“Daring” Isn’t The Word If Bucs Lose Shaq Barrett
February 26th, 2021
Don’t let him pack up and leave.
Joe has no idea why people cannot grasp that there is no more important player on a defense in a passing league than a pass rusher. And if any franchise should understand this fully it’s the Bucs.
The Bucs, early in the lost decade, had a player they found on the cheap who suddenly turned into one of the better pass rushers in the NFL, Michael Bennett. But the Bucs let the guy go for no good reason, even though he wanted to stay here after an excellent 2012 season.
Bennett then went to Seattle, turned into a beast, and seemed to be the final piece of the Super Bowl puzzle for the Seahawks’ defense. Meanwhile, the Bucs immediately plummeted to become a fire hydrant in the NFL’s dog park.
The Bucs defense became a total joke for too many years after Bennett.
Now here we are with the Bucs coming off a Super Bowl win and their best pass rusher, Barrett, is a free agent. Yet despite Shaq balling out in the playoffs, Andrew Potter of BSPN seems to think Shaq is just a replaceable cog.
Potter believes letting Shaq go would be “daring.” That’s not the word Joe would use.
A Super Bowl champion one year removed from leading the league with 19.5 sacks, Barrett is on record stating it’s “time … to break the bank now.” He did add that he hopes that happens with the Buccaneers, but the Buccaneers have a lot of valuable free agents and nowhere near enough cap room to sign them all to the size of deals they are likely to demand. Of those free agents, Chris Godwin and Lavonte David should be priorities No. 1 and 2, whereas third priority Barrett is the one most likely to demand a market-setting contract.
There are plenty of potential replacements for Barrett entering free agency — the Buccaneers could lure his former teammate Von Miller from Denver; get younger with former Jaguars, Vikings and Ravens edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue; snap up Chargers veteran Melvin Ingram; or give Detroit’s 2020 breakout edge rusher Romeo Okwara the same chance they gave Barrett two years ago. If Jason Licht and Bruce Arians believe they can replace Barrett adequately with one or another of these likely cheaper options, they can let him enjoy his payday elsewhere and be no worse off.
If Potter was paying attention the past two months, he wouldn’t be so flippant about Shaq. Joe honestly doesn’t think the Bucs make the Super Bowl without Shaq. He went crazy on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship game with three sacks. And that was a five-point game.
Take Shaq out of the equation, do the Bucs beat Green Bay?
Then look at the Super Bowl, Shaq chased Pat Mahomes all over the field and Mahomes could never set up and throw like he wanted to. The Chiefs could only muster three field goals.
Shaq is damn near an invaluable player. If the Bucs are truly serious about repeating as Super Bowl champs, letting Shaq go for no good reason is simply unthinkable.
In Joe’s eyes, there is no more important free agent on the Bucs. Shaq is priority No. 1A, Chris Godwin No. 1B and Ryan Succop is No. 2.
Please Bucs, don’t repeat history.
February 26th, 2021 at 5:12 am
Shaq will be back & Suh. He was unstoppable in the playoffs. Keep the D-line together is #1 priority…(it’s hot down here)
February 26th, 2021 at 5:28 am
Have to keep Shaq. This is where Licht and Greenberg earn their money. The Bucs need to get creative and make this happen.
February 26th, 2021 at 6:21 am
I predict there will be such orchestrated restructuring that this team’s core will stay intact for the next THREE years…long enough for Brady to complete his previously-unwritten-about life mission of “putting a f*ck*ng ring on all ten fingers.”
— Toddradamus
February 26th, 2021 at 6:34 am
I’ve said it before. Unfortunately, I really think LVD is the odd man out here.
February 26th, 2021 at 6:37 am
So let me get this straight.
We are going to spend $32 million on 2 players?
Godwin – $15.3
Shaq – $17
That’s more money than we currently have available…
Let’s be more realistic please.
February 26th, 2021 at 6:40 am
@Joes … “Take Shaq out of the equation, do the Bucs beat Green Bay?”
