Another Roster Upheaval Coming?
October 13th, 2014
If the Bucs under Lovie Smith drop another No. 2 this season like they did yesterday, and like they did in Atlanta, one doesn’t need to stretch the imagination to believe Lovie will need serious explanations for Team Glazer.
One seal-clubbing a year is enough. Two in a month? Unacceptable. A third …
Before the end of Sunday’s game, Joe wondered to himself if the Bucs were going shopping big time again this offseason. Just watching the Crows, it was clear they had far more talented players than the Bucs. At times, the Bucs were just getting bullied.
After the game, Lovie strongly hinted another major shuffling of the roster is on the horizon, per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
“We’re not as talented as we need to be in some areas,’’ Smith said flatly. “At the same time, in the areas where we are talented, we’re taking our moments not to play our best ball.’’
One could make an argument that there could be six new starters on defense next year. On offense, Joe could see another running back, maybe another receiver and who knows about the offensive line and the quarterback?
When a team is getting curb-stomped the way the Bucs are, and the coach has his heels firmly dug in the sand that he will not change his ways, that leaves few options.
One of those is personnel changes.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:02 am
Lovie should fire himself.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:05 am
First they need to start with defense. Then address defense again, and try to find some more defensive depth. The offensive line. Before you go wasting resources on anything else… build up the defense with starters and depth… through free agency and the draft.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:08 am
mark barron isn’t as bad as this site thinks he is.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:10 am
Well if Lovie wants to blame the talent on the team he can blame himself. One of his first moves was to cut the best player on our team and one of the best defensive players in the league that we had just traded a first round pick for because Lovie is to stupid to play anything but Tampa 2 which doesn’t work anymore because you can’t hit anyone. The Raiders fired their coach during the bye week. We can only hope the Glazers do the same.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:12 am
Bull-spit Lovie hand picked most of the guys he’s criticizing.26 more games to deal with this.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:18 am
If Lovie had any honor he’d resign, a allow a real coach who has the mental horse power and know how to run this team take over….
October 13th, 2014 at 7:20 am
As soon as they announce that the Bucs will be the NFC moving to the LA market, real qualified head coaches will be lining up at One Schmuck Palace to take the job.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:21 am
The players are poorly coached, and don’t believe in the system.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:27 am
@ Paul … “mark barron isn’t as bad as this site thinks he is.”
You’re right. ‘One-Step-Behind’ Barron has looked quite a bit worse than many contend. He’s lost in the Tampa-2. But then again, so are Goldson, Wright, Tandy and McDougal.
Safeties are supposed to be the last line of defense among other things. None of them are getting the job done.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:37 am
Please fire Lovie Now
October 13th, 2014 at 7:42 am
More reason to fire Lovie right now. Per a Tampa Tribune article when Lovie was asked about changing his defensive scheme Lovie said “we are not changing our scheme. We’ve been doing this scheme every year I’ve been in the league. I believe in it.” The game has past Lovie by. He need to go sit in a retirement home because his scheme doesn’t work. I just hope we don’t have to endure much more of this because we have already endured a lot since they fired Gruden.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:43 am
This team has no fire or passion in thier gut…similar to Smith and Frazier. How did the GREAT ONE McCoy play yesterday? Anyone?
I am curious if anyone has read or heard what the Ravens or Falcons players are saying about our team (i.e. they have quit, etc.).
Would also be curious to hear what Hardy Nickerson is saying/thinking.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:46 am
All that stunting doesn’t look so bad now does it…..
October 13th, 2014 at 7:51 am
I can give the offense a little bit of leeway since the guy hired to be the coordinator isn’t the guy currently calling the plays. The defense side of the ball is horrible. Backup QB’s have success against this secondary, and good QB’s put up career days in a single quarter of football against this team.
Barring a miraculous after the bye turnaround Frazier will likely have to be fired at the end of this season for “his” defense, though this is the scheme Lovie wants implemented. The far more disturbing thing is the team has looked unprepared to compete at the NFL level 4 out of 6 weeks so far. That is totally on the head coach, and unlike Schiano who would often man up and put that on him, Lovie seems reluctant to shoulder the blame for an undisciplined, unprepared team.
October 13th, 2014 at 7:55 am
Ya but wait Lovie is well respected around the league and a proven coach so he can’t be fired, it takes time, ha. Ya and 2 beat downs in 30 days also I guess
October 13th, 2014 at 7:57 am
Whoever is calling the offensive plays definitely needs to be fired.
