Perform Now Or Get Cut
November 14th, 2014
A former Buccaneer takes a hard line with underperforming free agents Anthony Collins and Michael Johnson
A prominent former Buccaneer says Lovie Smith and Jason Licht need to “honest with themselves” when it comes to big-money free agents, especially left tackle Anthony Collins and defensive end Michael Johnson.
Former Bucs QB Shaun King, one of three quarterbacks to lead Tampa Bay to the NFC title game, says their failures shouldn’t continue and seep into next season.
“Sometimes when you make a mistake, you just have to acknowledge you made a mistake and move on,” King said, speaking on the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday,
“I think Lovie and Jason are going to really have to be honest with themselves. Because there were some question marks on both guys. Both guys were talented at Cincinnati, but neither one had been dominant consistently. You know, Anthony Collins wasn’t the everyday starter. And Michael Johnson had one year where he really got to the quarterback. That was it.
“Based on their performance thus far, I’d cut bait. And I’d have that conversation with both of them. I’d call them into my office, if I was the general manager or the head coach and say, ‘Listen guys, we’re about halfway through this thing; we’ve invested a lot and haven’t gotten anything in return. Understand that neither one of you has been 100 percent healthy, but you need to prove to me the rest of this season that you deserve to be a Buccaneer next year.’ And if they didn’t perform at a high level the rest of the year, I’d cut bait with both of them.”
It’s easy to agree with King, but booting Collins and Johnson means eating a lot of their guaranteed salary. Collins, has proven to be a superior, versatile NFL backup, so it likely would make no sense to consider ousting him. Let him compete next season, if you’re paying him anyway.
As for the ghost-like Johnson, that guy sure is an enigma. He’s had one great season out of six. It’s hard to imagine Lovie will gamble that his next great year comes in 2015. And why can’t he try playing on the left side, coaches were raving about how Adrian Clayborn could do it, and he had less experience and a minor physical limitation?
You can hear King’s full take on the Bucs below. Enjoy.
November 14th, 2014 at 11:04 am
You got me when you said “prominent former Buccaneer”…talk about a bait and switch finding out it’s Shaun King. I won’t even make the obvious joke about mentioning eating salaries and how Shaun will eat anything…oops.
November 14th, 2014 at 11:07 am
Last year it was MRSA this year it is just a bad case of jock itch..Get to work lovie..
November 14th, 2014 at 11:11 am
Shaun really?
Scoring
TB – field goal Gramatica 25 TB 3–0
STL – field goal Wilkins 24 Tie 3–3
STL – Safety, Tampa Bay snap went out of end zone STL 5–3
TB – field goal Gramatica 25 TB 6–5
STL – Proehl 30 pass from Warner (Two-point conversion failed) STL 11–6
You lost with the defense holding them to 11 pts. SMH
November 14th, 2014 at 11:19 am
I’d extend that ultimatum to EDS, Martin, and Dashon as well. I’d say the same about Mankins but I can see a retirement coming from him after the year is over. He’s checked out and there’s really not much that someone could do to spark something under him at this point in his career.
November 14th, 2014 at 11:21 am
Shaun is a prominent ex-Buc ….if we’re talking about which ex-Buc has the inside track on winning a pie-eating contest!!! hey yo!
November 14th, 2014 at 11:23 am
@Skyline
And then we went in favor of him instead of the guy who won a championship the next year.
November 14th, 2014 at 11:44 am
He fails to mention that of Lovie cuts you that you latch on somewhere else where coaches coach and you do well. Not to mention still get paid by that team while your Bucs money sits and collects interest.
Great talent evaluation and great asset allocation!!!
November 14th, 2014 at 11:55 am
For all we know L & L may have had this little talk with Johnson and Collins. It just has not worked. As for Shawn King I cannot believe he actually gets paid by someone for his opinion. Maybe he pays them to voice his opinion. That would be more believable.
November 14th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
November 14th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
At least Collins can talk the talk..
November 14th, 2014 at 12:31 pm
Cut bait with Collins. And grab a sexy young OT from a sexy flyover state, like maybe um… just off the top of my head… a guy like Brandon Scherff
November 14th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
15 years later or 35. Those NFC Championship loses still sting.
November 14th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
This, like most King contributions, is….limited in its intelligence. He wants us to just eat allllll that guaranteed money? Take the cap hit, AND have the pleasure of playing against them next year?
They’re not great, but lets hold off. Things are going to change between now and next year. I mean coaches and scheme. The offense, obviously, will change a lot with a new OC. The defense probably will change when Licht politely explains he isn’t pinning his career to this Tampa 2 nonsense, and he and the Glazers ‘inform’ Lovie of the change.
November 14th, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Ummmmm
I think the glazer boys personally should walk every coach in their office and tell them this.
and then 1/2 the team. johnson, EDS, Hawk, Vjay, Mankins (and yeah patrick of course he will retire- i said it was a horrible trade day 1), McClown and a few more…..
November 14th, 2014 at 1:13 pm
At least Evans seems to have been a good decision.
November 14th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
Athletes should read local news because I’m sure it’s good for a laugh. Don’t crate competition just get rid of people lol OK
November 14th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
if this was a company 1/2 these guys would already be fired.
November 14th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Sherman Klump needs to just shut the FUK up. Period.
November 14th, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Based on what I’ve seen I would rather pay these guys to stay away instead of pay them to play.
November 14th, 2014 at 3:51 pm
12 million in dead money if Collins and Johnson are cut after the season. Another 3 million of dead money for Goldson.
November 14th, 2014 at 4:44 pm
The thing that I miss about Mark Domink, He always included an out clause in the contracts he signed his free agents to.
November 15th, 2014 at 10:05 am
Can´t say its true (but very likely) that:
If you coach DE MJ up, he could be way better performing than right now.
StephenWhite, former Bucs DE and now analyzing this team pretty damn good says sth. like:
When MJ uses power moves, instead of those finesse/speed rushes, he excells.
Have to keep an eye on that.. at the very least keep him arround another year (if its only for depth; he can´t be THAT bad when he already had SOME success in this league)..
COACH EM UP… GET GOOD COACHES DAMN F´N GLAZERS.. DONT BE STUPID HALF A SS OWNERS!!