Fuss Growing Over Adrian Peterson
March 12th, 2015
The Bucs have no need for Adrian Peterson.
This totally came out of the blue last night. Within minutes of each other, two folks Twittered Joe questions about Adrian Peterson and the Bucs.
Joe doesn’t believe in coincidences. So this must be a growing trend of the day, so Joe will try to get a head of it.
Joe has not heard any word that the Bucs are dancing in any way with Peterson, or his representatives. Nor should they.
In case Bucs fans have not looked at the roster lately (understandable), the only position where the Bucs enjoy depth is at running back. Shoot, Mike James, buried on the depth chart, could probably start for some teams.
This just in: The Bucs have holes almost everywhere else, sans wide receiver (but could use depth there). The Bucs have no edge rush (UH-gen), and the offensive line is two cars short of a pileup on the Howard Frankland Bridge (Joe is starting to catch hell from the Bucs for being so down on the offensive line. If there is a bigger sieve of an offensive line anywhere else in the NFL, someone help Joe out and tip him off).
Why would the Bucs want to get an expensive, old running back who hasn’t touched the ball since he got pinched in September for whipping his son?
What, was Jason Licht replaced by Matt Millen overnight?
However, this notion of Peterson and the Bucs isn’t quite as silly as Bucs fans pining for Ndamukong Suh.
March 12th, 2015 at 5:18 am
Hey if mini minny will take doug martin and mike glennon and a later pick let’s do it. The boys don’t seem to want them anyway. But yes get an o lineman today somehow someway. Hell get one everyday until we find a combination that can block someone
March 12th, 2015 at 5:19 am
C’mon folks…. Get real!!One of the only ways to put out this dumpster fire of a team is to fill the gaps on the O line, NOT spending good money on someone we cant open a hole for even if we had a stick of DYNAMITE.
March 12th, 2015 at 5:21 am
And JOE… These Ads that have instant audio which we cannot turn off SUCK!!
March 12th, 2015 at 5:23 am
“However, this notion of Peterson and the Bucs isn’t quite as silly as Bucs fans pining for Ndamukong Suh.”
Or Drew Brees!
March 12th, 2015 at 5:38 am
Seriously, you have RB’s who are game changers. AP is one. Ours are not…now granted the O line can be blamed some.
But if we can get a game changing RB like AP and fix a few spots on the O line, then we draft Winston, DO NOT lie to yourself and think this isnt the perfect pound the rock – open the WR’s scenario.
Yes we have RB’s, yes we need to fix the O line, but NO we dont have game changing RB’s like AP.
March 12th, 2015 at 5:52 am
Just like Suh, Peterson is proven football player that is can’t miss. Tweedle dee and tweedle dum have a serious credibility problem evaluating talent (see McTrash, Collins & Johnson) so a sure thing like a Peterson or even a Demarco Murray might be the kind of splash move they are looking for to attempt to boost their credibility and get the fans excited about something. Would also serve to distract from the regrettable failure of an oline they magically destroyed a year ago.
Let the incompetence of Lovie Smith and his lousy lapdog Licht shine like a fresh plop of dog squeeze on a bright spring morning.
March 12th, 2015 at 6:03 am
DallasBuc Says:
March 12th, 2015 at 5:52 am
Just like Suh, Peterson is proven football player that is can’t miss. Tweedle dee and tweedle dum have a serious credibility problem evaluating talent (see McTrash, Collins & Johnson) so a sure thing like a Peterson or even a Demarco Murray might be the kind of splash move they are looking for to attempt to boost their credibility and get the fans excited about something. Would also serve to distract from the regrettable failure of an oline they magically destroyed a year ago.
—————–
You criticize management for making dumb decisions evaluating talent then you talk about making a deal like this to “make a splash”? How ironic of you.
If Peterson were a free agent and he didn’t bend us over the coals for his contract, I would not be opposed to bringing him in. He still has a ton left in the tank and a prime Adrian Peterson is perhaps the best player in football. He was almost single-handedly responsible for putting, an otherwise terrible, Vikings football team into the playoffs. Having a great RB like him would do wonders for a bad OL… DeMarco Murray… not so much. Good RB, plays at his best behind a great OL.. Adrian Peterson makes his own holes.
