An Intelligence Signing?

June 18th, 2014

lovie and lichtThe Bucs added another body to their wide receiving corps, and he just so happens to have spent the last four seasons playing for Carolina, the Bucs’ opening day opponent.

Per the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay has inked David Gettis.

Gettis, who hasn’t caught a regular-season pass since 2010, was a “tryout” player in last week’s minicamp, but Joe didn’t think Gettis stood out. Yes, the Bucs appear to have wide open battles at wide receiver, but that might not be the reality.

Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans are locks for the roster, and veteran Louis Murphy and rookie Robert Herron are darn close to being locks, barring preseason meltdowns. It’s hard be imagine Eric Page getting cut, unless the Bucs find a guy on the street who can return punts (not kicks, punts). That’s five receivers right there, potentially all that make the final 53-man roster, especially when considering the Bucs plan to run a lot of multiple tight end sets and like their backfield depth and firepower.

But then there’s still healthy speedster and practice legend Chris Owusu in the mix, along with veteran Jeff Tedford guy Lavelle Hawkins, x-factor Jeff Demps and others.

So that’s got Joe thinking Gettis might be on the training camp roster primarily for the insight he can offer into all things Panthers.

Every little piece of intelligence can help. Teams across the NFL routinely sign guys for that purpose. Ronde Barber even joked a couple of years ago that sometimes these signings can provide too much information.

Regardless, Gettis is a big body standing 6-3, and he looked pretty athletic in practice, though not as much as 6-5 Tommy Streeter, another receiver competing.

Joe wishes Gettis well.

As for more intelligence on the Panthers, the Bucs do have their defensive informant. Cornerback D.J. Moore played for Carolina last year and told Joe he has plenty to share.

21 Responses to “An Intelligence Signing?”

  1. Louis Friend Says:

    That’s probably a stretch since he’s been out of Carolina since August of 2013. Would be easier to get one of their camp castoffs after the last cutdown before the opener.

  2. Snook Says:

    I can’t wait to beat the sh*t out of the Panthers on opening day. Our D will feast on their weak offense.

  3. Legarrettes Blunt Says:

    Joe, do you think there is any chance that Soloman Patton makes the roster over Eric Page. From what I have been reading he has more “speed in space” than Page as well as experience returning both kicks and punts. Think there is any chance him making the roster?

  4. biff barker Says:

    Re: Patton
    Curious to see if we keep a sixth WR.
    Wright, Sims, ASJ all can all contribute.in the passing attack. It comes down to ST duty.

  5. SeanyMac in SC Says:

    The fact that the Stinking Panthers have terrible WR’s since Steve Smith and Ted Ginn left, and are in despite need for WR’s, tells me that this guys is just camp meat.

  6. pick6 Says:

    also makes for a good vincent jackson stunt double, i don’t think VJax needs as many reps as some other guys the bucs need to coach up or make roster decisions on, but guys like gettis will give both QBs big targets to practice with all down the depth chart

  7. robert8 Says:

    it’ll even out when they sign one of the guys we cut

  8. jo_mama Says:

    Intelligence????

    How can our head coach have any Intelligence if he announces a career back up as our Starter in the off season.

    This coach is an idiot.

    Let them compete to see who is the best and then put the best player on the field.

    That is what a good head coach does. Puts the best players on the field.

    Not HIS GUY.

    I want a head coach with no Ego.

  9. Big Mo Says:

    @jo mama
    I think it is intelligent on Lovie’s part. 1. It quashes a QB controversy. i.e. how much flack did Schiano take for saying the was gonna be a competition at every position and did not name JF the starter. 2. It should light a fire under the #2 guy (Glennon) to prove coach wrong. 3. If Glennon does start it will be because he beat the #1 guy out of his position. No controversy, just The Coach putting the best players on the field.

  10. jo_mama Says:

    Big Mo.

    I would agree if we brought in a starting QB with a history at the position.

    However this is what we got.

    A Starting QB with 50 TD’s and 45 Int’s in 11 Years.

    This is what we are saying is Second place.

    A kid who threw for 19TD’s and 9 Ints in his first year with no expectation that he was even going to start a game.

    All I want is the best QB at the Helm.

    Schiano said there was going to be competition because he knew Freeman was a basket case. And he was right.

    Glennon has already proven that he can get the job done.

    Now we have a ligt first round draft pick as a WR Glennon can only get better with more upside.

  11. BucFan20 Says:

    Lovie may be smart. We have seen 2 hamstrings in just underwear football. He could be looking for the practice squad or if they are on the street who is the best to grab fast. Just look what happen last year.

  12. biff barker Says:

    We already had the best rookie of his class starting for us last year and look where we wound up.
    Bring in a vet. A bridge to the future. Give the newbie time to develop. We tried to trade Glennon because Carr was on the guy on the Bucs radar IMO. For either Carr or Glennon, wanted to give them a mentor and a year in the system.
    Pretty sound thinking here.

  13. Hawk Says:

    biff barker Says:

    ” We tried to trade Glennon …”
    Source?

  14. Joe Says:

    @legarrettesblount – How exactly does Patton have more experience returning punts and kicks when Page did it full-time in the NFL last year for your favorite team? Page was ranked in the top half of the league in punt returns.

    No. Patton doesn’t have much of a prayer.

  15. Legarrettes Blunt Says:

    @joe I just meant more speed in space, not more experience. I was just saying that he had experience doing it at Florida, I did not mean more experience in the NFL returning as he has not played a single down in the NFL yet. I just don’t think page offers enough as a WR and isn’t that special of a return man. Page put the ball on the ground too much for my liking and would make mental errors that drove me (and Schiano) crazy.

  16. Legarrettes Blunt Says:

    Keep coming at me like a smart ass @joe and I’ll stop reading your page and stick to pewter report, where the stories are much less bias than on here

    Joe didn’t come after you at all. Don’t read between the lines. Joe simply answered your question. And Joe takes pride in his bias. Joe reports a lot but it’s clearly opinion driven around here. –Joe

  17. stratobuc Says:

    Pewter Report blows.

  18. Back, from Davie Jones Locker Says:

    Jo-momma-
    “Glennon has already proven he can get the job done!”
    Lol . . Lmao . . Roflo . . Roflmao!!!

    Exactly who or what has Glennon proven? Lmao
    32 placed offense?
    Last place passing offense.
    Worst.

  19. owlykat Says:

    The smart thing will be to keep Patton on the Practice Squad so if Hurron or Page gets hurt he can step up and play. He was phenomenol for the Gator Offense the last two years!

  20. Back, from Davie Jones Locker Says:

    Damn phone
    ” worst second half offensive statistics in modern history.
    Lowest yards per completion.
    Or that great 4-12 record he lead us to?

    The only thing he’s proven- is that he’d rather lose, than risk an interception, trying to win the game.
    If rather try to win!
    He has some building blocks, but he was horrible last year. He showed absolutely no ability to rally a team to victory.
    Kinda important

  21. BoJim Says:

    Yeah Glennon sucked as a ROOKIE!! smh