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Lovie Smith

NFC Notes: Bucs, Bucannon, Receivers

May 26th, 2014 at 12:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

Mike Glennon is the Buccaneers‘ quarterback of the future, despite the arrival of Josh McCown via free agency. After McCown was announced as the starter, trade rumors began to circulate concerning Glennon, but head coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht have come to the decision to support the quarterback they inherited, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. They believe Glennon possesses the most important traits needed for a successful quarterback.

“The three things — and Lovie and I were in complete agreement on this — are toughness, intelligence and accuracy,’’ said Licht. “And then arm strength is a distant fourth. Mike showed during this process that he has those three things and he scored very high on those three things.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Although the Buccaneers have had a thin roster the past few seasons, Smith says that one of the most important aspects of winning is depth at multiple positions, writes Cummings. Specifically, Smith spoke about the team’s depth at safety and how impressed he is with the players they have.
  • Cardinals‘ first-round pick Deone Bucannon hasn’t provoked many negative statements from the organization, but head coach Bruce Arians tried to come up with one, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “(Deone has) only got one problem — He is so much a perfectionist,” said Arians. “It is paralysis by analysis right now because he wants to do everything just perfect.”
  • Lions‘ receiver Ryan Broyles is committed to returning from a ruptured achilles tendon that sidelined him in 2013, writes of Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “I’m looking forward to the competition. It’s never scared me away,” said Broyles. “But at the end of the day, we’re here to win. They’re going to put guys in place to help us win.”
  • Saints‘ receiver Kenny Stills is looking to get better in his second season with the team, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Stills could have an increased role in the offense after finishing 2013 strong, but has new competition as the team traded up to draft Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks.

Lovie Smith: Glennon Is Bucs’ QB Of Future

May 10th, 2014 at 5:48pm CST by Zachary Links

May 10: The Buccaneers have turned down trade requests from at least six teams looking to acquire Glennon, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The team says they had no intentions of moving the former third-round pick.

“There’s a lot of interest and we want to keep Mike,” said general manager Jason Licht. “(They were) just feeling it out. I know that Mike has a very good reputation throughout the league as far as his developmental future.”

The team used all six of its picks on offensive players, but none at the quarterback position, leaving the team’s depth chart in tact with McCown as the starter and Glennon as both the backup and the “quarterback of the future”.

May 8: Mike Glennon has been viewed as a trade candidate for much of the offseason, but that might not be the case. Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith says that Glennon is the team’s quarterback of the future, according to ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas.

“It’s what’s best for us,” Smith said. “Just talking about our quarterback position, our quarterback position is as strong as any quarterback position I’ve had when I’ve been a head coach. You know how much I like Josh McCown as our starter. I love Mike Glennon. Mike Glennon is our quarterback of the future here. So why would you want to add a third quarterback to the mix? We needed other positions. Forget just the quarterback position, we thought this was the best available player for us. It was an easy decision for us.”

While Glennon showed that he can be a capable QB last season, he’s not exactly Aaron Rodgers and this year’s draft is chock full of talented signal callers. Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report recently wrote that the asking price for Glennon could be a second-round choice, but at this point it looks like the 6’7″ QB will be staying put.

Things can always change, of course, and the Bucs may have a change of heart depending on who is available when they pick next at No. 38. At the time of this writing Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr are among the QBs still on the board.

Recent Signings Facing Former Teams In 2014

April 23rd, 2014 at 9:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 2014 NFL schedule has been released, and it gives us an interesting chance to see some players face their former teammates for the first time. Some of these players were traded or otherwise unwanted by their former teams, and others spurned their hometown fans for greener pastures elsewhere. In all cases, there are some fans or players who must be licking their chops to finally treat these players in their new colors as enemies for the first time.

The following players will get the chance to play against their former teams in 2014:

