BSPN: Coaching Staff May Scare Off Prospective Quarterbacks
February 17th, 2023
Luring a quarterback.
Joe has no surveillance device planted into a back boardroom at One Buc Palace where Team Glazer privately gathers to sip cognac on the rocks, nibble on brie and talk turkey about their football team.
Who knows what Team Glazer thinks about the future? This Joe does know: Only one coach since the Glazer family purchased the Bucs has survived back-to-back losing seasons. And that man won Team Glazer a Super Bowl, but also had his name enshrined and subsequently ripped down from the Ring of Honor at The Licht House.
His name is Chucky.
The Bucs, who were 8-10 last season in Todd Bowles’ first year guiding the team, need a quarterback. Some have linked free agent Derek Carr to the Bucs. Dan Graziano typed a story for BSPN citing the pros and the cons.
One con Graziano points to is what he perceives as uncertainty at head coach next season. The potential instability of the coaching staff may spook Carr and other free agent quarterbacks like Jimmy GQ or Geno Smith.
Cons: The only team in worse cap shape than the Bucs is the Saints, which means Tampa could need to make the kinds of cuts that make this a less appealing roster than it was for Brady a year ago. How much job security will Todd Bowles and his coaching staff have if you don’t win right away? Plus, it might be daunting to try and follow Tom Brady, even if this wasn’t his best season.
It’s a fair point. Now Joe has no idea if Bowles and the Bucs winning the NFC South has moved Team Glazer to grant Bowles a mulligan for a losing season. After all, a home playoff game brought untold riches to Team Glazer. That very much counts.
Sure, you could have argued something similar about Bucco Bruce Arians after the 2019 season. The difference last year was no one in his right mind expected the Bucs to lose with Brady as the starting quarterback (does that cancel out a potential mulligan for Bowles?).
And a huge reason Brady came to Tampa is his belief the Bucs were on the cusp of winning.
Joe thinks Graziano nailed it. Given how the Bucs had a losing record with Brady, and that the team must shed salaries due to the cap situation, the Bucs coach in 2024 is a mystery unless Team Glazer personally pledges to a prospective quarterback no staff changes will occur in the next 12 months?
February 17th, 2023 at 12:33 pm
The starting QB will be Trask next year. We’ve been over this many times. JL messed up the cap so much they can’t afford anyone else.
February 17th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
Only the desperate of players and coaches will come to this team with Bowels stinking the place up!
February 17th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
We don’t need a top FA QB this year.
Gut it now.
Play Trask.
February 17th, 2023 at 12:45 pm
Unfortunately all of these are valid points.
Bucs now have themselves in Take What You Can Get mode.
Bowles was basically gifted this head coaching position by Arians’ agreement with the Glazers and now they are having to deal with all of the negative ramifications from it.
But hey, we got a Superbowl win out of it, right?
Now it’s time to pay the fiddler with Bowles and the salary cap
February 17th, 2023 at 12:50 pm
The only thing the Glazers look at are tickets sales when they drop so does the head coach. If we roll with Trask and lets say Lock the 2023 season will probably yield abut half the wins as 2022 which is at best four. We really cannot afford Carr, Jimmy G or Geno Smith and probably Smith would be the only one interested. But Seattle not going to let him get away they don’t even have a QB on their roster. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t sign a contract or get tagged by march 15th.
February 17th, 2023 at 12:51 pm
I don’t mean to sound negative but Graz makes sense. The cap space and required roster moves are a big unknown!!! What free agents walk? Which free agents are resigned?? What other position players are needed?? How much money is left to sign a qb?? Who are the vacant coaches going to be??
IMO, the bottom line is Trask or Gabbert, God bless us all!!!
February 17th, 2023 at 12:52 pm
Joe, you do this on purpose to get all these crybabies coming out complaining
February 17th, 2023 at 12:55 pm
Graziano is a negative Nellie…wahhhhhhhhh
Says the pollyannas on here
WAAAHHHHHHHHHH….lol
February 17th, 2023 at 12:57 pm
Bowles doesn’t deserve a top-tier expensive QB…..he squandered his opportunity gifted to him by Arians…….Arians handed over the reins with Brady & Bowles blew it.
Make the necessary cuts…..go with Trask on his rookie contract and hope for the best.
