Bucs “Hot” For Redskins’ DL
March 6th, 2017
No, not that kind of “hot.”
Last year Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht stayed away from the top-tier defensive ends in free agency, only to wait for the second-tier and grabbed Mr. Beasting Robert Ayers.
Could that be a window into this week’s free agent shopping?
From long-time Broncos beat man Mike Klis comes word there are two teams “hot” for free agent defensive lineman Chris Baker: The Broncos and the Bucs.
@MikeKlis: Broncos, Tampa Bay are teams hot on DT/DE Chris Baker, per source. Jacksonville in play for DL Calais Campbell.
There is no question that Campbell is the top-tier defensive lineman out there. So if last year’s pattern holds, it seems Licht has no interest in breaking the bank for a versatile defensive lineman.
Baker, who is normally a defensive end but can play defensive tackle, was undrafted and was pretty much a nothing player as he knocked around the NFL for a few years before coming into his own the past two seasons. Baker has 9.5 sacks in his last 32 games.
March 6th, 2017 at 9:53 pm
He looks like a big body. Great for the NT on the line next to GMC.
March 6th, 2017 at 10:21 pm
Campbell, Poe, Baker… in that order. Sign one of these guys and we’re laughing!!! Draft a Stud DE, sign Jackson https://youtu.be/tg5Ic2haNLw we need some of that!!! RB will be extremely interesting, who will we get?! This is so exciting I can’t even see straight. This is OUR offseason, watch!!!
March 6th, 2017 at 10:31 pm
The more talent they add to the defensive front the less excuses people can make for McCoy not having any help up there.
Nothing like having to pay out a ton of cash to make sure the $100 million dollar guy can try to produce.
I like Baker, no matter what, I want a legit NT so they can get into hybrid formations.
March 6th, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Who is the cheerleader ?!?!??! Asking for a friend..
March 6th, 2017 at 10:32 pm
After signing Gholston to the long term deal CC is probably off the FA board. Still at BPA in the round 1 draft I wouldn’t be surprised with an Edge going to the Bucs. However, I would rather see the weapon for Winston. TE, RB, WR depending on FA pickups.
March 6th, 2017 at 10:36 pm
Agree KingBuc..if Will G would have been going to “test” the FA market, then we would have gotten CC for sure..
Baker came up tonight as an interest for the Bucs for the first time..
March 6th, 2017 at 10:42 pm
🙁
March 6th, 2017 at 10:49 pm
Kayvon Webster should be another target to add to our secondary in FA. He wants an expanded role with the Broncos but their secondary is stacked and while they want to re-sign him they won’t be able to give him the expanded role he wants. The Bucs could bring him in and let him compete for the nickel corner position and a potential replacement for Grimes after 2017. He is also the captain of the Broncos special teams.
March 6th, 2017 at 10:52 pm
I’m not against going after Baker. He’s a guy that has been in a 3-4 defense and is a bit risky but he does have a nasty streak. That’s always a good thing. I do like the thought of teams having to deal with GMC and Baker up the middle. It should free N Spence up to have a monster year.
March 6th, 2017 at 10:53 pm
WOW, Licht publicly states and then repeats that the Bucs D needs to get after opposing QB’s, so with 70+mil to spend, he’s looking at a guy who has 9.5 sacks in his last 32 games…WTF is wrong with this picture?!
March 6th, 2017 at 11:09 pm
Swaggy is a big boy at 333lbs.
March 6th, 2017 at 11:09 pm
Thank you @Buc4Lyfe… Those are clown stats for a PASS rushing DE
March 6th, 2017 at 11:16 pm
Damn y’all CALM DOWN
Everytime JBF mentions a player most of y’all get all wet in the pants.
@Joe… It sucks that y’all playing on the losing culture within the fanbase for clicks… Depending on what the BUCS do will/should dictate that record your looking for. C’mon man. Stop talking bout these clowns. Is there no RT worthy of a article… You know, a position of need also. I’m sorry but signings like that won’t bring sh!t
March 6th, 2017 at 11:16 pm
His last two years of stats:
2016 Stats Tkls 47 Ast 18 Sacks 3.5
2015 Stats Tkls 53 Ast 27 Sacks 6
March 6th, 2017 at 11:21 pm
I’m confused^^^^
Am I suppose to be impressed
March 6th, 2017 at 11:24 pm
We just resigned Big Willie… We need a QB Killa!!!!
That’s not going to cut it. If there’s not A TRUE 1 out there then try in the draft. But NO MORE PROSPECTS
March 6th, 2017 at 11:25 pm
No, which is my point…he’s just a big body to stuff the run.
March 6th, 2017 at 11:29 pm
The cheerleader is none other than the illustrious Rachel Watson. #Hot #MILF
March 6th, 2017 at 11:33 pm
Y’all some cry babies today. He is a dt in a 4-3 not a DE. So don’t expect him to have double digit sacks. Do you see any top flight DEs in free agency? Cuz I sure don’t. Teams don’t let great pass rushers walk
March 6th, 2017 at 11:40 pm
@Mike …. I’m not crying. Just stating the most OBVIOUS question to signing Baker when Will does the same thing. I have never been on here THIS offseason playing for a FA DE… I’m on the DT wagon far as that. DE with the first pic for me
March 6th, 2017 at 11:47 pm
I’m not on the Baker bandwagon..but I will say the FA that wets my beak is DJax..and I don’t care who disagrees, but AP also gets my vote..
March 6th, 2017 at 11:57 pm
So Joe should shut the site down for the next two weeks because you don’t like who the Bucs are going after?
Exactly who do you think Joe was talking to in Indianapolis? Have you not been reading this site the past week? Joe sure as hell didn’t drop damn near $2000 to spend a week in Indianapolis to talk to Hooters girls!
