Bruce Arians, who became known as the “Quarterback Whisperer” for his development of Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck, will abruptly retire as coach in late March 2022 and lead the Bucks to Todd. – Handed over to Bowles. After admitting he looked over Bowles’ shoulder too much that year, Arians left One Buccaneer Place in 2023 to avoid interfering with Tampa Bay’s head coach and his staff.
But just because he has essentially stepped away from his day job and is living in Lake Oconee, Georgia, doesn’t mean his attachment to the Alien Bucks has been completely severed. He still has weekly phone calls and watches film with general manager Jason Licht. Arians envisions his role with the Bucks in 2024 to be a long-distance advisor, similar to what he had a year ago.
“It’s probably going to be similar to this year,” Bruce Arians told Pewter Report. “In 2022, I thought it was too much. I was going to practice every day. I have to stop doing that. I don’t think it was fair to Todd. I stepped down this year and basically Just communicating with Jason every week, scouting the quarterback a little bit and giving him my opinion and my opinion on where we are and what we’re doing.”
The “those quarterbacks” Arians is referring to is the quarterback-rich class in the 2024 draft, with up to six passers drafted in the first round and possibly at the end of Day 2. Up to eight QBs could be selected by now.
“I think it’s probably the best thing I’ve seen in 10 years,” Arians said. 2024 QB draft class. “There are really different types of quality players. Tape tells you a few things. To put a stamp on them, you have to bring them into a room, really put them on the board, and put them in a personal environment. So I needed to know a little bit better. But in terms of talent, I don’t know if we haven’t seen a quarterback come along in a while who can pass, a guy who can really throw the football.”
Bruce Arians says 2024 QB draft class should be the best class
USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are expected to be the first two quarterbacks taken off draft boards in late April, followed by LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner Jaden Daniels. could finish in the top 10, possibly third overall.And three other QBs are in contention. First round status, That includes Oregon’s Bo Nix, Washington State’s Michael Penix Jr., a Tampa native, and Michigan’s JJ McCarthy, fresh off the Wolverines’ national championship win.
USC QB Caleb Williams – Photo courtesy of USA Today
The legendary QB from a decade ago that Bruce Arians was probably referring to was the 2012 draft class, which drafted 11 QBs overall. Andrew Luck, who Arians coached, was selected No. 1 overall by Indianapolis, followed by Washington selecting Robert Griffin III with the next pick. Miami drafted Ryan Tannehill with the eighth overall pick, while Cleveland made the mistake of taking Brandon Weeden with the 22nd overall pick. Seattle selected Russell Wilson in the third round, Philadelphia selected Nick Foles in the third round, and Washington selected Kirk Cousins in the fourth round.
The draft with the most QBs in recent years was 2016, with 15 draft picks selected that year. The most notable were Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams), Carson Wentz (Philadelphia), and Dak Prescott (Dallas), as well as several others who quickly flamed out.
Five QBs were selected in the first round in 2018 and were among 13 QBs selected overall that year. Baker Mayfield (Cleveland), Sam Darnold (New York Jets), Josh Allen (Buffalo), Josh Rosen (Arizona) and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) were the signal callers selected in the first round. .
The 2020 draft class includes Joe Burrow (Cincinnati), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami), Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), Jordan Love (Green Bay), and Jalen Hurts in the first round. He is becoming a good player in the back position. (Philadelphia) 2nd round. A total of 13 QBs were selected that year.
Of the 10 quarterbacks drafted in 2021, five were selected in the first round, including Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville), Zach Wilson (New York Jets), and Trey Lance (San Francisco), the first Justin Fields (Chicago) followed with the third pick. The next quarterback selected was Kyle Trask, selected 64th overall by Tampa Bay.
The Bucs still have Kyle Trask, but will they draft another QB in 2024?
Bucs QB Kyle Trask and former head coach Bruce Arians – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Bruce Arians said the Bucs aren’t giving up on backup quarterback Kyle Trask, who is in a contract year but has played in just a few regular-season games since coming to Tampa Bay.
“I don’t know if there’s a harder worker than Kyle,” Arians said. “He’s gotten better every time he’s been here. I have all the confidence in the world, and I think all the coaches do too, that if he was forced in there now, I mean he’s going to be fully ready to play. He’s very sharp mentally. He’s accurate. He’s got everything we thought he had. . That opportunity is something he hasn’t had yet. I’ve been very, very impressed with his growth this year. I think Thad Lewis has done a great job with him.”
The NFL is all about having the right quarterback. Look no further than the emerging mini-dynasty in Kansas City that traded up for Patrick Mahomes with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft. Mahomes and the Chiefs just won their third Super Bowl in five years. Mahomes has already appeared in four Super Bowls in his short NFL career, including a 31-9 loss to Arians and the Bucs in Tampa in 2020.
Arians said the more Mahomes wins, the better Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV win over Kansas City will look.
Former Bucs head coach Bruce Arians and GM Jason Richt – Photo courtesy of USA Today
“I think it’s starting to get noticed a little bit that we were a pretty good football team that year. We take a lot of pride in that, especially the way we played,” Arians said. “I’m watching [Super Bowl LVIII]I thought it would be a repeat of the same thing, but “Frisco just couldn’t score in the end zone.”
The Bucs intend to re-sign Mayfield to remain the team’s immediate starter, but will Tampa Bay continue to use Trask as a potential successor in the future? Or will the Bucs fall in love with one of the 15 or so QBs in the 2024 class scheduled to be drafted this year?
General manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles will ultimately make that decision in just over two months, but they hope they’ll get some advice from “quarterback whisperer” Bruce Arians. I’m sure you’ll get it.
