The Falcon Jedi Knight Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Koetter hires Mike Smith in Tampa; could White follow?5:33 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 | Filed in: SportsComments 4 The NFC South just became infinitely more interesting — and if the Falcons suddenly find they can’t ascend even past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the division next season, they can blame at least two (maybe three) former employees.Dirk Koetter, the former Falcons and recent Bucs offensive coordinator, was hired as Tampa Bay’s new head coach on Thursday. Koetter then made his most important hire Friday, and it hit close to home in Atlanta: Mike Smith, the Falcons’ former head coach and Koetter’s former boss, is the Bucs’ new defensive coordinator.It’s a brilliant move by Koetter for two reasons: 1) No matter how things may have unraveled in his last two seasons with Falcons, Smith has a strong resume as a defensive coach; 2) It gives the Bucs’ two coaches with tremendous insight into a division foe and quarterback Matt Ryan.“Experience counts for a lot in the NFL,” Koetter said of Smith.The two also worked together in Jacksonville in 2007, each as coordinators for Jack Del Rio.“We were both in the press box. I had never seen anybody like Mike Smith before,” Koetter said. “We had a good year. We lost to New England in the second round of the playoffs. Mike was hired by the Falcons the next year. We were never as good after lost Mike Smith in Jacksonville. To get a coach of Mike’s experience, not just as a defensive coordinator and a teacher but as a man, and to have the right kind of guy in front of our players, I couldn’t be happier.”Smith, who has kept a low profile since his firing after last season, did not return a phone message.As Koetter, Smith and the Bucs’ front office work to rebuild the team, it’s worth wondering if Falcons wide receiver Roddy White will be the next to transition from Atlanta to Tampa.Koetter praised White late in the season, saying, “I tell friends of mine all the time that Roddy White is the single-most competitive football player I’ve ever met in my life. I’ve just never been around a guy that his desire to win and compete would let him overcome injuries.”In a new scheme under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Ryan took a step back and had one of the worst seasons of his career. Also, White’s role was reduced. The Falcons believe the Shanahan-Ryan dynamic will improve in a second season but White’s future is uncertain. He has two years left on his contract (base salaries: $2.75 million and $3 million plus $1.5 million roster bonuses each year). Falcons coach Dan Quinn has said nothing but positive things about White but it seems less than 50-50 right now that the veteran will be kept.If the Falcons don’t want White back, they will attempt to trade him for a mid-to-low-round draft pick. If they have options, they obviously would prefer not to trade him to a team in the division, especially to coaches who know how best to use him. But NFL trades are rare and if they can’t get a pick for White, they would have to release him.If White becomes a free agent, he would have multiple offers. But his familiarity with Koetter (and Smith) and the chance to stay in this part of the country near his children and home would be major factors — as would playing against the Falcons twice.Whether White stays or goes, Tampa Bay is a better team now with Koetter and Smith in charge. Koetter earned the head coaching job because of his work with rookie quarterback Jameis Winston this season. Bringing in Smith should only help the Bucs’ defense. The Falcons had a horrible record against division teams (1-5), in part because they went 0-2 against Tampa Bay. If fired Bucs coach Lovie Smith (4-10 against every other team) could have faced the Falcons more often, he might still have his job.Smith’s Atlanta tenure did not end well. The Falcons went 4-12 and 6-10 in his last two seasons. Smith’s first five years brought four playoff berths and a narrow defeat for the NFC title. Some believe that fizzle was mostly the result of mistakes in personnel decisions by general manager Thomas Dimitroff (or Dimitroff and Smith in conjunction with each other). But nobody should doubt the Falcons’ did not have the same focus in those last two seasons and Smith made some dubious in-game decisions.But those first five seasons were mostly impressive, and Smith’s resume as a defensive coach is strong.The Falcons’ division just got a little tougher, and their two games against Tampa Bay next season just got a little more interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFanSince1969 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I pressed ctrl+f and typed in the word 'if' and it pulled up 10 matches.IF that tells you anything about this 'article' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wjcorner Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Scary thought...And yes it's a speculation piece...maybe the board should inplement a thread tagging feature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Why would they pick up White? They have decent young receivers who would certainly be ahead of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonDaLuvMaker Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I hate the AJC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDaveG Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Man, if only Roddy wasn't an unrestricted free agent who can go play for whoever he wants…..."It seems less than 50-50 right now that the veteran will be kept." LOL. Based on what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FentayeJones Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 vaughn mcclure @vxmcclure23 3h3 hours agoRoddy White will join NFL Network’s