Bucs In The Market For A Tight End
January 24th, 2011
It’s difficult to imagine that the Bucs would look to upgrade a strength in the coming months, but that’s just what Woody Cummings believes the Bucs are going to do.
Kellen Winslow was the Bucs’ leading receiver last year and a go-to guy for quarterback Josh Freeman.
But because of his gimpy knee, Cummings believes the Bucs will go after a tight end, if not high in the draft, perhaps via the free agency route, so he wrote in The Tampa Tribune.
The problem is Winslow will forever spend the majority of the week leading up to a game preparing to play on what amounts to one good leg, the result of an almost countless number of surgeries to his right knee.
That makes the situation at tight end rather precarious for the Bucs, especially after backup Jerramy Stevens was let go after his drug-related arrest in October. Throw in the fact backup John Gilmore soon will become a free agent and turns 32 right about the time the 2011 season starts and you probably can see where this is headed.
Quite simply, the Bucs need a tight end.
It’s not a dumb move. Winslow was a virtual no-show in preseason games because of his knee. Then again, he didn’t need to get beat up for preseason games and was able to answer the bell once the 2010 season began.
But a solid backup to Winslow is not a bad idea. Works for the Steelers.
January 24th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Green bay has around 4 Hybrid TE/WR’s and that’s without Jermichael Finley.
Green bay is in the super bowl now. So yes, Tight end is very important!!
Can’t wait for your draft coverage Joe, I only briefly keep up with college football so I don’t know who the top picks are.
January 24th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Joe when are you going to post the first mock draft and have you started covering the lockout situation?
January 24th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Architek:
https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=43313
January 24th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Justin has to wait for everybody else to come out with a few more mocks and scouting reports before he starts his unoriginal mocks.
January 24th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
BTW… drafting a TE in the first 4 rounds would be a travesty for the Bucs. They need to get better up front on defense. They need to draft LB’s and DEs with the first 4 picks. Possibly a CB or a lineman… but TE, that would be a waste.
January 24th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Guest#27, just becuase Justin doesnt have the Bucs taking a Cam Newton, the Vikings taking Mark Ingram, etc doesnt mean its “unoriginal”. Alot of mocks are very similar with teams taking need picks, in the end 1/2 of the league picks based off BPA and everyones mocks are shot to sh*t.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
I would like to get Weslye Saunders out of South Carolina in the 6/7th round. He was dissmissed from South Carolina this year, but is super athletic and a big body with alot of potential. Keep and eye on him, I know Dominik will do his homework on this super talent.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Dude, it was a joke… do I REALLY have to end every statement with a smiley face or a J/K?
Justin will take all the information that you and I can find on google and just reproduce the mocks from those mocks… robbing from Mel every step of the way.
But seriously though, it’s good it’s free this year.
Also, I think Justin needs to clearly communicate how his information is original and where, in general’ he got his data. Because again, anybody can google. And there are a ton of mocks out there now. Heck, Mel will have 10-15 mocks by the time the draft rolls around updating for every off-season move and scouting reports from pro days.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
We lost jeremy stephens and gilmore is a free agent. Of course we need some dept at tight end. The draft certainly is not the answer. Unlike last year’s draft that had at least 10 solid tight end Prospects… This year’s crop of tight ends is garbage.
We have nate overbay and ryan purvis but who knows if either of them will step up when asked to? 4 this here we can just resign gilmore. It’s very low on our list of priorities. Cummings is way off base on this one.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
“I know Dominik will do his homework on this super talent.”
Just like the early 5th round punter? I mean, right out of the gate in round 5 too. Or how about the trading up a few spots to get Benn?
He needs to do better with his homework.
Blount was a blessing that fell in his lap post draft btw.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
I agree, I think we should get a TE in free agency. I alos think it would be a killer move to get Nnamdi Asomugha and pay him to get him in here. Barber is 35 years old and no one is complaining about his age. Nnamdi Asomugha is 5 or 6 years younger. He would be worth every penny. It would really help our defense.
Then, we could just draft, draft, draft LB’s and DEs and O-line depth. Throw in a FB and perhaps on the last day would be fine too.
But this is the time for the Bucs to spend hugh draft picks on LB’s and DEs. Invest the picks on those guys up front. Double down like they did last year. It is like insurance policies at those positions.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Re most dangerous weapon on this team is Josh Freeman. The Bucs believe, that if he has the right tools, he is unstoppable. I totally agree. This is not like Buc teams of the Past. Defense is not priority one. And with Freeman, it’s the right way to procede
January 24th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Guest#27 Says:
January 24th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
“I know Dominik will do his homework on this super talent.”
Just like the early 5th round punter? I mean, right out of the gate in round 5 too. Or how about the trading up a few spots to get Benn?
He needs to do better with his homework.
Blount was a blessing that fell in his lap post draft btw.
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“Ding, Ding, Ding. We have our idiot of the day winner!!!!” – Bob Barker
January 24th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
ehhhhh
might as well draft another QB whilst we’re at it..
