Buyer’s Market
May 14th, 2020
Sale on RBs?
Former Bucs scout and Jets director of pro player personnel Pat Kirwan always likes to describe the coming three months or so as the value season.
If a team still has a hole on its roster, now is the time to shop, sort of like summer is a good time to shop at Bill Currie Ford (there really is no bad time) as the new model cars and trucks are coming in and Tampa’s first family of Ford is looking to move inventory.
Why is now a good time to shop in the NFL? Most teams have had their holes filled by the first two or three rounds of free agents and draft picks. So dudes still looking for work will drop their price or risk being on the sidewalk when training camps open.
Looking at the best free agents still on the market, Matt Bowen of BSPN is trying to play matchmaker. And he sees a player still under 30 who had very good seasons but has yet to find a landing spot. Bowen believes Tampa would be that place.
The player is two-time Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman.
The receiving traits would be a boost to Tom Brady and the Tampa offense, and Freeman also could share carries in a committee approach with Ronald Jones, who showed flashes of his potential last season, and rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
Bowen’s collaborator over at the four-letter, Field Yates, also thinks Freeman, 28, is a good fit on the Bucs.
This is a fun fit. I know they’ve made running back investments this offseason, but I’d love to see Freeman on a one-year deal. He’s an excellent pass-catcher and a tough-as-nails pass-protector who could help them right away.
Now Joe hasn’t heard that Freeman is a good pass blocker; maybe Joe just heard wrong.
Let’s think about this a moment: Joe has long hoped the Bucs would both draft a running back and sign a running back. The Bucs drafted Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Freeman could be the free agent.
Freeman, not counting his injury-shortened 2018, had two bad years in Atlanta. Both were playing for former Bucs coach and current and past Dixie Chicks offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter.
We all know that when Koetter was head coach, for reasons not quite clear, he couldn’t develop or didn’t have a run game. Coincidence that Freeman’s two bad years were with Koetter?
Joe thinks the Bucs just might buy low and sell high on Freeman. As bad as the Bucs running game has been, why fully bank on an untested rookie and a veteran in Ronald Jones who, at best, has been inconsistent?
May 14th, 2020 at 9:10 am
because Lieutenant Dan has a better pair of knees than Freeman
May 14th, 2020 at 9:10 am
Clay matthews for 1 year 3.5 mil
Brady couod make the deal get done
On rotation with JPP and Barret
And bucs draft edge rusher and qb next year
May 14th, 2020 at 9:11 am
The graham tram
Thats hilarious and pretty true
😂
May 14th, 2020 at 9:14 am
I heard Freeman’s lack of pass pro in crucial times was an influence as to why Atlanta lost the Super Bowl against the Pats.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:24 am
Rojo….working on passes in off-season….
Rojo….4.2 yards per carry projected to 15 carries per game would be 1008 yards……I will continue to point this out..
Rojo wasn’t inconsistent….he was unused……
May 14th, 2020 at 9:24 am
Makes a lot of sense. I thought he should be someone the Bucs targeted at the start of free agency(assuming the price is right).
If the Bucs could sign Freeman on a one year at $1.6MM and OT Demar Dotson for 1 year at $1.6MM. The Bucs would have two good locker room guys that provide depth in case there are injuries.
Go make it happen Jason Licht. If you are “all in” then go get these two insurance policies.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:25 am
He whiffed his assignment on Hightower in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl. It resulted in Matty Ice being strip fumbled… I know one play doesn’t define ones career but that kind of mistake is something teams will look at for a long time.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:30 am
Lt. Dan? Well played GT.
And that is the question. How much does Freeman have left in the tank. Now that it’s a buyer’s market I wouldn’t mind an exploratory offer to gauge interest.
The price should be right and we’d have a three back offense which is something I support. Other than contract/cap considerations there is very little downside to this gamble.
I remember writing off Frank Gore over and over and over again…and every time he proved me wrong. If Freeman has “Gore knees” he may turn in a great year…if as you suggest he has “Lt Dan” knees……….
May 14th, 2020 at 9:39 am
If the Bucs really want to be all in this season, the top 2 guys they should be looking to bring in, would be none other than Jadeveon Clowney or Everson Griffen.
Yes. We have 2019 Sack king Shaq Barrett, and of course we have JPP. And who else? A 2nd year player who had a injury shortened season and has nothing to offer but potential? Will Gholston who is only good against the run?
We have ZERO depth at edge rusher. ZERO! If either JPP or Barrett goes down with injury or turns in a lackluster season, we’re right back to where we were last year before JPP returned. When teams double and triple teamed Shaq all game long and he was shut out 3 weeks in a row.
Signing either Clowney or Griffen rules that scenario out of the equation. Both are bonafide studs and would go a long where towards ensuring this team makes it to the finish line. And a rotation of either one to go along with Shaq and JPP would transform our rotation of pass rushers into one of the better units league-wide.
