Jags: Verner Out Of Shape
May 22nd, 2017
Still unemployed.
Cornerback Alterraun Verner will go down as one of the great Bucs mysteries.
Before Joe gets rolling, Joe has never come across an NFL player who is a bigger stand-up guy. Unfailingly polite, Verner is willing to answer tough questions after an ugly loss, always with professionalism. Always had a kind word to say about folks, and he does all sorts of work for his community back in California.
Verner could have been a poster person for the NFL — except for whatever happened to him once lazy Lovie Smith got ahold of him.
(Interestingly, Lovie did a live sitdown Friday night in the broadcast booth during a FOX Sports Midwest telecast of the Giants-Cardinals game. Broadcaster Dan McLaughlin fawned over Lovie as if he were Urban Meyer; spoke glowingly of his days with the Bears and as a defensive coordinator with the Rams. Not once were the Bucs mentioned. It was as if Lovie went straight from Chicago to Champaign.)
Verner was a Titans Pro Bowl player when Lovie decided Darrelle Revis couldn’t play for him; perhaps the dumbest move in Bucs history, which is saying a lot. Verner was supposed to make Bucs fans forget Revis. Instead, Verner turned out to be one of the nails in Lovie’s coffin with the Bucs.
Verner went from being a heralded free agent starter to, at one point, a scout player in practice. He was benched and not even the hiring of his Tennessee position coach by the Bucs last year could turn him around. The Bucs cut Verner in February and he is still unemployed.
Now maybe we know why — and perhaps it is a window into why didn’t make it in Tampa.
Verner had a tryout with the woebegone Jags over the weekend and it didn’t go well. Per Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com, a Jags source told him Verner was out of shape. The quote from the unnamed Jags source has since been deleted, but not before Michael David Smith of “Pro Football Talk” got a captured it.
Joe thinks the world of Verner as a person. But if he is looking to find another job and is out of shape, perhaps Verner wasn’t fully locked in with the Bucs, which is why he lost his starting job and never could recover it.
May 22nd, 2017 at 5:25 am
Exactly what the bucs deserved, for dropping Revis. He was rated the number one CB in the league, the year he played here..
And we cut him. LYING about cost, on money that stayed in the vault .
There were actually posters here applauding cuting him,As if the Glazers were gonna share the money!
Team deserved to suck at Cb,after that cheap move
May 22nd, 2017 at 6:04 am
The biggest mistake in that situation was NOT replacing Revis.
It was acquiring him in the first place.
May 22nd, 2017 at 6:08 am
The margin between pro bowler and cut is a lot finer an edge than many would believe. With the physical conditioning comes the mental desire. Once it leaves, it’s really hard to recapture.
May 22nd, 2017 at 6:37 am
Loosing his father this year and then being let go by the Bucs is a double whammy. If the loss to his father is not allowing him to go forward, maybe is time to take a year off and recover.
We should be grateful for at least two things Verner brought to us Buccaneers fans.
1. His performance at the Seattle game. It was a powerful performance just days from his father passing ON THE BEST GAME OF 2016.
2. Helping us realize the incompetence level of Lovie.
Because of Lovie, we all should be grateful for all the moments that made possible for Jameis to be a Buccaneer. Those moments allow us, as fans, to speak softly and BECOME STICK CARRIERS!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 6:50 am
What a dumpster fire….
May 22nd, 2017 at 7:33 am
Oh yeah, Revis Island was a scary place.
I saw him get burned more than once.
He wasn’t 100% when he was here and only seemed interested in cashing that weekly 1 million dollar paycheck.
Verner didn’t work out, but get over the Revis thing Joe.
We should have never signed him in the first place, but we were desperate.
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:08 am
Yea – Dom was desperate and made a horrible decision to grossly overpay TWICE for an injured Revis. He bid against himself alone to pay a high 1st and a 3rd to trade for a player coming off a major injury who would have been a FA the following year – then compounded the mistake by paying him $16M per season to rehab on-the-job at a time when that figure was unheard of for a CB and that was at least $4-$6M per year over market value IF Darrelle had been fully healthy. Revis never wanted to even be here and was never again the same player he was pre-knee injury – so the whole thing was just a huge mistake from its badly thought out inception.
