Bucs Land Experienced Tight Ends Coach
January 16th, 2014
There’s a lot of swagger and experience in Lovie Smith’s staff. Joe wrote about that earlier.
And today, the Bucs named their tight ends coach, Jon Embree, a former NFL player who got his start coaching in the league with the Chiefs in 2006.
Here’s what the Bucs released about Embree, a 22-year coaching veteran:
He comes to the Buccaneers after one season as the tight ends coach for Cleveland (2013), during which Browns tight end Jordan Cameron earned a Pro Bowl berth and ranked second in the NFL in receiving yards by a tight end (917).
Prior to joining the Browns, Embree was the head coach at the University of Colorado for two seasons (2011-12). Embree has spent a total of 17 years at Colorado as a player (1983-86) and coach (1991; 1993-2002). Following his playing career with Colorado, Embree was selected in the sixth-round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He played two seasons (1987-88) for the team before retiring.
After getting his start in coaching with the Buffaloes, Embree spent three seasons as an assistant head coach at UCLA, working with wide receivers (2003) and tight ends (2004-05). Embree got his start in the NFL as a tight ends coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, a position he held for three seasons (2006-08), before joining the Washington Redskins for one season (2010).
Of course, with all that time in the Pac-10/Pac-12, it’s quite likely that offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, the former “Cal” head coach, led this hire.
It also speaks well of Embree that he was tight ends coach for Rob Chudzinski in Cleveland last season. Chudzinski was a tight end during his playing days.
January 16th, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Can you fill us in on the second half of the quoted text referencing Borgonzi? Thanks
January 16th, 2014 at 4:54 pm
so much for diversity
January 16th, 2014 at 4:56 pm
He’s the new Bucs defensive quality control coach CanuckBuc
January 16th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
lol – something odd going on at the end of that release about a Dallass offensive assistant…can you clarify Joe?
It’s actually not there. You caught it before Joe’s system updated. –Joe
January 16th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
The last time I saw Jon Embree he was crying his eyes out in a press conference where he had been fired for a 1-10 season as HC for Colorado. Everybody can’t be a HC. He’s been a TE and has a lot of experience coaching TEs.
January 16th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
Embree actually coached Tony Gonzalez for a year….Tony probably didn’t need much coaching then….but perhaps Embree learned from him!!!
January 16th, 2014 at 5:05 pm
Sounds like a nice addition.
January 16th, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Experienced tight end coaches are great. Now we just need experience tight ends….
January 16th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
“ROBERT6 Says:
January 16th, 2014 at 4:54 pm
so much for diversity”
really??? I hope this is a joke – that I don’t get. If not – just keep this to yourself, and move along.
January 16th, 2014 at 7:05 pm
“Embree was selected in the sixth-round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He played two seasons (1987-88) for the team before retiring.”
Wish I could retire from a profession after 2 years!
January 16th, 2014 at 7:24 pm
“ROBERT6
so much for diversity”
Get your racist ish out of here. I guarantee you wouldn’t be saying anything if there were only white dudes hired.
January 16th, 2014 at 7:33 pm
Exactly lol.
January 16th, 2014 at 7:54 pm
And the idiot of the day award goes to Robert6… Congrats and enjoy.
January 16th, 2014 at 8:15 pm
ROBERT6 for once I agree with a gator fan… Go away! This board is fun and I enjoy the banter no need for losers like you. it’s easy to hide behind a keyboard tough guy!
knucknbuc I second the motion!
Embree is a solid hire and yet again another coach who had head coaching experience albeit at a Junior College like CU Boulder.
Any news / rumors on the new O-Line Coach
January 16th, 2014 at 8:35 pm
Forget about Chudzinski, he worked with Norv Turner for a year, Norv’s a solid offensive guy that has always gotten production from his TEs. Embree probably learned more from a year under Turner than he could have in 10 years under Chud.
January 16th, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Now go get him some guys to coach up
January 16th, 2014 at 9:16 pm
This is easily my favorite place for Bucs news and I’m very happy with the coaching hires. It’s nice to be at the front of the line for coaches for a change.
ROBERT6…please find another place to spew your garbage.
January 16th, 2014 at 9:17 pm
Mr. Patrick you are so correct. The bucs do not have a single NFL caliber Tight End on the roster.
January 16th, 2014 at 9:25 pm
Wright is an elite TE in the making IMO.
Blocking is something that can be taught, he is a mismatch out there and has shown it.
We need a second blocking TE, but Tim Wright has come on strong and offenses took note as they had to game plan him specifically.
January 16th, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Robert 6 better start learning to count to 7.
Here’s my concern on this hire. His stints in the NFL, except for his first one, are 1-2 years each. That means he probably wasn’t very good at doing his job since they were lateral moves. Either that or h doesn’t get along with people.
January 16th, 2014 at 9:32 pm
PRBucFan Says
“We need a second blocking TE…”
Wouldn’t a blocking, hard hitting FB work just as well? We do need a TE, but if we get a pass catching one, a FB could become the blocker, right?
January 16th, 2014 at 10:26 pm
Bonzai,
We need a complete TE, so we are not predictable in the fun game. Plus play action would be better.
