Trey Flowers Still In Play?
March 4th, 2019
Update.
Joe is of the belief that either by hook or crook, by free agency or draft, the Bucs should acquire a starting defensive end.
Please, let’s lay off the Carl Nassib liquor. He’s a nice, OK player but c’mon, only once has he had more than three sacks in a season and that was last year. Yeah, he’s versatile and seems to get pressure. But until last year he was just another Will Gholston. If the Bucs weren’t so desperate for pass rushers, it’s unlikely he would even be on their roster. Nassib has to have another year or two like last season before Joe is a true believer. A nice player but as a member of the Bucs’ football operations told Joe when Nassib was coming out of Penn State, right now he’s a JAG (Just A Guy).
Well this morning, mock draft-scowling, L.L. Bean-wearing, Second Amendment abolitionist, Mike Florio-arguing, parrot-insensitive, chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal picture-taking, video game-playing, Taylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training social activist Peter King of NBC fame wrote that it sure smells like Belicheats defensive end Trey Flowers will hit free agency.
I love this factoid. In 2015, the Patriots used an early fourth-round pick, the 101st overall pick, on Arkansas defensive end Trey Flowers. He has played for the Patriots for four seasons, collected 26.5 sacks, and has a chance to be a very good to great edge player for the next few years. Of all the front-seven impact players with bright futures who could be free Tuesday, there’s a good chance Flowers will be the only unrestricted free agent; the Patriots don’t usually break the bank for their own free-agents at the top of the market (see Nate Solder), so I would expect someone (the Jets, perhaps) to pay the 25-year-old Flowers somewhere around $17 million a year. If so, the Patriots would be likely to get a 2020 third-round compensatory pick in return … that pick will be very close if not right on the nose to number 101 overall, five years after New England used the 101st pick on Flowers. So now you see one reason why the Patriots have become a NFL continuum.
Well, if Flowers is getting $17 million, it’s bye-bye Gerald McCoy. Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht last week in Indianapolis at the NFL combine was given multiple chances to say GMC is a lock for the roster, but he refused.
The Bucs are in a salary cap pinch and if the Bucs were lucky enough to sign Flowers, the only way they could fit him under the salary cap would be to wave goodbye to GMC.
Of course if the Bucs do sign Flowers, the Bucs are in an excellent position at No. 5 to draft GMC’s replacement in Houston freak Ed Oliver.
Not only would Flowers and Oliver boost the defensive line big time, but the best way to hide an awful cornerback is with a pass rush. And as the Bucs’ roster is currently constructed, there’s an overabundance of nickel corners.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:12 am
Wouldn’t it be cool to get Q Williams and Flowers?
March 4th, 2019 at 8:17 am
Not gonna happen. The Bucs are in no position to spend big $$$ in FA.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:18 am
My goodness…..Carl Nassib was just drafted in 2016……you make it sound like he’s been around a while…..
And…..at $17 million for Flowers….I think Nassib is a bargain…..
So….we cut GMC for a DE?……..I’m OK with a restructure with GMC or a trade to save his $13mil…..but only if we draft Q Williams or Oliver.
Just where are we going to find $17 mil and do all the other things needed in FA to shore-up this team?
March 4th, 2019 at 8:21 am
Definitely a lock the Bucs go defense in the round 1. Draft is loaded, Hope Licht doesn’t get cute and trade back.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:31 am
And cut by the Browns — the Browns!
If the Bucs have a chance at Trey Flowers or Josh Allen and they pass because of Carl Nassib, Team Glazer needs to order a drug test of everyone working in football operations.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:33 am
$17M? For Flowers???
He’s had 7 sacks per season the last 3 years – and is now worth $17M per year??
So if Nassib does what he did last year – for 2 more seasons – then HE will get $17M per year???
