Peppers A Quick Fix
January 13th, 2018
Interesting name to watch.
Julius Peppers must be on the Miko Grimes Diet.
Bucs corner Brent Grimes, ageless at 34, credits his healthy diet as the reason he is beating Father Time. A diet that was personally crafted by his wife Miko.
Peppers throughout his career has been one of the best edge rushers in the game. He signed a one-year contract with the Stinking Panthers last offseason and added 11 sacks to his name. He turns 38 next week.
Having 11 sacks at 37 proves Peppers still has gas in the tank. Given his age, Peppers likely wouldn’t break the bank. He was paid $4 million this year (contrast that with Will Gholston, no sacks, $7 million; Robert Ayers, two sacks, $6,250,000 and Swaggy Baker, half-sack, $6 million).
What is interesting to Joe is that the Stinking Panthers, per Spotrac.com that monitors salaries and salary cap issues, has Carolina in the bottom rung of NFL teams as far as space under the cap. So even if Carolina wanted to, could they afford to retain Peppers?
(Joe thinks it would be a helluva gamble to franchise a guy who is 38, which would mean Peppers would rake in somewhere north of $16 million for 2018.)
The Bucs, just in case your name is Rip Van Winkle, have a dire need for an edge rush.
What would make it sweeter than if the Bucs somehow landed Peppers? That would be robbing from your division neighbor.
Of course, Peppers is not a long-term answer. But beggars cannot be choosers, and if the Bucs cannot somehow manufacture an edge rush and are losers again in 2018, Dirk Koetter may not be long-term either.
January 13th, 2018 at 12:10 am
I said last year the Bucs should bring him in, but people just said he’s old. He might be old but he was an elite special athlete when he was younger, and even if he lost a step or two, he’s still going to be at least good. With that said I’m not sure he’d actually leave Carolina at this point, last offseason I believe he took less money to go there because that’s where he wanted to retire.
January 13th, 2018 at 12:48 am
Pretty sure Rod is correct about Peppers wanting to be in Carolina so likely unavailable.
Hopefully Licht will leave NO stone unturned when it comes to finding pass rush help for this coming year. That would include a call to Peppers agent just in case….
Cut Swaggy. Cut Gholston (unless he wants to renegotiate down to whatever a DE with 0 sacks is worth). Resign McDonald – 2 years @ $3-4M per. Pay Ayers his $1M March bonus but make him earn his spot on the 53 for the other $5M.
We literally need to then bring in like 5 new DL players. – including a top end FA DE and a highish pick DE. McCoy, McDonald and Spence (if he’s healthy) should be the only 3 holdovers that have secure spots and possibly Ayers if he can clearly beat out the competition for 3rd best DE.
Fix the DL Jason. This year. You won’t be here the following year if you fail in that task. Gotta get to work on finding us some Oline upgrades as well or same result… DLine and Oline KILLED this team’s chances in 2017.
Fix the LINES. Make it so #1 – if you want to stay #1 that is.
January 13th, 2018 at 1:15 am
Just read a very good article by Scott Reynolds premising that Licht should expect the worst … then attack free agency & the draft accordingly. There are some excellent FAs who should be available, and Bucs have the money to truly fix a number of weaknesses.
Agree Pickgrin that Peppers most likely signed with Carolina to retire there, so ‘expecting the worst’ I’d look elsewhere. Swaggy’s a goner, as is Siliga, but Gholston should be kept for 1 more year IMO (renegotiating with some major incentives would be smart). Tend to think that Ayers’ best days are pretty far behind him. Would definitely keep McDonald (2 years at $3-4 mil sounds about right). Spence I’m very wary of right now … great heart & motor, but his injury history isn’t pretty. We need 2 quality FA DEs plus 1 beastly FA DT and then need to draft another 1-2 DEs plus 1 DT.
Then on to fixing the Secondary (2 starting outside corners plus a Strong Safety) and the RB situation (draft 1 plus re-sign Sims … 2 years) and the OLine (still prefer moving Marpet back to Right Guard, cut Sweezy, sign a FA Center or draft one or let Hawley go at C with Evan Smith as his backup). Draft a LT & move Donovan to Left Guard plus keep Dots at RT (for now). I’d only re-sign Pamphile as a backup personally … good flexibility along the OLine but hasn’t shown me much as a starter.
