Scramble Mode
February 2nd, 2023
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Calling all quarterbacks looking for an opportunity — the NFC South beckons you.
If you’ve got a clean X-ray and a decent résumé, this division is eager to give you a chance to compete. Yes, things are a little loopy under center in Tampa, New Orleans, Atlanta and Carolina at the moment.
When George Harrison wrote “All Things Must Pass,” he wasn’t thinking about this wacky quartet, but the sport’s most important position is hardly a position of strength down south.
As far as quarterbacks are concerned, it’s the land that time forgot.
“Lotta opportunity, Kyle.”
The Bucs only have Kyle Trask under contract and he’s barely played. Tom Brady’s retirement has certainly changed the franchise’s approach.
Without Brady, the Bucs might lean toward a veteran purge that leaves Trask under center in the fall. The Bucs could also look at a veteran like Derek Carr or pursue another quarterback in the draft.
The rest of the division is grappling with the same issues.
In Charlotte, new head coach Frank Reich is determined to end a quarterback carousel that has seen the Panthers start Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, P.J. Walker and Baker Mayfield
since 2019.
“You’ve got to have stability at quarterback,” Reich says. “We’ve learned how to adapt to different styles of quarterbacks, but that’s not the ideal situation.”
Darnold is a potential free agent who doesn’t have a lot of options. He played decently down the stretch for the Panthers until the season finale in New Orleans, where he posted a QB rating of 2.8. If Carolina sticks to the No. 9 spot in the draft, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis could all be off the board. Florida’s Anthony Richardson would likely be available, but he’s far from a finished product.
“I’ve had to work with the young, the old, the pocket passer, the guy who moves,” Reich says. “And I think even though it wasn’t always an ideal scenario, like in Indy having a different quarterback every year, I did learn a lot because you’re forced to adapt and evolve your offense around different styles of quarterbacks.”
Uncertainty also rules in The Big Easy, where Andy Dalton is unsigned for 2023 and Jameis Winston appears to be unwanted.
The Saints never recovered, notes Ira Kaufman.
Since Drew Brees retired two years ago, the Saints are 16-18. He left big cleats to fill.
Once Winston recovered from a fractured back, the Saints still stuck with Dalton en route to a 7-10 record and an offense that averaged only 19 points. Coach Dennis Allen showed little faith in Winston – who couldn’t help but notice.
“I lost my job due to injury and the policy has always been you don’t lose your job due to injury,” Winston said in November. “And that’s what happened.”
The Saints didn’t have a first-round pick until Tuesday’s deal with Denver for Sean Payton.
Atlanta picks eighth, one spot ahead of Carolina, and the Falcons are thinking about giving the permanent quarterback job to Desmond Ridder, who flashed some skills while starting the final four games as a rookie.
“We are certainly encouraged by the progress he’s made,” says Coach Arthur Smith, “but there is a lot of work ahead of us before we are ready to declare anything like that right now.”
Rookie wide receiver Drake London formed a quick rapport with Ridder, catching 25 passes for 333 yards in the final month. Ridder didn’t throw an interception in his 115 pass attempts, playing cautiously as Atlanta split its final four games.
Reich said it for all four coaches in the NFC South … stability at the quarterback position is paramount.
Brady provided that for the Bucs, starting all 57 games in the past three years. Without Brady, the Bucs join their division rivals in scramble mode under center.
That’s not where you want to be, but at least you’re not alone.
Look around, you’ve got company.
Yes, that warranty includes USED vehicles!
Ira drives a 2020 Ford Escape (cherry red).
February 2nd, 2023 at 12:16 am
As Mr. Spock would have said, “Fascinating!”.
(Q: “Who is Mr. Spock?” — A: “Google it.”)
February 2nd, 2023 at 12:25 am
Bowels will make sure that whatever he decides and with whom, it will be even more confusing and demoralizing for the players and fill the Den of Depression with opposing team fans.
February 2nd, 2023 at 12:44 am
Oh, and Kyle’s Trashk will be 3rd string qb for a USFL team in the spring of 2024. If he performs to the maximum of his potential, that is.
Beanblo, Osqueeler and their little club of heavy breathing reality deniers are cute with their love for a fine quality person who fights hard, studies hard, and so far has overachieved. Hats off to the guy, he will be very successful in life and in whatever profession he chooses. But that won’t be as a professional QB.
Please refrain from trotting out college stats. One of the worst predictors of NFL success there is. Ryan Leaf? Johnny Manziel? Jameis Winston? Tim Tebow?
For every Joe Burrow there are ten Josh Rosens.
Please.
February 2nd, 2023 at 1:16 am
Goatfarmer speaks the truth. Bowles will find the best way to screw up the team and cause confusion among the players and fans. My guess is that he will start Trask and lead the Bucs back to the den of depression. The elevator is going straight to the NFC South basement next year with Bowles in charge. Hard to do as the NFC South is horrible, but Bowles has a lot of experience in losing.
