big time.
We’ve all had some off years though.
I just don’t get all the Lovie bashing here. Approximately 50 coaches have EVER made it to the SB since it’s inception 50 years ago. It’s HARD to reach a Super Bowl. Lovie has done that. Even with the 2-14 record Lovie is still
83-77 by actual definition a winning record. Lovie has scoreboard on all the guys here taking cheap shots at him.
I’m not on the Lovie bandwagon yet. But I do remain hopeful. Again he has proven to be a winning coach in this league. My biggest fear would be that he would be a dinosaur unable to admit errors or adapt. The past few days, the hiring of Koetter, other moves have made me come to believe that Lovie is capable of adapting.
Now if he takes MM then I’ll know for sure he’s looking forward not backwards.
If he takes Jameis then I’m OK as well just not quite as pumped.
Bottom line:Too many posters are ready to run Lovie out of town too soon.
He should get a couple more years to see what he’s really learned after returning to the game. Remember Lovie was out of football for a year. Give him some time to re-adapt and knock off the rust.