Glaziers to Bowles “Todd, we aren’t going to use our #1 pick on a QB……we aren’t going to spend any money on one…..we aren’t going to sign any expensive FAs and kick the cap down the road. We’ll take all this into consideration when we evaluate your second season as our coach. Good luck”
February 17th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
No. As always, Joe writes about subjects Joe finds interesting or compelling.
February 17th, 2023 at 1:01 pm
You’re putting too much stock I believe in “losing with Brady”. I mean, let’s not pretend like is play was at peak condition. It wasn’t. I also don’t think he’ll get fired if this next season is a repeat. If you show improvement even with a similar record, why blow things up. This team has to fill holes and improve on what they were deficient on last season. It’s just that simple. You’re doing too much over here. And as far as Trask goes, how about him playing for once with the starters and then let’s pass judgement. Show and prove is the name of the game and we all know this.
February 17th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
TBBF
***We’ll take all this into consideration when we evaluate your second season as our coach. Good luck”***
Valid point.
If we cut spending to clean the cap this year, It’s not TB’s fault if we suck based on talent. Earning him a third “prove it” year possibly.
February 17th, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Wasn’t one of the chumps that wanted Monken, so I really don’t care that he turned us down, especially considering he had his chance in Tampa and with Koetters’ help he got it taken away.
February 17th, 2023 at 1:11 pm
AND WE SUCK AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 17th, 2023 at 1:13 pm
Any word on when the Bucs will hold a presser to introduce their new O.C.?
February 17th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Let’s beat the Saints twice next year, go 2 and 15, draft a quarterback, and fire Bowles. Success!
February 17th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Bowles is in the 2nd year of a 5 year contract- unless the players quit on him, there is no way he is getting fired after this year
February 17th, 2023 at 1:21 pm
My opinion is, any as I’ve said many times before, opinion are like rear ends, everybody has one. I think the Glazers will at least give Bowles 2 seasons, if the team really stink like it did this pass season in other words why would any position coach come to a team for 1year even the unknown coaches. The other thing is Bowles may not be a very good HC but last year he coached with Arians O staff and Arians plainly said Bowles philosophy didn’t git with the staff he had
February 17th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
Just because you are getting younger doesn’t mean you are getting better – Jon Gruden MNF
I know this will never happen since Glazers are super PR sensitive owners- Gruden should still be in the ring….but I would love it if they brough Jon back after next years debacle. Yes, its gonna get ugly next year for sure. Early prediction w/o knowing the QB >> 6-11
February 17th, 2023 at 1:28 pm
With a decent coaching staff and a couple of years of drafting the Bucs can be playing for the division title or more.
February 17th, 2023 at 1:29 pm
With a decent coaching staff and a couple of years of drafting the Bucs can be playing for the division title or more. The media blows everything up for whatever their stupid reason is.
February 17th, 2023 at 1:43 pm
As I said, I think Bowles has 2 years. With a new O staff it will probably take to mid season for the offense to come together. If the team can average 24 to 26 points a game this year I think we will be fine. This defense stunk in a couple of games last year but, they played well enough that this team should have at least won11 or 12 games. ( offense was basically the problem in most of the losses
February 17th, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Just roll with Trask….a 2 or 3 win season….then its back to the drawing board with a new HC and probably a new everyone…is what it is.
February 17th, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Eating all of Brady’s cap hit is effectively paying Trask. They can’t be in the market for one of these QBs. It’s foolishness. Besides, they need to find out what they have in the kid. Reset.
February 17th, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Change the quarterback fire the coach get new coach change the quarterback fire the coach get new coach change the quarterback fire the coach . It’s a Bucs Life.
February 17th, 2023 at 2:22 pm
The days of winning without an elite QB are over. Give Blows his due season to bury himself deeper, ditch what you can to open up cap space and invest in a quality QB for the future. At least 5 more years of scratching your heads. Hey look at it thus way, cheap seats. See lemons into lemonade.
February 17th, 2023 at 2:24 pm
This division is weak period. It’s truly up for grabs. What if trask balls out? What if we improve actually? To be honest I think we can. Focus on the both lines and draft a linebacker or safety. Make some honest cuts and get rid of guys who cannot produce anymore.
February 17th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
As of 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, no.
