Freeman To Bucs: Call Me
June 5th, 2020
Has message for Bucs.
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians sure didn’t come across as a guy fully content with his stable of running backs in a Zoom conference call.
Thursday morning while speaking to the local pen and mic club, Arians was asked if he was looking to bolster the offensive line depth or running backs, Arians lauded his offensive line depth and said he’s seeking more at running back.
When Joe asked Arians specifically about free agent two-time Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman, Arians did not dismiss interest, saying Freeman’s price tag needs to come down.
Joe sure didn’t hear Arians say he wasn’t interested in Freeman. He certainly had the chance to wave off any interest.
Well, apparently word got to Freeman that Arians was talking about him and his asking price. Freeman said he’d like to hear what Arians has to say, personally.
I read in the media that Tampa Bay Buccaneers are interested. A number of teams are interested, but we can’t negotiate through the media, the Buccaneers can reach out to me directly ..
— Devonta Freeman (@devontafreeman) June 5, 2020
The key with Freeman, along with all other backups, is that unless they can play special teams, they are bubble guys, if they are even signed. Arians even said yesterday due to OTAs and minicamp being trashed, if the Bucs sign anyone he’s much more interested in veteran free agents who also can play special teams than undrafted rookie free agents.
Can Freeman play special teams? It’s unclear. Per Pro-Football-Reference.com, Freeman hasn’t played one snap of special teams since he was a rookie in 2014.
June 5th, 2020 at 12:20 am
Could there finally be light at the end of this sad, pitiful, lack of a proven running back tunnel? Sign him Licht! With some skillful accounting, I bet we could fit Clay Mathews on the team if he wants to come here. If Shaq or JPP go down we will be properly screwed. Saving pennies is pointless if we truly want to make a Superbowl run in the next two years.
June 5th, 2020 at 1:21 am
Is this the guy that would end the RB whining? I doubt it.
Never mind that we an improved oline, better tight-ends to help block and stretch the field….what else?… I feel like I’m missing something…..oh yeah… the greatest QB and field general of all time.
Shill Joe loves the broken down guys on the side of the road with their thumb out looking for a ride. He’s insatiable. (Exhibit A – See sophomoric monikers)
Great fabrication there. The guy caught 59 balls and 4 TDs last year. The Bucs don’t have anyone else who has done that, and they might not have anyone who can. Joe is in favor of competition. If Freeman isn’t as good as Raymond Calais or Dare Ogunbowale, then cut him. Simple as that. –Joe
In BA I Trust!
June 5th, 2020 at 1:59 am
Just like every other running back his three year window is up. Don’t waste 1 dollar on this guy. Sign a young guy. Itz a Passing league even if he was signed he will be lucky to get three carries a game.
June 5th, 2020 at 3:38 am
Call him? Seriously? If you want a new job you have to apply yourself.
Wow! You guys want this guy?
June 5th, 2020 at 6:01 am
LOL
He’s obviously “damaged goods” at this point in FA.
June 5th, 2020 at 6:45 am
Call his agent, offer damned near whatever the vet minimum would be for Freeman, let him tell his agent to hang up, move on to somebody who is more likely to be available to suit up on game day vs. rehab or IR. Look, I’m all for adding a vet RB for depth. I keep saying I hope they can get Lamar Miller or Theo Riddick in for medical examination by team doctors. Either one of them are better 3rd down RB options than present day Freeman IMO.
June 5th, 2020 at 7:00 am
New england would pickup running backs off the streets and later rounds and make them household names. This guy aint that good
June 5th, 2020 at 7:22 am
If he gets anything over 2 mil then no thank you
Just turned 45 and I have been playing sports for 40 plus of those years
My Entire body is beat up and down
My knees are in better shape then Freeman
June 5th, 2020 at 7:27 am
Bucemup
He had 2 years 2015 and 2016 wherein no major injuries
Rushed for over 1,000 yards both years with 11 tds and 11tdS
Caught over / around 50 balls both years
Averaged almost 5 yards a carry one year
To say he is not that good is a stretch
To say he is not the same player , 100 percent agree
That guys knees probably close to bone on bone
And astroturf playing in ATL did not likely help.
