E. J. Biggers Signs With Redskins
March 20th, 2013
The razor-thin depth of the Bucs’ secondary got even thinner today when nickelback E.J. Biggers signed with the Washington Redskins, so reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
Badly in need of help in their secondary following the release of veteran DeAngelo Hall, and with last year’s third corner, Cedric Griffin, a free agent, the Redskins turned to Biggers, a four-year veteran, who played under current secondary coach Raheem Morris when Morris was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Biggers played at Western Michigan before he was drafted in the seventh round by Tampa Bay in 2009. Biggers has appeared in 45 games, starting 24. He has recorded 168 tackles and three interceptions.
Last season Biggers started a career-high 12 games, recording 51 tackles, an interception and seven pass deflections.
Joe will suggest the Bucs need secondary help worse than the Redskins. The way things are going, still looking at Eric Wright and Danny Gorrer as starting cornerbacks if the season was to start today, Joe has a hunch cornerbacks coach Tony Oden either needs to find a trusty bartender or a therapist.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:24 pm
This has turned into an offseason from hell.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:25 pm
I get he wasn’t the greatest but I feel the Bucs should of kept him as a potential nickel/number 2 CB. At least for depth. But no…. that makes too much sense
March 20th, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Sign over the door at One Buc – Will the last one out Please turn off the lights!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
can you please stop suggesting Danny Gorrer would be the starting corner if the season started today. Even if we didnt sign another player, Leonard Johnson or Anthony Gaitor are far better and would have to be above him on a depth chart.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
The whole DB situation just got turned up a notch now with Biggers signing.
I am really beginning to think they have some CBs they have been in constant contact with and will be signing them by the end of the week. Grimes, Hall, Jammer all come to mind…maybe even some lesser known.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Ej biggers was horrible every single time they called his name it was because he was getttin beat even.with that 4.3 speed he still was horrible they Johnson showed alot of talent last year as a undrafted player he was one of the best rookie corners because other from Haywood from greenbay all the rookie corners were bad even.claiborn from Dallas and he was a top 10 pick I think we need another corner but im also tired of.hearing.bout revis sign grimes and.sign ronde to play the nickel and let Johnson battle it out for the number 2 cb wit a rookie maybe sednd or third round
March 20th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
We’re fine. The corner market is great right now and our leverage in the Revis trade negotiations couldn’t be stronger.
I’m sure people have already posted the list but Deangelo Hall, Antoine Winfield, Brent Grimes, Sheldon Brown, Cap Munnerlyn, Jacob Lacey, Pacman, Terrence Newman, Quentin Jammer, Mike Jenkins, Tracy Porter, Cedric Griffin and a few others are out there and are leaps and bounds better than what we had out there last year.
The defensive tackle/end market on the other hand…oh boy
March 20th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Johnson out played Biggers last season and with a full off sess I n has the chance to be a very good#2
Funny how for years people screamed for him to be cut now all will be crying now that he’s gone
March 20th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
I’ve been a dominick supporter since he was installed, and not with blinders on, he’s made his share of mistakes.
That being said, I can’t see how any plan in place to improve the CBs on this team would only include acquiring Revis and adding a handful of guys between the draft and Undrafted Rookies. There needs to be at least one more proven vet (whether we get Revis or not), someone that can either run with most teams 2nd and 3rd WR (and there are some still out there) OR the staff is confident will fit into our system. This doesn’t need to be multi-year deal, this can be a stop-gap, until we know what we have in the rookies, and give Johnson and Gorrer another year to develop.
We must leave “no stone unturned” when looking to upgrade this position.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Scotty, I’ve heard for weeks that they are going to sign a corner and it hasn’t happend. Say what you want, we’re in trouble unless we get Revis AND Grimes.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
He went with his buddy Raheem.
I have a feeling we will have our real secondary in place just after the draft. (I don’t think anybody, even the most negative of Nancy’s, actually believes our starting corners will consist of Wright and Gorrer). We will have signed/ traded for at least one veteran and drafted one as well.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:35 pm
The NFL is bout building tru the draft and finding gems and lettin you’re younger players play the eagles couple of years ago showed what stocking up with free agents does to a team let these young players compete for playing time … Itsabucslife
March 20th, 2013 at 12:35 pm
Oh man kh, that has me feeling at complete ease. Leonard Johnson and Gaitor patrolling the outside, god knows they’re worlds better than Gorrer and Biggers.
WHAT THE FCK IS THE PLAN?! I can’t believe how this offseason is going, we can’t address all these holes in the draft. I just…. I just don’t want to be on the bottom of our division anymore 🙁
March 20th, 2013 at 12:35 pm
We will be fine…..We plain-ass just don’t want these players. It is becoming obvious that we want to let them go. Be patient.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Grimes is a terrible idea. He’s 30 years old coming off an achilles injury, no freaking way.
