Bruce Arians’ Son: Dad Says “I’m Bored”
March 21st, 2019
“I’m going to do it with your guys, Dirk.”
Joe often says the Buccaneers are the greatest soap opera in sports over the last 10-plus years.
Starting with Chucky losing a playoff berth and his job because his Bucs lost to JaMarcus Russell in 2008, the Bucs’ story has taken more bizarre twists and turns than a drunken Lindsay Lohan drive.
And chalk this next one up on the Bucs’ bizarre script. No Hollywood writer could possibly make this stuff up.
Jake Arians, Bruce Arians son who played in the NFL, talks football on his TD Fantasy podcast and was asked to name his big winners and losers in free agency this year to date.
And guess who he named first as a big loser? That’s right, our beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In short, Jake Arians said Tampa Bay’s salary cap crunch tied its hands.
But it gets better.
“People, go pay attention to the cap,” Jake Arians said. “Because you get mad about your teams not doing a whole lot. But I was talking to my dad. I said, ‘What do you think?’ He said, ‘I’m bored. Like I like where we’re at; we got to add a couple of pieces. But we don’t have enough. These guys are making so much money the last couple of years in free agency, you got to go overpay. So unless you have a crazy amount of cash, which means your team sucks, it’s hard to go do it.'”
So there you have it. Year 1 in free agency under Bucco Bruce Arians has even been a yawner for the head coach.
Joe gets what’s going on, but it also has been Arians’ choice to stick with what he’s got rather than to blow out some big salaries (or restructure them) and get creative to retool the roster.
This all just reinforces the notion that Arians believes his coaching staff will be a massive improvement over the outgoing one.
March 21st, 2019 at 6:40 pm
Hope we stop sucking.
Kind of sad that we are coming off back to back 5-11 campaigns and we have no cap space, and we’re unable to resign our own guys.
March 21st, 2019 at 6:41 pm
According to BA, having a lot of cash means your team sucks… I’d say back to back 5 win seasons would be a better indicator…. #CautiouslyOptimistic
March 21st, 2019 at 6:41 pm
I mean, to be fair, Chucky won it with Dungy’s team. We didn’t see much from him after that.
March 21st, 2019 at 6:44 pm
Just coach them up and draft well for once.
March 21st, 2019 at 6:50 pm
Of course they would be considered losers if you talking about money spent and guys signed. Free agency losers means nothing to an nfl season. Win and they will come and without having to overpay them all. Licht does throw money away with the best of them
March 21st, 2019 at 6:53 pm
“Arians believes his coaching staff will be a massive improvement over the outgoing one”
That’s a big 10-4 coach Arians.
Everybody’s on the same page. Nobody is wondering what to expect. For most its – ‘been there, done that, worked great, we’ll just do it again now that we’re all back together’.
I imagine all the Buccaneer coaches are just chomping at the bit to get at these players and start teaching their systems. These CBA rules about “no football communication” with the players in early spring, no hitting whatsoever once spring football starts, etc – make it really difficult on NFL coaches these days. Especially regarding trying to teach and develop young players.
March 21st, 2019 at 7:10 pm
Draft inexpensive Dlineman (multiple) this year then next year you can let McCoy, JPP, Allen and Nassib (if he wants big money) walk away and still have good talent in there and clear up a ton of cap space. We could also draft an interior lineman to potentially take Jensen’s spot next year. Mike Evans cap hit also will continue to go down. Throw in the potential departure of Brate, Dotson, David and you get even more cap room.
I think this team will look drastically different next year and will have much more cap room to maneuver. This looks like a 2-3 year “reload”, I don’t know if we can win it all with our current crop. Let’s hope JW works out, otherwise that 2-3 year reload might turn into another 5-6 year rebuild.
March 21st, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Bored is a perfect description of the fans as well
Losing has killed this fanbase
March 21st, 2019 at 7:12 pm
I’m in the co-co-co-cooler?
March 21st, 2019 at 7:14 pm
consecutive losing season with no vap space is a good indicator that your coaching SUCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 21st, 2019 at 7:22 pm
“LOL! Buc sheep screaming its all coaching?
How gid Bowles Jets defense do last 2 years
What did BAs Arizona team do last 2 years? 8-8 and 7-8-1
Like Kobe has stated last 4 years that Klueless Koetter was 1 of the worst HCs and BA is 5x better but….
You need talent to be a playoff team and we dont have enough talented players
YOU WIN THRU THE DRAFT
And the person whose job is to acquire the talent thru the draft is successful…your team isnt successful enough to be playoff caliber
Let Kobe state this very clearly
The day we fire Jason Gump is 1 day closer for the Buccaneers to become a better team”
Kobe Faker
March 21st, 2019 at 7:25 pm
Saints have cash and the loser bucs don’t ..Light is a great gm,huh ?? Dang,,,,last in the division again!!!
