The Cowboys And Jason Pierre-Paul
March 20th, 2022
Lurking.
UPDATED 1:05 p.m. – The Cowboys need a pass rusher bad (who doesn’t?) and it seems they have eyes for a Bucs free agent who has been a warrior throughout his career.
Jason Pierre-Paul proved to be such a steal for a third-round pick when the Bucs traded for him in 2018. And who would have guessed at the time JPP would have transformed into the soul of the Super Bowl-winning Bucs defense?
And it seems the Cowboys want to bring that spirit to Dallas.
JPP had an awful year last year, maybe his worst in the NFL. That was largely due to his torn rotator cuff, which he had surgery on this winter. Still, the Cowboys may think he has something left in the tank as Jeremy Fowler of BSPN claims Jerry Jones and his gang are kicking the tires.
#Cowboys could go with multiple veteran pass-rushers in free agency to help offset loss of Randy Gregory. They’ve got Dante Fowler in the fold, and there’s interest in Jason Pierre-Paul, as well.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 20, 2022
Joe isn’t sure the Bucs have turned the page on JPP but the Bucs only have so much Team Glazer loot to spend under the salary cap. Joe figured perhaps the Bucs could bring him back on a cheap one-year contract since JPP, 33, is coming off likely his worst year and surgery. Generally, guys rehabbing a major injury at that age don’t have much of a market.
But this is the NFL and teams get desperate for pass rushers, so it wouldn’t shock Joe if a team reached for JPP and threw a bunch of cash in his lap.
Remember, JPP says he’s going to kill sh*t this season. The Bucs will face Dallas on the road this season.
March 20th, 2022 at 11:42 am
Still don’t have any clue what they’re doing with this DL. Anyway I want JPP. He was pretty in 2020 . Last year he was battling injury.
March 20th, 2022 at 11:50 am
Do you know what they are doing with the D line Francisco Guzman? If you ask again I am sure you will figure it out.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Keep JPP
March 20th, 2022 at 12:01 pm
JPP is an OLB, so what does bringing him back do for the DL?
Yeah, we have DL issues, but we know who our starters will be at OLB — JTS and Shaq.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:04 pm
JPP should not be a priority signing. If his shoulder is healthy, and he’s in great shape, and we haven’t upgraded depth at OLB, and he wants to play for cheap, I could see signing him when training camp starts.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:04 pm
Awww what a nice photo of Jerry and his daughter
March 20th, 2022 at 12:04 pm
Bucs continue to push salaries forward, and are now sitting at $14.6 mil salary CAP space with 57 players signed (#12 position). Could still restructure Brady, Donovan & LVD if we chose to, probably freeing up another $25-$30 mil in space. We do need to reserve about $7 mil for signing our draft picks, but we could still end up with around $30 mil to sign more FAs for a SB run. Next year & beyond could be really ugly, but hey, with Brady here NOW we need to go whole hog for the brass ring.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Is that picture Jerry Jones or Urban Myer? Asking for a friend
March 20th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Sasquatch the guy can play multiple positions. Tryon needs to take a huge leap this season. The guy has to learn how to rush the passer as well as setting the edge. I am hoping they give Akeem Hicks a look .
March 20th, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Defense Rules disagree about next year. The cap is gonna take a huge leap next year. They can do a number of things.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
JPP is one of my favorite Bucs ever, but I wouldn’t overpay to bring him back. Any word on Suh? That’s a dude that I would hate to lose.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Licht said we want to get young , athletic. IMO we draft 1st round either DE or DT if the value is there.
Like a Devonte Wyatt or George Karlaftis.
2 round OLB
3 round RB
Jpp is a beast but we did ok with him last year we will do ok without him. I see jpp asking for $$$. $10m-$12m.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:12 pm
The bird in the pic looks like Dee from “it’s always sunny in Philadelphia”, which is kind of funny, because she’s also a ho.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:13 pm
I think they sign a veteren and draft a pass rushing dlineman in the early rounds
March 20th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Dallas signed Gerald McCoy a few years back, so yes, they do like Bucs hand-me-downs.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
If we bring back Gronk use a Late round pick on TE jelani woods to learn.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:25 pm
I think it would be a huge mistake to let JPP go. He’s a team leader and he’s our sack king. Without him Shaq is not the same player. I believe he comes back healthy and he’s the 2020 version. Unless JTS puts on some serious mass this offseason he’s nowhere near ready to start.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:28 pm
That’s an interesting angle. JPP was a non-factor last year and still the Bucs were “this close” to a Super Bowl.