The answer is ‘No’ IMO, but there’s an ancillary question that goes with that: ‘Take Suh & Vea & JPP out of the picture, would Shaq have been THAT effective?’ My answer to that is ‘No’ also.
It’s the 4 of them TOGETHER that makes our DLine dominant. Rodgers got sacked FIVE times in that game. Yes, Shaq had 3 sacks, awesome. But JPP had the other 2 sacks. Why? Because Suh & Vea set it up so they could hunt (along with a couple of our key rotational guys). Dominance IMO is always a TEAM EFFORT.
Go forward 1 game to our SB victory. Chiefs’ OLine shut down JPP, but Shaq still got 1 sack. But guess who really dominated; yup, Suh with his 1.5 sacks. That just showed me that even if an opponent can stop a couple of our DLinemen, the others can STILL dominate.
I’m convinced though that BA & JL already know that far better than any of us. Shaq AND Suh aren’t going anyplace.
February 26th, 2021 at 6:45 am
There are to many posters on here that think shaq is not worth it. He was a one hit wonder.
So he goes from around 19 sacks to almost 10 sacks
Dont forget he missed the last game with covid.
Shaq should be priority #1. He is 28.
Shaq got his almost 19 sacks on the right. So they move him over to the left to accommodate jpp who everyone loves too. You dont think if another team gets him that he wont go back to his dominant right side. Seems like a no brainer to me.
——
It comes down to shaq’s mindset. If it is only about money then he is probably gone. What i mean is if he only cares about 20 mil per and could care less if his team goes 5-11 each year then he is gone
—-
But i dont think shaq is wired like that. I think he cares about his production and being happy and winning. He likes that bowles lets him do his thing. And whats awesome is both shaq and bucs need the other.
Your right joe …i dont think bucs get past a few teams with shaq in playoffs / superbowl. Defensive ends all get their sacks, but name others that are fast enough to literally run down mahommes and rodgers? You have to put the qb on the ground. Shaq did not get as many as last year. But led league in pressures and that throws a qb off too. We’ve had to many years of qbs dropping back and having all day to do whatever they want. No db can cover a receiver for that long.
And on the flip side , shaq needs the bucs. You think he is as productive playing on another teams nobody line for big bucs? If he is the only star on a so so other dline , most opponents would just double w tight end and / or chip from running back. Shaq can get his numbers here and production with the best cast of characters in the business. Suh, vea and jpp. And we got vea for 2 more (hopefully healthy) years.
February 26th, 2021 at 6:46 am
You’re^^^
February 26th, 2021 at 6:52 am
Next to White, Shaq is best def player. The answer is NO, you don’t beat GB and if you do you don’t beat KC without him. Let’s not forget Washington. Big hit to defense if Bucs lose him.
February 26th, 2021 at 7:03 am
We absolutely have to keep this defense together……Shaq, LVD, Suh….in that order….
Then, do your best to fill in the pieces of the offense…..we have most of it under contract.
I think they are trying to keep both Godwin & Shaq…..but that would likely negate most of the rest of our FAs….
February 26th, 2021 at 7:12 am
* Trade Mike Evans
* Sign Godwin
* Let Shaq walk
……………….you can’t keep em all now
February 26th, 2021 at 7:23 am
We could Tag him again, but as you can see in the post below, he wants a long term deal.
contract: One year, $15.8 million (franchise tag)
Spotrac market value: $19.7 million average annual salary
There are several star Buccaneers set to hit the market this offseason, but make no mistake, Shaq Barrett is Tampa Bay’s marquee free agent. If anything, Barrett’s play in the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl only solidified the fact that he’s in for a large payday – if not in Tampa, then somewhere in need of an edge rusher.
Barrett, 28 years old, said so himself in a recent radio hit with Adam Schein on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio.
