Mike Smith Finds An Old Friend As Linebacker Daryl Smith Visits Bucs
March 17th, 2016
Lavonte David has something in common with the Bucs’ latest free agent target
Earlier today, Joe wrote all about how there is no youth movement at One Buc Palace, with Dirk Koetter going all Chucky and appreciating (and seeking?) older players.
Now comes word from Adam Schefter of BSPN that 34-year-old, free agent linebacker Daryl Smith is visiting the Bucs.
Smith spent the last three seasons in Baltimore after nine years in Jacksonville. He landed in Baltimore to replace Ray Lewis. The No. 39 overall pick of the 2004 draft played his first four NFL seasons under new Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith, when he held that post for the Jags.
Daryl Smith hasn’t missed a start in three years, and last year he had one interception and three sacks.
Per the Baltimore Sun, legendary Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome expressed interest in Smith returning to the Ravens this season at a cheaper price.
And it turns out Smith has something special in common with Lavonte David.
Smith and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David are the only two NFL players with at least 350 tackles, five sacks, five interceptions and four forced fumbles over the past three years. Smith is also one of only four active players with at least 30 sacks and 10 interceptions in his career.
Those numbers are damn impressive, as is Smith’s durability. The Bucs have a hole at strongside linebacker, and Smith could be just the right stop-gap.
The Bucs let last year’s strongside starter, Danny Lansanah, walk in free agency. He remains unemployed.
March 17th, 2016 at 10:41 am
Yes please!! Perfect fit for our team, great player and an even better person.
March 17th, 2016 at 10:44 am
Awesome player….no problem with the older players here. everyone knows they will be temporary fixes until the new draft picks are ready…sign him!!!!
March 17th, 2016 at 10:45 am
DO IT.
DO IT.
March 17th, 2016 at 10:51 am
Solid veterans sprinkled in with up and coming young Bucs is a good formula…this signing would make a lot of sense.
March 17th, 2016 at 10:55 am
It seems as though..Our Buc team is starting to fill up with old Atlanta Falcons has beens who..could not/did not get it done in Atlanta. I’m really concerned. And you Buc fans should be to. But..You’re not. I’ve said all along this TB defense needs a major overhaul and..I’m sticking by my guns. familiarization is one thing. But desperation is entirely another. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. Just ask the Broncos.
March 17th, 2016 at 10:56 am
Sign
Daryl Smith
Draft
Su’a Cravens
2016 Projection
Lavonte David | Josh Keyes
Kwon Alexander | * Daryl Smith
* Su’a Cravens | Jeremiah George
March 17th, 2016 at 10:56 am
He probably has one or two years left and he’s had an outstanding career.
When we had Orie Lemon start last year against the Rams I specifically wanted to see how he’d do.
The first play nobody touches him and he ends up on his butt at the end of the play.
Bucs released him two days later and the Bucs lost the rest of our games.
I’m confident Daryl Smith does not routinely end up on his backside on plays nobody touches him on.
He’d be a great mentor if we got OLB Morrison from Florida or Terrance Smith from Florida State in the fourth or fifth round.
March 17th, 2016 at 11:01 am
IMO We need to seriously think about converting LB Jeremiah George into a full back. He was a productive back in high school. LB’s make great lead blockers.
March 17th, 2016 at 11:03 am
Sign him for a year while you develop a young guy, that is how most successful teams do it – unless you get one out of the park like with Kwon. Also the Bucs should bring back Carter too if he wants to come back for a backup role, the guy was solid, but Kwon was just a lot better. But you need depth and Bruce can play outside as well.
March 17th, 2016 at 11:16 am
Oh look, Mikes little Johnson wants to come out and play. What’s the matter little fella, too cold today? That’s ok, come back and try again another day.
Daryl Smith never even played for the Falcons. Why don’t you try doing some research, or at least thinking, before you speak / type / post, etc.?
March 17th, 2016 at 11:26 am
as long as his heart is in it, that’s a great fit. at 34, he might not mind being the guy who who sits in favor of lavonte and kwon on nickel packages, and he’s experienced in multiple fronts. we still need more bodies at LB, not just a starter but depth. not enough draft picks to add that high on the draft shopping list.
March 17th, 2016 at 11:35 am
@mike Johnson….I agree…ive been saying this ever since dirk hired mike smith…everybody is all aboard with this plan even though lovie did the same exact thing and got canned for it…lovie brought in players that knew his system until he could draft the players that would fit his system which would’ve been this years draft…the players he brought in were band aids just like grimes and ayers…daryl smith is a true professional but idk if he can keep up playing outside linebacker at age 34…if we sign d.smith to be our starting sam lb, you have to start questioning licht’s gm ability….GO BUCS!!!!
March 17th, 2016 at 11:43 am
@unbelievable…I think @mike Johnson is referring to all the old players(age and former players) that are being brought in because they are familiar with mike smith’s system…which is what lovie did…now we have to see if these acquisitions have the same results as last years defense or not…maybe worst maybe better, only time will tell…GO BUCS!!!
March 17th, 2016 at 11:44 am
Wtf are you guys taking about with ex Falcons?
Grimes is the only ex falcon we added and he was great for them and great for Miami. He could get it done.
Ayers is from Denver/NY. Sweezy is from Seattle. Daryl Smith never played for the Falcons
What kind of fan bashes their team with made up bullsh1t?
March 17th, 2016 at 11:49 am
Mike Smith doesn’t have a set system outside of being primarily 4-3 but even then he rotates to 3-4 a lot. He schemes and adjusts to the talent he has by every account out there. It’s the polar opposite of Lovie Smith and his specific standards for every position and specific scheme that has never changed much
March 17th, 2016 at 11:51 am
Lord gets it.
