Passing “The Eye” Test
February 25th, 2015
What will Lovie find?
It’s always worth noting when NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is talking because he’s got a direct pipeline to every coach and general manager in the league.
And since Rapoport works for the NFL, he’s not going to get blown off or told to jump in a sewer.
Last night on Path to the Draft, Rapoport spent a minute talking about how every last person he’s spoken to about the Bucs says they will draft Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick.
But Rapoport seemed to channel years of observing Lovie Smith when he added, “assuming they can not make a trade for that No. 1 overall pick.”
Rapoport went on to say Winston “really impressed the eight teams that he met with at the combine, including the Bucs. He addressed his off-the-field incidents with honesty. He also impressed them with his intellect.”
And Rapoport added the Lovie is eager to look Winston in the eye for an extended period of time and assess him as a young man.
What Lovie will see, of course, is a mystery.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:15 am
Look Jameis “Squinston” in the eye?…..perhaps from the sidelines.
I find it interesting that very few have trusted Lovie to make good decisions on players…but trust he will pick Winston, their favorite. Maybe so.
Will Lovie confidence skyrocket with the hiring of Koetter & Bajakian…..canning of McCown…and reported love for Winston.
We could see if Joe runs the Lovie Confidence Poll again!!!
February 25th, 2015 at 9:16 am
Still missing from the equation is what the Bucs want to be on offense next season.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:19 am
winston, MG or mariota….
either way, the key is koetter
I trust MG personally, and think they should trade and build the trenches. I don’t trust lovies eyeball test in the least.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:19 am
Lovie will coach this kid and make him a star. Lovie loves the challenge. This is his job.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:27 am
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 12 times, shame on The Bucs.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:27 am
Lovie is going to see a fine young, intelligent QB that will save his job and career. That is exactly what Lovie is going to see.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:29 am
The question is does Lovie want a chance at greatness or does he want to be know as just another coach who always had middle of the road to bottom feeder QB’s? Jameis offers a good chance at seeing what he can achieve with an elite QB. I’m not saying Jameis IS elite yet, I’m just saying he has all the potential that Lovie has never had.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:49 am
ah, so it’s the QB who makes the team and the coach?
tell that to the coaches in NO, NE, Balt, SF, Seattle, GB etc.
yeah, they have great QB’s, but their decison making on personel has been spot on. lovie has zero history of that.
last I checked it was the team that made the decision to take those QB’s.
February 25th, 2015 at 9:58 am
Other than the Chargers drafting Eli and then trading with the Giants for Rivers because Eli said he wouldn’t play for the Chargers –
When has the #1 pick ever been traded? I’ll wait while someone tries to find the answer.
February 25th, 2015 at 10:00 am
@ Robert 9:
Thanks for an observation that isn’t being made through rose colored glasses!
February 25th, 2015 at 10:00 am
[…] « Passing “The Eye” Test […]
February 25th, 2015 at 10:15 am
Since it’s well-documented that Lovie covets a mobile QB, I think all the Winston hype is purely smoke… Wy would we want a statuesque QB when we can get a guy who can make all the throws from anywhere on the field and force the defense to spend an extra man spying the QB?!? Why would Lovie draft Winston when his dream QB is available?
Answer: It’s not gonna happen. Despite what we may be allowing the public to believe, Mariota will be the pick. Guaranteed.
February 25th, 2015 at 10:16 am
Just ask yourself, do you see Bill Bilichick drafting Winston in our place? I don’t. He doesn’t gamble, he minimizes risk. Winston is a bigger risk than Mariota, or other players. The man’s results don’t lie.
February 25th, 2015 at 10:19 am
Winston is mobile, as mobile as Josh Freeman who ran the 40 yard dash in the same time. Plus he has pocket awareness which is very key.
February 25th, 2015 at 10:20 am
@Brad
BB gambles, he gambled on Randy Moss and it ended up setting records.
February 25th, 2015 at 10:31 am
randy moss was worth the risk and had documented success IN THE NFL!, as with most of the other risks BB takes.
on a rookie with red flags that will be the face of the franchise? when’s the last time any of those coaches took that risk?
February 25th, 2015 at 10:32 am
Bill Belicheat has taken multiple chances on so called questionable character guys. hell a few have been from the bucs recently..
Talib
Blount (twice)
Moss
a couple of RB that I can’t remember 8 years or so back. had real troubles …
February 25th, 2015 at 10:36 am
Winston is not a risk…
mariota is the risk. (never called plays, no huddle or pocket presence, injury risk, too many fumbles / sacks)
you guys are acting like each and every night the national guard and batman are on alert waiting for Jameis to destroy a city or womens dorm single handedly. He has kept his nose clean for months. He also is not on the front page of TMZ doing shots every night so stop the partying BS…
February 25th, 2015 at 10:47 am
Erik with CleanAthletics.com Says:
February 25th, 2015 at 10:15 am
” I think all the Winston hype is purely smoke… Why would we want a statuesque QB”
Dude have you even watched Winston play? He has excellent and very functional mobility.
Sorry, Joe tries to stay away from links in here. (Probably 100 deleted daily) Not a message board. Thanks. –Joe
February 25th, 2015 at 10:52 am
tmaxcon, I think u need to change the ‘axc’ in your moniker to ‘or’
Mariota is a complete prospect. Winston has issues.
February 25th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
This risk debate is stupid. EVERYBODY is a freaking risk. EVERYBODY! There is no “safe” pick in the draft. Stop using that as some great reason why we shouldn’t take Winston. Mariota has a ton of risk to. Williams could be a bust. Just a real stupid debate.
February 25th, 2015 at 4:19 pm
Robert 9. Have you forgotten about the tight end from Florida? I will pick you want up twice? TO?be how abiut Alfonzo Dennard? All NFL teams seem to take risks on character flaws.n The patriots and it up doing the right thing with Hernandez, but they don’t always.
February 25th, 2015 at 4:20 pm
Damn speech to text. Patriots have picked up plenty of bad character guys
February 25th, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Basically the three players I was trying to refer to were Hernandez, Blount twice, and Dennard. All risks BB was willing to take. New England did the right thing when cutting Hernandez immediately, but they took a big risk taking him. There was a reason he fell to the fourth round.
February 25th, 2015 at 5:29 pm
in the 4th round he’s worth a gamble!
blount never had a character issue he punched some guy for a racial slur. I have no issue with that. he was a lunchpail guy other than that.
i know nothing of dennard. still BB would never risk the face of the franchise, 1st pick on someone with more redflags than a powder puff derby.
February 25th, 2015 at 6:11 pm
I am loving this Patriot’s example, it shows if you take would be trouble makers and put them an unquestionable system they can produce. Leadership is key and I think we have leaders in the locker room to off set any rookie trouble makers, but to be honest Winston looks like the ultimate team player with all the commitment in the world. Sad that a few acts of tomfoolery has people running away from such talent.
Also coaches who get rid of or shy away from the best talent available is pretty much admitting they lack the leadership to control their players. Señor Belichick clearly lacks no such confidence; Sciano though…