Bucs’ Blunder Comes Full Circle
August 3rd, 2015
During the very early weeks of the Mark Dominik-Raheem Morris regime in 2009, Joe was pounding the drum loudly for the Bucs to trade for legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez.
Tampa Bay choked and the arch rival Falcons got Gonzalez for a second-round pick.
The Bucs traded their ’09 second-round pick for Kellen Winslow, Jr. Prior to Winslow’s public masturbation issues, he had a couple of excellent seasons for the Bucs, before turning whiny and selfish in 2011.
Gonzalez had five strong seasons in Atlanta, where he never missed a game and was a cornerstone of a powerful offense.
New Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter called plays for Gonzalez in Atlanta for a couple of years, and got familiar with using a monstrous tight end effectively. Now Koetter has 22-year-old Bucs tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, a former basketball player like Gonzalez. The two are nearly identical size, about 6-5, 255 pounds.
Koetter dared to compare after practice yesterday at One Buc Palace.
“I tell you, if Austin is healthy, he reminds me…I coached Tony Gonzalez at the end of his career. Our tight ends coach, Jon Embree, had Tony in Kansas City. Austin’s talented,” Koetter said. “He can’t have little nicks – now back surgery, that’s not a nick, but soft-tissue injuries. If Austin can stay healthy we have very high expectations, and so does he.”
Seferian-Jenkins humbly shrugged off the comparison yesterday but was grateful to be mentioned in the same breath.
Joe’s intrigued by the order of the universe. If not for the Bucs missing on Gonzalez, they wouldn’t have an offensive coordinator well versed in how to maximize Seferian-Jenkins.
Fate — and stink — of epic proportions also dropped America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, in the Bucs’ lap.
Perhaps the stars are aligning just right, for a change.
August 3rd, 2015 at 11:42 am
Joe agree with the entire piece except for…
before turning whiny and selfish in 2011.
Kellen Winslow was ALWAYS whiny and selfish. My son lives in Columbus and right after OSU the Browns are his favorite team. As soon as we signed Winslow he called me and said good luck with that. He claimed Winslow was the most selfish athlete he had seen on the Browns and that he was a locker room cancer.
He was happy on our crappy team because he was virtually the only dependable target and he clearly bullied JFro into making throws his direction that sometimes were absurdly forced passes. So yeah Winslow made some great catches (my son told me he was a great athlete and would make some incredible plays) but overall he was a negative for this team.
KW Jr is EXACTLY what I’m always whining about when I talk about the character of the locker room. It’s improved dramatically since those days.
I liked Rah personally but he was an inexperienced kid when he got the job. Not his fault but it was just a disaster in the locker room. It’s like what happens in the classroom when the regular teacher is out and the substitute struggles with discipline.
For all the haterade dished out on this blog daily to Lovie Smith he DOES have control of his locker room. I really, really like this team.
August 3rd, 2015 at 11:51 am
I’m starting to think that maybe having a healthy OC might be one of the big keys to this season.
August 3rd, 2015 at 11:57 am
Now this article gets me pumped!
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:01 pm
Let’s bring Gonzalez and Winslow back and let them duke it out for RG.
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:01 pm
Another blunder by the popstar pretending to be a GM
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:21 pm
Ah, I see the new OC employed the mandatory ASJ disclaimer:
IF HEALTHY
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Dam, are they that worried about ASJ’s health? What’s wrong with him now?
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Highest paid TE contract in NFL history, at the time.
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:50 pm
He better stay heathy!!
August 3rd, 2015 at 12:51 pm
Talk about everything lining up, first junior gallete leaves the saints, Greg Hardy leaves the panthers, and now star lotulelei goes down with an injury. I wish harm on no man but sure seems like the football gods are helping out this o-line big time.
August 3rd, 2015 at 1:15 pm
For stars to truly be lining up I would have to see Lovie head back down to his basement to grab the readers digest and accidentally lock himself in there for the remainder of his contract.
August 3rd, 2015 at 1:53 pm
I wonder how Timmy Wright will fit in Dirk Koetter offense,I have more faith in him than in ASJ. It’s hard to depend on or to make plans for an injury prone player.
August 3rd, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I’m just happy we have an OC that knows how to utilize the talent he has to work with.
August 3rd, 2015 at 2:12 pm
Star’s injury doesn’t seem that serious. He’ll be at full health by the start of the season.
Dallas and Tmax could save us all some time by not posting the same crap every article. It’s like ‘In Bed’ at the end of a fortune cookie. I read every article and think how are they going to blame this one on Lovie.
August 3rd, 2015 at 2:15 pm
“Let’s bring Gonzalez and Winslow back and let them duke it out for RG”
We’re still looking for America’s right guard!
August 3rd, 2015 at 2:47 pm
Instead of the Bucs stars aligning, they may just unite and throw off brilliant flashes to excite Buc fans everywhere. That’s what I’m talking about, explosive offensive playmaking.
August 3rd, 2015 at 2:47 pm
Austin Sefarian-Jenkins has the longest name in football. I say that not because his hyphenated last name, but because after reading many articles i realized his full name is actually “If he stays healthy, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins….”
August 3rd, 2015 at 2:56 pm
DallasBuc now that got me pumped and laughing well done sir
August 3rd, 2015 at 4:59 pm
ASJ was an underachiever in college and is injury prone. What a waste of a 2nd round pick.
August 3rd, 2015 at 9:12 pm
Before turning whiny and selfish?
He was always whiny and selfish. That is why they Browns got rid of him.