March 21st, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Ill repeat what I said before. Its not that we cant afford to resign our own players, we just didnt want to. We could of made more moves to get the cap space we needed, it just didnt make sense to pay the kind of money they wanted for a #4 receiver or an inconsistant and injury prone MLB. Bruce and Licht know what they are doing.
March 21st, 2019 at 7:34 pm
It’s the system stupid. It’s not high priced free agents – Bill billicheat
March 21st, 2019 at 7:39 pm
I pray Arians is heavily involved in the draft process. We’re going to have to have a legendary draft in order to have any hope next year.
March 21st, 2019 at 7:41 pm
You’re spot on Kobe Peyton is a good back as a backup but need a more talented back and the offensive line needs more talent and hopefully keyword “hopefully ” he can help JW out buy were in need of more secondary, backers, & defensive lineman….yeah Bruce and Bowles are good coaches but Licht has murdered this roster and cap money
March 21st, 2019 at 7:44 pm
Will the Ira podcast post today? Chomping at the bit!
March 21st, 2019 at 7:55 pm
Only reason people like Litch is because he drafted Jameis. Terrible at building a team. Could I do better? Absolutely
March 21st, 2019 at 8:00 pm
lol
March 21st, 2019 at 8:01 pm
Remember when Joe posted this article headline: “Bucs have the 4th worst QB in division” and it was popular. Bucs still have the 4th worst QB in division and Joe is quiet. Laughable.
March 21st, 2019 at 8:05 pm
I’m afraid Bucco Bruce just came here to retire…… boring.
March 21st, 2019 at 8:08 pm
I still don’t understand how a 5-11 team has no cap space.
March 21st, 2019 at 8:17 pm
BUCCO BRUCE = BARRY MELROSE
March 21st, 2019 at 8:18 pm
Man Joes when you later on Ira Podcast you really meant it
March 21st, 2019 at 8:21 pm
Waterboy
We have some really good pieces here that need to be paid. But I fell wr have over invested in O line (bcuz they aren’t playing up to their salaries). And we haven’t really developed any talent soccer the last few years. Maybe coaching will make a huge difference.
March 21st, 2019 at 8:21 pm
Why is it laughable? It would only be laughable if anyone thought Jameis was currently better than any of the other three quarterbacks. At one point you may have been able to make an argument Jameis was better than Cam Newton. Not so the past two years.
March 21st, 2019 at 8:24 pm
Not in Arians blood to be a bitch, he will get us to the playoffs
March 21st, 2019 at 8:36 pm
I get that BA is focused on winning sooner, rather tha later. But it’s hard to believe all it will take to turn this team in to a winner is better coaching. It’s fine that they have confidence in the roster, especially with the offense, but there’s no coaching THAT good to turn a putried defense around enough to make this team a winner.
I’ve been a big supporter of Licht from day one, and am still hopeful he has some cards yet played, but there have just been too many quality defensive free agent players signing with other teams that the Bucs could definitely have benefited from signing. Ok, BA, you have confidence in your DC and the roster, but WHY NOT restructure some of those big contracts to bring some valuable free agents on to this roster?
March 21st, 2019 at 9:16 pm
@Fighting Schiano…. NO….. Gruden did NOT win it with Dungys team most if not all the players were drafted by Sam Wyche. Dungy couldn’t have and wouldn’t have EVER won a Super Bowl here in Tampa. Hell he barely won it in Indy with all the great offensive players he had. Most overrated coach in NFL history.
March 21st, 2019 at 9:17 pm
Someone tell Licht they moved the draft date, then we will have a chance to draft good NFL players. Once again it’s on the Glazers for keeping the worst GM in the NFL
March 21st, 2019 at 9:39 pm
Something tells me that when BA took the job he knew EXACTLY what our salary Cap situation was. And the odds are pretty good I’d surmise that he had a VERY GOOD idea how free agency would turn out AND what our NEEDS would be going into the draft. Bucs didn’t have the money to do diddly in FA when it comes to high-priced FAs. Guess what … that’s probably a good thing because doing well in the draft becomes even more important.
Bucs right now have $3.2 mil Cap space for the Top-51 according to Spotrac. We have EIGHT draft picks, of which hopefully SIX make the 53-man roster. Those 6 would cost us $9.1 mil (again, according to Spotrac). To make room for those 6 we’ll have to drop 6 players (duh) which will save us $3.8 mil and bring our Cap space to $7.0 mil, about $2 mil short of what we’ll need to sign 6 draftees. Chump change.
Our bigger problem right now is that we NEED an experienced starting-caliber CB and we NEED an experienced RB (with some explosiveness?) to pair with Barber. Those two would probably cost us close to $12 mil on today’s FA market. Restructuring contracts is like kicking the can down the street IMO, BUT … losing sucks. Personally I’d restructure Mike Evans’ contract (before Jameis’ or JPP’s contracts) to free up enough $$$ to sign a CB & RB.
