“Tone-Setter”
March 19th, 2018
Joe loves the Ryan Jensen signing by general manager Jason Licht.
The Bucs were in need of strong center, and they got one who sees himself as a living dinosaur from the glory days, when football was one part MMA.
That’s when guys like Jay Hilgenberg of the Bears and tough guy Kent Hull of the Bills manned the center position like they were guarding their teammates lives and fighting to the death — or at least through the whistle.
Joe is talking about the 1980s, as was Jensen today at One Buc Palace — with his flowing red locks tied up in above his pinkish sports coat.
“I see myself as a ‘tone setter’ up front and that’s the way I play the game,” Jensen said. “Some people say I play the game like they did back in the ‘80s and I take that as a compliment.”
Jensen adores the “nasty” label he has. He talked about it when he was with the Ravens, and he piled on this afternoon on WDAE-AM 620.
The Bucs needed a guy like that, it seems, to bring the inner animal out of Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith on a consistent basis, and to match the fire of Jameis Winston that wasn’t igniting enough of those around him.
Now go find an ass-kicker guard in the draft to finish the job.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Happy with the signing….sure need him the perform as expected !…
March 19th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
i like this guy… can’t wait to the choirboy police turn on him after his first penalty… buc fan says they want nasty then cry to the high heavens if someone actually is nasty.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:33 pm
I really like this guy, but I really think Vinny Curry is our best signing. Only reason he had a down year was because he had a knee injury that he played through the entire season.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:34 pm
Made him a top paid center. He hasn’t been that but was pretty good. I like he’s physical and it allows us to move Marpet. I guess we had to do it. Not sure what all the excitment is over though for are signings but we will see. I with Joe, need an a kicking guard in the draft!
March 19th, 2018 at 5:39 pm
He certainly put’s the Red in Red & Pewter. Reminds me a bit of the Jeff Faine signing. He was good… ot great…yet was made the highest paid center in the league at the time as well.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:41 pm
Mike Pouncey just signed with the chargers for 2/15. That’s 7.5 mil for a 3x pro-bowlers vs 11mil for 4yrs for this guy.
I really really hope this guy can handle the Florida sun. Good luck with that Jensen.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:42 pm
Good signing. Hope they put AM to his natural position.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:43 pm
this offensive line has missed logan mankins’ attitude since he retired. it’s never a good idea to assume you can import leadership with a free agent signing, but you certainly can cultivate attitude by adding a few guys whose genuine self includes a huge dose of nasty.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:49 pm
I had Ryan Jensen at the top of my free agents list. But I don’t think he’s worth 4 years $42 million. Now Ali, Donovan, Kwon will be seeking huge contracts.
March 19th, 2018 at 5:49 pm
Joe. Don’t ever mention kicker and draft in the same sentence around here
March 19th, 2018 at 5:49 pm
@DB55, given what pouncey signed for i would not have minded a signing of Jensen AND Pouncey, dumping sweezy to make it work financially and on the depth chart. Jensen actually has a longer history of production as a guard IIRC. it probably takes Quenton Nelson off our draft board (or makes him a prospect at RT for a year or two)
superficially, pouncey appears to be closer to swaggy baker than hardy nickerson in terms of the tone he sets in the building, so i would not have been comfortable with Pouncey as a one-off move to save the OL, but as part of a package of reinforcements that isn’t bad. in 2 years, the better of Jensen and Pouncey stays and the other goes in favor of a homegrown guy
March 19th, 2018 at 6:01 pm
Isn’t anyone else concerned that he’s a ginger? He’s going to have to wear gallons of sunblock to just make it through camp and other players are going to be slipping and falling all over the place around him as he sweats it off. This is a legit concern that I hope they address.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:02 pm
You want top notch free agents? When you have the track record our organization does, ya gotta over-pay.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:07 pm
