Risky
July 2nd, 2019
Biscuit worth the risk-it.
For Joe, the Bucs took part in all sorts of risky moves this offseason. The hiring of Bruce Arians was not one of them.
Not addressing the pass rush. Not addressing running back. Dumpster diving for offensive linemen. Those were risky propositions.
That’s not the way Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report sees it. In detailing the riskiest moves each NFL team made this offseason, Knox points at the hiring of Bucco Bruce Arians as the Bucs’ biggest gamble.
He announced his retirement from football just a little more than a year ago, citing family as a big reason why he wanted to walk away. His feelings have obviously changed a bit over the last year, but there’s no guarantee his desire to get away from football won’t soon return, especially if Tampa’s season goes south early.
Arians has now “retired” twice in the past 10 years—though his retirement from Pittsburgh was a bit of a forced issue—and the Buccaneers do run the risk of having him retire a third time before his vision for the team ever truly takes hold.
Joe does not discount that Arians’ health very well could become a factor and force him to make an early departure from the Bucs.
Here’s the thing: If Arians gets America’s quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, on the right track, hiring Arians would not have been a risky move, it would be the best investment the Bucs have made since drafting Jameis.
If Jameis takes off after spending time with Arians and becomes the bedrock of the franchise for the next decade, then hiring Arians, if only on staff for a few months, will pay off many, many times over.
July 2nd, 2019 at 12:11 am
Im guessing the ol biscuit wishes he was in cleveland with a competent GM & probably best defense in the NFL along with best offensive weapons. But he will be the 2019 sam wyche of bucs lore
July 2nd, 2019 at 12:40 am
“This “delagation instead of actual coaching” is a huge red flag to Kobe analysis
Hiring and bringing back 90 year old coaches while your driving the golfcart all around dale mabry hwy
Is this do or die or
Grabbing last free $21 million into the sunset retirement?”
Kobe Faker
July 2nd, 2019 at 12:52 am
Old people don’t like winter.
July 2nd, 2019 at 1:18 am
@ Joe
“Who you calling old” (lol)
Signed
Bruce Arians
July 2nd, 2019 at 4:26 am
Love articles like this Joe because they let JBFers see the real you (well, one of you at least). You’re a WORRIER … anxious, uneasy, tormented (by the Bucs that is). Most JBFers seem to feel really blessed that BA & his Flock of Fifty (roughly) landed in Tampa. But not you Joe. You’re more like, ‘Woe is us, BA MIGHT retire again. What ever shall we do? What will become of us?’.
I wonder if Colts’ fans woke up the morning Jan 12, 2009 worrying ‘What will ever become of us if our beloved HC Tony Dungy retires today? Woe is us if he does.’ Well Tony did retire (quite young & in great health) and some guy named Jim Caldwell took over and the Colts went 14-2 that year on their way to the Super Bowl (which they lost to the Saints). At which point I’m sure Colts’ fans chanted in unison ‘Woe is us’. Not really. Tony & several others had built a strong organization that was able to flourish even after he left. And that’s what BA is working on building here.
As for me, I’m grateful that BA is here, however long we have him. I learned a long time ago that leaders are only as effective as those they have supporting them, and BA’s ‘Flock of Fifty’ is VERY IMPRESSIVE in terms of talent & expertise IMO. We finally have a coaching staff that can develop some of these young players. The start MAY be somewhat painful, or it MIGHT be smooth as glass. In any event, the pieces are being put in-place and we’re still a long way from stomping on the gas come Sept 8th. Stop worrying and enjoy the ride.
July 2nd, 2019 at 4:54 am
Defense Rules:
Sounds good to me. It’s human nature to blame someone or something when things don’t go our way and since non of us actually play football we have to get out the microscope each year and identify the culprit or culprits responsible. We have blamed Licht ad nauseum, nothing new there. I see this year as the year of the coaching staff under BA. He has a clean slate in Tampa and regardless of what the pundits who make a living off blaming say he and his small army of coaches have their opportunity to succeed. Everything else is just noise.
July 2nd, 2019 at 5:11 am
I think as it is, Arians was the BEST of all head coach prospects on the market at the time. He is also the probaby the BEST guy of anyone available to come in evaluate Winston. Which can mean if Winston continues to be what he is (on the field)…a middle-of-the-pack to lower third starting QB, it gives the Bucs a good indication it’s time to turn the page on him. Factor in that he’s been an off-field disagrace that has likely not finished reverberating through fan draw.
Here is where I disagree with Joe: He seems to say drafting Jameis is one of the best (f not the best) decisions for the Bucs in the past four years. That is not a given at all. In fact, it may amount to one of Licht’s signature blunders when results are in. Further, I think if the Bucs had a crystal ball and would have seen ALL the misery Winston has brought (and what he hasn’t brought…face of the franchise, wins, asset to the image of the organization) thus far, I doubt they would have drafted him. I didn’t want them to draft Mariota either…I wanted a D line (and shocker, four years later we are still talking about not having a pass rush). We could have gotten a stud on the D line AND could have gotten a Trubisky or Mahomes, who so far, have made their teams proud and played very, very well. So it’s not ckear cut at all right now to assume Winston was a good investment.
