Bucs Workout A Former Pro Bowler This Morning
August 6th, 2014
Hmm, Lovie Smith had great things to say about his top kicker and punter yesterday, even remarking that they’re paid handsomely. And Lovie said the versatile guy backing them up in training camp has been impressive.
But a different message seems to have been sent this morning.
Joe has learned from a reliable source that former Titans kicker Rob Bironas (2005-2013) was at One Buc Palace for a workout this morning. Bironas was a Pro Bowler in 2007, and was cut by the Titans in March. He was scheduled to earn about $3 million this season.
Rookie Anthony Fera out of Texas, a punter and kicker, also joined Bironas for the workout.
Lovie has said his special teams coordinator Kevin O’Dea is a kicking specialist. So perhaps he’s seen something in Connor Barth and/or Michael Koenen that’s left him yearning for more?
Barth, per ESPN, has a base salary of $2 million this season and can earn up to $3.15 million via roster bonuses. Joe suspects an unemployed kicker would come significantly cheaper.
Bironas made 25 of 29 field goals (86.2 percent) last year (2-for-3 from 50+ yards) and was perfect on extra points. Barth missed all of last season and is a 84.2 on field goals for his career.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:14 am
Somebody please help me understand this!! The Bucs are not up against the cap, there isn’t going to be a major signing in the near future, so seriously, what is the reasoning behind this?
August 6th, 2014 at 10:16 am
“Hmm, Lovie Smith had great things to say about his top kicker and punter yesterday… But a different message seems to have been sent this morning.”
This is why I don’t put too much into what they say about Cheeseburger Bowers being so valuable because he can play both NT and DE. Two days on the sideline says more than some quotes from L&L. If Cheeseburger is still on the roster come September, I am going to beg him to buy a lottery ticket for me.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:16 am
I can see bringing in a punter but Kicker? No thanks we are good with Barth. The last time we try to save a we bucks on a kicker we stunk lost Christie and were bad for ten years. I hope it’s not to save money. This is the type of move that could lose you two close games.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:17 am
Can’t resist the want to be able an have you start every article about Rob with, “Bucs kicker, Rob MY MY MY, MY Bironas!
August 6th, 2014 at 10:19 am
Maybe a move to keep Barth’s leg a little fresh during camp/preseason as well as insurance in case something happens to Barth? We saw the disasterous results of Barth going down last season, I for one hope to never see Lindell in a Bucs uniform again…ever.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:19 am
@James,
Whats not to understand? The last paragraph in the story says it all. If you can get equal talent for far less money, that is just responsible financial management. Heres hoping they spend the savings on some OGs
August 6th, 2014 at 10:20 am
Unless Connor has a lifetime average less than 84.2 %, I can’t see why the need. Unless it is about money. I’m starting to wonder out loud now how much is McCoy going to demand?
August 6th, 2014 at 10:25 am
Rob Bironas. Can he play guard?
August 6th, 2014 at 10:26 am
Barth is way better than Bironias at this stage in his Career. Older kickers are more injury prone you don’t sign a guy who got cut from another team who is late in his career to save a few bucks that how you lose games needlessly. That’s what wrong with it.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:27 am
Murray looked good yesterday. Huge foot. Definitely noticed them using different people for every single thing Koenen does.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Stanglassman hit the nail on the head….Stay the course!
August 6th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Licht just likes to make changes and cut/trade players. See offensive line. Rookie GM doesn’t know what he is doing.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:49 am
This is simply a regime that won’t make the same mistakes the last one did. When a pro bowl kicker goes down you don’t grab the 3rd best kicker cut from Buffalo u find a pro bowl kicker. This isn’t Schiano and Dominik
August 6th, 2014 at 10:56 am
Lovie said it early on. He will continue to tweak the roster whenever he can find a better player to upgrade the team. If he can also do it cheaper, all the better. Is either of these tryout guys better? Lovie will decide.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:58 am
@stanglassman Did you really just use the argument that Barth would be less injury prone than Bironas? Remind me, where has Barth last year?
Bironas is very solid. Fourth most accurate kicker in NFL HISTORY. Plus he is a beast from long distance. Sure, he is a bit older and the Titans just didnt want to throw $3 million at their kicker but I am sure Licht doesnt want to throw $3 mil at our kicker either. This could be a steal for the Bucs.
August 6th, 2014 at 11:10 am
This could also just be an agent favor…happens all the time. Bringing him in for a workout reminds the rest of the league that he’s still out there.
August 6th, 2014 at 11:13 am
I look at this as just due diligence. Can’t imagine they are thinking about getting rid of Barth unless he has looked awful which I havent heard anything about.
August 6th, 2014 at 11:38 am
If they are trying to save money bring Dimke back from last preseason. Nailed everything.
August 6th, 2014 at 11:48 am
If they’re looking for a punter, Tom Hornsey, 2013 Ray Guy Award winner is a free agent. Leave no stone unturned!
August 6th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Dear raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies, you are the reason I have trust issues!
