Lov(i)e Doesn't Live Here Anymore: The Official 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Thread

[Newzz]

Buc Players Convinced the Future is Bright
Posted 23 hours ago

Scott Smith Senior Writer/Editor@ScottSBucs

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The 2015 season ended in disappointing fashion for the Buccaneers, but a young core and clear progress during the campaign left the locker room with a prevailing sense of optimism for 2016.

The 2015 Tampa Bay Buccaneers made significant progress through the first three quarters of the season, improving from 1-3 in the first set of games to 2-2 and then to 3-1. Unfortunately, just as the team got to 6-6 and the cusp of the playoff field to start the fourth quarter, that progress came to a halt. Now it's time for it to begin again.

WATCH: MONDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCES

The 2015 Buccaneers finished 6-10, which was a real improvement over a 2014 squad that went 2-14. It wasn't a particularly satisfying end result, given the team's goal of returning to the playoffs, but that winless final quarter of the season was illuminating without being demoralizing. The Bucs believe they know where they stand as the 2016 offseason begins, as well as what they need to do to get over the hump next fall.


"We were 6-6, with a quarter to go," said Head Coach Lovie Smith, who took over the Bucs' helm almost exactly two years ago. "That was progress, to get in position, and things looked pretty bright for us. We weren’t quite ready to take that next step then. We will make the corrections, the moves that we have to make in order to finish the 2016 season [in the playoffs].

"When you get to 6-6 in a season, it makes you think that maybe you’re a little bit further along and we can get it done, but in the end, we weren’t quite there. We’re not where we want to be and eventually, we’re going to get there. It’s a process that you go through. Normally you can’t skip any steps along the way. We haven’t skipped any steps, but we realize in Year Three, we need to see the results of everything we’ve been doing."

READ: WINSTON TO BRING "WINNING MINDSET" IN 2016

Added Lavonte David, one of the team's captains: "We were 6-6 and these last four games meant a lot to us, and for us to finish the way we finished is disappointing. But it's a life lesson, it's a learning curve. When we come back in the offseason I hope a lot of guys have it in the mind that we're a team that can get there. There are just a lot of things we have to work on."


Smith and David addressed the team's near future on Monday, less than 24 hours after the 2015 season came to an end with a road loss to the 15-1 Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are now three-time defending division champs and clearly the club Tampa Bay will be gunning for in 2016. They had hoped to show they were already good enough to take down the champs on Sunday but were unable to do so in a 38-10 loss. With little reason on Monday to dwell about that game or any of their 2015 defeats, the Bucs were already looking ahead, and with confidence.

READ: BUCCANEERS' 2016 OPPONENTS ANNOUNCED

"We did a lot of things good and a lot of things bad," said center Joe Hawley. Hopefully we can learn from this season – there's a lot to learn from – and going into the future, I think our future looks bright. I think if you watch the tape, there's a lot of talent on this team, a lot of playmakers. I though the O-Line did a good job of coming together. We ran the ball well. Offensively, the way Jameis [Winston] grew throughout the year, he's going to be something special. A lot of promise and I think the future definitely looks bright."


Hawley was one of several Buccaneer veterans on Monday to point to such young players as Winston, the team's burgeoning franchise quarterback, as reason for great optimism. The Bucs' last two drafts have yielded such potential core players as Winston, tackle Donovan Smith, guard Ali Marpet, wide receiver Mike Evans, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, running back Charles Sims and linebacker Kwon Alexander.

NEWS: BUCS TO PICK 9TH IN 2016 NFL DRAFT

"I feel really good about it," said David. "We've got a lot of great young guys that are buying into the program and going out there and putting it all on the line week-in and week-out. There are small things that we need to fix in there but I feel like we've got the guys to get over the hump. Jameis brings a lot of energy to the football team. He's a guy that we're going to look to as a leader and we're going to need him to have that positive mindset and that winning attitude. We're going to start with him and the sky's the limit for us."

Only one of those names mentioned above plays on defense, as the Bucs have focused on rebuilding the offense in the last two drafts. The results in 2014 reflected that, with the offense showing clear and marked improvement and the defense mostly treading water. Smith believes the Bucs can do the same thing on defense in 2016.

"If we can have that type of success coming up, there’s no reason to think that we can’t make another big jump on our record as much as anything I’m talking about," he said. "So, yes, that’s the plan. And not just, of course, the draft. We have free agency, we have a lot of different ways to improve our ball club.”

WATCH: BUCCANEERS VS. PANTHERS HIGHLIGHTS

There are core pieces in place on that defense, starting with David and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, and there's a very real chance for it all to come together in 2016.

"Where this team is at, we were very, very close," said cornerback Alterraun Verner. "You saw the improvements. You saw that we were 6-6 and in the playoff hunt but we just couldn't finish this year. We're very close, and it's going to happen. The city of Tampa is going to be proud of this team."