Or draft a quality DT and release GMC. BOTH approaches improve our overall TEAM.
March 21st, 2019 at 9:55 pm
Does it not occur to anyone, that if we restructured and renegotiated some mixture of at least the 7 highest paid players currently on the roster……that we wpuld have a HELLUVA LOT MORE $$$ with the same guys still on the team, to be able to “do something”??!
But no…the Bucs don’t do that. Cuz the Bucs’ front office, knows better. And knows better, how to stay OUT of the playoffs.
March 21st, 2019 at 11:12 pm
Restructuring big contracts borrows from the future for current needs and causes teams to go into REAL cap hell.
No.
March 21st, 2019 at 11:32 pm
There’s never been a point where you could argue Jameis is better than Cam…
March 22nd, 2019 at 3:56 am
Yeah, I can’t stand Crybaby Cam….. but you’re right westernbuc… JW has never been close to that level.
March 22nd, 2019 at 5:31 am
Defense Rules:
Just checked Sportrac and they indicated 8 draft picks including 197 (6th RD) however they also say Houston has 197. I was under the impression that we had 7 Picks. Now I am confused because several other sites show 7 Picks. Not a big deal unless you have 197, 208, and 215 that you want to bundle for an early 6 or late 5 upgrade. If you get a chance let me know so I can reset my War room. Thanks.
March 22nd, 2019 at 7:28 am
Anonymous….dude you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about! And in context of the whole discussion, which would be to put a WINNING product on the field. Go tell all the consistently competitive teams, with aggressive and financially prudent GM’s that they don’t know what they’re doing with their cap situations.
You sound like so many of the Buc fan base that can always tolerate losing, and blindless faith. This team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2007. CLEARLY the way in total that they continue to run the books, which is part of that, isn’t working…enough.
And financially dude, pretty sure you don’t carry an MBA, and you don’t know exactly what the hell you’re talking about pennypincher.
March 22nd, 2019 at 8:11 am
There are so many variables that go into free agency and restructuring. First thing that EVERY FAN forgets is they have to WANT to come here. A lot of players simply resign with their original team or sign with a team close to the area they live in. Do you think these players agents will let them restructure? Only the players making 20 million in endorsements are restructuring.
March 22nd, 2019 at 8:26 am
Our inability to draft and develop has put us in this position.
Who do you restructure? You restructure big salary young guys that you strongly believe will be here playing at a high level for at least 3yrs beyond the year they’ve been restructure.
L. David – 29 has 2yrs left on contract
G McCoy – 30
JPP – 30
Cameron Brate – probably don’t want him that long
R. Jensen – has 1 more year left of guaranteed money (probably want to get a cheaper center)
Evans and Marpet are probably the 2 guys you can restructure. If I’m the Bucs and you still are not sold your QB – I’d wait…once you know where you are going at QB then you know where to move your chess pieces.
March 22nd, 2019 at 10:22 am
Chucky won what with Dungys team? Oh how ignorant people can be. Chcky 1st amd foremeost won 3 division titles. He also revamped the whole offense and offensive line. Sam Wyche NOT Tony Dungy drafted most of those players anyways. Get your facts straight @fightingSchiano before you go making yourself look more foolish than you already have.
March 22nd, 2019 at 11:29 am
Fighting schainos exactly Gruden took Dungys team over the hump so hopefully Arians will take the bucs out of bucs cove. Great coaching will improve any team with the same players not saying he will take us to the promise land with what we have we need some more pieces for that and it would be dumb for anyone to think otherwise. However a great draft is a darn good start
March 22nd, 2019 at 11:56 am
Translation: We have plenty of excuse for being terrible again this year.
This team is the laughingstock of the NFL.
March 22nd, 2019 at 1:22 pm
Uhhh Gruden brought in Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan mccardell, joe jurivicious, Michael Pittman (meh), Brad Johnson, and a few more capable special team players. Not to mention the firey attitude (pound that rock!) He left defense as is and made the offense good enough to score enough to win. Gruden didn’t win with Dungys team he won with a better offense that he called every play for. Still not his biggest fan but he should get all the credit for winning that super bowl.
March 22nd, 2019 at 6:27 pm
Gruden won with Monte Kiffin’s defense. Give credit where it’s due and it’s Monte Kiffin’s defense with arguably 4-5 Hall of Famers (Brooks, Sapp, Barber, Lynch, Rice) and a couple pro-bowl quality players (Quarles, Kelly).
Dungy got fired for going to the NFC championship… you guys think that Dungy wouldn’t have won it, or got there? Get real. Any coach with half a brain should of been in a superbowl with the Buccaneers. Our defense was that good. It’s just a shame, more or less a fckn travesty, that we were 1 and done when we literally had one of the greatest defenses of all time.
Gruden ruined the Buccaneers and we have yet to recover.