March 12th, 2015 at 6:16 am
@Brandon says,
“…Having a great RB like him would do wonders for a bad OL… DeMarco Murray… not so much. Good RB, plays at his best behind a great OL.. Adrian Peterson makes his own holes”
Have to agree with you Brandon. It may not be an area of need, but not only could AP make a bad line look good, he would help make a rookie QB instantly successful, allowing him to make easy throws to VJax, Evans and ASJ. And for us, it would be fun to watch.
March 12th, 2015 at 6:28 am
Lets get it done Bucs!
March 12th, 2015 at 6:32 am
Brandon- “You criticize management for making dumb decisions evaluating talent then you talk about making a deal like this to “make a splash”? How ironic of you.”
That was not ironic. Check your understanding of the use of the word.
Yes I criticize their poor decision-making and inability to evaluate talent…no longer controversial but rather accepted fact after 2014 campaign and top 3 FAs from a year ago released. It is not ironic that I believe they feel that the only way to improve their poor credibility is to sign a proven player like AP. It would not work of course but does not mean they don’t think it will. It’s like cheating on the test and taking credit for the good grades. In no way do I oppose having AP on our football team as an isolated topic in a vacuum where the costs to such a move are completely hidden but until we know more it is tough to say more about that. What I do know is that such a move has certain motivations from the incompetent leadership behind it.
March 12th, 2015 at 6:59 am
@darin
You would give up Martin, Glennon and a pick for peterson? That’s an awful lot!!!
March 12th, 2015 at 7:02 am
Drew Bress, 13th and 31st pick in round 1
for
Mike Glennon and Tampa’s #1
Then Tampa could use those two ones to trade up for Mariota.
March 12th, 2015 at 7:06 am
Beyond the expensive contract for AP at a low value, low need position, it’ll probably also cost at least a 2nd round pick and the Bucs certainly cannot afford that. AP is a luxury, not a need.
March 12th, 2015 at 7:27 am
Joe, I’ll tell you why you make this move:
1. Adrian Peterson is one of the best if not the best running backs in the last decade and perhaps all-time. He makes everyone around him better. The Vikings went 10-6 and made the playoffs with Christian Ponder as their QB, need I say more. Granted he did have a solid offensive line but teams were stacking 8 in the box and he still ran over them. It looks as if we are going to try and develop young guys on our O-line and he will instantly make them better. He will also make Winston instantly better (yes folks we are going to draft Winston, Mariota lovers get over it). I watched the greatest single season rushing performances of all time on the NFL network, and AP’s 2012 season was second only to OJ Simpson’s 1973 season and rightfully so. Repeat, Christian Ponder was there QB. They might as well have ran the single wing or the modern day version of it- the wildcat.
2. We have a relatively young RB in Doug Martin that could be packaged in a trade so we don’t have to trade away a super high draft pick. A healthy Doug Martin could be enticing to the Vikings because they will need a quality replacement for AP. Doug Martin might just need a fresh start with a new team to get back to his previous form. Having drafted Sims last year, we have a RB to replace AP in a few years when he starts slowing down.
3. Adrian Peterson is pissed for how he was treated last year and having to sit out most of the season. I believe he is the type of player that when angry, works harder than ever and will play with a chip on his shoulder all next season. I bet he worked out harder than ever during his suspension. My prediction is he will have one of his best seasons next year, maybe not from a stat standpoint but in how he runs. He is going to run with a vengeance next season and play some inspired football. Beast mode style!
4. I touched on this in #1, he will make our O-line instantly better and take pressure off the younger guys if in fact we start young unproven players on at right guard and right tackle/left tackle. Barry Sanders never had a great offensive line, and he always made them better. Barry also had Scott Mitchell as his QB during one of his best seasons, and I’ll take a rookie Jameis Winston over Scott Mitchell any day of the week. You may need to call me Captain Obvious after that last comment.
