Bucs Plan To Bring Five Quarterbacks In On Top-30 Visits
March 29th, 2023
Gators QB Anthony Richardson.
The NFL Draft was one topic on the fire when Joe sat down yesterday with Bucaneers general manager Jason Licht at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix.
Joe has read the chatter about University of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker coming to Tampa for a “Top-30” visit. Teams are allowed to have 30 college prospects come to their headquarters for a thorough probing prior to the draft.
Joe talked to Licht about Top-30 visits and his approach to them, and then Joe asked how many quarterbacks will make Top-30 trips to Tampa this year. Licht’s answer was, “five.” And he acknowledged that’s a higher number than what’s typical for the Bucs.
“We don’t always just bring in the top players,” Licht said. “Sometimes we bring in players that weren’t at the Combine that we want to get medical [testing] on. Sometimes we’re bringing in guys that we’re targeting late in the draft. And sometimes we’re bringing in guys because we didn’t feel comfortable with their character from the fall or school calls, or times we’ve been at school or talked to them at the Combine and we want to do more investigating.”
Five quarterbacks making top-30 visits. Hmmmm. That hearkens Joe back to 2014, when Josh McCown was installed as the Bucs starter in March and the Bucs paraded in Derek Carr, Teddy Bridgewater and Jimmy Garoppolo for visits to One Buc Palace.
March 29th, 2023 at 9:31 am
LOL……like why????
Casual Bucs fans and observers thinks when they read this…that the Bucs are serious…..but this is nothing more than future training camp fodder!!!!!!!!
March 29th, 2023 at 9:39 am
Because CANALES is in charge of the offense, a new sheriff is in town.
Don’t expect the same. Things have changed. The problem is no longer at One Buc Palace.
Go Bucs!!!!!!
March 29th, 2023 at 9:42 am
Who are the QBs visiting?
– AR-15
– Hooker
– Will Levis
– ?
– ?
I highly doubt the Bucs will waste resources on bringing in B. Young or CJ Stroud at this point.
March 29th, 2023 at 9:44 am
Who are the 5 QBs visiting?
– AR-15
– Will Levis
– Hooker
– ?
– ?
Probably not meeting with young and Stroud who will be long gone at #19…
March 29th, 2023 at 9:45 am
Da Fuq
March 29th, 2023 at 9:51 am
I bet two of the group fall beyond 15….at minimum you want to have done your due diligence
March 29th, 2023 at 9:57 am
Smokescreen, teams don’t need to know who exactly Licht may be interested in, but this could also help let the rest of the draft know our interests may overlap. So when it’s time to start working the phones draft day, and you’re feeling out a trade package Licht can say: “hey it’s documented we’re interested in all 5, 3 are off the board, what are you willing to part with to ensure you get your guy?” and that helps turning 1 draft selection into multiple selections. We’ll see how it shakes out in a few weeks.
March 29th, 2023 at 10:10 am
Pay No Attention To That Man Behind The Curtain…..(Wizard of Oz for those too young to remember).
March 29th, 2023 at 10:16 am
It seems to me that the Bucs expect to finish with a similar record in 23 as in 22, give or take a couple games. They’ll come into 24 with another midround draft selection. There has been lite speculation on trading up this year but I think the plan is to trade up in 24 when the QB class is perceived to be deeper, better.
March 29th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Perhaps this is more of a “should we trade up in the 2nd if this QB or that is still on the board” type preparation.
March 29th, 2023 at 10:51 am
Scouting for the future as much as today – how many times has a number 1 deadpanned somewhere? Like Baker maybe?
March 29th, 2023 at 11:04 am
@ Mike
Every team does this every year….draft day tactics…….kinda like advertising…..and kinda not…..
People just might as well ignore this….
March 29th, 2023 at 11:13 am
People will find a problem with everything they do.
Are we looking for a franchise QB? Hell yes. Could we be looking for backup QB material also? Yes, all of the above. Drafting and developing QBs is what winning organizations do… so maybe they wanna start doing that… and it also shows they’re not delusional about Kyle Trask.
March 29th, 2023 at 11:34 am
Hendon Hooker!
March 29th, 2023 at 11:39 am
We need a Hooker on this team… just saying.
March 29th, 2023 at 11:43 am
5 qbs out of 30. Doesn’t sound like JL is sold on Kyle Trask. Just sayin.
March 29th, 2023 at 11:43 am
The Bucs have typically had genuine interest when they bring in a player.
I’d say there is a very good chance they draft a QB.
Unless the Bucs make a dramatic trade up, I would say the most likely they pick is Hooker.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:00 pm
@Infomeplease
Traskfield is on a 1 year “earn it” deal and the other is going into year 3 of a 4 year rookie deal, the less time we’re looking for a QB the better. Most teams carry 3 QBs, we’ve got 2 and sounds to me Jason Licht is still fleshing out his roster. Going into next season, not needing a QB would be a big mission accomplished imo, because we hit on somebody this year which is still a possibility.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:07 pm
Hooker is the obvious choice but I would love for us to bring in Dorian Thompson Robinson. Kid is UCLA’s all time leading passer & he’s a 4 year starter so I believe he’ll be more “pro ready” than some of the other QB’s. He ran a 4.5 in the forty so he’s a true dual threat as well. He currently has a 6th round grade but I think he’s a sleeper candidate, his game reminds me a lot of Jalen Hurts.
Last year he threw for 3,154 yards, 27 TDs (10 Ints) 69% Completion Percentage & a QBR of 82.1 (11th best in NCAA). He added 646 yards & 12 touchdowns rushing. UCLA played a pretty tough schedule also.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:10 pm
Joe cannot remember the last time (or any time) a Chip Kelly offensive player made a dent in the NFL.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:22 pm
hooker will be a top ten pick
March 29th, 2023 at 12:32 pm
Joe – you aint kidding… my guess would be LeGarrete Blount??? Not a good track record of Kelly NFL players.