Pouncey last made the probowl in 2015. Missed 11 games in 2016 and wasn’t the same in 2017. 2 years older as well. That’s likely the key difference in contracts. Pouncey may be on the decline vs Jensen just hitting his prime
March 19th, 2018 at 6:07 pm
LakeLand – The top guard got $13.3m a year and this guy was considered the 2nd best offensive lineman and the best center available and he got just under $11m a year. That’s what the market dictates and he’s worth the money so long as the Bucs really are going to play him at center since it means we suddenly get an all-pro at guard with Marpet moving back to the position he excelled at. D Smith will get the most money of the three because of the position he plays and I’d assume Marpet gets a deal in line with what Jensen had. Long term there is no issue since the Bucs do deals so they can get out of them without killing the cap, and they frontload deals, like Evans deal goes down in terms of the cap hit as the years ago along. Finally you have the cap, it’s been going up at least $10m a year for a while now, so that helps as well. You have to constantly adjust your idea of what is and isn’t a good deal based on the year to year deals and the Jensen deal seems to be a fair deal based off what the Bucs think they’re getting.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:10 pm
Yeah wasn’t Sweezy supposed to be all kinds of nasty…shakes head… scoffing sounds…
March 19th, 2018 at 6:12 pm
Everyone here complaining about the size of Jensens contract, I’d be willing to bet that Ryan Kalil pulls 12-14 million per season when he hits the market in 2019.
Not to mention that we don’t know the full extent of the contract and what his actually base salary will be without incentives.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:14 pm
Lord Cornelius – What I read form the Miami sports writers is that Pouncey was back to himself in 2017 and looked great out there. Personally I would have taken Pouncey since he is a much more proven player with a history that shows him as a top player at his position, meanwhile Jensen only has one year of tape as a starter. While I do think this is a good signing, Licht’s history makes me concerned since Licht does this all the time, he gets guy who didn’t play a lot, then have like one good year, in a contract year, and gives them a lot of money.
However interior offensive lineman rarely bust when it comes to FA – at least that is my general perception of it. I think it’s a fair signing and it’s a huge upgrade in that you get a new center AND you get an pro-bowl guard out of the deal.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:16 pm
@ Rod
I figure between the bad luck with OG signings we’ve had we gotta be due to hit on one this time lol. Collins had very little play time when we signed him; vs this guy basically at least starting an entire season. Fingers crossed regardless!
March 19th, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Sweezy was never touted in the same class as Jensen in FA. Jensen’s agent got calls from like 7-10 teams within hours of the tampering period beginning. he was a very hot commodity
March 19th, 2018 at 6:18 pm
derrickbrooksforGM – That’s a very good point, Sweezy was supposed to be a nasty guy as well, however Sweezy wasn’t considered anything close to a top option and I believe nearly everyone was shocked at the deal he ended up getting. At the time the scouts were extremely divided on the guy, many thought he was a terrible guard, while others said he was really good and really nasty run blocker. I personally wouldn’t give up on the guy quite yet, not unless the Bucs plan on spending the cap space. I’d bring him into camp again and let him play a lot in the preseason to see how it looks – but I’d certainly have a back-up plan in place.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Rod Munch,
When the Bucs overpaid for Ryan Jensen, who have 25 career starts. They open the doors for Ali Marpet and Donovan Smith (who has 40 and 48 career starts) to seek more money than Jensen. Kwon Alexander will be playing for the low for his 4th season.
Here is their earning for this season:
Kwon Alexander- $1,907,000
4 yr(s) / $2,758,322
Ali Marpet- $949,581
4 yr(s) / $3,773,586
Donovan Smith- $1,262,571
4 yr(s) / $6,068,860
I’m 100% sure these guys don’t want to play the 2018 season under these wages
They haven’t made any noise (publicly) but I’m sure they are not happy
If these guys has to play this season under these salaries. They will seek the highest bidder in 2019. Also you have to keep in mind of Jameis Winston 2018 salary and his 5th year option.
Jameis Winston- 2018- $3,891,992
Jameis Winston in 2019 (5th year option).
