Jared Allen Vs. Julius Peppers
January 4th, 2014
The stars are not aligning for Adrian Clayborn
Joe wouldn’t bet a nickel that Lovie Smith and Leslie Frazier are excited to feature Adrian Clayborn, Da’Quan Bowers, Daniel Te’-O Nesheim, Will Gholston and Steven Means as their edge rushers.
Looking for change in 2014?
Look no further than starting right defensive end.
Lovie’s 17th-ranked Bears defense in 2009 needed an upgrade. Leading into the 2010 offseason, the Bears opened the vault for Julius Peppers, six years and $84 million, with $42 million guaranteed. And it paid off. The defense bounced back, Peppers was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2010, when the Bears lost a heartbreaker in the NFC title game.
Peppers hasn’t missed a game with the Bears, but his production fell off when Lovie left last season. Current word out of Chicago speculates that Peppers will be cut because the Bears won’t want to pay him the $14 million he’s due in 2014?
Joe’s not endorsing a Bucs move for Peppers, but the reality is that head coaches seek out their former players, especially if they’re still productive. Lovie might pounce if he can bring in Peppers at a decent price. Lovie’s defense needs a four-man rush to be successful; it isn’t the Greg Schiano blitz party.
Then there’s Vikings icon Jared Allen, who’s about to be a free agent and played for new Bucs defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier in Minnesota for years. He managed 11 1/2 sacks this season in a what appeared to be a down year for him.
What are the odds one of these guys land in pewter and red? Joe would bet there’s a better chance of that than Clayborn lining up as the opening day starter.
Panthers young beast Greg Hardy also lurks as a likely free man. There’s also some versatile beast named Bennett in Seattle who likely will be on the market. The stars are not aligning for Adrian Clayborn as a 2014 starter.
January 4th, 2014 at 10:54 am
I would be a very happy Buccaneer fan if that happens.
January 4th, 2014 at 10:58 am
IMHO, Jared Allen is past his prime. I remember the bloody nose that Penn gave him in 2011.
I would prefer to see someone younger.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:05 am
Adrian Clayborn – almost ready to call him a bust
Da’Quan Bowers – waste of a second round pick – bust
Daniel Te’-O Nesheim – won’t be starting anywhere, and maybe not in the NFL next year.
Will Gholston – too early to tell, but did not play well as a rookie.
Steven Means – This guy is a Buc? Never heard his name or number all year.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:06 am
I wouldn’t count Clayborn out just yet Joe. Maybe he just needs better coaching.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:09 am
QB, after that comment, I have to ask: do you even watch the games?
January 4th, 2014 at 11:10 am
I really like Jared Allen. He is 2 years younger than Peppers and better at getting to the QB. I just don’t see him coming in at a reasonable price. Peppers would certainly be a nice alternative.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:12 am
I’m along for the ride, wherever the road may take us.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:15 am
Hahaha QB said Gholston didn’t play well… Joe can you block this idiot?
I actually think the Gholston and Clayborn team will be a good one. I also think that Allen and Bowers will add to a very strong rotation. And Means was a project who is still a year away but is worth keeping.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:16 am
With the holes on the O side, do you overpay for older players at this point?
You are going to need at least 2 o line men, a burner at wr, a te, and yes a pass rusher. You don’t have a 3 or a 6 in the draft because of trades, where do you put those dollars? I am interested to see if they indeed cut Penn, Nicks and maybe Davin. You could then get some good younger free agents to fill needs, then hit the draft hard.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:21 am
Michael Johnson
January 4th, 2014 at 11:22 am
I like that comment Bigmac. Allen came to mind a couple days ago when Frasier was the rumor. I just want someone productive, Allen-Peppers…Anybody!!! We need a playmaking veteran DE..fo’sho!
January 4th, 2014 at 11:23 am
It will be very interesting to see what Bowers and Clayborn bring to the table next year.
Bowers is in a contract year, so you cannot get more motivation than that (but I think he is lazy – what other reason would he have been so out of shape for this past season?).
Clayborn seems self motivated. He sometimes played very hard this past year. But he was also the one who admitted to being discouraged and maybe quitting during one of the later games.
