Bucs Sign Super Bowl Safety
August 13th, 2019
Joe’s having a T.J. Ward flashback this morning.
It also feels a bit like the spring, when the Bucs evaluated their secondary and determined they better load on defensive backs in the draft.
Today the Bucs signed former Broncos Pro Bowl and Super Bowl safety Darian Stewart, who has been on the street since he was cut in March.
Stewart, 31, is entering his 10th NFL season. He’s got 91 starts and 130 games under his belt.
He spent the last four seasons with the Denver Broncos and broke into the league with the Rams before playing a season with Baltimore in 2014.
Stewart was due about $5 million this season so Denver cut him. Joe won’t be quick to dismiss Stewart. The safety market has been wacky across the NFL in the past two years. And Joe is unaware, as of now, what Stewart’s contract demands have been — or what the Bucs are paying him.
Regardless, Bucco Bruce Arians and Jason Licht saw an injured Justin Evans, an injured Mike Edwards and inexperience in Jordan Whitehead and Isaiah Johnson. And they picked up the phone — and it wasn’t to call Chris Conte.
August 13th, 2019 at 9:26 am
Conte literally got stiff armed out of a career. #Contehate May have had some truth
August 13th, 2019 at 9:29 am
We resigned TJ Ward?
August 13th, 2019 at 9:30 am
How is Derwin James doing so far in his carreer? I think he would have been a pretty great safety especially in Todd Bowles scheme. Maybe james gives shout out to jason licht during his speech in canton.
August 13th, 2019 at 9:36 am
Not a good comparison. TJ Ward had nothing left, he was also brought in to play some lame brained Zone/Cover 2 D after years in Wade Phillips system. TB and Phillips have a similar philosophy and is a sensible pickup. I also watch a lot of Denver games, and I can assure you that Stewart is still a good player. IS he still 5 milly a yr good? No. Otherwise he would’ve been scooped up, but this is as quality of a depth pickup as you can get and thats precisely what the Bucs needed
August 13th, 2019 at 9:39 am
Probably a good signing if we got him for $2 mil or less…..
August 13th, 2019 at 9:39 am
And……our roster is nowhere complete…..
August 13th, 2019 at 9:43 am
Had a feeling Todd Bowles would want more experience in his Secondary, especially at Safety. Bucs have some excellent rookies & 2nd year guys, but we lack for experienced leadership back there … for the time being. Here’s hoping that Darian Stewart can fill that need for us.
August 13th, 2019 at 9:56 am
Stewart was brought in as a backup and to give advice to the young guys.
I don’t think BA intends to give him the starting reigns unless he flat out is better than the young guns.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:08 am
i wanted marcus gilchrist but i think he signed with someone yesterday….he wouldve been a good fit…played in TB scheme when he was with the jets….
DS is serviceable….
GO BUCS!!!!!
August 13th, 2019 at 10:17 am
PPL are still in the comment section complaining about not Drafting Derwin James… its been over a year now guys get over it and get behind this team.. simple as that.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:31 am
I doubt this one cost much, so it’s a good signing. He did have injury issues last year though.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:31 am
Difference is TJ Ward was a desperation signing for any semblance of a starter.
At least this year Whitehead & Edwards have looked legit and Bryce/Evans/now Stewart are better depth than 6 Contes
August 13th, 2019 at 10:32 am
@Teflon Don: Hear! Hear!
August 13th, 2019 at 10:32 am
Gilcreast FS played for two years for the Jets under Bowles but opted for Stewart due to the need for more strong safeties as the team has plenty of healthy free safeties.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:35 am
I wish everyone would shutup about not drafting Derwin James…….
Yeah the bucs whiffed on him and Gump is an idiot but let dead dogs lye..
August 13th, 2019 at 10:42 am
Great news, BA is doing what it takes to win. I expect more shuffling prior to the start of the season. RT and RG for depth, maybe a DE and a RB ?
Bottom line is that we finally have a HC that is going to do whatever it takes to win and isn’t going to settle for mediocre performance.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:45 am
930000$ min salary for nfl safety 9 year veteran sporttrac.com
August 13th, 2019 at 10:48 am
Wonder why no one beat us to him, especially that have the cap space to get him closer to what his numbers were. But I’m glad they did something to respond to the weakened depth. Save some $$$ for that O line and line. Definitely don’t want to see them deal Brate for that.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:52 am
Conte simply could never show his face again after that stiff arm.
August 13th, 2019 at 10:57 am
Keep trimming the fat and adding potential! Darion Stewart has had a playoff game winning pick and he’s also picked off that guy #12 up there in New England, not bad… What’s the rest of the tape say… Say’s enough for Todd Bowles to sign him up, LETS GO BUCS!!!!!!
August 13th, 2019 at 11:10 am
For someone named “Teflon Don” it seems the Derwin James comments are sticking on you in a way you find annoying, which is the opposite of “Teflon”.
August 13th, 2019 at 11:23 am
Can’t compare play of any player between Smith’s lame, has-been scheme and Bowles
August 13th, 2019 at 11:50 am
Not to defend Conte but fans complain when players don’t play injured then when they do and it gets exposed they laugh and say how bad he looked. Give the man a break.
August 13th, 2019 at 11:57 am
I doubt this staff, and Todd Bowles specifically, has any tolerance for paycheck slackers.
August 13th, 2019 at 11:57 am
Glad to see they are active. I am hearing 2.6, inclusive of incentives. I just hope it’s not another money grab for an out of date veteran. That’s what we always seem to attract.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:08 pm
Stanglassman- The funny part about #ConteHate is that people forget just how much worse the secondary was after his um, “injury”!!!
