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

[Newzz]

Licht: Bucs' Search to Be Quick But Thorough
Posted 22 minutes ago

Scott Smith Senior Writer/Editor@ScottSBucs


General Manager Jason Licht and the Buccaneers would like to have a new head coach in place as soon as possible but will take the time to make sure they get the decision right.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dismissed Lovie Smith, the 10th head coach in franchise history, on Wednesday evening. They won't waste any time searching for number 11.

General Manager Jason Licht, who will spearhead that search, held a press conference on Thursday afternoon, roughly 16 hours after the team announced that Smith would not return. Licht began by expressing his deep respect for Smith. He then spoke, of course, about the factors that led into the decision to change coaches, all while making an effort to shift the focus forward. That's understandable, because the team would like to have a new head coach – and the new direction that entails – in place as soon as possible.

And so Licht noted that the search process would begin immediately after he left the press conference. During his talk, Licht praised Buccaneer ownership for taking the necessary time to get important decisions right. Choosing a new head coach is one of the most important decisions a franchise can make, so Licht will adopt that same approach.

"We would like to be fairly quick with this, but we’re not going to sacrifice thoroughness for it," said Licht. "We’re going to move as swiftly as we can, but also be relentless with our research and make a smart decision."

The Buccaneers brought both Licht and Smith into the fold in January of 2014, so this will be the first time that Licht has sought a head coach for the Buccaneers. However, he gained valuable experience in such a search in 2013 when he was the Arizona Cardinals' Vice President of Player Personnel, working with General Manager Steve Keim. Licht was intimately involved in the search that led to Bruce Arians, who would win the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award in 2014, and it emphasized several traits he will be looking for once again.

"[I learned] that great coaches come in different shapes and sizes and personalities," said Licht. "You look for a guy that’s very authentic and honest and can tell you the truth – sometimes that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what you want to hear, but what you need to hear."

Licht said he had yet to contact any outside candidates for the job but did confirm that he considered Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter a "very strong candidate" for the opening. Koetter, who just finished his first season in Tampa, previously held coordinator positions in Atlanta and Jacksonville and was a successful collegiate head coach at Boise State and Arizona State. This past season, he was instrumental in the rapid development of rookie quarterback Jameis Winston.

"He’s put a good resume in front of him for this year," said Licht of Koetter. "[He coordinated] historically the best offense we’ve had here in Tampa Bay. He’s a good communicator. He’s done great things with Jameis. There’s a lot of good football coaches out there. Dirk’s one of them."

Licht does not expect to have difficulty finding head coach candidates who are motivated to come to Tampa, indicated that "a lot of interest" has already been expressed in the open position. He considers it a very attractive opportunity to build a winning team.

"I’ll start with, once again, ownership that is not afraid to spend money," said Licht. "I’ll go into a 22-year old quarterback, who I happen to believe is a franchise quarterback; that’s a very strong asset to have. That’s one that not many teams can say that they have."

Most importantly, the Buccaneers are committed to finding a way to win, which is why they are in this head coaching search again. Licht thinks that commitment will be obvious and appealing to potential candidates.

“I would tell them that this organization has done everything it can to find the best head coach," he said. "They are committed to winning. They are committed to finding the right guy. And right now, they’re confident that we can find the right guy and they’ve placed that confidence in me. I’ve been around some great organizations. I’ve been part of a coaching search in Arizona that resulted in a pretty good head coach. I’ve had a lot of experiences with that, with good coaches, and I don’t think it’s going to deter a great coach from coming here. It’s an excellent situation. It’s already been shown from the interest we’ve received that people want to come to Tampa and coach."


Licht: Bucs' Search to Be Quick But Thorough 




Where people in the Lovie thread got he was trying to blame Jameis from....I dont know



Im confident we will get the right guy

 

[dem bath salts]

If we continue to draft well with coordinators with a pulse, we will be a good team for a long time.

 

[unit321]

Chip Kelly is free.

 

[holidayinn21]

Chip Kelly is free.

I'd boycott the team. no bullshyt.

 

[Newzz]

Bucs' next coach needs to develop Jameis Winston, win locker room

Buccaneers GM Jason Licht explains how the organization has been patient enough, which led to the firing of coach Lovie Smith, and how he considers Dirk Koetter "a strong candidiate" to become the next coach. (0:45)

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking for their fourth coach since the end of the 2008 NFL season. Here are five things the next Bucs coach must do in order to have success next season and in the future:

Win: This might seem obvious, but it's something that hasn't happened often in Tampa Bay. Since the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2002, they have had just four winning seasons and none since 2010. The next coach will have to break that streak -- and soon. The Glazer family, which owns the Bucs, thinks the team is close and should be winning.

Jameis Winston, who just wrapped up his rookie season Sunday, seems to be the centerpiece for the Glazers. They appear to be totally behind the belief that he is a franchise quarterback. His first-year stats say this could be a possibility, but the new coach must make sure Winston continues to grow. If he falters, the team will be set back another five years.

Win the locker room: This will be especially important if offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is the new coach; some players, particularly on defense, will believe Koetter went behind Lovie Smith's back to get the job. With so many changes, the new coach must be able to connect with the leaders on the team and convince them to follow and lead by example. A divided locker room won't yield great results.

Be able to lead and motivate: Former Bucs coach Greg Schiano fell into the same trap many college coaches do when they are hired by an NFL team. Despite being a good leader, he didn't know how to motivate grown men. This new hire must know how to address and communicate with adults.

Fix the defense: The decline of the defense was a major reason why Smith was fired. Although the defense finished 10th in yards against, there were many other spots where the unit failed. The secondary is one area that has to be addressed, as well as the lack of consistent pass rush. Whoever is hired better get this right.