“I’m most definitely looking forward to getting a long-term deal done. I feel like it’s time for me to break the bank now, and I most definitely want to do that to be able to set my family up better and most definitely going to keep producing, so it’s not like anything is going to fall off. I still think I got a lot left in the tank … I ended the season playing the way that I wanted to play. And you can see that I did progress throughout the season, and I’m still progressing … I do still want to have a great fit for me and a great fit for the family. So whatever that, like, that turns out to be. But I do want, I want to be, I want to be here. I think we got a great team here, a great organization here. So we will definitely go on just to see how it works out and shake up.”
February 26th, 2021 at 7:30 am
Although very difficult to accept……a trade of Evans would get us something….we get nothing if we don’t sign Godwin….
I’d hate to trade Evans…..but that, or trading D. Smith is one way to free up enough $$$ to sign both Godwin & Shaq.
February 26th, 2021 at 7:42 am
What about the guaranteed money the Bucs owe Evans?
If we trade him aren’t we still on the hook for his guaranteed money?
February 26th, 2021 at 7:50 am
Succup is a nice kicker. But despite our recent misadventures, it’s easier to find than a half of fame DT or a should-have-been multiple pro bowler.
Succup is easily behind LVD aNd Suh. Not even close.
February 26th, 2021 at 7:50 am
Over the Cap is showing @ $16.5 million salary for Evans with @ $13.5 million in dead cap money…
Wont we still be on the hook for the $13.5 million if we trade him?
February 26th, 2021 at 7:53 am
Cornerstones of the defense for the next 7 years: Vita Vea, Shaq, Devin White, Carlton Davis, and Winfield. Mix and match the other positions as needed each year.
On offense: Entire o-line, Godwin, Tb12/quarterback of the future.
February 26th, 2021 at 7:59 am
Sorry but the most dispensable player is Godwin. The receiving core is solid, pick up a 3rd down back and let Fournett go, that’s the answer. I don’t think trading Evan’s is the answer the guaranteed money could be an issue plus he is more than areceiver, he’s a leader, player respect him. No other answer. Godwin’s impact in the PO’s actually was hindering versus helpful. Love to keep him but not worth the $. This time don’t listen to Brady.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:00 am
Agree with Joe. Pass rushers are hard to find and there probably won’t be a viable replacement available at pick 32. A sideline to sideline LB probably will be. Shaq has to be priority #1…. Trading Evans, age 27 and in his prime, would be dumb.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:19 am
Trey Hendrickson is rumored to be on the chopping block in ‘Nawlins.
I don’t want Barrett to go anywhere, but if it happens there are alternatives.
I trust Licht, Arians, and Bowles on this one.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:21 am
Marine…..
Nope….the money travels with the player……guaranteed or not….
I don’t think an Evans trade is going to happen….just throwing it out there……a way to get a good draft pick & get rid of a big salary……allowing us to keep Godwin.
I’d rather trade D. Smith & move Wirfs to LT & draft a RT… but with a 14.2 mil salary and only one year….we wouldn’t get much for Smith.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:23 am
@TBBF, are you sure about that? There are so many rules, its hard to say, but I think “Dead Cap Money” of $13.5MM would stay with the Bucs
February 26th, 2021 at 8:24 am
Jason … Interesting premise. Five ‘core players’ on defense (providing leadership at each level) … nice; could live with that. Seven ‘core players’ on offense … nope, not in the cards. Those 12 players, plus say 1 ‘core S/Ts player (kicker?) would break the bank. Those on their 2nd/3rd contract (all of them eventually?) would all be making over $10 mil per year, and at least 1 (the franchise QB) would be close to $30 mil. So for that ‘core’ of 13 players you’re talking AT LEAST $150 mil per year in salaries, probably significantly more than that for a championship roster.