5. We have the money to pay him. As long as he’s willing to restructure his contract to a more reasonable 2016 and 2017 salary, then do it. And Joe, this is why you don’t get rid of Glennon and replace him with a veteran back up QB, unless you get a really high draft pick for him 3rd or better. Glennon’s salary next is $700,000 which is a bargain. That’s more valuable than a 4th or 5th round pick. Shaun Hill who we were looking at just signed for over $3.25 million a year. And there’s no guarantee he would be better than Glennon with how bad our line played last year. I know what you are going to say, our line hasn’t gotten any better. I think it has. Addition by subtraction with Collins. The guys we drafted last year will have a full off-season under their belt. Mankins will have a full off-season to adjust and condition himself for Florida heat. Yes he’s a year older but he is technically sound and will help groom the younger guys. I think he improves. And I think Dotson can and will play left tackle at a high level. My dad has had season tickets ever since we moved down here in 1980 and since the age of 4 (1982) I don’t miss many games. Would even come down for most games when I went to UF (came home hungover of course.) I was really impressed with what I saw out of Dotson at left tackle. I was worried he would be too slow both out of his stance and with his footwork because he is so big and tall. I thought he would struggle with fast edge rushers, but I was really impressed with how he performed. He showed good athleticism with his footwork, and once he jam’s the defender and extends his arms, he’s tough to get around.
In summation, for the right deal we should do it. Don’t give too high of a draft pick this year, but if we can package Doug Martin to help control what we give up and bundle a higher pick next year with a lower pick this year, then do it. I want to keep Glennon because of his bargain salary, but if we have to get rid of him as part of the deal then do it. War Jameis Winston and AP together in the same backfield.
P.S.- I know you and many others think we need a veteran QB to go along with Winston. I’m a contrarian to that point. I don’t think a veteran QB will really help that much. That’s what your QB coach is for. Best example is Troy Aikman. Aikman competed with another rookie, Steve Walsh who was taken in the supplemental draft that year. Didn’t seem to affect Aikman’s growth. Glennon may not be a seasoned veteran, but he’s already exhibited great work ethic and film study. And he wants to eventually be a starter so I think Winston competing with Glennon for at least one year will be good for him. Go Bucs!
March 12th, 2015 at 7:30 am
Make the move! Ap makes his own holes this team needs attitude and ap brings it on Sundays. Make it happen l&l. So @joe you wouldn’t take a well rested ap over any of the mediocre backs we have now? Your crazy.
March 12th, 2015 at 7:37 am
AP is worth Martin and a 3rd, a 5th + a 3rd next year. DO IT!
March 12th, 2015 at 7:51 am
Forgot to mention that AP is top 3 Running back of all-time with an insane body that’s definitely built for a few more years.
We are still drafting a Rookie QB right? …transition?
Run the Ball, play great D, let the QB make plays as necessary. BUC BALL!
AP helps any line you put infront of him… Just the fact that he’s in the backfield makes linemen block harder
March 12th, 2015 at 8:08 am
Ap will have rested legs he could go off next season just like he went off last time he had rested legs. Lovie likes his guys and u gotta think as many times he has faced him would make him want him that much more we made alot more cap room the last few days so that’s not even an issue we still have money to pay o lineman etc
March 12th, 2015 at 8:11 am
Now we have a real offensive coordinator, I am hoping our Oline may not be as bad as we think. I think they gave the same level of effort that Lovie did in finding them a professional coach who knew what he was doing. I think AP got a raw deal in that his transgression was one of ignorance rather than criminal intent. I grew up in an age where the tough guy teachers could hit you with a paddle at their desecretion and at your friends house you might here “boy you do that again and I’ll cut me a switch outta that tree and tan your hide”. The world has moved on from those days but at least Adrian was there with his kid trying to be a parent. In this case educating Adrian is the proper course, not ending his career over outdated parenting skills. I’d be happy to let him compete with our current RBs and see what he has left in the tank.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:14 am
He already said he wants to play here…..whats the hold up?
March 12th, 2015 at 8:23 am
So many stupid people gathered in one place at the same time it looks like a 3 Stooges convention.