Sure, hindsight is always 20/20 but Winston has been all the worry his skeptics thought he’d be off the field when they took the risk to draft him after his FSU baggage. That was the risk. Add that while not all his fault, he has a part in very sad times in the years he’s been here–he is one of a few huge reasons why the Bucs image sucks.
So really, Arians may actually serve to validate a terrible decision made four years ago to invest in Jameis Winston, but in doing so he can avoid a worse decision in having the Bucs make a costly long-term commitment.
July 2nd, 2019 at 5:59 am
Yeah DR, I tend to view this the other way. How inspired is BA to come out out of retirement to coach again?! He doesn’t have to work again in his life if he didn’t want to.
NO, he un-retires and hires a bevy of trusted coaches so that he can pursue his passion. The difference with the team is palpable yet, “oh no, he might retire again.”
Focus on the good.
July 2nd, 2019 at 6:37 am
I’d be delighted if BA retired the end of next year…after Tampa enjoys our SECOND Super Bowl parade. That’s the kind of “PRIDE” parade I would support.
July 2nd, 2019 at 6:40 am
He has already made strides to make this team better by making moves to fix the defense.
Lets face it, somebody has to be a guiding light for Licht in the draft and free agency. BA and Bowles need to tell Jason who they want and where they want to play them. Let Licht focus on UDFA’S. short term fixes and signing players from other team’s practice squads players where he has been more successful.
No more J. R. Sweezy type signings where you move a successful player to an unfamiliar position.
July 2nd, 2019 at 6:47 am
Not many options for the Bucs when you’re in salary cap hell. The smartest move besides hiring BA was focusing on defense in the draft. The dumbest move in my opinion was not find a descent right guard. Hopefully BA and Licht will find one during the final 53 man cut.
July 2nd, 2019 at 6:50 am
“Here’s the thing: If Arians gets America’s quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, on the right track, hiring Arians would not have been a risky move, it would be the best investment the Bucs have made since drafting Jameis.”
I’m a Jameis fan but this seems to be a contradictory statement.
If drafting Jameis was the best investment then why would be getting him “on the right track” even be necessary?
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:09 am
I get it.
Jameis is like an investment that hasn’t made you a lot of money. Sooner or later you have to make a decision whether to sell or hold. BA now has the role of
investment adviser under his Kangol hat.
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:13 am
Couldn’t agree more joe.
Arians was the right pick to get the best out of Jameis.
We have a full season to study what that will look like.
(Still worried BA not calling plays though)
We have so many holes on this team.
We Should all hope that arians is able to successfully complete a Jameis lift off.
Cause Drafting another qb next year is like filling 2 or 3 holes more next year.
Again , the QB is more important then ever in the history of the nfl. It’s designed for QBs to put up big numbers and score a lot of points.
Can anyone find what the average increase teams are scoring over last few years ? Compared to 5-10 years ago ?
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:15 am
Bob In Valrico
Nailed it !
😂
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:37 am
Bob in Valrico … “BA now has the role of investment adviser under his Kangol hat. Love the visual Bob. Raymond James would be proud.
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:44 am
Arians will be the first Coach in NFL history to have as many coaches on his staff as he does candles on his cake. Well done Bruce!
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:57 am
Reminds me of the move “Jaws “, when Richard Dreyfus saw the shark and he uttered the classic line.” Captain we gotta get a bigger boat”.
With the roles of Licht advisor., investment
advisor, and Captain of the ship, BA just might need a bigger hat.
Good thing BA has discovered the art of Delegation.
July 2nd, 2019 at 8:02 am
@Bob Valrico…good one. However it was Chief Brody’s comment…and accidentily one of the best lines in history.
https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Hilarious-Way-Jaws-Came-Up-With-Its-Most-Famous-Line-116997.html
July 2nd, 2019 at 8:35 am
Sounds like getting out of bed in the morning is risky too!
July 2nd, 2019 at 8:36 am
MAGA,
Oops ,got my scenes confused.
July 2nd, 2019 at 9:00 am
MAGA
You made me look , so I came up with this one from Dreyfus that could apply to Licht’s defense of 2018. It may not be exact but it was something like:
I think I understand that you are going to ignore this until it comes up and bites you in the ass.
July 2nd, 2019 at 10:28 am
Lol thank goodness IF season is almost over
July 2nd, 2019 at 10:50 am
TODD
I agree!!!…lol…
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 2nd, 2019 at 11:46 am
Old people don’t like losing either….
July 2nd, 2019 at 11:51 am
You’ll remember who was the first Buc’s Coach to turn around the Buc’s culture in one year—Tony Dungy who came from the Pittsburg Coaching Tree. Now we have BA from the same Pittsburg Coaching Tree and I feel he has turned around the Buc’s Culture already. Expect big things again!
July 2nd, 2019 at 7:29 pm
@Bob…got it, thanks.
Dreyfus was great in that one anyway! Favorite scene was them showing all their scars when Dreyfuss offered his…
July 2nd, 2019 at 11:46 pm
Winning would solve all