Having said that, I would DEFINITELY take a shot at DTR in the 4th or 5th… no doubt. RB is pretty good too.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Ya’ll all want Hooker but i see Teddy Bridgewater all over him. Sorry, he’s overaged, coming off a major injury… I just don’t see him being a top QB. Bridgewater is his ceiling. Dude is 25 years old, of course he looked mature and seasoned at Tennessee. He was 5-6 years older than people he was playing with and against.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:38 pm
UCLA quarterbacks are about as successful in the NFL as USC quarterbacks. Not very.
March 29th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
CLASSIC SMOKESCREEN
March 29th, 2023 at 12:54 pm
1 Will Levis
2 Will Levis
3 Will Levis
4 Will Levis
5 Will Levis
March 29th, 2023 at 1:03 pm
I think they draft a QB, but not until at least the fifth round. More like the sixth rd. That, and another FA vet, or UDFA. The Bucs are going to want all the reps going to Mayfield, and Trask. Couple that in with only 3 preseason games to pick your starter, why bother drafting a QB high, or at all?
March 29th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
@Joe
Legarrette Blount went to Oregon
@Brandon
The world kind of came to a stand still about 2.5 years ago, Idk if you were around but the NCAA kind of gave players the benefit of retaining their eligibility. So, you’ll keep seeing players older than 21-22 because, it got real outside. It affected people in school all around the planet in terms of finishing their educations whether they were scholar-athletes or not
March 29th, 2023 at 1:14 pm
Smarter people than me, say draft a QB every year until you get your guy.
But that doesn’t mean always with your first pick.
It could be with a Day 2 or 3 pick. The scouting department/ coaching staff might see traits in a QB later in the draft.
Until you have your guy that’s going to lead you for the next 10 years, keep firing away and conduct all the interviews needed.
Go Bucs!
March 29th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
Dooley:
Good call! Thank you. He may be the only Chip Kelly offensive player that was a stud on the NFL level.
Jonathan Stewart was a nice running back. But man, Chucky was still with the Bucs it’s been that long ago.
Remember LaMichael James? He was supposed to be the next big thing. Didn’t do shiite in the NFL.
March 29th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
Potential Draft Pick(s)
• Tanner McKee – Height: 6’6” | Weight: 231 | 40 Time: 4.75 <—
• Aidan O’Connell – Height: 6’3” | Weight: 213 | 40 Time: 4.78
March 29th, 2023 at 1:57 pm
They just want to party with Stetson Bennett.
March 29th, 2023 at 2:14 pm
So unfair to Trask!!!!!!!!
March 29th, 2023 at 2:54 pm
“Remember LaMichael James? He was supposed to be the next big thing. Didn’t do shiite in the NFL.”
@Joe
His time at Oregon was probably the most I watched that school play in my life, because it was literally like watching street basketball having only been exposed to organized ball. LMJ wasn’t even my favorite player of theirs, it was the QB Jerimiah Massoli who went on to squander his opportunity at UofOregon after he got caught stealing on campus.
@Doosh
If Stetson Bennett is a hobbit.
March 29th, 2023 at 3:08 pm
@ Dooosh
LOL…
Those Georgia boyz really know how to throw down!!!
Get passed out drunk and cosplay Fast and Furious at 3 AM.
However – I wouldn’t mind if the Bucs drafted Stetson Bennett in the 5th or 6th round.
Some say he is too short – while B. Young is only 5’10.
Some say he is too old – H. Hooker is the same age (25).
All the dude did was win constantly at a very high level and played very well in some of the biggest college games played the past teo years…
March 29th, 2023 at 3:14 pm
@Joe
LOL that’s a valid point but every player is their own individual person. It’s so many factors that go into being a successful QB but maybe this guy is the one to change the narrative. Ohio State or Alabama QB’s typically haven’t really done well either but I’m willing to bet (a small wager) Bryce Young & Cj Stroud will have successful careers.
March 29th, 2023 at 3:24 pm
I concur with Marine Buc on his last comment.
Hooah!
March 29th, 2023 at 3:31 pm
I like the late pick of the Georgia kid
Baker gets injured
Bennett may be able to play
The partying is no biggie if he’s a 6th round pick
March 29th, 2023 at 3:57 pm
LaMichael James was fun to watch — at Oregon.
March 29th, 2023 at 5:36 pm
McKee, Bennett, Dugan, Levis and Hooker.
Hopefully not AR. If you’re not accurate, I’ll pass.
March 29th, 2023 at 5:46 pm
So 5 QB’s, you say? Make that 3 not on the team. The first 2 are Traskfield…Trask and Mayfield. Book it, Dan-O.
March 29th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
They just want to party with Stetson Bennett. If he plays like he has the past few seasons the next few, sign me up for that party.
March 29th, 2023 at 5:58 pm
We need at least 1 more QB
March 29th, 2023 at 9:22 pm
To me, this is nothing more than a bluff to make other teams reach for a QB in the draft. I doubt the Bucs will draft any QBs this year.
March 30th, 2023 at 12:58 am
Due diligence
March 30th, 2023 at 10:57 am
These QBs are mediocre. Next year’s QBs are so much better. So, why?
March 30th, 2023 at 4:36 pm
Sly. People say that every year this year class ain’t good but next year will be better . At the end of the day the draft is a crap shoot no one knows what any of these players are going to do. Brock Purdiy showed everyone that you don’t know who is going to be good or not. A lot of people didn’t know Josh Allen was going to be good. Aaron Donald would have been the number one pick in the draft the year he came out. So I rather just wait and see what happens when the season starts.