The Buccaneers waved off countless trade chances
It was an unusual thing down in Tampa Bay. By 2014 it was clear that new head coach Lovie Smith wasn’t interested in using Mike Glennon as a starter. Holding the #1 pick in the subsequent 2015 NFL draft, everybody knew they’d go for a quarterback. That meant Glennon, who was 25 would be a prime candidate for trade. Yet the Buccaneers refused to pull the trigger. This despite constant rumors that teams were interested in a deal.
Later GM Jason Licht discussed the trade talk, and one quote revealed that he still thought highly of Glennon. So highly in fact that he was willing to keep him as a top backup even at the cost of missing out on potential draft picks in return.
“At some point we’re going to make a decision whether or not we’re going to keep him. He’s a super asset for us now. And when I say keep him, keep him now — try to keep him long-term, extend him for a couple years. Having a backup quarterback that we think has starting ability is a huge asset for us.”
What makes this more interesting is the fact that Smith was fired after just two seasons in Tampa Bay. This would indicate he and Licht weren’t on the same page. Could one of the issues have been Smith’s handling of Glennon? Looking back it’s fair to wonder.