($25,383,306)
I’m waiting to see how all of this play out. This picture don’t look too good for the Bucs. Huge pay raises are coming, or players walking. I’m talking $55-60 million pay raises for these 4 players.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:24 pm
Lord Cornelius – Collins was a tackle and they tend to bust a lot more than a G. Carl Nicks is the last big money G we signed and his career was cursed – between MRSA and turf toe the Bucs never saw him play much. So I guess that is the worst case scenario.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:25 pm
Rod
I’m glad you mentioned the ginger and not me. Lol.
I’m yet to meet a ginger that can handle this sun but wtfdik?
March 19th, 2018 at 6:26 pm
Is it just me or does Jensen look like the fat kid from The Sandlot
March 19th, 2018 at 6:29 pm
LakeLand – Marpet, Smith and Kwon were all drafted and to the best of my knowledge league rules say you can not redo a deal for a guy on a rookie contract. You can do extensions, but the team can’t redo their deals and tear up the last year of their contract. Brate was an UDFA and thus he is subject to different rules – the Bucs instead of giving him a tender they just gave him a new deal, which is very odd in my opinion since you should sign them to a tender and then give him a new deal, but the Bucs wanted to frontload it to help with salaries for next year.
Anyways on Marpet, Smith and Kwon I’d expect the Bucs to get extensions done this summer, but again it will have no impact on this years salary cap.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Can we simply just be happy for a moment or two…..sure he is being paid a lot…but really in the overall scope of things…I’d rather overpay a good player than pay less for a loser.
This guy could bring an attitude change to that Oline…..I wonder what Jameis thinks…..too much money?….I doubt it.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:30 pm
Lakeland please explain this to Joe he seems to think we still have money to spend. Don’t forget wi still have to sign our draft picks
March 19th, 2018 at 6:33 pm
Speaking of the 80’s…Rocky Dennis from Mask?
March 19th, 2018 at 6:34 pm
@Lakeland says,…
I’m waiting to see how all of this play out. This picture don’t look too good for the Bucs. Huge pay raises are coming, or players walking. I’m talking $55-60 million pay raises for these 4 players.
Good lord man…and the sky could fall tomorrow?! Take one year at a time, goodness knows you’re NOT a GM anyway. A car could jump a curb and take you out tomorrow. Any number of players can blow knees out, have multiple concussions and beyond repair, on and on. So cool it with all your pansy-a$$ anxiety!!
Trades, drafts, injuries, front office turnover…some of that will all likely happen prior to @Lakeland…having to save the day. Debbie-effing-Downer.
Anyway….Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2018 at 6:37 pm
We’ll be happy when we’re in the playoffs regularly. Or better yet win a super bowl. I had a hard time typing that.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Lakeland,
They have to play under those contracts. They can get extended but they arent making anymore for the upcoming season per league rules. They are well aware of that. You should should do some research on that.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Even though Joe very prominently hemmed and hawed on repeated articles here at JBF about the Jensen signing (and the prospective move to Guard for Ali)………….
I really like Jensen’s comfort level with himself and inflicting harm on the opposing team, the emotional intangibles that he can instill in Donovan especially, and just spread throughout the OLine room. And he only barely overpaid, which we have to as a continual sub-par W-L performer right now.
Well done Jason.
Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2018 at 6:40 pm
The Jensen pic in this article looks like Carrot Top ate Carrot Top … I love this dude and I believe this was a quality signing.
Seeing Pouncey sign for just $7.5mil a year may give some pause but it also shows that Pouncey was not nearly in demand to the extent Jensen was … it doesn’t appear that the Colts even made a run at Pouncey. I think Pouncey is a talent but his injury history is very disconcerting … I think he’ll be good for the Chargers though and I think they win the AFC West this year, unless Mahomes is legit, in which case, the Chiefs are still probably the most well-balanced team in that division.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:42 pm
this poor guy is as ginger as it gets, he’s going to have a really tough time in the sun.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:43 pm
This was a nice signing, I just hope that he lives up to the hype. Sweezy was widely seen as a solid signing too
March 19th, 2018 at 6:44 pm
Relax sheep
Jensen and marpet is going to do alot of pancaking
1 word
Playaction
March 19th, 2018 at 6:46 pm
It’ll be interesting to see what Smith/Marpet get. If they sign early they need to give the team a discount for taking on 2018 risk that is unnecessary (i.e. we’re going to pay you $9 mill a year to sign now; so even if you get hurt in 2018 you’ve been locked up on a long term deal and your career wouldn’t be f*cked – vs having to pay $11-13 mill on the open market right now)
Marpet hasn’t made a pro bowl and has missed time in his career so far.