Still seems like too many holes to fix in 1 year.
January 13th, 2018 at 2:43 am
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If both Bradley Chubb AND Saquon Barkley are off the board by the time we pick at #7 … I’m really thinking we will either draft guard QUENTON NELSON … or … we will TRADE the pick to the Bills for their TWO 1st rounders (#21 and #22) and then either go all-defense, such as a DE (Arden Key or Clellin Ferrel) AND a DT (Christian Wilkins, Maurice Hurtst, DeRon Payne) or that we will take both an OT (Orlando Brown) and a real C (Billy Price) and make our line the most talented young O-Line in the entire NFL.
WOULD YA’LL trade the #7 pick to the Bills for the #21 AND #22 picks?
I think the Bills would be very interested in that deal, so it’s a real possibility!
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January 13th, 2018 at 5:18 am
Why would the Bills make that trade, they wouldn’t do that for pick7, they can move up to 2-5 and get someone the QB they really want, I could see Cleveland at 4 do that deal with the Bills
January 13th, 2018 at 6:23 am
I think they should stay put with hopefullyvlanding Chubb. Think he is a difference maker for our defense. We need talent on both lines and in out secondary that can play right away. Pending what we do in FA I would look at trading back into the 1st with the seahawks. They have no day 2 picks and may be someone looking to trade back to ensure more picks.
January 13th, 2018 at 7:12 am
How many of JP’s sacks were against us?
January 13th, 2018 at 7:24 am
On the D Line ,I think Mcdonald and McCoy are both best suited to be three techniques. Now if we had another DT that would be able to stop the run and rush the passer, we will finally get more of a rotation at tackle. Also think Beckwith might shore up the middle on running downs.
Also leary of Spence because of the shoulder issues. Spence came to camp
lighter this year for some reason. This won’t help him be a factor in the run
game, which has held him back along with his injuries.
January 13th, 2018 at 7:53 am
Offer Peppers $7mil…..he will stay with the Panthers but they will have to give him a big raise so that will cost our division rivals.
As for the draft……I’m for Chubb, Barkley or Minkah at 7…….one of them may be there because several QBs will be picked in the top 5. If none of them are there, try to trade down.
As for FA….I don’t care how many players we pick up but they should be top-tier performers…..sure things as far as we can tell…..pay the big money for fewer players. Depending on the draft……we will need a DE, C, RB, CB. We should be able to afford 3 of those 4 positions.
I’m all for cutting Baker, Ayers & negotiating a performance based contract with Gholston…….hell, DaQuan Bowers did better than that crew.
January 13th, 2018 at 7:55 am
I’d sign Peppers ONLY if he was “Mentor” material to the DEs we will eventually keep as well as the DEs we will draft in 2018.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:12 am
Like I’ve been saying every freakin’ year – for I don’t know how damn long.
It’s all about TRENCH WARFARE baby!!
If U can’t control the freakin” line of scrimmage – your a finese team.
And eventually your weak a^^ – will be exposed.
And since Marpet will be staying at center.
Same to be said for the opposite side of the coin.
We know that we need freakin’ Edge Rushers & Run Stuffers.
So…
Everything else is window dressing at this point.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:19 am
Andrew Norwell – Is a mauler. Use your own two eyes – screw the pages of PFF.
If he’s not was the best LG in football this season – who was?