Bucs' next coach needs to develop Jameis Winston, win locker room



All facts.

 

[Newzz]

John Lynch: A Case For Canton


John Lynch played 15 seasons in the National Football League, and nine of them ended with a trip to the Pro Bowl. Lynch's career as a whole should be capped by one more trip, to Canton to pose with a bronze bust.

Lynch's nearly-annual visits to Hawaii represent one of his best arguments for inclusion in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for which he has been a finalist each of the last two years. They are an indication that his peers viewed him as one of the best of his generation at the safety position, and that NFL fans believed his hard-hitting style and clutch plays were critical to his teams' success.

"John was as good as any safety I ever played against," said Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, who shared the NFC Central with Lynch for four years. "He reminded me a lot of guys like Ronnie Lott and Steve Atwater. He was a terrific player, a great defender, a fierce defender. He could knock the snot out of you.

"John Lynch didn’t just play the position, he occupied a spot in your mind and you had to be aware at all times where he was on the field."

Those nine Pro Bowls put Lynch in elite company, most of which is already enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Since the annual Pro Bowl began in 1950, there have been 74 players (so far) who have been selected to that game at least nine times. Lynch is one of only six players on that list who is already Hall of Fame-eligible but not yet enshrined, and one of only two whose careers began in the Super Bowl era. The other eligible player meeting that criteria is guard Ruben Brown (1995-2007).

(The other four are comprised of linebacker Maxie Baughan, who played from 1960-74, and a trio of men who played the majority of their respective careers in the AFL in the 1960s – quarterback Jack Kemp, guard Walt Sweeney and tackle Jim Tyrer. Kemp, Sweeney and Tyrer mostly played in AFL All-Star games, which were separate from the NFL Pro Bowl, but the NFL now includes those games in its Pro Bowl counts.)

Of those 74 players on the nine-Pro Bowl list, 57 are already in the Hall of Fame and another 11 are either still active or retired but not yet eligible. Many of those 11 appear to be Hall shoo-ins, from Brett Favre to Champ Bailey to Tony Gonzalez, not to mention Peyton Manning, who thinks Lynch is deserving of the same honor.

"John was a safety that you always knew where he was. I think there are only certain guys like that, where you know where No. 47 is on every play. I can assure you all receivers and tight ends always knew where he was. He was such a physical football player, what I would call an impactful tackler. Any receiver going near or across the middle with No. 47 in the area knew what he was getting into. He was always there. You could see it very often on film, after an early hit how he would affect a receiver, his confidence going across the middle or anywhere near there the rest of the game." - Peyton Manning

Perhaps the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears have an argument to make for Ruben Brown, the other Hall-eligible Super Bowl era player with nine Pro Bowls but no bronze bust, but Lynch has some additional advantages when comparing the two. Both players were repeatedly named to the Associated Press All-Pro team, but two of Lynch's three selections were to the first team and one to the second team, while all of Brown's selections were to the second team. Lynch was also a first-team choice to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Pro team in an additional season in which he wasn't on the AP list. All of those honors indicate that the media professionals covering the NFL agreed that Lynch was one of the league's best safeties for a good portion of his career.

And, of course, Lynch's resume includes another milestone important to Hall of Fame voters: He won a Super Bowl as part of the Buccaneers' 2002 championship team. Lynch is the only eligible player with nine NFL Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring who is not in the Hall of Fame.

Lynch's case for the Hall of Fame has come up against an apparent bias against the position he mastered. In its current format, the NFL Pro Bowl showcases 80 (non-special teams) players performing at the top of their positions each year. Six of those roster spots are reserved for safeties (7.5% of the roster). The NFL Hall of Fame boasts the greatest NFL players of all time across every position. So far, 87 players who began their careers after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger have been enshrined in Canton, out of which only one, Ronnie Lott, spent the majority of his career playing safety. This represents only 1.1% of the Hall of Fame inductees in that time period, a harsh contrast to the makeup of an actual football roster. Safety is the most underrepresented (non-special teams) position in the Hall of Fame.

The induction of Aeneas Williams in the Class of 2014 increased the number of safeties in the Hall of Fame, but Williams played most of his career at cornerback. Prior to that, the last player who played the majority of his career at safety to be enshrined in the Hall was Ronnie Lott, a member of the Class of 2000. The most recent player to be inducted into the Hall who played his entire career at safety was Ken Houston, a member of the Class of 1986.

John Lynch, who also played his entire career at safety, compares favorably with those three Hall of Famers in a variety of statistical and award categories.

Since the sack became an official statistic in 1982, only nine NFL players at any position, including John Lynch, have accumulated at least 1,000 tackles, at least 25 interceptions, at least 10 sacks and at least 15 forced fumbles. Three of those nine are eligible for the Hall of Fame but have not yet been elected, and Lynch leads that group with nine Pro Bowl selections.

Some consider the safety position under-represented in the Hall of Fame. Of the 263 men enshrined in the Hall on the strength of their playing careers, six were pure safeties and another four played both safety and cornerback. The position could get a boost in the coming years, however. Consider that only eight safeties have played in at least nine Pro Bowls and five are already in the Hall. The other three are Lynch, Brian Dawkins and Ed Reed, all with outstanding resumes and reputations. Dawkins and Reed will not be eligible until 2019.

Lynch is eligible right now, however, and he's got more than Pro Bowls and All-Pro selections in his favor. During eleven seasons with the Buccaneers and four with the Denver Broncos, he racked up 1,054 tackles, 26 interceptions, 13 sacks and 15 forced fumbles.