Maybe you could argue if JPP was healthy the Bucs make the Super Bowl?
March 20th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
JPP owes us for 1 unproductive season. Mebbe offer him $5 mil + incentives
March 20th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
It’s time to let JPP go and move on from him. He put in some great years for us and helped win us a Super Bowl.
But having a guy that’s not 100% taking up many snaps doesn’t let other guys, like JTS, get more playing time and experience so they can get better.
The Bucs need FRESH BLOOD in that Pass Rush if they’re going to get better.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
I see the Bucs TRADING UP in the draft off that #27 spot in the first round and going for a difference-maker at Corner or at DT/DE. That’s our biggest weakness on the team right now and they know they need to someone how come up with someone that can step right in and contribute.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Adrnagy Says:
March 20th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Nobody is going to pay him that at this stage. He’s going to have to have that shoulder at 100% before somebody pays him decent money. Rotator cuff issue was what ended Simeon Rice’s career, so JPP could be at the end of the road. I’d rather take my chances with younger cheaper players and spend the money elsewhere.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
To me, JPP is likely better than JTS at this point, so I want him on the team.
To play with a torn rotator cuff is amazing. Only problem with that injury is I think the possibility for reoccurrence is high. He will continue to be doing a lot of extension movements as an outside linebacker/pass rusher in our 3-4 defense.
The start of the next NFL season is really right now when you are talking about injuries. The busiest days of the year medically are right now. How is JPP’s rest and rehab plan going and is he eventually going to need surgery.
There are more surgeries after a season than during the season but a lot of players like to give rehab a chance before deciding on surgery. So we still do not know on JPP.
I am expecting the Bucs have a lot more knowledge than us and may be relying on their medical staff in really deciding whether they want JPP or not.
March 20th, 2022 at 12:46 pm
I love JPP and would like him back on the Bucs. We’ll see.
March 20th, 2022 at 1:02 pm
Buc Fans tears and consternation now is over the DL. Thank God we have Vita Vea.
Whatever happens will be exciting. Bucs FO has not let us down yet this offseason. (Holy spit. A real GM and FO? Unreal for Bucland. I’m not even pissed at the Glazers)
March 20th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
Defense Rules says:
“Next year & beyond could be really ugly, but hey, with Brady here NOW we need to go whole hog for the brass ring.”
YESSIR!! WHOLE F***ING HOG, BABY!
After consolidating power as Player/Coach/GM, TB12 is gonna WILL the Bucs to another Championship!
#LFG !!!
March 20th, 2022 at 1:10 pm
geno711 … ‘To play with a torn rotator cuff is amazing.’
Totally agree Geno, but his effectiveness on the field was dubious at best. I mean 2.5 sacks & 5 QB Hits in 12 games is pretty bad, and very ‘un-JPP-like’. I can’t remember if he was gonna have surgery on that rotator cuff or not once the season ended, but regardless, he wouldn’t be anywhere near ready by the start of training camp. And like you said, ‘the possibility for reoccurrence is high’.
I love his leadership & energy & inspiration that he brings to the defense, but at the same time, the on-field performance (sacks, hits, tackles, etc) needs to be there. We came close all season to effectively playing with 10 men on defense (considering that his primary job as a DE/OLB is Pass Rush?). Unacceptable. I could see us bringing him back as a part-timer for part-timer pay, but no more JPP getting 85%-90% of the defensive snaps.
March 20th, 2022 at 1:11 pm
Jerry and the girl reminds me of a saying I heard once. If women knew how much power they had between their legs, they could rule the world. Without it, there would be a bounty on them.
March 20th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
Nobody will pay JPP Big Bucks until that shoulder passes close inspection. I’d be surprised if the Bucs do.
I love JPP and the Juice he brings, but at some point, it’s over physically. I hope not now, but won’t be surprised if it is.
