A DE Has To Go, Right?
March 9th, 2016
Dolphins honcho Mike Tannebaum isn’t going to pay big money for three defensive ends, is he?
Yes, it is disappointing that the Bucs couldn’t land a big fish of available defensive ends yesterday when one fish was in the house, Charles Johnson.
Not much you can do if he (allegedly) turns down double what he settled for with Carolina.
But that leaves Joe staring at the Dolphins, nearly as disorganized of an organization as the Bucs have been the past eight years. With the capture of defensive end Mario Williams, that means the Dolphins have three defensive ends under their stronghold: Williams, Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, who had been the apple in the eye of Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
Surely the Dolphins, who were in salary cap hell until Ndamukong Suh redid his contract, can’t afford three big-monied defensive ends, can they? And if so, isn’t that a colossal waste of cash?
Per the fingertips of Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, it is believed that the Dolphins will cut loose Vernon today.
For two days, the possibility of Miami rescinding the tag has been a subject of investigation among NFL teams in the market for an edge rusher, particularly after the Dolphins moved aggressively to sign free-agent defensive end Mario Williams. If Miami secured Williams and reached the framework for a contract extension with defensive end Cameron Wake, it would cement a decision to remove the tag from Vernon, one NFL source told Yahoo Sports on Monday. Williams reached terms on a two-year deal with the Dolphins on Tuesday. Wake still has one year left on his current deal, but a league source said Miami has been in talks about extending his contract.
The source said a significant impasse on a Wake extension could be a factor that halts the removal of the tag.
Robinson claims he has three independent sources telling him Miami general manager Mike Tannebaum will let Vernon fly away.
And while Bucs fans chewed their fingernails watching Johnson stay with his team and Mr. Three Fingers stay with the Giants, a big fish just may squirm free today.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:08 am
With the incredible sums DE’s are commanding these days, t’s looking more like the Bucs will go heavy in the draft and let Hayes work his magic.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:10 am
The way the Jags and Raiders are spending money, Bucs will have to pay BIG for this dude. Hope it happens, but not sure the Bucs will fork out the $$$$
March 9th, 2016 at 8:10 am
If they do let him walk I sure hope the Bucs swoop in because it looks like this will be our last chance at a premiere pass rusher since the rest of them have resigned or signed with another team. Vernon was my first choice anyways. And he’s the youngest of the group at 26 with room to get better. If we miss out on Vernon We’re gonna have to depend on a rookie for double digit sacks and that ain’t gonna happen folks. Pay the man what we have to to get him in a Bucs uni.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:10 am
Sign Vernon, Schwartz and resign Martin and I will be very happy.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:14 am
Reports are Dougy’s working out a deal with the BUCS for around 7 mill. WE CAN ALL EXHALE! THX GOD! I had faith in Licht, unlike a lot of u guys that were freaking out and cussing him out.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:21 am
I sure hope Vernon squirms free!!
March 9th, 2016 at 8:22 am
People here forget that this FA stuff has the “recruiting” aspect to it and the perception of this franchise is not that great, so it isn’t as easy as some might believe.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:32 am
Problem is Giants and jags are willing to throw big money at Vernon whether released or not. Malik Jackson deal of 6 years 90 mil with 42 gauranteed has set vernon’s market. Unfortunately. I have not seen anything in articles comfirming bucs who be willing to fork out that kind of cash in this bidding war. Good thing is Giants just signed janoris Jenkins to deal for I am guess around 10 to 12 range. And who wants to play for jags unless jags again make Vernon an offer they can’t refuse. Maybe bucs can make a trade and throw them a decent draft pick? Just thinking outside box
March 9th, 2016 at 8:34 am
I guess when you suck you have to overpay.
March 9th, 2016 at 8:49 am
They won’t nor should they. When the Bucs were good (you know, before the sons took over) the franchise spent money on acquiring free agents to put them over the hump. Most of you guys are acting as if the Bucs are a player or two away from being Super Bowl contenders in 2016. They’re not. I think the Bucs could be true year in and year out contenders by 2018. They’re putting together the right ingredients but like with baking anything you just can’t rush the process.
March 9th, 2016 at 9:01 am
Exactly Tom. If the majority of the commenters here would take off their Bucs shades and dare to look at the team from an outsider’s perspective they would see the organization is just as dysfunctional as the Cleveland Browns.
March 9th, 2016 at 9:18 am
I am prepared for Buc FA disappointment. Even if we are two-three years away, a player like Vernon can grow with this team, the fans need to believe our defense will be competitive to go along with a few offensive pieces, the right piece can elevate this team. Tired of the basement in the NFC south.
March 9th, 2016 at 9:27 am
D-Rome Says:
March 9th, 2016 at 9:01 am
“Exactly Tom. If the majority of the commenters here would take off their Bucs shades and dare to look at the team from an outsider’s perspective they would see the organization is just as dysfunctional as the Cleveland Browns.”
Oh I’ve done that numerous times in my life. Still money talks.
March 9th, 2016 at 9:28 am
I really hope DeForrest Buckner can make it to pick #9. He is a manbeast and the only guy I see instantly capable of 8-9 sacks and being a stout plug against the run game.
March 9th, 2016 at 10:02 am
What a sad team. We let Mario Williams not only get away. He walked..right by us without a smile. We did not aggressively pursue him. Now..once again, We have our discount bag ready to go..bargain basement hunting. merrily rolling along..filling holes with bum players for minimum salaries and..MINIMUM WINS! And if we let Martin get away? This will be one of the worst Guffaws in modern day Buc History. And all of us praised Licht for his smarts. We shall see this fine product our Bucs put on field this coming season. Don’t blame me if its not pretty. You can’t blame Lovie this time. That means you gotta blame Koetter and Licht.
March 9th, 2016 at 10:36 am
Jason Licht is smart enough to know not to overpay guys. He’s also smart enough to realize the Buccaneers are a few years away from being contenders. Mario Williams will not help the Bucs win a Super Bowl this year. Why commit to a guy that will be ineffective by the time the Bucs could be contenders 2-3 years down the road? The last top DE this team had was Simeon Rice. When the Bucs won the Super Bowl he was 28 years old. By the time the Bucs are contending Mario Williams will be much closer to 33 years old.
March 9th, 2016 at 1:38 pm
It’s hard to blame anybody for the events so far.
March 9th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
Most Buc fans don’t need to take off their blinders and see the team as dysfunctional, we’ve known it from the start, can’t look at it from an outsiders perspective because we are insiders as Buc fans, we’ll just wait on it.