Nick Mangold = Perfect Bridge?
February 25th, 2017
Will the Bucs trade in Joe Hawley’s beard for historic stud Nick Mangold’s?
The weakest link on the Bucs’ offensive line last season was at center, and now one of the best centers to play the game finds himself unemployed this afternoon.
Joe’s talking about seven-time Pro Bowler Nick Mangold, formerly of the Jets.
He was set to make giant cash at 33 years old and New York is moving on, as they continue to purge veterans this offseason.
Mangold will be a wanted man, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, via his Twitter feed.
Per Rapoport, the Jets like their 26 year old center Wesley Johnson, who played the second half of last season after Mangold hurt his ankle.
Mangold missed eight games last season with an ankle injury, but prior to 2016, Mangold had missed just four games in 10 years.
After he was injured, the New York Post reported the time off made Mangold hungrier, rather than consider retirement.
But instead of making him sense his football mortality, Mangold’s injury has caused him to appreciate football to the point where he wants to extend his career.
“If anything, it makes me want to play more so I can keep going,” he said. “I miss being out there. It’s probably going to want to make me linger on more than my body wants me to. It [reminds] you this game can be gone at any moment, so you’ve got to enjoy the time you’re out there.”
This afternoon at ProFootballFocus.com, the stat nerds Twittered that Mangold hasn’t allowed a sack in his last 33 games. Joe takes PFF with a hearty grain of salt, but that’s still very impressive.
Free-agent-to-be Bucs center Joe Hawley has battled knee injuries and gets beat too often for Joe’s taste, even though his attitude and energy are great. Joe would prefer the Bucs move on while Evan Smith plays out the last year of his Bucs contract.
Mangold is a wild card. Is he healthy? Does he have another Pro Bowl year left? Logan Mankins did.
Joe is excited this afternoon. Any thought that doesn’t include the Bucs putting J.R. Sweezy on the field and relocating Ali Marpet to center is soothing.
February 25th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Honestly haven’t even read the article yet but based off the title I love this idea lol
February 25th, 2017 at 3:27 pm
OK I read the article. Still love this idea lol
February 25th, 2017 at 3:45 pm
DO IT!
February 25th, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Hell yeah!
February 25th, 2017 at 3:54 pm
Sign. Him. Now.
February 25th, 2017 at 4:14 pm
33 years old..enough said.
February 25th, 2017 at 4:20 pm
JBF fans in a FA feeding frenzy again? Mangold is 33 and made over $7.7 mil last year. Would probably want more than that to sign with the Bucs (just a guess). Highest paid centers in the NFL make right around $9 mil. With Bucs needing a WR, DE/DT (preferably both) and a Safety in FA as a minimum (and preferably a C & RT), is spending say $8-9 mil on a 33 yr old center the best use of our FA $$$? We may have close to $80 mil available, but doubt that Licht will spend much over $30 mil on FAs other than our own (if that much).
February 25th, 2017 at 4:37 pm
NEW MANKINS! DO IT!
February 25th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
If the bucs want to start a tradition of winning they need to start adding talent to replace weak links. Nick mangold as a bridge player would make a great addition. It sounds like he play until the wheels fall off which is great to know he is still passionate about football and will be around for at least a few more years.
February 25th, 2017 at 4:52 pm
Once again Joe.
He’s over 30. JBF rejects over 30 year olds. Bridge or not.
I don’t mind ’em, but as a consensus…he’s over 30.
February 25th, 2017 at 4:53 pm
You people need to stop. With a growing QB you do NOT need to switch up his center every other year. Move Marpet to C and let those two grow together. If Sweezy ia good put him at right guard keep pamphile at LG draft or sign a stud RT and our oline will be set for the next 4-5 years barring any injuries. Take the drunken FA goggles off, not every FA is worth the money just like every girl at the bar at 1AM is worth the hassle.
February 25th, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Free agency class is getting better by the day. Some unexpected guys joining the group for sure. He’ll probably want to go to a likely super bowl contender this late in career. Most all pro guys who have never been do.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Defense Rules – not sure we have the room for him but I will add him into what I have been working on. I built my own roster for the Bucs in 2017. With the right cuts we can actually afford to sign multiple bridge type players.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Mangold just turned 33 in January. Surely he’s probably got a couple of good years ahead. Would make sense if the Bucs had a young player to develop behind him. Maybe OG Dan Feeny in the 2nd round.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:26 pm
^ Well said macabee
Licht has been very astute in 90 percent of his veteran signings.
