Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski talked about the organization’s 0-3 start and quarterback situation. Gronkowski joined the Buccaneers alongside future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, where both won a Super Bowl title with the franchise. They are familiar with the structure of Tampa Bay’s organization especially with so much of the same staff currently around. When asked about the current state of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gronkowski defended them but also provided caution.
On the team’s chances, he said, “Yeah, they can [stay afloat]. You don’t know what they’re going to have with Jalon Daniels, but they have enough weapons around them where they can create a playbook to get things going. They really could. They got to get the run game going as well. That’s where it all starts in football when your team isn’t playing so well. It’s going to be tough, though. This guy is a rookie, undrafted free agent, but who knows what he has in the tank, and who knows what we’re going to see because no one’s ever seen this guy play in the NFL before.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Jalon Daniels has emerged quickly onto the scene. When the Buccaneers signed him as an undrafted free agent, Daniel had to compete against veteran quarterback Jake Browning. He easily won the competition, showcasing his poise in the NFL Preseason. That is incredibly impressive for even some drafted rookie NFL quarterbacks. The Buccaneers could have something with Daniels, and he could help the organization get back on track.
Rob Gronkowski Gives Optimism for Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Situation
Even prior to Baker Mayfield’s injury against the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seemed in despair. Gronkowski believes that the atmosphere around the locker room is lacking right now. There does not seem to be much belief in each other.
He said, “They have it, they just can’t put it together. I feel like the culture just isn’t there in the Buccaneers organization right now. Everyone’s getting blamed — the head coach, they’re blaming problems on Baker, they’re blaming problems on the playmakers. So everyone’s getting blamed.”
The Buccaneers have quality weapons throughout their roster, and this team has been successful with this group before. Mayfield’s level of play was unacceptable for a quarterback who just received a significant financial commitment from Tampa Bay. The coaching staff will have to build a quality gameplan around Daniels so he has a proper debut given the tough circumstances.
How Will The Buccaneers Overcome Their 0-3 Start?
In terms of solutions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to find one very quickly or else there could be drastic changes in the middle of the season. Head coach Todd Bowles already entered this season on the hot seat, and a failure to reverse the tides could lead to him being fired midseason. Gronkowski believes that someone needs to become a leader and take control of the team.
He said, “Nothing’s clicking over there. I would say no one’s taking over. Someone has to take over and step up. Whoever it is — the head coach, Baker, a wide receiver — they’re also just hurting themselves too much. When they do create a big play, they get a penalty, and it gets called back. But overall, the culture just isn’t a winning culture right now in the Buccaneers organization.”
With the struggles of Mayfield, the unknown of Daniels could provide some hope as a quick remedy. Obviously, Daniels may not become the quarterback of the future in Tampa Bay, but a positive shift in play for the Buccaneers could at least give Daniels the reigns in the short term. If Mayfield needs time to recover, he should not get in the way of Daniels only given the Buccaneers potentially winning games again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Receives Hope From Rob Gronkowski