The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the No. 1 overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft and therefore have the option to select anyone at any position they wish next month.
While most people would bet on the fact the Bucs will choose between quarterbacks Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota, head coach Lovie Smith indicated the team is looking beyond quarterback, sharing these comments while attending the NFL’s Annual Meeting, according to NFL.com:
I just know I can see why people would assume that we are going to take a quarterback. They’re two excellent quarterbacks that are available at the top. And when you get a chance to draft someone like that most of the time people do. But there are other good players in the draft also. I think it’s a deep draft.
Nabbing one of the top quarterback prospects makes perfect sense since the team released Josh McCown, who was last year’s season-opening starter. However, quarterback Mike Glennon is still in the picture and Smith did have this to say about their current signal-caller.
We have a good quarterback we feel like, Mike Glennon, on our roster right now. We realize that they’re two excellent quarterbacks out there. We’re kind of going through the process right now. We’re trying to improve our ball club.
While Smith appears to want everyone to believe the team may be explore different avenues when it comes to exercising their first pick, it still would be surprising if Winston’s or Mariota’s name is not called by the Buccaneers come April 30. For a team that has won only six games over the past two seasons, the ailing team is in dire need of a shake up at the quarterback position.
Photo: USA Today