Bucs After A Safety?
March 17th, 2019
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
It is pretty clear the Bucs could use an upgrade at safety. Unless you think the Bucs can roll with inconsistent Justin Evans and fan favorite and still-on-the-market Chris Conte.
Problem is, tiy can’t buy a mansion on a two-bedroom Citrus County condo budget. And the Bucs have little to no money under the salary cap.
Thus, per former Bucs beat writer and current reporter for ProFootballTalk.com Charean Williams, the Bucs are one of a few teams sniffing around former Packers safety Kentrell Brice.
He has visited the Texans and Colts and is headed to the Buccaneers for a Monday visit, Rob Demovsky of ESPN reports.
The three-year veteran was an undrafted free agent by the Packers. His numbers are pedestrian. To Joe’s knowledge, he has no background with Bucco Bruce Arians and/or defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. That’s rare for a Bucs free agent target this offseason.
Joe finds it interesting that the Bucs believe they need an upgrade at safety so soon. Is there concern that Evans can’t stay healthy? Is there concern Jordan Whitehead is more a hitter than a safety? Are they concerned new safety M.J. Stewart already is over his head?
Curious potential move in Joe’s eyes.
March 17th, 2019 at 1:43 am
jason “clown show” licht and his salary cap…
March 17th, 2019 at 1:46 am
depth and rotational signing at best. Conte will be gone. Bucannon told us so when he said his jersey will be #23
March 17th, 2019 at 1:54 am
I don’t think there’s any reason to worry about Justin Evans every other safety on the roster though 👎🏽
March 17th, 2019 at 2:32 am
Again when you blow pick after pick this is how u have to fill holes
March 17th, 2019 at 5:37 am
This is surely a joke. Andrew Adams … A SAFETY with 4 INTs for us last year … has signed with the Lions according to Spotrac. But no problem; they were all just flukes.
March 17th, 2019 at 5:47 am
He had 3 in tin one game This is a Adams Replacement an prolly cheaper
March 17th, 2019 at 6:18 am
Whitehead will be fine too
March 17th, 2019 at 7:08 am
@Joe … curious, really? Do you want Conte back? I sure don’t. We gotta do something though. Had my hopes up on this off season for a big switch on defense south players. Didn’t happen. You’re daily articles of the Honey Badger had me thinking he was a lock. Not To be.
Here’s to coaching!!
Damn. As of now
7 n 9
March 17th, 2019 at 7:09 am
We need to let conte, along with some others go so we can have money to get top players
March 17th, 2019 at 7:20 am
I wonder what happens if this team wins 5 games next year. They’ll have to fire Licht at that point right? I feel like I’m caught in a Buccaneer twilight zone.
March 17th, 2019 at 7:28 am
What is wrong with you people? You do know Lunch and Ronde were trash in their first years right? Let the young guys play for goodness sake, let’s see what we have. Players get better by you know actually playing. Just another way Koetter and his band of morons screwed is last year. Whitehead, Stewart, Cappa, and Rojo should have been playing full time the last 4-5 games to get experience but know those goofballs stuck with Beneoch, Quizzes Rodgers, and Andrew Adams….. Man they were bad yet the writers for this site continue to base their opinion of the players based on this horrible coaching staffs usage of the players. If they ran an outdated, ill fitting scheme what in the world makes you think they knew what they doing with the players talent and fit????
March 17th, 2019 at 7:30 am
Conte? After the stiff arm of the century was put on him in front of the world? No way that dude ever, and I mean ever, recovers from that stiff arm. Go Bucs!
March 17th, 2019 at 7:31 am
The honey badger would’ve solved problems but I like what we have right now Evans ain’t bad especially if he returns 💯%. Whitehead is special to me though and I’m getting the feeling he will be a major contributor moving forward but he’s a late round talent for a reason. Stewart will be great depth behind Evans in case of injury and will be able to contribute on special teams as well. I don’t see anymore activity at that position plus with the addition of the money backer they are done at safety.
