FAB 3. QUESTIONS ABOUND FOR BUCS’ BACKUP QB SPOT
While the Bucs didn’t draft a cornerback or a defensive end, it’s not like the cupboard is bare at those positions.

Tampa Bay will start Brent Grimes and last year’s first-round pick, Vernon Hargreaves, on the outside with Ryan Smith around for depth, and newcomer Robert McClain will challenge Jude Adjei-Barimah and Javien Elliott at nickel cornerback. That’s six cornerbacks right there, not including special teams ace Josh Robinson.

Will Gholston was re-signed this offseason, and the Bucs are expecting pass rusher Jacquies Smith back at full speed after missing last year with a torn ACL in the season opener. Add in veteran Robert Ayers, Jr. and second-year pass rusher Noah Spence and the Bucs have four solid defensive ends.

Bucs QBs Ryan Griffin & Jameis Winston and former Bucs QB Mike Glennon – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs can get by this year with the cornerbacks and defensive ends they have on the roster this year, but will address those areas next offseason in free agency and the draft. But two positions that pose questions entering the 2017 campaign are the backup quarterback position and running back, especially with Doug Martin’s three-game suspension to start the season.

Understanding the importance of talented depth at the quarterback position, Licht was poised to make Mike Glennon, the team’s No. 2 quarterback the last three years, the highest paid backup in the league. Licht didn’t reveal how much he offered Glennon, but it’s safe to suggest it was upwards of $7 million per season. Glennon went on to sign a three-year deal with Chicago that will pay him $16 million this season between his $8 million base salary, $5 million roster bonus and $3 million signing bonus.

I probed Licht about life after Glennon in Tampa Bay where the Bucs have two unproven commodities in Ryan Griffin and Sean Renfree – neither has taken a snap in an NFL regular season game. Griffin has been the Bucs’ third-string quarterback the last two seasons, while Renfree has experience in Dirk Koetter’s scheme from his days in Atlanta.

“They haven’t played in the league, so no one knows. There’s an unknown factor,” Licht said. “We like them out here [on the practice field]. I think it’s going to be a really good competition to be honest with you. There are a lot of teams right now that are unsettled with their starter. We are pretty settled with our starter.

“You never know about backups until they have to play. We may have something here right now on our roster that becomes the next Mike Glennon. You don’t know.”

Bucs QB Ryan Griffin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Without mentioning the names Ryan Fitzpatrick or Colin Kaepernick, who completed 47 percent of his passes, was sacked four times, fumbled twice and threw a pick against Tampa Bay in a 34-17 Bucs victory in San Francisco last year, Licht said he was going with the younger quarterbacks – for now.

“Sometimes the guy that you don’t know that hasn’t proven himself as a starter may be better than the guy that you do know that’s out there that’s available that hasn’t won. I’m not singling anybody out. We like to develop here and our coaches like to develop. We feel really good about the trajectory that both of these guys are on right now. They just need an opportunity.

“Last year I felt that Ryan Griffin played a little bit better than Mike Glennon did in the preseason [except for the Washington game with the rain]. You get these guys in with the twos and see what they can do. You get them in there with the starters – I don’t know if we’ll do that – but I’m sure we’ll have some of the starters in there when they play [in the preseason]. We’ll see what happens.”

But what if neither Griffin nor Renfree rise to the occasion and look no better than a developmental third-string quarterback rather than a solid backup quarterback that is capable of winning games? The Bucs have been fortunate that Winston has been healthy for two years and hasn’t missed a game.

If Winston goes down for two or three games and the Bucs have no chance of winning with an unproven Griffin or Renfree it could cost Tampa Bay the season and a chance to make the playoffs.

Is a player like Fitzpatrick better suited to come in and win a critical game or two? I felt that Glennon could come in and win a game or two.

Former Bucs QB Mike Glennon – Photo by: Getty Images

New England’s legendary head coach, Bill Belichick, has always made sure that the Patriots went into the season with a capable backup for Tom Brady. When Brady missed the 2008 season with a knee injury in the season opener Matt Cassell came in and won 11 games. The last few years Brady has had Jimmy Garappolo as his backup and he won two games during Brady’s suspension to start the season before giving way to Jacoby Brissett, who was drafted last year knowing that Brady would miss the first four games of 2016. Brissett won a game for the Patriots last year en route to their Super Bowl championship season.

That’s called being prepared.

That’s the kind of preparedness the Bucs did have with Glennon and Griffin the last two years, but it might take a year for Licht to truly upgrade Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback position unless Griffin or Renfree step up in camp, or Licht sees the value in reaching out to Fitzpatrick or another veteran quarterback that has actually played a down in the NFL.

Now it’s on to Licht’s discussion about the Bucs’ backfield, and Tampa Bay’s current stable of running backs.