DallasBuc is the perfect emcee for this convention of the intellectually challenged.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:30 am
Lots of cap money to spend and too few exceptional, much less elite players like AP, on the roster. Be smart about it, but get it done. The RB position is a position of depth for the team,but it is only deep in mediocrity. The best way to help Mariota/Winston succeed is by giving him a great defense, a great o-line, a great running game – in other words, build the team to take pressure off the rookie and win for reasons other than QB play. AP may be closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but he may still be the best RB in the NFL and, barring injury, looks to have at least a couple of years left. By the time he is done, the team should unquestionably be Mariota/Winston’s to carry. In the meantime, for all tge reasons above, it sure would be nice to hand the ball to AP 30 times a game.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:30 am
Maybe switch to decaf, Dan.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:31 am
The Bucs are approximately $40M under the cap and they can’t convince any FAs to sign with us. They have to spend some money just to hit the required payroll floor. If Peterson would actually be willing to play here (which is astonishing) they should do everything possible to make it happen. They have depth at RB but not much talent. Does anyone think Martin, Sims or Rainey will make the pro bowl? Peterson is a future hall of farmer and not over the hill yet. With a decent young QB, that receiving corps, and Petetson in the back field teams would have to truly worry about te Bucs. They need to draft some o lineman but with that dual threat any online we put out there would look better.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:36 am
Edgewalker- hahaha, good one. I was at Starbucks when I wrote that. Had a free drink so I got a venti latte, next time I’ll order a tall.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:44 am
I wouldn’t be surprised if Lovie made a run at Peterson. The team could use a top tier RB, especially with a rookie QB (likely) taking the field. I’m not convinced Lovie is in love with his current group of RBs. There were rumors that Martin could be traded last year and it could still happen. If it does happen, the RB depth won’t look so good anymore. Ainey was in the doghouse for part of the year and James doesn’t see the field. There’s probably a reason he’s buried on the depth chart, maybe Lovie doesn’t think he can get the job done. The depth looks ok on paper at the moment, but a team that wants to pound the rock could probably use an upgrade.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:46 am
Peterson to the Bucs. Not likely. The coveted big names are falling by the wayside. Fans are desperate for anyone resembling a can’t miss player. Patience is naturally a Buc fans virtue. The Bucs will hit a few home runs in the draft.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:47 am
Yea , why would they want a HOF RB when the great backs they had last year finished in the bottom of the nfl in rushing and led them to 2 sparkling wins …yea we dont need no Peterson .
March 12th, 2015 at 8:54 am
Edgewalker Says:
March 12th, 2015 at 8:30 am
“Maybe switch to decaf, Dan.”
I was thinking Dan’s fingers must have blisters on them.
Twas a nice book though…
March 12th, 2015 at 8:55 am
I don’t follow the domestic or TMZ type NFL stories at all is Dreambig correct and all AP did was spank his child to get into all this trouble? How did the NFL find out?
I wonder how many ‘highly moral’ Anti Jameis people want the Bucs to sign Hardy and AP.
March 12th, 2015 at 8:57 am
Stanglassman …yep that’s all AP did was spank his child….
March 12th, 2015 at 9:10 am
Because he abused his child and not just spanked him? There’s not morality police on that one, AP is a bad parent period. But like 7 kids with 5 women should tell you that.
March 12th, 2015 at 9:29 am
“By the the time they reach adolescence, 85 percent of the nation’s children will have been, at one point or another, spanked.”
Dr. Alan Kazdin psychologist at Yale University
March 12th, 2015 at 9:36 am
Joe, you lost ALL credibility when you pined for Johnny, who is a bust. You decide which Bucs plays suck and you don’t let up. After years of mediocrity, how many great, proven players are you going to tell us we don’t need?
Umm, off the top of Joe’s head, Joe never told the Bucs to let Michael Bennett walk, or sign Michael Johnson, or cut Donald Penn, or ditch Jeremy Zuttah, or dump Darrelle Revis. In fact, Joe was in favor of the opposite. Not sure why you’re filled with hate. –Joe
March 12th, 2015 at 9:52 am
Lol, did anyone read War and Peace, err I mean Dan’s book above. No idea what was in that novel but my god man if you want to make a point that people may actually read you might want to be a bit more succinct!
