Free Agency Countdown: 22 Days — Subpar Destination
February 20th, 2018
The Bucs have a giant wad of cash to spend under the salary cap, a player-friendly head coach, a QB respected for his competitive fire, gorgeous indoor practice and training facilities, and a strong leadership core on defense.
It’s not enough.
That’s the sentiment from longtime NFL.com columnist and SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio personality Adam Schein, who also is found on CBS Sports Network TV.
At NFL.com, Schein pumped out an in-depth look at the best nine free agency destinations this year. Six are in the NFC — Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, Green Bay and Arizona — and the Bucs are nowhere to be found, not even an honorable mention.
Money talks in free agency. Therefore, Joe kind of thinks good guy Schein has lost his mind a bit here.
Anyone really think Jacksonville was a top destination when the free agency dinner bell rang? It wasn’t. But Jacksonville feasted on stud free agents by waving fists of cash, and they turned out to be the right guys.
(On a side note, was any team other than Tampa Bay courting check-hungry, practice-hating Chris “Swaggy” Baker?)
But the Bucs are at a negotiating disadvantage in free agency for a few reasons:
1) Head coach and GM entering a “hot-seat” season.
2) Last place team in the NFL’s toughest division means not a destination for a player seeking a ring quickly.
3) Uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position because of the NFL investigation into Jameis.
Again, money can eliminate all those question marks for 95 percent of free agents. So Joe is not concerned.
February 20th, 2018 at 11:29 am
Joe,
Doug Martin was released…where’s the news?
On the website. –Joe
February 20th, 2018 at 11:36 am
Great. DM is gone. Now that’s a start. Go after those free agency. With the cash
February 20th, 2018 at 11:37 am
“Money talks in free agency” – does anything else really need to be said?
February 20th, 2018 at 11:47 am
ahhh, the benefit of hindsight- take a moment to enjoy this gem from J. LaCanfora circa 3/19/14:
Licht had the gumption to part with Revis after worthy trade offers failed to materialize and also parted ways with offensive line mainstays Donald Penn and Davin Joseph within weeks of taking over the team, and, at the same time signing a host of free agents to team-friendly deals — quarterback Josh McCown, defensive lineman Michael Johnson and Clinton McDonald, Pro Bowl corner Alterraun Verner, offensive linemen Anthony Collins and Evan Dietrich-Smith, linebacker Dane Fletcher, and tight end Brandon Myers — while re-signing offensive line Jermon Meredith and linebacker Jonathan Casillas.
February 20th, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Wow who really controls this? The Glazers of course. Do they want to spend or continue on the cheap. It’s their team and their decision.
February 20th, 2018 at 3:31 pm
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I don’t agree.
Tampa has no state income taxes and great weather and that’s all it takes to be a solid destination for the majority of free-agents.
We may not attract any old veteran ring-chasers but just about everyone else will consider Tampa imho.
And, of the four team that have more cap space, three of them (Browns, Jets, Colts) are FAR WORSE situations than Tampa and the fourth is also worse than Tampa due to the insanely high taxes.
There is no reason that we shouldn’t be able to sign TWO starting level CB’s (Trumaine, Butler, Talib, Fuller, Grimes, Amukamara, Nicel-Robey, etc), a starting level SS (Reid, Boston, Joyner, etc), a DE (lots to choose from but none very impressive other than Ziggy/Richardson/Lawrence) and a DT (Elliss, Poe, etc), along with a RB (Hyde, McKinnon, Lewis, Crowell, etc) and at least one O-Lineman … combine that with our draft picks, which could be added to with a TRADE DOWN (especially as my latest mock has Chubb, Nelson AND Minkah all being off the board when pick #7 rolls around!) and we have the ability to load our roster in one offseason!
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February 20th, 2018 at 4:33 pm
Exactly…only a Buc fan drinking too much Pewter Kool-aid would think this is a prime destination for FA’s.
February 20th, 2018 at 4:34 pm
NFL Nut…my first thought when we won that last game is that it probably put us in trade down mode.
February 20th, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Bucs are in the back of the pack when it comes to the high end FA. This team needs an enema.
February 21st, 2018 at 1:55 am
Problem 1 in Tampa bay
1. Pass rushers amd front 7 pressuring Qbs
I’m sorry but 22 sacks as a team is disgusting or whatever the heck it was . Straight up crazy low . I mean bottom of the barrel players right there . The fact GMC made the pro bowl explains why the pro bowl is a joke . The man sucked sorta and still had 1/4 of the teams sacks for the season the fact 2 players damn near totaled the entire teams sack total is insane . The fact every DE we get sucks is crazy. And we let jaquies smith go why again? We let clayborn and Bennett go why again? Ugh call clayborn agent say I’m sorry I’m willing to pay you what you want to come back to Tampa . Seriously tho. It would be a good start !
2. Offense not able to score tds . Idk what we were offensively ranked in total yards , but I do know we struggle greatly at finding the Endzone even if we’re at the 1 yard line . Our pass game in yards was ranked 4th in the league . Uhm hello we have so,e of the best passing offensive weapons in the game clearly , so why can’t we score tds . It’s simple I think only 1 of 2 things . Poor play calling , or poor run game or both . Most Qbs have to have a RB like Blount to get into the Endzone when they get inside th goal line . Blount didn’t earn his 17tds not really Brady and th teams passing game got him that. Most rbs don’t earn their tds . We should focus on a RB who can score tds cough cough Mike alstott kind of guy . Blount is a FA bring him back to do just that . If not go get Royce Freeman he had no problem scoring in college . 5’11 230 we already had a Cadillac RB now go get us a rolls Royce lol