Mangold, much like Mankins, is a pro’s pro who has been doing it very well for very long. It’s not outside the reach of the imagination to assume he knows the tricks of the trade. Like MacDonald, Ayers, Grimes, Vincent Jackson, and Mankins before him, Nick Mangold would provide a sterling example for a diamond in the rough prospect.
I’m all for it.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Blake – what about Kyle Fuller in the late rounds? Ethan Pocic has been dropping into the middle rounds lately.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:39 pm
I was wondering how long this article was going to take to post following Mangold’s release. I would be all for this signing…2-3 years…probably becomes an instant leader of the O-line. Bucs need to push now for a SB run…once Winston ( & Evans ) get paid out…free agency flexibility will go way down. Another bonus might be the battle he would provide McCoy in practice.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:43 pm
We also have those other three guys – Stone, Gottschalk, and Allen but I have no clue if any of them are ready to start. I am assuming that Smith is cut at some point.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:52 pm
This o-line could use a veteran in the middle, so long as he is healthy. If Mangold is healthy, you’d have to be an absolute idiot to not look into bringing him on board. Ankle and foot problems can be tricky when it comes to the big boys though, so they need to be sure he’ll be the same player he always has been.
This is a very weak offensive line class in the 2017 draft so if they can get two or three years out of Mangold and continue to develop behind him then it’s worth the money.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:56 pm
The weakest link on the Bucs’ offensive line last season was at center
Really? What about the swinging door at right tackle. When Gosder was in it was brutal. The only good thing is that poor #3 could see the LDE bearing down right into his face play after play. It was DISGUSTING. It wasn’t even Matador blocking with an ‘Ole because the DE’s blew by Gosder before he could even get out of his stance. I can’t recall ever seeing worse OL play than our RT last year and Dot wasn’t much better. Perhaps if he regains his health he’ll at least rise to the level of simply sucking which would still be light years ahead of Gosder.
IF Benenoch is not ready we can add an RT to our FA/draft needs!
We currently have 60% of an Oline with a chance to move that to 80% if Sweezy returns to health and 100% if Benenoch is the real deal.
Don’t get me wrong…we need an upgrade at Center! But not as badly as RT.
February 25th, 2017 at 5:59 pm
1Gr8Buc…YOU need to stop. You act as if O-lineman are just interchangeable like Madden. RT is the problem anyways. More than C imo.
February 25th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Sign him to an incentive laden contract. That’s what u do with aging vets
February 25th, 2017 at 6:02 pm
This is a much stronger draft class at tackle than it is at center guys. And Dot wasn’t terrible, when he wasn’t getting penalties anyway…
Can we all agree that both Center and Right Tackle need to be upgraded sooner rather than later?
Because if we can, Nick Mangold would be an excellent bridge player, and add a much needed veteran presence back to the unit.
February 25th, 2017 at 6:07 pm
Look I love Joe but if we can get two years out this guy we & get another center in the draft possibly the third round for the kid to learn I am all in on this guy
February 25th, 2017 at 6:18 pm
Well St Pete/87,
They’re out there in FA. RT Ricky Wagner/Ravens is at the top of the list. It’s all about bang for the buck. This year there is no shortage of top-notch players. They all want to get paid!
There is no shortage of money either. If you use the NFL rule for the Top 51, the Bucs will have almost 80 mil in cap space. And the NFL cap is going to come in higher than anticipated 166 to 169mil too. Mo Money and Mo Money. lol.
February 25th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
We should just go out and sign every 30+ Free Agent on the market. Then, just maybe we can emulate the 1971 Washington Redskins ( The Over The Hill Gang). Last season we had 10 of these “Geezers” on our roster. It seems like Brent Grimes was the only one producing . Most of them ended the season on I.R. Well after all, Florida is “The State” for Retirees.
February 25th, 2017 at 6:22 pm
lol Wow macabee
February 25th, 2017 at 6:34 pm
1gr8
Youre cut off. U say we dont need to change centers every year so no to mangold. Then u say switch marpet to center. The dinger didnt go off in ur head? A change is a change. Anyway im all for upgrades. I trust in Licht. Lets goooooooo. Go bucs
February 25th, 2017 at 7:45 pm
@Lakeland, one of the Joes has referenced a few times that nearly every play off team had around 5-6 30 something Veteran starters.
and last year we had 5 in our starting line up, Joe Hawley being one of them. So if we choose not resign Vjax, Darryl Smith retires, and we replace Hawley with Mangold, plus we sign Calais Campbell and Desean Jackson, that still leaves us with 5.