March 17th, 2019 at 7:38 am
BucHead5588 … You’re exactly right. Adams had THREE INTs against Cam Newton and the rest of the Bucs that game had … oh ya, ONE. He also had 3 passes defended that game & the Bucs WON 24-17. Do you think Bucs would’ve won without Adams’ THREE INTs & THREE PDs BucHead? And as far as Bucs getting Kentrell Brice ‘probably cheaper’ than Adams as you contend, I doubt it, but we won’t know until contract terms are released huh.
March 17th, 2019 at 7:52 am
They signed Bucannon. He’s not coming here to play LB…
March 17th, 2019 at 7:57 am
I agree we need another S…..and hopefully a good one. What happened to the Honey Badger or better yet…..Landon Collins….oh, that’s right we have this salary cap problem.
Patience, Patience, Patience
We also need a RB…
I suspect we will be drafting a MLB, OG, S, CB, RB…..perhaps in that order.
March 17th, 2019 at 7:57 am
Gotta let the young guys play and develop to know what we have. I hate to break it to many Bucs fans but the NFL is not a video game. No team has all pro players at every position. Unless these young guys get real game time we will never know what their ceiling is. Some of you actually believe every draft pick is just going to step into the NFL and be good to go in a season or two lol.
March 17th, 2019 at 8:10 am
Just like the corners the safties we always put in position to fail. Other than Conte I cant really judge any of our other safties
March 17th, 2019 at 8:23 am
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 17th, 2019 at 7:57 am
I agree we need another S…..and hopefully a good one. What happened to the Honey Badger or better yet…..Landon Collins….oh, that’s right we have this salary cap problem.
Patience, Patience, Patience
We also need a RB…
I suspect we will be drafting a MLB, OG, S, CB, RB…..perhaps in that order.
Why are you so convinced we need a RB? Cause Dirk Koetter wouldn’t play the one we just drafted or because the Joe’s tell you so? Barber is a good back and with any coaching at all and a smidge of support Rojo is going to be just fine. TBBF don’t let these negative thinkers drive your opinion cause no one can really say anything negative about Rojo cause we never really got to see him play accept for the one time every other game he was put in and it was clearly a run play where he was smashed the second he got the ball, again due to the great coaching. Again this doom and gloom is all based off what a sorry coaching staff that can’t find jobs on the league? Where our former RBs coach, where’s our former OL coach, where’s our former DBs coach, where our former D coordinator? Yeah all unemployed yet we are based our opinion of the players they coached off their opinion? Yeah I’ll wait to judge after I see them you know actually get to use their skill set.
March 17th, 2019 at 8:35 am
I keep hearing salary cap
Well we have one aging player at 13 million
So do the Bucs keep GMC because he is so good he offsets the 2 or 3 players you can get with his salary
Or do you cut/trade him to free up cap space to sign some secondary help
I don’t think we can trade GMC because of his price tag
March 17th, 2019 at 8:37 am
Why release Andrew Adams and still have Conte, Smith & Stewart. And now they are having Brice come in for an interview which to me is not an upgrade over Adams. Not to worry Adams signed with Lions. Thanks again Licht. You never cease to amaze me.
March 17th, 2019 at 8:46 am
Justin Evans has shown promise. The bucs apparently do not have the money to sign a good young safety. So do the next best thing sign a good veteran Mike Mitchell for the popular 1 year deal then draft a safety in the draft.
March 17th, 2019 at 8:47 am
Letting Adam’s walk is stupid. Kinda like Mcdougle, he got better every season and right when you see him becoming a solid starter we let him go for Wilcox. If we are in a cap pinch put the money towards an outside corner.
March 17th, 2019 at 8:53 am
“Fan favorite Chris Conte”
Gets me everytime.
