Buccaneers state of the franchise

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Happy with the Evans pick. If we can grab a speedy slot guy today or ASJ, this offense has the potential to be pretty damn scary.

[Dutch 874]

If the Bucs grab Austin Sefarian-Jenkins... that offense would be very problematic. A lot of tall receivers who excel in jump ball situations with a great catching radius. Your QB won't have to be very accurate If Doug Martin can get back on track and Lovie does his thing on defense... The light is looking brighter over in Tampa especially if you can get some good QB play.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Evans was one of the guys on my short list for #7, but I fell in love with JFF too much lol. I'm happy with the pick and intrigued to see who we get in rounds 2 and 3.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T DRAFT CARR OR ANY OTHER QB.

[BucD+ 648]

Not buying the Glennon love, Lovie

"You know how much I like Josh McCown as our starter here, but I love Mike Glennon," said coachLovie Smith after the Bucs bypassed drafting a quarterback in Round 1.

Resident seer Chris Wesseling hasmultiple high-octane sandwicheshinging on Glennon being shopped by Sunday, and I'm certain he'll eat well deep into the summer.

I also agree with Rosenthal that Mallett winds up in Houston. From there, things will get weird all over again at Radio City, with Tampa moving up from No. 38 to Cleveland's slot at No. 35 in order to hopscotch the Raiders and pick Fresno State's Derek Carr.

Then the phone rings. Massachusetts area code. It's Belichick on Line 1 with eyes for the tall-as-an-oak Glennon. He'll be a Patriot by weekend's end. Eat up, Wess.

-- Marc Sessler

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000348578/article/trade-predictions-for-2014-nfl-draft-weekend?campaign=Twitter_atl

PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!

I wasn't a huge fan of Carr in the first-round, but in the second-round after getting Evans? That'd be real nice, IMO.

I also like Carr a lot more than Glennon.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Really happy with ASJ, glad we didn't get dogshit Carr. I don't get why we took Charles Sims though.

[Bucman 891]

Charles Sims makes sense if they didnt have a high grade on the guards left on the board. He has everything you look for in a RB and should be a nice combo with Martin. Rainey, Demps and James will have to fight for the final spot.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Sims seems like an intriguing player, but we already have so many RB's. I wish we took Yankey with that pick.

[BucD+ 648]

Charles Sims looks SO MUCH like Matt Forte Jr. The guy has awesome hands and just all around receiving ability. 4.46 speed and moves like Forte, and maybe even a little McCoyish, with the ball in his hands.

 

Sims, Doug and Mike James (and probably Demps) is going to be one hell of a RB group.

 

I think Rainey will most likely be the odd man out. Most likely via trade.

 

EDIT:

 

REALLY hoping we can some how get a possible starting caliber Guard (Nicks was a 5th rounder IIRC), but I am also really hoping we can get Jeffcoat in the 6th or 7th round. Could be a sleeper pass rusher for us.

Edited May 10, 2014 by BucD

[Bucman 891]

Lets get to work in UDFA now.

Would love some of these guys

Connor Shaw

Christian Jones

Tiny Richardson

Brock Jensen

Marcus Williams

Colt Lyerla

Joe Don Duncan

Loucheiz Purifoy

Jackson Jeffcoat

[Dutch 874]

Considering the Bucs were dead last in offense last year, I don't think it was a bad idea for them to go all offense. Mostly is because the confidence that Lovie Smith is going to have that defense right. The Bucs drafted some amazing receiver talent; both at the top of the their positions and now have one of the tallest receiving cores in the league. They managed to address their offensive line as well. It's also interesting that the Bucs didn't draft a QB which shows they don't mind moving forward with Mccown and Glennon getting groomed. I like what the Bucs did in the draft and I'll be looking forward to seeing them play. Their tree like wide receiving core and Lovie's impact on their defense.

[Bucman 891]

Brett Smith is a good developmental guy. Is likely going to be the QB we stash on the PS.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

I'm not jumping for joy over our draft, but I'm okay and interested in seeing how our offense looks this year.