David is a marvelous player but not a big talker on or off the field, so it might be surprising to learn that he issued a guarantee on Monday as 2016 began for the Buccaneers. He did…just not that type of guarantee.

READ: BUCS FALL TO PANTHERS IN SEASON FINALE

"It's been an up-and-down year, but next season I'm going to guarantee that everybody's going to get back home, work on things they need to work on, come back here and work hard and get to that point where we need to be," said David. "We were in that playoff race; now we're going to try to stay in that race next year."



Buc Players Convinced the Future is Bright







@Jutt @KingsnBucs1987 @dem bath salts
@Newzz @yeahisaidit @Flex Grossman
@James Carter @holidayinn21 @TheGreatShowtime @CACtain Planet

 

[Newzz]

Nine Practice Squad Players Re-Signed
Posted 33 minutes ago

Scott Smith Senior Writer/Editor@ScottSBucs

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The Bucs moved quickly to lock up the nine players who finished the 2015 season on their practice squad, using reserve/futures contracts that take effect in the 2016 league year.

As a matter of NFL procedures, the contracts for the nine players on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad expired when the 2015 regular season came to an end. However, the team moved quickly to keep all nine around for 2016.

INFO: 2016 OFFSEASON CALENDAR

On Tuesday, the Bucs announced that they have re-signed the following players: center Josh Allen, wide receiver Andre Davis, guard Antoine Everett, center Ben Gottschalk, safety Gerod Holliman, defensive end Martin Ifedi, defensive tackle Derrick Lott, cornerback C.J. Roberts and cornerback Joel Ross. Those players comprised the entirety of the team's practice squad in the final week of the season.

Technically, the nine players were signed to "reserve/futures" contracts, which means they will take effect when the 2016 league year begins in March. Only players who were not on an NFL team's active roster at the end of the 2015 season are eligible for such contracts.

Re-signing all or most of the practice squad for the upcoming season is a common practice, and that makes sense since the players on that crew are considered talents worth developing. Two players who were signed to futures contracts in the early days of 2015 eventually saw time on the active roster the next fall: center Jeremiah Warren and defensive tackle-turned-offensive guard Matthew Masifilo. The 2014 list of futures deals included Patrick Murray, who became the team's placekicker in 2014, and Jacob Schum, who won the Bucs' punting job in 2015.

READ: WINSTON'S CASE FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Several of the players who finished the year on the Bucs' practice squad were with the team for much of the season. The 10 practice squad spots were very fluid throughout the fall but Everett occupied one of them for the last 14 weeks. Allen briefly made the 53-man roster to start the season and then later returned to the practice squad. However, most of those nine players were relatively new additions, including three – Holliman, Roberts and Ross – who just came aboard in Week 17. This, too, is a common practice, as they were likely players the team had hoped to bring aboard in order to quickly re-sign them in the new year.

The futures contracts for these nine players will take effect on March 9, which is also the first day of unrestricted free agency.

In the last two weeks before the end of the season, the Buccaneers also promoted four players from their practice squad to the 53-man roster: wide receiver Evan Spencer, running back Mike James, safety Kimario McFadden and tight end Tevin Westbrook.



Nine Practice Squad Players Re-Signed 





I didn't know we had Gerod Holliman



I really wish he would get his tackling in order, because that boy is a ball HAWK

 

[Newzz]

Winston to Bring "Winning Mindset" in 2016
Posted Jan 4, 2016

Joe Kania Buccaneers.com@JoeKaniaBucs

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Jameis Winston says the Buccaneers will have "a relentless mindset of being able to persevere over adversity" in 2016.

Following the Buccaneers’ Week 17 loss to the Panthers, Jameis Winston took the podium, as he always does, to meet with members of the media. The first words out of his mouth – “I’m just ready for next year.”

READ: BUCS TO PICK 9TH IN NFL DRAFT

Winston and the Buccaneers fell, 38-10, in Charlotte to finish the season 6-10. In the process, Winston surpassed 4,000 passing yards, something that only two other rookie quarterbacks have done. He also rushed for his sixth touchdown, which broke a franchise record.

None of that was very important to Winston, though.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “It doesn’t matter at all. It matters to the team. That’s a good accomplishment for the city of Tampa, for the team. We haven’t had that done here in a long time, so that’s good.”

Winston’s focus, less than an hour after the game, had completely shifted toward the 2016 offseason and preparing for his second season in the NFL. He, passionately, promised that the Buccaneers would have a winning mindset next season.

READ: BUCCANEERS' 2016 OPPONENTS ANNOUNCED

“We are going to create a mindset this offseason, I guarantee it,” Winston said. “We are going to create a winning mindset, a mindset that you would never give up... a relentless mindset of being able to persevere over adversity. We are going to have that next year.”