Maybe the plan is to suck so bad this season we get some great picks going into next season? I mean, wtf are we doing here…
March 20th, 2013 at 12:37 pm
calm down jrock – its been reported we’re talking to Grimes and Cap Munnerlyn, and those are only the two we know. There are probably others. There’s no chance LJ and Gaitor will be starting, my point to Joe was just that Danny Gorrer has a 0.0% of being a starter on this team, he’s most definitely behind the likes of Johnson and Gaitor
March 20th, 2013 at 12:37 pm
I know the saints and falcons are sad to see him go. they had some fun at Biggers expense. lol
March 20th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Oh ffs, we were on the bottom of our division based on a three way tie-breaker for god sakes, its not like the Panthers or Saints were miles better then us.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
one thing has become pretty obvious. this is a rebuilding year, not a “win now” year.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Well now that Biggers is gone, Talib is gone and GMC had a pro bowl year, that only leaves us with Wright to hate!! If he is let go or signs for a cap friendly deal and plays well, then what are the harsh Bucs “fans” going to do? Actually cheer on their team…… Naw, they will turn on the coach!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
lol Hyperryd – exactly – they’ll always find something to bitch about. If we trade for Revis the price will be too much. If we sign Grimes, we’re taking a risk on an injured player and we overpaid. On and on and on…
March 20th, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Schiano is in the drivers seat and he wants to completely rebuild our secondary. Obviously not impressed with the FA CB class and I would be vry very surprised if Ronde would resign or we trade for Revis, giving up picks.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:45 pm
People keep saying, “… all these holes …” in our team. I just don’t see it. Where? Where are the holes except CB? Maybe DE? No, we have Clayborn and Bowers (and Teo). You don’t sign top tier free agents for depth so Dumervil, Umenyora, etc will NOT be in Tampa. Tight End maybe? No, Dallas Clark was underutilized as it is and we have fifty of them already on the roster. We don’t need a game changer at tight end. What about Right Tackle? Demar Dotson is a young player still progressing and getting better. He is by no means a liability or in need of replacing.
Could we use an upgrade at any of the aforementioned spots? Sure. But don’t say we NEED upgrades. The only place we absolutely MUST upgrade is corner. Relax guys, all will be well when the corner situation is resolved.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
@Hyperryd
You forgot Freeman was the next man up.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Like I said the NFL is for players to come and go and for u to develop you’re young players Leonard Johnson was one of the best rookie corners last year and he only started half of a season not even been.drafted if they didn’t see promise in him or a couple of corners I would think we would of signed anyone of thesefree agents but just like benett not gettin resigned is because Bowers isyounger and.has potential that they see a lot of people think its like playing madden you sign everyone in.the free agent market and.you make you’re team better but sometimes it makes you’re team even.worse and you kill you’re salary cap wit players that don’t have anything to prove and ain’t hungry anymore because they got paid its been.shown all round the league
March 20th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
@WestCoast:
Who are our starters at DT? McCoy and Gary fcking Gibson are the starters. Corey and Livingsten are the backups, do you know who the hell they are? I don’t.
We have David and Foster at LB. Who’s the third guy? Either Watson or Casillas, the Saints castoff. We could use more depth there. And our CB’s, holy flying sheep dicks who’s our starting CB’s gonna be?
March 20th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
That’s right I forgot about Free. We need to find him some more toys for people to hate to take pressure off of him!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Westcoastbucsfan …. Exactly people need to check.d diffrence between playingmadden and the NFL couldn’t of said.it Better my.self
March 20th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
I guess Schiano doesn’t like the players he inherited, even if they could bolster the depth. Biggers was a servicable player, not the best starting option, but could’ve been signed for depth. I’m not sure what the plan is for filling all the holes and ultamately making the defense better. It looks like Dominik and Schiano have a lot of work to do and only so many draft picks/free agents to get it done.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Buh Bye Biggers!!!!! OK Buc fans everybody breath inhale exhale. Let’s see how everyone works out in the next couple of months before everyone starts to panic.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
@ WCBFan
Right Tackle is a hole, we HOPE Dotson will be continue being a viable starter, but no real reason to believe he will. DT is a hole now, Gibson was barely a quality backup, and for now he’s the starter. And CBs, we need at least two new quality CBs to add to that group, a third wouldn’t be a bad idea.
I agree about DE, while I would like to Dumerville here, Bowers and Clayborn were drafted to be starters, and based on when they’ve been on the field, they haven’t shown reason they can’t be starters.
I think we do need an Upgrade at TE, SAM and WR3, although I wouldn’t consider those areas holes.
So there are 3 – 5 positions that need new starters that we don’t currently have on the roster, to expect all of those starters to come from the draft (not your suggestion, that seems to be the club’s POV, unless they get Revis, then only 2 – 4 from draft), is a recipe for trouble.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
So it’s looking pretty good for Wright to stay on board.