October 13th, 2014 at 8:04 am
Lovie knows his X’s and O’s
however Lovie has ZERO leadership or motivational skills
Lovie has been exposed has a postional coach promoted higher than his skills can support
October 13th, 2014 at 8:04 am
Joe
As any successful leader knows, you have to have a winning team and to do that you need a system that works with the team that you have. If what you have doesn’t work with the system one or the other must change to work. Since players are signed and the system doesn’t work, change the system.
Our troops said that Flacco used a three step drop and made our pass rush invisible. Is this system possible for our battered QB? The slant routes we don’t use? We pitch out to run between the tackles?
If I was the coach, I would dump all of those players that are inept and sign off the practice squads until I found keepers this year. Richie also must be brought up again because I don’t know who on the OL is bad because they came from all over to whoever had the ball. Either our system, coaches, players or all of them are really bad, but I can’t believe this is more than one of them or the first two.
GMC said their blocking scheme took both him and Johnson out of the rush, did we have one or was it “I am getting out of the way so I can play next year?”
I am more concerned that GMC and LVD don’t want to play for losers and leave when their contracts are up.
Most, if not all of our DBs were inbounds on every play so at least we were not penalized for not enough players on the field but could someone get them closer to the other teams receivers?
October 13th, 2014 at 8:06 am
Incognito!
October 13th, 2014 at 8:13 am
You are dreaming if you think the Glazers will fire Lovie now…..they will not pay 3 coaches at the same time….Lovie is here to stay for at least 2-3 years…..
Like it or not…..that’s what will happen.
October 13th, 2014 at 8:25 am
What’s horrifying is that this team is in total shambles! While everyone was kvetching about bringing in a QB, that’s the least of our worries. Glennon is not a superstar but when given time and targets that can CATCH the ball he’s performs adequately. Now mix in a running game and Glennon is NOT the problem.
I say Glennon is adequate…who on defense even reaches that lofty designation.
GMAC and Levonte? Two? Nine new players on defense? Verner has played pretty well. Smith got away with a push off on his catch.
Seriously! You can’t draft an entire team in one year. This is now a 2-3 year project.
October 13th, 2014 at 8:30 am
@St Pete
I agree…..a 2-3 year project…..we need a LB, CB, S, DE or 2….probably a left tackle & right guard. I think we have some weapons on offense….and Glennon is more than adequate.
We overestimated the talents of several players we brought in…..Collins, EDS, Johnson….or….they just aren’t being coached well.
We absolutely must achieve a pass rush….haven’t had a good one in many years.
October 13th, 2014 at 8:32 am
Puke splash.
October 13th, 2014 at 8:33 am
They traded players, drafted a class of players, spent over 150 million dollars and told us in the spring that the team had talent. They signed a backup qb for 10million a DE who “is injured” who clearly must have been injured many times in the previous seasons because this is his normal production. They said we’d draft a QB, told us they liked revis, Mike Williams etc, they lied. Fact the coach continues to lie to us. It’s ok, I understand I just can’t believe what he says or sells and that’s a bummer.
October 13th, 2014 at 8:45 am
I dont understand the mark barron haters. In the last scheme he was in, he did a hell of a job. He was a down in the bix safety, that stopped the run, and didnt miss alot of tackles. In this scheme he is asked to play “the john lynch” position. But lynch was known for punishing hits, which you cant do in this league anymore. Also, I hate when people say barron struggles with jimmy graham, or struggled with Tony Gonzales, Greg Olson, Vernon Davis. Those are Elite tight ends that get paid alot of money, because NO ONE, can guard them. The problem is this Scheme sucks. And all the other team has to do is not throw interceptions, and Hold on to the ball, and we will get crushed every game. Other schemes create matchup problems and put their stars in positions to make plays. You see lavonte david is having issues in this scheme, he was 100x better in schiano scheme. Lovie came in and said, our mike linebacker will have a green dot and make all the calls, then he turns back around and gives it to Lavonte. Lovie is not the right coach, maybe in 2006 he was, but not now. We must fire him, and hire an offensive minded head coach, and move on from this mess. We all knew michael johnson was a stupid signing. We couldve kept Revis instead of signing Michael Johnson, and keeping Michael Koenen. Thats $11million paid to two guys for nothing.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:06 am
Joseph, Penn, Zutah should have been kept. Johnny Football or Bridhewater should have been drafted. A tight end and a running back should not have been drafted, those picks should have been used for the defense. The free agent defensive end and the free agent left tackle should not have been signed either (they suck so bad, I don’t remember their names).
This is on the Glazers for giving Lovie too much power. I think Lovie has set a record in how fast he demonstrated that he sucks as a talent evaluator.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:06 am
Left the game during 2nd quarter. Have premium seats and didn’t feel it was my responsibility to sit through this drivel. Went home to hang with the kids.