February 2nd, 2023 at 1:40 am
Our problem is Jason Licht, he is a mediocre drafter.
The Brady free agent effect is gone.
TB12 wouldn’t have walk away if we had he eagles line.
February 2nd, 2023 at 2:00 am
Play Trask all year, either he is good or he is very bad. If he is very pack, will get a high draft pick and be ready to go with the quarterback in the draft. Maybe we can also get a new head coach if he has very bad. I have no faith in Tott Bowls. Neither do the players.
February 2nd, 2023 at 2:18 am
Welcome to the abyss. The darkness won’t be alleviated until Bowels and his minions are gone. And when will that be? Worse, how much more damage will he cause in the meantime, with his control of all hires and the roster?
Destinjohnny, you’re right, Licht has been a poor drafter, and surprisingly poor in free agency in the last two offseasons, leaving a roster that, despite MSM depiction as “Super Bowl ready” was overrated, flawed and compromised, ruining Brady’s final farewell. What a bitter way to end a career.
In any case, all the Brady haters are going to realize how much he kept this team afloat, even in the worst times. Look at the sorry list of free agents. Jimmy G, Darnold…so many losers. Mayfield, erratic. A trade for Carr would be a huge losing proposition.
Trask is not going to cut it. Or he would have challenged by now. (The Bucs coaching staff’s agenda has been to push, as hard and quickly as possible, rookies and in-house JAGs who show even a sliver of potential. If Trask were anywhere near ready, he would have supplanted Gabbert and also gotten some regular season time. You got crickets instead.)
If I were to pick someone from outside right now? I’d look at Daniel Jones. He improved greatly, took the Giants to the playoffs, and still has upside.
Swing for the fences? Try to land Karen Rodgers. He’d go nuts throwing to Godwin, Gage and Evans, if the OL is shored up. Rodgers would bring entertainment value at least. So would Mayfield or Minshew Mania.
Lower your expectations, folks. It’s going to be a season to Embrace the Suck and have fun.
February 2nd, 2023 at 2:55 am
The picture that Ira paints about the NFC South is that 8-9 or 7-10 could win it again. Sad thing is that without Brady, the Bucs could look like a Leeman Bennett team that went 2-14 and usually had trouble beating 4-12 Falcon and Saint teams so do not be surprised if the Bucs are 1-4 in division, 3-10 overall and in 4th place behind the other 3 bottom feeders in the division when the Glazers finally have seen enough and launch Bowels ala Ray Perkins getting ousted mid-season 1990 by Culverhouse and his obnoxious tangerine sportcoat/leisure suit. I want to be optimistic but since I have been a fan since ’76 I know this team is 10 times more likely to do a rebuild badly rather than do it intelligently, especially with Bowels dragging down team morale and offering idiotic game planning and time management like he did in Cleveland last season.
February 2nd, 2023 at 4:55 am
Good summary of the QB conundrum facing the Bucs & our Southern division rivals. Didn’t see a whole bunch of answers in there though. To be expected of course when you have only 1 untested young QB under contract and no money to buy quality competition for the starting QB gig.
Someone needs to tell Jameis to stop whining. He didn’t lose his starting QB position because of his fractured back. He lost it because the Saints finally figured out his biggest flaw: he’s not a leader. In his 3 games last season, against his 3 division rivals, the Saints scored 17 PPG average, Jameis threw 4 TDs and 5 INTs. And oh ya, he got sacked 11 times behind a fairly decent OLine. Jameis will get another chance this season, but he’ll still be Jameis.
February 2nd, 2023 at 5:26 am
One good thing is we’ll be on at 1pm almost every week so we won’t have to wait till the end of the day to see the train wreck.
February 2nd, 2023 at 7:30 am
Back to the days of 2 national games a year – Monday night before week 4 so the record isn’t so bad and a Thursday night yawner mid season
4-13 no matter who the QB is
If Bowles is in charge, it’s over already, just settle in for the 23 season and do t waste too much money on road-trips, it’s gonna be fugly next year
February 2nd, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Rodgers time
February 2nd, 2023 at 12:47 pm
“stability at the quarterback position is paramount”
—
Wrong. Skill at the QB position is paramount. If a player stinks, stability means nothing.
February 2nd, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Hey FtMyers, you’ve been a Bucs fan since 1976, huh? Then why are you so pessimistic? I’ve been one since ‘79 so I’ve suffered through the Hugh Culverhouses, the Leeman Bennetts, and the “fun” seasons of the 1980s. This team is nothing like those sorry ones even without Methusaleh12. Now, we’ll see what Trask and Bowles can do. Plus, the Licht badmouthing needs to stop.