June 5th, 2020 at 7:30 am
Overrated!
June 5th, 2020 at 8:23 am
Damn Bird you were lacing it up at 4
June 5th, 2020 at 8:39 am
Joe absolutely right. IMO RB is a huge weak spot. You want to make the GOAT work with what we have currently at RB? Really?
June 5th, 2020 at 9:16 am
Buczilla Matthews wants to start hes not coming here.
June 5th, 2020 at 9:31 am
No Joe, here’s the way it went down, you “asked Arians specifically about free agent two-time Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman,” and “Arians did not dismiss interest.” Then “apparently word got to Freeman that Arians was talking about him…” I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the one that alerted Freeman to this conversation that you started, not Arians. I really wish you’d get off the Devonta Freeman gig. He’s not the salvation to the RB crisis you envision. With Gronk and Wirfs added to the front line, the RBs are going to have more creases to slip through. We haven’t even seen Vaughn in action yet. I may be eating my words as the season progresses, but right now I don’t see a need to add a has-been veteran RB to the equation.
June 5th, 2020 at 9:33 am
By the way, don’t you find it odd that if Freeman was the end all that you think he is, another team wouldn’t have picked him up by now?
June 5th, 2020 at 9:46 am
Freeman wants to get paid,but no one is going to pay him much garunteed.
June 5th, 2020 at 10:05 am
He turned down $4m and “toe the line” thinks vet. mim. works. Does Freeman want to stick-it to Atlanta..like Jameis did to the Bucs? Maybe he plays for $3 million but he doesn’t come real cheap.
June 5th, 2020 at 11:52 am
Perfect fit at the right price. Pretty sure he’d take less to play with TB in Tampa.
June 5th, 2020 at 12:25 pm
I am all for passing and rolling with what we have in house already. If we spend money on any bet it should be a pass rushing DE/LB.
June 5th, 2020 at 1:05 pm
2 years for 3 mil total – 500k signing bonus
June 5th, 2020 at 2:22 pm
Bucs finally in a position of strength for negotiating. Don’t overpay! DV wants to play for us. If I were him I’d see a huge opportunity to rebuild my value and compete for a SB on a prime time team. That has value and he’d likely play for much less than his current market value. Stand firm!
June 5th, 2020 at 4:08 pm
If Arians wanted a producing RB, We could have had Fournette for 4 mil. He seemed to carry some baggage though.
June 5th, 2020 at 4:19 pm
they let him walk for a reason.
June 5th, 2020 at 5:28 pm
“fernando diaz Says:they let him walk for a reason.”
——–
Because he was making like $6m a year or something. For the Bucs, this should be a vet minimum, or close to it signing, and he’d likely mainly be a 3rd down back. He’d be an excellent signing in that scenario since he can block and catch, the two things you really need in a 3rd down RB.
June 5th, 2020 at 9:12 pm
@K2
I think you missed my sarcasm:..give him an offer he’ll turn down so he’ll turn it down. I don’t want Freeman with the concussions, wear, and lack of production he showed the past couple of years. Good for him and his family on playing well for a couple seasons and getting that fat contract from the Dirty Birds. Unless the Bucs know something the rest of us don’t there’s no way I want to see the team spend what little available they have left under the salary cap on Freeman 2020.
June 6th, 2020 at 12:42 am
@Rod Munch,
I thought Koetter didn’t play him in Atlanta because he couldn’t block. Or was that just Koetter being Koetter. If someone gave him Barry Sanders, he’d probably just sit him.
June 6th, 2020 at 5:30 pm
Freeman to Bucs call me I need to get paid and sit in IR.
JOE flipped on Vea when he missed a few games his rookie year , This guy was so good he Would be signed. Waste of cap space he won’t play a while season