[Dutch 874]

 

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000349518/article/report-bucs-rejected-trade-requests-for-mike-glennon

 

Report: Bucs rejected trade requests for Mike Glennon

 

With Josh McCown penciled in as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' starting quarterback in 2014, one popular storyline entering draft weekend stated that general manager Jason Licht could draft his future starter and jettison second-year signal-caller Mike Glennon.

Neither happened.

The Bucs actually rebuffed trade requests from at least half a dozen teams, the Tampa Bay Times reported, with some teams calling multiple times during the draft.

"There's a lot of interest and we want to keep Mike," Licht said Saturday. "(They were) just feeling it out. I know that Mike has a very good reputation throughout the league as far as his developmental future."

In the months leading up to the draft, it appeared the franchise wasn't sold on Glennon. Whether they were unable to select a quarterback where they wanted to in the draft, never got a good enough offer for Glennon or used the plotline as a smokescreen the entire time appears irrelevant at this stage.

After all the speculation, coach Lovie Smith clarified his stance on Glennon.

"A lot of talk has gone on about Mike Glennon,'' Smith said. "What I've said is Josh McCown is our starter, which he is. ... But what I've said is that we like Mike Glennon and Mike has an excellent future in the league and that's how it's played out...

"I've been in position meetings with Mike, I've been around Mike in every environment that you can think of," Smith continued. "And then just watch him on the football field and what you ask a quarterback to do. Smart. Makes checks. And then throw the football. Mike can make all the throws. I knew what he can do throwing-wise and all that before, but to just see it up close and personal.''

Tampa spent all six of its draft picks on offense but didn't take a quarterback. At least for today, the Bucs appear pleased to have Glennon as their young project signal-caller.

The fact that they didn't pick up a QB in the draft with a 35 year old starting QB says how they feel about Glennon.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Or it says a lot about how they feel about the QBs in this draft class. Lovie has also been a guy who hasn't appeared fond of spending high draft picks on QBs. Kyle Orton is the highest QB he's taken in the draft and he was a 4th rounder. Though the Bears did give up two 1sts to get Jay Cutler while he was there, I'm not sure that move had Lovie's fingerprints all over it.

I'm not sure if the Bucs seriously view Glennon as their long term starter. He did good things as a rookie for a bad team last year (19:9 TD:INT ratio on a injury depleted team with no weapons and shitty coaching). But the QBs in this draft were flawed and they obviously didn't want to hitch their wagon to any of them. McCown will PROBABLY start with Glennon getting an opportunity and we'll re-evaluate Glennon next year along with the QBs available. On paper our offense looks better, but you can't rely on two rookies to change everything. But hopefully a healthy Martin and a Tedford offense can lead to some good things for whoever is at QB, but even if it is McCown and he's successful we have to look for the long term guy and I'm iffy on giving Glennon the keys to the franchise.

[Bucman 891]

Brett Smith is the future

[BucD+ 648]

Brett Smith...gonna beat out Kafka this year and then Glennon next year...

 

 

DUH FEWTCHA!

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Smith is more intriguing than Kafka, but keeping either on the 53 man roster is probably a waste. We could easily stash Smith on the PS and sign him to the active roster if McCown or Glennon get hurt.

[BucD+ 648]

ESPN's Sports Science with Mike Evans (and Sammy Watkins) along with an article about his ridiculous arm span/arm length...

http://www.bucsnation.com/2014/5/12/5707742/mike-evans-may-have-the-longest-arms-of-any-nfl-receiver

 

EDIT:

 

Rookie numbers...

 

@gregauman:

Few rookie jersey numbers for Bucs: TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins gets 87 (does he change @Aesj88?), WR Robert Herron 14, RB Charles Sims 34.

 

Kevin Pamphile takes number 70 -- Donald Penn's former number -- and Kadeem Edwards gets number 71.

Edited May 13, 2014 by BucD

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Evans gonna keep 13?

[Shotgun 442]

He said he was in his presser, and they show him holding a #13 Bucs jersey so I'd assume as much.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

ASJ can switch to #88 once we cut Stocker.

[BucD+ 648]

Yeah Evans is keeping #13. They've already started promoting/selling his jersey.

 

Also, yeah, ASJ will get his #88 eventually.