My father and I are putting our sets of remaining home games up for sale on internet. Would get double the pleasure having fans of opposing teams on the home side to not only show the team how bad they are, but to stick it to the annoying woman behind me who thinks her sh-t doesn’t stink, the Bucs can do no wrong and any criticism is felonious.
I am a diehard Bucs fan. No other team will ever take their place in my heart. But there’s too many other fulfilling options to attend to rather than sit through the Buccaneer Hot Mess.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:08 am
Terrible loss (loses). Had such high expectations for 2015. But I am an optimist and I think we have some good players and contrary to many post, I think we have a good coach. Problem is the Bucs did a huge overhaul in the offseason. It takes awhile for some teams (unlike KC) to develop chemistry. Add to that some early injuries, the loss of their OC, and a QB change and you get what many feared, a poor performance. We have a biweek, the next three games should be manageable and we have 10 games left to build on. The only thing worse would have been to win our 1st 6 and lose our last 10. It always amazes me how quick so many fans are to throw in the towel, fire the coach, and look for someone to blame. How would we feel if the Glazers packed up the team and moved to L.A.?
October 13th, 2014 at 9:26 am
@martinii
That move is inevitable, you have a team in a very weak economic market, that also happens to be a third rate media market and a referendum for stadium upgrades that the county cannot fulfill. Good luck keeping this team in Tampa, your ownership has no ties to the area other than owning the local team, they live 4 hours away and fly in and out just prior to and just after games start and end, do you seriously think that if they can outbid the Rams, the other NFC team being considered for the move, that they would not jump at that, it automatically increases the value of their franchise 5 fold. Think of it, the Bucs are worth somewhere about 900 million, the Bills who fill Ralph Wilson in the snow, just sold for a little over a billion, the Clippers just sold for 2 billion, literally, until 2 seasons ago you couldn’t give away Clipper tix, now they are a 2 billion dollar team, why, because they are in the second largest media market in the world, not just this country, but the world, now, put a football team there, what do you think a team in the NFL the second biggest sport in the world would be worth in LA, early estimates are anywhere from 3-5 billion, you do the math….this move is inevetitable.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:27 am
At this rate, it could take over a decade to build a winning team here.
I would be happy if the TV blackouts returned. at least we could watch a good game when the Yucks are playing at home.
Each season this team goes backwards and gets worse not better. I really feel sorry for the few really talented players on the team.
They won’t want to re-sign (if the aren’t traded), the free agents won’t want to sign and if the Bucs get the top draft picks (over the next several years) will they be able to sign them? Steve young comes to mind…
October 13th, 2014 at 9:30 am
Since McCown is a FA this year I say let him walk. No need to exercise that other $5 Mil. He isn’t worth it.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:33 am
Team isn’t moving. What makes anyone think that because the Bucs cannot put a competitive team on the field, they can break their stadium lease and move to a market that consistently loses it’s NFL franchises.
Butts in the seats is not the problem. Revenue sharing and Tv rights remove the concern about attendance.
They have to put a competitive product on the field. Period.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:35 am
I’m more worried that we suck enough to get the #1 overall draft pick but “Moral High-ground Smith” won’t draft the necessary weapon.
But history has shown the glazers, at least Malcom Glazer”, will trump their executives (McKay) to get what they want. So there is a chance that Chain Gang Winston could be our QB of the future.
October 13th, 2014 at 9:41 am
For all the expectations for Barron, he has been a failure. He wasn’t drafted with the tampa two in mind, but regardless he has been a failure.
October 13th, 2014 at 10:01 am
Whole defense is a failure. Outside GMC and Lavonte and maybe Verner, no one else on that D would start for any other team in the league. It’s a very horrible defense.
October 13th, 2014 at 10:20 am
@ Flmike
A bit off topic on moving, but all very good points made. Who knows as crazy as it sounds perhaps one day the Raiders move to LA (again), the Bucs to London (Glazer’s could finally put ManU $ into the Bucs), Jaguars to Mexico City and Bills to Toronto (although that plan is off now that the new owner is determined to keep the team in Buffalo). The NFL seems determined to branch out internationally regardless of cost or travel logistics.
Back on topic the roster seems less the problem than the schemes being executed
October 13th, 2014 at 10:22 am
Tampa isn’t going to LA. Oakland or another team will fill that spot. However, Chargers don’t want anybody going there because they have been selling to that area for a while now.
October 13th, 2014 at 10:37 am
Bucs are much more likely to end up in London than in LA. Both still unlikely but then again we’ll see what kind of season ticket holder attrition we see upcoming.
