Double Down At WR, Mob Leading, Cook Trade-Up
March 4th, 2017
Saturday columnist Gil Arcia, @GilArciaBucs, is back with a few very strong opinions this morning.
Free agency is less than a week away and the Bucs have decisions to make.
Players have steadily become available due to cuts and with the wide receiver position being a position that should be addressed soon, the Bucs face an excellent opportunity to improve. Oh, and free agency is just the time to do so.
DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garçon, Terrelle Pryor, Brandon Marshall and Kenny Stills among others are available. With that said, the Bucs should look to target two wide receivers. That’s right, two.
I know that’s long shot to happen. But I am of the belief that they should load up with as many weapons as possible on offense.
Jackson will be ideal. Garçon too. I see Pryor staying with Cleveland (for some odd reason) and Stills, forget it. There was crazy talk about what he’ll demand.
Marshall is an interesting name and one just added to the laundry list of free agents. Personally, after much thought, I may go after him if I’m general manager Jason Licht. Try and see where his head is at for the next couple years since he said he has a lot left to give on his Instagram account.
Besides, he is only two seasons removed from a 1,500-yard, 14 touchdown season. He may even come at a cheaper price.
The Future
Look, I don’t care what I get called and if I get called a mob leader, so be it.
Mike Glennon should stay. Period. No fake news. This is not opposite day. I am serious when I say Glennon should remain in pewter.
I know the notion is that if America’s Quarterback goes down, the season is lost anyways. I’ve always disagreed with that to some level. And the Bucs obviously do, too.
Just this week, and you can find it right here on JoeBucsFan.com, it was revealed that the Bucs offered Glennon a nice little chunk of change to remain as the team’s backup. However, since Glennon has earned the right to test free agency, it appears he’ll be testing the waters.
Glennon does provide the best option next to Winston to win a few games coming off the bench. Factor in how he understands the system and playbook, the team should not be knocked for their intentions on bringing him back.
It would be a smart decision. Yeah, I said it.
Shook For Cook
Everyone wants to live the American dream. For athletes, it’s playing their sport at the professional level. For Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, the American dream is Buccaneer dreamin’.
This week at the Scouting Combine, Cook let it be known that playing with Jameis Winston and donning the pewter helmet would be a “dream come true.” The Tampa Bay organization should feel the same.
Cook is a complete back and one that will complete an offensive attack after the wide receiver position is addressed during free agency. And now that his Combine is over, nothing was damaging to his draft stock unlike the freak out over Leonard Fournette’s numbers.
Cook will continue to solidify his prowess and silence the “running-backs-aren’t-worth-a-trade-up” critics next at Florida State’s pro day March 28. You should then expect the “NFL mock draft professionals” to start sliding him up their boards.
March 4th, 2017 at 8:27 am
Well I been against trading up for cook, but if we address WR in FA like d Jax and say Marshall , I think it’s worth it , let’s just say it takes our 2nd this year , from the 3rd round we can go defense , DE, safety, DT , if we don’t address in FA , and we would be in good shape , the def in the 5 game stretch was great and doesn’t need to be changed that much , 2-3 players added and we should be good , the offense on the hand needs playmakers, if we can pull a true #2 WR and a starter at RB , we should be playoff bound, even with a tough schedule this year
March 4th, 2017 at 8:30 am
Also , agree mike G , should be brought back , if the price works , he knows the playbook if JW goes down , and better than Ryan G , and I don’t want to waste a pick at Qb,
March 4th, 2017 at 8:33 am
I don’t see it. I see one WR signed in FA, and another drafted in rds 1 or 2. I also think we draft a DL with the other one of our top two draft picks (I am hoping we sign Campbell as well, but who knows…). Then we take a RB in either rds 3 or 4.
March 4th, 2017 at 8:38 am
I was totally against cooks trade at first. However, if they do not get a top receiver free agent then they would have to think about it.
Look- top tier receiver Davis and Williams will be off the board in draft . Next guy up is Ross and he has injuries problems and is little guy. With 19 pick , you get a proven young talent and burner (Brandin cooks ran a 4.38). He is a receiver which is need #1 and resign him for reasonable around 10 mil range as he has not blown up on the scene Yet. Then they can get safety and running back with next two picks . Maybe a center.
March 4th, 2017 at 8:40 am
And NT Brandon Williams from baltimore
March 4th, 2017 at 8:48 am
I am sort of a Terrell Pryor Fan, Plus a draft pick, so of course it bothers me when you say (for some odd reason) he will stay in Cleveland. Do you have any specifics regarding the odd reason or am I just a victim of the “Silly season,” rumors?
March 4th, 2017 at 8:58 am
Better than trading up for a kicker.
March 4th, 2017 at 9:36 am
Gilly,
How far up would you have move to trade up to draft Cook?