March 12th, 2015 at 9:57 am
Joe,
Common sense is very often lost with Buc fans (particularly around this time of the year). Thank you for continuing to act as a voice of reason. I just want to emphasize two important points that you made and I can only pray that the front office can fathom. (1) Our Offensive Line IS STILL Offensive; (2) We have AT LEAST three running backs that are damn good. Charles Sims is a question mark but if he works out. . . then we have FOUR. It’s amazing how quickly fans seem to give up on their own players. I’m firmly of the belief that Wins/Losses do not reflect the pure athleticism of players. Most of the people I’ve seen on here have completely given up on Martin based on the results of the past two seasons. Ironically, people regard Marshawn Lynch as one of/if not the best RB in the league right now. However, I doubt that many would have predicted his recent success based on his time in Buffalo.
It’s easy to look towards the greener grass and make flashy moves in Free Agency. BUT if you have the ability to cut through the BS and critically evaluate your areas of weakness, that’s when you’ve got something.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:04 am
Last thing we need.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:05 am
Don’t need AP. Next.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:10 am
Ya we got a lot more problems than RB. And since we have so much depth at RB, if we do make a trade I’d like to see us not give up a lot and finally use the leverage that this situation provides us.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:15 am
Glennon for AP and maybe a pick. We could do that, but he isn’t worth Glennon and 2 or 3 picks. Ya’ll crazy.
From Bucs Nation: He’s set to make $13 million this year, $15 million in 2016 and $17 million in 2017, all non-guaranteed. Peterson is good, but he’s not worth anywhere close to those numbers. If the Bucs trade for him, he’ll almost certainly have to sign a new contract.
He isn’t worth that and we shouldn’t pay that.
Also, let’s think about this. AP is going to be 30 and has touched the ball over 2,100 times. Not to mention that over 2012-2013 he fumbled the ball 9 times.
We do not need a 30 year old RB with over 2,100 carriers who is starting to have fumbling issues.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:24 am
Why would Minnesota want Glennon? They have Bridgewater and just signed Shaun Hill. Based off what has happened already, Glennon is very likely to be the opening day starter next year. The possible market for him is pretty much non-existent unless the Bucs simply want to unload him for a 6th round pick. But I think we’d all be pretty angry at that, at worst he’s a good backup on a cheap contract.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:44 am
I don’t think we should trade Glennon because then we wouldn’t have a QB at all. We have one QB on our roster and that is Mike Glennon. I was just posting the piece about people wanting to trade Glennon and 2-3 picks to get AP, which is not worth it.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:50 am
Joe I totally disagree, after watching Doug Martin flounder behind our terrible offensive line last year the worst thing in the world would be to throw Jameis Winston in without a running game. Simply put Adrian Peterson is so freaking good we would have a good running game one way or another. Im doubting Peterson would even come here but if he did it would be awesome for Winston to hand him the rock as a rookie. Talk about building confidence.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:51 am
San Francisco Joe- at least 3 running backs that are damn good? Yeah that’s why our running game was one of the worst in franchise history. And it wasn’t all because the offensive line. Doug Martin was afraid to hit the hole last year. Frankly, Rainey played better, more inspired football. It’s not just Bucs fans giving up on Martin, why do you think we drafted Sims. Oh and about Marshawn Lynch. He’s exactly 1 year, 1 month and a day younger than Peterson. They resigned him because he’s still got it. So does AP. AP is a freak just like him. I think we can all agree that AP is a future HOF, not your average RB. Go look up the stats of a certain HOF RB named Walter Payton. At age 31 he rushed for 1551 yards and helped lead the Bears to the Super Bowl. The next year he rushed for 1,331. He already amassed 3,047 carries before the 85 Super Bowl season. AP still has a lot left in the tank!
March 12th, 2015 at 10:55 am
DallasBuc Says:
March 12th, 2015 at 6:32 am
Brandon- “You criticize management for making dumb decisions evaluating talent then you talk about making a deal like this to “make a splash”? How ironic of you.”
That was not ironic. Check your understanding of the use of the word.
—-
I was an English teacher 13 freaking years. I’m pretty sure I have a better understanding of most words, particularly “irony”-which means, the exact opposite of what is expected, than you. And making a splash in free agency is DUMB, or the exact opposite of what a smart team would do.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:58 am
Buc Fan #237 Says:
March 12th, 2015 at 7:02 am
Drew Bress, 13th and 31st pick in round 1
for
Mike Glennon and Tampa’s #1
Then Tampa could use those two ones to trade up for Mariota
—–
Wow, that is so freaking dumb that it physically hurt my eyes to read it twice. We could trade our #1 and Glennon for Brees and then use the #1’s to pick Mariota? If the whole point was to get Mariota, why not stick at #1 a select him there? Why would you trade for a QB and then draft the guy that would replace him sooner than later in the same offseason?
