Big Picture View
May 11th, 2021
Bucs paid and won free agency.
Joe has always trumpeted the guys over at Football Outsiders.
That’s Joe’s favorite stat-heavy site.
Other sites, like, well, you know, are blinded by stats. If their numbers say something ,then it must be right and any other thought is both illogical and downright wrong-thinking.
The guys over at Football Outsiders might come up with a set of stats, look at them, and if they don’t make sense, they say so.
That is objectivity and honesty, and Joe appreciates those traits.
The following is a perfect example:
Football Outsiders has some sort of formula that tells the value of a free agent. You can read about it here. So Bryan Knowles went through all the top free agents this past offseason and determined their value per their new contracts and Football Outsiders’ formula.
Knowles points out that using the hocus-pocus Joe linked to above, the Bucs got terrible value on their free agents. However, Knowles looks at the big picture and points out Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht did the smart thing and kept the Band of Bucs together.
If you include all deals, including re-signing their own players, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come in as the team generating the least value, losing $21.2 million. The Buccaneers just won the Super Bowl. The Buccaneers are bringing every starter from their Super Bowl-winning team back. The Buccaneers only have so long with Tom Brady under center. The Buccaneers are fine with giving the franchise tag to Chris Godwin or giving Donovan Smith $30 million guaranteed over the next two years, the second-largest guarantee per year ever given to a tackle. Their window is now and they’ll pay whatever it takes to keep it open.
And Knowles hits a bulls-eye. The Bucs’ window is now, not 2022 or 2023 or even 2025. Now. Right now.
It’s what Joe had written about several times before the draft. The future is now and any thought or distraction not about giving every ounce of effort into winning the Super Bowl (again) in February 2022 is taking their eyes off the ball.
Nothing matters but the Go for Two season. And Knowles, despite what his sorcery tells him, gets that.
It’s called the “Big Picture.”
May 11th, 2021 at 9:07 am
Seems like Licht is doing a good job keeping a pipeline of young players via the draft.
May 11th, 2021 at 9:24 am
There can’t be any value placed on keeping everyone together….it’s invaluable.
LVD with Devin White
Suh with Vita
Shaq with JPP
Gronk, AB, Godwin & Fournette with Brady
One & one equals three.
May 11th, 2021 at 9:38 am
Lemme get this straight.
There is a formula that says that by the Bucs resigning
LVD
Shaq
Suh
Godwin
Gronk
AB
Lombardi Lenny
Gio Bernard
THat’s a losing FA season?
Someone better have a look at that formula. Glad the dude recognized it’s a false negative.
May 11th, 2021 at 11:00 am
When you are winning you look to cut down on the variables which we have done by bringing back most of the original team now it is time to keep coming together and playing unitedly as a team. Winning two is the only objective it is the only award or recognition that any on this team needs as it will define each and every player as a part of greatness.
May 11th, 2021 at 11:27 am
The idiots at football outsiders once called brady a chocker. They make stupid, outlandish claims that they say are backed up by stats. Bill P. Once called them a bunch of morons who know nothing about football. I agree
May 11th, 2021 at 11:29 am
After bringing back all starters plus ABnormal the Bucs just need to tweak special teams and I believe they have done that… barring any significant injuries me thinks we will be talking 3 peat at this time next year! GO BUCS!
May 11th, 2021 at 12:27 pm
As Bucs fans we had to endure too many loosing seasons mostly because we hadn’t had competent people at the helm. I believe that’s the winning formula. JL x BA x TBwls = W
May 11th, 2021 at 12:39 pm
Here’s the thing. I agree with you joe 100 percent but our staff is so big they can still develop younger players like the Trask’s and Tyrons we just drafted and still make everything push for a 2nd chip. Seems like that’s what they are doing
May 11th, 2021 at 2:18 pm
$30 million, which is Bucs giving Smith two seasons pay, is the largest guarantee ever given to a tackle? Considering the huge contracts that LT’s get, that is an amazing stat.
May 11th, 2021 at 2:19 pm
Football Outsiders said Chris Conte was the worst safety in football, and Ryan Smith was the 2nd worst corner. I’m not sure how someone could be worse than Ryan Smith at corner, but that’s what they claimed.