Glennon is a no brained although they say Ryan Griffin is the next Drew Brees 👀
March 4th, 2017 at 9:37 am
Interesting analysis Gil. No, no & no. No on picking up 2 WRs in FA (1 FA + 1 drafted in Rnds 1-3 … 2 in FA is just too expensive with our other needs). No on re-signing Mike Glennon for a bunch of FA $$$ (he’s not going to get us into the playoffs if Jameis goes down … invest those FA $$$ in a better Center and/or RT). And no on trading up for Dalvin Cook … I’d love for us to get him, but not for what it’d cost to move up significantly to draft him (probably cost us at least 2 additional high picks in addition to our original #19). Bucs have some significant holes to fill to keep building a contender and don’t have any picks (or FA $$$) to waste.
March 4th, 2017 at 9:51 am
I am firmly in the “No trading up” part of the fan base. The only reasons any team should trade up for a player imo are:
1) Desperate for a QB (Like the Rams and Eagles last year)
2) The player is one of the few superstars in a relatively weak draft class at that position (Like Atlanta trading up for Julio Jones in 2011)
3) If we are 1 player away from Super Bowl contention
Imo none of these apply to the Bucs this year. RB is an undervalued position in the NFL these days which is why so many of them fall to the mid-late rounds (20 RBs drafted last year, 16 went on Day 3).
It is a deep class at RB this year. Mike Mayock mentioned at the Combine yesterday that he talked to people who feel there will be RBs in the 5th round available that have 2nd round grades.
And imo we aren’t a Dalvin Cook away from the Super Bowl. Simple as that.
March 4th, 2017 at 9:55 am
As far as signing 2 FA receivers go, I would prefer to see 1 signed in FA and 1 drafted in the round 3-5 range. With how deep this draft class is on defense it could push a lot of good offensive players down the boards.
I understand the argument to resign Glennon. If he turned down $7 million a year tho, idk if the price tag would be worth it.
March 4th, 2017 at 9:57 am
Y’all are like jilted lovers who think their gf should stay bc she knows you and things used to be good a few years ago, rather than her move on and be happy with someone else.
Glennon is gone, not for the Bucs lack of trying but because he will be a starter somewhere else! There’s no choice or decision here for the Bucs.
March 4th, 2017 at 10:16 am
Running backs are 100 percent not worth Trading up for. Unless they are litterally the last thing you need to win a superbowl.
Or they are just absolute freaks of nature Like Adrian Peterson.
Also McCaffrey looked better than Cook or Fournette yesterday.
March 4th, 2017 at 10:22 am
Zay Jones just burned a 4.46. You couple that with his seniorbowl, and his incredible route running/ film, and he just jumped massively up my Round 2 WR list.
March 4th, 2017 at 11:16 am
2 WR and 2RB in the draft or free agency. We need to bulk up the defence. Holding teams to 17 points or less is the key to the future. We are going nowhere with Winston the gunslinger. Turnover”s and inaccuracy will prevent winning consistently. Strong D and a good running game. Will take us to the promise land. Winston the game manager throwing only 15-20 passes a game. After all the fact is he choked in the clutch (Dallas, New Orleans).
March 4th, 2017 at 11:27 am
I know that the skill section of the combine hasn’t come up yet the Dalvin cook was nowhere near a top performer in the forties
March 4th, 2017 at 11:52 am
Defense have you looked at our cap space? There is plenty of money to spend and they can afford more than just a couple of players.
March 4th, 2017 at 11:55 am
Lol at Poor Glennon. Yeah let’s trade JW so we can get your guy out there as captain check down. Sorry TB didn’t take your guy or keep Glennon in there as your starter but there is one, and only one reason that everyone thinks this franchise has turned the corner. I wil give you 3 guesses to figure it out.
March 4th, 2017 at 12:18 pm
Trade up obviously means we are neglecting another need. Don’t see it.
March 4th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
TouchDownTampaBay, if we keep Doug Martin & Evan Smith it looks to me like we have $68 mil to play with (both may be gone eventually, but present thinking seems to be that it probably won’t be until after the draft). With that amount, we’ve got to sign our own FAs, any FAs we bring in, our draft picks, plus probably retain some for later pickups (like Rodgers was last year) and also keep some in prep for a new contract for Mike Evans (as a minimum). Subtracting those others, I estimated that we could afford to spend in the neighborhood of $30-$35 mil on FAs (other than our own).
My best guess (and it is a guess obviously) is that $30-$35 mil will ‘buy’ anyplace from 3-5 FAs (depends on who we sign & for how much obviously). Personal preference is to sign a #2 WR (like Desean Jackson) for around $8-10 mil, a DT/DE (like Calais Campbell) for around $10-12 mil, a Safety (like Tony Jefferson) for $7-8 mil, and a Center or OT (for $7-8 mil). To me, 4 quality FAs who could start for us would be optimum.
