“I Have Not”
March 29th, 2016
The Roddy White clam-up.
Joe’s antennae are up. And it’s not just about the FREE BEER for wise Bucs fans on draft night.
There’s something very strange going on when it comes to Roddy White and the Bucs.
Joe has tapped various reliable sources when it comes to White, and nobody’s talking — not a peep pro or con.
Last Wednesday at the NFC Coaches Breakfast, Joe asked head coach Dirk Koetter whether he’s talked to White about possibly joining Tampa Bay. “I have not,” Koetter said. It was easily the shortest answer Koetter gave all day. Keep in mind, Koetter loves and respects White, and the Bucs are aching for receivers depth.
No, Joe will spare you detail on the Bucs’ flimsy receiving corps (and Louis Murphy’s knee surgery) after Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. But Koetter says he’s excited about the upcoming competition between Adam Humphries, Donteea Dye, Kenny Bell and Evan Spencer. Enough said!
At the NFL Owners Meetings, Joe talked to two NFL personnel executives off the record about White. One told Joe that White “absolutely isn’t retiring” and the Bucs might wait to see how the draft shakes out before seriously talking to him.
Joe sees White as a quality depth signing. Teams believing they have an excellent shot at the playoffs make those kinds of deals.
March 29th, 2016 at 10:15 am
Considering the lack of reliable health or ability to hold on to the football at this position it wouldn’t hurt my feelings to take on a proven veteran talent like White. Would help Winston having receivers that squeeze the football instead of batting his passes down!
March 29th, 2016 at 10:18 am
NO to Mo Wilkerson and his 50 mil guaranteed.
YES to Roddy at 2 mil guaranteed on a one yr deal!
March 29th, 2016 at 10:29 am
With the large amount of cap room the Bucs still have, the “value” in money spent to sign White, the lack of depth at W3 and beyond and White’s quality work ethic which management claims to crave to provide a “bridge” for younger players coming in, I don’t understand this at all. He should be signed!
March 29th, 2016 at 10:57 am
I think dirk is waiting to see what he has when it comes to a few wr’s that didn’t play last year…one of them is Andre Davis…kid is from tampa, played college ball at usf and dreamed of wearing the pewter and red…davis has a great combination of size strength and speed…very versatile…can be a mismatch outside for cb’s with his size and strength or a nightmare for safeties and lb’s if he plays the slot with his speed…his best quality imo is his hands…very reliable especially in traffic or for jump balls…he has been working with Winston during this off season getting to know the playbook better and working on his route running…kid could’ve been a 1st or 2nd round pick if he had a quality qb his jr and sr year…his first 2years he had bj daniels throwing to him and he was a constant play maker but due to injuries his jr season and lack of qb his senior season he didn’t get much notice…I’ve been watching this kid since he was a Jefferson dragon and im telling you he’s a beast…bucs fans watch out for Andre Davis….GO BUCS!!!
March 29th, 2016 at 10:58 am
gotta get leaders like this on the squad.. help out some of these young receivers maybe show them how to have sure hands
March 29th, 2016 at 11:06 am
I wouldn’t mind White as an insurance policy for VJax (at a reasonable price). That being said, Koetter and Smith probably know him better than any other coaches in the league and if he still had much in the tank, you KNOW Belinda would have been all over him by now…..just sayin.
March 29th, 2016 at 11:08 am
*Belicheat
Damn autocorrect !!!
March 29th, 2016 at 11:14 am
The “delay” is likely about $.
Licht is probably only willing to offer $1.5-$2M or so on a 1 year deal and Roddy’s agent is like – “look at the man’s career stats. He’s still productive and worth $7.5M for 2 years – Roddy wants to play another 2 years. Look at what you are paying Vincent Jackson for 1 year…”
Honestly though – I think this is about a youth movement. Finding young talented offensive players to grow with Winston.
The Bucs have brought in a couple talented older Free Agents in certain spots on defense to fill a temporary need and teach the younger guys in position meetings how to be better pro football players.
We already have VJax to do that for the receivers and at a hefty price. I think the Bucs would prefer to bring in a rookie and let him compete with Bell, Humphries, Dye and Murphy for the 2 remaining WR spots on the active roster. Bucs pretty much have to save a spot for Russell Shepard because he is so damn good on special teams. If you bring Roddy in – there would likely be some degree of guarantee – so you don’t want want to pigeonhole yourself with a receiver whose skills are absolutely diminishing due to age in favor of a young guy who shows excellent promise and needs experience to improve.
If both Bell and Humphries for instance look very good in camp and pre-season, you would have to cut one of them to keep Roddy White who was already guaranteed some $ and some other team would snatch them up.
Just guessing of course but both those factors might have something to do with not rushing to sign Roddy White.