March 20th, 2022 at 1:26 pm
I thought one of the reasons JPP wanted to come to the Bucs was due to family, kids close in the area (maybe Miami)? Maybe he still wants to stay here because of that?
March 20th, 2022 at 1:28 pm
Francisco … ‘The cap is gonna take a huge leap next year.’
You MIGHT be right, but I tend to think that the NFL will go with historical increases, like they usually do it appears:
2022 … $208.2 mil salary CAP
2021 … $182.5 mil
2020 … $198.2 mil
2019 … $188.2 mil
2018 … $177.2 mil
2017 … $167.0 mil
2016 … $155.3 mil
2015 … $143.3 mil
That’s an increase of $65 mil over an 8-year period (roughly $8 mil increase per year). But … 2021 was an anomaly because of COVID, so the real annual increase is probably closer to $10 mil per year over that span. So I’d project 2023 to be close to $218.2 mil based on that. Spotrac apparently uses a similar rationale because they project the 2023 salary CAP to be … $218.2 mil also.
What’s almost humorous is that looking at the Bucs’ 2023 salary CAP numbers in Spotrac, the Bucs currently sit in the #32 spot at MINUS $1.6 mil salary CAP with only 29 players signed. We’re the ONLY team in negative numbers already (and with ONLY 29 players signed for next year); most teams have plenty of salary CAP space for 2023 at this point. As I said earlier Francisco, it could get ugly next year and beyond. But let’s go for the gusto NOW & they can worry about that later.
March 20th, 2022 at 1:33 pm
Defense Rules how many of those are big stars though? I believe jamal dean, SMB and devin white are the big ones. Also Brady’s contract is void next year as well so they can do something with that.
March 20th, 2022 at 1:37 pm
I wonder if the Bucs have even submitted an offer to JPP. It’s possible he hasn’t even decided if he’s gonna try another year. The last statement I saw from him he seemed very downcast over the whole thing
March 20th, 2022 at 1:54 pm
@Beej
I agree – a deal for @ $5M plus incentives sounds about right to me…
@ Defense Rules
Is it possible the cap gets an extra boost next year due to the new TV contracts that have been signed recently? I agree there is a trend with the NFL cap increase but could next year be an outlier?
March 20th, 2022 at 2:08 pm
Marine Buc … ‘Is it possible the cap gets an extra boost next year due to the new TV contracts that have been signed recently?’
That would be the most logical thing they could do IMO; guess that means they won’t do it huh. The role of the salary CAP seems to be pretty well defined: it essentially represents an agreement between the league and players that places a limit on the amount of money a team can spend on players’ salaries in order to limit financial risks and underpin the financial integrity of the league. Teams are probably reluctant to change what’s worked very successfully for many years. Never know though.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:18 pm
1) The cap is based on a % of prospective revenues per the CBA. If revenues are predicted to go up sharply, the cap goes up sharply, with the prediction agreed to by the PA and league.
2) I suspect the Bucs will have a huge D draft in April. I don’t see a lot of player movement from the Bucs until after the draft unless something falls into their (Brady’s) lap.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:19 pm
Francisco … ‘How many of those are big stars though?’
Up until a few days ago, it wasn’t an issue. Almost all the ones on there now are heavy-hitters: Brady, Godwin, Evans, Shaq, Davis, D Smith, Vea, Jensen, Gage & White are ALL over $10 mil each for 2023. Just those 10 players total $184 mil. The NEXT 10 players add another $39.6 mil, bringing us up to $224 mil before any adjustments.
Like I said though Francisco, that’s tomorrow’s problem. We’ll have to probably do LOTS of adjusting in the future, but for right now … SUPER BOWL OR BUST.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:33 pm
I hope JPP retires. His body is crumbling.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
If JTS is starting the season at OLB, I think we are in trouble.
Unless he looks like a transformer player in training camp… but you can’t bank of that. He showed some flashes but struggled hard last year.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Playing JPP last year with a torn rotator was not only a mistake it soured fans minds of how good and important he is to this team. He’s always been a freak at recovering from injury. I hope the Bucs can find a way of healthy to bring him back. The problem is he won’t be ready until late Summer. By then we’ll most likely be a cowboy. The thing about JPP is he wouldn’t take someone’s money unless he really believes he will play well for them. I wouldn’t bet against him.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:41 pm
For those of you writing off JPP for his rotator cuff issue, I’d like to remind you of all who wrote him off for blowing up his hand, and then again for his broken neck…..