"John Lynch is a Hall of Famer on and off the field," said Jon Gruden, the Buccaneers' head coach during the 2002 Super Bowl run. "His preparation, consistency and hard-hitting style will fit perfectly with the all-time greats. If you can find a more impactful teammate, leader and performer than John Lynch then, great, put him in too."

Despite possessing a 95-mph fastball that made him a second-round pick of the Florida Marlins, Lynch chose football after being taken in the third round by the Buccaneers in 1993. And yet he still became a closer, or rather "The Closer," a nickname bestowed upon him by former Tampa Bay Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin. Kiffin came up with the name after seeing his cerebral safety come up with a series of critical late-game plays. Those included an interception that sparked a comeback in the 1999 NFC Divisional Playoff Game against Washington and the pick that sealed Tampa Bay's wild 38-35 win over St. Louis in a 2000 Monday Night Football appearance.

Lynch's penchant for late-game heroics is not just anecdotal; it's supported by his career statistics. Of his 26 interceptions, 14 were secured in the fourth quarter. Eleven of those 14 fourth-quarter picks came when his team was either up or down by seven points or less. Getting his takeaways at such important moments is likely the reason that 21 of his 26 picks helped his team win games.

Some of Lynch's tackles were as memorable as those key takeaways. The incredibly elusive Barry Sanders described a hit by Lynch in 1997 as the hardest he had ever been hit, and former Ram Marshall Faulk had similar comments after the aforementioned Monday-nighter in 2000. Sanders and Faulk, of course, are both in the Hall of Fame already; one imagines they would be quick to welcome Lynch into the fold.

In fact, Lynch's reputation as an intimidating hitter spread far and wide during his career. This is reflected in the list of the "Top 10 Most Feared Tacklers in NFL History" produced by NFL Films in 2009. Lynch made the list, along with the likes of Jack Tatum, Lawrence Taylor and dikk Butkus. Five of the other nine players on the list are already in the Hall of Fame, most likely because they were feared hitters and all-around star performers.

For instance, Lynch's total of 26 interceptions would be on the low side among all the defensive backs in the Hall of Fame, including the safeties. Ken Houston, for instance, had 49 interceptions, while Mel Renfro had 52. But Lynch's pick total should be viewed as part of an overall package that also included his thunderous hits and his importance to one of the best defenses in NFL history.

Lynch was part of the "Big Three" in Tampa that formed the initial nucleus of a defense that would have almost a decade of sustained success. The other two in that group were Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp, Hall of Fame inductees in 2014 and 2013, respectively. Brooks and Sapp were first-ballot selections, and deservedly so, but Lynch's importance to that defense and the Buccaneers' long-awaited franchise turnaround should not be understated.

"John Lynch is one of the core players who turned this team around and made it great, and I mean that in regards to both his play on the field and the way he conducted himself off the field," said Buccaneers Co-President Joel Glazer. "He was always one of those players you couldn’t help rooting for, because he worked so hard at the game, obviously cared very deeply about the team’s success and was a true professional in every sense of the word."

Lynch's combination of powerful hitting, instincts, coverage skills and sheer desire were as critical to the Buccaneers' success as Sapp's pressure up the middle and Derrick Brooks' sideline-to-sideline range. Tony Dungy, Tampa Bay's head coach from 1996-2001 and a primary architect of that great defense, said that Lynch had the most difficult job on the field, one that required him to hold up against big backs near the line, to cover tight ends and receivers and be responsible for huge areas of the field in the secondary. Mike Tomlin, the current Steelers Head Coach who inherited Lynch when he became the Buccaneers' defensive backs coach in 2001, agreed.

"Numbers don't tell the full story of John's impact," said Tomlin. "He absolutely destroyed the tight end-side run game of everyone we played. He also blew up the 'B' gap, and he did it in an unselfish manner."

Lynch could do it all at the safety position, and he'll be long remembered for both his hard hits and his role in the Buccaneers' resurgence. Sapp and Brooks, his comrades in that resurgence, made it into the Hall in part because voters felt they had changed the way their positions were played. According to at least one of his peers, Lynch did the same, and for that he deserves a spot in Canton.

"Meeting John was at the top of my list when I made the Pro Bowl after my second year," said former Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders, who also played in Dungy's defense and was the 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. "His longevity, respect and playmaking ability are what I strive for in this league. His play changed the dynamics of the safety position."

Indeed, like Brooks and Sapp, Lynch helped define how his position was played during his era. The excellence of his play was recognized, year after year, by his peers and those who covered the game closely. He was a Super Bowl champion, a leader, a Pro Bowl regular and a tone-setter for one of the best defenses in league history. John Lynch was all of those things, and now it is time for him to also assume the title of Hall of Fame inductee.

"He always answered the bell for his team," said Manning. "[He was] just a guy that you had to factor in every time you played against him. There are just not many guys like that. There are certain players that you factor in like that. Those guys are in the Hall of Fame – guys like Rod Woodson, Deion Sanders, Derrick Brooks – guys that you had to know where they were every single play. That was coach's orders. Coaches told you, 'Hey, be sure you know where No. 47 is. Know what he's doing. Just factor him in.' John Lynch had that type of respect from coaches and players, and he deserved that kind of respect.

"That's why, in my opinion, he belongs in the Hall of Fame."




John Lynch: A Case for Canton


It's about time, put Lynch in the Hall of Fame dammit

 

[KingsnBucs1987]

Heard we interviewed or are going to interview Arizona's OC and Carolina's DC this weekend. Arizona OC helped lead the Cards to a 5 offense and rejuvenated Carson Palmers' career, he could be a good look.

We've seen what McDermott can do with defense, so that would be interesting.

