Franchise Tag Deadline Looms At 4 P.M. Tuesday
February 29th, 2016
Judgment day truly has arrived for the Bucs and Doug Martin.
There are really only two sure ways to be certain Martin plays for the Tampa Bay in 2016. Slap the franchise tag on him before tomorrow’s 4 p.m. deadline, or sign him to a new contract.
The franchise tag effectively would lock down Martin at an $11.8 million salary for the 2016 season, per the NFL Players Association data. (Please don’t talk to Joe about the goofy “transition” tag available. It’s almost nonsensical, which is why it’s rarely used. And it’s highly unlikely in the case of Martin.) If franchise tagged, Martin and the Bucs can still negotiate a multiyear contract and tear up the franchise tag. If the tag sticks, then Martin would be a free agent again in 2017.
Joe and many Bucs faithful are holding their collective breath. As Joe detailed yesterday, Team Glazer might need to step in and make sure justice is served and Martin returns this season.
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week, a prominent NFL personnel man told Joe he believed the Bucs would be very active in free agency on the offensive side of the ball, setting themselves up to draft nearly all defense in April.
The explanation was sound logic. And if true, that offensive spending really should start with Martin.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:04 pm
tag the man! then resign him….
February 29th, 2016 at 6:06 pm
11.7 million not sure it’s worth it, but hate to see Doug go elsewhere.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:12 pm
The Tag is a no brainer….Prove IT AGAIN SUCK MUSCLE! Dude gets his paycheck he will go back to half ass running again….Him and McSofty will have a loafing comp to see who can be the most non effective player on the team…PROVE IT SUCK MUSCLE!
February 29th, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Average starting RB is lucky to get $4M, a good one gets $8M. Only Marshawn Lynch, Arian Foster, Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, and Demarco Murray get $8M or more. Martin IS NOT worth more than $8M. Martin is not as good as Lynch, Peterson, or Foster.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:19 pm
If they let him walk, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will regret it.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:19 pm
Show me 2 back to back 1,400 yard seasons and score 12 TDs next year and I’ll change my mind.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:23 pm
If he has another year like last year..then give him the money..just place the tag and then let him prove he can do it again..
February 29th, 2016 at 6:35 pm
Franchise him. Plenty of money under the cap and helps us spend to the floor. Come 2017 letting him and Jackson go will give us 21.5 in salary cap space in just two players. Draft another RB next year in a strong RB class. This is how we can build through the draft. A lot of talk was made about last year going after a QB with an eye on this year having so much DL talent but lack of quality qbs.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Let him walk and draft Zeek from OSU. That f#@ker is a beast. Zeek or Derrick Henry. Way cheaper and alot more miles to spare.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:46 pm
I wouldn’t doubt if the bucs would let him try free agency so he can see what he’s worth and try and match the winning bid. You don’t want him to leave but you certainly don’t want to overpay and be stuck in a horrible contract.
February 29th, 2016 at 6:53 pm
Give it up Joe, Martin wants a kings ransom and I’m not so sure the Bucs want him back all that bad, he’s a goner.
February 29th, 2016 at 7:13 pm
With the cap space available, the best move is to tag him. If he performs bad like years 2&3, let him walk next year. The Bucs could fall under the 89% cap threshold if they let him go, and that would force spending later. Spend the money now, and keep him.
$11.8 million is nothing considering Logan Mankins is well over $7-million and declining big time.
February 29th, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Brett Says:
February 29th, 2016 at 7:13 pm
With the cap space available, the best move is to tag him. If he performs bad like years 2&3, let him walk next year. The Bucs could fall under the 89% cap threshold if they let him go, and that would force spending later. Spend the money now, and keep him.
$11.8 million is nothing considering Logan Mankins is well over $7-million and declining big time
My point exactly. To many people pay no mind to the requirements of the cba
February 29th, 2016 at 7:28 pm
Joes. Please wake me up if I am missing something here
February 29th, 2016 at 7:30 pm
I think the best move to make unless they get a fair deal done….draft a hood rb with some decent value this draft, groom him until next season, ride martin and continue to use simms in the same manner as last season. Next year try to offer martin a fair option if he leaves then we will have two backs who know the system well. I dont like the idea of this team vontinuing to draft players to start unless its necessary. It doesnt always work need to stary taking bpa every year. I am confident licht will do great as our gm. If martin leaves it wasnt meant to be but id tag his arse regardless
February 29th, 2016 at 7:32 pm
“Raiders hope to re-sign LT Penn” from NFL.com
Boy we make some bad f#@king decisions.
