Checking In With Demar Dotson
April 15th, 2020
Ira Kaufman’s column is presented by Bill Currie Ford, where the stunning offers and 0% interest rates are waiting for you. Click on Ira to visit BillCurrieFord.com, where GM Sean Sullivan will help you personally and give you a JoeBucsFan discount.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
He’s still out there, waiting for that fateful phone call.
For 34-year-old Demar Dotson, free agency has been kind of a drag.
More than a month has passed and he’s still in free-agent limbo while fellow right tackle Jack Conklin cashed in quickly with the Browns on a 3-year deal worth $42 million.
“This is my first real time as a free agent — and I had to wait until I was almost 35,” Dotson told me. “There’s a lot of younger talent out there getting some big money. I wish I could have gotten some of that gravy when I was younger, but God’s been good to me.”
The Jets showed some interest last week, but no concrete offer materialized, so Dotson and his agent continue to wait and wonder. The chances of Dotson returning to the Bucs were diminished when Tampa Bay signed veteran lineman Joe Haeg from the Colts.
Right tackle Demar Dotson talked to the Jets but remains without a team
And when the 2020 draft gets underway next week, right tackle looms as a position of need for the Bucs.
“I’ve been blessed beyond measure,” said Dotson, who signed with the Bucs in 2009 as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Miss. “I feel great and I know I can still play, but I don’t want to play for chicken scratch. I’d love to come back to One Buc — this is home. The last thing I want to do is up and move.”
Since becoming a starter in 2012, Dotson helped to keep pass rushers off Josh Freeman, Mike Glennon, Josh McCown, Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick. While he was never known as a fierce run blocker, Dotson was dependable on the field and well respected in the locker room.
He’s been waiting out free agency and the coronavirus from his Tampa home, keenly watching the dynamic offseason moves of the Buccaneers.
“They just signed the greatest quarterback ever in Tom Brady,” he said, “and I think he’s got a lot left in the tank. He’s going to make their entire offensive line better because Brady gets the ball out so quick. He’s not going to hold that ball and he hasn’t had receivers like this since he was throwing to Randy Moss.”
Dotson’s timing in Tampa couldn’t have been worse.
Demar Dotson says Tom Brady will make the entire offensive line better
He arrived just as the franchise was ordered to conduct a veteran purge following the dismissal of Jon Gruden. Raheem Morris hopped on a coaching carousel and the next 11 seasons were marked by little continuity and a whole lot of losing. The Bucs have won only 35 percent of their games since 2009 and now the team’s longest-tenured player appears to be moving on.
“I never cared about individual goals,” Dotson said. “What I wanted was an opportunity to compete in January. Other guys have told me that the playoffs are a whole different atmosphere, where every snap matters. I hope I get to experience that before I’m done with this game.”
Dotson harbors no regrets toward the franchise that gave him a chance at the pro level. He predicts big things ahead for his former teammates and success for Jameis Winston with a change of scenery.
“I love the coaching staff here and what Coach Arians brings to the table,” he said. “Brady has weapons. The Bucs have two great receivers and a young tight end with lots of talent. I can see Brady helping O.J. Howard elevate his game to the next level.”
No matter what the future holds, Dotson will always keep tabs on the Bucs.
You don’t spend 11 seasons on the same team without forming strong bonds … on both sides of the ball.
“In the second half of last year, our defense played well,” said Dotson. “We’ve got some good veterans over there and you have to love Devin White. This kid’s young and energetic and he approaches the game with a sense of urgency. You can already see the leadership qualities in him. He’s definitely going to be the leader of that defense.”
April 15th, 2020 at 12:33 pm
just a little too late dotson….
GO BUCS!!!!!
April 15th, 2020 at 12:55 pm
Vet minimum depth signing……for someone……..maybe Bucs…….good guy.
April 15th, 2020 at 1:14 pm
Bring him back
April 15th, 2020 at 1:17 pm
I do think bringing him back for depth would be a good thing.