 

[Newzz]

Heard we interviewed or are going to interview Arizona's OC and Carolina's DC this weekend. Arizona OC helped lead the Cards to a 5 offense and rejuvenated Carson Palmers' career, he could be a good look.

We've seen what McDermott can do with defense, so that would be interesting.

Buccaneers Confirm Head Coach Interviews
Posted 21 minutes ago

Buccaneers.com Bucs on Twitter Bucs on Facebook

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The Bucs are confirming that Arizona OC Harold Goodwin and Panthers DC Sean McDermott are interviewing for the team's head coaching position.

The Buccaneers are confirming that Arizona Offensive Coordinator Harold Goodwin and Panthers Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott will be interviewing this week for the team’s head coaching position.

Goodwin has served as the Cardinals OC since 2013. His offense was the best in the NFL this season in terms of total yards, picking up 408.3 per game. Arizona was one of just two teams in the league to average 400 yards per game or more. The Cardinals’ offense averaged 30.6 points per game, the second-most in the NFL.

McDemott has headed up the Panthers’ defense since 2011. This past season, Carolina defense ranked No.6 in both total yards allowed and points allowed.

The Panthers and Cardinals earned the No. 1 and 2 seeds in the NFC, respectively.


Buccaneers Confirm Head Coach Interviews 


I want either (out of the candidates):

1) Dirk Koetter....did great with what we had this year. Took us from 30th in offense to 5th and took us from the 29th scoring offense to 20th in his lone season. Plus, it keeps continuity with Jameis Winston learning the offense.

2) Sean McDermott....has been in Carolina since the 2011 season. Over his 5 seasons there, the Panthers have been Top 10 in defense in 4 of those years (Top 6 twice) and finished Top 10 twice as well in scoring defense

 

[Newzz]

Doug Martin Named AP All-Pro
Posted 3 hours ago

Joe Kania Buccaneers.com@JoeKaniaBucs

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Doug Martin has been named to the Associated Press' All-Pro team for the first time in his career.

On Friday, the Associated Press announced that Buccaneers running back Doug Martin has been selected as a All-Pro for the 2015 season. Martin finished with 1,402 rushing yards, the second-most in the league behind Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson.

Although Martin did not lead the league in total rushing yards, he was among the NFL’s best in several categories. He picked up 650 yards after contact, which were the most in the NFL. He was also the league-leader in rushes of 20 yards or more (14) and yards per carry among the top 10 rushers (4.9).

Martin was also selected to play in the Pro Bowl later this month, marking the second time he’ll be making the trip to Hawaii.

Martin’s 1,402 rushing yards were the third-most by a Buccaneer in a single season. He currently has 3,806 yards as a Buccaneer, the fourth-most in team history. He helped the Buccaneers finish No. 5 in the league in total offensive yards per game, their highest finish in franchise history.

This is the first time that Martin has been selected as an All-Pro by the Associated Press. He did not earn the honor in 2012, despite rushing for more than 1,400 yards and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl.



Doug Martin Named AP All-Pro 



Resign this man!!!

 

[holidayinn21]

what are the chances of saban leaving the nfl, especially if he wins another NC?

 

[Newzz]

what are the chances of saban leaving the nfl, especially if he wins another NC?

I think 0, because he knows it much easier to win and make big money in College vs the NFL

 

[Newzz]

Martin's Success Eased Transition for Winston

Doug Martin's dominant season helped Jameis Winston smoothly transition into playing in the NFL.

Against Carolina in Week 17, Doug Martin capped a stellar 2015 season with 1,402 yards, finishing as the NFL’s No. 2 rusher. Martin rushed for 100 yards or more four times this season and averaged 4.87 yards per carry.

Several Buccaneers benefitted from Martin’s success, but perhaps none more than rookie quarterback Jameis Winston.

“He’s definitely the best back that I’ve seen in a long time,” Winston said. “The way that he sticks one foot in the ground and gets vertical, and the amount of tackles that he has broken this year and the amount of weight that he’s taken off of my shoulders for my rookie season, I couldn’t be more thankful for Doug than anything in the world. I love Doug and I thank him. My family thanks him for what he’s done for me this season.”

Winston threw for 4,024 yards, the third-most by a rookie in NFL history. He finished with the second-most passing yards in a single season in Buccaneer history, as well. His 28 combined touchdowns (22 passing and six rushing) are the third-most by a rookie since the NFL/AFL merger.

Behind Winston and Martin, Tampa Bay finished with 375.7 yards per game, No. 5 in the league. That marks their highest finish in franchise history.

Martin finished the season with several awards, as expected. He was named an All-Pro by the Associated Press, becoming just the second Buccaneer running back to earn the honor. It was the first time Martin's been named an All-Pro. He was also selected for his second Pro Bowl.

By the most straightforward measure of a running back – rushing yards, of course – Martin put up the third-highest total in franchise history, with 1,402 yards on 288 carries. Martin's totals have only been topped by one other Buccaneer tailback, because his own 1,454-yard effort in 2012 is the team's second-best single-season mark. James Wilder's team 1984 team record of 1,544 rushing yards remains safe for at least one more year.

Martin is the first player in Buccaneer history to have two separate 1,400 yard seasons. In 2015, he got there in impressively consistent fashion, rushing for at least 45 yards in every game except one. The end result was the NFL's second-highest rushing total in 2015, behind only the 1,485 put up by Minnesota's Adrian Peterson.

Though a three-touchdown deficit in the first half of the season finale in Carolina limited Martin to 16 carries against the Panthers, he also caught seven passes for 60 yards. That gave him 108 yards from scrimmage in that Week 17 game and a total of 1,673 on the season.