March 17th, 2019 at 8:55 am
Maybe I am missing something but Evans appears to be a good safety from what I have seen and Whitehead showed a lot of potential. I would be much more concerned with finding a CB and defensive line help because JPP and McCoy won’t be here much longer. It is a shame we also need offensive line help. Not enough offensive line help. Not enough picks in the draft to fill all of these holes. Especially true when we know Licht will miss on the 2nd round pick just because that is what he does.
March 17th, 2019 at 9:00 am
This entire organization is pathetic smh!
March 17th, 2019 at 9:27 am
Jordan Whitehead is not the answer….
March 17th, 2019 at 9:32 am
Ndog. I agree with a lot of what you said about the talent that we have on this team and the lack of coaching that they have experienced. Lack a playing time that they have experienced and all around inability to get on the field to have any decent amount of playing time have really hurt this team. Hopefully with the new coaching staff that is in place we will have a modicum of improvement. Listen fellas just because we don’t make a lot of moves in free agency because of our cap situation doesn’t mean that they don’t have a plan in place. Period.
But what the hell do I now?
March 17th, 2019 at 9:40 am
Jonzey Says:
March 17th, 2019 at 7:09 am
We need to let conte, along with some others go so we can have money to get top players
TOM Says:
March 17th, 2019 at 8:37 am
Why release Andrew Adams and still have Conte, Smith & Stewart. And now they are having Brice come in for an interview which to me is not an upgrade over Adams. Not to worry Adams signed with Lions. Thanks again Licht. You never cease to amaze me.
————————
Not the biggest deal in the world but this is a pet peeve of mine. Guys whose contracts (conte, Grimes etc) expired cannot be released as their contracts expired so they are no longer with the Bucs until we resign. Therefore they’re not with us or counting against our cap they’re official Unreateicted Free Agents free to sign with anyone. We hold NO rights to any player with a UFA status. Adams was not released but a restricted tag was not offered to him I would assume because it was thought he was not worth 2 mill which is what the tag would have cost. Thus he was a UFA and decided to leave our team.(likely for a better Finacial offering)
March 17th, 2019 at 9:40 am
Sheldrick Redwine….mid 3rd or top of 4th.
We have an extra 6th right? If we trade down 5 to 10 spots from our 2nd for another 3rd or 4th, thats where the magic can happen. I remember D. Smith and A. Marpet….probably the only good 2nd round picks, lol, but still Licht hit on them. Grab Bradburry, have an extra 3rd or 4th….now we’re talking. And go get Redwine with one of them.
March 17th, 2019 at 9:41 am
*unrestricted
Haha should stick to a keyboard over phone…
March 17th, 2019 at 9:51 am
Conte is a free agent. And, despite the stiff-arm, was still better than the rest of our safeties. At least Whitehead has some upside.
But yea, we need to upgrade.
March 17th, 2019 at 10:11 am
More vintage Joe shouting from the rooftops “Can’t you see the BLACK lining in that (Safety) cloud?” The Bucs Safety future lines in Evans, Whitehead, and Stewart; that is why they drafted them. The entire defensive backfield is loaded with young players just waiting to be coached and let loose. They are ready and have to be drooling to play in a Todd Bowles defense. At Safety, players like Mathieu and Buccannon had big years playing for Bowles. He knows how to maximize what they can give. It is a dream defense that highlights Safeties. He uses their speed and aggression to create big plays. The Bucs a aren’t looking for starters at Safety, they are looking for depth. Keep wringing your hands if you want Joe; just don’t drag us into your hole.
March 17th, 2019 at 10:12 am
Justin Evans is a bust considering where he was picked in the 2nd round. Whitehead hasn’t shown much. M.J. was a high second round corner who can’t play corner in the NFL because he’s to damn slow, now he’s moved to safety out of desperation. We’ve been looking for a good safety since Licht has been G.M., five years, and counting. If you don’t draft well, can’t hit on F.A.’s you to could become G.M. of the Bucs.
March 17th, 2019 at 10:35 am
Hodad 1000000% spot on
March 17th, 2019 at 10:39 am
It seems like the roster is half full with secondary.Its amazing that there is not two corners a nickle and a safety with all those bodies that can start and be at least average.