Now, this doesn’t say much for the Bucs roster, but he was the best safety on the roster before his injury.
Good signing.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:13 pm
@d-rome i don’t argue with guys over the internet rather make $$ thanks for noticing my comment
August 13th, 2019 at 12:15 pm
Geez ppl get over Derwin James he’s not on our team. We didn’t get him so end of story
August 13th, 2019 at 12:21 pm
This guy was a full time starter for Denver. One of the greatest defense in the past decade.
Bet your ass this guy can be a solid player. Nothing to be overly excited about but it is comforting knowing we have capable depth….at least at one more position.
I do not expect this player to resemble anything of T.J. Ward. Ward consistently blew his assignments on the field, was not held accountable & set back onto the field to blow more. This new coaching staff will not tolerate that. Especially for a seasoned veteran.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:22 pm
Derwin James is a safety. Derwin James played at FSU. Derwin James has not missed a game. Derwin James was a top 100 player last year. Derwin James was passed up for a DT who plays 12 games a year at best and only if the weather is cool outside. Derwin james is not a buccaneer but we’ve drafted and signed at least 4 safeties since passing on Derwin James the Safety from FSU.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:27 pm
Anybody thinking about D.James has their head completely up their rear end. VitaV is our player and is where the attention should be.
Derwin James is just an excuse being utilized by the crybaby’s and whiners of our fanbase. Guaranteed if these same people didn’t have James to use as their fuel they would use something else. They will always find something to cry about because they are babies.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:33 pm
“When you have a incompetent GM
your always refilling potholes
This is not the recipe of a winning and successful franchise
But of a continuous 5 win team”
Kobe Faker
August 13th, 2019 at 12:34 pm
DB55 Derwin James and VitaV have been in the league for one rookie season. Neither were drafted for one season and have a entire career ahead of them.
You take your guy and I’ll take mine. I will enjoy following mine cause he’s a Buc. I hope you enjoy following the Chargers. And I bet mine has the more dominant career………..Oh and guess what. I saw your little player on time last year and it was in a playoff game. In that game he was a complete stiff and didn’t make one play as his defense was completely embarrassed………My guy will make the playoffs soon and when he shows up don’t come crying to me about stats or NFL Network lists……I’ll take the guy who shows up in the big games Thank You Very Much…………Also bite me.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:39 pm
Kobe the potholes you are talking about are injuries. That’s why we made this move………..So you are blaming the GM for injuries now.
Is that how low you have sunken now dude? Don’t you even realize how much more absurd your posts get by the day?
I know you can do better and make more valid points. I’ve saw it before.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Chris Conte got ragdolled. That was the end of his career.
August 13th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
Conte was ragdolled. That was the end of his career.
August 13th, 2019 at 1:18 pm
I’ll take the guy who shows up
————
If that was the case then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
August 13th, 2019 at 1:35 pm
One year, $3 million plus incentives sounds fine by me. Pro Bowl/Super Bowl vet showing our young secondary how to work. Nice. And I’m assuming Bowles and Licht made this deal because he can play in Bowles defense.
August 13th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
We all know if we had drafted James he’d probably also be injured and we’d be having the exact Sam signing. It’s a bucs life lol. Vea would be healthy and on another team and probably droy last year
August 13th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
@ DhustyRhodes
All an FSU Homer would make such an ignorant comment.
August 13th, 2019 at 2:30 pm
I bet he ends up starting. Todd Bowles defense incorporates a lot of blitz and stunt packages; in other words, a lot of risks. We have to have a smart veteran safety back there to cover our backsides.
August 13th, 2019 at 3:11 pm
Yeah your right JOE! we should NEVER sign another Safety again in life….
August 13th, 2019 at 3:39 pm
Derwin James = who fk’n cares
August 13th, 2019 at 4:01 pm
Nole fans are cumdumps.
August 13th, 2019 at 5:54 pm
I have no problem with this signing with the question marks we have in the secondary. We need the depth.
August 13th, 2019 at 7:57 pm
I’m still pissed we drafted Mc Can’t over Junior!! Let alone all the piss poor drafts we have had the last 10 years! Poor drafting has killed this franchise for ever. One hall of game draft Sapp / Brooks changed the history of this pathetic team! So don’t tell me not to bitch about the missed draft picks year after year after year!
August 13th, 2019 at 8:11 pm
Derwin James should gave been a no brainer for 45 I Q Gump.
August 13th, 2019 at 9:05 pm
So Derwin James played at FSU. What does that mean? Vea was picked due to the dwindling production of one number 93, who also happened to be taking too big a bite out of our salary allotment. James is a a player, but we have been pushed around for far too long upfront. We needed to get tougher, stronger and bigger. Guy is hurt, but he had a hell of a run at the end of the year. The fact that some of you are already thinking we blew this pick makes me wonder how sharp Buc fans really are. Take your college homer hats off boys. The NFL recruits the whole country.
August 13th, 2019 at 9:08 pm
My god. Derwin James again? Hey guys, the NFL recruits the entire country. Take your homer hat off and give Vita a chance. He was the right pick. We had an overpaid, underperforming DT that needed to be upgraded. Give it a chance boys. Go Bucs!
August 13th, 2019 at 9:41 pm
Not about James . About 35 years of always getting it wrong.
August 14th, 2019 at 12:24 pm
Darien Steward is a good pickup. But what’s going on with conditioning. We selected 3 secondary draft picks this year and a couple the year before and a handful of free agents. What are we going to do next year pick 5 secondary picks?
August 14th, 2019 at 12:27 pm
2020 draft select the safety from lsu #1. Then sign a shutdown corner as a free agent.