Again, that total ranks among the best in Buccaneer history and the top marks in the NFL in 2015. Martin finished fourth on the NFL's list this year, and second among all running backs, once again trailing only Peterson (1,707). It was his own second-best single-season mark, after the 1,926 he recorded as a rookie in 2012, and it ranks third in team annals. The only Buccaneer ever to put up more yards from scrimmage than Martin in his two best seasons was Wilder, with 2,229 in 1984.

Martin did improve on his 2012 numbers in one key category: Yards per carry. His 4.87 yards per carry ranked seventh in the NFL among all players with at least 100 carries, and fifth among running backs (Martin’s own teammate, Charles Sims, was two spots higher with a 4.90 average). The yards per carry marks for Martin (and Sims) narrowly missed setting a new Buccaneers single-season record. That mark still belongs to LeGarrette Blount, who averaged 5.0 yards per carry on 201 totes in 2010; however Martin's average is the best ever for a Buc who toted the ball at least 250 times. It was also the best per-carry average among the top 10 rushers in the NFL in 2015.

In this regard, Martin was consistent as well. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry or better in half of his 16 games and only twice fell below three yards per attempt. The 6-10 Buccaneers weren't always in position to lean on Martin as much as they would have liked in the second halves of their games, but when they did give it to their fourth-year back he rarely disappointed.

One of the reasons that Martin reached the 1,400-yard mark and nearly set a new Buccaneer per-carry record is that he was by some measures the NFL's best "big-play" back. Martin led all NFL players in 2015 with 14 runs of 20 or more yards by a comfortable margin, ahead of the 11 put up by St. Louis rookie Todd Gurley. He had a total of 33 runs of 10 or more yards, which ranked second in the league. Martin's 84-yard ramble against Philadelphia in Week 11 stands as the longest run in franchise history.

Tampa Bay's offensive line was rightly lauded as one of the team's most improved units in 2015, and it obviously had a big hand in helping Martin put up his superb numbers. Even so, the NFL's best backs often have to do some of the work on their own after darting through the initial gaps created by their O-Lines. Sometimes that's a matter of making a move in the open field to elude tacklers, and sometimes it involves breaking or spinning off would-be tackles.

That latter category is known as "yards after contact," and Martin had plenty of that in 2015. In fact, no NFL running back had more "YAC" than Martin this year, not even Peterson, the rushing champion. Of the 1,402 yards Martin racked up in 2015, 650 came after contact.

In just four seasons, Martin has already cracked the Buccaneers' top five in career rushing, with 3,806 yards. Only Wilder and the famous "Thunder & Lightning" duo of Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn remain ahead of him on the franchise's all-time rushing yardage chart.

If Martin gets a chance to build on that total as a Buccaneer, he is a good bet to put those top spots in danger, because no other running back in team history has been as prolific on a per-game basis. Martin has played in 49 games and averaged 77.7 rushing yards per contest for the Buccaneers. That's the best mark in team history, well ahead of the 54.9 yards per game posted by Errict Rhett from 1994-97.


Martin's Success Eased Transition for Winston
#22 - Doug Martin

 

[Newzz]

Potential Buccaneers defensive coordinator candidates, if they hire Dirk Koetter
By DraftPhantom on Jan 11, 2016, 1:34p 74

Fewell Coordinates the DB's in Washington - Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports



If Dirk Koetter gets the top job in Tampa he'll need a new defensive coordinator.


In the aftermath of the firing of coach Lovie Smith the natural question has been who the next head coach will be.The odds-on favorite and "strong candidate" is current offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. One year removed from Atlanta, Koetter's NFL reputation is based on his work on the offensive side of the ball. That's a good thing with a young, potential superstar quarterback in Jameis Winston. But as promising as things are on offense, the Bucs defense has been trending in the wrong direction.

During his interview Koetter will no doubt be asked to produce a plan for the team and discuss how he envisions the improving the defense. He may also suggest someone concrete for defensive coordinator (he can't hire one before he has the job), and the NFL has some worthy candidates out there. Here are a few names that Koetter (Or any offensive-minded head coach) should consider.


Note that those still employed by other teams will have to be allowed to leave by their teams, regardless of their position. That's a problem the Bucs are going to have deal with, though some of these head coaches may be let out of their contract between now and when the Bucs start hiring.

Teryl Austin, Lions defensive coordinator
Austin is currently the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions and he is drawing some interest from some as a head coaching candidate. Austin's future in Detroit becomes murky if freshly hired GM Bob Quinn decides to relieve Jim Caldwell. Austin became a DC for the first time in 2014 after 9 NFL seasons as a defensive backs coach (with a one-year break to coordinate the Florida Gators defense). His defense in 2014 ranked 2nd in yards and 3rd in points but fell to 18th and 23rd this season. While you would ordinarily prefer to hire a coach coming off a high point in his career, Austin has serious chops and his schemes would fit in nicely in Tampa. Austin would likely employ a larger nose tackle than Smith/Frazier preferred but what pieces of the defense are currently working could easily be included in his scheme.

Perry Fewell, Washington defensive backs coach
Fewell is currently serving as defensive back's coach for Washington. He was previously the oft-criticized defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from 2010-2014. A year after the mutual decision to depart from the Giants, his former team surrendered an NFL record in passing yardage so perhaps some of the criticism was misplaced. Fewell hasn't led a top 10 defense since his days as a coordinator in Buffalo, but in each of his 5 seasons with the Giants they were top 10 in takeaways. They also won a Super Bowl. Fewell's expertise also happens to be defensive backs, probably the Bucs' weakest unit.