NFL GameDay Final in-studio tomorrow at 11:30 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thanat0s Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 It wouldn't be surprising if Quinn dumps him. It's a system he knows and one where he won't be frozen out of the play calling by the OC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla1985 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I hate the AJCX 1000. How Dled Mark Bradley and Schultz have jobs defies logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimeyKidd Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) Man, if only Roddy wasn't an unrestricted free agent who can go play for whoever he wants…..."It seems less than 50-50 right now that the veteran will be kept." LOL. Based on what?Based on bs assumptions. As bad as white was. He outplayed Hank the #2. What does that tell u Edited January 16, 2016 by GrimeyKidd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sobeit Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) I'm more concerned about Koetter and Smitty in Tampa they may actually have a bit of an axe to grind, and a **** of a lot to prove. Edited January 16, 2016 by Sobeit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
putnam6 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Generally the rule in journalism is to be able to compose a basic news story correctly before jumping forward to a pure speculation piece.Typical head hunter Atlanta media that targets the player but leaves management/ownership out of the equation, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-train Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Based on bs assumptions. As bad as white was. He outplayed Hank the #2. What does that tell uHank actually had a higher YPC & 3 TDs compared to Roddy's single TD... Hank played in 8 games, Roddy took part in all 16.So, no Roddy did not outplay Hankerson at all. They both blew. Roddy's too old to be effective anymore & Hankerson is broken half the time & drops it the other half.What does it tell us? It tells us they both need to be replaced... Hester, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovie_Lover Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I pressed ctrl+f and typed in the word 'if' and it pulled up 10 matches.IF that tells you anything about this 'article'Can also push F3, just to make it easier for ya haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Bird is Da Word Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I will vomit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific_Falcon Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I pressed ctrl+f and typed in the word 'if' and it pulled up 10 matches.IF that tells you anything about this 'article'It's 'artical', you nipple head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Old Pappy Falcon* Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Well, let him go and make that money right? He aint gunna take a pay cut. LOL, he will be better with the bucs after this horrible offensive letdown this past year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis York Morgan Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Non story, not happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insight Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) Hank actually had a higher YPC & 3 TDs compared to Roddy's single TD... Hank played in 8 games, Roddy took part in all 16.So, no Roddy did not outplay Hankerson at all. They both blew. Roddy's too old to be effective anymore & Hankerson is broken half the time & drops it the other half.What does it tell us? It tells us they both need to be replaced... Hester, too.Injuries MATTER. It's ridiculous to say Roddy played 16 games Hank played 8 so Hank would have been better. You can't help your team unless you are in the game.Dirk's quote about Roddy was mentioned in the article and Dirk said he was the most competitive player he has EVER been around which allowed him to play through injuries many player can't.What we saw out of Hankerson this year was nothing new he has been INJURY PRONE his entire career and that is why HE WAS RELEASED.If Roddy was released instead of Hankerson he would hade a JOB IMMEDIATELY and NOT get released like your boy did when he went to New England. Edited January 16, 2016 by insight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiruz Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Koetter would know how to use white, unlike that clown shanahanigans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PK Manley Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 AJC speculation going for the low-hanging fruit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Jangus Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 vaughn mcclure @vxmcclure23 3h3 hours agoRoddy White will join NFL Networks NFL GameDay Final in-studio tomorrow at 11:30 PMTATF reports Roddy White to NFLN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigGrip Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 STOP Tripping! The real story is how Mike Smith get revenge on TD and Bland. Matt Ryan and this new stadium is about to get very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xyfiel Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 As if Roddy would spend his last year or two on a team not likely to get or do much in the playoffs. Or a team within the division. Remember the talk he had with Osi on Hard Knocks about rings? He would go to Pittsburgh, NE, Arizona, GB, or Seattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Tzu 7 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 My favorite part" especially to coaches who know how best to use him"Nice jab... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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