Suggesting A Running Back Trade
August 11th, 2014
The Bucs legitimately go four-deep at running back with Doug Martin, Charles Sims, Bobby Rainey and Mike James.
That’s a nice luxury, but it’s especially unnecessary when/if your offensive line can’t open a hole.
Former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht, a member of the Buccaneers Radio Network, took to the WDAE-AM 620 airwaves this morning and suggested that general manager Jason Licht might consider dumping Rainey or James if it helps secure a solid guard as part of a trade.
Joe can’t disagree, especially if the Bucs decide to keep wild card speedster Jeff Demps, who showed little on Friday night. With Demps on the roster, that would make Rainey or James even more expendable. Maybe there’s a decent guard out there the Bucs could score by offering Rainey and a seventh-round pick, for example?
Yes, Lovie Smith says not to “overreact” to the Bucs’ messy offensive line play. But it’s awfully hard not to. Winning football isn’t played behind the O-line the Bucs showcased Friday.
You can listen to Becht’s full breakdown of the first preseason game in the WDAE-AM 620 audio below.
August 11th, 2014 at 10:31 am
Do it!! Keep James trade Rainey.
August 11th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Who need’s backs, that has a guard? SF seems to be deep in RB’s….
August 11th, 2014 at 10:34 am
most teams will wait for extra running to be cut, maybe they could secure a 6th or 7th round pick to get one of running backs before final cuts.
I know not many will like this, But it is not about this year. We all heard the lip service earlier this year of about not waiting for a winner. But L&L are just going to see who can play in the nfl this year.
August 11th, 2014 at 10:47 am
I’m wondering why we didn’t sign somebody more talented at the guard position during free agency? Licht must not see it as a position of importance that’s worth putting cap dollars into, because we have/had the cap space available to sign somebody that can block. They really must have thought Nicks was going to play this season.
August 11th, 2014 at 10:58 am
I really don’t think it’s possible to fix everything that needs to be fixed on this team in one year. The regime did a great job of going out and drafting a ton of offensive weapons. In the off season they did a good job of filling some defensive needs @ CB, DE & DT. In their minds these were much more important than the Guard position. It’s not like there is a bunch of all pro guards waiting for the Bucs to make them an offer. Slim pickings at that position this year even in the draft.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:03 am
No one is trading for injured James or walk on Rainey.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:08 am
“Bucnjim Says:
August 11th, 2014 at 10:58 am
I really don’t think it’s possible to fix everything that needs to be fixed on this team in one year. ”
This.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:12 am
We still have some $$$……..shoot me……but Martin is the only real tradeable back. And if….(its a big if) our line gets help……Sims, Rainey, & James can get the job done….
August 11th, 2014 at 11:18 am
This is why I pitched a fit over drafting Sims in the 3rd rd when we so badly needed a OG. Not only did we not need a RB, but a 3rd rd pick should hopefully be more than a backup. You see this happen and think you are in the twilight zone; that your the one who is crazy because no way Lovie would draft a RB if we so obviously need a OG. I also got crap in here for bitching about it too.
So now we are talking about trading a 3rd string RB and low draft pick for a OG that another team is likely to cut just so we can lock him up? Great strategy (*sarcasm*). Now if Licht can trade Rainey and even a 6th rd for Boone, I would feel like I am in the Happy Land Twilight Zone! IF that happened, next thing you know they would sign Incognito for Vet Min and put him at LG and we are off to the playoffs. But none of that is going to happen….
August 11th, 2014 at 11:32 am
Not going to happen. First off, everyone is panicking. Don’t you think Lovie knew after dumping nearly all of the offensive line that it would take him more than a year to replace them with good players?
Secondly, what good will ONE players do on a line that is bad across the board? Even if some team was dumb enough to trade one of the best linemen in the league to us for Rainey, what would it accomplish?
Nothing.
Because the rest of the line will still suck.
Better to see if anyone worth trying is released, check the FA market and hope for the line to gel during the season. Someone along the lines will earn another year and that will be one less to replace next year.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:42 am
@Harry
You were not the only person upset about that. Sims is a potentially great player (eventually), but it was a head-scratcher.