 

EDIT:

 

@MikeReiss:

Filed to ESPN with @FieldYates: Patriots director of college scouting Jon Robinson is leaving the team to join the #Bucs.

 

@MikeReiss:

Jon Robinson reunites with Jason Licht in Tampa. Licht, formerly in NE, was a primary reason Robinson was first hired by the Patriots in '02

 

‏@MikeReiss:

With Jon Robinson headed to Tampa, Bucs director of college scouting Eric Stokes will head to Miami as an assistant to GM Dennis Hickey.

Edited May 14, 2014 by BucD

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Bucs cut Tom Crabtree today, would rather take him to camp over Stocker but both are dogeshit so who cares.

[Bucman 891]

Robert Herron goes through a drill with WR's coach Andrew Hayes-Stoker
Daniel Wallace Times


TAMPA —

It wasn't long after the Bucs drafted receiver Robert Herron when the sixth-round pick shot a text message to past acquaintance and new teammate Dashon Goldson.

"You've got cleats coming your way ASAP," Herron said.

Herron has a 4-year-old promise to keep.

Growing up in gang-ridden south central Los Angeles, Herron didn't have much.

His dad was in jail. Herron played pee wee flag football because his mom couldn't afford tackle leagues. He never had to sleep on the streets, but he didn't always have his own home.

Soon after he got to high school, his mom couldn't care for him anymore. Herron connected with a cousin through MySpace and showed up at the door of a pseudo-aunt he had never really met.

He had nothing but a backpack of clothes and pair of shoes.

"That was it," said his aunt, Kathy Hales.

Hales threw Herron into sports to keep him out of trouble. In the first track meet he ever ran, Herron blazed through 100 meters in 10.6 seconds.

He started getting serious about football in the summers, when he'd call or text one of his high school coaches, Ivan Stephenson, to ask for a ride to the gym or an 8 a.m. workout.

"I just wanted to see the kid have a chance," said Stephenson, who now serves as Herron's manager.

Stephenson used his connections to take his pupil to train alongside pro athletes to make his NFL dreams more tangible.

And that's where Herron first met Goldson.

The fellow Los Angeles native had just finished his rookie season with the 49ers and was doing offseason conditioning when he saw a teenager working out. The kid was small but fast, and Goldson remembers his drive.

"I just knew he was out there training for a purpose," Goldson said.

Then Goldson glanced down at Herron's feet.

"He's trying to chase his dream," Goldson said, "and he's doing it in tennis shoes."

And that wasn't acceptable. NFL dreams require NFL equipment. Goldson went to his car and came back with a new pair of black and white Nikes.

Goldson gave the cleats to Herron, who thanked him with a promise: When I make it big, I'll return the favor.

Herron didn't need the shoes for long. When he arrived at Wyoming a few months later, the Cowboys gave him a new pair. The ones Goldson gave him have been torn up and lost.

But the shoes helped carry Herron down his road to the NFL. The drills he ran in Goldson's cleats in the summer of 2010 prepared him to make an impact as a freshman receiver and running back at Wyoming despite an academic issue that kept him from joining the team until fall camp.

His versatility and 303 all-purpose yards in that one season under then-offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo must have left a strong impression. Arroyo, now the Bucs' quarterbacks coach, helped encourage Tampa Bay to draft Herron with its final pick.

Herron has a chance to make an impact as a rookie as a slot receiver or punt returner. He spent time doing both over the weekend at the Bucs' three-day rookie camp.

He has already chatted with Goldson in their locker room, and the All-Pro safety gave the rookie some advice: Don't get too emotional, and keep doing the things that got you here.

"It's crazy that we're on the same team right now," Herron said. "From looking up to somebody, now you're playing with him."

And now that they're peers, Herron knows exactly what he has to give to make good on a 4-year-old promise.

A pair of black and white Nikes.




Times staff writer Matt Baker can be reached at mbaker@tampabay.com or on Twitter at @MBakerTBTimes.

 

Great story.

[Milla4Prez63 678]

Mark Dominik said on a radio show today that he feels Brian Price was his biggest mistake. Really, not the CB you gave up a 1st and a 4th plus 16 million dollars to? Bleh...