January 24th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
By the time we get to the lasting contender stage, well be right back to rebuilding again.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Guest#27
Yes the Punter was a bad draft choice, but just about everything else they drafted in the last 2 years is looking pretty good, so cut him some slack.
With his track record so far, I have faith in him.
At this point I see nothing wrong with going up a couple spots for Benn or Freeman.
By the way, Blount was not an accident that fell in his lap. They did their homework on the guy. By all acounts they knew he would not get drafted. Fisher wanted to keep himwith the Titans, Mark D snagged him when no other NFL team put in a claim.
Just like the homework he put into Mike Williams
We do not know what some of them are going to be long term (McCoy, Price, Benn, Lewis,….) but with the way they and all the other scrap heap guys and lower draft pick guys have been performing, I would give him the benefit of the doubt.
January 24th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Is it just me Guest#27’s B.S. is starting to sound very familiar.
January 24th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
ERIC is back with his wonderful optimism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, do you try to be an ass or is it just completely natural?
We are talking about them trying to sign a free agent TE BACKUP and somehow that equates to doom & gloom for you?
Pathetic
January 24th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Guest:
Who sits?
Since we’re discussing overpaying for players at positions not needed, let’s go after Peyton Manning.
One of these days, people are going to figure out the Steelers way (drafts/free agent signings) is the way to go. Cutting checks for aging players (Snyder/Jones) isn’t.
Ted Thompson really has to be kicking himself in the arse for not re-signing Brett Favre. BTW, where’s Brad Childress these day? 🙂
January 24th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
“Since we’re discussing overpaying for players at positions not needed, let’s go after Peyton Manning.” – Joe
LOL.
Seriously, I wouldn’t trust Guest #27 to manage a collection of football cards.
/”fan” is short for “fanatic”
January 24th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
After grabbing a DE (or two) and an OLB, drafting a young tight end in rd. 3 or 4 would be a great idea. Look at what the Patriots were able to do with Gronkowski and Hernandez. #5 delivering the rock to two big targets over the middle with K2 and a young guy, mike will and benn on the outside….sounds dangerous.
January 24th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Look at both Green Bay and the Steelers – those teams have 35 of their 53 man roster as draft picks. Not too many FA’s there!
Just say no!!!
January 24th, 2011 at 4:17 pm
You guys really think Winslow, Caddy and Barber are gonna be around for the dynasty?
We need a mean SOB run stuffer something fierce.
January 24th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
ERIC
You are right about Barber… Caddy, not sure, probably not. K2… maybe.
But what does any of them have to do with your next statement?
Everyone knows the Bucs need DEs and LBs. Add those along with another year then two on Price, mcCoy, Miller, Okam….
January 24th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Eric, Barber won’t. But I have a feeling if Ronde was on another team last year, with the career he’s had, and was a free agent, you would want the Bucs to get him immediately and be really upset if they didn’t.
January 24th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
eric still thinks Brooks should be on the roster…
January 24th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
And Selmon. . .
January 24th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
woody cummings is an idiot. he’s never right about anything about the bucs.
January 24th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
for the record we didn’t have a 5th round draft pick
Bowden (I think his name was) was drafted in the 6th, and there IS a big difference between 5th and 6th round. If we spend a 6th rounder on a punter and miss, crap oh well. If we reached with a 5th and missed, that could be worth getting upset over.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Winslow gets minor surgery every off season to clear any scar tissue from his knee. He takes care of his body and does all the right things. I don’t see why he wouldn’t continue to be a big part of our offense for the next 4 or 5 years.
January 24th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
If we want a pass-catching backup TE for Winslow, I’d like to go after James Casey with the Texans. Great athlete with great hands, but underutilized by Houston in his two years in the league. Big contributor on coverage teams.
I’d think we could get him for a fourth-rounder.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
What exactly does Joe not think is a dumb move?
Does Joe think spending a 2nd/3rd round pick on a TE makes sense or is he of the opinion that it isn’t dumb if the bucs should sign a free agent/spent a late round pick on a TE for depth.
There is a chasm as wide as the Grand Canyon in difference between the two. And if he thinks a 2nd round pick makes sense than I can see why he and Cummings would be friends. Both must have met on the short bus to school.
January 25th, 2011 at 7:27 am
Winslow has been a warrior, but if he got hurt, our starter is Gilmore. Then Purvis. Not exactly striking fear in the hearts of our opponents. Obviously TE is a big need, as our offense relies heavily on TE production. But I don’t think we are drafting one, think we go FA on this. This years draft classes weak on TE’s,plus they think Purvis and Overbay will be better than anyone in this year’s class.
January 25th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Winslow made it through this year uneventfully on the injury front. If they keep babying him in practices the way they do I agree with Jdouble there is no reason he shouldnt be very good for a handful more years. Resigning Gilmore and continuing to work him into the offensive gameplan as they started to do at the end of last year is part of the answer.
Guest#27- Actually I think right around the 4th round would be the perfect spot for the Bucs to draft a TE. Especially if the Bucs go defense with the first three picks they will will absolutely need to start addressing offense by the 4th round.