Apparently,we dont draft defense well.
Ten year playoff drought,what a shame.Its like the management gave up after 2002 and the team gradually dwindled to this level.
I cant stand the pats but they have it correct.Its easier to maintain the roster than it is to build or rebuild .
I still love the Bucs but its so frustrating being caught in groundhog day .Somebody please reset the clock.
March 17th, 2019 at 11:00 am
Again…Licht sucked at FA’s. Most GM’s do. Overpaying for players another team decided to let walk is rarely a formula for success. Most wise people believe in building through the draft although I understand that Licht was desperate working for a desperate franchise. So I understand his big mistake there.
However people here are simply WRONG about Licht’s drafting.
He…like every GM has made some mistakes and folks want to take the Aguayo mistake and have it represent ALL of Licht’s drafting.
This year is confirmation of his talent. The 2015 class was great. He had a freaking 4th round draft pick break the bank in FA despite coming off an ACL injury. He had a UDFA also cash in big time in FA!!! Bad draft picks simply do not do that.
We had to pay two OL draft picks big money which after this years orgy of overspending in FA looks again looks like excellent drafting.
Again the MAJOR question for Licht’s drafting will hinge on JW’s year. That’s not fair but it is what it is. When you have the #1 pick in the entire draft you HAVE to come away with a good player. Again I think JW will blossom this year but if he doesn’t it’s not just his career on the line but that of Licht’s as well.
Those who think Licht can’t find college talent disagree totally with Bill Belichik who knows a thing or two about player selection who PROMOTED Licht after a year of working with him.
Licht let a desperate franchise make him desperate which explains his futile foray into FA. Don’t know if he’s learned from that experience or whether our salary cap or BA made the difference but I believe this is the best FA season we’ve had since he’s been here.
March 17th, 2019 at 11:01 am
Bowles 3-4 uses (3) S’s a fair amount of the time… Looking at the roster, S depth & LB depth are clear issues….But Outside CB looks like a GLARING issue.
March 17th, 2019 at 11:05 am
Andrew Adams had 3 picks against a QB with an injured shoulder and because the pass rush was in this QB’s grill that game. Evans, Whitehead, Buchanan and Stewart are all more talented than Andrew Adams. Buc fans. Smh
March 17th, 2019 at 11:18 am
told you they should have kept Tandy. Looks like another Cluster Screw to me……5 & 11 again or worse?????
March 17th, 2019 at 11:43 am
“new safety MJ Stewart”
:: rolls eyes ::
March 17th, 2019 at 11:59 am
They’re interested in Kentrel Brice main reason he packs a punch. BA seeks a more physical football team. Brice packs a punch, in school highlights show him thump Semaje Petrine a few time when he faced him and Petrine was load. YouTube highlights show him thump Beasley so nasty.
March 17th, 2019 at 12:30 pm
If JL would have thrown a dart at the draft board he would have done better than his selections. How is it that he is still here. He must have guaranteed money from the Glazer trust and they will wait until that money is physically earned. It sure is not going to be mentally earned.
March 17th, 2019 at 12:31 pm
Brice is terrible. JJ Wilcox 2.0
March 17th, 2019 at 12:42 pm
StPete … I normally agree with you right down the line, but we apparently part ways when it comes to Licht’s drafting. Our Bucs’ ‘strategy’ for as long as I can remember has been to BUILD THROUGH THE DRAFT. Jason has had FIVE, soon to be SIX, drafts to ‘git ‘er done. And all those years but ONE (2017) he’s had a TOP-10 pick (he traded out of the Top-10 in 2018 AND 2016. IOW, he’s had the opportunities to draft HIGH, not only in the 1st Rnd, but also in subsequent Rnds.