Rocky Seto, Seahawks assistant head coach/defense
Seto holds the title of Assistant Head Coach in Seattle though has never been the defensive coordinator (currently that's Kris Richard). Seto has a unique function in NFL coaching circles: he's in charge of installing defensive points of emphasis during the week. If film study shows a guard/center combo has difficulty picking up stunts, he installs those and runs the corresponding practice sessions. During training camp he's in charge of player development and working with younger players on everything from "hawk-tackling" to press coverage techniques. Seto has been with Pete Carroll his entire career through USC and now Seattle. He passed on a number of coordinator positions in the Pac-12 during his tenure there and is one of the NFL's best-paid non-coordinators. Seto turns 40 in a few months and has never worked for anyone else. If he harbors dreams of becoming an NFL head coach someday, he's going to need to diversify his background at some point.

Mike Smith, former Falcons head coach
The former Atlanta Falcons head coach and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator, Smith has an obvious connection to Dirk Koetter. Smith's record as head coach is well known, including the two horrific last seasons, but out of recent memory Smith took over a Jacksonville defense that finished 18th his first season and ranked in the top 10 each of the next 4 seasons before he got the Atlanta job. Smith mixes and matches his schemes and isn't a purist. While he generally runs a 43 he also mixes in some 34 concepts and looks. Smith's defenses are non-turnover fueled: even when he's had top 10 defenses, he's seldom been top 10 in forcing turnovers.


Jim Schwartz, former Lions head coach
Schwartz intentionally took a year off after turning down several defensive coordinator positions last season. He also turned down the Dolphins midway through this past season as they looked to replace Kevin Coyle. The former Detroit head coach and Buffalo defensive coordinator doesn't just want any job, he's looking for the right one. Schwartz's record shows defenses that were either fantastic or pretty awful with very few in-between seasons. His last year at Buffalo was very successful.

Joe Cullen, Bucs defensive line coach
Koetter could promote from within going with Joe Cullen who's been one of the NFL's better defensive line coaches. In nine years with Detroit, Jacksonville, Cleveland, and Tampa, Cullen has gotten production from some below average talent. Cullen also spent 18 seasons in college football but was a defensive coordinator for only 4 (3 years at Richmond, 1 at Indiana). His defenses played reasonably well but those are not exactly recruiting hot spots. The big elephant in the room with Cullen is his former alcohol dependency issues and resulting erratic behavior. Once someone puts that check mark by your name in a public profession it takes a long time to get it removed. He's been a self-identified member of Alcoholics Anonymous since 2007 and his alcohol issues haven't shown up since then, as far as we know. I don't see superstars in his backgrouond in the NFL, though you do see a good many very average players posting career highs in sacks.

Jim Leavitt, University of Colorado defensive coordinator
Jim Leavitt is a familiar name in the Tampa area as he built the USF program into a respected one from 1996-2009. Leavitt was fired following an investigation into player abuse in the locker room and his next job was as linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers under Jim Harbaugh. A Harbaugh favorite, Leavitt was promptly dismissed at the same time Harbaugh reached his "mutual decision" with the 49ers. Leavitt then took over as defensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes. While 4-9 is nothing to write home about, their defense did show marked improvement this past season: for the first time since 2006 the Buffaloes defense didn't yield 50 points to an opponent and Leavitt had them much better organized in terms of coverage cutting down on explosive plays. His NFL experience may be limited but Leavitt could be an interesting choice should the Bucs decide to think a little outside the box.

Josh Boyer, Patriots cornerbacks coach
Boyer has been a New England secondary coach since 2009, developing players like Kyle Arrignton, Devin McCourty, Logan Ryan, and Malcolm Butler. Boyer originally came to the Patriots as a quality control coach after having been defensive coordinator for the NAIA South Dakota School Of Mines & Technology for the 2005 season. The Hard Knockers went 1-9 and gave up quite a few points though I'm suspecting he's learned quite a bit over the past decade since then. Either he or linebackers coach Patrick Graham would seem to be the next man up if Matt Patricia is hired away on a head coaching job.

Mark Carrier, Bengals defensive backs coach
Carrier is former 10 year NFL safety after being taken in round 1 of the 1990 draft by the Chicago Bears. Since 2004 Carrier has been in coaching and after 2 years at Arizona State has been in the NFL. He started in Baltimore as a defensive backs coach under then coordinator Rex Ryan where his unit finished 2nd in the league in interceptions. He followed Ryan to the New York Jet's where he supervised the defensive line. He followed two years of that up with returning to being a defensive backs coach in Cincinnati. Safety play was his forte as a player and seems to still be as he's got one of the most disciplined NFL tandems. Carrier's paid his dues and worked with two of the best defensive minds in the business, if a coordinator position doesn't happen for him this off-season it likely will soon.

Kevin Ross, Cardinals cornerbacks coach
Ross was a team captain at Temple many moons ago under then head coach Bruce Arians. Ross went onto play 13 season as a cornerback in the NFL and after retiring got a position as an assistant with the Minnesota Vikings. He shifted to San Diego after two seasons where he helped the Chargers lead the NFL in interceptions for the first time in their history. Following a Chargers 2009 house cleaning Ross was let go and coached in the UFL for a season and simultaneously with the Oakland Raiders. Ross spent two seasons coaching Oakland's safeties before Arians was hired in Arizona and invited Ross to join him. Ross has had plenty of talent to work with in Arizona but that doesn't diminish his recent achievements and in many ways you have to credit him for finding new and invasive uses for Tyrann Mathieu.