Smith has been an average LT at best but not elite or a probowler any year.
That all is part of the equation. I’d like to see Marpet locked up for under $10 now. Smith at $10 at the most.
Also – Future cuts / 2018 cap hits for after 2018 as needed:
Sweezy $7 mill hit in 2018
Grimes $10 mill hit in 2018
Djax $11 mill hit in 2018
Will Gholston $6.5 mill hit in 2018
Demar Dotson $4.6 mill hit in 2018
Gerald McCoy $13 mill hit in 2018
$52.1 million in potential flexible cuts for old dudes as we turnover the roster. Plus $10 mill in increased cap next year. There’s your Kwon/Jameis extensions and other FAs / draft picks.
March 19th, 2018 at 6:53 pm
Jeremy – The Saints and Cowboys were rumored to be going after Suh and they have only about $7m available which barely covers their draft pick hits. Good teams make money available, which is pretty easy to do. Sweezy frees up nearly $6m and deals can easily be reworded to free up money from David and McCoy. They already have about $20m and only need around $8m for the draft. The Bucs still have money without doing anything – although some of that money should go towards resigning Sims and perhaps Pamphile the price isn’t too high, and in particular if the Bucs release Sweezy.
One contract where I see new info is Gholston – turns out his entire $6.5m this year is fully guaranteed so the Bucs get nothing by releasing him, which is probably why he’s still on the team. Interesting, I thought they only guaranteed him like $7m, which was paid out last year.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:02 pm
My main point is, the overpaying of Ryan Jensen will cost the Bucs.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:06 pm
He looks like a swollen Carrot Top in that pick.
New nickname!!!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 7:07 pm
He better wear his sunscreen. Hopefully he can still set the tone in mid October when it’s 100 outside in florida
March 19th, 2018 at 7:08 pm
This is from the ” Pewter Plank” back in August.
Buccaneers: Predicting the contracts of cornerstone stars
KWON ALEXANDER
CONTRACT PREDICTION:
Kwon Alexander signs new deal May of 2018 for five years $51,000,000 for average of $10,200,000 annually with $26,010,000 guaranteed.
DONOVAN SMITH and ALI MARPET
Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet will be grouped together since they were both taken in the second round of the 2015 draft (Jason Licht’s Grand Slam Draft) and were started immediately.
CONTRACT PREDICTIONS:
Donovan Smith signs August of 2018 to a four year deal worth $29,000,000 for average of $7,250,000 annually with $12,500,000 guaranteed.
Ali Marpet signs May of 2018 to a five year deal worth $43,750,000 for average of $8,750,000 annually with $14,350,000 guaranteed.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:10 pm
https://chairnerd.global.ssl.fastly.net/images/performers-landscape/carrot-top-bd8b45/5190/huge.jpg
March 19th, 2018 at 7:13 pm
Jerry Stalheim made these predictions 7 months ago. But he’s no where in the ballpark. He really thought the Bucs could extend these guys with these minimal contracts. But all of that has changed.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:18 pm
FEAR LOSING NOT THE SALARY CAP!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 7:20 pm
Ryan Jensen has never made a Pro-Bowl. He have only started 9 games at Guard. He started 16 games at Center. He was given this contract.
4 years $42 Million, $22 million guaranteed
Ali Marpet has started 29 games at Guard and 11 games at Center
Donovan Smith has started 48 games at Left Tackle
March 19th, 2018 at 7:21 pm
He didn’t really talk about Jameis much. Just like Curry didn’t mention GMC.