Winston won’t be alone in his efforts. The Buccaneers have a plethora of young, talented players surrounding him on the offensive side of the ball. Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins are both in their second year while rookies Donovan Smith, Ali Marpet, Donteea Dye and Adam Humphries all played significant roles with the Bucs’ offense in 2015.

“It’s just the beginning,” Winston said. “It’s a long process but like I said, the offseason, we are going to come back strong. Got to. Getting better. Two games won last year, six this year. We have to get better. I have to get better, and I know this team is going to get better as long as I get better, and I promise you I’m going to get better.”



Winston to Bring "Winning Mindset" in 2016 



I really have a feeling we're on the verge of a resurgence brehs....like the 1996 Bucs & 1997 Bucs

 

[Newzz]

The Bucs' 2016 opponents have been finalized.


With the conclusion of Sunday’s games, the Buccaneers’ 2016 opponents have been officially set. Tampa Bay is set to take on the NFC West and AFC West, in addition to their usual NFC South opponents. The Bucs will also take on the fourth-place finishers from the NFC East and the NFC North.

The Bucs will play the Rams, Seahawks, Raiders, Bears and Broncos at home, in addition to one game against each of their division opponents. Tampa Bay will take on their division opponents, along with the Cardinals, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs and Cowboys on the road.

Below is a look at who the Buccaneers will be playing in 2016. The full schedule will be released this spring.

• St. Louis Rams
• Seattle Seahawks
• Oakland Raiders
• Denver Broncos
• New Orleans Saints
• Atlanta Falcons
• Carolina Panthers
• Arizona Cardinals
• San Francisco 49ers
• San Diego Chargers
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Chicago Bears
• Dallas Cowboys

 

[Newzz]

Complete 2016 NFL Offseason Calendar
Posted 6 hours ago

Buccaneers.com Bucs on Twitter Bucs on Facebook

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Key dates for the 2016 offseason, including the NFL Draft and NFL Combine.

January 4: Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2016 season.

January 4: Clubs may renegotiate or extend the rookie contract of a drafted rookie who was selected in the 2013 NFL Draft. Any permissible renegotiated or extended player contract will not be considered a rookie contract, and will not be subject to the rules that limit rookie contracts.

January 4: Option exercise period begins for fifth-year option for first-round selections from the 2013 NFL Draft. To exercise the option, the club must give written notice to the player on or after January 4, but prior to May 3.

January 18: Deadline for college players that are underclassmen to apply for special eligibility. A list of players who are accepted into the NFL Draft will be sent to clubs on January 22.

January 23: East-West Shrine Game, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida.

January 23: NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, StubHub Center, Carson, California.

January 30: Senior Bowl, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.

January 31: Pro Bowl, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii.

January 31: Deadline for NFL clubs to try out and negotiate with CFL players whose 2015 contracts are due to expire at 12 noon, New York time, on February 9.

February 8: Waiver system begins for 2016.

February 9: Beginning at 12 noon, New York time, NFL clubs may begin to sign players whose 2015 CFL contracts have expired. Players under contract to a CFL club for the 2016 season or who have an option for the 2016 season are not eligible to be signed.

February 13: NFL Regional Combines, Houston Texans Methodist Training Facility, Houston, Texas.

February 16: First day for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

February 20: NFL Regional Combines, Arizona Cardinals Training Facility, Phoenix, Arizona.

February 23-29: NFL Scouting Combine, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

February 27: NFL Regional Combines, Baltimore Ravens Under Armour Performance Center, Owings Mills, Maryland.

March 1: Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 5: NFL Regional Combines, Minnesota Vikings Training Facility Max Winter Park, Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

March 7-9: Clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2015 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9.

March 9: Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2016 on all players who have option clauses in their 2015 contracts.

March 9: Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.

March 9: Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a Minimum Salary Tender to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2015 contracts and who have fewer than three accrued seasons of free agency credit.

March 9: Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the 2016 salary cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.

March 9: All 2015 player contracts expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.

March 9: The 2016 league year and free agency period begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time. The first day of the 2016 league year will end at 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9. Clubs will receive a personnel notice that will include all transactions submitted to the league office during the period between 4:00 p.m., New York time, and 11:59:59 p.m., New York time, on March 9.

March 9: Trading period for 2016 begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, after expiration of all 2015 contracts.

March 12: NFL Regional Combines, New Orleans Saints Training Facility, Metairie, Louisiana.

March 20-23: Annual Meeting, Boca Raton, Florida.

April 4: Clubs that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2015 regular season may begin offseason workout programs.

April 18: Clubs with returning head coaches may begin offseason workout programs.

April 22: Deadline for Restricted Free Agents to sign offer sheets.

April 28-30: 2016 NFL Draft, Chicago, Illinois.

April 30: After the final selection in the Draft has been made, clubs may begin signing Undrafted Free Agents who were eligible for the 2016 Draft.