Pro-bowlers….Just because you have one that looks like one, doesn’t mean you’ve got one!
August 6th, 2014 at 12:11 pm
@Harry
Because they are not against the cap as I stated. How much are the Bucs really going to save?
August 6th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
We lost games from missed field goals last season. Quite a few games. Why would we want to risk having that happen again. What because barth didnt make sidleline shots???? Game time he is clutch I dont know how this makes sense unless they are getting ready to dish out some contracts…
August 6th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
DallasBuc Says:
August 6th, 2014 at 10:41 am
U. R. DUMB.
August 6th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
@Orca,
I was going to chastise you for getting personal. But after I read what DallasBuc wrote, you may have a point, lol.
August 6th, 2014 at 12:52 pm
@James,
my guess would be somewhere between $1 to $2M; probably right in the middle.
August 6th, 2014 at 12:52 pm
It was tryout Tuesday. Nothing to see here. This is what you call the personnel department doing its job. That said, a change in kicker would not shock me, especially if the guy was strong on kickoffs. If they had that, then there’d be no reason not to cut Koenen loose and find a younger, cheaper, stronger-legged punter.
August 6th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Harry Says:
August 6th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
I just couldn’t help myself. Somebody needed to say it. 🙂
August 6th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Keep Barth he and koenen have been aloud we have no cap issues so lovie should no worry about that unless u got a stud player at other position u wanna sign.
Careful what u wish for titians kicker numbers are good cause he is indoors in Tennessee.
Barth went down and remember his replacement cost us games and momentum with easy misses and he was a vet.
August 6th, 2014 at 1:23 pm
You guys are missing the obvious. Barth can’t kick off deeply enough for the Bucs liking. He’s not great on FG attempts over 50 yards.
Bironas has a better career average and may still have the leg to kick off and attempt longer FG’s.
We could concieveably upgrade both kickers for less salary.
August 6th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
I know what Lovie said about spending to the limit… BUT lets not forget injuries do happen during the season and need to save money for that and we do need to figure out the GMC contract which shouldn’t really cost too much more than his current cap figure.. Also whatever we don’t spend this year gets rolled into next years Cap and if the Cap keeps rising like it is we could be players again in FA next season.
August 6th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
@thetruth
Did the titans get a new stadium? They play outdoors.
August 6th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Titans stadium is outdoors! Maybe looking to free up money for quality cuts in two weeks!
August 6th, 2014 at 2:28 pm
It’s like signing P. Manning when you have A. Luck you might get one more year out of him before he breaks down but what are you going to do next year? It’s no steal, it’s just a bad idea. 36 is the age kicker’s leg strength goes and they over compensate and get injuries. Yes 28 year olds are more resilient than 36 year olds.
August 6th, 2014 at 5:03 pm
A kicker is the wrong place to save money. It’s a fools idea of economics. Find the guy you covet and pay him what he is worth.
Phillip, agree on the cap space. You have some cushion to resign the core players and also the ability to be opportunistic in FA.
August 6th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
The kickers practice on a different field. We have not heard much about their kicking because the media, Joe included, have been watching the team. Barth was out all of last year. How do we know if he has fully recovered? Think about it.
August 6th, 2014 at 9:19 pm
Barth struggled to get the distance on 50+ yard kicks at the night practice last week. That was a small sample size, but maybe he just doesn’t have the leg. Bironas might come cheaper with a bigger leg. Considering Lovie will likely rely on the defense and play games close, a kicker that can kick a long FG in a close game could make all the difference.
August 6th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
Not true Birddoggers.
In the last couple of years Conner B. (made 8 of 12 with overall FG 84.8 and 92.9%) has kicked from 50 plus much more than Rob B (made 3 of 5 overall FG % 86.2 & 80.6)
This shows that they both are good kickers with strong legs but one is at the age where your leg strength goes and when it happens it happens fast.
August 7th, 2014 at 12:13 am
^^ Barth ruptured his Achilles though. Wouldn’t be surprising if he has lost some explosion.
August 7th, 2014 at 6:29 am
@OAR..
Excellent analogy!
Don’t ya’ just hate that?
August 29th, 2014 at 4:39 pm
I hate this because I know Connor Barth as he is from my hos me town…..but this is strictly pure business with 5 plus million tied up in kickers.
Who says we don’t need cap space….what if there are players that become available that we want to sign?
August 29th, 2014 at 4:57 pm
dominik loved to take players at low-wage positions and make them among the highest paid at what they do…he did it at TE (winslow), G (joseph\nicks), P, K, and then he gave revis a deal above and beyond what any healthy CB was getting at that time. Lovie and Licht can shake loose some hidden cash by getting more in line with the league pay scale at positions like G, P, and K over time
it’s not impossible that they re-sign barth to a more team friendly deal. Barth wouldn’t have much trouble catching on with another team, but nobody in the NFL would match what we were paying Barth at this point, which is a pretty clear indicator of overpayment. conversely, logan mankins probably would have had his pick of teams to match or improve on what NE was paying him had he gotten cut