Lovie ‘comfortable’ with ‘Noles QB … Tampa Bay head coach Lovie Smith may have walked back his suggestion over the weekend that the Buccaneers might ‘surprise’ some people with the #1 pick at this year’s draft, presumably rather than taking Florida State QB Jameis Winston the presumptive favorite. Facing what was described as a ‘barrage’ of questions about Winston at the coaches breakfast at the owners meetings in Phoenix earlier this morning, Smith said that after doing “unprecedented’’ research on Winston, the organization was comfortable that he would not repeat the lapses in judgment that got him in trouble on more than one occasion at Florida State. Smith, though, wouldn’t go so far as to anoint Winston as Tampa Bay’s choice with the first overall pick this year as the Buccaneers are still doing their homework. Indeed, the Buccaneers will have a full contingent of staff at Winston’s pro day next Tuesday and then will reportedly conduct their own private workout with him sometime in early April. For good measure, Smith also had some positive things to say about Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, the other top QB prospect in this year’s draft class. Meanwhile, at the same breakfast, St. Louis head coach Jeff Fisher pretty much confirmed that Cleveland offered the Rams at least the 19th pick at this year’s draft for QB Sam Bradford before the latter was dealt to Philadelphia for a package that included veteran QB Nick Foles. And while speculation continues that Philadelphia’s real target remains Mariota, Eagles’ head coach/G.M. Chip Kelly once again downplayed the possibility that the Eagles might move up to acquire Mariota as he didn’t want to gut the team’s talent base, he also didn’t rule something out. In fact, the ‘other’ scenario that no one has talked much about would see the Browns move up to actually select Mariota somewhere in the top 5 and then trade him to the Eagles for a package including Bradford and the 20th pick this year. Just speculation on our part at this point, but stranger things have happened.