Potential Buccaneers defensive coordinator candidates, if they hire Dirk Koetter

 

[Newzz]

PewterReport.com’s 2016 Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft
by Scott Reynolds - Publisher  17 comments January 11, 2016 3:50 pm

PewterReport.com projects Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah to be the Bucs' first-round pick in its initial mock draft – Photo by: Getty Images

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After spending all but one pick on the offensive side of the ball over the past years, Bucs general manager Jason Licht knows he must address the defensive side where the secondary needs to be overhauled and a couple of pass-rushing defensive linemen are needed. Armed with the ninth overall pick – Tampa Bay’s fourth top 10 pick in the last five years – Licht will likely use it on an edge rusher or a top-flight cover cornerback.

What makes this initial mock draft difficult is that Lovie Smith was fired after a disappointing 6-10 season that capped off a dismal two-year stint in which Smith went 8-24. Licht is heading up the head-coaching search for the Glazers with Arizona offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin, Carolina defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter as the leading candidates. Goodwin and McDermott have already interviewed, and Koetter has reportedly interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers for their vacant head-coaching position.

With a defensive-laden draft class coming within the next few months, it will be interesting to see who exactly will be running the Bucs defense as Smith and Leslie Frazier, who was also dismissed, coordinated that side of the ball in Tampa Bay the past two years. If the Bucs stay with a 4-3 defensive scheme, the players listed in PewterReport.com’s first mock draft of the year will fit. However, if a new coach comes in wanting to run a 3-4 scheme, expect some wholesale changes in PewterReport.com’s next mock draft, which will be following the Senior Bowl later in January.

Here is PewterReport.com’s initial round-by-round draft projection in 2016 that focuses mostly on improving Tampa Bay’s defense.


PEWTERREPORT.COM’S 2016 BUCS’ 7-ROUND MOCK DRAFT


ROUND 1 – Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah – 6-3, 275 – Junior
Tampa Bay needs a premier defensive end and a shutdown cornerback, but with Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey and Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III likely off the board before the ninth overall pick, the Bucs will likely have to wait until the second round to address their secondary and go after a pass rusher in the first round. Ogbah is a strong, quick, athletic defensive end, whose best years may be in front of him in the NFL.

Ogbah has improved every year and has worked hard to become a first-rounder. After notching four sacks as a freshman, Ogbah burst onto the national scene in the 2014 season opening loss to Florida State, sacking Jameis Winston twice and notching six tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups. He went on to record 49 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and a forced fumble during his sophomore year.

As a junior, Ogbah produced 13 sacks and recorded at least half a sack in every game except for two in 2015. He also amassed 64 tackles, which shows his strength against the run, in addition to 17.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Ogbah’s 28 sacks over the past three years make him one of the most productive junior pass rushers in college football and he had six multiple-sack games for the Cowboys.

Ogbah isn’t the svelte, track star-style defensive end like former Bucs defensive end Simeon Rice. Instead, his game and body type are more like NFC South rivals Charles Johnson (Carolina) and Cameron Jordan (New Orleans), who each have multiple double-digit sack seasons in their respective careers. Ogbah has experience playing from both the left and right defensive end positions, and he’s also been an interior nickel rusher for Oklahoma State. He’s probably best suited to start off at right defensive end, but has the ability and flexibility to play either side. It might take a year or two, but Bucs defensive line coach Joe Cullen can get Ogbah to become the long-awaited double-digit sacker Tampa Bay has been searching for.




ROUND 2 – Houston CB William Jackson III – 6-1, 195 – Senior
The Bucs address another need by drafting Jackson III, a playmaking cornerback out of Houston. Jackson III is a big cornerback, who plays big in pass coverage, notching eight interceptions and 40 pass breakups in his three years with the Cougars. As a senior, Jackson was instrumental in leading Houston to the All-American Conference championship and a Peach Bowl win over Florida State where he had a career-high 10 tackles, two interceptions and two passes defensed.

Jackson had two pick-sixes during his senior season, and also had three games in which he had three pass breakups or more. In the AAC Championship Game against Temple, Jackson set a new school record with seven pass breakups in a single game. Jackson also recorded a 96-yard touchdown on his first career interception, which came against Texas-San Antonio as a sophomore in 2013.

Tampa Bay will have a new defensive play-caller, who might have a preference for a certain type of cornerback. Yet big cornerbacks that can cover are all the rage in the NFL these days from a match-up perspective, and Jackson has gone against some of the better receivers in the country, including Rutgers’ Leonte Carroo, Louisville’s DaVante Parker, Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews, Tulsa’s Keyarris Garrett and UCF’s Breshard Perriman over the past two years, especially. While he is not a track star, Jackson is full of confidence and ball skills and figures to be a solid second-round pick.




ROUND 3 – West Virginia SS Karl Joseph – 5-11, 197 – Senior
The Bucs continue to upgrade the talent in their secondary in the third round with Joseph, who was a four-year starter for the Mountaineers until suffering a season-ending knee injury in October during a non-contract drill in practice. Joseph had notched 15 tackles and five interceptions in the first five games of the 2015 season before the injury, which required surgery and will likely keep him out of action until his pro day before the 2016 NFL Draft.

Before the injury, Joseph was one of the most intimidating, hard-hitting, playmaking safeties in the country, notching nine interceptions, forcing eight fumbles and scoring two defensive touchdowns for West Virginia. The Orlando native’s size resembles that of Pro Bowlers’ Eric Berry and Earl Thomas, but he hits like a heat-seeking missile. It will be interesting to see where his draft stock is coming off knee surgery, as he has not yet been cleared to workout. Presently, there is no indication whether or not any portion of his rookie season would be in jeopardy.

