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Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to find a new voice

By George Stockburger

NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 20, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - SEPTEMBER 20: Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 20, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Something has to change for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After dropping to 3-4 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in one of the worst places to be as a professional sports team. They’re not the worst, but they’re not contending for anything this season.

That’s where the Buccaneers have been for the last 14 years, which is also the last time they won a playoff game. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2007 and their last playoff win came in the Super Bowl with Jon Gruden at the helm.

Tampa Bay took another step back this week when Jameis Winston, a former number one pick, threw four interceptions and was benched in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Winston certainly hasn’t been the savior of the Buccaneers franchise like many hoped when he came out of Florida State. In 48 career games he’s turned the ball over 71 times, averaging an interception per game.

CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 28: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stands in the bench area after being replaced against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 28: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stands in the bench area after being replaced against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The former Seminole star is in the final guaranteed year of his contract and the Buccaneers have a major decision to make. They can let him walk and receive a compensatory pick in the 2020 NFL Draft (likely a third round pick) or hold onto him with a $21 million option.

Would the Buccaneers give up on Winston after four seasons, three of which have been under head coach Dirk Koetter?

Perhaps it’s time to give Winston a new voice in his ear and get a coaching staff that can pull that Florida State magic out of him.

Koetter is 17-22 and has never won more than nine games as the Buccaneers head coach.

Instead of hitting the reset button at quarterback, should the Buccaneers follow the Philadelphia Eagles model of hiring a former quarterback as their head coach? Could they follow the Ram’s model of hiring a young guru who knows how to put a quarterback in the right position to win?

NFL teams are following what the Eagles and Rams have done by hiring Doug Pederson and Sean McVay.

Frank Reich, hired by the Colts was the former NFL quarterback who learned behind Jim Kelly while Matt Nagy was the young guru who learned under Andy Reid.

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If the Buccaneers were to move on from Winston, there’s no immediate upgrade available in free agency or the NFL Draft. Teddy Bridgewater and Tyrod Taylor would be the best free agents and the Bucs are likely out of position to draft Justin Herbert out of Oregon.

Any quarterback after Herbert has a major question mark as to whether they can be successful quarterbacks for the next decade.

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At this moment, the best option for Tampa Bay might be to fire Koetter and try one more year with Winston. If Winston doesn’t improve with a new head coach whose primary goal is to better the quarterback, then the Bucs will likely be in a position to draft a young quarterback in 2020, potentially Tua Tagovailoa.

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