February 29th, 2016 at 7:44 pm
@james walker
I don’t know why marson lynch who is retiring is worth 8 million.
And Adrian foster hasn’t had a full season since 2012 and ran for a whopping 288 yards last year. He will probably be cutnext year.
Now in the last two years hefty roster bonuses could be written into Martin’s
contract if he makes the roster.In GMC ‘s case its half his contract.he game
The running game opens up the passing game. so as long as martin ego
doesn’t get in the way .we need him.
February 29th, 2016 at 7:46 pm
Don’t hesitate for a minute in leaving the Tampa Bay….Cheaponeers there Dougie. Never look back. Doug Williams, Trent Dilfer, Steve Young, and Tony dungy never looked back. And they went on to win Superbowls.
February 29th, 2016 at 7:57 pm
Licht may be thinking of letting martin walk and signing matt forte to a couple year deal to come down and teach charles simms what he knows being simms is like his clone.
Forte may have miles but he still has gas, is more proven than martin and that would make a lot of sense to me. I dont want chris ivory or lamar miller. Id take forte though
February 29th, 2016 at 7:58 pm
Tag Martin and see if he gives us two years in a row. Then sign him
February 29th, 2016 at 7:59 pm
I’d like to see us make a play for Marques Colston. Saints just cut him, think what he could teach us about the Saints offense and what he could teach Mike Evans. Get him before the panthers do.
February 29th, 2016 at 8:01 pm
I’m good with forte. Draft a RB next year
February 29th, 2016 at 8:02 pm
I stopped posting here at the beginning of the pre season for two reasons. First I was banned but that is easy to get around but the Second is most important. This site has the most Negative and Short sighted fans of Any Bucs site I visit. Not a knock on all of you by any means. DB, Nole, TBBF, SPBF, 87, Pick 6, and quite a few others I have watched for years are true and steady and I’m sorry to the others that I didn’t mention.
And to the Joes, even though we have had our differences, I love your site and the different M.O. you have of publishing several articles a day even on weekends. You have some of us by the strings, lol. I much appreciate the stuff you guys churn out. However I am not sure why the comment threads are so full of negativity. I started watching Bucs’ games at 9 yrs old in 1976 so I have a good deal of experience with losing and should probably be a negative fan. Also don’t get me wrong that we don’t All have reasons to be negative because we do, but to Strive to find something to be negative about is not really healthy.
I have prolly said too much already so I will shut up now. I think this team is On The Rise and there are too many contributing factors to point at with one hand. Peace out
February 29th, 2016 at 8:31 pm
The Bucs need to get it done. How much money is wasted on free agents from the outside that are unproven in Tampa? Doug is proven to be one of the best when healthy, and the Bucs have first rights. Don’t let him get away, like Bennet, and then sign more duds, like the 2 DE George’s etc. Also, don’t cut Revis and then draft a CB 9th overall, hello! We need an edge rusher 1st!
February 29th, 2016 at 8:35 pm
– by 1st rights I mean the franchise tag….
February 29th, 2016 at 8:49 pm
Martin had a nice year and I’d like to have him back, but running backs aren’t worth $8 million dollars a year anymore. Good defenses can stop a good running game, but good defenses still struggle against good passing games. Spend the money on offensive lineman and guys who can get open in the passing game if Martin is looking to cash in.
At this point in the process, I’m all for letting him test the market and see what he’s worth, because perennial winning franchises don’t go overboard spending on RB’s, especially injury prone backs that just put in a hard season like Martin just did. He’s set up for a break down this year, too many hard earned yards last year.
February 29th, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Not worth tag money. At all. Sign him. 8yrs. 5mil a year, 8 mil guaranteed. Doesn’t like it? Adios?
February 29th, 2016 at 8:51 pm
Let him hit FA…..beat his best offer and it will still be much less than the franchise price…..
February 29th, 2016 at 9:08 pm
Bucs SB with Jameis
U sound like one of our lost brethren from Montana.