What U can’t come up with one….u don’t know? lol
January 13th, 2018 at 8:24 am
He will take less to go play for a contender…
January 13th, 2018 at 8:26 am
Why would licht get peppers now or anyone that could help the bucs win, when he has not done it in 5 years, now he will all of a sudden turn into rich mckay? he missed last year on defense
January 13th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Rod
The “people” who said he was too old are the same people who say anything negative as often as possible. Also people who are and were wrong. I agree tho about him wanting to retire in carolina. Thats why i never got invested, didnt think we had a chance. Lets hope this year licht gets multiple defensive ends in here, cuz weve seen smitty wont get creative. Weve also seen what no pressure will do to this defenses chances. Licht better do something about it. Again and again and again.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:44 am
#TRENCHWARFARE
#bringhomeDPoe
#takedabeach
January 13th, 2018 at 9:01 am
Licht will get the job done. Just watch.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:04 am
And don’t look now…Norv. Turner now the OC in Carolina. Norv scheming against Mike Smith? Wow. Looks like the view will be the same this year as last year…looking up at the pent house from the basement.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:05 am
“Licht will get the job done”…wouldn’t that be nice for a change.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:07 am
Bonzai, its going on 5 years the bucs are 5-11 what has licht built? He will get canned next year and his legacy will be Jameis (hopefully its good) and a 2nd rd kicker PERIOD
January 13th, 2018 at 9:23 am
@NFLNUT
I like your trade with Buffalo but would they make it? Luv and pickgrin and some of the wonks here sometimes bring a schedule of just what it costs to move up in a draft….it’s a cool chart…if it shows we could get both of Buffalo’s first rounders I do that in a heartbeat regardless of who is available at 7.
50% more or less fail coming out of the draft…again why some GM’s believe trading down is smarter if you can get a decent deal.
I’d like to have two first round draft picks with tons of promise more than one. I don’t care what their names are.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:54 am
Dusthty Rhothdes Says
“…what has licht built?”
Oh, let’s see…
1 Drafted a franchise QB
2 Built a really good WR group
3 Built a really good TE group
4 Built a new offensive line that is better than the last
5 Built one of the best Linebacker Units
6 Found us a top-notch punter
7 Though he’s had some FA failures, he’s also had some successes (Grimes, Conte, etc.
I realize that doesn’t fit into your agenda, but when you consider he did that in 3-4 years, he’s done pretty well. He’s only just starting on the defense, but if he has the same success in the draft with defense as he has with the offense, then we are in good hands.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:59 am
Bonzai
Amen brother!
January 13th, 2018 at 10:14 am
I can’t wait for the Bugs to go all in on getting a pass rush this off-season, adding dominant peices and next season still having no pass rush because our dbs leave everyone open and then everyone will call for Jay Hayes to be fired and not Mike Smith and then the defense will STILL suck when they do get a new slime coach just to realize it was Mike Smith all along and we have wasted the talent on dline thrown away a good dline coach and gotten a bright future head coach fires.
Maybe if the team’s owners payed attention and not just contracts this team would actually make the RIGHT calls
January 13th, 2018 at 10:34 am
See this had nothing to do with insider knowledge this is just plain stupid fan talk. No one wants peppers it’s not like the Brent Grimes situation at all. I hate the Panthers and peppers because of his long history with them, the guy will retire a panther why would he even consider coming here one and why depend on a Hall of famer drafted by a team in our division to help him beat his old team. Do you even consider things like that or is everyone a mercenary in the NFL
January 13th, 2018 at 10:46 am
Just checked the Draft Value chart. Buffalo could move to 5 with their 21 and 22.
January 13th, 2018 at 10:49 am
Sorry it comes out to the 6th pick with 50 points left over. Since we have the 7th pick we would have to give them our 4th rounder to balance the value.
January 13th, 2018 at 12:14 pm
No no no it never pans out never dont be stupid im so happy yhe higher ups dont read this junk @joe puts out sometimes
January 13th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
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The #7 pick is worth 1,500 while the #21 and #22 are worth a total of 1,580, however teams often pay premiums if they’re trading up for a QUARTERBACK rather than any other position.
#21 and #22 for #7 would work just fine … and I think the Bills would do it as there is no way they will get to #5-6 as those two teams also need QBs and there’s no way they’ll get to #1-4 as the #21-22 picks aren’t valuable enough to jump that high.
The above said, I have little doubt the Bills would do the #21 and #22 for the #7 so they can get their QB of the future which would likely be either Mayfield, Allen, Jackson or maybe even Mason Rudolph (who CBS sports I think is projecting could go #1 overall while Kiper & McShay have a 2nd round grade on him at best … strange).