April 15th, 2020 at 1:18 pm
Let’s see how the draft goes. If we don’t get an OT until the 3rd Round or later, Dot might be an option. Jason Peters would be an option, too.
April 15th, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Bring him back, but not it 10 million a year or whatever it was he made
April 15th, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Feel kind of sad reading about a good guy putting in so much time with a crappy team, just to miss out on the turnaround to winning. This story plays out many times over the years, though.
When you consider his underdog status entering the league, Demar has done pretty well, all things considered. Good luck to him!
April 15th, 2020 at 1:31 pm
OT: I keep reading that Tua may drop out of the Top 10. My question is, what do you think the Bucs would do if he is still there at 14? Do they select him or get a nice collection of draft picks and trade down?
April 15th, 2020 at 1:31 pm
Dotson will probably find work after the draft. He will be solid depth for a team maybe the Bucs.
I agree with his statement – Tom Brady will make the offensive line better because he gets rid of the ball much faster than Winston did. This is true.
April 15th, 2020 at 2:01 pm
Why does everyone always forgets about Cam Brate but always mention Howard?
April 15th, 2020 at 2:16 pm
If you want to upgrade the run game, leave the sentimental stuff at home.
Bucs need a RT that can create holes for the RB’s, unless you want to keep blaming Licht, Coaches and RB’s…
April 15th, 2020 at 2:49 pm
Scotty: I guess it would depend on Tua’s medical reports. Teams would have to think he’s in bad shape to fall out of the Top 10 (or even past Miami at 5). If all he needs is time to heal, the Bucs would be one of teams that could give him that.
April 15th, 2020 at 2:49 pm
Minimum vet….depth purposes……Anytime!!!. Great teammate!!!
April 15th, 2020 at 3:05 pm
One of the Good guys. I wish him well in whatever he does.
April 15th, 2020 at 3:08 pm
Bucs should sign him at the minimum. He would be a very valuable swing tackle. Let this man who is been a great Buc finally enjoy a real shot at a Super Bowl.
April 15th, 2020 at 3:24 pm
I hope we can resign him as a backup at least.
April 15th, 2020 at 3:29 pm
C’mon, Dot. Sign with the Bucs for the vet minimum and be happy about it.
April 15th, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Dotson should’ve been done after 2018.
April 15th, 2020 at 4:08 pm
Good guy. Wish him well wherever he ends up.
April 15th, 2020 at 5:07 pm
Wonder if it’s easier to sit at home as a QB looking for. A job
April 15th, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Itz fine just resign the proven veteran. I trust Dotson enough and Brady even more to get rid of the ball quickly. Draft a WR and go for the juggler.
April 15th, 2020 at 5:48 pm
Hope he stays as a backup and gets reasonable backup money but he’s no longer starter level. Would love to see him get that playoff experience! Suffered as long as we have as fans. Brady can’t get OJ to elevate his game…the new coaching staff didn’t put our two super talented TE’s to good use and a lot is on them for that, but when OJ did get his chances he made too many errors and didn’t have the same toughness like say Godwin. So he needs to work 10 times as hard as he has
April 15th, 2020 at 7:03 pm
“I don’t want to play for chicken scratch.”
O, to be an NFL player. I wish I lived in a world where “chicken scratch” … a paltry amount of money that I would turn my back to and gag … was $1.045 million a year (10 year vet min).
April 15th, 2020 at 7:20 pm
those words about devin white without being prompted sounds great for the future of this team!
April 15th, 2020 at 9:17 pm
I’d love it if he stayed till he retired. But we are definitely bringing in new OLine this year, simply because we don’t have a full squad up front right now.
However, I’m really starting to wonder if our Bucs will use the #14 pick to take one…
The people in charge have histories that we can all look up.
Would this be a prime example of the kind of influence that Brady can have on a team without even saying a word?
April 16th, 2020 at 1:34 am
Bring him back!
Backup swing tackle. Right and Left.
April 16th, 2020 at 4:14 am
Can see him back. Bucs OL depth is thin!