Those injuries are in the past and can’t be used to accurately predict the outcome of this injury.
If his determination and desire do not wane, I wouldn’t bet against him
As far as the “CAP” is concerned…
Just another tool for the NFL “powers that be” use to manipulate teams and direct the outcome of the season.
With Brady back BTW, (something the ‘powers that be’ weren’t wanting) expect the officiating to be even worse than their notoriously bad this season.
Just sayin….
March 20th, 2022 at 4:11 pm
The JTS critics have the usual habit of expecting rookies to be plug and play. JTS has a ton of ability and had some moments. With the coaching he’s getting and the training staff’s ability to help guys physically transform, I don’t see any reason to doubt he’s going to become a force.
March 20th, 2022 at 4:34 pm
its gonna be real interesting to see how this Defense or lack thereof comes together. We are signing receivers and O linemen but neglecting what beat us in the Superbowl last year..Defense. A good defense needs a pass rusher who can get to the QB and a lockdown corner. We have..neither one. But we sure do have an offense huh? Better hope thats enough. But history suggest..Not.
March 20th, 2022 at 5:08 pm
SIGN JPP, SIGN MATHIEU!!!! UNFINISHED BUISSNESS LFGO
March 20th, 2022 at 5:17 pm
Love JPP but just too injured and not worth the $.
Jerry Hughes, Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, JaDarius Smith, Akiem Hicks, J Clowney, Carlos Dunlap.
Draft: Arnold Ebikete, Logan Hall, Sam Williams, Myjai Sanders, Perion Winfrey
March 20th, 2022 at 5:29 pm
JPP is going to be on a mission this year to show that he does, indeed, still have the motor to get it done. I’d hate to see him on the other sideline.
March 20th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Father time called and he’s looking for JPP. He gave us several really good years but it’s time to move on. His production will never match his salary. JTS will move into that starting role. Use the money elsewhere. Gronk, Gholston, & Suh are all waiting for the dust to settle and then they will be brought back onboard. Playoff Lenny is hoping for a payday. As Joe put it, he and the Bucs are playing a game of Chicken. Just have to wait and see if someone else wants to outbid the Bucs for his services. Being that the Bucs no longer have a 5th or 6th round pick don’t be surprised if they trade back a bit from pick 27. If the perfect person is there at 27 they will use it otherwise they trade back some and pick up an extra 3rd round pick. They no longer have any huge holes to fill for this year but need the extra pick to fill in the depth we need going forward. 6 of our 8 players in the secondary are in the last year of their contract. Not to mention depth needed at TE, RB, DL.
March 20th, 2022 at 6:28 pm
Never doubt JPP.
3 year deal, let him retire a Buc.
He is the equivalent of Julius Peppers.
I want JPP on our roster for at least 3 more years.
Yes, draft another young, fast OLB. But keep JPP.
March 20th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Option for pass rush depth: Lorenzo Carter from the Giants. Never a season with less than 4 sacks (although he has only peaked at 5 in 14 games last year) but was a physical freak with a 4.5 40, 36″ vertical. Under-the-radar signing, could pay off like Shaq Barrett.
March 20th, 2022 at 9:05 pm
I love JPP and what he brings to the team but I’m so leery of what he has left. If anyone can come back and put up a 10 sack season though, it’s him. If he is 100% and ready to roll then I really hope they can keep him for two years and let him retire here.
March 21st, 2022 at 1:59 am
JPP has come back from too many injuries, credit to him. But if they can sign a top pass rusher or two with fewer problems and no health issues, this is the time.
March 21st, 2022 at 10:25 am
Brady decided to stay and just like last season I’m sure ol and dl are contemplating to stay for cheap because brady has an agenda and they all want to be on board for it. If the bucs can keep jpp on the cheap then they should. He was great during our super bowl season and suffered injury last season but he got the surgery to fix the problem and if he is having no more injury issues he should be a formidable player this coming season.