Add an Allen or Peppers to that mix and the Bucs could have a very potent D-line next year. Wouldn’t that be fun.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:26 am
With both lines being a major concern. Why not ball out, and really some beast.
IMHO
Sign the following player to bolster our Rotation
*From The Left Side
-Justin Tuck 6′ 5″, 268 lbs (Giants have cap issues)
*From the Defensive Tackle
-Kendall Langford 6′ 6″, 313 lbs (Reportedly will be cut)
*From the Nose Tackle
-Tony McDaniel 6′ 7″, 305 lbs (Seattle has Cap Concerns)
*From The Right Side
-Julius Peppers 6′ 7″, 287 lbs (Reportedly will be cut)
(Tree Trunks with Pass Rush)
January 4th, 2014 at 11:27 am
*get some beast
January 4th, 2014 at 11:32 am
It’s great to pile up a list of we-want-this and we-want-that, but eventually as we all know the bill comes due. We’ve got a number of young players like Gerald McCoy, Lavonte David, Mark Baron and Doug Martin who’ll be needing big raises over these next 1-3 years to remain Bucs. Not to mention that we’ve already got a LOT of money tied up in players like Revis, Goldson, Jackson and Williams. My guess is that Lovie’s priorities will be (1) fleshing out the defensive line with 2 DE’s; (2) adding 2 OL starters; (3) resigning 2 LB’s; (4) adding an experienced QB (as competition for Mike Glennon); (5) drafting a QB and WR with our first 2 picks in this draft. And of course someplace in there he’ll have to pick up 1-2 TE’s who hopefully can block. Oh and that’s right, in the process he needs to improve our depth across the board. But then again, he’s got this huge cap excess of what, $17 million? Should be a piece of cake!
January 4th, 2014 at 11:33 am
@SeanyMac in SC Says:
“…IMHO, Jared Allen is past his prime. I remember the bloody nose that Penn gave him in 2011. I would prefer to see someone younger.”
I disagree Allen is past his prime. Although he had a ‘down year’ with only 11.5 sacks, he is only 31 and just 3 years removed from 22 freaking sacks! I would be thrilled with Allen.
In theory, I do agree on someone younger, like Greg Hardy – he is only 25. Problem is younger cost more money. And, was Hardy a one hit wonder? I doubt it, but who knows. He had 15 sacks this year but with a stud D-line. In the previous 3 years he averaged only 6 sacks per year. It all has to fit in the overall grand scheme of things.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:35 am
*Comparable Vet Defensive end contracts (2013)
-DE/OLB-John Abraham (Jul 25 2013) Signed a 2 year $4.6 million contract with Arizona (ARI)
-DE Osi Umenyiora (Mar 27 2013) Signed a 2 year $8.5 million contract with Atlanta (ATL)
-DE/OLB Dwight Freeney (May 18 2013) Signed a 2 year $13.35 million contract with San Diego (SD)
January 4th, 2014 at 11:37 am
JOE,… LIKE THIS KID GREG HARDY BUT HOW IS IT HE MAY BE FREE…..IS HE A FREE AGENT RESTRICTED FREE AGENT OR WHAT
January 4th, 2014 at 11:40 am
Wouldn’t necessarily call Bennett a versatile man beast, though he is a serviceable DE. While he did have 6 more sacks than Gholston, he did it in seeing probably double the number of snaps that Gholston had. Curiously though, they were tied in tackles at 31. I see more upside/versatility in Gholston.
January 4th, 2014 at 11:48 am
Hardy WILL be tagged Allen and Melton for line ,Tillman in the back. Def will be nasty.
Draft Watkins with the #7 and guard in the 2nd.imo
January 4th, 2014 at 11:48 am
Serious question: Can ends easily switch from the left-toright? Or is that akin to asking Peyton Manning to start chucking the ball left-handed?
January 4th, 2014 at 11:53 am
Greg Hardy isn’t leaving the Panther. He said he’d take a pay cut to stay there and would be fine with the franchise tag being used on him. That guy I think will do what ever to stay with the Panthers.