Of note, there are 22 of his draft picks on today’s roster. From 2014 we have Mike Evans … one of the Top-3 WRs in the NFL IMO (he was drafted #7 overall BTW). From 2015 we have Jameis (#1 overall), Donovan (#34 overall) and Marpet (#61 overall). None of those 3 have made All-Pro & only 1 (Jameis) has made the Pro-Bowl … as an alternate. Altogether those 4 count OVER one-third ($64.4 mil) of our salary Cap this year.
The remaining 18 come from the 2016-2018 drafts & are thus still on their 1st contract. Several are bonafide starters & key rotational players IMO. But about one-third are on the roster because … they’re cheap OR (in the case of most high draft picks) they count too much against the salary Cap in terms of dead Cap to get rid of. Not saying VHIII should be cut (I think he’ll do much better this year if they use him at nickel), but he’s playing for us for free … his dead Cap value ($4.5 mil) is exactly the same as his salary Cap value ($4.5). Release him and his impact on our salary Cap is exactly the same. IOW, dead Cap impact is especially important when it comes to 1st & 2nd Rounders, and thus you simply can’t afford to miss on those.
Any GM should be expected to hit on 100% of those top picks IMO IF your strategy is to BUILD THROUGH THE DRAFT. That’s 10 Top-Rounds ‘keepers’ in 5 years (on average) … less than 20% of your team. IF you develop them properly, they become the backbone of your TEAM, and when they hit their 5th year, you PAY THEM because … they’re integral to your team. Those are the guys you should be able to get 8-10 years out of far as I’m concerned before you start ‘reloading’.
We’ve kept FOUR from 2014 & 2015 so we’re right on schedule (2 per year). But ‘non-hits’ in that Top group (like Aguayo who you mentioned) cost us dearly in terms of BUILDING THROUGH THE DRAFT. And that cost is having to ‘RENT’ free agents for 1-2 years. And that’s precisely what Jason has been doing, year after year. Problem comes in when you have no money (sound familiar?) and the FAs you bring in aren’t of the same caliber you could’ve had if you’d drafted well AND developed well.
I’m ALL-IN on BA & Todd Bowles & this coaching staff, but expecting them to work miracles is expecting a LOT.
March 17th, 2019 at 1:05 pm
Why are we keeping a backup TE coming off hip surgery for $7 million, and Gholston at 3.75, I know the answer, it’s cause Licht has no vision on how to build a team, McCoy is falling in the footsteps of VJAX and DrugMart overpaying old declining vets, wash repeat, but let’s blame the coaches, yes they both sucked, but the only constant is Licht, he should’ve been fired years ago
March 17th, 2019 at 1:33 pm
I agree Guzzie. How can Licht keep his job when we are A non-playoff contender with a terrible record in danger of going over the salary cap? What other sign do the Glazers need before they fire him?
March 17th, 2019 at 1:49 pm
@ndog
No….I don’t think we need a RB because of the negative posts from Joe…..
I think we need a RB because we really only have 3….
Barber, Ellington & Rojo…..
Unless you want to count….UDFA Shaun Wilson
And….if you’ll notice my draft order…..RB would be a late round pick
March 17th, 2019 at 2:53 pm
Buchanan will play the strong safety
March 17th, 2019 at 3:05 pm
@ Ndog,
I always read your post, but I think you are spot on regarding the previous regime. Clueless. We have no idea what we have in Rojo. This is the same guy who sat Peyton Barber after he had a 100 yard game to bring Dougie back. So why would he give ROJO a real shot. They played Benenoch out of position, he told you wasn’t a guard two years ago. This coaching staff was literally try to place a square peg in a round hole
March 17th, 2019 at 3:35 pm
rrsrq that’s why I can honestly see Devanta Freeman asking to be traded after next season. Lovie might have been incompetent but koetter definitely put the “K” in klueless. Idiot loathes RBs.
March 17th, 2019 at 4:34 pm
Bowles is going to fall in love with Jorden Whitehead athletic ability come training camp. He has 4 safeties on the field in some of his packages so he will see the field more. Whitehead along with M.J. and other young talent that was going to waste will flourish in this new system.