Former Bucs QB reacts.
It appears former Bucs quarterback Chris Simms would have one simple question if he got a chance to talk to Bucs outside linebacker Haason Reddick.
And that question is, “Dude, didn’t you learn anything from last year?”
Simms, appearing on “PFT Live” with his co-host the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, discussed Reddick’s Tuesday no-show at Bucs underwear football practice.
As Bucs coach Todd Bowles likes to point out, those practices are voluntary. And Reddick was hardly the lone veteran player enjoying a supposedly lengthy Memorial Day Weekend. Other not at practice Tuesday morning included Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Vita Vea. Still, Reddick is new to the Bucs, so you’d think the guy would want to be there to learn the defense.
Bowles seemed frustrated Reddick was not around. Perhaps Bowles had flashbacks to when Sir Smoke-A-Lot, edge rusher Randy Gregory, signed with the Bucs last offseason, and then totally blew off the team.
Simms pointed out Reddick held out with the Jets last year after he tried to squeeze the Eagles for more money and the traded him to the sad sack Jets.
The difference here is, allegedly, Reddick wants to be in Tampa, reunited with his position coach Larry Foote from his Arizona days.
Simms thinks Reddick ought to be on the practice fields.
“I don’t understand why Hassan Reddick wouldn’t go [to OTAs],” Simms said. “Hopefully he shows up.
“Listen, I know he’s a veteran player. He’s been around the league a little bit. It’s not imperative, but when you come off a year where you didn’t really play a whole lot, you held out from the Jets, I don’t think you took the right approach there.
“Yeah, I was surprised to hear he wasn’t in Tampa. And Tampa obviously, you know, made a nice little investment for a guy that, yes, did sit out [last] year and screwed over the New York Jets in a lot of ways.”
To keep his clean slate, put the Jets debacle behind him and demonstrate he’s not a malingerer, Simms reckons Reddick should want to have pride work with his new teammates.
“I would think Hassan Reddick would want to get on the field and just get the reps going,” Simms said. “I was shocked to hear that he wasn’t there.”
Joe tries to keep in mind OTAs are not mandatory. But as Florio pointed out, the Bucs could have had a workout bonus written into Reddick’s contract but there is no such bonus. So Florio seems to think the Bucs either don’t care if he’s there or they greased Reddick’s wheels to stay on vacation.
Joe doesn’t see a major issue if Reddick skips time and shows up for mandatory minicamp in June. But maybe it’s a minor issue.
Of course, Reddick could also shut everyone up and get 12 sacks this fall. That would be nice.
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