January 16th, 2014 at 10:26 pm
Hmm. Jeff Tedford is white right? or am I crazy. Tedford is in a much higher position than Embree. At least if you are gonna hate, you might as well hate everyone. This way you won’t come off as racist. Don’t hate Lovie or his staff. It doesn’t even sound right to hate Lovie. I’m so utterly pumped to see a great coach like Lovie and a legit NFL staff. We are trending upwards. Welcome home Lovie.
January 16th, 2014 at 10:28 pm
Agreed Bonzai and Steve K. We need a versatile TE like a Jordan Cameron type. Crabtree is not a threat in the passing game and so far Wright isnt a fearsome blocker. All that could change but I expect a more dynamic TE to be acquired via free agency or draft.
January 16th, 2014 at 10:37 pm
I really love the way buc fan sticks together, for each other and keeps the trashy commentary out of our chat boards. I agree the coaching staff is really looking up. I can’t wait for The draft an OTA’s go Bucs!
January 16th, 2014 at 10:37 pm
I fully expect Wright to develop into a complete TE.
He’s already stated his desire to become an effective blocker, which again is much easier to develop than the ability to go out there and make plays with route running and catching ability.
Hopefully Embree helps him on his way to dominance.
But I hear ya Bonzai about the FB
January 16th, 2014 at 10:57 pm
BuccaneerBonzai
A FB better be a blocker, that’s pretty much his main responsibility.
January 16th, 2014 at 11:12 pm
we also have luke stocker, people. c’mon
January 16th, 2014 at 11:54 pm
nice joke lurker
PRBucFan to be honest with you I’d like to see Wright at WR but I agree he has the best chance of any of them on the roster.
A concern I have is the “Glowing Recommendation” I am assuming Tedfrod is going to receive from Arron Rodgers on Crabtree who is supposedly Rodgers boy. I am not sold on Crabtree although the run game seemed to be more consistent with Crabstree. Maybe I am being short sighted.
Stocker is good for 2 games a year. We don’t need any more part time players. Every year its something with Stocker and I am tired of hearing “if he stays healthy” he cant and has not stayed healthy.
January 17th, 2014 at 12:31 am
Jwayne Say
“A FB better be a blocker, that’s pretty much his main responsibility.”
Interestingly, Mike Alstott wasn’t much of a blocker. He could catch, and he hit that line so hard they feared him.
I think Mike Alstott would excel even more in todays NFL. How many times did defenses try to rush in from the front and try to bring him down? There were a lot of helmet to helmet collisions.
On the flip side, perhaps the best lead blocker the Bucs ever had was only here a year or so…Lorenso Neal. He was remarkable when it came to blocking, but he couldn’t run the ball or catch (here anyway).
There are several lead blockers at FB in this years draft, and only a couple that run or catch well, so maybe TE is the way to go.
I wanted John Conner when he came out, but the Jets ruined him.
January 17th, 2014 at 12:34 am
Don’t care what color coaches are. Care how good they are. So far, feeling real happy. If things go bad, will bitch about’em. No color will change that, either.
They better be Red and Pewter until futher notice!
Hard to find, but would love to see a huge TE on the team. One that can block, and create the physical mismatch in the red Zone.
IF, IF they buy into Glennon, that opens up a lot of possibilities.
If we trade some of our valued, but declining O linemen for a few draft picks- then our possibilities increase.
Trading down from 7th pick offers still more.
IF they believe in Glennon.
January 17th, 2014 at 1:11 am
Graham is a free agent. I would love to land him. Then cut crabtree.
January 17th, 2014 at 1:29 am
Graham to the bucs?? You have any idea how much that will cost us. We should think about resigning Mccoy now than later. Graham will be a top TE that will get more or equal to gronk/hernandez money.
January 17th, 2014 at 1:34 am
Graham has already stated he isn’t leaving Brees
January 17th, 2014 at 6:47 am
If you watch the documentaries on Vernon Davis when Singletary was coaching the 49ers you’ll see that he wasn’t a very good blocker either. He was coached up and now he’s awesome. That’s not to say that it will happen with Wright but a guy not being a good blocker in his rookie season doesn’t mean he’ll never be a good blocker.
January 17th, 2014 at 6:54 am
@DMAD1 – I agree with your statement. There were some other references to color made when they were talking about the GM search and Vidal’s name was mentioned and there was no tolerance for that sort of nonsense by any of the readers and commenters. Still a little miffed as to why those posts are allowed to pass in the first place when a disparaging comment about radio hosts are blocked. Maybe they haven’t set their filters to account for the race related content that will come from the mouth breathers as a result of not having a predominantly white staff
January 17th, 2014 at 8:28 am
So you all want to ban comments you don’t agree with? Just post your posts and mind your own business.
January 17th, 2014 at 9:35 am
@Barry – There’s a difference between banning comments that people don’t agree with and banning comments that are not socially acceptable and offensive.
Secondly, by nature of the fact that we are here reading and posting comments on anything means that none of us, including you, are minding our own business.
January 17th, 2014 at 10:26 am
Tim Wright will be a complete TE in due time. You seen him out of no where coming in and played well for us. He will be used alot again. With a second TE there will be a mismatch going on because with Tim and who ever it is that will be next to him will be the next man up and will have two stars in TEs that will ever have