I hope they know something we don’t.
I know they have a “plan”, right now I don’t like it.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:59 pm
I’m just going to throw this out there so it’s on record. I think the reason they haven’t been making moves on Corners is because I believe they are planning on grabbing Revis, and Grimes. That is also why they haven’t kicked Eric Wright to the curb because they don’t want anyone to know they are shopping two corners. Think about it why else has Grimes not signed with the Browns, or the Falcons. Also could explain why they let Bennett go for 5 million. Dom said he had a number set for Bennett and he went over it. Could be so strict on that number because he was planning on signing two high priced corners and needed to keep the money tight. Also I think the reason they are unwilling to let go of the first round pick answers another question. They let Roy Miller go because I think they have their eye on a particular DT that they want to grab in the first round. This all my speculation I just wanted it to be out there.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:00 pm
This is an excellent loss! Biggers SUCKED!
March 20th, 2013 at 1:00 pm
@Jrock
As I said, CB is our only true “hole”. The fact that we let Miller walk, a guy that Dominik drafted in third round (While Myron Lewis still has a job), tells my that the tilted nose tackle position is probably plug-and-play. We will probably draft/sign a cheap replacement. Oh yeah, and Gary Gibson was pretty good in spot duty last year. If Quincy Black was made to look like a real linebacker then I am sure we can make anybody look like a real linebacker in the same position. I don’t see us needing top tier replacement.
Im not saying we don’t need depth but as far as starters go, we are pretty set. There are still plenty of corners out there who will be playing somewhere.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Bucs have holes because they are taking players that couldn’t start on other teams, thereby reducing their depth at various positions. Are we trusting rookies to come in and perform at the caliber of elite players, there will be a learning curve and no guarantee you are going to get who you target. BTW, who will be the strong side LB, heyward or Watson, once again reducing depth, casillias didn’t start in N. O., Gary Gipson didn’t start where he came from, but they can start for the Bucs
March 20th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Its ok everyone, we’re going after Leon Sandcastle.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:09 pm
Jrock seems like the type of person who wants to spend money for the sake of spending money. The Bucs front office gets paid to know personnel across the league. I have no doubt in my mind that they have a plan in place to upgrade CBs, DT, LB during the remainder of FA and the draft. You are freaking out over not signing players like Sean Smith, who are highly over rated. Bennett walked, the Bucs offered him a contract, he didn’t like it and he walked without giving the Bucs a chance to match the Seahawks’ offer. No sense in overpaying a slightly above average DE. Obviously every other team in the NFL agreed with the Bucs’ analysis of him or he would have gotten a better deal. Roy Miller took up blockers, why pay extra for that? Why not spend that money elsewhere? I’m sure by draft time we will have 2 new CBs on the team with the chance to draft a superb new DT, LB and 1 CB.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
its blatantly obvious Schiano is shaping the roster how he sees fit. last off season he purged the bad seeds. this off season he is purging the players that dont fit his scheme or how he wants to play defense. its nothing to get upset about because make no mistake about it, the types of players he wants are out there and they will eventually become bucs. it may look like it will set us back a year, but this is a necessary process to become a long term contender the way Schiano wants. everybody just needs to relax, be patient, and have a little faith and trust in Schiano.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
and in the mean time whos to say we cant win with a bunch of rookies. I think 2010 proved that you can.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
I don’t think things are nearly as desperate as people make them out to be. Last year the cry was our D-line was the worst against the run. Well…..how did that work out once the season started?? Yeah…#1 against the run. I think Leonard Johnson and especially Anthony Gaitor have huge potential. We will be getting some additional corners people. Whether it’s in the draft or FA it’s going to happen. These players that were rookies last year aren’t going to be this year. I look for much better performances from Johnson and Gaitor. Personally, I think the Revis deal is pretty much locked up but won’t go down until June. After that we draft another CB for depth and I think we’ll be good to go. I really think a change in coaching will do wonders for our DB’s.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Is anyone going to the Free Agency Championship parade in Miami next weekend? It’s gonna be awesome. The streets will be filled with clowns, donkeys and over paid backups dressed up like starters. Woohooo…
March 20th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
This is a monumental loss considering at this moment we just lost the 2nd best corner on the team. He was the best tackler amongst all our cornerbacks. In fact he lead the team in tackles amongst all corners for the last two years not including safeties. I would have given the Skins CB M.Lewis, CB J.Rogers for free to have kept Biggers. As much as we need CB we don’t seem interested in keeping hard workers like CB E.J. Biggers but we have the gumption of possibly keeping CB E. Wright. Is Wright better than E.J.? Not in my mind. E.J. Biggers was a Buccaneer Man, and had more upside than 2/3 of all the existing cornerbacks.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:26 pm