Verner coming off a pro bowl year at TENN seemed like a bargain by comparison but his signing turned into another FA mistake as well. Save for a few plays here and there, Verner never looked very good while wearing pewter and red and struggled to even play much less start for a team that was already very low on CB talent.
We should have gotten Brent Grimes instead of Miami when he was a free agent in 2013 and none of this would have happened!
Oh well – at least we got Jameis as a result of these numerous bad decisions and are now in much better shape at CB. I expect us to draft another CB high in the 2018 draft as father time will catch up with Grimes sooner or later – hopefully later for his sake and ours….
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:15 am
I’m growing tired of blaming Lovie for the complete utter lack of effort and/or talent that was on this roster. I think it’s abundantly clear that, in addition to poor coaching, this roster was void of talent. We need to stop making excuses for these players. If he was worth a darn, he’d have a job!
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:16 am
Horrible move getting revis but the verner thing seemed very odd with him getting ruined I guess by the smith’s son and dad….not pumped about the bucs Corners for 2017 either but time will tell
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:25 am
If hiring Lovie, dumping Revis, signing Verner, etc, etc, among many other amateur moves, was what it took to finally get rid of Dominik then I say it was worth enduring it a thousand times over.
Many people still don’t realize that it was mainly the incompetence of Mark Dominik that kept this franchise in such dire straits since Gruden was fired. He might be (emphasis on might) a decent front office guy, PR guy, cap guy, but he is absolutely one of the worst talent evaluators I’ve ever seen in the NFL.
Mark Dominik was our Matt Millen.
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:29 am
And yes I realize Lovie came with Licht, not Dominik, but many of these horrible player evaluations have their roots in the inept Dominik era. So glad the Bucs finally have the guy who will likely turn out to be the finest GM this franchise has ever had in Licht.
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:33 am
Completely agreed. Revis was not great here. Revis did not play like a $16 million per year CB. Getting rid of Revis and that bloated salary was one of the smartest things Jason Licht did.
Honestly Joe, you *do* remember that Licht was the GM at the time right? Jason Licht released Darelle Revis, not Lovie Smith. Jason Licht worked for the Patriots and cutting Revis in favor of building up the personnel is exactly the smart kind of move the Patriots make year in and year out. Heck, the Patriots did this with LeGarrette Blount this year. He had a tremendous season so they should re-sign him right? Nope, they let him go. These are the kind of tough decisions good teams make in order to get better for the future.
As for Verner, the mouth breathers around here will say that Lovie ruined Verner but the truth is that Verner ruined Verner. He doesn’t love being a football player. Showing up to a tryout out of shape is akin to me showing up for an important job interview in jeans and a t-shirt.
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:40 am
So it was John McKay’s fault?
Lovie had full and complete control of the roster (or he wouldn’t have taken the job). Ran off Revis. Ran off Penn. Ran off Zuttah. Thought Josh McCown — a guy he benched in Chicago for Jason Campbell! — was a savior, never tried to replace Jeff Tedford… and that is just for starters!
May 22nd, 2017 at 8:48 am
Lovie was a bad bucs coach /or maybe was not given enough time to succeed but a better man then most of us.He is long gone so enough with the bashing please.
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:12 am
He scored a cool 10 or 12 mill form team glazer what the hell does he need to be in shape for? He’s set for life. These guys get paid way to much money
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:17 am
No Joe. This:
“Verner could have been a poster person for the NFL — except for whatever happened to him once lazy Lovie Smith got ahold of him.”
We said the same thing about Banks. Where’s he? All these players that Lovie “ruined”? You can’t ruin a player that has a strong will, wasn’t good to begin with, or did not want to work.
Lovie did a LOT of things that made us shake our heads. Players play, and many of the players that Lovie “ruined” somehow couldn’t even make their way onto another team. That’s weakness on the player’s part. It’s convenient to blame Lovie for all the woes, but lets face it, that roster was a talent-less mess.