March 12th, 2015 at 10:58 am
i don’t believe this trade would require any team to mortgage its future. whoever gets AP, the compensation is likely going to be WAAY closer to Brandon Marshall’s trade value or a foles\bradford type player swap than Jimmy Graham’s trade ransom. and that RB depth would be a factor in any trade, doug martin’s name recognition and contract status make him a sensible throw-in.
while we might be “deep” at RB, i don’t get the sense we’re hugely talented. we have alot of unsubstantiated hype (sims due to draft status, doug due to a good season 3 years ago) and some guys who have had sporadic but not consistent success. when you break it down, bobby rainey is probably our most worthy backfield option…when stated that way, it sure doesn’t sound like a slam dunk that there’s no room for improvement.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:07 am
Gimme AP all day. See what I did there? Give him a contract like Lynch’s and roll with one of the best offense the league has seen.
You combine AP, V-Jacks, Evans, and ASJ, literally can throw just about any QB back there and find success.
Don’t kid yourselves. We aren’t talking about Joe Shmo over here we are talking about freaking ADRIAN PETERSON one of the best to ever touch the pigskin on any given sunday. He is literally the equivalent of a Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady or an Aaron Rogers. Bad O-Lines, no talent around him and never really having a QB (besides Favre for that 1 year) and yet still breaks records year after year.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:42 am
You all play fantasy football and Madden too much.
March 12th, 2015 at 11:49 am
Half the top 10 running backs in the league last year were either 3rd round or later picks, or were at some point on the street available for everyone to sign. Did you know that 60% of all passes thrown in the NFL last year were under 5 yards in the air? The short passing game has replaced the running game for many teams, including the champs.
Running backs are utterly meaningless, so we’re going to give up assets we need to actually improve the team (draft picks) to get a nearly 30 year old RB with a contract that is only getting worse going forward? I mean this is why we’re the Bucs, such stupid moves set teams back. It would also make the Charles Sims pick a total catastrophe to waste a 3rd round pick on a guy who will never be more than a 3rd down back at best. Can we please start building the roster intelligently and stop with the shortcuts which have proven to not work?
March 12th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
We do not need AP. We already have Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and Walter Payton. Lets not forget we also have the RB out of Miami that could probably start for some teams in the NFL in ladainian tomlinson.
March 12th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
@Dan- What’s your point??? When did I question Peterson’s ability as a player? The only reason I brought up Lynch was to give an example of a player that had a few down years yet turned it around.
If you honestly believe that the talent at RB was the reason we couldn’t run the ball last year then we completely differ in our views about fundamental football. We are absolutely stacked at the position. If the Bucs choose to move on from Martin, Rainey, or James, there will be a smart team out there that cashes out.
March 12th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Problem is the Bucs don’t have a legit starter at RB. Peterson would be a god send to this team
March 12th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Get Hardy
March 12th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
San Francisco Joe- my point is simple. We are not stacked at RB. We have bodies at RB, but that does not mean we are stacked. Adrian Peterson is in a different league than any one of the guys. Is talent at RB the reason we couldn’t run the ball. It’s not the reason we couldn’t run the ball. It’s not THE reason, but it certainly contributed. Those guys aren’t terrible, but none of them are close to AP. AP would make any offensive line better. On top of that, AP is way more durable than any of those guys. Besides the season he blew out his knee, he’s barely missed a game. He’s a freak, which is why he rushed for over 2,000 years the year after he blew out his knee. That’s unheard of. Martin, Rainey, and James have all had injuries. Rainey was acquired off Waivers. James was a 6th rd draft pick who has trouble staying healthy. Martin’s only been able to play a full season in 1 of his first 3 years. Lovie wasn’t all that impressed with Martin which is why he drafted Sims. Martin, Rainey, and James are the same type back. So you can get rid of one of them and not really lose much. But you gain by adding AP. State your case to any defensive player in the NFL, and they will laugh at you. AP is in another league, and we wouldn’t have to get rid of all of them, just one of them. I think you need to go watch some more football, like the 2012 season when AP rushed for 2,000+ yards despite defenses constantly putting 8 men in the box. Yeah, Martin-Rainey-James may run well at times but when teams put 8 in the box against them, they struggle. I bet you thought the Broncos should have stuck with Tim Tebow after making the playoffs instead of signing Peyton Manning.