What was your old screen name?
February 29th, 2016 at 9:47 pm
I don’t know if Jason Licht has said so explicitly in public, but I believe we’ve had indications that DM22 would not be tagged. I don’t expect the tag. What I expect is a new contract finalized during the 2 day FA negotiation window. Martin would like to see what numbers other teams are offering. The Bucs will match reasonable offers and let him walk for anything too rich. I just don’t see DM22 getting offered more than 7-8 million per season.
February 29th, 2016 at 11:05 pm
doug martin IS NOT worth $737,500 / game! how many of you that want martin at that price didn’t think revis was worth it? he is an injury-proned back that has crapped out 2 outta his 4 years. and, he is slow…you want your back to not get caught from behind. is he no faster than vjax?
March 1st, 2016 at 12:01 am
If Doug is being unreasonable in his demands (IE: anything north of $6M on a multi-year deal) then Licht will smartly let him test the market to get a more realistic feel for what his actual value is. If Doug really does want to stay in Tampa Bay like he has stated – then he will give the Bucs every opportunity to match an offer if its more than what he has already been offered.
My guess is that Doug is not worth what he would like to think he is considering only having 2 good years out of 4 in the league – + the “value” of running backs to all teams is declining – not increasing. He might even lose $ by testing free agency which would be a shame.
Maybe a deal will get done by next week. If not then Doug gets to see what the open market says his worth is.
I would be shocked if the Bucs franchise him and would also be very surprised if some other team is willing to pay more than $7M per on a multiyear deal with a large chunk guaranteed.
March 1st, 2016 at 12:28 am
Sign him!!!!
4 years for 26-28 mil.
These idiots saying no don’t get. The next 4 years he is in his prime and he is healthy and explosive. Simms compliments him great.
The only reason I hear for not signing him is money….. Why do you care?? It’s not yours and they have A TON under the cap that they have to spend.
SIGN HIM!
March 1st, 2016 at 1:20 am
Regret….
March 1st, 2016 at 1:26 am
Why would you draft at a position you have a proven player at !! Especially when you need so much help at other positions. That’s why we suck!! We keep replacing positions we had filled and we have other empty spots to fill. ( penn, revis, Bennett, the center who makes pro bowl for Ravens losing track of name) all who we still trying to replace. Than buc fans complain about lack of talent.
We are millions under cap every year never using full amount so money is not problem. Pay the man
The only reason we didn’t resign him is cause lovie wanted to bring forte in cause his loyalty to any x-bear . He tried to shut Martin down in games early many times so he could give reason to release and backfired
Enough with getting rid of Vincent Jackson , every time someone writes that reminds how they lack in knowledge. Look at his stats haven’t dropped off at all and look at team stats when he is not there. Plus one of the few leaders we have and guys that do it the right way. Again we have money to afford.
March 1st, 2016 at 7:48 am
Demarco murray’s contract screwed the pooch and is making it harder to sign
Martin.But we have an up and coming Oline that was instrumental in Dougs success.If he goes anywhere else except dallas,there is a good chance he will be looking for a new gig after a year.
Any running back we bring in has the same chance of being slowed by injuries
as martin was.
Now Martin is a free agent we know, unlike the succession of free agents we
wished we didn’t for the last two years.He brought a lot to the table the when
healthy.Koetter wants him and has proven there is a place in this offense for him.Jameis needs a strong running game to continue to grow in this offense.
I’m hoping licht and martin’s agent can find middle ground so we can replace the weaknesses on team not the strengths.
March 1st, 2016 at 11:02 am
I believe the BUCS will let Martin go in free agency and draft Daniel Lasco, from California as his replacement and focus on offense in free agency and the draft for defense. It’s going to be a busy spring in Tampa !!!
March 1st, 2016 at 12:22 pm
Let’s be honest here…Martin would probably take less money to sign with a team that has a good oline and a chance to make it to a Superbowl.
If the Patriots, for example, offered him 4 years at $4m per year, he’d probably take it. He wants big money from Tampa because Tampa is not a good team.
Letting him test the market is stupid. Slap him with the tag, work out a lower contract, or make him prove himself again.
It is that simple.
March 1st, 2016 at 3:04 pm
^^
Yeppers..that’s what I have been saying too…