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:26 am
okay I’m a little confused you actually suggested letting revis go was the dumbest move in bucs history.
like others were saying, acquiring him initially was the up there, but still not the dumbest. Schiano was even worse. Aguayo, lovie’s free agent spending spree in 2014, letting bennet go, etc.
Revis said in several interviews he didn’t want to be here. He thanked the front office for letting him go. He didn’t even know our team’s colors. Dude was not checked in mentally and retaining him would have been even worse than acquiring him. He was good the next year in new England, but because he knew they were a contender.
I just strongly disagree with that statement…
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:26 am
Alteraun Verner only has himself to blame.
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:32 am
Let’s admit this, under the first Lovie year, it was a tank, that’s why you don’t replace the OC and you heard JL say that they were looking at Jameis already, why would you look at a top three QB if you planned on winning. Second year of Lovie, offense takes off, yeah under Dirk, but that team was kinda still in the playoff race with four games to go with a rookie quarterback, that met with Lovie daily. I think Lovie got fired due to his loyalty to his son, not wanting to give up roster control to JL and the possibility of losing Dirk to a HC position. I do think he is only an average coach that needed really good coordinators, had Marinelli came and took over the defense, Lovie would likely still be coaching here.
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:41 am
Rrsrq says:
“had Marinelli came and took over the defense, Lovie would likely still be coaching here.”
and coach my scheme would have finished last in the division,,,,,,,for the third year in a row,,,,and we would be talking about the new coaching staff,,,,instead of playoffs!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:47 am
Fair. He got paid as a free agent. Set for life.
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:49 am
@Largo- Exactly my point!
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:51 am
Yes, exactly. I’ll never understand why people hold 2-14 against Lovie. Everyone in Tampa knew what the plan was and everyone knew what their roles were that season, even McCown. The Buccaneers needed a franchise quarterback and Jameis was the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck. You tank for that guy.
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:54 am
Imagine if Jeff Tedford never got sick or whatever. We would have probably been mediocre. Never acquired Koetter. Never drafted jameis.
We would have been the bucs of the last decade still.
Tedford, as much as I dislike him as a coach, is the reason we are where we are today. Like you said rrsrq, lovie was indeed a tank job. Maybe it was such a deep job that tedford and mccown were both planned to have such bad seasons on offense while lovie installed the defense with leslie. Can’t win if we don’t score points. McCown got us the #1 pick, got browns #1 pick, and will get new York the #1 pick this year.
May 22nd, 2017 at 10:02 am
D-rome says:
” I’ll never understand why people hold 2-14 against Lovie. ”
Because he fielded a team that when 2-14!!!!!!!!!!
People paid hard earned money to watch a 2-14 team!!!!!!!!!!!!!
coach my scheme told the fans “not to be patient”
he did not tank until all of the blow-outs!!!!!!!!!!
he said before the year that good defense and special teams wins 8-10 games!!!!!!!!!!!
because he is incompetent!!!!!!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 10:07 am
Schiano >Lovie, Richard Williamson, and Leeman Bennett but these 3 are historically awful and hopefully way in the past, as these 3 were horrible talent evaluators and not leaders of a team
May 22nd, 2017 at 10:10 am
I tell you what Realist, despite landing Jameis, that 2-14 was hard to watch. I don’t understand why we’re quick to dismiss “tanking”. To me, it’s an affront and an insult to fans. I’d rather see winning football and I hope this atrocity never happens again.
May 22nd, 2017 at 10:48 am
@bucsfanman
I will maybe listen to that “their was a tank job” for the last couple of games!!!!! But if you listen to the press conferences in the beginning of the season to about week 5 and 6 press conferences, Their was no tank job!!!! The season BECAME A TANK JOB!!!!!!!!
In the NFL if you team get the #1 overall pick, it should also included a clause that voids the head coaches contract!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 10:59 am
The Bucs 2014 season was not a tank job from the start – but it sure as hell became one by the time 2-9 was the reality.
IMO – no player except McCown was told we were tanking though….