NFL salaries strike me as a ‘damned if you do; damned if you don’t’ dichotomy. Talented players to compete for a championship cost big bucks, so you should always be sitting right on the edge of the salary CAP. But if you actually WIN the championship, players’ values go UP & UP, making it harder & harder to afford them. So do a good job of managing your salary CAP & coaching, and you can win the Super Bowl & sit as King of the Mountain … for about one month until free agency starts & then you have to ‘pay the piper’, get thrown off the mountain, and climb it all over again. Bummer. But that’s what makes it so hard IMO to repeat as SB champion in consecutive years.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:28 am
Senor harry
Yup. Dead money stays with team. Eagles took a huge hit with even trading Wentz.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:29 am
Wow. Per last post
Eagles taking a 33.8 dead cap hit even trading away wentz
Holy smokes.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:32 am
I really hope we get Shaq back. I love the 1,2 combo between him and JPP. In the draft I think we really need to target a 34 DL. Suh is older, Gholston is a great buc but not getting any younger.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:33 am
The absolute reality of it is, the Bucs are NOT going to keep everyone; I doubt they can keep “5 of 6” BA said. Currently, I think the Bucs have $25MM to play with. Lets say they get that up to $35MM by restructuring contract and some cuts (like cutting OJ for $6MM). Here is what we have:
Market value for the following per Spoctrac:
Barrett $19.7MM/yr 4 year deal
Godwin $17.2MM/yr 4 years
LVD $12.7MM/yr 3 years
Those 3 by themselves are $15MM+/- over what we might have to spend.
If they let Godwin go, as I speculate they will bc our WR group is very deep, do the Bucs have enough to sign both LVD ($10MM?) and Shaq ($16MM?) and still leave room for Suh $6MM?), Gronk ($8MM?), AB ($4MM?) and the other 20+/- FAs? I don’t think so.
I know Shaq sucks (according to some), but the Bucs have NO ONE to replace him. Shaq stays. He is part of a great defensive front with Suh, JPP and VV
February 26th, 2021 at 8:33 am
Vea is the X factor on our D-line. Shaq and JPP disappeared for the most part without him
February 26th, 2021 at 8:34 am
Every QB the Bucs play is endorsing C Godwin to get tagged or signed and Shaq leaving lol, Because they want the Bucs weakened lol. DO NOT think the Mgt is blind to the fact of LIFE WITHOUT A PASSRUSH. Just ask the Bills. Right now Buffalo lacks a pass rush, and they were toyed with by Mahomes before the Bills walked to a losing locker room after the AFC Championship. In GB, Rogers eats the Rams alive in the Division Rnd of the Playoffs but suddenly encounters a pass rush from the Bucs and he goes to the loser’s locker room after getting beat in the NFC Championship Game. Without the front 7 generating a passrush the Bucs would not have won the Super Bowl. Keep the front 7 intact and the Bucs will stay on track. Mess with that and you mess with another Title run. GO BUCS!!!!!
February 26th, 2021 at 8:45 am
No Shaq, no ring.
He has to be the priority!
‘Nuff said
February 26th, 2021 at 8:47 am
Dead cap money might stay with the Bucs…..???
February 26th, 2021 at 8:49 am
Senor Harry … Dead CAP is one of those ‘What you talking about?’ thingies that seems very nebulous. You find lots of answers on the internet to the question ‘How exactly does dead cap money work in the NFL and what happens to that money if they cut or trade a player?’ Here’s my favorite answer to that question from a guy named Jason McDonald (only because I could finally understand it … a little):
“This is going to be a little oversimplified, but most NFL contracts have three main components.
o Salary is the yearly payment the player receives for each year of the contract.
o Signing bonus is one-time money paid at the time the contract is signed. It’s basically the main/only form of guaranteed money in the deal.
o There are also performance-based bonuses which are a little tricky, but are also small compared to the first two numbers. So I’m going to give you the simple version without performance bonuses, and then circle back to them at the end.
A player’s salary cap figure is his salary, plus an annualized portion of the guaranteed money. So if I have a five year deal with a $10M salary and a $30M signing bonus, my cap figure is $16M: $10M salary + ($30/5 = $6M) for the signing bonus. “Dead cap money” is money that the player has received that has not yet been booked against the salary cap.
