After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the team garnered the attention of critics that viewed Winston as the league’s next foreseeable bust. With the NFL season at its midway point, Winston has showcased a considerable amount of potential, as the 21-year old has helped the Buccaneers to a 3-5 record, surpassing the team’s mark of 2-14 last season.
With Winston seemingly securing his status as the team’s future, NFL general managers are beginning to set their sights on the team’s backup in former NC State standout Mike Glennon. Glennon was drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round (73rd overall pick) in the 2013 NFL Draft.
After starting the 2013 season at 0-3 under quarterback Josh Freeman, rookie Glennon was given his first opportunity to start in a Week 4 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Glennon finished the season as the Buccaneers’ starter, as the team finished 4-12 on the season with Glennon holding a 4-9 record as the starter.
Despite the Buccaneers’ disappointing season, Glennon received praise from the Pro Football Writers Association, who named the young quarterback to its All-Rookie Team. In addition, Glennon set an NFL rookie record by scoring a touchdown in 11 of his first 13 starts at quarterback.
Nevertheless, Glennon’s future came into question in 2014 when new head coach Lovie Smith named Josh McCown the team’s starter for the opening week. Upon this announcement, the trade rumors began to fly as many still believed Glennon to be a promising starter in the NFL. However, in an interview with Pro Football Talk, Smith denied any such trade rumors stating that the State alumnus was still the team’s quarterback of the future.
In 2014, Glennon received his next chance to start in Week 4 after McCown went down with a thumb injury in Week 3. Glennon answered the bell against the Pittsburgh Steelers by passing the game winning touchdown to wide receiver Mike Evans with seven seconds remaining. Glennon drove the team 46 yards in 40 seconds to cap the Buccaneers’ first win of the season in a dramatic 27-24 game. Glennon finished with 302 yards and two touchdowns on the game.
Glennon would go on to start the team’s next four games as McCown continued to recover from injury. Glennon failed to register another win for the Buccaneers in four appearances despite valiant efforts in overtime games against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5 and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8. In Week 9, despite much criticism, Lovie Smith again benched Glennon in favor of Josh McCown for the team’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
As of now, Mike Glennon’s next opportunity to start in the NFL has yet to come, but it will most likely come again soon. Before the NFL Trade Deadline came and went on Nov. 3 last week, Glennon’s name was the topic of several trade rumors throughout the league, with the New York Jets rumored to have been the most interested party.
It’s not surprising that Glennon generated a respectable amount of trade interest this season. Although he has not established himself as being the next elite quarterback in the NFL, Glennon has shown potential to be a viable starter on an NFL team. In addition, many analysts still believe that Glennon never received a fair shake at displaying his abilities to start at the helm in Tampa.
With fewer and fewer reliable starting quarterbacks to be found in the NFL, Glennon’s opportunity to start elsewhere in the NFL should come eventually. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora is one of the many who speculates that Glennon’s time will come again.
“With Jameis Winston in town and the Bucs a rebuilding team, and Glennon getting deeper in his rookie deal, this makes a lot of sense,” La Canfora said. “The Bucs need draft picks and Winston will do well to have a veteran backup around him moving forward.”
Just this week, the NFL saw the 10th overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars of the 2011 NFL Draft in quarterback Blaine Gabbert get his second chance to start with a new team in the San Francisco 49ers. NC State alum Mike Glennon can only hope for the same amount of good fortune moving forward.
