A Cairo Santos Return?
March 7th, 2021
While Joe loves Super Bowl kicker Ryan Succop and how he restored long-lost decency to the Tampa Bay kicking game, Joe realizes the Bucs might have better options.
Joe certainly would re-sign Succop, who turns 35 in September, and not test fate. But Joe is not in charge.
It’s likely Succop will want $4 million per season, the going rate for a top-tier kicker. However, the Bucs may not want to invest in a long-term deal in an older player. And suppose that clashes with Succop’s desire and demand?
Former Buccaneer (2018 & 2019 preseason) Cairo Santos is 29 years old and is coming off a history-making season for the Bears.
Santos made 27 consecutive field-goals last season, a new Bears record, and kicking conditions aren’t always pristine in the Windy City. He finished the season drilling 94 percent of his field goals and 97 percent of extra points. Succop was great and delivered in the playoffs, but his numbers were a step below Santos.
Joe’s wondering aloud whether the Bucs’ comfort level in Santos as a person, in addition to his age versus Succop’s, might have them looking at him in free agency.
A long-term deal for Santos would mean the Bucs could save a bunch of salary cap room this year if they doled out a fat signing bonus and kicked cash to Santos down the road.
That might be a more attractive play for Bucs officials rather than doing the same for Succop at his advanced age.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:08 am
Please don’t gamble on the kicker position anymore, don’t even jinx talking about it.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:17 am
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Succop is our guy! I feel like I can walk to the fridge and grab a beer when he’s kicking. That’s confidence.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:32 am
The Bears think about Santos as the Bucs think about Succop.
A dealio through 2023 with some guarantees would make sense and save some cap $$$.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:37 am
This would be stupid. There’s a reason Santos didn’t make the Bucs team. He couldn’t beat out the Gay kicker. Don’t dissle around, keep Succup.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:39 am
Swamp Buc I think Gay was given that job based on costs and he was a draft pick. I can’t believe that competition was at all fair.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:42 am
Ryan Succop made 28 of his 31 FG attempts in the regular season. And oh ya, he went 9 for 9 in the playoffs this year. And 35 isn’t old for a kicker (ask Matt Bryant).
$4 mil a year for a 4-5 yr contract would be a great deal … for the Bucs. Don’t fix what’s not broken. This is a no-brainer.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:50 am
It was such a pleasant Sunday morning until you had to mention “Kickers”!!!
March 7th, 2021 at 9:51 am
Leave it alone. Keep Succup
March 7th, 2021 at 9:53 am
It aint broke….dont F$#K WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 7th, 2021 at 9:53 am
Succop is down the middle all day. I remember that old ass Matt Bryant. And why would Santos cost less if he’s younger and had better numbers? Don’t mess with success. Especially with the kicking game.
March 7th, 2021 at 9:55 am
Defense Rules Says:
March 7th, 2021 at 9:42 am
Ryan Succop made 28 of his 31 FG attempts in the regular season. And oh ya, he went 9 FOR 9 in the PLAYOFFS this year. And 35 isn’t old for a kicker (ask Matt Bryant).
$4 mil a year for a 4-5 yr contract would be a great deal … for the Bucs. Don’t fix what’s not broken. This is a no-brainer.
AMEN DR you nailed it. That says it all , WHY TRY AND FIX SOMETHING THAT WAS FIXED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MEMORY. Again like Shaq and the pass rush, no need to screw up a good thing. GO BUCS!!!!
March 7th, 2021 at 9:59 am
Save the $ and sign Santos. There is no guarantee Succop is as consistent next season. If there is a comparable option for less this is a no brainer go for it. Godwin, LVD & Shaq are far more important.
March 7th, 2021 at 10:00 am
Why would Santos (with better numbers) want less than Succup? For the same money (or close), why change horses?
March 7th, 2021 at 10:11 am
Succop went 9 FOR 9 in the PLAYOFFS this year, he is proven, ink the man to a deal, and Shaq too. GO BUCS!!!
March 7th, 2021 at 10:15 am
LEAVE IT ALONE! Given the Bucs kicking history you wouldn’t think we’d even be thinking about tinkering with the kicking game. Toward the end of last season, after the horrors of season’s past faded, I never even got anxious about FGs and Extra Points in games. Just sign the man and let’s move on to the real problem. How do we keep Shaq, Godwin, and all the other top 8. And keeping Succop is not part of the Salary Cap problem.
March 7th, 2021 at 10:20 am
Well. The Bears might have something to pay about that.
March 7th, 2021 at 10:57 am
No. No. No.
Say it to me Santos: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
March 7th, 2021 at 11:03 am
With our history at the kicker position, a long-term deal on ANY kicker may not be the best investment of $$ resources. Max I’d go would be 3 years, though I’d prefer a 1-2yr deal at that position considering…
March 7th, 2021 at 11:15 am
I’d sign Succup before LVD or Lenny.
2-3 years tops.
March 7th, 2021 at 11:33 am
2 words joe…
donald igwebueke…
oh i just love saying his name!
March 7th, 2021 at 11:36 am
matt gay seems to have straightened things out in los angeles
March 7th, 2021 at 11:52 am
Keep Succop because he doesn’t suck up.
March 7th, 2021 at 11:55 am
Past performance is not an indicator of Future returns in anything. Life, Stocks, Football.
March 7th, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Productivity gets rewaarded, pay the man–(Succop)
March 7th, 2021 at 12:23 pm
That article was stupid & not even worth reading. Where do they find these clowns to write some of these articles?