May 6-9: First weekend after the NFL Draft: clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

May 9: Rookie Football Development Program Begins.

May 13-16: Second weekend after the NFL Draft: clubs may elect to hold their one three-day post-draft rookie minicamp from Friday through Sunday or Saturday through Monday.

May 19-22: NFLPA Rookie Premiere. Invited Rookies (typically, first and/or second-round selections) must be permitted by their respective clubs to attend. Such players are unavailable for offseason workouts, OTA days, and minicamps during this period.

May 23-25: NFL Spring League Meeting, Charlotte, North Carolina.

June 1: Deadline for prior club to send “June 1 Tender” to its unsigned Restricted Free Agents who received a qualifying offer for a Right of First Refusal Only in order for such player to be subject to the CBA’s “June 15 Tender” provision.

June 2: For any player removed from the club’s roster or whose contract is assigned via waivers or trade on or after June 2, any unamortized signing bonus amounts for future years will be included fully in Team Salary at the start of the 2017 League Year.

June 15: Deadline for club to withdraw qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).

June 19-25: Rookie Symposium, Aurora, Ohio.

July 15: At 4:00 p.m., New York time, deadline for any club that designated a Franchise Player to sign such player to a multiyear contract or extension. After this date, the player may sign only a one-year contract with his prior club for the 2016 season, and such contract cannot be extended until after the club’s last regular season game.

Mid-July: Clubs are permitted to open preseason training camp for rookies and first-year players beginning seven days prior to the club’s earliest permissible mandatory reporting date for veteran players. Veteran players (defined as a player with at least one pension-credited season) other than quarterbacks or “injured players” (as defined in CBA Article 21, Section 6) may report to a club’s preseason training camp no earlier than 15 days prior to the club’s first scheduled preseason game or July 15, whichever is later.

Veteran quarterbacks and injured players may be required to report to the club’s preseason training camp no earlier than five days immediately prior to the mandatory reporting date for all other veteran players, provided the club has already opened (or simultaneously opens) its official preseason training camp for all rookies and first-year players.

A three-day acclimation period will apply to players who are on a Club’s roster up to and including the mandatory veteran reporting date. Players who join the roster after that date may practice (including wearing pads) and play immediately after passing a physical.

July 22*: Signing Period ends for unrestricted Free Agents to whom a “May 10 Tender” was made by prior club. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

* or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later.

July 22: Signing Period ends for Transition Players with outstanding tenders. After this date and until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the Tuesday following the 10th weekend of the regular season, prior club has exclusive negotiating rights.

 

[Newzz]

Bucs offseason primer: 5 issues to address for 2016




Vincent Jackson, who was limited to 10 games and 33 catches in 2015, turns 33 on Jan. 14 and is scheduled to make $9.8 million in 2016, fueling speculation he might not return. CHRIS URSO/STAFF

By Ira Kaufman | Tribune Staff
Published: January 4, 2016
Updated: January 4, 2016 at 03:03 PM
What is the Bucs' biggest offseason priority?

• Re-signing Doug Martin
• Secondary
• Defensive end
• Wide receiver
• Tight end

More Information
Key NFL dates
Jan. 30: Senior Bowl, Mobile, Ala.
Feb. 7: Super Bowl, Santa Clara, Calif.
Feb. 23-29: Scouting combine, Indianapolis
March 15: Start of free agency
March 20-23: NFL meetings, Boca Raton
April 28-30: NFL draft, Chicago
Sept. 8: Tentative start of regular season

TAMPA — After a fifth consecutive last-place finish in the NFC South, the Bucs face some critical issues in their annual quest for relevance. Here are five things the Bucs must address heading into the 2016 offseason.



♦ DOUG MARTIN



The NFL’s No. 2 rusher behind Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson is slated to become a free agent in March. Negotiations already have begun, but if they break down the Bucs have the option of designating Martin as their “franchise’’ player, retaining his services next fall. Charles Sims was very productive behind Martin, but Tampa Bay might be wary of projecting him as a lead back ready to step into Martin’s cleats.



♦ SECONDARY





The Bucs kept trying different combinations, especially at cornerback, but pass defense was a major issue all season. Although opponents completed only five throws of 40 yards or more, they kept moving the chains by converting third downs at a startling 45.9 percent rate. Johnthan Banks, who led Tampa Bay with four interceptions in 2014, lost his starting job to undrafted rookie Jude Adjei-Barimah in midseason, and veteran Alterraun Verner saw his playing time steadily diminish. Safety Bradley McDougald failed to play up to expectations, and that unseemly 102.5 passer rating fashioned by opposing quarterbacks will trigger an overhaul in the defensive backfield.



