Buccaneers owner approves team drafting Winston or Mariota

Buccaneers co-owner is fine with team drafting Winston or Mariota with No. 1 pick

Author:
SI Wire
Publish date:
Mar 25, 2015

The owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers say they are fine with the team drafting either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota with the first pick in next month's NFL draft.

Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer told the Tampa Bay Times that having the first pick is a "huge decision for the organization and a huge opportunity" for the team.

"With anybody we're looking to draft, we do an extensive amount of work on their background, history and all that. We spent time with Jameis and Marcus and went into everything into their background," Glazer said. "After everything we've done and where we're at right now, we're comfortable where Jameis is at, we're comfortable with Marcus or whoever else it could be."

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Glazer said he still believes in the abilities of head coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht despite last season's 2-14 record. He said he wants to make sure the team doesn't "repeat errors of the past."

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"That's an area where I've spent a lot of time with Lovie and Jason," Glazer said. "And there is no doubt, they're two people who would, A, admit a mistake if there was a mistake and move on rather than dig a deeper hole. And B, work to find out why this thing happened and correct it going forward."

Mariota and Winston have already had predraft meetings with the Buccaneers.

- Scooby Axson