You have to understand, there are several types of fans here. There are some who claim to be realistic who predict nothing but doom and gloom.
There are others who claim to be realistic who hope for the best but demand it to be given before claiming it exists.
And there are still others who drink the Koolaid no matter what, and attack anyone else who doesn’t.
I consider myself a Bucs homer. Take pride in it. But I have heard excuses and sales pitches for years now. The team can only ride the superbowl victory so long before we start saying “Back up the talk!”
That’s where I am at. I still bleed dark red (DARK!) and crap Pewter (not charcoal!), but I want to see evidence of things spoken.
Mostly, the media has done more damage to my fandom than anything else. It’s impossible to know truth from fiction anymore.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:51 am
I suggested this trade with the 49’s weeks ago. Go get Boone and be done with it.,
August 11th, 2014 at 11:54 am
@ Bonzai
Count me in the skeptical/hopeful/realistic fanbase….I expect it will take more than this year to get things right…..I have one SB sicne 76 to relish….don’t know if I’ll have another in my lifetime….but I can wait another year for things to gel.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:56 am
Like I said, 8-8 would be awesome. There’s 40 new guys on the roster….
August 11th, 2014 at 11:59 am
RB isn’t the only spot with some depth, not that you want to get thin where you are deep but, if you have no real starters at a position you have to consider everything.
If Bowers shows he can be a rotation guy inside, I think we should consider moving Spence. He’s a nice young player and could get us a starting guard if there is a team that is missing d-line help.
The thing about trades, you have to give something up to get something back. I would roll with McCoy, Bowers, McDonald on the inside if it meant getting a starting caliber guard on the roster.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Yes yes yes.. we have to do this now so our new guard can play catch up the cannon should be fired right away on this 1… I know licht doesnt want to over react because he doesnt want to look bad… but this is our team fire the damn cannon
August 11th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
Joe, I don’t agree at all that the Bucs are “legitimately four deep” at RB.
I like James a lot, and loved Sims in college. Rainey had a few good games…but on that list you have one guy that’s gotten it done at the NFL level on a consistent basis.
The other three have a lot to prove IMO
August 11th, 2014 at 12:28 pm
Lovie and Licht are both intelligent football guys. So I’m sure they realize we can’t start the season with this line. They looked awful and uncoached against the jaguars. We have the cap space. Someone above mentioned San Fran has depth. I believe they had at least 2 backs get hurt already and Lattimore is still not ready. Trade either James or Rainey and a pick for Boone. Both McCown and Glennon will be murdered behind this line. Then what. Start the YouTube QB. I don’t think so.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
I don’t see anyone giving up a guard for a running back. We probably would’ve done it already.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
If you want a serviceable guard in a trade, you’d better be willing to give up Doug.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
rainey is probably the more desirable asset, due to stats, which is great by me. rainey’s stats came from 1 game where he surprised people and a single 80 yard carry the next week. everything after was very mediocre. james got hurt before he could categorically prove he is\was better than rainey, but i really liked what he did for us, and sims looks great early too. demps has no future in this league, he is not a football player. if herron comes good we have some burners with actual football ability and not just track speed. i’d trade rainey or demps for even a late rounder, better than having to cut them 2 weeks from now to get down to 53
August 11th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Maybe the Giants, Bengals, Broncos fall into this possible trade requirements.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
If you really look at the Boone situation, the 49ers are totally in the drivers seat on this. They can demand high draft picks and players or let him sit for the season.
Not something L&L will probably do.
August 11th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
You know what would’ve made more sense? Not drafting a RB in round 3 when you had 4 good ones already. But I guess that made too much sense. I mean, Charles Sims can catch the heck out of the ball. Who needs guards when you have that?
August 11th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
Joe, I am almost blindly in love with L&L based on what we have had recently. But did they make a mistake with Zutta.