Joe specifically asked Dirk Koetter — who was sitting three feet from Joe — what areas of the defense needs an upgrade and Koetter mentioned defensive tackle because they could lose a lot of guys the next couple of years at that position. And when a well-respected NFL writer says the Bucs are linked to a defensive lineman Joe is supposed to ignore that when the coach less than a week prior straight to Joe’s face they need bodies there???
If Joe had any inkling the Bucs were looking outside the organization to upgrade at right tackle, you don’t think Joe would have written about it by now???
March 7th, 2017 at 12:26 am
^^^^
Joe and other Joe or both Joes or one of the Joe’s is…..correct…
Thank God for joe’s Bucs..I would be very bored just on Twitter waiting for updates..
March 7th, 2017 at 1:18 am
Actually CC is still very much on the board.
Gholston filld am entirely different need than CC and is only getting paid like the situational player he is.
March 7th, 2017 at 4:19 am
Everybody bashing Baker for lack of production when he has literally twice the production of Poe the last two seasons lol. Name recognition is a powerful thing I guess.
March 7th, 2017 at 4:42 am
Sign
• E/T Calais Campbell -$11.5M
• E/T Chris Baker – $5.5M
• E/T Devin Taylor – $3.5M
Release
• George Johnson – $2.2M
Projection
DE Robert Ayers | Noah Spence | Ryan Russell
DT Calais Campbell | Chris Baker
DT Gerald McCoy | Clinton McDonald
DE William Gholston | Devin Taylor
Will GM Jason Licht Tap into his inner – Bill Bellichick?
Bill Bellichick is infamous for moving players – while they still have trade value.
So could (DT) Gerald McCoy be headed to Dallas for their – 28th & 92nd Picks?
If GMAC is traded – that would free up an additional $13.5M in cap space.
Possible New Line Up
DE Robert Ayers | Noah Spence | Ryan Russell
DT Calais Campbell | Clinton McDonald
DT Chris Baker | Sealver Siliga
DE William Gholston | Devin Taylor
• Note: These projections are made without possible draft compensation.
March 7th, 2017 at 7:31 am
It’s been fun the last week playing with the top of the FA market. Now that it’s nut cutting time at 12 noon, it’s back to reality with the Chris Baker’s of the world. Nothing Wrong with the choice if it happens, it just reminds me that there is probably no change in the Buc’s philosophy of FA spending regardless of the size of the cap space!
March 7th, 2017 at 7:35 am
the dude has 9.5 sacks the last 2 years as a 3-4 defensive end and is 320 lbs? yeah let’s stop freaking out bucs fans and realize that’s pretty damn impressive
March 7th, 2017 at 7:56 am
Ouch WhatdaBuc ! Joe went at you hard!
March 7th, 2017 at 8:22 am
Is it me or are the Bucs focusing more on run stopping than on pass rush?
March 7th, 2017 at 8:27 am
At some point over the next couple years, the Bucs will have to start looking for an heir to McCoy. When his current contract runs out, he won’t be worth resigning again.
March 7th, 2017 at 8:36 am
Chris Baker is a solid player. Itd be a great pick up.
March 7th, 2017 at 8:36 am
Buccaneer Bonzai
Ahh, can U blame them.
We ranked in the bottom half of the league – in stoping the run in 2016
(2016) Tampa Bay Buccaneer (Defense) Against the Run
• Yards Per Rushing Attempt: 4.4 (Ranked 10th Worst)←
• 1st Downs by Rushing: 102 (Ranked 5th Worst) ←
• Rushing Touchdowns: 15 (13th Worst)
• Rushing Yards: 1875 (11th Worst)
March 7th, 2017 at 8:55 am
@ Bonzai
It’s not so much run stuffing if the sign a guy like Baker, it’s signing guys that can play multi-scheme. Bucs fans just have no idea what it looks like to have a true NT-5 Tech on the roster and what their stats actually look like.
Chris Baker, Brandon Williams, Johnathan Hankins, Dontari Poe. Sign any one of these big guys and watch this defense transform.
March 7th, 2017 at 9:00 am
Hahaha I love the way “WhattheBUCisthis” stopped commenting back after Joe’s slammm… Look, you can never have too many bodies on the defensive line… if Baker comes at a discount, he’s another body… do we need a sure-fire pass rusher too? Of course we do, and we’ll get one when the opportunity presents itself… but for all of you shaking in the knees and wetting yourselves over Calais, he has NEVER had double-digit sacks.. he’s a better (and leaner) version of Baker, sure.. but he would also be much more expensive and on the wrong side of 30… WillG is a also a lesser version of CC, but when you have one guy on your roster already like CC and possibly going to get a DT that is similar as well, why do you need CC too? I know his physique is FREAKISH but I’d be more concerned about developing Noah Spence and/or waiting for a top-tier pass rusher to come available at some point instead of trying to force something that isn’t there… plus, if we have Ayers-McCoy-Baker/McDonald/A.Spence-Gholston with Noah and Jacquies as rotational pass rushers, then that’s pretty good, especially if Ayers stays healthy and Gholston can come inside to DT on hybrid formats… VERSATILITY! We need to focus on safety, WR (not necessarily d-jackson because he’s turning 30 also and all he is good for is stretching the field as a burner and father time is undefeated but he might still have a good few years so I get it but I wouldn’t be opposed to getting Stills/Pryor for the right price or someone like that) and figure out HB… plus, get a second TE and get another OLB to replace D. Smith… and we need a new nickel CB and possibly a new backup QB, all which are possible discount deals… there’s a lot of holes still to fill in order to be complete, so we need to focus more on just the DL
March 7th, 2017 at 2:38 pm
Rachel! Enough said!