February 17th, 2023 at 3:08 pm
We’re not going after a premium QB anyway. We’re going mid-level and cheap, and frankly, I don’t think a lot of those guys care about the possibility of Bowles being fired. Mostly, they’re glad to be decently and getting a starting gig. Do you think Mayfield or Brissett really care about Bowles job status? I don’t. They play for a paycheck and to be able to throw to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. That’s enough for the guys we’re targeting. Also, one could argue, a QB looking to turn his career around might look at Canales and think he helped Geno Smith go from nobody, a busted #1 pick, to a quality starting QB making damn good coin.
I’m not worried about QBs being scared off by Bowles’ tenuous grasp on his job. Next fake issue please…
February 17th, 2023 at 3:11 pm
It’s time to face the music because they couldn’t even land a solid OC, but no one wants to come to Tamps!! Time to trade Mike Evans, Godwin, Lenny, and DT who sometime plays, Jensen, and D White strictly for draft picks because they aren’t going to give White a $100 next year. 2 WRs that take up 40 plus million and Mike has maybe 2 more solid years and give them the choice of team and even though I like Godwin, but WRs aren’t hard to draft or fine. Release Gholston, Nacho, Brate, and many others !!! IMO and don’t care about being a Buc for life and retiring because this team needs to rebuild ASAP and Mike will be a HOF and in the ring of honor. The OC they signed in my opinion was embarrassing and I guess Bienemy from the Chiefs wanted nothing to do with the Bucs. I’m just thankful for the 2 super bowls and after 22 years of being a season ticket holder got out of my contract. I will check back in 3 years from now, but ITS TIME to TRADE our Valuable assets ASAP !!! Thank God for the Bolts and hopefully the Rays can make some noise
February 17th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
Yucs2Bucs Says:
February 17th, 2023 at 3:11 pm
So you already know Canales isn’t good because you can see the future? Just curious.
I’m betting Pete Carroll knows a little more football than you. He groomed the guy.
February 17th, 2023 at 4:19 pm
Canales hire=Power ball ticket
February 17th, 2023 at 4:54 pm
Thin Ice Bowles? An unproven OC? 50 mil. over the cap? An uncertain O line, week running game, and aging receivers that can’t get separation? Why oh why would a prospective quality QB find that a problem? No spit Sherlock…
February 17th, 2023 at 4:56 pm
Sas…he may do a great job. But he might not. And the Offense has some real holes. So a QB whose double digit million dollar a year career is on the line, might find that problematic? Why would that be surprising?
February 17th, 2023 at 4:57 pm
Joe I have a question, why do you keep including the playoff loss in their record, rather than just writing 8-9 for the regular season?
I feel like you don’t normally see season records include their playoff W/L record added on… so I’m just curious. It’s a losing record either way of course, it just looks strange to me. For example, when you see team standings across the league, it’s only the regular season records which are shown. People discussing the 2021 Bucs reference the 13 – 4 record, not 14 – 5, etc… Again, just curious.
February 17th, 2023 at 6:07 pm
@unbelievable – Pretty sure they do that for all playoff teams. It is common to see a team’s FINAL record. You’re just not used to seeing playoff teams with losing records. That is uncommon.
February 17th, 2023 at 6:37 pm
mark2001 Says:
February 17th, 2023 at 4:56 pm
If you read my comments, I specified that we’re not going after a double digit million dollar a year type of QB (who certainly WOULD care)…
I’m saying that the low-mid range QB we can afford to target this year will most likely just be happy to have a contract and the opportunity to throw to Evans and Godwin.
Right now, my QB plan is budget all the way — sign Drew Lock and draft Hendon Hooker in round 3 (?) maybe. I’ll go with that this year.
February 17th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Clueless Todd strikes again!
February 17th, 2023 at 7:56 pm
“roll with Trask”…aGAIN, he hasn’t even proved he can beat out Gabbert in camp
February 18th, 2023 at 6:37 am
Someone wrote Bowles might get a 3rd year unless the players quit on him.
Did u watch any games last season. This team quit after just 2 games. After the 2-0 start we go 6-10.
Six and TEN. This team has already quit on Bowles early last season. He’s a lame duck.
February 18th, 2023 at 7:32 am
Fire Todd Bowles! Hire Eric Bieniemy for Head Coach
February 18th, 2023 at 8:32 am
Fire Todd Bowles! Hire Eric Bieniemy!!!