As far as RB is concerned, personally i’d prefer Lamar Miller or Carlos Hyde over Freeman.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:44 am
With wait money???????? Licht bulb traded away and mismanaged the cap so bad, there is no room????? To make a move, one first has to figure out who will get cut or a major demotion and pay-cut/restructure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s time to herd the sheep, and put t them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 9:54 am
Tell that to the Saints…
You can always restructure contracts and pass dead money on to the next season when you’re making a run at a title.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:56 am
That’s beautiful! 🙂
May 14th, 2020 at 9:56 am
El buco you are just like ndog a whiny doomsayer. Did you read the article yesterday where a lot of professionals where saying we had one of the most complete rosters in the nfl. To have a complete roster you have to completely use up all your cap space because good players aren’t cheap. What should he have done differently. Not take a swing on a future hall of fame tight end for 10 million. If he returns to 80% of the gronk he was he will be worth every penny. And we could easily get money on his deal by signing him on a two year 16 million deal with 10 million of it in a signing bonus. Just saved 5 milllion. Can restructure can save 3 million. Can long term sign Shaq save about 9 million there’s 17 million we can get back. We could restructure with any of are three high priced offensive lineman get another 8 million. The cap is not a problem. It’s people like you who just see we have 3 million in cap space and we are done now. If we really wanted Clowney we could come up with the 15 million to sign him. But I don’t see that happening I see him bringing in a couple younger prospect guys that are 53 man roster cuts and bringing them in on minimum salaries and see what they can do.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:58 am
@ bird
I agree. We need depth at outside LB and Mathews would cheap, productive and a great locker room presence as well.
Too bad they can’t afford to bring in LT J. Peters. Slide Rookie Wirfs to RG for one season. If Peters can still play that would be a very solid O-line.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:59 am
Here we go again with then”waiting moderation” BS…
Come on Joe!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 9:59 am
I would endorse this move!
May 14th, 2020 at 10:00 am
@jeffbuc
The “real” question, is how many games will it take the sheep to “realize” that the Bucs did not get a pro bowl TE but just a “reality” star??????? How many games to figure out he can not run anymore and does not have the heart to be an effective blocker anymore?????????
Some of the sheep will say next offseason, that ” he just needs to be in year two of ole stale biscuit’s offense”!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s time to herd the sheep, and put them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 10:04 am
because Lieutenant Dan has a better pair of knees than Freeman – Masterpiece
May 14th, 2020 at 10:10 am
Lmao 😂 LT Dan
May 14th, 2020 at 10:27 am
Freeman is so toast — we might as well bring back Blount!
May 14th, 2020 at 10:27 am
@ Joe
Ever since I stated “F China” a few weeks ago I have been under “moderation”…
Just a coincidence I guess…
May 14th, 2020 at 10:29 am
Rats, thrown into the dungeon for questioning the dungeon master. Apparently there’s more to it than just poking the mad scientist.
May 14th, 2020 at 10:49 am
[As always, you accuse someone incorrectly of committing a felony who never stood in front of a judge much less been pinched, you will be run. Joe should have pulled the trigger bragging you got run once before. Joe’s in a nice mood this morning otherwise he would have hit the goodbye button. Mind your Ps and Qs. — Joe]
May 14th, 2020 at 10:52 am
No way I can see us affording Clowney. Freeman? Well, he might be on the list. Past Rojo and Vaughn the chart looks mighty thin.
May 14th, 2020 at 11:02 am
SC the salary cap ban be and is manipulated by teams every season. The Saint’s being a prime example.
May 14th, 2020 at 11:02 am
@ defense
Lol…
May 14th, 2020 at 11:15 am
Didn’t the franchise, John Lynch is GM of, just win the NFC with undrafted RB Breida, undrafted RB Wilson and undrafted RB Mostert?
We have RoJo and just added Vaughn and 7th round pick Calais to the mix with Dare still on the roster. Let’s spend the remaining cap Dollars on bigger needs than RB.
May 14th, 2020 at 11:16 am
The Gruden era Bucs were notorious for taking fliers on veteran’s who were released from their previous teams and occasionally it worked out very, very well. Do the 2002 Bucs win the Super Bowl without Keenan McCardell at WR and Roman Oben at LT? How do fans feel about the Joey Galloway signing? How about Jeff Garcia or Antonio Bryant? There are a lot of examples of Bucs who found productive roles after being given up on by another team. Even if Freeman didn’t have much left in the tank signing players like him to a low risk contract seems like a worthwhile gamble.
May 14th, 2020 at 11:26 am
We’ve all seen Devonta Freeman. He is a tough runner and hard to bring down but you seriously have to ask yourself, why did they let him go? There has to be something up. I personally would like to see him here if he’s got something left.
May 14th, 2020 at 11:27 am
I’m kinda’ wishing that Joe wasn’t in a good mood this morning……
May 14th, 2020 at 12:14 pm
realist
Mind your Ps and Qs. — Joe
WHO’S YOUR DADDY!!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
GO BUCS!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 12:18 pm
Koetter dooms ALL RB’s. Sign Freeman for a 3 deep backfield on the cheap!
May 14th, 2020 at 12:51 pm
I guess its the Joe who doesnt like me….my post went into moderation 3 hrs ago and he’s been here, and it still isnt showing…oh well, just a beer post.
May 14th, 2020 at 2:14 pm
“The Graham Tram Says:
May 14th, 2020 at 9:10 am
because Lieutenant Dan has a better pair of knees than Freeman”
Post of the year!
May 14th, 2020 at 4:23 pm
Jason Licht hates running backs… He always has! this would be a great insurance signing, Licht will spend the money on some backup linebacker or guard that will never see the field.
May 14th, 2020 at 5:18 pm
TBBF, right there with you.
May 14th, 2020 at 7:03 pm
How low does Larry Warford asking price need to drop before tweeking a few salaries to fit him?
May 15th, 2020 at 6:23 am
Sign this dude Licht! Freeman is a legitimate starting running back which is something that we are sorely lacking. Wishing and hoping that Vaughn or Rojo will break out this year is beyond dumb and irresponsible. They have the talent and potential to be good, but counting on it happening during Superbowl run is risky as hell.