I’m not going to say they know what they’re doing until they actually do something. Do you guys forget how BAD our pass D was??? Even Wright sucked!! They still haven’t done squat!! If they do make some moves, I’ll applaud them but as of right now, I don’t see anything positive from this.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:29 pm
@ WestCoastBucFan
You’re delusional. Cornerback is our only true hole? We’re a 7-9 team! Do you wan’t to win a Super Bowl or are you satisfied with scratching and clawing towards a wild card berth? Defensive Tackle is now a huge hole. Gary Gibson? Please…sure we can draft one…but we have about 5 or 6 holes to fill with draft picks..thats not how you win. “Clayborn, Bowers, and Teo”…Clayborn coming off an ACL tear…Bowers coming off an Achilles and a felony arrest and has never proven anything while on the field and has chronic knee concers…Sure, plug his ass in at the most important position on the defense. Teo? Really? Dude is a practice squad quality player…give me a break. Then we have who now…Jonathan Casillas at strong side linebacker? Casillas who was so good that he wasn’t even good enough to start for the Saints….and then we get to the corner position where we still need two starters…and you think Dallas Clark was “underutilized”? Dallas Clark is garbage! He’s old and washed up…he looked like the slowest tight end on the roster when I watched him in training camp and he’s about 30-40 lbs lighter than some of the guys he was running with…Freeman needs a field stretcher, a redzone target to get underneath of Jackson and Williams…the only thing I agree with is that we are okay at right tackle…Dotson is an average player who is still developing…but when you have the league’s most expensive offensive line, you can’t have your cake and eat it too…you can’t have pro bowl caliber players at every spot.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:30 pm
@ 4everbucsfan
your right he was more productive than most of our cbs. but the way I see it is, he was the best piece of junk out of the trash heap we call ourselves a secondary. the doesn’t change the fact that we was still a piece of junk. if he really was a buccaneers man we would have kept him. no bones about it.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
@Hyperryd
Well… Hate Freeman of course!
March 20th, 2013 at 2:07 pm
@BrianDorry55
If Roy Miller really left such a gaping hole then why did he sign with the Jaguars for pennies? Also, I was not saying Gibson is his replacement, just that he played well.
You can’t just count out your number one and number two defensive ends because they had an injury a year ago and then go out and sign top tier free agents. That would tie up way too much money on the defensive line.
I am not sure what games you were watching but Teo started 10+ games on the leagues number one rush defense, he is NOT a “practice squad player” if you actually watched him play.
I never said Casillas was a starter. I said at worst Schiano can make one of the guys on the roster work. I think Watson is a much more likely candidate anyway.
If Clark was so bad he would not have been starting when we had younger guys on the roster that could have used the experience. He wasn’t a game changer but the term “garbage” is a gross exaggeration.
As far as a field stretcher goes, they signed a young Ogletree. He is not a world beater but that is the guy you are talking about. Did you really expect the Bucs to be players for Welker or Amendola? There is a ridiculously disproportionate amount of money being spent on the offense versus the defense so they are not spending even more.
We are closer to being a contender than you think. With even a mediocore pass defense (instead of, you know, the worst in the league) we would have been 9-7 or even 10-6 last season in the head coaches FIRST season.
March 20th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
This I can assure you, we will not go into camp with Gorrer and Johnson as our starting corners. I think the Revis deal will pull through and we will get another serviceable corner either in the draft or free agency. I think some of you need to relax. I trust there is a plan in place.
March 20th, 2013 at 2:27 pm
GRIMES & REVIS OR ANOTHER 7-9 SEASON AWAITS MAYBE WORSE
March 20th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Westcoastbucsfan your exactly right! We are not that far from contending for the playoffs. Schiano’s second year combined with improving young players and the rest of the off season to sign some more and we will be fine! We can’t buy a pro bowl player for every position in the first week of free agency. So far all we have lost are very average players who will be replaced.
March 20th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
@WCBF
My sentiments exactly. A lot of these ‘fans’ are blind to what is a want vs necessity. We need corners and that is all. With the way our team played we are a helluva loy closer to deep playoff runs than most of these idiots think. We have a strong armed QB, outstanding RB, dominant oline, terrific recievers snd the #1 ranked tush defense. The only thing missing is a respectable secondary. Dom has a plan that none of our ‘fan’ minds can even fathom. Most of them fret like our CBs are unfixable but do you realize it can be shored up in 2 moves?
Acquiring Revis/Rhodes, Revis/Hall, Revis/jenkins with the the depth already of johnson, gorrer and wright in place make for a very respectable secondary.
March 20th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
Fine we can sign D. Hall & call it a swap with the Bucs getting the better end of the deal by far.
March 20th, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Does anyone want to stay with this team?
March 20th, 2013 at 8:08 pm
He is NOT 6 foot. I got his autograph at Gaspirilla and i had him by 2 inches and I’m only 5’10”