INDIANAPOLIS — The Buccaneers currently have just one quarterback on their roster — Mike Glennon.
The team parted ways with veteran Josh McCown after just one season in Tampa. McCown started 11 games last year during a 2-14 season. That record earned the Bucs the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and the Bucs are expected to select either Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston or Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. At the NFL Combine on Wednesday, Tampa coach Lovie Smith said he likes both college players but also thinks Glennon could be the team's future franchise quarterback.
"The plan is to move forward with Mike," Smith said of Glennon, who has 4,000 passing yards in 19 games the last two years. "He's the quarterback on our roster right now, for good reason.
"You can definitely say that Mike is a quarterback who can play at a high level in this league. We have one quarterback on our roster and, yes, I think he can be (a franchise quarterback)."
Glennon was selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft and has 4,000 passing yards in 19 games with 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Talking him up might be a ploy Smith is using to try to trade Glennon. Tampa Bay hired Dirk Koetter to be the new offensive coordinator in January and the consensus is that the team will continue its rebuilding process with a new quarterback.
"If you have to be in this position, you're always looking for the franchise quarterback," Smith said. "If you have an opportunity, you really have to look at that closely. We have all options on the table and we like being in that position."
Smith referenced Winston's off-field issues, but still believes he can be the face of a franchise.
"I understand some of the college things a lot of guys do you wish you wouldn't later on ... but you just take all that information, and it's early, but right now we haven't taken him off our list," Smith said. "I'm looking forward to getting to know and spend time with, not only Jameis, but Marcus and the rest of the athletes this week."
Smith is happy Mariota decided to throw Saturday at the Combine as part of the on-field drills. Smith said it'll be the first time he'll see Mariota live and is anxious to watch him throw to receivers with whom he's not familiar.
"Whenever you get an opportunity to prove to people what you can do ... it says a lot about him," Smith said before adding that the Bucs will do their due diligence before making "an organizational decision" with the first pick. "I've heard a lot about this 'pro-style system' in college, but you look at the quarterback. There are some offenses you run in college that could make you more ready, but there is a transition for any college player coming to the NFL.
"I see Marcus scrambling and making most of the throws you need to make in this league. You look in this league and there are different quarterbacks and guys are having success doing it a lot of different ways."
Smith said McCown "did a great job" for the Bucs last year after following his coach from Chicago. McCown could be headed back to Cleveland or Chicago, which Bears coach John Fox confirmed at the combine on Wednesday. Fox also said was non-committal on Jay Cutler.