The Bryan Glazer Interview
September 6th, 2011
Team Glazer member Bryan Glazer graced the WDAE-AM 620 airwaves for an exclusive interview Friday with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig. The entire audio can be heard here. Joe suggests you listen.
Among the highlights, Glazer passionately opens up about his philosophy on free agency. In one exchange, Duemig asked Glazer if he’d be opposed to adding a big name free agent “to get over the top” if his personnel team recommended it.
“Not opposed to it but those situations are few and far between. Peter King wrote this week that over 60 percent of the free agents this year were signed on one year deals. Teams let players go for a reason,” Glazer said. “Generally, there’s only been one or two difference-makers in the last 10 years that have been really released by teams, just players that went to another team and lasted seven, eight, nine years. We’re not looking for one-year solutions. I don’t think anybody is.”
Joe completely understands the whole build-through-the-draft approach. But Joe never really gets all the justification by Glazer and various pundits when it comes to being philosophically opposed to free agents. Just pick the right free agent when you need one, and free agency is a wonderfuly glorious thing. It’s really that simple. And it’s always been that simple.
Interestingly, Mark Dominik, during an interview with Dan Sileo a couple of weeks ago, talked about how he’s not opposed to free agency and told fans that the Bucs “made a big splash” obtaining Kellen Winslow and “you can look at that as free agency.” It was a great take by Dominik. Trading, the way it is in the NFL, essentially is free agency — with a higher price tag. Trading for John Abraham and Tony Gonzalez sure has served the Falcons well.
Joe applauds Team Glazer for the enlightening public appearance. Joe thinks it can only help the franchise to hear Team Glazer speak genuinely and passionately like this.
September 6th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
I don’t understand either Joe, especially if you are rebuilding. It seems as if signing a FA or anyone over 30 is heresy. My father was in the construction industry and the workmen used “scaffolding” to get to the next level of a superstructure. When that is achieved, the scaffolding is taken down. To offer pro bowl level players like Andre Gurode, Brian Waters, and others 1 year contracts to help the young neucleus of your team (superstructure) get to the next level is synonymous to scaffolding. As the young players develop or get experience, the scaffolding can be taken down (short-term contracts not renewed). Nobody questions the wisdom of Bill Belichick and he does this all the time. I agree with Dominik, this should not be done wholesale, but a player here and there to help a younger player mature makes sense to me.
September 6th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
If you need a player, you buy one, if you can’t get one otherwise. Every team is unique in its situation. There’s no magic formula. If a “free-agent” believer teams wins it this year, the bandwagon will go the other directions.
September 6th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
This 1 or 2 player argument is stubbornly ridiculous. Is this cheapskate saying that Charles Woodson and Drew Brees werent worth the investment?
How about Vilma and Peppers? Vick? Santonio Holmes, bart scott and jim leonard?
September 6th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
How many players in general last 7-10 years? I know he is smarter than that. It is such a bad bluff that hd cant even sensibly find an excuse that makes sense. The answer is: $. They are refusing to risk $ even if it increases the chance for success.
Like replacing Nnamdi or Joseph for Elbert Mack would stunt this teams growth. Stupid.
September 6th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Thomas 2.2:
Joe screamed from the highest mountain the Bucs blew it by not trading for Santonio Holmes who the Steelers simply gave away.
Others at the same time were pumping that clown Brandon Marshall like he was Kathy Ireland in her prime.
September 6th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Macabee,
That’s my whole point. A player sprinkled in here and there does not strap a team or change the team’s philosophy. You can’t tell me that a Pro Bowl Experienced Center couldn’t help or a Guard. I also can’t understand why Jonathan Joseph wasn’t pursued. What you trust oft_injured Lewis or Mack? Please…I’m not calling them cheap but their vision does have gaps. Trust Pumpkin? If you look at the Saints and they are probably the division’s most complete team is mid of the pack in age…what’s their excuse for acquiring talent?