Thoughts Behind Signing Aging Veterans
March 24th, 2016
Actions behind scenes prove valuable.
Some across the NFL landscape are wondering just what Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was up to recently.
Sure, he bolstered the roster with key veterans, but are they over the hill or on the cusp of their NFL playing days?
Linebacker Daryl Smith is 34. Cornerback Brent Grimes will be 33 this summer. Defensive end Robert Ayers turns 31 in September. At best, the trio are short-term investments.
And while the three may not be around long, Licht explained why he signed guys over 30 and perhaps at the end of the rope of their professional playing careers while appearing on the “Peter Schrager Podcast,” hosted by good guy Peter Schrager of FOX Sports.
“We feel the best way to develop young players is to have a few bridges in there, a few veterans who know how to teach these guys and shape them and shape the room,” Licht said.
This sort of reinforces what Joe was told by a trusted Bucs source over a month ago about a guy Licht pulled off the street in August, Gosder Cherilus.
While the stat geeks clap their clenched knuckles together in frustration and Bucs fans are moved to slam down a shot of Jim Beam over the penalties from the veteran right tackle, Joe was told Cherilus’ work behind the scenes with the rookie offensive linemen was invaluable last season.
While recently-retired Logan Mankins got a lot of credit for helping develop Donovan Smith, Joe was told, in fact, it was Cherilus who became Smith’s big brother in the locker room and in the offensive line meeting room.
Cherilus took Smith under his wing, Joe learned, and Cherilus showed Smith the ropes about playing tackle in the NFL, and served as an auxiliary offensive line coach. Joe was told a key reason for the development of Smith can directly be traced to Cherilus.
Of course, those actions and results never ever show up on a spreadsheet.
March 24th, 2016 at 10:55 am
“those actions and results never ever show up on a spreadsheet”.
It does show up in his bank account though. Cherilus is apparently going to be retained as a back-up even though he is making $4.5M this season. That’s a hell of a Thank You.
Bruce Carter is somewhere about now saying – “but – I helped Kwon that one time…”
March 24th, 2016 at 10:58 am
It’s not the talent that make you a great team, it’s the spirit !
And we need as much guys with this kind of spirit that we can afford !
We have talented young players and an extra help form PROFESSIONAL (I write it in capital on prupose) players is fundamental to make them professional too.
March 24th, 2016 at 10:59 am
It was reported last night that the coach has handed Dotson the starting job again. King of the yellow flags. So don’t put the bottle down yet.
March 24th, 2016 at 11:09 am
I get the thought behind it but it doesn’t work unless you have young talented players waiting to take their spot…its evident that we must draft a cb, de, dt, s, and lb but in what round we all must wait and see…GO BUCS!!!
March 24th, 2016 at 11:19 am
Good one!
March 24th, 2016 at 11:20 am
Actually, Joe reported that yesterday morning.
Yeah, Dotson is the starter. In March. For OTAs. To quote Archie Bunker, “Whoop-tee-do!” 🙂
March 24th, 2016 at 11:41 am
Bucs fans are moved to slam down a shot of Jim Beam over the penalties from the veteran right tackle,
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I’m glad you added that, Cherilus also gave up a lot of hits too. I don’t even understand how folks think Dotson is below avg, personally I think he does a great job.
Second, you talked about Marpet on the radio yesterday. I do believe he shifts to center sometime down the road.
March 24th, 2016 at 11:43 am
What’s funny is that if Lovie had done this, people would be up in arms.
March 24th, 2016 at 11:52 am
aging vet i hope BUCS sign: Anquan Boldin
March 24th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
It’s not a problem if your looking for a temporary fix like Logan Mankins was or to add depth… But if your counting on a bunch of older vets to carry your team then you are doomed… I believe it’s what led to the eventual downfall of Gruden here… Horrible drafts and too many old, aging and injured vets hogging up cap space and hanging in the hot tub…
March 24th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
watch Denver Kirkland from Arkansas…kid may be bigger than d.smith but not as athletic…I could see us drafting him in the late rounds(5or6) and plugging him in at guard…he’s a complete roadgrader…I always thought marpet looked like a center…speaking of marpet…
@joe…a few weeks ago I was in the dmv and I saw marpet with his ankle wrapped up riding one of those things that look like a scooter get a temporary handicap decal…did he have ankle surgey? if so, will he be ready for training camp?….GO BUCS!!!
