Precious Cap Space Will Go To Penn
February 12th, 2009
Donald Penn is close to hitting Lotto with the Bucs. Chalk him up as a great score of the Chucky-Alllen-Bill Muir era
The Chucky-Bruce Almighty era sure got lucky with players who emerged from the shadows of the Bucs roster and practice squad.
Sure, the Dynamic Duo get credit for signing these guys, but only fate put them in the spotlight.
Joe puts Donald Penn on top of that list, with Earnest Graham and Clifton Smith close behind.
In 2007, Penn had zero experience when he made the team as a reserve left tackle behind Luke Pettigout, who was one of the Bucs’ significant free agent signings that year and was coming off an injury-plagued season with the Giants.
Predictably, Pettigout goes down in Week 4, and Penn performed like a veteran. He did it a gain in 2008, and now the restricted free agent wants his just payday. He’s come a long way since being undrafted out of Utah State.
The Bucs and Penn, now a restricted free agent, are near a deal, reports the St. Pete Times.
“Film doesn’t lie,” Penn said. “I think I deserve it. I want to make sure my family is financially secure. . . I’ve been the lowest-paid starting left tackle for two years and you want to be compensated.”
Joe knows it’s not exactly invigorating to re-sign an above-average, undrafted O-lineman. But this is a very necessary move for the Bucs. Plus now Penn can afford to hang at swanky places other than the IHOP kitchen.
Joe’s hoping Jermaine Phillips and Antonio Bryant also get deals done soon.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Why can’t anyone admit that Gruden and Allen did a decent job while they were here? They hired some players that were busts just like every other team in the league. Look who the Jags just released. Talk about wasteful spending. Twenty-three million between two players that didn’t produce. I still say the only reason the Bucs missed the playoffs was Kiffins head already being in Tenn. with his son. The offense held its own. The defense looked like they quit for some reason. No adjustments were made at halftime of any of the last four games. Monte wanted out as soon as possible. Blame some of it on him. One more thing. If the Bucs make the playoffs next year will Gruden get credit like Dungy did?
February 12th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
JK:
Bruce Almighty admitted just before he was fired that Kiffen had informed the Bucs prior to the season he was leaving at season’s end to join his son Lane wherever he landed a head coaching job. To be honest, the Bucs’ defense wasn’t that good. It had shown cracks at various parts of the season (Detroit and Chicago). When the injuries began to mount late in the season, the scabs were ripped open.
Also, Joe has gone on record several times about how Chucky won the Super Bowl on his own merit, *not* the patently false premise that Chucky “won with Dungy’s players.”
(If one is to believe the fallacy that Chucky won with Dungy’s players, then how come Father Dungy couldn’t win with Dungy’s players? Answer: Because the Bucs needed a football coach to lead the team; not a priest.)
February 12th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I’ll do it JK. The Gruden and Allen did a decent job. There a fan said it. But decent is not what these guys are paid to do. They were here to win the big one, or even a playoff game. Bucs haven’t gotten it done in 6 years. pretty simple to see why fans wanted them out the door.
February 12th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
JK I won’t say Chucky/Allen did a decent job because they didn’t. Look at this article and what Joe says about Penn – that’s the Gruden legacy that a un-drafted O-lineman made it good?
Did you forget about Tim Brown, Matt Stinchcomb, Charlie Gardner, Todd Steussie, et al.?
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.