Lovie Smith has last word on Tampa Bay Buccaneers personnel decisions on final 53-man roster
Lovie Smith reacts to play against the Detroit Lions during 2nd Half of a game at Ford Field. Bears won 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the perfect hire when they brought Lovie Smith on board to replace Greg Schiano, and they went from having the airplane earbuds to the Bose stereo headphones of head coaches. Smith’s experience, ability to work well with players, defensive prowess, and past success with the Chicago Bears made him the perfect candidate for the Buccaneers, and he is going to instill a level of credibility into the organization that the Bucs have lacked for a long time. The Buccaneers knew that Smith was the perfect guy for them and threw the house at him, and they quickly hired him (this wasn’t hard, since Smith had a lot of interest in joining the team.
There is little doubt that Smith will have a lot of power in the organization, and I’m sure that was one reason why both sides wanted to get a deal done. I’m sure it’s also one reason why the Buccaneers decided to can GM Mark Dominik along with Schiano, and firing Dominik gave the Bucs the flexibility to give Smith big-time power.
Big-time power like giving him the final say on roster moves. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the language in Smith’s contract allows him to have the final say on all the Buccaneers personnel decisions relating to the team’s 53-man roster. It’s a somewhat vague statement, but I would presume that Smith is allowed to pick the groceries when it comes to free agency and the draft but doesn’t hold as much power. Or is this part of the “final 53-man roster”? Either way, it’s a sign that the Bucs are indeed all-in on this guy.