March 7th, 2021 at 12:27 pm
Oh gosh here we go again. We never learn from our mistakes. Please just sign Succop and keep the good mojo going.
March 7th, 2021 at 12:49 pm
Cario Santos? Im not even comfortable with Succop changing his cleats. Ill pass.
March 7th, 2021 at 1:04 pm
The team has historic documented problems with the kicking game for over a decade. After all this years Succop brought very good results. When you find something that works just stick with it there is no need for change. No need for even a discussion about change. Just resign him.
March 7th, 2021 at 2:45 pm
Joe you do not know what you talking about.
March 7th, 2021 at 2:50 pm
This article makes no sense.
March 7th, 2021 at 3:00 pm
It will come down to how much Tennessee is going to offer him. He wants to play for the Titians or the Bucs. Tennessee is close to his family and familiar. The Bucs will need to make a significantly higher offer. I think the Bucs may end up having to franchise him if they want to keep him that bad. I really liked our STs kicker too, Joseph but he got poached by some team during the playoffs.
March 7th, 2021 at 3:18 pm
I’d like to see the Bucs keep most of their free agents, including Succop. It’s comical to me, however, the people who want to put one of the Bucs best players (Chris Godwin) out with the trash because “you can find a receiver anywhere”. When it comes to the kicker, though, “Succop is THE ONLY kicker who can make kicks, he needs to be kept at ANY COST!”. Yes, the Bucs did have kickers who sucked and Succop was/is good. Chris Godwin is still a more valuable football player, IMHO.
March 7th, 2021 at 3:19 pm
Succop was good, except for extra points where he missed a ton of them. Is he worth $4? Probably not, he was good but wasn’t special in a year where there were a ton of good kickers. However an easy way to make some cash is to cut the overpaid punter, he’s literally not a good punter and yet is making like $3m or something. Just get a cheap punter and then never punt, problem solved.
March 7th, 2021 at 3:33 pm
Things that have a less than 1% chance of happening:
1) The Bucs franchise tagging a 34 year old kicker.
2) The Bucs franchise tagging Chris Godwin, then trading him for a first round pick. What sense does that make, trading a player that fits the Bucs offense so well?
March 7th, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Joe in Michigan.
Let me remind you of Succops value to the Bucs with the following list…..
– Roberto Aguayo
– Kyle Brindza
– Nick Folk
– Matt Gay
– Chandler Catanzaro
March 7th, 2021 at 4:03 pm
This is logical but the risk is just too much! Pay the kicker and stop playing games.
March 7th, 2021 at 4:20 pm
tbbucs3: I’ve been a Bucs fan for a long time, I remember those kickers and that they weren’t good. Succop is/was good in 2020. My question is this…Do you think Succop is the only kicker that can make kicks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
March 7th, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Keep the one who’s getting it done…
March 7th, 2021 at 4:40 pm
Just no! Keep my Carolina boy in a Bucs uni. Clutch when it matters most! The last time we messed with it we lost Bryant and look how long that haunted us.
March 7th, 2021 at 4:50 pm
Capice is kaput, but Succop is super. Re-sign the man! He won’t get that much on the open market.
March 7th, 2021 at 5:02 pm
Nope, Nope and Nope. Don’t screw with a good thing, pay the man and leave it alone.
March 7th, 2021 at 5:17 pm
Oh hell no, with our history let’s stick with the one that was clutch when it counted and PAY him….
March 7th, 2021 at 6:16 pm
I want Succop back, too. I’m just preparing you guys if the kicker of your dreams signs with another team. Does it have to be another Ndog/Jameis situation, with you crying the blues if Succop leaves?
March 7th, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Ah. We’re at the time of year when suggestions are made when there is little chance of it actually happening. I don’t envy sports writers right now.
March 7th, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Joe in Michigan Says:
“I’ve been a Bucs fan for a long time, I remember those kickers and that they weren’t good. Succop is/was good in 2020. My question is this…Do you think Succop is the only kicker that can make kicks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?”
According to recent history? Yes.
March 7th, 2021 at 6:56 pm
We have had a string of terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE, kickers until we got Succop. He MUST be resigned.
March 7th, 2021 at 7:38 pm
Tampa Bay fans LOVE Succop!!!
March 7th, 2021 at 8:48 pm
Don’t forget about Patrick “The Leg” Murphy!
March 7th, 2021 at 9:10 pm
Apparently JBFers have forgotten 2018 when Santos was our Bucs kicker for the last half of the season. Hit on 75% of his FG attempts with us that year (9-for-12) but was only 1-for-3 on FGs beyond 50 yds. Next year we had a competition and our rookie, Matt Gay, won it because he had a bigger leg. Cairo went on to play for Tennessee, where he hit on 44.4% of his kicks (only half a season though).
Santos had a great year last year with Chicago, but his career average (83.1%) is virtually identical to Succop’s (83.0%). Question with both of them should probably be … Was 2020 just an anomaly, or is that what whoever signs them for 2021 what they should expect going forward?
March 7th, 2021 at 10:33 pm
There is no drama with succop, he was always down the middle. He was money. Sign him!
March 7th, 2021 at 10:33 pm
Gay was the greatest kicker in Bucs history… if he doesn’t single handedly lose two games for the Bucs last year, they’re 9-7 and Winston is back at QB and Brady is never signed. So Gay, indirectly, got us a SB.
Nothing against Winston, I still had the Bucs going 11-5 with Winston but losing in the 2nd round of the playoffs, Brady is the GOAT for a reason.
March 8th, 2021 at 12:45 am
No. No. No. Just no. We finally got someone that can kick at RJS. Don’t f*** with it