May 22nd, 2017 at 11:14 am
@pickgrin
How can you tell???? old man mccowan tanking vs trying looked the same!!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 11:33 am
So what? I went to three games that year. You pay to watch the NFL in person whether the team is good or not. People make choices to spend their money any way they wish. Without Lovie tanking Ryan Fitzpatrick could be our *starting* QB this year instead of the backup.
May 22nd, 2017 at 11:42 am
D-rome says”
“Ryan Fitzpatrick could be our *starting* QB this year instead of the backup.”
would never happened, coach my scheme was fired for gross incompetence for moves like that!!!!!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 11:45 am
Lovie Smith was atrocious!
May 22nd, 2017 at 11:58 am
NFL GM Licht says: (calls lovie) Hey, I got two words that will instantly make this them better!!!!!!
coach my scheme says: Oh yea, what is that?
NFL GM Licht says” “Your Fired”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 12:21 pm
Realist, I’m at the dentist getting an impression and I nearly spit the thing out of my mouth because of laughter when I read your last comment. Well done! LOL!
May 22nd, 2017 at 12:24 pm
Maybe Verner’s issue is that he just doesn’t love the game enough. That would explain a lot. If you’re really committed, you don’t allow yourself to get out of shape in the offseason.
May 22nd, 2017 at 12:30 pm
@Realist- Whether it was week 1 or week 12, as a fan, it stinks.
I’m happy with our current regime.
May 22nd, 2017 at 12:54 pm
Yeah, Lovie was terrible.
So, now that we have the Atlanta Falcons coaching staff and have powered up the players on both the offense and defense I look forward to many, many winning seasons.
And, of course, any future problems in Buc-land will always have the EXCUSE of Lovie Smith having poisened the well.
Yeah, that’s it…..NOT..!!
May 22nd, 2017 at 1:43 pm
Le me see,
McCown earned the Bucs the first pick in the draft
then he has earned the Browns the first pick
guess where the Jets will pick next year
May 22nd, 2017 at 1:44 pm
I’m sure if Mclaughlin had broached the subject of Tampa w/ lovie dovie, we would have heard the mainstream bs version of events, AKA, Lovie didn’t get to finish what he started because of a one buc palace inside coup laced with how the move was inherently racist. No mention of how he came in day one and started crapping all over the franchise. Obviously lovie dovie was equal to obama in mclaughlin’s eyes.
May 22nd, 2017 at 2:55 pm
That’s a pretty good little niche commodity McCown has grooved himself into…
“Need a QB? Pay me $6M, I’ll come in – look like I’m trying and net you the #1 overall pick – then be on my way to the next gig…”
May 22nd, 2017 at 4:31 pm
Amazing how many people buy whatever propaganda they are fed!
If you arent trying to get the best talent available, then what are you doing.
You win,by getting the best talent.and yes, Revis said it was taking him some playing time, to get to full speed.
But the NFL graded him out as the best CB in the league that year.
Not Me, Not Joe
The NFL graded our CB the best in the league.
And whats really amazing- is our Young CBs played very well that season.
They all gave us reason for optimism. Including the same kid we just cut at the end of last season. Our wasted draft pick. Jonathan Banks.
Looked good,Playing with Revis.
Yes, he was payed 10 million
But we were 30+ million under the salary cap.
After we cut Him, we were still 20+ million under the cap
And we payed 5 million- to a lousy CB, who sucked
And our entire secondary regressed
Personally- I would have spent 20 million of someone elses money, to have a greatly improved secondary!
Dont feel bad about the Revis money.
People has just thrown away more of the Glazers money than that.
At least Revis was worth it!
May 23rd, 2017 at 12:45 am
if lovie did anything right it was getting rid of revis…it’s foolish to build a defense around a player who was coming off injury and then getting payed a kings ransom for subpar play. desean jackson ripped him a new one and now he can watch it in the film room on the lost tapes lol
May 24th, 2017 at 1:27 am
The key to success last year was the play from the cornerback group. You can say what you want about Alterraun Varner, the man played very well last year and played a big role in the success of the defense. IMO our number one concern for this year is who will play in the slot? Ryan Smith, Jude Adjei-Barimah or Robert McClain?