October 13th, 2014 at 10:39 am
They won’t go to London. No team should go to London. They would never win. Unless they did 8 games in a row in London and then 8 games in the States. They couldn’t travel back and forth every week.
October 13th, 2014 at 10:46 am
The Chargers are just looking for a bigger piece of the relocation fee, the NFL wants two teams in LA, one AFC one NFC, The Raiders are on the short list, but without current ownership, the NFL has no trust in that moron Marc Davis, so before that move look for pressure from the shield to sell the team or forever be stuck in Oakland, the NFC team that is publicly on the short list is the Rams, for two reasons, one, history, two because they can opt out of their lease next season, and why can they opt out, because the county refuses to upgrade or build them a new stadium….hmmm, now think about the referendum that built RayJay, upgrades and being one of the top stadiums in the league by percentage are part of that, you stil have standard def big screens….your county doesn’t have the funds to upgrade and if you think the voters are going to approve another tax, just to keep the Bucs in Tampa, that’s not going to happen. Well, there’s the out the Glazers need, the county by being unable to provide the promised upgrades has broken the lease, now the boys can sue or walk away into the second largest media market in the world…
October 13th, 2014 at 10:53 am
Rex Ryan should be available when the season ends. Possibly Mike Smith too.
October 13th, 2014 at 11:03 am
Actually, the offensive line only needs 2 new upgrades for the whole offense to be greatly improved. Start there and then work on the defense where there’s a lot more holes .
October 13th, 2014 at 11:22 am
If the Bucs leave Tampa and go somewhere and get called something else. I don’t think I would stay with them. Wouldn’t be worth it. I live in VA so I could easily go with a team from around here, but I hate the Skins, Ravens, Steelers, Eagles, Giants, Jets, etc. so I guess I’m stuck unless I become a Cowboys fan. haha. Can’t believe I said that.
October 13th, 2014 at 11:23 am
Please no more NFL HC retreads who got fired from other teams unless you want to try them as a coordinator at first. These head coaches get fired for good reason (they didn’t get the job done or the team regresses) or their current employer wouldn’t let them go in the first place. Have we not learned from the Lovie debacle?
October 13th, 2014 at 11:31 am
You can’t tell me this is a bad roster. This is a better roster than the cowboys have and they are 5-1. Coaches are the problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 13th, 2014 at 11:58 am
I could see the Bucs, Jags and Lambs all giving up 2 home games a year to play in London for the $$$. The Bucs did it before and the Lambs and Jags are the 2 new “home” teams in Wembley. While having a fulltime team in London is logistically impossible I could see 3 franchises each playing 2 games back to back in London followed by a bye week. The teams that go as visitors will have their bye weeks scheduled after their visit to Wembley like the Fins and Raiders just had…. All 3 franchises are bad right now and I bet the ownership on all 3 will listen to $$$ if something is offered starting in 2015 or 2016….. The 3 teams then have 6 home games to contend with @ their US homefield and the NFL will sugarcoat that by saying that the Bills have been doing that between Buffalo and Toronto and the Packers played 2 home games in Milwaukee for many, many years; so a 6 game home schedule precedent has been set already…. Just throwing this one out there; it makes sense for 3 teams with withering fan bases….
October 13th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
For all of you who feel the Tampa 2 defense does not work and is outdated, please allow yourself the time to watch the Dallas/Seattle game. The Cowboys use primarily the Tampa 2 under Rod Marinelli.
The defense completely stymied Seattle’s QB all day and exposed many of his weaknesses as a QB. Mainly that he really isn’t that good at reading defenses until he breaks contain and undisciplined defenses break down when he does.
To say the Tampa doesn’t work anymore when it just beat the SB champ in their house is so stupid, ignorant and uninformed anyone saying it should be disqualified from posting due to his display of stupidity.
October 13th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Someone’s gonna do it in every article eh? Point out Dallas? Well I said I’ll be busy but I’m gonna just start copying and pasting instead. But please stop, it makes you look desperate to keep Lovie around for whatever reason, as if Lovie is an elite coach.
Dallas runs 50% of more of its defense in straight man to man. We currently run 0% of our defense in straight man to man. Dallas ran straight Tampa 2 last year under Monte and has a near historically awful defense. This year Rod adapts to his personnel and they are better (though still not great ranking in the middle of the pack statistically).
Please stop referring to Dallas unless you’re saying fire Lovie and hire Marinelli as HC (and no one wants that either). But Rod can adapt and has shown it. Lovie? Not so much.
October 13th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
I think the NFL should allow an expansion draft for the Bucs.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Levonte David leading the team in tackles is a direct result of how many plays the defense is on the field…..this is not necessarily a good thing