Interesting.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:23 pm
About time the Bucs had some attitude and meaness. It gets nasty in the trenches
March 19th, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Lakeland, Pewter Plank is smoking dope. Donovan will get a LOT more than $7.25 Mil annually as a LT (over $10 mil annually at least), and Ali will probably be in about the same ballpark. Paying Kwon $51 mil for 5 years is laughable. My bet is that when season starts, Beckwith will be the MLB. Kwon will end up in the $5-$7 mil range annually.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:31 pm
@Munch
Rookie contracts CAN be renegotiated after the 3rd year. So, in fact, if the Bucs extend Kwon, Marpet, and Smith, their salaries probably would go up significantly this year, unless the Bucs structure the increases as a fat guaranteed bonus to be paid at the beginning of the 2019 league year. Fact is, we don’t have much cap room left to work with if we’re going to extend those guys. What cap relief will we get in 2019? Well, Grimes won’t count 10 million next year. Dotson may not be around. Sweezy will probably not be around. And D-Jax, unless he has a great 2018 probably won’t see year 3… Roughly $35 million freed up, plus any carryover, plus whatever the cap increase is next year — > that’s what we’ll have to pay Winston, Kwon, Marpet, Smith, and whatever other free agents we want next year. Doesn’t sound like we’ve got a ton of room starting next year… THIS is exactly why people who complain about not spending enough on free agency are shortsighted. With just the guys we now have on our team, our cap starts getting pretty tight next year.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:31 pm
Maybe just maybe the Bucs are paying a little more to get these free agents in here bc players don’t want to come to Tampa Bay. That will change after a few winning years.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:34 pm
tmaxcon Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 7:18 pm
If your salary cap is fouecked, then you’re probably not gonna be winning. You can’t upgrade your team.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:40 pm
Where is our Monday morning Joe ? Can anyone tell me are Brocato’s devil crabs anywhere near like the old Seabreeze restaraunt ? Coming to Tampa in a couple of weeks and was thinking of trying them out since they on the website .
March 19th, 2018 at 7:42 pm
bucs_365
this team has been void of talent and has not won anything in nearly two decades. WIN First then worry about the cap… there is a reason bucs are the worst franchise in nfl history they spend way to much time saving money and drafting soft choirboys instead of focusing on greatness.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:43 pm
Rod Munch has a good point, Jensen is a Ginger. When the last name Jensen is spelled Jensen, it tells you he is of Nordic decent. It’s that SEN thing.
IOW, he is at least part Viking
The concerns about handling the Florida Sun are real, in my experience
I have had to let a few red haired/fair skinned employees go from my roof cleaning company over the years, because they just could not handle the Sun.
March 19th, 2018 at 7:44 pm
Tormund Giantsbane playin at centre for the Bucs ??!! i like it
March 19th, 2018 at 7:50 pm
Also, d smith will get paid big time. we should be looking at tackles in this draft
March 19th, 2018 at 7:51 pm
Sorry guys. Got tied up at work.
Joe: Also Love Jensen signing.
Chris: Saw FSU-NC State; Chubb takes games over; effects every single play.
NFL Nut: Chubb, Nelson, Barkley in order of preference or trade down. Say it after me everyone.
Forgot the name: Watched James; not a top 12 pick; after a trade down with Arizona maybe. Smith won’t use him right in any case.
March 19th, 2018 at 8:11 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo knows something about hot Pasco County roofs….and they are hot…Hensen wouldn’t last two weeks roofing with Pablo….but Pablo thinks “carrot top” is a racist comment. I think a helmet, some sunscreen…. and the new indoor practice facility and much Florida rain will help Hensen.”
March 19th, 2018 at 8:18 pm
JOE,
I’ve got a nickname for this guy: Ryan “The Goonie” Jensen.
-Slightly Concerned Bucs fan
March 19th, 2018 at 8:23 pm
What could possibly be more boring- than a bunch of Car mechanics and house painters trying to calculate contracts.
