Plunder The Stinking Panthers
March 2nd, 2018
Make him squeal.
Joe has maintained there is little better for a football team trying to drag itself out of a division basement — the cellar of the NFC South is known as “Buccaneer Cove” — than to bolster its roster while at the same time thieving from a division foe.
And that also seems to be the mindset of the Football Outsiders crowd. In a piece typed for BSPN, Football Outsiders lists bold moves each NFL team should take this offseason. One suggests the Bucs grab one from a pair of Stinking Panthers linemen.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sign Star Lotulelei or Andrew Norwell
Carolina’s biggest free agents happen to coincide with the Buccaneers’ largest needs going into 2018. The Bucs could use another player on the interior of their offensive line as they attempt to revamp a rushing attack that finished 25th in rushing DVOA. According to most estimates, Tampa Bay has roughly $75 million in cap space, which means it has the room to offer Norwell a contract that will make him the highest-paid guard in football.
The Bucs also could use that money to sign defensive tackle Lotulelei as they scurry to patch up a defense that finished 32nd in defensive DVOA (31st against the run, 19th against the pass). Tampa Bay just released free-agent bust Chris Baker, leaving a huge hole next to star defensive lineman Gerald McCoy. If the Bucs are going to make a leap in 2018, they’re going to need to improve their play in the trenches. Snatching these two talented trench players could pay immediate dividends on the field, while weakening a division rival.
See, even stat geeks notice the best way for a team to jumpstart itself is to rob its foe.
This would be the smartest move Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht could do, short of trading for Michael Bennett.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Carolina has a history of letting All-Pro players walk. From Julius Peppers to Josh Norman. And some more in between them, but they are able to win without them.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:10 pm
LakeLand- Good teams that draft well over the years are able to do that. Once upon a time, the Bucs were capable of the same thing.
I LIKE Lotulelei, but I LOVE Norwell.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:15 pm
LG Andrew Norwell
C Ali Marpet
RG Quenton Nelson
Ice-Up Son …Its gonna be long day – with them 3* at the helm.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:15 pm
Did anyone attach this to Jason Licht twitter page, I think he needs ideas from other sources, ijs
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:18 pm
Pay Norwell! (Felt like we just had an article mostly just about this minus the new people commenting at FO).
And no matter anyone’s take Carolina included, the loss of Norwell will hurt Cam down the middle, and he’s taking enough sacks already, Norv Turner might/might not, help that. Regardless of scheme, the Norwell loss at Guard will hurt them, help us.
And help Saquon!
Is everyone tuned in to NFL Network??? RB’s are next. Get your Barkley popcorn ready!!!
Go Bucs!
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:20 pm
I’m all for both these moves. The questions are whether the cheap a$$ f@#ktards known as the Glazers will open up the vault and will fat boy Licht have the cojones to make such a bold, aggressive move to make BOTH OUR LINES better. It all begins and ends with the TRENCHES!!!! Please get Geraldine all the help she can get! And for the love of God get a replacement for paper mache Sweezy!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:20 pm
@LUV- Shaking my head, YES! That’s nasty!
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:42 pm
LUVMYBUCS Says:
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:15 pm
LG Andrew Norwell
C Ali Marpet
RG Quenton Nelson
Ice-Up Son …Its gonna be long day – with them 3* at the helm
———————-
That would
Have me sporting a chub! Hopefully Nick Chubb Hahahaha!
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:42 pm
Do it.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:43 pm
Pay Norwell and cut Sweezy!
Pay Star if he wants the chance to whoop up on his old team twice a year and enjoy FL taxes.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Carolina let Julius Peppers walk after 92 sacks in 9 seasons. That was something unheard of .
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:48 pm
I’d sign Peppers too!
The savvy veteran had 11.5 sacks last year. He was putting up those kind of numbers back when we had a 10+ sacker in Simeon Rice. Peppers has tremendous genes and is a future HOFer. I bet if we threw a ton of cash at him he would enjoy putting Cam on his ass twice a year.
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:51 pm
a defense that finished 32nd in defensive DVOA (31st against the run, 19th against the pass).