Now let’s walk through that deal by year.
o Year 1: The player has received $40M from his team ($30M signing bonus, $10M salary), but only $16M has been allocated to the cap, so there’s $24M in dead cap space.
o Year 2: The player has received $50M ($30M signing, $20M salary), and now $32M has been allocated. $18M in dead cap space.
o Year 3: $60M paid ($30 SB/$30 salary), vs. $48M… down to $12M.
So if that hypothetical player is cut or traded after Year 3, that remaining $12M is charged against the cap as “dead money”. Parenthetically, this is why you see a lot of people get released on June 2 — June 1 is considered the start of a new league year, so most the cap hit gets moved to the following season.”
February 26th, 2021 at 8:52 am
Vea is the best player on the Defense not White. I love White but Vita Vea just makes the D-Line hum. Those that say Shaq disappeared without Vea, you are right, but that means that JPP and Shaq can get the double-teams they deserve. With Vea in the lineup, you have to double him first. You probably can’t pay Shaq what he’s worth but it will be a HUGE loss.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:54 am
Still not addressing Tyrann Mathews miserable attempt to damage Brady’s career? It was on 2 sports Networks. Its not a secret.
It was a disgusting thing to attempt.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:55 am
Even if you give the Bucs $40 million in cap space they still don’t have enough to sign LVD, Shaq and Godwin.
The real cap space figure will be @ $20 million after they sign their draft picks.
We will be lucky to get Succop, Gronk, AB, Suh and David back.
Plus another 15-20 free agents.
Not to mention a QB2.
February 26th, 2021 at 8:55 am
IMHO Shaq is way more important than Godwin. The Bucs have AB, Miller & Johnson to replace Godwin. Who can replace Shaq? NOBODY
February 26th, 2021 at 8:58 am
If you think I am wrong please show me what you think the Bucs will do this offseason.
Make sure you include all the salary cap numbers and do the math.
Just saying you trust Licht and AB to get everyone signed is very shaky logic…
February 26th, 2021 at 8:59 am
I wish Shaq never said break the bank. It seems the opposite of the way Godwin is going about this. They will both make their money. It’s a nice line to say we’d have no Super bowl victory if he wasn’t here. But the truth is we simply don’t know. It’s the chicken and egg thing. Was the design of the defense such that a good player like Shaq could perform and in some cases overperform such as last year? Or could we have success with any above average pass rusher in this defense? it’s a question that likely won’t be answered unless we lose Shaq and replace him with another above average pass rusher. I prefer to keep him but as we all know it will be tough to keep the entire band together.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:06 am
I thought Shaq was way more important to winning than Godwin. If it comes to one or the other Bucs need to take Shaq.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:07 am
@Defense, Not sure that is quite correct. But this is why Mike Greenburg makes the big Bucs (pun intended) – it is complicated. I think Dead Cap money is a combination of mostly (not totally) two things.
First, to be clear, annual salary typically goes with the player when traded. There are exceptions in a trade where the team trading the player will eat some of that year’s salary – this amount would be included in Dead Cap money.
Outside of that, I think it is (1) a prorated portion of a players signing bonus. If a player has a 3 year deal, his Dead Cap money is 1/3 each year. (2) if a player received a performance bonus, such as Brady just got about $3.5MM for a performance bonus on top of his annual salary of $25MM, that is added in. Brady’s cap hit to the team this year is $28.5MM+/-, unless he is traded; in he were traded his cap hit is the $3.5MM assuming the other team pays all of his salary
February 26th, 2021 at 9:13 am
The Bucs will re- sign the starters on D. Brady’s extension will allow them to sign Godwin and Gronk. Evans, Succop and D Smith aren’t going anywhere.
Fournette and others will get paid elsewhere and the challenges for Licht and Arians will be how effective is the depth of the roster.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:18 am
@Marine, I agree. There is no way the Bucs can sign CG, Shaq and LVD. No way. In fact, with what we are looking at, would it shock you if only one of them got signed? Not me.