@ManzielMadness
Michael Johnson production dropped alot from 2011. I think the Bengals knew that and that’s why the used the franchise tag on him instead of giving him a contract. Guaranteed he’s probably an upgrade from Bowers and Te’-O Nesheim
January 4th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
In the later rounds I’d take a hard look at Dominique Easley. Kid was a stud before he tore his ACL. If he can come back he could be a beast
January 4th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Money talks… When the panthers will be crushed Hardy will changed his mind
January 4th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
@DontBucNH8
My bad, I did not know they used they franchise tag on him… lol
January 4th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Sign Allen and Tillman, trade down and take Kelvin Benjamin in the 1st
January 4th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
@LUVMYBUCS Says:
*Comparable Vet Defensive end contracts (2013)
-DE/OLB-John Abraham (Jul 25 2013) 2 year $4.6 million contract (ARI)
-DE Osi Umenyiora (Mar 27 2013) 2 year $8.5 million contract (ATL)
-DE/OLB Dwight Freeney (May 18 2013) 2 year $13.35 million contract (SD)
That is interesting info. It means to me that we could easily land either Allen, Peppers, or Hardy (or even 2 of them! wishful thinking) at a reasonable figure (I do think Hardy will resign with the Panthers).
Funny, of the ones you listed, Abraham was by far the best bargain – 11.5 sacks. And I remember, he took the longest to find a team that wanted him. Freeney surprises me. He is the oldest (33), signed for the most money and had an awful year.
January 4th, 2014 at 12:11 pm
I dont blame Clayborne for being discouraged late in the season. Schiano had that man running around the line like it was a track meet, trying to cover TEs and just all around just pathetic use of him. He’ll be much better when he just has to worry about getting to the QB. I rather see Allen than Peppers.
January 4th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
If we got Greg Hardy, that would be amazing. I don’t see it this year though. Peppers and Johnson would be good additions and probably could get both for the price we would pay Hardy. Get those two and pick up a Barr or Mack in the draft and I’d say we’d have a dominate defense. Great rotation from front four. I still think Clayborn, Bowers, and Gholston will play better under Lovie and his staff just because they will use there from better and not all this stunt BS!! Bring Bennett back!! He only signed a one year deal with the Seahawks. IDK kind of like him. He was a good guy.
January 4th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Either of those guys are one year stop gaps at this point in their careers.
January 4th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
You mean we have to spend millions shoring up our immensely talented defense?
January 4th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
How about moving up in the draft and taking Clowney. IMO, believe he will be a Beast in the NFL .
January 4th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
I would like Allen, very good pass rusher still with lots of energy especially for the fan base like Simeon Rice. A good 2 year deal might do the trick.
Hardy is not leaving the Panthers, no way a 25 year old coming off of 2 double digit sack seasons is hitting free agency.
Easley is a great player, however he’s a DT mostly for the Gators not a DE
January 4th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Yes, let’s address our DE situation in Free Agency, and then take either Mathews, Barr, or Watkins in the draft. If three of the teams before us take a QB, we will be guaranteed at least one of these players will fall to us at #7. I would image a linebackers coach phenom like Lovie Smith would love Anthony Barr.
January 4th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Hopefully Revis will agree to restructure his contract and free up more salary cap room. Get Peppers and Allen, rotate them in and out with Claiborne and Bowers.
January 4th, 2014 at 1:14 pm
Julius Peppers is 33
January 4th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Re-sign Bennett!?
The plot thickens then, doesn’t it.
Quite.
January 4th, 2014 at 1:34 pm
Even without a third rounder, I would rather trade up for Clowney and have the once a decade talent. Maybe the number 7 pick and something next year could get you up to 3 or 4 to snag him.
January 4th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Bucs do not have the funds for either of those guys. They would have to cur Revis, and then that would make our secondary weakest again.
Better to draft a DE. If the Rams decide on oline, Clowney will fall to us. Or maybe we trade up.
January 4th, 2014 at 1:43 pm
And QB, you should watch the games more.
Clayborn is not a bust. Your comments show a complete lack of knowledge.