  • Matt Schaub will either get a chance to show up his replacement in Week 2, or possibly hope to avoid getting tormented by Jadeveon Clowney when the Texans visit the Raiders on September 14th (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • DeSean Jackson would love a chance to show the world the Eagles made a mistake, and he will return to Philadelphia for Week 3 on September 21st (1:00 EST, FOX). Jackson will get a second chance on Saturday, December 20th (4:30 EST, NFL Network/CBS).
  • Branden Albert got see Tamba Hali and Justin Houston in practice for years. He will get them in a game for the first time when the Dolphins host the Chiefs on September 21st (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • Julius Peppers can wreak some havoc in a new system in his former stadium when the Packers visit the Bears on September 28th (1:00 EST, FOX). Peppers will get a second chance in Green Bay on November 9th in primetime (8:30 EST, NBC).
  • Steve Smith told the fans to “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere,” when he signed with the Ravens. Well have your goggles ready for Week 4, when the Ravens host the Panthers on September 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Alex Smith didn’t get to see Jim Harbaugh last year, but will finally get his shot to go after his former coach when the Chiefs travel to face the 49ers on October 5th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Eric Decker will get to watch Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ offense churn on without him when the Broncos play the Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Brandon Spikes will have to be prepared for the Patriots after a contentious offseason, as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been known to pick on players before. The Bills host the Patriots on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS) and travel to New England on December 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Darrelle Revis will get to feast on a passing offense that struggled in 2013, and will likely invite Eric Decker to Revis Island when the Patriots host the Jets on Thursday Night Football on October 16th (8:25 EST, CBS/NFL Network). Revis will then get to return to a stadium filled with jeering fans on December 21st (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Jared Veldheer seemingly couldn’t leave Oakland quick enough, and the Raiders will host his Cardinals on October 19th (4:25 EST, FOX).
  • Jason Hatcher had a career season with the Cowboys in 2013, and now returns to a 3-4 defense hoping to build upon his great season against his former team when the Redskins head to Dallas for Monday Night Football on October 27th (8:30 EST, ESPN). His second meeting with the Cowboys will be in Week 17, when the Redskins host their rivals on December 28th (1:00 EST, FOX).
  • Aqib Talib took the money to switch from the AFC runner up to the AFC champion, and he will take part in his third Brady-Manning matchup, his first as a Bronco, on November 2nd (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • Hakeem Nicks looked like he hated playing with the Giants in 2013, and this is his chance at revenge after feeling mistreated by the Giants organization and fans when the Colts visit MetLife Stadium for Monday Night Football on November 3rd (8:30 EST, ESPN).
  • Jared Allen gets to tee off against the Vikings offensive line he has been practicing against for the past six years, and for the first time since 2007 will finally get to share the field with Adrian Peterson on November 16th when the Bears host the Vikings (1:00 EST, FOX). Allen will head back to Minnesota on December 28th (1:00, FOX).
  • Lovie Smith gets his shot to beat the team that fired him, and will bring former Bear Josh McCown with him to move the football against a no longer feared Bears defense on November 9th (1:00 EST, FOX).
  • Mike Pettine left the Bills to coach the Browns, and will have to return to Buffalo on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Michael Johnson left the Bengals to be the featured pass rusher for the Buccaneers, and he will get his chance to beat Andrew Whitworth and the Bengals offensive line to get a hit on Andy Dalton on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Rodger Saffold can show the Raiders exactly how healthy he is after the team signed him to a huge money deal and subsequently failed him on his physical, voiding the deal. The Rams host the Raiders on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Henry Melton got hurt after receiving the franchise tag by the Bears, and will get a chance to prove he is still an effective player when the Cowboys visit the Bears for Thursday Night Football on December 4th (8:25 EST, NFL Network).
  • Chris Johnson will get to face the Titans for the first time, as he tries to show the team he still has some miles left on his tires when the Jets go to Tennessee on December 14th (4:05 EST, CBS).

Bucs Notes: Wright, Hawkins, Bridgewater

April 7th, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Buccaneers made it official with Major Wright and Lavelle Hawkins, tweeting the signings here and here. Last week, Luke Adams detailed Wright’s poor performance in Chicago, but the Bucs are hoping for a rebound from the 25-year-old safety who reunites with head coach Lovie Smith.

Other Bucs bits:

  • After trading away Mike Williams, the team has to address the receiver position in the draft because, “They have Vincent Jackson and almost nothing else,” says ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas.
  • Yasinskas also relays news that kicker Connor Barth, who missed last season because of a torn Achilles tendon, has been cleared medically.
  • Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is visiting the Bucs today, according to Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is also visiting, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Fiedorowicz will head to the Jets next.

Extra Points: Welker, Burleson, Cromartie

March 16th, 2014 at 4:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A few assorted notes from around the league:

Devin Hester Likely To Leave Bears

February 15th, 2014 at 10:54am CST by Matt Feminis

Bears return man Devin Hester is without a contract for 2014, and Dan Pompei at Bleacher Report says, “It is starting to look like Devin Hester has brought back his last kick for the Bears.” Despite being used solely as a return specialist last season, Hester, 31, did not regain the explosiveness and productivity of his prime. Considering the Bears have less than $7MM in cap space with several needs to address, Pompei says the team is likely to seek a returner who also contributes on offense or defense.

As for Hester’s future, while his days of his superhuman impact appear a thing of the past, he still remains a viable upgrade for many teams. Hester ranked in the top third of return men in the league, averaging 27.6 yards per kickoff return and 14.2 yards per punt return, including a score. Pompei alludes to speculation that Hester could reunite with former head coach Lovie Smith in Tampa.

Pompei On Bradley, Licht, Babin

January 25th, 2014 at 9:34am CST by Matt Feminis

A dearth of elite talent in Mobile has created a potpourri of non-traditional headlines. In his latest missive, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei explains that Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley has been the “star of the Senior Bowl.” Contained in the NFL Confidential section are the following notes:

  • Despite Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith having final say on personnel matters, ownership made the final call on the hiring of GM Jason Licht. It is believed the Dolphins were also sold on Licht.
  • Jason Babin is expected to be cut by the Jaguars. At 33, Babin might be relegated to a situational pass-rushing role for his next team.
  • One GM calls the 2014 Senior Bowl rosters the worst he’s ever seen, explaining that many of the players expected to be drafted highly are underclassmen. Additionally, several of the most highly regarded seniors opted not to attend the All-Star game. The GM refers to the exhibition as a “second-round game,” saying 15-18 players could come off the board on the draft’s second day.