Verner Safe?
February 22nd, 2017
Dodging salary cap bullet?
It is really difficult to believe any NFL team, much less the Bucs, would keep a backup on the hook for $6 million.
Such is the case for Bucs cornerback Alterraun Verner, who enters the final year of his current contract with the Bucs.
The past two seasons, Verner has found himself as a backup. Under lazy Lovie Smith, Verner was so far down the depth chart he was working with the scout team.
Under Dirk Koetter’s new regime, the Bucs kept Verner, probably hoping he could bounce back under different coaches. Verner began training camp as a starting corner and started on opening day in Atlanta, but he lost out to rookie Vernon Hargreaves.
And while Chris Burke of SI.com believes Verner is expendable, he thinks the Bucs just might keep him when all is said and done.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Current projected cap space: $72.8 million) On the chopping block: CB Alterraun Verner ($6.5 million cap hit; $0 dead money). Verner was viewed as a bubble player last off-season. This time around, with Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes in place and the guaranteed money on Verner’s contract dried up, he’s an odds-on favorite to be bounced. What could keep him around is that friendly number next to Tampa Bay’s projected cap space. The Buccaneers really would lose nothing by hanging onto Verner into camp—he still would be a free-of-charge release then, if there’s no space for him.
Well, if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has to get in a bidding war for a free agent wide receiver, that $6 million owed to Verner would sure come in handy as ammunition to sweeten the pot.
Joe gets no joy in writing an obituary for Verner. He may be one of Joe’s favorite players to deal with. Unfailingly polite and intelligent, and thoughtful guy, Verner is a class act.
In the cruel world of the NFL, however, feelings must always give way to reason. Joe is confident Team Glazer would want a full and detailed explanation why a backup corner should have a bigger salary than Mike Evans and America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:03 am
Why don’t they see what he can do at safety? As a corner he might not be able to cover than well but who knows at safety? Renegotiate his contract and let’s see what he can do.
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:05 am
At $6 million, no. At a reduced rate, absolutely. This is a position where depth is extremely valuable. He may not be a starter but he can still play.
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:13 am
If we have the cap room and he can still contribute keep him. It’s not my money.
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:20 am
Agree with you Bucsfanman……..at the right price, same situation with some other FA…..V Jax, Akeem Spence, Will Gholston, and maybe some other I am forgetting……..We need to add value in Free agency, and have a solid Draft, but there is something we need to consider, we will have to resign Evans, Jameis, soon…….We need cap space, so cap managment this year is KEY!!!!
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:27 am
Keep him him until you need the space…
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:29 am
Bucs will most likely be looking in FA for some quality players at WR, Safety, DE, DT, C, OT & LB. Maybe even at RB and backup QB if an opportunity presents itself. Almost all of those are positions where experience is at a premium. It may seem like the Bucs have a LOT of cap room this year, but impact players don’t come cheap and the Bucs have a lot of needs if we’re going to make a run at the NFC South crown & playoffs. I too like Verner, but not as a $6 mil/yr backup. I suspect that the Bucs will try to get him to stay onboard for about half of that … but I also suspect that he’ll opt to move on. Quite a few teams needing quality CBs right now it sounds like.
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:04 am
I’m picking my brains, trying to figure out how he last this long. We have paid him close to $19 million for 3 seasons. There’ a lot money wasted on players on this team.
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:11 am
Oh boy still debating to keep Cinnamon Toast Crunch, jeez. Why is this even a debate, he sucks, he gets burnt regularly and was a back-up all of if not most of last year.
Where’s the vision for this team? Who do they want to be? The biggest problem for this team is its mentality i.e EXHIBIT A
“Unfailingly polite and intelligent, and thoughtful guy, Verner is a class act.”
In the spirit of 87:
No, you’re never gonna get it
Never ever gonna get it (no, not this time)
No, you’re never gonna get it (my love)
Never ever gonna get it
I remember how it used to be
You never was this nice, you can’t fool me
Now you talkin’ like you made a change
The more you talk, the more things sound the same
What makes you think you can just walk back into her life
Without a good fight? Oh
I just sit back and watch you make a fool of yourself
Cuz you’re just wasting your time, oh
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:21 am
Am confident this has crossed the minds of Bucs brain trust the past three years as he has struggled to start at corner. Just because a guy can play corner does not mean he can play safety. Two totally different positions.
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:23 am
Restructure to 2 1/2- 3 million or cut him.
February 22nd, 2017 at 11:38 am
Should have been gone last year!
February 22nd, 2017 at 11:40 am
There’s no reason to do anything with him right now. They don’t need to dump salary right now. They have the luxury of sitting and waiting to see what happens in FA and the draft and then make the call after that.
At that point, he can either agree to a reduced salary or walk.
February 22nd, 2017 at 11:55 am
Reduce that salary to a decent price (he has to know he’s not getting $6 mil anywhere else) and keep him. He wasn’t so bad in the games he played later in the season. Also, I’m sure he would like to stay with a young up and coming team where Mike Smith said exactly when the D would catch on in 6-8 weeks. The D started their destruction against Chicago week 6 (I think) along with the 5 game win streak.
February 22nd, 2017 at 12:14 pm
If they can re-structure for 3mil per they should keep him. I can’t imagine he’ll get anything more elsewhere.
The only lure would be a starting job somewhere else
February 22nd, 2017 at 12:40 pm
Uhhhhhhhhh let me see Joey Schmoey………… Can you say THEY’RE UNDER ROOKIE CONTRACTS AND VERNERS UNDER A VETERAN CONTRACT 10 times really really no I mean for real fast? 😂😂😂 Ha ha ha! I know you don’t mean to but you sometimes give us great opportunities to clown you!
February 22nd, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Bucs don’t have to make a decision about Verner until final cutdowns the 1st week in Sept. A lot can happen between now and then so best to just let things play out and make the decision when its time to.
Verner has clearly not played up to his contract – but on the other hand, he CAN play in this league and having a CB with experience that’s relatively solid when called upon as one of your back-ups is more of a necessity than a luxury in today’s NFL. Somebody is gonna get hurt at some point. (Like maybe 32 yo Grimes) And that’s when you are glad to have a capable guy like Verner on your team – even if he is over priced. Hell – aren’t MOST free agents over priced?
I say its 50/50 as to whether Verner gets cut or kept at current salary.
Its nice for the GM to have that extra $6M in his back pocket if needed though. If guys like Calais Campbell and JPP and DJax are actually talking to the Bucs and seriously considering coming here, those deals eat up tens of Millions very quickly.
Verner’s fate with the Bucs this year may well rest on how big Licht goes in Free Agency. If JL goes all out and spends the majority of our available cap # in the next 2 months, Verner should probably start getting nervous about where he will be working this fall…
February 22nd, 2017 at 1:22 pm
I think they’ll consider waiting to see if they end up needing the cap room. Say, if they sign a big name player like JPP and still need money for other spots.
February 22nd, 2017 at 5:13 pm
David
Youre clowning yourself. You dont think Joe knows theyre on a rookie contract? He’s talking common sense here. You dont pay a backup corner more than your pro bowl starting qb and wr. Go bucs
February 22nd, 2017 at 6:53 pm
I wonder what he gets paid by another team if he gets released?
February 22nd, 2017 at 9:51 pm
There is no fa wr worth getting in a bidding war for period! I wish your dumb a@@ would quit saying Americans quarterback pro bowler! It’s played out!
February 22nd, 2017 at 10:59 pm
He probably stays until the Bucs need some cap space.