January 4th, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Why is Joe the only one in America reporting non sense, this is the second time you’ve down Adrian Clayborn as a bust which makes you sound completely clueless. What is it, make up your mind because you blame Schiano and Sheridan for running endless stunts that push clayborn away from sacks but he stuck got 6 sacks coming off an injury in a garbage scheme. Clayborn is day 1. Starter unless they go get a young (YOUNG) D end in free agency, we have a coach which means you don’t need to go all out in free agency if you know how to develop players, especially elderly free agents….Lol yea the glazed are gonna let lovie do the same thing gruden did just for one superbowl maybe…..Joe you should go back to grabbing news from around the web and posting for others to read because when you write your own articles you really do should clueless….get rid of the best end we have for two that have 1 maybe 2 years left in the tank….that’s counterproductive, building through the draft is how all the playoff teams have done it…..I thought you knew something about football ooops my bad I was wrong
January 4th, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Picking up Hardy would be awesome, a lot younger and hungrier than Allen or Peppers. Bonus would be that it would weaken an inter-division rival too taking him away from the Panthers.
January 4th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
dick2111 – is spot on, plus CB´s are an issue too.
The Bucs are still a mess – outlook wise – on the posetive note: We got plenty of options now, to realy build an lasting contender.. This time around by people with knowledge of how to actually do so.
January 4th, 2014 at 2:52 pm
Cornerbacks are not a mess. Well, maybe depth is.
Revis will be more healthy next year, and Banks will be in his second year.
People down on Banks need to remember how long it took Barber to get in his groove.
Banks had a better first year than Barber had in ANY of his first 4 years.
January 4th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
The Bucs have plenty of cap space and Revis’s contract has an option where the team can turn his salary into a signing bonus making that available cap space for 2014.
January 4th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
I’m not downplaying Barber. We all know he rocked. But what I’m trying to say is Banks is developing fine. He started 16 games this year and was the second best CB on the team.
Ronde did not start until halfway through his second year, and still did not do as well for the next 2 years.
January 4th, 2014 at 2:56 pm
PRBucFan Says
“The Bucs have plenty of cap space and Revis’s contract has an option where the team can turn his salary into a signing bonus making that available cap space for 2014.”
I’m not doubting you, but I would like to know your source, if there is one. The only source I currently have is Rotoworld.
January 4th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
I’m sorry I cannot remember off the top of my head, I can try and search.
But it was in a few of these regis pieces I read.
Try googling it and I will look.
They also mention he has a 1.5 million bonus in march and another 1.5 bonus for attending training camp. With the remaining 13 million than the Bucs had the option I mentioned.
January 4th, 2014 at 3:13 pm
I found it
Search goof for the title
“Bucs already have the right to Rework Revis deal”
It’s national football post article.
It explains how it’s written into the contract
January 4th, 2014 at 3:15 pm
This would be a foolish, very foolish move to give up on Adrian. Remember his first year he ended the season with 7.5 sacks with a awful defensive back field. 6 sacks this season back from knee injury. Hell Revis wasn’t at his best this season either. I do believe we wanted to give up on McCoy. Now he’s an All Pro.
January 4th, 2014 at 3:41 pm
mpmalloy Says:Re-sign Bennett!?
The plot thickens then, doesn’t it.
Quite.
Had to throw it out there lol
January 4th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Sign Bennett and try to get Allen. Then draft a CB in the mid rounds – you have the makings of a special defense.
January 4th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
I had absolutely ZERO faith in Schiano’s staff to evaluate talent or maximize the talent on the roster. They let Blount, a 1,000 yd rusher, sit on the bench for an entire year because they didn’t know how to use him. You dont have to be a football genuis to realize that Blount and Martin could have been a running back tandem for the Bucs. He let Talib walk, and it would have been very nice to have Talib instead of that nonsense lined up opposite Revis.
I want to see a real defensive mind maximize the talent of Clayborne and Bowers et al.
January 4th, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Here’s the thing about Greg Hardy: The Stinking Panthers can easily franchise him. He is an unrestricted free agent but would be shocked if Carolina lets him get loose to a division rival.
Plus, Hardy said he would take a hometown discount to stay in Carolina.
January 4th, 2014 at 5:06 pm
They didn’t let Talib walk, he had to go, it’s called accountability.
Make no mistake about it, if he makes all those same mistakes on any other team the result would be the same and thats them letting him go.