March 24th, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Exactly what doomed Chucky. That and his refusal to draft a franchise quarterback.
Shoot, if he had drafted Aaron Rodgers, Chucky may still be the Bucs coach.
March 24th, 2016 at 1:16 pm
I think Jason Licht believes that it’ll take at least 2 more good drafts for the Bucs to create a perennial playoff contender. And that’s about how many years most of the newly signed FAs have left in the tank. During those 2 years though, their leadership and mentoring will be invaluable to teach our present guys how to win consistently and to help develop our future rookies.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:48 pm
“We feel the best way to develop young players is to have a few bridges in there, a few veterans who know how to teach these guys and shape them and shape the room,” Licht said.
Of course…ACTUALLY signing some young guys in free agency would help too. What a load of crap. He’s making excuses.
Having veterans to teach is a good thing, but he’s covering his butt for not going after any younger, potentially top talent.
I am all for building through the draft, but when you have so much money and there are good young guys available in free agency that are mostly under the radar…you go after them.
When there is a young Right Tackle that is among the best in the league and will be here for years, you don’t gamble on finding one in the draft, you do what it takes to sign him and seal up the position for years to come.
Licht is trying to sell people on his poor Free Agency period being all good and wise. It wasn’t.
But…it is what it is.
March 24th, 2016 at 2:55 pm
I think it’s been proven the Bucs can’t just build through the draft, they’re just not good at doing that and don’t have the in house depth to make that work. There is nothing at all with bringing in some vets when you got the cap space to do so – then you let the younger guys develop without rushing them into the starting line-up. That’s what good teams do.
March 24th, 2016 at 3:13 pm
Bucbonzai….it takes 2 to tangle, we brought in a young RT Schartwz, he choose to go somewhere else, as far as a young DE, already screwed the pooch with both Johnsons, better to get a veteran without issues unlike hardy or mario and grow talent from within like jack smith gholston and Howard jones, let them grow up together and learn from a veteran like Ayers, someone who dug himself out from being a BUST, same with the secondary, grimes has been battling his who career, you don’t go undrafted to a multi pro bowl player without working hard, he’s going to be a part time player like a nickel corner, but his experience alone will make banks n Verner better players….Darryl Smith are you kidding me the guy is a true professional plus he also plays part time, this draft will bring a few young defensive building blocks, look how fast Seattle went from cellar to super bowl, picking up Michael Bennett Clinton McDonald, letting guys like Sherman n chancellor time to grow, surrounding them with talents like earl Thomas and marshawn lynch, throughot history most teams take time to build for sustained success, but they need veterans to show younger guys how to be professionals, we’ve tried the big ticket free agent path, and it fails most of the time, time to work the program, I’ll future is upon us GO BUCS
March 24th, 2016 at 5:24 pm
Cherilus might not be better than Dotson, and he might be released depending on how our draft goes, but all I know is we were extremely lucky he was available last year. He played well and adjusted to a new offense like the seasoned vet he is.
March 24th, 2016 at 5:26 pm
“already screwed the pooch with both Johnsons”
That’s naaaaasty
March 24th, 2016 at 7:29 pm
Is that Kimbo Slice?
March 24th, 2016 at 8:40 pm
This isn’t chucky people
They are loaded with young talent. Having some vets is needed. Plus they got s QB, something even chunky admitted was a mistake that he never did.
March 24th, 2016 at 9:41 pm
the’re here,The’re signed the juries out until they get on the field and play.
no reason to second guess Licht ‘s free agency moves yet.
March 24th, 2016 at 10:01 pm
the draft is still best most economical way to sign young players.If they are good you resign them. I would rather have 8 or more years of Jameis than 4 .