March 29th, 2016 at 11:25 am
BUCS will probably not sign him until the day after the date that Guarantees Veterans their ENTIRE Annual Salary
March 29th, 2016 at 11:54 am
I think White is considering retirement. He and Licht/Koetter have been speaking to him. It’s not their place to divulge such info.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
no reason for roddy to talk to anybody until after the draft. if he wants playing time, talk is cheap from teams right now. you could commit your season to a WR needy team like the panthers or 49ers only to see them make it a priority in the draft and bury you on the depth chart. roddy will see who still needs a WR in June
March 29th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Yeah give the former USF Bull Andre Davis a shot. He has to be a better player than the last USF product that played with the Bucs.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
That’d be after week 1 of the regular season.
March 29th, 2016 at 12:29 pm
Maybe Koetter really likes a couple young guys already with the team, and if he drafts a WR AND signs Roddy, it might force him to cut someone he doesn’t wish to.
Just a guess.
March 29th, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Dye to me as I said during the season last year appears to have a high ceiling he is fast with decent size and strength… I think he and Kenny Bell will be competing to stay on the team this year… Advantage Bell…
That said I did not realize A. Davis is on the team….
813 is on the money…. Dude could end up being our best WR if he can get healthy and decides to developed his talent… I have a different vibe about our WR corp with him trolling in the shadows…. Thanks for the info 813
March 29th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
White might eventually sign with us. But Me think its all about the cash right now. Whites agent probably wants more bank for him. And licht is balking. I..cannot blame him. You don’t want to overpay an aging receiver.
March 29th, 2016 at 2:18 pm
i’d prefer Anquan Boldin!
March 29th, 2016 at 2:41 pm
I’m not saying that I’d be upset if the Bucs signed White. I just don’t see what he brings to the table, other than experience. We already have experience in VJAX. IMO we should develop some of the talent on the roster and look for depth in the draft.
March 29th, 2016 at 3:07 pm
@JAB83…no problem…like you said just trying to think outside the box but andre davis is a real good talent…something we need at the wr position…GO BUCS!!!
March 29th, 2016 at 4:07 pm
Percy Harvin is another UFA that is still out there I think. I think that the Bucs could certainly use his talents. I do no know what kind of money he is asking for but it is someone for them to consider as well as Roddy White. I do not understand why there has not been more interest in Harvin unless he is not a good team mate or a Prima Donna. Do not know that much about his NFL career to this date.
March 29th, 2016 at 5:53 pm
No thanks on Roddy White. This guy was a cancer on his team last year, wants the ball all the time. Old WR Divas not worth the headache once they are past there prime.
Harvin, quitter.Hell no
March 29th, 2016 at 5:56 pm
Bowery-
Other than lockerroom antics like beating up Baldwin and G. Tate and his injury history, which includes ankle problems, a heel surgery, migraines, a concussion, tendinitis in his Achilles, tendinitis in his knee and, most recently, hip surgery he would be a great FA signing.
March 29th, 2016 at 5:58 pm
If my memory serves me right, Kenny Bell and Winston were room mates last spring, and Bell looked very good until he got hurt. He has more speed than anyone else on the receiving end. We might not have a spot for Roddy.
March 29th, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Kenny Bell did absolutely nothing in the preseason and was put on injured reserve for the season with a hangnail.
March 29th, 2016 at 6:28 pm
What’s the rush? The draft is less than a month away. There’s a whole other round of veterans that will end up free agents with post-draft cuts.
White could end up waiting until closer to training camp before a team comes sniffing around. Besides that, we already have Vincent Jackson who basically has identical traits to White. We need speed at the position and that will come in the draft.
March 29th, 2016 at 6:29 pm
…Corey Coleman!
March 29th, 2016 at 7:03 pm
I’d try to sign White to a 2-year deal w/ a third-year option, if it were me.
March 29th, 2016 at 7:05 pm
@TDTB
A hangnail? Man, that’s cold.
March 29th, 2016 at 8:10 pm
…”I have not” (because we are drafting WR1). Perhaps?
March 29th, 2016 at 9:24 pm
@Pat
I believe so. I know I’ll be beating the Corey Coleman drum up till the draft.
March 29th, 2016 at 9:46 pm
I’m with gotbucs
I really like Coleman
He has great hands, great production and is lightening fast
Only downside is he’s 5’10”
I think he will be the first receiver drafted
I wouldn’t be upset with the Bucs drafting him
March 29th, 2016 at 11:03 pm
I can not see a 2016 roster with dontae dye on it. The guy does not deserve to be on this team.
How have we not added a single weapon for Jameis yet? Sure dirk is a good OC and winston is an awesome QB. But even Peyton Manning was surrounded by hall of fame weapons. We don’t need any high priced WRs but someone anyone to compete in TC would be nice.