March 4th, 2019 at 8:33 am
Tampabaybucfan — In a 3-4 base defense, it is more than likely that McCoy will be the DE in that type of defense. A DT in a 43 vs 34 are two very different things. I think the fact that Bowles runs more Nickel than anything else is why McCoy and JPP are still here. Both are tough fits for a traditional 4-3 front. Flowers, however, has been running a hybrid type of D with Billicheck who runs multiple fronts like we now do.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:33 am
Tre Flowers would be a fantastic pick up… but make sure you write an article that just says…. TREY FLOWERS IS A 6 SACK A YEAR PLAYER. HE IS NOT A 10 SACK A YEAR GUY. DON’T HATE HIM AND CHASE HIM OUT OF TOWN AFTER 1 YEAR BECAUSE HE ISN’T SOMETHING ELSE.
Then draft Brian Burns at 5 as an OLB and this D will be cooking with gas up front.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:34 am
*traditional 3-4 front
March 4th, 2019 at 8:39 am
17 million dollars for a pass rusher who has just 26.5 sacks in a four year timespan. THATS NOT GOOD ENOUGH! The pats are letting him walk for a reason Joe. Seems like which ever Joe wrote this has some liquor in his coffee. Just STOP!
March 4th, 2019 at 8:43 am
Then I don’t get the Nassib hate either. Flowers and Nassib are the SAME PLAYER and will put up the SAME NUMBERS. So signing Flowers makes no sense just like the crazy AB to Bucs rumors. Joe you are better than this.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:44 am
Why would you pay flowers 17 mil a year for 7 sacks when we are paying gmc 13 mil a year for 7 sacks ? You drop gmc to add other pieces and draft , draft , draft his replacement + then some….I swear sometimes these Joe’s are just as bad as goof balls on these comments in this tread
March 4th, 2019 at 8:54 am
Flowers has 21 sacks in 4 years – not 26.5 sacks
2015 – 0 sacks (played in 1 game)
2016 – 7 sacks
2017 – 6.5 sacks
2018 – 7.5 sacks
March 4th, 2019 at 9:19 am
It is a little troubling that Stroud has the scoop of Bucs tagging D Smith just now…
…and @Joe didn’t.
C’mon.
Go Bucs!
March 4th, 2019 at 9:24 am
Just wait and see, Nassib is the real deal. No to Flowers. To expensive.
March 4th, 2019 at 9:42 am
Yes…Nassib was cut by the Browns……so what?
My comparison was Nassib’s $2mil vs Flowers’ $17……
No…..Nassib isn’t enough….we need another DE…..but not $17mil.
Draft one…..
March 4th, 2019 at 9:49 am
17mill!! Pass
March 4th, 2019 at 10:17 am
17 mil for a player who hasn’t reached double digit sacks…what?! No thanks! Save that cash to beef up the secondary and use the draft for DL help!
March 4th, 2019 at 10:25 am
Nassib was cut because the Browns have Emanuel Ogbah and Miles Garrett not because he couldn’t play. Last I check the Bucs don’t have that type of young pass rushing talent on the roster. To pay a guy like Flowers based on potential is not smart. Look at Johnson, Curry, Gholston by the Bucs or the Vernon signing with the giants if you need a reference. I’d rather spend the money on a proven product in free agency or draft a guy early.
March 4th, 2019 at 10:41 am
Ed Oliver should be the pick regardless if GMC stays or goes….im hoping frank clark hits FA….
sign 1 DE and 1 G via FA….
draft trenches 1st 3 rounds then draft a RB,LB and CB
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
March 4th, 2019 at 11:30 am
Trey Flowers measurables are way more than sacks. Did you consider Forced Fumbles ? Did you consider Tackles For Loss? Did you consider the immense amount of knowledge and professionalism gained from playing for the best coach in NFL history and the value of that being passed on to his buc teammates? I think not.
You have to start building a line with a solid foundation like Trey Flowers. Without a solid Oline and Dline forget about winning now or ever. Joe has the toughest job in the world putting up with the 80% DOLT RATE. Bravo Joe for your effort and ethos.
March 4th, 2019 at 12:45 pm
We could’ve had Trey Flowers on a rookie deal for the past 4 seasons but the garbage GM traded the pick to New England for a nearly-retired guard in Logan Mankins as the Bucs were about to embark on the worst record in football at 2-14. Now Joe wants to give him 17 million a year. It’s a Bucs life.