With $40MM you sign (keep in mind, these are all guess AND ALL at a discount):
draft picks ($6.5MM),
LVD? $9MM,
Suh ($6MM),
Gronk ($8MM),
AB ($4MM),
Succop ($3MM)
That ($3.5MM) does NOT leave enough to sign the other 15+/- role players. This is going to be a very interesting offseason.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:22 am
Couple things to remember about the Packer and Chiefs Games: Packers were without Starting Left Tackle and same with the Chiefs!
Maybe more import was the return of Vea. Imo, that was the key to the pass rush those last two games. Joe pointed out in earlier post about Pacers Center Lindsey being dominated by Vea.
Where was the pass rush the last 6-7 games of the regular season???? I want Shaq back but if he leaves for the Big Bucks, I’m not sure it would be the end of the Tampa pass rush.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:29 am
Carl Nassib and Hump are good examples of what other teams are willing to pay mediocre players. Nassib left us making $2-3MM and signed a contract with the Raiders for $35MM. Hump got a deal for $36MM, $12MM guaranteed.
The Bucs are going to have a TOTALLY different roster next year.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:37 am
@ Senor
Agree 100%. My only hope is the entire free agent market will be severely limited this offseason because there will be @ $400-$450 million less dollars available throughout the entire NFL.
Most teams with large cap space available do not have a starting QB (like Indy).
It will be an very interesting offseason indeed.
I see a lot of extremely cheap one year deals… It is fortunate we have Tom Brady and just won the SB. I believe there will be several valuable vets that will want to play here.
I dont see us signing Godwin or Shaq.
February 26th, 2021 at 9:49 am
You make very good points Marine -I also agree with you 100%. So that makes us the smartest ones in the room?😎
Sad, but I think you are right about CG and Shaq. I previously made a case for keeping Shaq over LVD and got a lot of criticism for it. But surely one can see the argument for that. I love David, but he is 31 and a MLB, not an EDGE.
Who knows…
February 26th, 2021 at 9:54 am
Letting shaq walk would be a mistake he’s a great rusher. but the problem is he’s not worth 20 per year. 20 per year is reserved for top tier edge rushers like von Miller in his prime JJ Watt in his prime Khalil Mack etc It just seems to me that shaq needs additional help to be a Premier rusher and without that help he can’t get the job done. we saw in 2019 when teams started really paying attention to him, he was completely shut out for a large stretch of the year until JPP came back
February 26th, 2021 at 10:27 am
Only so much money can be gained by restructuring players….we have already restructured Evans & Marpet, I believe.
Some could be gained by extending contracts for D. Smith, Jensen, Brady, JPP…..
We could save with Gronk & Suh by offering 2-year deals…
Marine & I are in total agreement…..without being negative….all the restructuring in the world won’t allow us to afford most everyone.
For me, it starts with the defense…..Shaq, LVD, Suh
I’m going to Brady & saying….”You’re the GOAT, get it done with what we piece together on offense”
February 26th, 2021 at 10:28 am
Does it really make sense to sign one player to $17 or $19 MM, other than a QB and even Brady is on the cheap? New England is in same scenario as Indy was, lot of cap space but at least $20-$25mm has to go to QB if you want a decent one or roll the dice in the draft. Way too much $$ for 1 player. No one has talked about JPP, he’s $12.5mm, they should look at him to restructure like Evan’s. Absolutely no room for Lenny and if you can keep Brown with a bump?, that’s a no brainers, he is the BEST receiver Bucs have, he’s just started.
February 26th, 2021 at 10:30 am
1) sign shaq
2) let godwin go and get AB and Gronk to take team friendly deals – they want to play with brady
3) resign suh
4) resign lvd
5) let fournette go if he gets good offer elsewhere and sign a good undervalued receiving back like others said.
Godwin for $16-18m is the most replaceable if you have mike evans, ab, scotty miller, and tyler johnson still.. brady is used to winning sb with much less wr tale talent than that
February 26th, 2021 at 11:53 am
I too hope Shaq returns- I also think that Shaq gets too much personal credit where more should be put on the players around him that contribute to his ability/performance. No doubt he is a beast- but his play slid when Vea was out. That D line makes anyone’s game in that position easier. Let him get paid, let that team not get the ROI they expect (by not having the same caliber of players around him), and let some other, cheaper player come in and ball out. Any of those other guys mentioned would be just as much a beast- maybe more???- than Shaq has been.
