Time To Sniff Asante Samuel
February 6th, 2014
Former rockstar general manager Mark Dominik seemed to enter every NFL season with questionable cornerback depth.
There was nothing behind the unreliable Adderall Twins in 2012, and last year the Bucs started training camp with two rookie corners (Rashaan Melvin and Johnthan Banks), plus often overmatched Leonard Johnson, inexperienced Danny Gorrer and versatile yet undersized (5-6) veteran Michael Adams behind injured Darrelle Revis. Joe hopes Lovie Smith and new GM Jason Licht aren’t so brave.
That’s why Joe’s intrigued by the immediate free agency availability of veteran ballhawk cornerback Asante Samuel, who was cut by the Falcons yesterday. He was a proverbial “salary cap casualty.” And the Falcons really did him a favor by putting him on the open market right now.
Yes, Samuel is coming off a bad season and he’s 33 years old. That’s hardly a good combination. Joe can’t say with any certainty what Samuel might have left in the tank. But Joe can be certain that Samuel won’t cost a load of cash and Joe knows the Bucs need quality cornerback depth.
Will the Bucs bring him in quickly for a workout and a chat? Joe’s not lobbying to sign the guy, but he’s surely worth a quality sniff. It might even be great practice for the new regime to hone its interview/courting skills.
Samuel has played 11 years for three coaches: Bill Belicheat, Andy Reid and Mike Smith. He knows what a playoff team is supposed to look like and probably would appreciate playing for Lovie Smith. And what cornerback in his right mind wouldn’t want to join the Bucs’ star-studded secondary?
Joe’s curious to see whether the Bucs front office is linked to any interest.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
No.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
No.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Joe asked..
“And what cornerback in his right mind wouldn’t want to join the Bucs’ star-studded secondary?”
The answer is a CB expecting a pass rush.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:11 pm
hell to the no!!
February 6th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Man, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit reading this article about our DB depth chart. I would take Samuel for sure, with the intention of making him the 3rd CB/slot defender. He shouldn’t come at too hefty of a price and he sure as hell would be better depth than what we have. I would like the idea of a Rivas, Banks/Tillman, Samuel, Goldson, and Barron as our starting secondary. I’d keep LJ as a backup. This way, if someone goes down we have DB’s that can step up and we’re not having to sign guys off the street. It would be nice to finally have a secondary unit solidified. That hasn’t happened since the Barber/Kelly days.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
Revis*** Sorry! LOL
February 6th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Would be nice to see if they can develop Deveron Carr and Rashaan Melvin, two young guys with length and speed. Lesson from the Seahawks championship season? How did they build the team? By developing mid-low draft picks and undrafted FAs. Let’s not start recycling players like they did in the Gruden-Allen personnel fiasco years. Let’s trust the coaching and add players with upside and longer term potential. Occasionally, it’s helpful to add a veteran, but it’s a bad habit to get into hiring too many of these over-30 guys.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
Backup only LJ needs competition and Banks can be a solid 2nd CB. Blown assignments was all over the place last year and that happened to Banks also. He should strive this year with new coaches. Though after Banks we don’t have anyone and Asante better be dirt cheap if he will be with us.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
If we had to pick up an old man corner I’d personally prefer Peanut.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
Let’s give it a try, we’ll need depth behind Darrelle Revis, Johnthan Banks, and (assuming we do sign him) Charles Tillman.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Joe did you hear that Michael Bennett is “100% committed to re-signing with the Seahawks”?
February 6th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Joe with Vick and Asante, we would be only Rich Mckay and Jim Mora Jr away from locking up the bottom of the NFC South for the next 4 years. If you sniff around garbage long enough, you will start to smell like it. Lovie/Licht are here to draft depth at positions like CB. I really only see them grabbing some Free agents if they know the system, or high value positions like DE, QB, O-line and Middle Linebacker, that they can find value at.