♦ DEFENSIVE END



After all these years, the Bucs are still looking for the second coming of Simeon Rice. Free-agent addition George Johnson, who missed five games with a calf injury, did not register a sack, and first-year pro Howard Jones posted only two sacks over the final two months. Jacquies Smith dropped Drew Brees three times at New Orleans in Week 2, but added only three sacks the rest of the way. William Gholston showed some progress in his third season.



♦ VINCENT JACKSON



Wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who turns 33 on Jan. 14, saw his streak of four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons ended in painful style as two separate knee injuries limited him to 10 games and only 33 receptions. Jackson has one year left on his contract and is scheduled to make nearly $9.8 million in 2016, prompting speculation the Bucs might not bring him back. Jackson, who scored only five touchdowns the past two seasons, has been the subject of trade rumors in the past. Mike Evans, though plagued by dropped passes and penalties, had a solid second pro season. But the Bucs need to groom another young receiver, especially with Louis Murphy coming off knee surgery.



♦ TIGHT END



A shoulder injury that sidelined Austin Seferian-Jenkins for nine games raised questions about the durability of the former second-round draft pick who caught two touchdown passes in the season opener. Seferian-Jenkins has missed half of his 32 potential NFL games due to injuries, opening the door for Cameron Brate, an undrafted free agent from Harvard who flashed some late-season potential.

 

[Newzz]

Smith believes Bucs should be a playoff team in 2016

• Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
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Monday, January 4, 2016 1:48pm

DIRK SHADD | Times Lovie Smith said the Bucs should be in the playoffs following the 2016 season.


http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/...ld-be-a-playoff-team-in-2016/2259931#comments
A month ago the Bucs were 6-6 and in a good position to make a run at earning a post-season spot. But coach Lovie Smith said his team, which lost its last four games, wasn't good enough to finish the job.

Next year, Smith predicted, it will be.

Declaring the Bucs (6-10) have their 'franchise quarterback in place,' with Jameis Winston, Smith said the Bucs should be in the playoffs following the 2016 season.

“I’m saying it should,'' Smith said. "Can it? Yeah. We should.

“I’m going to go back to that. We were 6-6 with a quarter (of the season) to go. That was progress to get in position and things looked pretty bright for us. We weren’t quite ready to take that next step then. But we will make the corrections and the moves we have to make in order to finish, to finish the 2016 season. Yes.''

Smith attributed the late season collapse to losing key players such as receiver Vincent Jackson and rookie Kwon Alexander, who was suspended the final four games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing drugs. Alexander re-joined the team Monday. The Bucs lost to the Saints, Rams, Bears and Panthers to end the year and produced only two turnovers during that stretch.

“He was definitely missed,'' Smith said of Alexander. "I mean, you just look at the offensive side of the ball. It starts with the quarterback. Defensively, it starts with the (middle linebacker). We had a chance to see what Kwon was able to do. Playmaker. He brought energy, toughness. Relentless pursuit to the football. Just a lot. When you don’t have all the foundational pieces established and you lose one of those key pieces, you see the results of it. We didn’t win another game without him out there so I’d say it’s not just Kwon. There were others. We missed Vincent Jackson. We just didn’t play as well as we needed to. But we were definitely missing something without Kwon.''

Smith is 8-24 over two seasons with the Bucs, falling short of his own expectations.

“I don’t think any of us would say we’ve met our expectations,'' Smith said. "We had high hopes when we took over the franchise. We knew you just can’t build a program overnight. You’d like to have a quick fix. That just was not part of the plan. You get to 6-6 in the season, you think maybe we’re further along and we can get it done. But in the end, we weren’t quite there.

“We’re not where we want to be and eventually, it’s a process you’re going to go through. You can’t skip any steps long the way. We haven’t skipped any steps, but we realize in year three, we need to see the results of everything we’ve been doing.''

The optimism starts with Winston, who joined Cam Newton and Andrew Luck as they only rookies to pass for 4,000 yards in a season. Winston also played every offensive snap and set a club record with six rushing touchdowns.

“I think if we took a poll in the room and you were starting a franchise, what’s the position you have to get right? In this room, every room around the league, the people would say the quarterback position,'' Smith said. "For all of us right now, I think it’s safe to say we have our quarterback of the future, our franchise quarterback in place. So a lot of the optimism is based around that. I’m going to also jump to the other side and I think that (middle linebacker) position is pretty important, too, with what we do. To get both of those guys at the same time, they’re close, they realize their role right now, too, on our football. Yes, that does give you confidence going forward. Quite a bit.''

 

[Newzz]

Lavonte Talks Mentor Plan
January 4th, 2016



Lavonte David and Joe had quiet time today at One Buc Palace, and David shared one thing that will be a focus of his offseason.

David said he will be mentor-in-chief to 21-year-old rookie sensation Kwon Alexander.

“Kwon is a young guy, you know, he needs and older guy like me to be in his head this offseason,” David said. “So I’ll reach out to him as much as I can, and we already plan on working out together.