It would suck, even if you were agents.
Instead, try calculating how much money the Glazers have pocketed, by being tens of millions under the Cap.
Hell, Add Culverhouse’s lader, by being a salary bottom dweller
Then figure in the amount they have robbed the fans of their ticket money, by intentional feilding an inferior team, to make more profits
That would be every year in team history- except for the first 6 years, and the Malcolm Glazer years.
After the robbery that has been going on in this town- I could care less about how the Glazers money is being spent, because you can rest assurred they wont be near the Cap max
March 19th, 2018 at 8:26 pm
Didn’t Jensen do a movie with Cher back in the 80’s?……..just checkin’.
March 19th, 2018 at 8:27 pm
Knock’em in the GD mouth Ryan!! This team needs toughness and meaness. We been needing it for a long long time. Play nasty, Dirty..and Win by any mean necessary baby!!
March 19th, 2018 at 8:30 pm
Is Carrot Top bringing his props to camp to entertain the players? Is that the tone he’ll be setting?
March 19th, 2018 at 8:32 pm
So Tim your theory is to spend a bunch of money and we will be superior?
March 19th, 2018 at 8:36 pm
Rod Munch Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 6:01 pm
Isn’t anyone else concerned that he’s a ginger?
____________________________________________________________
Nope. Can’t wait for ‘kick a ginger day’. 😉
March 19th, 2018 at 8:40 pm
NFL Nut believes as others do that either Barkley, Nelson or Chubb will be available. I’m of the mind that all 3 are gone and 1 of the top 4 QB’s remain available. If so, we could have the option to trade down but if Nelson is available, I couldn’t pass on him. Imagining Jensen, Marpet and Nelson holding down the middle would be an amazing O Line and turn around our trenches.
March 19th, 2018 at 8:41 pm
Dlavid
Can anyone tell me are Brocato’s devil crabs anywhere near like the old Seabreeze restaraunt ?
——————————
They’re better if you ask me. Never been to the sea breeze restaurant but they opened a food truck on 301 and causeway a couple years ago. I heard the seabreeze was great but it failed in comparison.
Either way Brocatos is a must visit when in town and if you think the deviled crabs are delicious wait until you get a hold of their Cuban sandwiches.
Man I think you made me have to go see them tomorrow.
March 19th, 2018 at 8:45 pm
Rocky Dennis it is, ya’ll are crazy!!!! I’m 💀
March 19th, 2018 at 8:45 pm
Dlavid
They are better. And as DB55 said. Get their Cuban. Best in the world.
March 19th, 2018 at 8:48 pm
Dlavid
If you like curry there’s a little hole-in-the-wall down the street from Brocatos called Carlos Sandwich shop. It’s on Columbus across from the police academy.
Also a must try.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:06 pm
looks like the high card diet and the Wendler system has done wonders for carrot top. Gave up stand up and became a football player.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:09 pm
The NFL’s cap is a hard cap that the teams have to stay under at all times, and the salary floor is also a hard floor; penalties for violating or circumventing the cap and floor regulations include fines of up to $5 million for each violation, cancellation of contracts and/or loss of draft picks.
The owners earnings has NOTHING to do with the structure of the salary cap
Each team is allocated $177.200,000 to spend on players
Teams has a ” Minimum” amount of money to spend
The minimum spending requirement says that teams must spend, in cash, at least 89% of the total salary cap from 2017-2020. To determine the 89% minimum cash spending requirement, the sums of the salary caps are multiplied by 89%.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:23 pm
Tmaxipad is right on this one. Stop fearing the salary cap. We’ve actually drafted players that need to have their contracts extended. This has rarely happened in the past lol relax guys. We’ll be able to extend the players we want and be ok. Take your hands off of the panic button!
March 19th, 2018 at 9:23 pm
—————
cmurda Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 8:40 pm
NFL Nut believes as others do that either Barkley, Nelson or Chubb will be available.
—————
Not exactly bro … I said that either one of Saquon, Chubb or Nelson will be available OR that one of the top 4 QBs will be available in which case we could trade down.