August 11th, 2014 at 4:14 pm
I love how people keep saying “we should have gotten a guard in free agency”? Who exactly was available? Outside of the guards on our team and in our division, I don’t think I can name more than 3 guards in the entire NFL. This is why some idiots keep suggesting Incognito (which would literally be chapter one in the book of bad ideas). There’s just not many good guards out there. The teams that have good guards aren’t going to let them go in free agency. If a good guard were to be available in free agency, you are going to have to pay big bucks for them. I just don’t think it’s as easy as people think.
As for trading for a guard, I’m all for it. However, I would think we would need to make the trade sooner than later. You would want your OL to have some preseason games to work together and gel. Don’t think you could expect great results if you just throw someone in there starting in the regular season – at least not for several games in. The way our schedule starts out, we may not have that much time.
August 11th, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Haven’t we heard all of this talk about how bad the guard play is in the NFL? Wouldn’t they then come at a premium to trade for in the case of Boone? He’s going to want a big deal, is he that good I guess it depends in the contract.
August 11th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
trade martin and glennon
August 11th, 2014 at 5:05 pm
@ BucfaninMO
Just my opinion, but I see it the other way around. The 49ers are on the hot seat and the other 31 teams control the heat.
Reasons: *If* Boone refuses to fulfill his *signed* contract, AND the 49ers refuse to renegotiate, then that leaves the 49ers with a player they cannot use, nor get any compensation… unless they trade him. And everyone knows Boone wants out and the 49ers won’t keep him.
If you know of a reason(s) that the 49ers are in the driver’s seat, I’d love to hear your point of view. It’s always more interesting when there are two good and different points of view.
August 11th, 2014 at 6:21 pm
That O line performance made drafting Sims in the 3rd look even more ridiculous that I thought it was on draft night! Obviously we needed OL help in the 3rd instead of adding to an already deep backfield….smh
August 11th, 2014 at 6:51 pm
Hawk-Here’s your answer.
I read this on another Bucs site article “Why the Bucs won’t trade for Alex Boone.” I has many other good points.
The 49ers don’t really need to trade Alex Boone unless they get a lot in return for him, because the 49ers know that Boone doesn’t have much of a choice. He loses $30,000 for every day of training camp he’s missed, plus a regular season game check for every preseason game he misses. Which means he’s basically lost a quarter of his regular season salary already. To make matters worse for him, if he doesn’t report to play before the regular season starts, his contract simply rolls over into next year and he’ll be in the exact same spot in 2015.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:10 pm
Giants could use a running back. Maybe Jacksonville, Miami, Cleveland, Denver, Oakland. Those are teams that have some solid starters or young potentials with questionable depth.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:43 pm
@ Stanglassman
Good points! To counter, though, I would call your attention to other players who have ‘sat out’. *If* a player has been responsible with their money, they can probably sit out a year, but rarely need to go that far. And you are right about the contract rolling over, but that works both ways. If the two still cannot agree, then the team is still without a starter and nothing has changed from the year before. Who do you think is going to look ‘more’ foolish if it goes on for that length of time? I’d be willing to bet that when veteran players refuse to play, under their current contract, they are traded more often than caved into. IIRC, Revis is a current example.
The ‘truth’ is that these things have gone both ways. I just thought I get a little ‘side’ debate going. Thanks for participating.
And for the record, I *strongly* disagree with a player choosing to renegotiate a contract until the team is allowed to renegotiate when a player has a ‘down’ year.
August 11th, 2014 at 9:08 pm
Giants lost David Wilson, Miami needs a reliable back, Houston has NO experience behind likely to be hurt Arian Foster, Broncos could use another back in case ball get’s hurt. Jaguars, Browns. Lot’s of possibilities. We would get nothing in trade for Demps. Rainey seems to be impressing everyone. I really like James. I think James is the hardest runner on our team as for yards after contact. Martin has no power. He’s a shifty little guy. We’ll see what happens…
August 11th, 2014 at 9:34 pm
Maybe the “Cannon” Mike Glennon can net us some high draft picks. Schiano knows what real NFL talent is you all know. Just ask Aqib Talib and Mike Bennett