David was very close with former Bucs middle linebacker Mason Foster (2011-2014). The two trained together on their own time, often joined by Danny Lansanah. In addition to the friendship, David said it’s important to him to keep the team unity through the winter time off.

“That’s just the guy I am, man. I’m cool with everybody in the locker room. I’m cool especially within my group of [linebackers],” David said.

Joe’s cool with that, and it’s great to know Alexander won’t be on an island this offseason, left alone to think about his costly four-game suspension and the October death of his brother.

 

[holidayinn21]

I know shyt changes in the NFL, but that schedule is fukking brutal.

 

[dem bath salts]

Loved Jamesis got his 4000
We need more WRs
More oline help
A pass rush
And some corners.

I say we draft a wr and lineman and soend on a edge rusher and corners.

It was a fun year tho

 

[Newzz]

David Does It All for Bucs' Defense
Posted 20 minutes ago

Scott Smith Senior Writer/Editor@ScottSBucs

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Very few NFL linebackers make an impact in as many different areas of the game, from tackling to pass defense to rushing the passer, as Tampa Bay's Lavonte David.

On Monday, the day after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2015 season ended with a 38-10 loss at Carolina, Head Coach Lovie Smith spent most of his day-after-game press conference talking about the picture, in terms of both the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He did specifically mention one player on the team who finished his season on a high note.

"Lavonte David was outstanding yesterday, too, I might add," said Smith, "like he’s been all throughout the year."

True and true.

David tied for the team lead on Sunday with 12 tackles, while also adding a sack, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. That gave him 147 tackles on the season, just seven behind San Francisco's NaVorro Bowman (154) for the league lead in that category. (Indianapolis' D'Qwell Jackson also topped David with 150 stops.) David obviously led the Buccaneers in tackles, for the fourth time in as many NFL seasons, and also paced his team with 10 tackles for loss, three interceptions and 13 passes defensed.

After tying for seventh in the NFL with 139 tackles in his 2012 rookie season, David has finished in the top five each of the last three years. He is the only player in the NFL who can say that.

David is one of only three NFL players who led his team in both tackles and interceptions, joining Miami safety Reshad Jones (135 and five) and Cleveland's Karlos Dansby (108 and three). The Bucs' star linebacker is the only player in the NFL to lead his team in tackles, interceptions and passes defensed. David's 13 passes defensed were the most in the league by a linebacker; Carolina's Luke Kuechly was the only other 'backer to hit double digits in that category, with 10.

David's combination of production behind the line of scrimmage, in the box and in coverage is remarkable. Since he entered the NFL in 2012, David has racked up 576 tackles, 68 tackles for loss, nine interceptions and 31 passes defensed. Among all defenders, he ranks second in each of those first two categories, behind Kuechly (591) in tackles and Houston's J.J. Watt (119) in tackles for loss.

Among linebackers, David is the only player to rank in the top five in each of those four categories since 2012, and in fact he ranks in the top three in all four.

The most prominent sack missing from all the analysis above is, of course, sacks. David ranks only 38th among linebackers in that category over the past four years. The reason for that is the same reason that David has yet to make a Pro Bowl despite his annual dominance: He is lumped into the same position group as a host of 3-4 pass-rushing linebackers. For the same reason, the above chart is not completely fair to such outstanding linebackers as Von Miller and Ryan Kerrigan, who are primarily asked to rush the passer, and do it very well.

Still, 13 sacks in four seasons is not a paltry number for a 4-3 outside linebacker. Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, the former Buccaneer star and one of the greatest 4-3 OLBs in league history, had 13.5 sacks in his career. If one parses the list to find the linebackers with the most tackles, those at the top are mostly not primary pass-rushers like Miller and Kerrigan. On that list, David's sack total looks very impressive indeed.

David and D'Qwell Jackson are the only two linebackers in the NFL over the last four seasons to have at least 500 tackles and at least 10 sacks.

Simply put, Lavonte David has done it all for Tampa Bay's defense, year-in and year-out. Few defenders in the entire NFL have made an impact as big in as many different facets of the game.



David Does It All for Bucs' Defense

 

[Newzz]

Bucs coach Lovie Smith wants Logan Mankins back, and he'll tell him so

TAMPA, Fla. -- Following Sunday's regular-season finale against the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers left guard Logan Mankins said he was going to take some time before deciding his next move. Mankins just completed his 11th NFL season and hinted that he could retire.

Head coach Lovie Smith said Monday he is going to do best college recruiter impression and try to talk Mankins, a five-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection, to return for another season with the team.

"We have some players that have played a long time, some that are in the fourth quarter of their career, but that had outstanding seasons for us," Smith said. "[Right tackle] Gosder Cherilus, Logan Mankins -- you don't retire on the type of years they had."