My thing is: “Saquon, Chubb or Nelson or trade down!”
March 19th, 2018 at 9:25 pm
Tmax, in your salary cap comment, I agree. We should make room (restructure/cut) enough for at least one more move before the draft. Go Bucs!
March 19th, 2018 at 9:26 pm
Keep him away from GMC and this may have a decent chance of working out.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:26 pm
tmaxcon Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 7:42 pm
The reason they’ve been terrible (historically) is because of poor drafting and poor coaching, not because they weren’t spending big money on free agents. The most expensive free agents on the market aren’t going to help if the core of your team is rotten. You have to draft well, develop players, and keep them if you want to win. The Glazers have been too dumb to find the right people to implement the strategy. Licht is on the right path, even though there have been notable mistakes. Bucs fans seem to be under the illusion that free agency works so well in other NFL cities. Sometimes it works, and just as often it doesn’t… It works best when you pick up the right guy and the other talent on the roster is strong — take Jax, for example, Calais Campbell was a great pickup and worth it because they had been stockpiling quality defensive players in the draft for a few years. Add Campbell, bring in a new coach who gets those guys playing together, and they win. Everyone seems to think free agency was the magical ingredient. It wasn’t.
If this draft brings us a productive DE and RB, and the free agents we spent money on stay healthy and play about as expected, we should be in contention (other “if” of course is Winston taking another step forward).
BTW, Dan Snyder used to try to stockpile talent and buy a winner through free agency — it never worked, but they sure spent a lot of money…
March 19th, 2018 at 9:32 pm
bucs_365
That all sounds great and all however, if it is so easy why has it been 16 years between meaningful wins
March 19th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Here’s my advice…and I think it is pretty sound advice, all things considered…
…just assume they were all bad signings and we have to rely on the draft to make this team a winner.
People saying this team need about 8 spots filled to compete are full of it. Half that at most. Maybe not even that.
RB, DE might be all we really need (though it would require a lot of IFs happening).
IF Spence gets healthy.
IF Ryan Smith does well in his second year at CB.
IF Justin Evans continues to improve at Safety.
IF.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:39 pm
Oh hey guys, just wanted to inform y’all that Greg Auman just tweeted that Vinny Curry’s base salary for 2018 is 6.5 million. A mere .5 more than Ayers. The deal includes incentives for amount of sacks and if we reach the playoffs.
I can guarantee you that Jensens deal is structured in a similar manner.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
@Nut. Yeah, simple math makes that an automatic if none of the three are available to us. It definitely would make the Bills, Dolphins or Cardinals antsy. I’m all about trading down especially from what I’ve seen from Licht. Chances would be good that we still could land one of the top CB’s or 2 top safeties. Bills and to a lesser extent, Fins have the ammo that we could be interested in. I really can’t disagree with moving down. Ward, Minkah and James would represent our needs based pick at the position and none of them have automatic generational talent written all over them. Hard to disagree with you. Now, I just need an old photo of Saquon wearing a gas mask getting blazed to circulate so he can fall into our laps.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
Bucs 365…well said. And I agree.
Tmax…I didn’t see where he said it was easy
March 19th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Bonzai. I’m not feeling good about the first 2 ifs especially Ryan Smith. Smith has nice size for a corner but I don’t believe in his reaction time or speed. I’m buying the 3rd one.
March 19th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Licht has done a good job structuring contracts……many of the future contracts don’t have big guarantees….I’m quite sure we will be somewhat limited going forward…..certainly won’t be able to afford players like Djax……the key is the draft…..picking up players in rounds 3-6 that can contribute….that along with a few good UDFA….this keeps our costs down going forward…..
March 19th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
Yeah Spence is not an If on this team. He is a nobody. Anything he does is a bonus, nothing more.