February 6th, 2014 at 12:49 pm
I like the potential of Melvin. I also liked Gorrer but he can’t stay healthy. My biggest problem with Asante is his lack of physicality. Tillman’s age worries me, and Banks is going to have to really learn some tricks from Revis to make up for his obvious lack of speed and quickness.
one guy who may blossom under this new staff is Tandy…. A lot if question marks, but the secondary is not our biggest problem on D. That would be the big boys up front.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:14 pm
LOL. Some of the comments are comical to say the least reason being cause some of you are acting like he is coming to be a starter off the top… Look he will be cheap, bring him in to compete and sprinkle some knowledge on the youngsters and if he don’t make it out of training camp then let him go no worries, but we need the depth so why not get QUALITY DEPTH. He will be for that not to be a starter. Ease up! Good day everyone.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Yep, the Bucs need some more UCF Knights. Throw in Bortles and I think the Bucs may just have a shot this year.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:20 pm
I say go after a CB with a little more certainty. Sure bring him in, give him a look and have a chat. But We need to not bring in someone thats a sure starter – aim to upgrade at every position – because I don’t think Banks is a starter yet. Banks is cheap so it’s safe to let him develop behind someone. Good move for a guy that seems a step off right now.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Wow, have we learned nothing from watching Gruden’s Decaying Carnival of Corpses he used to bring in to One Buc? Why is everybody salivating over these old men that can’t stay healthy and are clearly on the downsides of their careers?
Build a contender for the long run with younger players, not a middling team that has to rebuild every year.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:27 pm
bigpoppabuc
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tandy moved back to CB in an effort to get him on the field. He was mostly a zone CB in college and did well there.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:34 pm
They also have Marc Anthony off the practice squad, who I believe was also working at safety and making good progress. He might also be a zone corner.
February 6th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
@BucsfaninChina Says:
“Yep, the Bucs need some more UCF Knights. Throw in Bortles and I think the Bucs may just have a shot this year…”
I am not much of a college football follower (basketball yes, not football). I only watched Bortles play in the bowl game. In that particular game, I thought his accuracy was suspect. But others love him and say he had an off bowl game.
Is he that good? Where would you place him in comparison to Teddy and johnny?
February 6th, 2014 at 2:04 pm
*”We need to bring in someone..”
February 6th, 2014 at 2:32 pm
uhhhh, when was he last good? 2008 or so? terrible idea.
February 6th, 2014 at 2:34 pm
no we dont need him, vincent jackson killed him last season
February 6th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
I understand some of you that are worried about another Gruden/Allen era that turned the Bucs into the nursing home of the NFL. However, I think most Bucs fans have a bad taste in their mouth and a little residual lack of faith in developing young players. Through the Raheem/Schiano/Domink era, there has been close to zero developing of players. Yes, our #2 overall pick (GMC) is good and may have developed as a player since being here, but that’s all I can think of. I wouldn’t give Bucs personnel any props for developing David cause that guy has been a stud from jump.
If we almost completely build and develop through the draft we are going to have to learn how to trust again. Trust that we have a coaching staff/GM that can actually develop players instead of basing every year on the hope that every young player you have will have a crazy break out year (like Dom used to do.) We will need to trust and be patient. I don’t know if that’s gonna happen because Bucs fans (including myself) want results now.
February 6th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
The_Buc_Realist…telling it like it is again I see.
February 6th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Guys,
Some of you need to go back and reread what was posted. Key in on specific statements and don’t generalize so much.
What was said is –
take a look at
No depth
Won’t cost much
Adderall (lol)
Not sure of what’s left in the tank
Need quality depth
These are all statements of low risk high reward and some of you act like he’s just trash. He definitely a upgrade to Leonard and Adams – I would even see what he and banks could do in a head to head competition in the spring leading to the summer.
As we just witnessed during the Seahawks run, there is a goldmine in depth and quality players. This is not about buying the best everything, every bit about the right fits and that sometimes requires taking chances.
I say kick the tires on him and see what’s left. Afterall we don’t have depth there now.
February 6th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
@Architek,
I’m saying the same thing. Some people on here act like someone is saying Asante Samuel will be the catalyst that gets us to the superbowl. No one is saying that! Can he help out with our depth issues? Absolutely. (for the right price). I don’t get all the emphatic “NO’s” on here like the guy has no game at all. smh
February 6th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
“uhhhh, when was he last good? 2008 or so? terrible idea.”