Mankins, who just completed his second year with the Bucs, was voted an offensive captain prior to the season. He helped mold an offensive line that started two rookies into a unit that paved the way for Doug Martin and protected rookie quarterback Jameis Winston. Martin ran for 1,402 yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. Winston became just the third rookie in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards.

Mankins, who will turn 34 in March, was rewarded by being named a Pro Bowl alternate.

But the decision about his future isn't simple. His wife and four children don't stay with Mankins during the football season, which weighs on him. With bonuses, Mankins is scheduled to make $7 million in 2016, but he said he is going to consider his options.

"I don't know," he told the Tampa Bay Times after Sunday's game. "I am at the point in my career where I'm going to take a little time and evaluate what I want to do with my family, with myself and my career and see where it goes."

Smith said he is going to do his part in trying to convince Mankins to return for a 12th season and continue to help mentor young linemen Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet.

"Part of my job is to recruit players that I think can help us win football games," Smith said Monday. "You normally don't retire on the type of year Logan had. You retire when you can't play football anymore. That's not the case with Logan. I thought he had an outstanding season. Do I get involved in recruiting guys like that? Yes I do."


Bucs coach Lovie Smith wants Logan Mankins back, and he'll tell him so



Logan Mankins HAS to return



We already need more offensive line help, we cant let our best lineman retire

 

[Newzz]

Bucs Verner Hopes to Be Back In 2016; Sees Bright Future
by Zach Shapiro -  10 comments January 5, 2016 10:41 am

As every NFL season ends, teams know the same 53 players won’t ever be in the locker room together again. Turnover is inevitable.

In the Buccaneers case, it’s expected that there will be a significant amount of roster changes, particularly on defense, and more specifically, in the secondary, where Tampa Bay’s search for the right combination continued throughout the season.

Alterraun Verner is one player whose future remains unclear. While the seventh-year pro is committed and wants to return, he understands the business and is keeping everything in perspective.

“I mean that’s up to them,” Verner said at his locker on Monday. “Like I said, I’m obligated for two more years. That’s what I signed up for but we’ll see. Hopefully I am back. We’re building something special here. The guys with Kwon (Alexander), Lavonte (David) and Gerald (McCoy) and all of us. Something is brewing around here and I hope I’m a part of that.

“But we all know at the end of the day the NFL is a business and there won’t be any hard feelings. They want to get their roster the best they can to try to compete and get to a Super Bowl.”

The 27-year old corner, signed away from Tennessee in 2014, will be entering the third year of his four-year, $25 million deal in 2016. Verner is set to earn $6.7 million next year, the highest amount yet in the bottom-heavy contract that includes no dead money in the final two years.

Given his production over the first two seasons combined with the structure of the contract – no cap hit if released – the Bucs may be compelled to move on and save money in 2016.

Since signing as a prized free agent in 2014 after a Pro Bowl season with the Titans, Verner didn’t quite play up to expectations in his first year. And while he’s come along since shifting to the nickel spot – 56 tackles in more physical role – there’s question of whether he showed enough to keep the job at such a high price.


Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Speaking honestly about his first two years in Tampa Bay, Verner admitted the numbers weren’t quite there but was still proud of the hard work and dedication to get better along with his commitment to his teammates.

“I come in to work, I work hard and the result didn’t happen,” Verner said. “I blame myself, but it’s not anything I regret because I know I worked as hard as I could, giving it all I had and it didn’t work out. It’s a life lesson, life learned. It’s not going to get me down. It’s just something that you build off of and have motivation for next year.”

It was a down-year for the secondary as a whole. While their stats would suggest mediocrity – ranked 16th pass-defense, giving up an average of 240 yards – the interception total in a defense predicated on takeaways tells it all. Of the Bucs 11 interceptions, the secondary accounted for just six and had zero in the final six games.

“It was very tough,” Verner said. “Obviously none of us were able to make enough plays. Last year was still a down-year, but JB (Johnthan Banks) still had four interceptions and we were able to make plays on the ball. This year it just seemed like we weren’t able to do that. It’s very disappointing as the secondary. You want to keep people out of the end zone and make plays, and those are two areas we didn’t do well as a secondary. It’s definitely disappointment in that area.”

Through it all, however, Verner believes the arrow is pointed up for this team. The youth is undeniable (Verner mentioned that he’s the fifth youngest player on defense) and there were certainly signs of growth throughout the season. Now, Verner said, it’s about learning how to win consistently, which he’s confident the Bucs will do. And that’s something he wants to be a part of.

“Were very young, and when you have a young team you’re going to go through growing pains,” Verner said. “The offensive side is the same way. But it’s still not an excuse for not performing. I’m not using it as an excuse, but you can just tell the maturity of a lot of guys, such as Jude (Adjei-Barimah), or Kwon (Alexander) – you saw his play elevate… I mean Jameis (Winston), you can think of all theses young guys, like Mike (Evans) or even Lavonte (David) or Gerald (McCoy) or me, we’re all still young.