March 4th, 2017 at 2:05 pm
I agree about 2 WRs and obviously we need a RB…
But can we not forget about the defense?
DL needs help.
We need at least 1 new safety.
And what about CB? Who is behind Grimes and VH3? And how much does Grimes have left in the tank? (And can we get some bigger spikes so he stops falling down so much?)
IJS
March 4th, 2017 at 3:19 pm
Ross ran a 4.22 today, fastest ever recorded at the combine, then was unable to make a second run because of “tightness”. The 4.22 is nice and all, I mean he got $1-million from Nike so good on him, but not being able to run the 2nd 40, that’s a bit of a red flag if it was legit and not just him sitting on his first run. Just something to keep in mind. Ross has been a late 1st round pick all along, so we’ll see how far up he moves if any.
March 4th, 2017 at 3:38 pm
Martinii
I read the “odd reason” that Pryor wants to remain in Cleveland.
Is it odd that LeBron won a title and was golden in Miami but wanted to go back to Cleveland.
If you grew up some place other than Florida you get this. For some people home is where the heart it. Pryor is from SW Pa…read next door to NE Ohio. He starred at OSU and the Browns are his “home” team. Like LeBron he has fantasies of returning a title to his “hometown”. Not really that odd of a reason.
March 4th, 2017 at 4:04 pm
Im not all for trading up for DC, although im not totally against it. Honestly, I would love to see DC in Pewter, but only if the cost isn’t to much to go get em. I also think we should sign a WR like Kenny Stills, but if he’s asking for too much, go out and get DeSean Jackson or Garcon.
March 4th, 2017 at 4:24 pm
How about ross and djax….then de 2nd round, oline 3rd, rb 4th. Ross and djax on the same team would be a nightmare for teams
March 4th, 2017 at 4:36 pm
I cant believe Joe is actually making sense about Glennon. I dont think any GM or team should ever feel like their season is over just by losing 1 starter. Thats a loser mentality and if I were on that team I’d feel disrespected. That being said, a little to late now. Glennon is going to sign a big contract somewhere else and he absolutely should. Get as far away from this hateful town that disrespected him every chance they got. Chase your dreams mike. Hope Bucs have a plan in place for the backup position. I dont trust Griffin at all.
March 4th, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Oh nvm I guess that wasnt Joe making sense Lol.
March 4th, 2017 at 5:55 pm
Lol couch!
March 4th, 2017 at 9:38 pm
I’ve always been a fan of grabbing Campbell and DeSean, drafting Cooks, a Safety, then 0-line with picks 2 and 3. Then move Sims to slot keeping a rotation of Cooks, Rogers, and Barber in your backfield. Wont break the bank and you’ve added 2 recievers in the off season. Sims hands are gold and he makes plays in space but him as a true RB is suspect. I think it would be a fitting move and provide competition for Humphrey
March 5th, 2017 at 2:45 am
Just my opinion. In free agency some good choices would be Tony Jefferson-S,Pryor-WR,Warford-Guard,Leary-Guard,Jackson-WR,Poe-DT,Perry-LB. 1St Round Ross-WR,Davis-WR,McDowell-D/L,Charlton-D/L,Howard-TE,McCaffrey-RB,Cook-RB,Peppers- every position.Hopefully Licht will work his magic again this year Would love to see them move up for Cook since he wants to play for the Bucs so bad. Charlton is a real beast if you watch his tape and Peppers can do it all.It would be nice if they could move up and get Cook and then trade back into the bottom of the first round or top of the second to nab a WR,D/L or Safety. Work your magic Jason. Wishful thinking I know but anything can happen on draft day. Who among you thought last year that we would get Hargreaves and Noah Spence back to back.
March 5th, 2017 at 7:43 am
Couple of notes, Gil –
I agree about not giving up on a season without a starting wb. Think of Beldsoe when he went down to injury, and he had a large contract st the time. Should alwyas be looking for a capable replacement. Is Glennon that guy, I sont thibk so, but he does had advantages of knowing our system and personnel. Just hope he doesnt go to The Saints.
As far as receiver. I agree on Stills. Marshall’s career isnt the same because of turf toe. Djax never lasts a whole season either…Garcon has good hands but is as slow asmolasses. pryor said he wants to stay in cleveland, and he didnt disagree with adam jones after he was called trash. He has speed yes, but not polished nor the experience at wideout to deal with tough corners…Everyone overlooks Britt who will be the best free agent receiver in this class when all is done, imo. He gets overlooked because he played in such lousy offenses with lousy qb play for such a long timr. Hed have hall of fame type numbers in proficient offenses, is another red zone threat with his size and quickness to stretch the field to take pressure off Evans. For a crappy offense that he was in, he still wound up top 20 in wr production which is remarkable. Hell also come cheap(er) than the rest…and value is what you look for in free agency!