It’s been quite an offseason but here goes. This Buccaneer fans cannot be more pleased with every move since and definitely including the firing of Lovie Smith. The subsequent hiring of Dirk Koetter was the only HC out there that made sense given the progress on offense and especially the play of our rookie gem of a QB Jameis Winston. Continuity on the offensive side of the ball is paramount and we got that. The return of the entire offense including the resigning of Doug Martin at fair market value bodes well for the young Buccaneers. One only has to look at last year’s offense to see that. Fans can easily forget how that before last season began the Buccaneer OL was seen as a major weak link. Thanks to the addition of rookies Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith it turned out to be a strength. Suddenly Martin and Charles Smith could run the ball and Jameis had options and open men downfield. Over 4,000 passing yards in his rookie year proves that.Lovie’s defense, and it was definitely Lovie’s defense, was another story. In his second season the defense just got worse and worse. He took over the defensive play calling and it got worse still. The secondary could not stop the slant pass despite Lovie’s insisting over and over again that it could be and would be fixed. Not. Anyway the total fail to end the season ended his stay here and few Buccaneer fans could argue he had to go. The defense. Bring in Mike Smith! Lessons learned by over spending in FA, Jason Licht signed three veterans who will immediately improve the team. Robert Ayers brings nine sacks from the Giants and will play a lot of downs in the DL rotation. Brent Grimes plays young, fast and aggressive CB and bring attitude. Obviously Mike Smith is familiar with him and will play him to his strengths. Underrated IMO is the Daryl Smith acquisition at LB. A player Smith coached in Baltimore and a veteran who will contribute to this young team on and off the field.The draft? I love what Jason does here. The Buccaneers get the players they want and they do it without fear. The one two punch of getting Vernon Hargreaves and Noah Smith was brilliant IMO. Many, me included, wanted to draft Spence in round one! The thinking was greater need though many saw him as the best pure pass rusher in the entire draft, including Joey Bosa. Well, the truth was the draft was deeper at DL than it was at CB and this way, Jason Licht’s way, the Buccaneers came away with both! Not only did he pull that off but in trading down a couple of spots in the first the Buccaneers got the ammo to go out and get Roberto Aguayo, only the best kicker in college history.But why a kicker? Clearly because Jason knew the importance of having a great kicker from his time in New England. He MAY have noticed how many close games, including playoff games, were won on the leg of Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski? Is it risky? Hell, drafting any player is risky but Jason and the Buccaneers wanted this kid and got him. I’m not only happy about it, I’m believe games will be won on his leg immediately. Aguayo’s confidence, his life story and on the field tunnel vision towards the goalposts will pay off big IMO. He WILL put points on the board and have a lot to say about field position at kickoff time. More than a backup safety and special team’s player? Yes, I think so.So far? Three blue chip players who will contribute right away. I’m not a draft guru, certainly not an “expert” and I don’t watch enough college games to comment on the rest of the draft class. But do I have confidence in the choices made by the current Buccaneer front office? Hell yes I do! Watching four future Pro-Bowlers get drafted last winter and play gives me plenty of confidence.In closing I just want to type that going and reading the Red Board after the first and second days of this year’s draft was more than disappointing. It was disgusting. Literally disgusting. The combination of whining, crying, name calling and out and out stupidity made me wonder about the validity of their even being Buccaneer fans. I’ve been around for quite a while, since year one of the Hey Hey Tampa Bay Buccaneers (yes, the somewhat old fashioned fight song) and I’ve seen a lot of bad years. The Buccaneers will never each .500 in total wins and losses in my lifetime. Terrible coaches, players that could never make a practice squad today starting and failing miserably. I KNOW bad! Guys, this teams is NOT BAD! Reading the garbage on the Red Board would have you thinking following the Bucs, going to see them play, was a hopeless waste of time. Those clowns seem to literally hate this team and everything about it. I don’t. Not only do I love following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but I really love winning. And with good coaching (forgot to mention the excellent hires of Jay Hayes, Jon Hoke and Brett Maxie on defense), good health and the continuing development of Jameis Winston and his young teammates this team WILL be winning soon, as soon as this coming season IMO. Call me a fan if it sounds optimistic. But at least I’m a smart and loyal fan, the real deal. Let’s make this a grown up board. About football and the Buccaneers, about the players and coaches who are busting their behinds to make as all proud to be fans.Thanks and a hat tip!JG