So chillax bruh, we need upgrades at a lot of spots, Center being one of them.
And Jason Licht has shown time and time again that he likes to sign a veteran to act as a bridge, and draft their replacement. I’d say its working out pretty well so far.
February 25th, 2017 at 8:22 pm
Mangold would be a good bridge player to mentor for Gottschalk
February 25th, 2017 at 9:20 pm
@ d-roca you get Mangold then you change C again in another year or two tops. You move Marpet to C which our own GM has stated since we drafted him that he would be able to do and you have that poaition locked in for the next 10 years. Make sense yet?
@ 87 GTFO with the madden reference and again refer to our GM talking about Marpet and the C position. Pretty sure I addressed the RT position as well. If C is not that big of a concern then why go out and sign a 33 year old C?
Bucs fans and FA is the funniest time of the year, you all hear a name you have heard before and go crazy for them. No matter the age or play level. Build this team the right way build it to be a lasting winning team, that is not done by signing 30 year old WR with injury problems and a 33 year old C.
February 25th, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Defense Rules…He was cut, his contract didn’t expire. He will not get was he was slated to make, he knows it. May be willing to come in at 4-5 mill plus incentives. Would be worth it for 2-3 years. Dude is a beast and commands respect- might be exactly what this young O- Line needs. oh and I’ll say it again… If Cook, Williams and C Davis are gone, draft Ramsczyk (sp?) and move D Smith to RT. Everyone is so quick to move Marpet to Center, but D Smith to RT is the move, IMO.
February 25th, 2017 at 9:44 pm
watch every game for donkeys years! Joe Hawley is one of the main reasons we got close this year! Hes a warrior but older. Max effort! The line is atrocious. Not him. Need to draft a center to groom. No qb likes pressure in his face
February 25th, 2017 at 9:47 pm
And a pass rush is sorely needed still 🙁
February 25th, 2017 at 10:11 pm
And why not? Christain McCaffery in !st round. Fast and tough. need speed n smarts. Stud if there
February 25th, 2017 at 10:32 pm
I’m all for this. Go get him, Licht.
February 25th, 2017 at 11:29 pm
Don’t change C as Jamies is liking Hawley for one more year and smith his backup . I like Marpet at RG. Would definatley not sign 33 year old Mangold, way too much money when on the decline. Remember he was cut. We don’t need one and done, especially at Center with Winston.
February 26th, 2017 at 12:50 am
Jj that was some insight right there.
February 26th, 2017 at 1:07 am
Buc1987 Says:
” RT is the problem anyways. More than C imo. ”
I agree.
As to Joe Hawley, the only reason he got beat last year was because his injuries weakened him and he played through them. Otherwise he is an excellent center.
So it all depends on his health. If he can’t heal completely, we should get another center…but it needs to be someone no older than 27 that can stay startiing for at least 5 years, because a young QB needs the center position stable.
Getting a young center to develop would be idea, and resign Joe if healthy.
If he isn’t healthy, center actually is a need.
February 26th, 2017 at 1:15 am
I was the one person who actually had Ali Marpet on my draft wishlist the year we got him, and I wanted him at center. But he has completely locked down his guard spot. You don’t mess with that. And moving Smith is a bad idea as well.
Just chase RT in FA or draft to fix the oline issue. Resign Hawley if healthy. Find a young center to groom as depth.
February 26th, 2017 at 8:42 am
licht is the FA master dont get sweezied
February 26th, 2017 at 10:40 am
Bonzai-I agree on Marpet for sure. Donovan Smith was tied for the lead in penalties 13 for 105 yards. Zero penalties declined which tells me they were mostly in important situations. I’m not saying I don’t like Smith but I think there is an upgrade to be made. Most “experts” had him as a RT pre-draft. If we sign Wagner from the Ravens then I am fine with not moving D Smith but Winston needs better protection overall. JMO but again if all those 3 players I mentioned earlier are gone, I make the move. Not in the OJ Howard camp, I think the kid could be a stud but I don’t like him at 19, we still need too much.