He’s cleaned up his act because he’s had no choice, it was that or he was out of the league.
I was his biggest fan and constantly said he was elite, I actually predicted he would realize his potential fully in NE and people laughed saying he wasn’t elite. Most people wanted him gone, but now that he is indeed proving he is elite in NE the same people wanna say it was a bad move? lol Please.
January 4th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
McCoy isn’t going to get a big raise. He is already one of the highest paid DTs in the league (top 3). In fact with the way that contracts are structured where a player gets less money in the beginning of the contract that get’s higher with each year we may actually save cap room for the first year or two when he signs a new contract. He is different than Lavonte, Barron and Martin since he was drafted before the rookie wage scale.
As for Michael Bennett, he did less with more this year. He was playing with an all star cast defense who doesn’t run stunts like Schiano is always knocked for yet he had less tackles, less sacks and less FF. Now I am not saying that he wouldn’t have been a nice addition but he isn’t some world beater or anything.
January 4th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Wow.
I am imagining Jared Allen and Julius Peppers on the same line?
With Adrian Clayborne, Gholston, and Bowers rotating and learning?
Sign Jared and Julius to 3 year deals at 6 mil per year. All guaranteed. Boom. You got em both.
With 3 decent young guys like Daquan, Adrian and William to help keep them fresh?
Man that is the kind of D-line depth that won the Giants 2 superbowls!
Bottom line. If you can hit aaron rodgers. And get in his head. He gets scared. Its human nature. Drew Brees is an average Joe. 6 ft nothing and a buck 75. Hes tiny! And trust me, huge frreak athletes like mccoy slamming him? Man, its painful.
Its barbaric to say. But to get genius QBs like manning, brady, rodgers, ryan, and brees, off their game, you must annihilate them. Destroy them. Hurt them. Break them. Smash them. To frighten them. To SACK them!!
The only way to beat a team with a rare, superstar QB, you know, the teams that usually win superbowls, is to F thier QB up.
We need sacks!
We need Julius AND Jared!
January 4th, 2014 at 6:34 pm
I think Anthony Barr cold be turned into a middle linebacker for some cover 2 plays.
I think he could be the next Urlacher. covers space.
He was a RB before. So athletic. So smooth and low. And fast!
In pass coverage, this guy could be amazing. I really would love drafting Barr or Watkins. Or Clowney ideally.
Clowney and Peppers? Lolz. Sweet.
January 4th, 2014 at 7:30 pm
except the rules are pro qb. people don’t realize that the nfl has changed in the 12 years since the bucs’ superbowl.
January 4th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
Why is “30” always the magic number when it comes to age? Ok he’s 31, so he could easily play for 4-5 more seasons. A bad Jared Allen would still be better than anything we currently have on our D-line so if the price isn’t too hefty, go for him!
January 4th, 2014 at 8:25 pm
Can’t believe you’re all still hating on Michael Bennett. Haha, you have no idea whatcha had. Less with more PewterPirates? Bennett did all that he did this year with just 617 snaps, of which a good chunk were from DT vs. 985 with the Bucs last year. Do your research, dude is a beast, could have been all-pro if he was starting, and other than Sherman and Thomas, was the most valuable defender on the best D in the league.
I would have walked from TBay too. No respect. Dude’s the man in Seattle. We know what we’ve got.
Coming from a Seahawks fan, who dabbled in supporting the Bucs… Give credit where credit is due. Bennett is a beast, you let him walk, suck it up and give the man some respect.
Peace.
January 4th, 2014 at 8:55 pm
Stupid teams spend big money on older free agents, going hot and heavy for Allen or Peppers would be crippling, and stupid.
Breaking the bank for young pass rushers like Michael Johnson or Greg Hardy is the best way to improve any D.
January 4th, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Teacherman,
Barr as a Mike? Dumbest idea…EVER! Barr is college football’s premier edge rusher and you want us to take him and completely misuse his talents by running him down the field on passing downs? Wow!
January 5th, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Greg Hardy should be the top target at DE. I have a feeling Clayborn and Bowers will be much improved in Lovie’s system. Gholston played well this year.