February 26th, 2021 at 12:11 pm
@Senor Harry … “Outside of that, I think it (dead CAP) is (1) a prorated portion of a players signing bonus. If a player has a 3 year deal, his Dead Cap money is 1/3 each year.”
You’ve now got me confused. I think that’s what he said about the prorated signing bonus. You included the Performance Bonus in addition, but I intentionally left that off of his quote because it’s normally a much smaller factor, can get really confusing, and his explanation was really lengthy.
Bottom line to me is that Mike Evans isn’t going anyplace, with or without dead CAP. I love Chris Godwin, but we can only afford so many big $$$ contracts. For the most part, we’re stuck with the ones that’ve already been negotiated UNLESS we trade or release those guys. Since our high-dollar guys are ALL great performers who were key to us winning the SB, I can’t see the Bucs kicking them to the curb.
I think that the NFL has now entered an era where its own success is choking it. These owners have multi-billion $$$ franchises, and yet the salary CAP goes up comparatively little each year. And this year it might actually go DOWN. Goodell & the owners are looking at revenue vs expenses and undoubtedly saying ‘Woe is us’ to the players. Reality is that even in this COVID year, the value of their franchises more than likely went UP considerably. It’s called ENTERTAINMENT … and the competition in that arena is shaky at best.
February 26th, 2021 at 12:22 pm
Shaq NO. Godwin YES.
I really can’t believe how blind people are to this situation. SHAQ CANNOT DOMINATE WITHOUT THE OTHERS!!! Lavonte can. Devin can. Shaq can’t. Especially Vea., who is injury prone. I’ve made it clear multiple times. Without Suh, who is one of the best inside pressure DT ever, may not be back and JPP, who’s contract is up after next year and will want to get paid to return.
Do I have to remind everyone that our oline is the most expensive and played lights out this year. You wanna see Ali or Jensen walk or have to be cut in the next few Brady years because you gave Shaq a Donovan Smith contract?
Godwin is one of the best all around WR in the league. Being honest and sad to say, the Bucs might go in a different direction when Evans contract is up. I think they’ll treat him with respect and not trade him before that. I really think Tyler Johnson is something special. He looks like Godwin’s little brother with his hands and powerfulness to get YAC. Building through the draft, especially with BIG time players still under rookie contract (Vea, White, Wirfs) that will deserve and cost much more than Shaq. What happens when we sign Shaq to a four year, $18M/year contract? We end up in a much scarier situation than Shaq and Godwin.
1. LVD
2. Godwin
3. Succop
February 26th, 2021 at 2:04 pm
Funny how Brady has never broken the bank,so to speak,and still has a ton of money and a long career….and wins!!….maybe he is the only one that realizes its a.team sport….he is the difference here,not arians,not Shaq….without Brady, no playoffs ….Brady told all these guys how to win and it worked…sure they did their part but we know why they really won…so let them hold out for a few more.dollars from a losing team
February 26th, 2021 at 8:22 pm
Hissy Brady is married a woman who makes a hundred millon dollars a year . So he was able to take pay cuts so I will not be mad if these guys go after the money they deserve it . Because the moment they get hurt or slow down then you will be the first to say cut him !!
February 27th, 2021 at 1:08 pm
As I said a few days ago, the Bucs made a similar mistake letting Bennett walk thinking he could be replaced. They then struggled to find a replacement for years, and coincidentally their secondary was hot garbage as well. We all know pass rush and pass defense are linked. As much as we all love David, Godwin and others, Shaq has to be the priority and my thought is if you can’t get a deal done, you tag him at 120% of last years tag bc even at that price, it will likely be less than what he would get on the open market. At least that buys time to strike a long term deal with him. Don’t forget, JPP only has 1 year left as well, and is also aging. Barrett needs to be retained!!!!