He is absolutely unreliable and anybody counting on him are fools, especially the Bucs.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:03 pm
Looks like Carrott Top. If he can’t play the Glazers can throw him in as a Carrott Top Look alike and attract people to RJS to help pay for them high priced tickets!!! Hope he’s a Bad Ass like people are saying he is!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Licht has done a good job structuring contracts……many of the future contracts don’t have big guarantees…
Brother- we were 5-11.
Havent been to playoffs in 20 years.
Team sucked badly
Im damn sure not applauding Licht for his “Accountant of the Month” awards!!
This is Football, not “Tax returns weekly”
Go to the web site of teams that are perineal winners.
Their Fans Rarely mention money.
Packers, Patriots, Steelers. – their fans talk players and talent.
I think we have been trained by this team- to worry about money
So we forget how bad they suck.
Let Licht worry about money. The pay him a triple digit salary to do so.
We need to be demanding that he get some real talent in here- at our positions of need!!!
He blew it on the few DEs available this year. Thats unforgivable- considering what a situation he has put this team in.
Lots of Safeties and CBs out there- what the hell is he waiting on.
Lots of Good Running backs too
Are does he think Rookies in critical spots will do the trick???
Dont care if he has to restructure deals, trim fat- forfeit his salary!!!!
He needs to fix this mess hes created, or seek new employment.quit worrying about Kickers, and worry about knocking QBs on their butt!!!!
March 19th, 2018 at 10:18 pm
tmaxcon Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 9:32 pm
Yeah, never said it was easy… but your question was answered above — they didn’t draft and develop well enough, and they didn’t have the right coaching. I believe our core is solid, and this free agency has improved it. A few more good picks (pass rush, RB, and CB hopefully), and we should be ready to contend.
March 19th, 2018 at 10:32 pm
I have been saying this for ages,
The Bucs problems are simple…they do not develop their draft picks. Most of their draft picks get develop by another team after they leave Tampa.
2013 draft- Only Will Gholston on the roster
2014 draft- Only Mike Evans on the roster
Also you have a 4 year window with draft picks ( 5 year option for 1st round pick). These are the years that you are getting the players at a low salary
Most of your cap space should be going to extending your own players
After they have performed well for 3-4 years prior to their extension
The reason why the Bucs always have so much cap space….they don’t hand out 2nd contract to many players.
Bottom line…they don’t develop players
March 19th, 2018 at 10:37 pm
If the kid from nd falls
We officially have an interior
Now for the right and left tackles….
March 20th, 2018 at 12:48 am
Damnnn whose money 💰 is it anyway curious is coming out of y’all’s pockets or bank accounts I know better than that 💩.
March 20th, 2018 at 1:08 am
JimmyJack Says:
March 19th, 2018 at 8:32 pm
So Tim your theory is to spend a bunch of money and we will be superior?
Nah- being one of the cheapest franchises in The NFL, The last Twenty years- has worked out fabulously!
Look at all the playoff appearances and Superbowl titles we’ve accumulated!
March 20th, 2018 at 3:17 am
bucs_365 – That is interesting on the rookie deals, I’ve always heard that rookie deals can’t be negotiated – they could be extended but not torn up and handed a new deal. But I went and looked it up and sure enough after 3-years apparently teams can renegotiate deals, but I will say I’ve never ever heard of a team doing that, does anyone have any examples of that (not being sarcastic, I’m really wondering if anyone has any examples). Now if the Bucs extended them in the traditional sense, which means paying them after their rookie deal is complete at the end of the year, then it wouldn’t cost anything – the Bucs would just be guaranteeing their future pay. Since the Bucs don’t do signing bonuses, that shouldn’t be an issue either. However with guys like Winston and Marpet and Kwon, the Bucs should probably reconsider how they pay guys, in those cases they can pretty safely do signing bonuses which will give them more flexibility. But still the Bucs have a lot of different ways to create money because of how they do their deals, D-Jax is the obvious one but lots of deals can be redone if they need the money.
One interesting deal is Gholston, who made a ton last year ($7m), makes a ton this year ($6.5), yet in 2019 his salary is $3.75m – that was Licht making space for guys he knew was coming up by front loading the deal. Interesting.