——————-
Coincidence… same year the Bucs were last good.
* 2010 was smoke and mirrors.
February 6th, 2014 at 3:16 pm
If were going after older CBs I would rather go with Tillman for Lovies D.
February 6th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
scouting report on samuels…. Skills have diminished and can not takle. I’d be surprised if anyone signs him before the draft
February 6th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
and he cant tackle…opps
February 6th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
We could get double the personal fouls with him and goldson in the same backfield.
February 6th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
@ Nate_tweetz
Agreed.
February 6th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
@couch
That’s it – proven depth that fits. Some people are saying no because of a down year but last I checked we were 0-8.
Hmmm need we say more. We can use the help.
February 6th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
@Nate,
100% bro
February 6th, 2014 at 5:33 pm
intrigued by Asante Samuel?
wow how desperate we’ve become….what age was ronde barber when he put a cap on his hall of fame career….he’s no ronde barber
guess thats like calling luke stocker an enigma hahaha
February 6th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
We need all the help we can get on both sides of the ball!!
February 6th, 2014 at 5:56 pm
Well here we go, like every off season…lets sign every free agent thats out! Can’t believe u brought up Vick, then Tebow and now a 33 yr old cornerback.Its to early for this bro..I mean really?
February 6th, 2014 at 6:11 pm
No way !
February 6th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
I’m totally for it Joe!!!!!! I believe the guy is still serviceable & you can’t never have enough corners in this league.
February 6th, 2014 at 6:31 pm
@Nate and those who would rather hire geezers with nothing but fumes left in the tank… You philosophy does not even work in the short term. You need to have some trust and patience in the new regime finding and developing talent. I don’t see them jumping on the creeky knees bandwagon for a quick “fix”, based on statements from Licht. There’s a decent core of good young players, but notable holes. Let’s not Grudenize it. Continue to build it. Look how the Seahawks did it.
February 6th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
And why, you might ask, did the Bucs pass up on chances to sign the likes of Brent Grimes, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, or Brandon Carr not too long ago and instead largely overpayed for a pill-popping, average CB in Eric Wright?? Ho, ho, well that’s someting only our “rockstar” former GM would know. smh
February 6th, 2014 at 6:52 pm
and btw Brent Grimes is due to hit the FA market again along with Tillman and Sam Shields this offseason.
February 6th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Grimes might be a better pickup if the price is right? I guess we need to see how much other teams are willing to pay and then see what happens?
February 6th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
You want the quickest way to improve Buc DB play?
Improve the pass rush.
February 6th, 2014 at 9:15 pm
I agree with Joe. At least look seriously at a guy like this. There’s no risk to looking.
February 6th, 2014 at 9:53 pm
Who has been talking about the SEAHAWKS HIPPY WAYS all year???
ME!
Who has been calling for more depth??? Like Seattle? Me!
Who also believes ina a run game and strong defense like Seattle?
Schiano!
Who believes in having fun, letting players smoke weed, and be themselves even if they are a little “thuggish?” NOT SCHIANO!!
Schiano and Carrol have some eery similarities.
But their biggest difference is their vibe.
Pete is cool, chill, and fun. While Schiano reminds me of General Patton!
February 6th, 2014 at 10:30 pm
peanut!
February 6th, 2014 at 11:05 pm
He would be GREAT to have as depth. Bring him in for a breather or injury. Would have to be for depth money though.
February 6th, 2014 at 11:58 pm
I don’t know why people keep mentioning Charles Tillman. He’s off the table unless something changes.
Grimes might make a good #2 or 3.
February 7th, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Grimes has always been a thorn in the Bucs side, would pick him over Samuel. Doubt either will be brought in though, GM Licht has made it clear, he believes in building through the draft. Most likely the midnight oil is burning right now as the current roster is being evaluated for who goes in the “keeper” column and who goes in the “trade” column so unwanted assets can be turned in to trade picks.
February 8th, 2014 at 12:53 am
What about Brandon Ghee