@realist see that….32nd in the league…..dead last……smitty’s defense was the worse in the league……
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:56 pm
i hope licht signs both in addition to big mo and Bennett…..we need depth….
would love to see LG Andrew Norwell….C Ali Marpet….RG Quenton Nelson….then draft guice and bo scarbrough…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 2nd, 2018 at 12:58 pm
@Bucsfanman, SteveK
No doubt brothas
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:07 pm
a lot of talk up here that the Giants are going to be hot and heavy for Norwell and they have the GM that drafted him.
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:13 pm
For some odd reason Joe, Jason Licht refuses to pilfer other teams. I cant think of one hot free agent we stole from a division foe.
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:29 pm
I don’t really care who they sign, so long as they are great players, help us win and stay out of trouble in the locker room and off the field…and stay healthy, of course.
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Seriously hope that Licht signs LG Norwell, then grabs an experienced Center like Jensen (really want to see Marpet back over at RG). Far as Lotulelei goes, would rather have Poe in free agency, but bigger preference is to draft Vea or Payne.
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Where is all the “nobody wants to play for the Bucs”……..and that reminds me of the old saying “money talks and BS walks”……they will come if the money is good.
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Nick2 Says
“For some odd reason Joe, Jason Licht refuses to pilfer other teams. I cant think of one hot free agent we stole from a division foe.”
That;s because the players often use multiple teams interest as a bargaining chip to drive up the prices…and they don’t actually plan on signing with Tampa.
For example, Jason Pierre-Paul was a free agent who talked about Tampa as a possibility…then re-signed for less with the Giants. Had we gotten him, he would have fixed the DE issues.
But he never intended to come. Its not Licht’s fault in cases like that. Sort of like the whole ‘Gruden to Tampa’ thing this year.
March 2nd, 2018 at 1:35 pm
Colvin, Norwell, Peppers and Bennett.
That would be a very pleasing free agency.
March 2nd, 2018 at 2:23 pm
No no no 813 none of that matters remember because the great Realist gave them a pass.
March 2nd, 2018 at 2:24 pm
Guys you have got to get over the Marpet to guard crap. It is not going to happen!!!!!!!
March 2nd, 2018 at 2:45 pm
Carolina already has Andrew Norwell, Star Lotulelei replacements on their roster.
OL Taylor Moton | 2nd Round-2017
DT Vernon Butler | 1st Round-2016
Smart GMs keeps a young guy in the wings
Carolina also is releasing
S Kurt Coleman
DE Charles Johnson
RB Johnathan Stewart
March 2nd, 2018 at 2:45 pm
Star defensive lineman GMC…. LMAO!!!! If you mean tv star self promoter GMC well then yah I guess.
March 2nd, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Also when you let good players walk, you get draft picks.
March 2nd, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Didn’t we pluck Cam Brate and Ryan Fitzpatrick off the saints PS.
March 2nd, 2018 at 3:11 pm
NDOG
he’s giving them a 2 year pass if Winston has to sit on top of the year pass he just gave them for HK, IRMA,SOS, INJURIES, ect…..lol….
so this staff would’ve received a 3year pass……lol….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 2nd, 2018 at 3:12 pm
stanglassman
ryan griffin
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 2nd, 2018 at 3:26 pm
Do y’all remember the last time we made the big free agency heist? How did that turn out for us?
March 2nd, 2018 at 3:37 pm
And you know somethin..Don’T mean nothin to the Panthers. Why? Because they do their homework in the scouting dept. They are able to plug in guys from..Wherever and not miss a beat. We just Hope..our 2nd teamers can hold a block. Why is that?
March 2nd, 2018 at 5:12 pm
I feel like the Bucs can get Bennet another star DT plus a good Corner plus grimes plus trade up for Saquon. This is all doable we just have to DO IT!
March 2nd, 2018 at 8:09 pm
LG Andrew Norwell
C Ali Marpet
RG Quenton Nelson
Ice-Up Son …Its gonna be long day – with them 3* at the helm.
Yes sir!!! awesome!
March 2nd, 2018 at 8:48 pm
LUVMYBUCS…………From your mouth to the Football God’s Ears!
March 3rd, 2018 at 6:29 pm
I’ll say what I’ve been saying since December.
Norwell has to be priority #1 for the Bucs this offseason.
Period.
FIX THE TRENCHES, FIX THE BUCS!!