Tampa Bay’s safeties have only notched six interceptions over the past two years, which isn’t good enough. The Bucs secondary needs another playmaker with good ball skills and Joseph is that guy if he can return to his pre-injury form. He showed at West Virginia that he could step in and start right away, and if he’s healthy enough during training camp there’s no reason to believe he isn’t capable of starting as a rookie in the NFL, either.




ROUND 4 – Colorado State WR Rashard Higgins – 6-2, 188 – Junior
The Buccaneers like Notre Dame speedy wide receiver Will Fuller, who is a real vertical threat, but with pressing needs at defensive end and in the secondary, burning a second-round pick on a wide receiver is something general manager Jason Licht doesn’t want to do. But the fourth round is a different story, and Higgins, whose speed and skinny frame resemble that of Fuller, might be a good option.

Higgins had a great freshman season, catching 68 passes for 837 yards and six touchdowns before a breakout year as a sophomore with 96 catches for 1,750 yards, 17 touchdowns and an 18.2-yards per catch average. Higgins and Garrett Grayson, who was a mid-round by the New Orleans Saints in 2015, had a great connection, and Higgins’ production declined when Grayson graduated. Higgins caught 75 passes for 1,062 yards and eight scores in 2015, but is leaving school early with 18 games of 100 yards or more.

Higgins is a proven depth threat, proving he could get behind the defense with seven catches of 50 yards or more as a sophomore, but didn’t have the opportunity to have any last year without Grayson throwing him the ball. Higgins is also adept at catching crossing routes and getting yards after catch on bubble screens. His speed make a nice complement to Mike Evans’ size in Tampa Bay, and the Bucs will need an eventual replacement for Vincent Jackson in the starting lineup.




ROUND 5 – Penn State DL Anthony Zettel – 6-4, 278 – Senior
Zettel is a tremendously quick athletic with a great get off that would fit nicely on Joe Cullen’s defensive line in Tampa Bay. Zettel played nose tackle, three technique and defensive end at Penn State and is capable of playing inside or outside for the Buccaneers due to his lightning-fast first step and ability to penetrate the line of scrimmage.

Zettel had 19 career sacks for the Nittany Lions, including eight in a breakout year in 2014. Zettel used ultra-quick hands that he developed from years of martial arts training to sack the likes of Michigan’s Connor Cook and Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett among others. He has tremendous hand-eye coordination and picked off four passes at Penn State, including three as a junior – one of which was returned for a touchdown. Although he didn’t record an INT in 2015, he did have six pass breakups at the line of scrimmage.

Zettel may not be fast enough to start at defensive end for Tampa Bay, but he could get a look there to prove whether he could. At the very least, he could be a very productive swing defensive lineman playing inside and out like the kind the Bucs have had in the past with Tyoka Jackson, Ellis Wyms and Will Gholston. Getting a productive player with Zettel’s motor in the fifth round would be a quite a steal.




ROUND 6 – Alabama CB Cyrus Jones – 5-10, 195 – Senior
The Bucs come back and address the cornerback position once again in the 2016 NFL Draft, this time on Day 3 with Jones, who is a developmental prospect on defense and an instant force on special teams in the return game. Jones became a starter for the Crimson Tide defense during his sophomore season where he recorded the first two of his seven career interceptions.

As a junior, Jones notched 46 tackles, 13 passes defensed, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown before posting 32 tackles, two picks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2015 as a senior. Some of Jones’ interceptions have come in big games, including one in the 2014 college playoffs against Ohio State’s Cardale Jones and one in this year’s playoff game against Michigan State’s Connor Cook. His first pick was against Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Having to defend the likes of Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews, Ole Miss’ Laquan Treadwell, LSU’s Travin Durrell and other talented receivers in the SEC, Jones is quite battle-tested.

The real appeal with Jones initially would come on special teams where his four punt returns for touchdowns lead the nation. Jones has a 12.6-yard average returning punts, and the return game is one of the areas that the Buccaneers desperately want to improve this offseason. Drafting a physical, developmental cornerback with the ability to return punts makes sense in the sixth round for Tampa Bay.




ROUND 6 (from Washington) – Texas Tech WR Jakeem Grant – 5-6, 168 – Senior
Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht steals a page out of the playbook of his good friends – Arizona G.M. Steve Keim and head coach Bruce Arians – and drafts a small, shifty speed receiver to bring explosive plays to both the Bucs’ offense and special teams in Grant. Most NFL teams would overlook Grant’s diminutive frame, but the Cardinals drafted 5-foot-10, 160-pound wide receiver J.J. Nelson out of UAB last year and he has a pair of touchdowns during his rookie season.

Grant, who could be the next Darren Sproles in the NFL, was an ultra-productive receiver at Texas Tech where he caught 254 passes for 3,286 yards and 27 touchdowns, including 90 catches for 1,268 yards and 10 scores as a senior. Grant resembled St. Louis’ Tavon Austin by routinely made defenders look silly with his ability to start and stop on a dime. He has the speed to go deep and the shiftiness to work inside at the slot receiver position and pick up first downs on wide receiver screens.

Grant is also an electrifying kick returner with four touchdowns in his college career – two as a freshman and two as a senior. He may seem like a luxury pick and an NFL long shot given his lack of ideal size, but the same thing was said about Sproles, who has mad the Pro Bowl in each of his last two years. If Dirk Koetter is still calling plays in Tampa Bay in 2016, he could have a lot of fun with the explosive Grant on offense.




PewterReport.com’s 2016 Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft | Pewter Report

 

[holidayinn21]

I think 0, because he knows it much easier to win and make big money in College vs the NFL

I agree. Plus you know he's gonna ask for more control over Licht. That ain't gonna happen, nor should it.