“It’s still a lot of development and things to work on, but that’s why you saw the camaraderie between Lavonte and Kwon starting to build. And as a young group, that’s something you have to start building and maintaining. It’s a process, and where this team is at, we’re very close. You saw the improvements, you saw we were 6-6 and in the playoff hunt. We just couldn’t finish; we didn’t finish this year. But we’re very close and I have a feeling it’s going to happen here. The city of Tampa is going to be very proud of this team.”

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Verner Talks Secondary, Desire To Return | Pewter Report



We cant pay a slot CB $7 million though. Unless Verner takes a restructured contract, we might have to let him go

 

[Newzz]

Keeping Koetter Could Be Difficult Task For Bucs
by Mark Cook -  33 comments January 5, 2016 3:26 pm

When you take over one of the worst offenses in the NFL, start three rookies, including one at quarterback, and finish the season with the No. 5 offense in the NFL, all while losing two of your three starting wide receivers and a tight end to injury, other teams will take notice.

In the case of Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, he has already been linked to the Philadelphia Eagles as a potential replacement for the fired Chip Kelly, and expect his name to be bantered about even more over the next few days as teams begin lining up interviews to fill their head coaching voids.



With the season over, and time to look back and reflect at what the Bucs offense was able to accomplish, it really is quite remarkable. The Marcus Arroyo-led 2014 Bucs offense was one of the worst in team history and was a big part of the team’s 2-14 finish that year. The Bucs finished 2014 ranked 30th in the league, just ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Oakland Raiders. The Bucs offensive line also struggled to protect quarterbacks Josh McCown and Mike Glennon, who between them were sacked 52 times, second most in the NFL.

Fast forward a year later, and Tampa Bay’s offense made the biggest jump in the team’s 40-year history (30th to fifth). Under Koetter’s guidance, the Bucs averaged 376 yards per game, doing it with rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, rookie starting guard Ali Marpet and rookie left tackle Donovan Smith. Through the course of the season, the Bucs lost wide receiver Louis Murphy and also starter Vincent Jackson for several games. Tampa Bay was also with starting tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for a majority of the year. At times this season you had a rookie quarterback throwing to two undrafted wide receivers in Adam Humphries and Donteea Dye and also a free agent tight end in Cameron Brate. Certainly not how the team drew it up during training camp.

As mentioned earlier, Koetter’s name is being floated about in Philadelphia and now in Miami. Another team that could be interested in Koetter is the Tennessee Titans who selected Marcus Mariota one pick after Winston last spring. It is widely believed Kelly could resurface in Tennessee, but if not, expect Koetter to get a look, especially with his success with Winston in 2015. Other teams with head coaching openings are the Giants, Dolphins, Browns and 49ers.

While the Bucs would love to keep Koetter around to see the development of Winston continue, head coach Lovie Smith acknowledged on Monday that may not be possible.

“In an ideal world, Dirk would be here to continue that growth that we had, but that’s just a base part of it,” Smith said. “If I’m a football team out there looking for a good football coach, I would look at Dirk Koetter too. That’s just a part of people seeing you having success.”


QB coach Mike Bajakian – Photo: Pewter Report

While there is no guarantee the Koetter will be hired for one of the six head coaching vacancies, if he is, the question becomes, what do the Bucs do next? Quarterback coach Mike Bajakian could be in line to take over play calling duties, or the Bucs could take a look at the assistants who were fired over the last few days. That is where they found Koetter who had been let go by the Falcons after owner Arthur Blank relieved Mike Smith and his staff of their duties following the 2014 season.

Guaranteeing Koetter stay in Tampa Bay may be impossible, unless as PewterReport.com publisher Scott Reynolds mentioned a few weeks back, the Glazers decide to go the same route they went after the 2008 season. Following a 9-7 season in 2008, it was thought Jon Gruden was safe to return, especially with four years left on his contract. But then recently promoted defensive coordinator Raheem Morris became somewhat a hot commodity, interviewing with the Broncos, and getting looks from other teams. In order to not lose who they hoped would be the next Mike Tomlin, the Glazers decided to promote Morris to head coach and fired Gruden. While that scenario is unlikely this year, it is something that could cross their minds if Koetter starts lining up interviews.

In the end Koetter could also just decide to stick to being the NFL’s highest paid offensive coordinator and attempt to guide the Bucs back to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. But as he approaches another birthday in February (he will be 57), this could be his last shot to reach the pinnacle of the NFL coaching mountain. Whether this year or next, the prospects of keeping Koetter as the long term offensive coordinator for the Bucs isn’t looking great, but Bucs fans and many in the organization are crossing their fingers.



Keeping Koetter Could Be Difficult Task For Bucs | Pewter Report




I don't want him to leave

 

[Reggie]

The Bucs are a team on the rise but that schedule next year looks downright scary.