The NFL never rests. With the NFL season now over, and ending with the most disappointing Super Bowl I have ever watched, it’s time to start talking about free agency and the upcoming draft. One rumor floating around the sports world is that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick may be going to the New York Jets or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While it’s just speculation, I want to be clear: this would be a bad move for Tampa.
Just Say “No” to Michael Vick Coming to Tampa
It seems that today, every NFL team wants a dual threat QB. You watch players like Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Jake Locker, Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, Terrelle Pryor, E.J. Manuel and Russell Wilson starting around the league. What do all these QB’s have in common? In addition to being able to both pass and throw, they are also young. Michael Vick is not. He’s no longer the fastest player on the field, not even close, and his last few seasons seem to indicate that he has also become injury prone.
Michael Vick is 33 years old. Obviously he wouldn’t be the QB of the future, but rather a placeholder until the Bucs find a young franchise QB. With that said, the amount of physical abuse Vick’s body has taken over the years and his inability to play an entire season is something a team cannot overlook. Vick has suffered from shoulder, hamstring, knee, groin , quadriceps, rib, hand, finger, concussion injuries over his time in the NFL, and has only played an entire 16-game schedule once in his career. Honestly, for his long-term health I don’t think Michael Vick should be a starting QB anymore, having suffered too many concussions.
I think it’s clear that Michael Vick is not worth the risk anymore as a result of his injuries. His inconsistency as a pocket passer and questionable decision making, make him an even higher risk, potentially high reward, quarterback. I’m just convinced the chance to reap a reward is not even close to being worth the risk. I’m not saying Mike Glennon is a franchise quarterback who the Bucs can just plug into the lineup for the next ten years – not by a long shot. But I do believe that Glennon is the Bucs best option at the moment. That is unless the team is planning to draft a QB high on the board, which I don’t think is the case. The Bucs have many needs and, with Lovie Smith as the new head coach in Tampa, it’s reasonable to assume the Bucs will try and address the problems with the defense first. Most notably the lack of a pass rush needs to be handled properly.
I think the Bucs need to improve their receiving core before starting another quarterback battle. Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams are great when healthy, but the Bucs need more depth at receiver, specifically a slot receiver. They also need more depth at TE. Tim Wright is a great young player who has developed great chemistry with Glennon, but another TE is needed to act as a safety valve for a young QB such as Glennon. I am very anxious to see what new Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford will do. Without adding new weapons on offense, I don’t see the changes Tedford makes to the offensive playbook mattering much at all.
I’m still optimistic, yet realistic, about next season. The Bucs should be very active during free agency. But taking chances on players like Michael Vick who are unlikely to remain healthy for the duration of the season is irresponsible. I think the Glazers are taking the team more seriously, and with the hiring of Lovie Smith and the money they’ve spent in the last few off seasons, I think it’s fair to say the Glazers are committed to doing what’s in the teams best interest. #ItsABucsLife
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