Bucs Show Urgency For Chris Conte Return
March 2nd, 2016
Wanted
Yes, the Bucs have their own free agents not named Doug Martin that they want wearing pewter in 2016.
Per Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, talks have heated up between safety Chris Conte and Tampa Bay.
Remember, Conte was one of seven Bucs defensive players Dirk Koetter called out by name at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. Among them, Conte was the only free agent.
Conte, 27, definitely did his share of good things on the field last season, and he gutted out 14 games after missing all of training camp with a bad hamstring.
The Bucs sorely need depth and competition at safety, a position they’re unlikely to attack in the draft.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Conte is a priority but Martin isn’t?
Jason Licht is the new face of Buccaneer incompetence.
Yuck
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:10 pm
I like Conte, and it’s a weak free agent/draft class for safety’s. Get it done Licht.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Who’s to say Martin isn’t a priority?
It was beyond stupid money to tag him and he wants to test the market too.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:13 pm
I’m physically ill right now. You couldn’t build a softer team if you were dared to. There are teams in the ‘legends of football league’ with tougher players.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Great move, now let Dougie test the waters. He’ll see that the grass is not always greener on the other side then he’ll come back home. No need to use the franchise tag.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:16 pm
We also need to pursue Sterling Moore. He was the clearly the top DB last year.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:19 pm
Urgency for Conte? In all of the games I watched this past season, Conte made a few plays. He was always around the ball…after the play. Just like I’m always feeling good..after the bottle! Note the emphasis on after and not during or before.
Bucs urgency needs to be on how to bring Mr. Martin back into the fold…immediately if not sooner. Better Call Saul.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:44 pm
@DB55
Conte is not at all a soft player. He’s certainly not the biggest, strongest, fastest, or most talented, but he’s a tough SOB.
I prefer to have him around for depth and special teams, instead of starting. But you’re crazy or just flat out dumb if you think he’s a soft player.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Color me stupid but I think our Secondary needs very little infusion of talent. Some but not Huge. I think that the combination of Lovies stubbornness with square pegs and an antiquated system, that every OC in the league knew the holes in, doomed our secondary. That and the lack of a pass rush. I am sorry if I am hurting feelings but I am so glad for Jonthan Banks that Lovie is gone. Verner too probably. Guy went from Pro Bowler in a real system to sitting on the bench in Lovie’s. SMH. I love me some VH3 but we need the new Simeon Rice more than the new Ronde Barber.
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:47 pm
Martin is a priority, just not a $12M dollar priority.
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:04 pm
It’s pretty tough to judge players performance with a predictable scheme, bad coaching and one players were not well suited for.
Let’s not mention the pass rush.
So yeah, we still need another CB and safety, as you always need to upgrade, but I thought Conte and Moore get another look.
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:06 pm
I understand that not all positions can be improved dramatically in one year, but never should signing a Chris Conte be an urgent signing. Our safeties are junk right now. Smokescreen signing I hope with very little guaranteed money.
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:27 pm
That’s great – Conte made some some good plays last year (emphasis on some). If Chris Conte is a starter at Safety this year though – it means we haven’t brought in enough talent.
So yes – we should want him back at a reasonable price – but more importantly – what about Sterling Moore?? Moore was the best DB on the field for the Bucs last year. Why is there no talk of or urgency for re-signing Moore?
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:52 pm
Also, go after Eric Weddle….especially if we’re not planning on drafting a Safety high (probably wont)
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Pickgrin, it’s because with the 24/7 news cycle and interwebs, people often pick the flyspit out of the pepper under the pressure to generate content.
These are professional football coaches and not PR guys. They craft X’s and O’s not press releases.
BTW, without the coaches cut film, it’s hard for the amateur pixel pounding fanboys like us to know what’s really going on.
March 2nd, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Conte STINKS!!!!!!!!!!! OMG what are you people watching? Everytime you give him a pump fake, he bites on it.
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:01 pm
DallasBuc Says:
March 2nd, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Conte is a priority but Martin isn’t?
Jason Licht is the new face of Buccaneer incompetence.
—————–
What did I miss here? How did you arrive at this conclusion????
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:04 pm
DallasBuc Says
“Conte is a priority but Martin isn’t?”
Is he supposed to only focus on one player and forget the rest of the free agents?
I am far, far from a Jason Licht fan…but I try to be fair. Have a little common sense.
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:05 pm
Chris Conte did an acceptable job last year.
Is he a pure starter? No. But in the event we can get better, he makes excellent depth.
March 2nd, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Glad that they are focused on retaining the depth but this is the problem with the Bucs philosophy in my opinion. Over the years they’ve shown that they are fine with being above average-good but not great. Our record will reflect that. Martin should have been signed weeks ago.
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:31 pm
I didn’t think conte played all that well, koetter calling out his name as one of the 7, just shows how bad we are on defense.
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:35 pm
I think we’re a little sore with the Martin deal.
