I decided to get an opinion from some people who have seen Glennon more up close and personal the past few years. Greg Auman is a Buccaneers beat writer for the Tampa Bay Times. He’s watched the process play out with Glennon since he was a third round draft pick back in 2013. Though he believes he’s the product of a weak free agent class, there is reason to think the Bears might be getting somebody with upside who is worth the look.
“Mike Glennon is well-positioned as the best option in a weak QB class of free agents. He’s barely played in the last two years, but that’s just a function of Jameis Winston not coming off the field much at all. His QB-INT ratio is better than any other QBs from the 2013 class.
There’s a lot of folks surprised he would command $14-15 million per year, but he has a more proven body of work than Brock Osweiler or Tyrod Taylor when they got their big deals. It’s supply and demand, and there’s not much supply. Really good guy in the locker room, very positive attitude and has waited patiently for an opportunity like this.
Glennon isn’t particularly mobile, but showed a good arm and withstood a fair amount of pressure when he was a starter — 40 sacks in 13 games as a rookie.”
Auman wasn’t alone in this assessment though. Roy Cummings of WFLA News Channel 8, who covers the Buccaneers locally, thinks there is merit to the idea. He touted the work the team has put in developing him as well as the personal opinion of their head coach as key reasons for the interest.
Why do the Bears see Mike Glennon as such a reasonable investment?
Because the #Bucs have spent 4 years developing him and he's closer to stepping in and starting than any prospect. And he fits the part https://t.co/qCJz5J8gdZ
— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsFRS) March 7, 2017
Do you feel he has the physical tools necessary?
I do. More importantly, Bucs HC Dirk Koetter does. Has said many times he believes Glennon is a starting caliber QB in the NFL. https://t.co/Z3OUt9ZSST
— Roy Cummings (@RCummingsFRS) March 7, 2017
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The mentioning of Dirk Koetter is a key point here. This is a coach who is widely respected in NFL circles for his offensive mind. No fewer than three different quarterbacks have gone to the Pro Bowl under his direction since he became a coordinator back in 2007. The first was David Garrard, then Matt Ryan and now Jameis Winston. He knows what good players look like at that position, so his stating that Glennon is starting-caliber should not be take lightly.
There have also been frequent glimpses that the guy can make big-time throws.
It’s easy to get caught up in the mass hysteria of the national media perception. Most people take a quick glance at his stats or his win-loss record and immediately proclaim he’s a terrible quarterback. The truth is these men have watched Glennon for years and haven’t backed off the idea he can start in the NFL. It’s a question of him getting help.
He’ll have a Pro Bowl-studded interior offensive line and a star running back in Jordan Howard. If the Bears can provide some quality weapons at wide receiver and tight end, they’ve at least given themselves a good shot to make it work.
