Warmup Warrior
February 23rd, 2022
“Watch and wonder, Byron.”
Is Joe still mired in a bad dream?
Will Bucs fans wake up tomorrow with their ring tones mysteriously changed to Bucco Bruce Arians yelling, “April Fools!“
Any notion that Blaine Gabbert could/should/would be the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback is laughable. Joe is clinging to the hope that Arians’ recent hints about Gabbert replacing Tom Brady are on par with what Arians said about Ryan Fitzpatrick three years ago — how there was “no doubt” Fitzpatrick would be an asset to the Arians regime.
Listeners to The Ira Kaufman Podcast this summer heard how an ex-player visited One Buc Palace and spoke freely, openly and unsolicited to Joe about how awful Gabbert looked at 2021 training camp practice.
This week, retired QB Danny Kannell was speaking on CBS Sports HQ about how much he enjoyed watching Gabbert warmup before the Bucs-Patriots game in October. “Man, you could see why he was selected so high in the draft and given a lot of opportunities,” Kannell said. But he also added that while everything looks nice in pregame, he doesn’t believe Gabbert is the right move for Tampa Bay.
Joe looks at all the coaches that have worked with Gabbert and then weren’t hungry for services again, except Arians.
Why didn’t Matt LaFleur, Gabbert’s offensive coordinator in Tennessee in 2018, take him to Green Bay the following season to back up Aaron Rodgers? Was undrafted Tim Boyle a better prospect?
Like Kannell said, Gabbert got opportunity after opportunity and did little with them. Joe views Gabbert as Fitz without the magic.
Fitzpatrick ‘s career came alive when he turned 32 years old after bouncing around, so maybe that’s something for Bucs fans to cling to. Yeah, that it, Gabbert can be the next Ryan Fitzpatrick.
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:11 am
Arians is a complete clown if he’s trying to sell the fans on Gabbert being a quality QB here.
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:14 am
This is simply a leverage game. No way he’s that out of touch.
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:19 am
The truth is, if BA feels good about Gabbert, then Gabbert deserves a shot. Wilson , Watson and Rodgers will NEVER happen and Carr is a long shot so in BA I trust. The reality is Foles, Gabbert, Tribisky and Bridgewater might be your only options if TB stays retired. Also, whoever is the qb, we should win the South and be in the playoffs for 2022, so lets see.
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:20 am
Didn’t BA also claim how they could win with Winston? How’d that turn out…
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:28 am
Is it possible this team can both rebuild and win the NFCS?
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:35 am
whoever they get at QB……even a big name, we will then know the answer to the question if it was TB or the Bucs who made them successful for two years.
avid watchers know the answer and we are in for one heck of a fall.
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:36 am
I could be wrong, but if we bring in any big names (Watson, Rogers, Wilson, Carr) aren’t we going to have to pay them more than Brady? Brady has almost always played for below market value.
If we do that, we lose pretty much everyone else. To me, the choice is big name QB, or most of everyone else. I would love some of those QBs, but not while losing the majority of the free agents.
I guess there is creativity with the salary cap, but it will kill us next year, right?
Also, each time an article mentions Watson, I cannot help but think there is total disregard of his current situation. If he does not face criminal charges and settles all of the cases, does anyone think he will not get at least 8 – 12 games from the NFL?
February 23rd, 2022 at 10:53 am
Joe has become obsessed with Gabbert. Should he start I don’t know if there is enough Big Storm to last thru the season.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:04 am
Of course they would want a better top tier QB it isnt a question of wants it is the reality of what they can actually get and their options are extremely limited given the bad timing so get used to Gabbert being the best option at the moment of what they can do.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:08 am
If Arians and his friends on this underachieving staff can’t win at least 8 games with this post Brady roster, it will further pump up the legacy and impact Brady had on dragging this franchise to a 2nd Lombardi
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:09 am
If you want the next Fitz, just get Fitz. He can still air it out, can’t he?
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:26 am
“retired QB Danny Kannell”
LMAO, he’s the biggest UF hating, idiot, FSU Criminole on the planet.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:33 am
Joe!! If the Bucs are going to pursue a trade for a veteran QB, they don’t want our situation to seem hopeless. If possible trade suitors viewed our current QB room as hapless, that could drive up the bargaining price.
So, naturally, BA wants the public to think that we are in a good situation and don’t really NEED a QB, but we just need to upgrade a bit.
Joe, do you really think a coach who jettisoned Jameis and pursued Tom freaking Brady is going to stand oat for a Blaine Gabbert?