March 12th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
QB – extremely valuable positon
RB – least valuable position in the league.
The Cowboys just let the offensive player of the year and leagues leading rusher walk away. Doesn’t that tell how how low teams value RBs? So using the Tebow/Manning comparison doesn’t work. New England just won the Super Bowl with a back they acquired midseason. AP won’t make much of a difference to the Bucs when you factor in what it costs to get him.
March 12th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Running back least valuable?? I think Pete Carroll would have some choice words with that comment. You know the Super Bowl winning coach who would have won a second one had he just given his RB the rock at the goaline. That’s why they just have Lynch 12.5 million a year. Dallas let Murray they didn’t want to commit too much long term who’s had a hostory of injuries. They know his durability better than anyone. Guess what though, Dallas does want AP and are willing to pay him a lot more than they would’ve paid Murray.
March 12th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
Yeah, and their offense is very mediocre. Take away the elite defense and Lynch’s value is pretty low too. The fact their defense holds teams to 17 points is why Lynch is so valuable because they can then pound the ball. if their defense was allowing 25 a game Lynch’s value would be as low as every other RB.
So yes, with an elite/borderline historic defense, a running back can have a lot of value. But since the Bucs are a good 5-7 levels below that, AP makes little to no difference. Long term it’d be a bad move for the Bucs. For what APs contract costs (which ignores the picks required to get him), should have just kept Revis since he’s a much bigger difference maker. But AP is far too costly for the marginal difference he’ll make here.
March 12th, 2015 at 5:16 pm
This is my last comment because it’s pointless to refute someone that ignores facts. Seattle had the 27th ranked passing offense, but that’s because they didn’t have to throw as much as good as their running game was. Their offense was 9th in total yards, 10th in scoring, and #1 overall in rushing. I would hardly call that mediocre. They were 3rd in time of possession on Offense. They were 2nd in time of possession on Defense- 2nd fewest minutes per game. Dallas Defense had 3rd fewest minutes per game on Defense. That’s why Dallas improved to 10th on Defense, they weren’t on the field as much. That would make any Defense better. Seattle’s Defense was good, but in large part because they weren’t on the field that much. Seattle controlled the game with their 10th ranked offense. How do you make your Defense better, keep them off the field. We had the second most minutes per game on Defense. We were 30th in time of possession on Offense.
March 12th, 2015 at 6:24 pm
I’ll finish this off by saying trading for AP is exceptionally poor value. It is something bad franchises (like the Bucs) do to end up in bigger holes. It’s how the Browns become the Browns and the Raiders become the Raiders, by continously making poor decisions.
Remember: Minnesota isn’t dumping him, they aren’t going to trade him for spare parts. It may be very expensive to acquire him, ignoring the money it will cost. The Bucs are years away from contending for a title. Giving up huge assets for an instant-impact player when you are so far away from needing one is a spectacular waste. And you obviously watched 0 seconds of action last year if you think AP would succeed behind that line. It would be easily and by far the worst line he’s ever played behind. RB seriously ranks dead last on Bucs needs. What a disaster it would be to trade for him.
March 12th, 2015 at 10:59 pm
@Bucrightoff I couldn’t have said it better myself. Good to see that there are some fans who see the big picture.
March 13th, 2015 at 6:41 am
@ canadian bucsfan
I personally would. Of course that decision is based on the current state of the bucs. Peterson will make the oline look better just by being peterson. They’ve already attempted to trade martin and glennon so why not. Plus the pick would have to be a 5th or lower. Theres starting olineman to be had in first 4 rds this year. Just my opinion tho. Peterson is a beast. Bucs need those kind of players. And soon. Also glad you’re a bucs fan in canada. Awesome to know bucs fans are out there outside of tampa.