I don’t think that this is meant to say Conte is MORE important than Martin. However, if you look at the position, safety is a heck of a lot thinner than RB. AND, you simply cannot just let everyone go after 2 badly coached years. He’s not going to command high dollar and you need depth. Conte is definitely not the worst safety we’ve had on the roster (hello Sabby!). Sign him and give him another shot.
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:43 pm
We need a big splash FA DE (Williams, Wilkerson, Long) and draft Noah Spence, that’s an upgrade to our pass rush. I am concerned with how much Logan Mankins and Joe Hawley have left in the tank……and what do you know just came across ESPN…..Alex Mack is a Free Agent…oh yeah!!!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 3:44 pm
Hey JOE…..any chance on a story about Alex Mack?
March 2nd, 2016 at 4:26 pm
Big Marlon
I posted some vids but they didn’t get past the JBF filter. I suggest googling Fred Jackson Chris Conte for a good laugh. There are others like khiry Robinson running over him and a few hits on WRs where he falls down, lol, but whatever man if its marshmellows we want I say S’mores and Ice cream for everybody.
4th place in the division for the sixth year in a row is okay with me.
March 2nd, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Gentlemenz… please!
Let’s bring in all the possible talent we can and let it shake out. Sign a few of our guys back, where athleticism and brains are worth a smaller contract.
Much was wrong with our D last year. Fact. But the players, (see attitude), were one cog in the wheel. And yes, a big one,
There may be some surprises from guys already wearing pewter.
March 2nd, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Teams always need more quality db’s. Conte is a good player at the right price.
Last year the trouble was a bad defensive scheme. The players were not completely to blame.
I agree with Biff, “[t]here may be some surprises from guys already wearing pewter.”
March 2nd, 2016 at 5:55 pm
dallasBuc
Really????
You think they are ignoring everyone else and focusing on Conte????????
It’s called multi-tasking.
March 2nd, 2016 at 6:17 pm
Chris Conte is a solid Safety and outperformed most everyone in our secondary. Then you have people like mike Johnson who say “He was always around the ball…after the play”. FYI Conte was fourth on the team in tackles with 79, tied for second on the team for forced fumbles and tied for second on the team for INT. Yea, always around the ball making plays. He and Keith Tandy were the two I wanted to keep. Bradley McDougald is the one we should release. Him and Major Wrong. Why does Joe feel Safety is a position they’re unlikely to attack in the draft? Makes no sense? Strong Safety was our weakest link in the secondary and other teams knew it. We need two new CB’s as well. Anyone who thinks Alterruan Verner and Johnthan Banks are going to be reincarnated with new coaches are delusional. One more thing, whomever keeps asking for Sterling Moore needs to stop. The team has made it clear that Moore, Henry Melton and Tony McDaniel are not returning. My biggest frustration is that the team could release Mankins, Carter, Even Smith, Johnson, Wright and Cherilus and have an additional $20,000,000 in cash to help pay for Martin, JPP, Mario Williams and probably a Safety too. And guess what? I bet we sign non of them.
March 2nd, 2016 at 6:49 pm
Bucs feel a need to firm up safety position. Macdougald disappointed in pass coverage big time. I Don’t think they will break bank for conte he has been injured through his career.I ould also keep keith tandy and let Macdougald
walk.
March 2nd, 2016 at 6:49 pm
Just a thought: LOVIE AND LICHT didn’t pick up on DOUG’S option year, big mistake, some say let him hit the market, but what if the disrespect he feels leads him to sign with another team regardless of money, when a player goes out and proves his worth to his team, you pay the man, this may get UGLY!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 7:06 pm
Why in the bloody hell is there NO, count it , NUN EH, urgency in keeping sterling moore? And while Conte was far from yuk last year, dallasbuc still makes a more than relevant point.
March 2nd, 2016 at 7:22 pm
Not gonna be a popular opinion, but I say draft Derrick Henry at #9, fill the rest of our needs via free agency and the rest of the draft, and let someone else ‘do the Dougie”. If Martin did this well with our line, Henry will DOMINATE the NFL and give us the triplets that the Cowboys dynasty had. And Henry wont get stopped at the goal line…..period!!
March 2nd, 2016 at 9:07 pm
Glad to see the Bucs are looking to sign Conte. He is a GOOD safety. His only issue is staying healthy.
He was the best player in our secondary last year.
March 2nd, 2016 at 10:23 pm
This guy sucks! I’m with Dallas Buc.
March 3rd, 2016 at 7:41 am
Guys NO ONE played well in our secondary last season! Conte is not a horrible player, he outplayed the rest of our safety’s last season, that’s for sure. So bringing back your best safety for competition is a GOOD idea! Licht knows what he’s doing.
Boy would it be nice to see the former gator safety Keanu Neal in pewter & red, the guys a head hunting, tackling machine! And he’s pretty decent in pass coverage as well wich he will improve on I believe. I really hope Joe is wrong and we adress the safety position. Ppl look at CB as the second biggest need on this team but safety is in much worse shape! Think about it…