King: Tracy Porter Better Than Eric Wright
March 26th, 2012
Ever since popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, beer-chugging Peter King, the NBC Sports guru and Sports Illustrated scribe, predicted the Bucs would finish 2-14 in 2010 (10-6 was their final mark), Bucs fans have enjoyed piling on King.
Now it seems King has added another rallying point for those who loathe his commentary around Tampa Bay. In King’s must-read Monday Morning Quarterback column today, King labels the Broncos signing of free agent cornerback Tracey Porter to a one-year deal as his No. 1 deal in free agency, in part because Porter is better than the Bucs’ Eric Wright, who got paid a lot more money.
1. CB Tracy Porter from New Orleans to Denver. The other day in Denver, I spoke to John Fox about the supporting cast for Peyton Manning, and one of the things I gently reminded him was his defense allowed 40 points or more in five of 18 games last season. “I know,” he said. “We plan to do something about that.”
This is a very solid first move, bringing in a better corner than two (Eric Wright, Aaron Ross) who got richer first-week contracts. The only X factor with any former Saint, however, concerns the bounty investigation, and whether any players will be suspended. We don’t know whether Porter was involved, and whether he’ll face any discipline.
Joe’s not about to sit here and claim he’s pored over isolated game film of Porter and Wright, but Joe’s comfortable writing that King hasn’t either. At least King is consistent. He had Porter ranked as the 28th best free agent in 2012; Wright didn’t make King’s top-50.
Just something to file away to keep an eye on in 2012.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Porter was definitely involved, he was as dirty a player on that team as anyone.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
SOOOOO glad BUCS did’t touch that!!!!!
March 26th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Joe, since this is a team sport, no one player does as well with bad playing teamates around him. The better the teamates, the better the play. So look at the whole team not just a player, one player can improve a team, 10 players can make that player look worse.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
I’ll admit I think eric got a little more than deserved, but if the dude strings together a few strong seasons then who can complain about adding a good player to a position the bucs desperately need depth at? Finnegan would have been even more, we’ll let Wright’s production speak for him
March 26th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
I agree with King tbh. I don’t think either are very good corners, but I’d take Porter over Wright IF THE BOUNTY SCANDAL WASN’T THERE. Since the bounty scandal is there, I can live with Wright. Just don’t confuse him with a #1 corner. He’s just an overpaid upgrade over Biggers.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
Another slap at King is he begged the Bucs to ‘prove’ they were willing to spend in FA. They did with Nicks and Jackson, yet they don’t make his top 10 free agency moves list?
King always disses the Bucs.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
King = front-runner-loving Dbag
March 26th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Wright doesn’t have to be spectacular. He just has to do his job.
March 26th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
King’s analysis of individual players or teams has really fallen off the past 5-10 years. He still offers interesting perspectives when it comes to situations within the game (a la BountyGate or the Redskins and Cowboys cap penalties), he has a ton of knowledge of the history of the game at his disposal, and he’s one of the best article writers, sports or otherwise, out there right now.
However, I think he’s done nothing the last 5 years or longer that actually shows he has any talent in player/team evaluations.
March 26th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
So I just read that Sean Payton asked Bull Parcells to coach the Saints next year and it got me thinking. How funny/horrible would it be if he talked Chucky into coaching the Saints next year and he won the SB? I think I would want to puke.
March 26th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
The day that Peter King starts offereing insightful AND accurate scouting reports on players and teams is the day zombies take over the Earth. He gets paid to write, not to analyze, think, or learn from his mistakes. Like most writers, he pounds out 1,300 words of babble and has no accountability when he’s wrong.
March 26th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Stats since 2008
Porter 160 Tackles 7 ints
Wright 220 Tackles 12 ints
The most often replayed highlight of Tracy Porter is him getting thrown to the turf like a used tissue by Marshawn Lynch’s left hand in the open field and giving up the game winning touchdown on the infamous “Beast Mode” run. Notice how Porter gave up on the play after getting thrown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCI-bAPtBRo
March 26th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Good video. He definitely quit on the play and could have made the tackle if he didn’t.
March 26th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
King is spot on.
Trace Porter is easily better than Eric Wright and Denver got him for way less money. The only downside to Porter is his health, but he is a guy that can do a good enough job against #1 WRs of other teams when healthy. In contrast we have an overpaid CB who gets burned against #2 CBs. Smart move by Denver, good analysis by Peter King.
March 26th, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Eric Wright is awful. Walter Football gave his FA signing the worst grade possible.
March 26th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Does anybody really give a spit what King says about Porter vs Wright? Deals are done and we shall see who got the better cb.
March 26th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Porter will probably get a suspension because of the fact alone that he just said publicly that there was no bounty system. He pretty much said that the NFL made false conclusions from the evidence. We all know how the commissioner feels about “liars.”
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d827d80ee/article/porter-denies-bounties-we-were-just-playing-football?module=HP11_content_stream
March 26th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Doesn’t matter if Porter can never stay on the field. He is hurt every season and much like Gerald McCoy, his play is felt when he is there but if you’re never there what’s the point?
Wright is durable and a solid pro CB. The market dictated his salary and the Bucs have protected themselves from the structuring with no upfront money. Wright is no Revis but in the right system he should thrive and make his share of plays. I like Porter but he’s small and not durable. That would be a waste of time. Good job Bucs!
March 26th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Screw that, there is a reason why Porter only got a 1 year deal and he most likely won’t even play the whole year. I like Eric Wright he is a damn good tackler, something we severely lacked the past few years on the outside except for Barber. He has great man to man coverage skills as well. Plus he is only 26, his best years are still in front of him.
March 26th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Right on BFJ, who cares what pk sez? should the bucs cut wright ,not gonna happen! maybe all of tampabay should die ,because the glazers paid for the player or in this cases players ,they wanted,
March 26th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
King is right on??????????????????????? My only response to that is you don’t watch tape. The Bronco’s did and the Bucs did. Do you think the Broncos would offer a one year contract with little money and would be accepted if the value was there? Don’t think so. Remember the FO’s do their due dilligence on ALL transactions. Porter would not have accepted the contract if he was worth more. Wright was much more productive over the course of the last three years (see stats above). For those who are against the signing of Wright, Read Up Folks, the Lions wanted him back, but could not accomodate due to salary cap issues. The Bucs jumped and snagged him up, just like they did with Jackson and Nicks. Please get a clue!!!!!
March 26th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
@Architek
Well said and a great point. I completely disagree with King. You obviously know more than him. LOL!
March 26th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Peter King,
Set the food down, quit munching, and start watching NFL footage.
You are nothing more than a lazy misinformed troll.
I hope you and your opinions fall off a cliff.
March 26th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
Peter king’ s promblem is he sucks his first name to much.Go bucs
March 26th, 2012 at 6:41 pm
That must be one impressive cheeseburger that King is looking up to in the picture.
March 26th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Who cares what this blow hard has to say? He’s just guessing who’s better and i can guarantee he hasn’t poured over game film to see whose better and what stats or explanations does he give to why porter is better.
March 26th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Joe can u delete all the haters on the bucs off of this website and never ever put peter weter king on here again or his dumb comments.
March 26th, 2012 at 10:11 pm
King just flat out hates Tampa, period.
March 27th, 2012 at 4:41 am
one good defensive call by the coach got Porter fame…he was nothing until that pick 6 in superbowl