Patriots Sniffing Nacho
March 18th, 2021
Bill Belicheat appears to be coming for yet another Buccaneers interior defensive lineman.
Last year, it was Beau Allen, who Belicheat pounced on in free agency, but Allen got hurt and never took a 2020 snap.
Now, per Patriots beat writer Mark Daniels, New England’s big cheese is interested in Bucs Super Bowl starting DT Rakeem Nuñez-Roches as a free agent.
The Bucs and Patriots have had an interesting connection at the position over the past 10 years. Who could forget the Bucs eagerly pouncing on Albert Haynesworth when he left the Patriots in 2011. And you probably don’t remember Chris Jones. The Bucs cut him as a rookie after training camp in 2013. He landed in New England and quickly made 22 starts and had nine sacks in his first two seasons.
Joe hopes Nuñez-Roches, 27, finds a way to stay in Tampa, though he’s certainly not a priority. That designation goes to Ndamukong Suh. But Nuñez-Roches had an excellent season. He answered the bell big-time with 11 starts in the regular season after Vita Vea broke his ankle in October.
Savior linebacker Devin White even boldly said Nacho was as good as Vea.
The Patriots might not be done adding to their defensive line.
According to a source, the Patriots have shown interest in veteran free agent DT Rakeem Nuñez-Roches. He started 11-of-16 games for Tampa Bay last season. https://t.co/Y5OkVZ9UrW
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) March 17, 2021
March 18th, 2021 at 12:14 am
He’s a solid depth piece but he might have a chance to deservedly get a nice raise. It would be hard to blame the man for accepting. Admirable play from him when Vea was out. I would obviously love to keep him but he is depth here and he may be a starting piece elsewhere with more money to gain.
March 18th, 2021 at 12:27 am
tom destroyed bill in their one on one matchup…
now bill is going crazy in free agency to try and come back strong vs. tommy next year…
the saga continues for bill…
bill is obsessing and has lost much sleep…
but he is slow to the boat…
the game is already over…
tom won and has moved on…
now he’s going for 2…or maybe a trifecta…or in a dream world, a ring for every finger
March 18th, 2021 at 12:29 am
i bet nacho wants to stay here in tampa…
but the offering might be too good to turn down to go play for icy bill in ice cold new england
March 18th, 2021 at 12:37 am
He’s probably not making jack squat here, different from all these guys and their big contracts, he will leave for a few extra million, who could blame him.
March 18th, 2021 at 12:41 am
There are idiots on another website who dis Nacho as a guy who shows up but never contributed, citing stats.
Believe them, or Devin White?
March 18th, 2021 at 2:32 am
“Savior linebacker Devin White even boldly said Nacho was as good as Vea.” The Stats do not bear that out. They were not near as stout at the point of attack. Did Nacho play decent, yeah, but Devin is being a good teamate. I have posted multiple times about Vita and Suh together have been historically good against the run. 0-1 and 2 yard gains with VV and Suh become 5-7 runs many times with other players in there. Again they were good 2020, but to say that Nacho equates, is not born out when compared with the ridiculous numbers the 2019 run defense did. 4th best since the merger in 1970, and the best in several decades, that is a historically good run defense. Again Nacho is decent, and glad if he stays.
March 18th, 2021 at 4:37 am
Guys like Nunez-Roches & Gholston are the types of quality depth players that all teams desperately need. As we saw this past year, they can make a huge difference over the course of a season, even though their stats may never jump out at anyone.
RNR is a key rotational player who got to start 11 games while Vea was out. Gave us 482 defensive snaps (45%) plus another 114 S/Ts snaps (25%) which isn’t too shabby for only making $1.5 mil last year; Ryan Smith made more for having 0 def snaps & 360 S/T snaps (78%).
Can’t blame RNR for wanting a raise, but the Bucs may very well try to fill that position with a draft pick. Re-signing Ndamukong Suh is definitely a much higher priority IMO.