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:47 am
Under .500 before Brady, and under .500 after Brady.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:51 am
BA chased Brady out of Tampa, he deserves to have Gabbert as his QB. Nuff said.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:55 am
Here’s the problem……we go out and give up top draft picks an pay a QB A$35mil…..then we go to Godwin & say…..”We’ve got your QB, now sign for $5 mil less so that we can afford you both”
Not happening…….only in dreams.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:59 am
Wentz, Winston, Bridgewater or possibly Carr may be the only options to Gabbert and Trask. Next season coupled with the loss of free agents will probably be a rebuilding season.
February 23rd, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Funny to watch the experts here say how The GM will do everything. But you have no idea. Just guessing. I will wait and see exactly what he and his staff do to get things done.
February 23rd, 2022 at 12:24 pm
I’m still holding out hope for a Dak Prescott/Russell Wilson situation. Get a guy in the 3rd round who just comes in lighting it up. Most likely not gonna happen but I can dream!
February 23rd, 2022 at 12:24 pm
Gabbert stunk up the field in preseason thats when you should look good.
February 23rd, 2022 at 12:59 pm
This team is not a QB away from another Super Bowl. That just isn’t realistic. WE could and should win the NFC South, and I think we can do that with Gabbert, backed up by Trask.
February 23rd, 2022 at 1:27 pm
HAHA good luck trying to replace all those banners outside of the stadium of Tom Brady with Gabbert. I am sure everyone will be so excited to pack the stadium for him. If they go with Gabber we will have Trask starting by week 4 and on our way to a top 10 draft pick for 2023.
February 23rd, 2022 at 1:29 pm
I assume that you work out every morning Joe, because it must get awfully tiring stirring the pot as hard as you do as often as you do. First it was beat up on Trask; now it’s pummel Gabbert time. Poor Griffin already spent his time in the JBF barrel; no sense in pummeling him any more (oh that’s right, he’s a UFA anyways … disregard).
I fully agree that starting QB is the most important piece of the puzzle, but it’s still just ONE piece of that puzzle. Without a strong supporting cast, it won’t matter who we plug in at QB. Yes The GOAT did very well in his 2 years in Tampa, but we also provided him with outstanding protection & with superb weapons.
The results of having a strong ‘supporting cast’ speak for themselves. And yes, that includes having a defense that ranked 8th in Points Allowed in 2020 and 5th in 2021. Turns out that NFL football is the ultimate TEAM sport. Whodathunkit?
February 23rd, 2022 at 1:29 pm
Not a single team has Gabbert on their radar….NONE! There’s a reason he’s not in the discussion.
February 23rd, 2022 at 1:48 pm
A move to Gabbert just means Trask is the future in the eyes of BA and company so relax
February 23rd, 2022 at 2:04 pm
OMFG can you not see that the 8th favorite at Caesars book to win the 2023 Superbowl post Brady would immediately become the favorite to win it all with Russ?? I need 3 more days off from you freaking morons……
February 23rd, 2022 at 2:08 pm
If you believe ANYTHING you hear this time of yr about football then you need help.
February 23rd, 2022 at 2:18 pm
I think the recent articles on JBF regarding Gabbert are a realization that he just may be our QB….
I do think there are a host of other lower-tier QBs that could be brought in to provide stiff competition for him. If they don’t do that, perhaps they plan on competition from Trask.
The problem with continually disparaging & denigrating players….especially a QB is when they become the starter, it’s difficult to, all of the sudden, become a supporter. Not impossible…..but difficult.
February 23rd, 2022 at 2:37 pm
He will have to grow a bigger beard.
February 23rd, 2022 at 6:11 pm
Andy Dalton is a better passer than Gabbert. Not a fan of his nor do I suggest the Bucs signing him but he is much better than Gabbert (doesn’t say much).
Carson Wentz is also a better QB than Wentz or Dalton.
I repeat, neither of those guys are worth much except they have at least been in playoff games and had a handful of good games on their resumes.
Gabbert is a 6-10 or 7-11 QB
February 23rd, 2022 at 6:34 pm
Remember when Mark Dumbnic thought JFree looked good during warm-ups before a game at Kansas?
February 23rd, 2022 at 9:49 pm
The only thing you need to know about Gabbert; he got replaced by Blake freaking Bortles.
He’ll not make to halfway through the season before Trask takes over.
February 23rd, 2022 at 11:53 pm
Yep, totally agree with above comment. If BA feels good about Gabbert, then Gabbert deserves a shot.