March 17th, 2016 at 11:54 am
I really like this possibility. By cutting him the Black Crows saved roughly $2.6 million. After a year of 121 combined tackles and 3.0 sacks, his age isn’t showing too much. He, David, and Alexander along with a rookie to groom, could be a nasty LB corps.
March 17th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
See now thats why I love that Lord fella,my dude don’t hesitate check a mutha@$!er when they talkin silly.
March 17th, 2016 at 12:41 pm
Lord Says:
March 17th, 2016 at 11:44 am
Wtf are you guys taking about with ex Falcons?
Grimes is the only ex falcon we added and he was great for them and great for Miami. He could get it done.
Ayers is from Denver/NY. Sweezy is from Seattle. Daryl Smith never played for the Falcons
What kind of fan bashes their team with made up bullsh1t?
————
YEAH!!!! You got it Lord!!!
March 17th, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Damn…those are impressive numbers.
March 17th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
So wait a minute, they can bring in has beens and get praise Lovie did it an got blamed.. Welcome to Gooberville
March 17th, 2016 at 2:55 pm
@lord and @unbelievable….dirk-ex falcon….mike smith-ex-falcon….joe Hawley-ex falcon….brent grimes-ex falcon….and some of you want roddy white…apparently neither of you get it…stop bringing in your old/ex players as band aids…the same thing folks bashed lovie for doing….GO BUCS!!!
March 17th, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Wow, That’s 2 a whole 2 players from the Falcons!
And Hawley came here last year, before Dirk was the HC or Mike Smith was even here. I swear some of your are brain dead. And I have not been one pushing for Roddy, FYI.
March 17th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
We pick on lovie for bringing in his “has beens”, because he brought them in and they SUCKED!. We trust the coaching ability of Dirk and Mike Smith. So if they want a certain player that they coached in the past, then great. familiar faces are a good thing. But it is only a good thing if the coaches are good enough to get productivity out of the player.
We can’t judge how poorly these latest accusitions will do until the season starts. So most people will reserve criticism until it is warranted. Because criticizing a player before you even see them play is flocking stupid.
March 17th, 2016 at 4:45 pm
A good player to bring in on a 1 year deal.
LOL at all the post defacto Lovie defenders. Time to move on guys. Get behind the current administration like a fan should.
If we suck when real games start being played – then you can bitch. But anyone spewing constant negativity about what this team is doing before seeing 1 snap this season, comes off as – well – let’s just say less than intelligent.
March 17th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
This just in…The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just placed an order for 30 walkers.
March 17th, 2016 at 5:35 pm
oh man dont let this guy leave tampa!
March 17th, 2016 at 6:02 pm
Note to Pickgrin..Get behind the admin like a fan should? PLEASE SIR!! This is America. Not everybody likes Obama and not everybody loves Trump. Not everybody goes merrily trotting doen the..yellow brick road. Some..take the side road and some take to the air. Society is not about everybody following blindly. A lot of us ask questions. Like..Why? can’t we fix this team? And a lot of us refuse to give the stamp of approval to a new regime who has done..absolutely nothing for our Bucs..But smile! WIN..THEN.. we applaud. Until then, its all..just..dreams and talk. I’m a Bucs fan. But I will not go quietly into the night and Amen everything yet to be accomplished!
March 17th, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Gonna keep saying this so you people don’t freak when it happens… This draft will be another slanted towards the O… We might pick up our D player at 9 as appose to late like Kwon but we need to polish the off the O’s talent… Couple OL men a FB maybe TE or WR late (a Kwon like steal???) But yeah base are load Jason…. Put another one in the seats sir!!!!
March 17th, 2016 at 6:24 pm
Note to Mikes John, you forgot to mention… Some people are just stupid… But stupid dose not recognize stupid… If you want to really know what it looks like look in a mirror…
Just to be clear…. FAN, is short for fanatic… As an American CITIZEN you are free yo be a FAN of whom ever or what ever you want…. You are more of a cridic….A poor negative cridic at that… If your a FAN you support whatever your a FAN of regardless of short comings….
So for now on you are what I refer to as a FAN OF DEPRESSION…. OR SORRY TROLL…. I will be your FAN for now on…. Only I’m gonna be what you have decided a FAN should be… To which I have to say…. As your FAN your SOFA KING WE TAUGHT IT
March 17th, 2016 at 6:35 pm
blah blah blah, he learned to read and comprehend growing up!Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
March 17th, 2016 at 7:37 pm
Some more unbelievable idiocy on a Bucs message board? Can’t be.
Are some of you really trying to compare the Brent Grimes signing to the Tim Jennings signing last year? Let’s see, Grimes was in the pro bowl this year, Jennings was coming off major knee issues and came here for a Lovie hand out.
Lovie F-ing sucked as a Head Coach, SUCKED!!! Get over it. He now gets to collect massive checks from an unsuspecting garbage college program, and he will once again be amazed at the fact that even in college his T-2 will get carved up.
March 17th, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Would be a solid stop gap. I personally like Lansanah. I hope we bring him back.
March 17th, 2016 at 10:10 pm
Note to Jab83..So be it. call it like YOU SEE IT. As I shall continue to do. You can’t stop me from commenting here. And there are those that agree with me who are afraid to speak out. I..am not one of’em. Call me a critic. That’s sounds..Jim Dandy to me. But I shall not Amen something before it is accomplished. Simple as that. Besides..Joe wants dissenting opinions here. Somebody has got to pull you guys out of the ocean once the ship starts sinking? I shall continue to sound off..sound the alarm..for all of you who have already turned yours off. Bring it on…! Stay tuned for my next comment sir. And..THANKS FOR READING… my alternate view points.