March 18th, 2021 at 6:21 am
He abuses dogs. Let him go.
March 18th, 2021 at 6:31 am
Go get your money young man. He really hasnt gotten paid yet by nfl standards
He did his job here. Played fine. Devin white was simply giving kudos to a teammate and may have given him a few extra mil as a result.
We should look to replace defensive tackle and defensive end / outside linebacker in draft honestly. Need to get younger on dline
Offense is fine for time being.
And we can find another nacho or mcclendon out there too on the cheap cheap
A Veteran who wants to end career with chance for a ring.
March 18th, 2021 at 6:51 am
Nacho > Suh
March 18th, 2021 at 7:10 am
are we under the Cap?
March 18th, 2021 at 7:32 am
Not gonna say he’s better than Suh but he is a valuable cog and stepped in when Vita Vea went down. If he leaves for more money, not great for us but good for him and his family.
March 18th, 2021 at 9:02 am
The emperor (Belichick) has no clothes. He just doesn’t know it yet.
March 18th, 2021 at 9:10 am
Adam from NY
You are exactly on point. Amazing that noone else has connected those dots. Since Brady left the Patriots, there has been a major competition between Brady and Bellicheat- to secure their legacies.
Tom Brady recruited and played like a fiend last year, to prove that he was the reason the Patriots were a dynasty.
Mission accomplished.
Bellicheat knows that. A couple more losing seasons for him, and another Superbowl for Brady, and his “legendary coach” status is gone.
He will be just a guy that Brady carried. Which is all he really is.
So Bellicheat is throwing big money at average players- desperately trying to produce a winner.
Nope. He’ll still have an average team
I think there was really bad blood between those 2.
Nacho is a very good player. But He’ll probably leave. Everyone is desperate for good linemen.
Its pretty obvious that the Bucs and Gerald McCoy are looking for a reunion
McCoy is much loved by the team,is a better Player than Nacho, and would sign here for the same money.
Id love to see that. McCoy took the blame, for a crappy defense. Not his fault.
McCoy would be an improvement over Nacho- and can still provide pressure up the middle.
Devon White knew that Nacho was in talks with other teams. He spoke highly of His friend, to try and help him get a big payday. Thats what a great teammate would do.I hope it works
March 18th, 2021 at 9:18 am
Gotta be able to keep Nacho Nunes. Im pretty sure we could cut salary on Gholston to keep him too. Suh and Nacho last 2 guys we waiting on in free agency. AB and “playoff Lenny” last two guys on offense and the oline should be doing restructures across the board for Lenny and AB to return though I believe AB is a Brady guy and he will be the next to resign for cheap along with Suh. Nacho gotta be able to keep him I hope he knows he will get a nice penny to end his career off here as a starter here
March 18th, 2021 at 9:31 am
“Savior linebacker Devin White even boldly said Nacho was as good as Vea.”
…………………..
I am SHOCKED that you would harm your journalistic integrity with this Joe.
NOWHERE in the linked article does Devin White say this. Might want to re-read what’s there before typing nonsense. –Joe
SMDH —
March 18th, 2021 at 9:36 am
Hmm maybe. But leave Tampa for a cold weather team and a cold blooded coach for a few dollars more? Have you been to Boston? All the big city problems, high cost of living. Quality of life and red hot team low tax state. If Nacho goes to Boston he might regret it.
March 18th, 2021 at 10:23 am
Re-read it 5 times Never once does Devin say “Nachos is as good as Vita Vea”
NOWHERE. He said “He filled in tremendously” He said ” I feel he was still the same impact guy.”
Those two phrases are as close as you can get to comparing the two equally.
Never did he say ” He is as good as Vita”
Not nonsense. Nonsense is you misquoting White.
March 18th, 2021 at 6:32 pm
Nachos is back.
March 19th, 2021 at 3:18 pm
That’s a fun headline, Joe. Sniffing nachos is a good visual.