Again, if Saquon or Chubb are available at #7, DRAFT em … if they’re both gone and we really want Quenton Nelson, DRAFT him … but if we turn down the #21 and #22 picks just to take a risk on a different DE like Key, I’m going to be very disappointed.
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January 13th, 2018 at 1:04 pm
None of these old guys are going to hold up when the offense cant move the ball and turns it over routinely….they are gassed by the 4th qtr.
January 13th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
Bonzai you must be watching a different team the past 4 years, licht has built a team in 4 years to 5-11, his understudy in Tennessee has built a team through the trenches drafted a stud RB and made competent FA moves but you support Licht in 2019 when he is looking for work and the bucs are 4-12…..lichts very first move letting penn walk and signing collins, lichts playing checkers against chess masters
January 13th, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Dusthty Rhothdes you must have forgotten the Tennessee ready game. Some of our core players in the trenches are simply mentally weak and soft. Jon Robinson already had a defense and running game so was able to address the o line in his first draft plus another stud running back. People keep blaming the general manager because the owners keep hiring trash coaches to run the team.
I do blame licht for not drafting defensive lineman though it’s 1000% his fault but dare I say oj Howard was to good to pass up, if he was gone like he should have been we would probably have dalvin cook or another running back selected higher
Houston Texans had two d lineman on injured reserve one is one of the best in the NFL plus their starting rookie quarterback. The bucs were one game better than that team. Has nothing to do with the gm, this coach is pure trash and we’re basically the glazers preferred to take a full year to look for a head coach. Talent ain’t the problem it’s getting the talent to produce
January 13th, 2018 at 2:49 pm
@NFLNUT – If the Bills QB was on the board at #7 the Bucs should be able to extort more out of them than those 2 picks, it might be the two 1sts and maybe a 3rd or 4th, with the Bucs maybe throwing in a 6th or something. The trade chart really is fairly useless, ex-GMs all the time say that they’ve never looked at or even considered the chart since it’s all down to the particular player you want and how much you want them. But if a QB is there and you can have him this year, without giving up future picks, I think they make that deal – if they’re sold on someone.
With all that said the Bucs would be completely undercut by the teams drafting behind them since I’m sure Chicago might take a lesser deal and Buffalo knows Tampa isn’t going to draft the guy they want. So from the Bucs side they have to make up some fake news to make Buffalo think the Cardinals or someone else is trying to trade up.
Overall the value you have listed is more than fair, and not being a homer about, just using recent trades as a benchmark – but I think the likelihood of it happening is low.
January 13th, 2018 at 6:08 pm
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^ I agree with you Rod about maybe even being able to get more from the Bills …
However, I wouldn’t say the chances are low, as the Dolphins, Cardinals and Redskins all may also want a QB and all have even higher picks than the Bills … plus, the teams behind us like the Bears and 49ers who may also be willing to trade down with the Bills are still probably going to want those #21 and #22 picks, so I don’t see the Bills giving those picks up for a team that drafts after us when they could get the #7 pick instead.
If Saquon or Chubb is there, we take them … if they’re not, I think we take Quenton Nelson … BUT … if we take a flier on a risky DE like Arden Key instead of trade down for the #21 and #22 picks I am going to be a bit irked with Jason Licht, who I think is a very good general manager.
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January 13th, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Swaggy, C U Later, Gholston – Bye Bye, give him 5 Million on a one year deal
January 13th, 2018 at 11:10 pm
BOTH Clemson DE’s (Ferrel and Bryant) announced they are returning to school … the draft just got a lot weaker at DE … the Bucs need to go all-out in free agency!
January 14th, 2018 at 6:21 pm
I saw a name on the UFA list that’s interesting…Aldon Smith. He’s still only 28 and doesn’t have much wear and tear on him because of suspensions. I have no idea if/when he’d be reinstated, and we’d need to hire a fulltime babysitter for him, but he’d get 10 plus sacks in his sleep if he’s in shape. I know, I know, many questions with Aldon Smith, but we might be in a position to swing for the fence.
January 14th, 2018 at 8:52 pm
When you are 8-10 guys away from even a playoff berth…1 37 yr old is not the answer