Ranking The Bucs After Free Agency
April 8th, 2022
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Joe thinks it is fair to say free agency season is nearly over, even though the Bucs signed two this week. It’s approaching a month since the free agency dinner bell rang and 20 days from the draft.
It’s draft season. So let’s take a look back at free agency.
The Bucs lost two starters, safety Jordan Whitehead and right guard Alex Cappa. They gained receiver Russell Gage, and defensive backs Keanu Neal and Logan Ryan. Just on free agency gains/losses, the Bucs may have taken a step back. Whitehead was that good. (Yes, the Bucs got Shaq Mason in a trade and he may be an upgrade over Cappa.)
Over at CBS Sports, Joe’s good friend Jeff Kerr decided to rank NFC teams after free agency. Kerr seems to think the Rams are the team to beat in the NFC. The Bucs are right behind.
Kerr can easily see the Bucs holding the homefield advantage in the NFC, despite his rankings, because the Bucs play in such a lousy division.
Joe was on SiriusXM NFL Radio last weekend and a word of caution: the guys at SiriusXM NFL Radio seem to believe, like Kerr, that the Bucs will have a cakewalk in the NFC South. Joe isn’t so sure.
The slimy Saints still scare Joe. There new coach Dennis Allen has Tom Brady figured out. His defense shut down the Bucs in Tampa. Brady, as a Bucs quarterback, is 0-4 in the regular season against the slimy Saints.
As as Joe said on NFL Radio, the slimy Saints beat the Bucs twice without Jameis Winston and Michael Thomas.
If the Bucs can reverse their fortunes against New Orleans, then yeah, the Bucs should have an easy walk to the division crown.
April 8th, 2022 at 12:23 am
Joke.Not a question with Brady “unretiring.”
April 8th, 2022 at 1:02 am
Ugh they still need to fix the D. Sure they brought Ryan & Neal. But what about a DE & DT? They seem to like players that have dealt with serious injuries, too! Just signed Neal & they drafted Dean, Russell & Cichy. Even though Russell & Cichy aren’t there anymore.
April 8th, 2022 at 1:12 am
I could see where people would be worried about the team being a little older but if the player is still capable of playing & is still playing well who cares. I’d rather have somebody with experience that can still play over somebody that might be younger that we know stinks.
April 8th, 2022 at 1:15 am
I agree about the saints and until we prove that we can beat them during the regular season (remembering when we beat them and fake a$$ Brees in the playoffs still puts a smile on my face) then I’m not penciling us in for the nfc south crown. Don’t forget that our former bust Jameis, is still likely to look like the second coming of Marino 3-4 times a year. We just have to hope that we don’t catch him when he’s playing out of his mind…
Licht has done a great job so far in free agency this year and there is no one better.
April 8th, 2022 at 1:20 am
I would take Suh over Gronk.
We need an anchor to the defense. If JPP was running alpha last year, we need Suh to this year. Plus he’s healthy.
I would like Gronk back too, but choosing between the two, Suh is more important.
April 8th, 2022 at 1:40 am
Rankings now are meaningless. There is still plenty of free agency left, and the draft.
There are a lot of good pass rushers still waiting to be signed, and Bucs should move on them. Akiem Hicks, Justin Houston, Calais, etc etc.
Gronk is a big problem, the longer he doesn’t commit. The TE market is pitiful, in both free agency and the draft. Very few have blocking talent. For that reason, I still think some kind of trade for a veteran would have to happen, to fill Gronk’s slot.
April 8th, 2022 at 3:43 am
Interesting choice Bonzai. Seems to require the answer to 2 questions: (1) Is Suh more important to the defense than Gronk is to the offense? and (2) Which of them is more important to the TEAM?
I’ve long been of the school that you can’t compare offensive to defensive players, or even players in different position groups on the same side of the ball. Who was more important to our 2002 SB team, Sapp or Brooks? Both were great, both made the HOF, and both were critical to winning that championship. Had an ‘average’ player replaced either, we very possibly wouldn’t have won that championship.
In the case of Suh, the Bucs have to re-sign him; he’s still playing at a very high level & replacing what he contributes with a rookie’s production (even at Pick #27) is highly unlikely IMO. BUT … there’s no rush to re-sign him. He stays in tip-top shape, has 3 years experience in this system, and oh ya, we don’t have the money right now anyways.
In the case of Gronk, IF he still wants to play (not a given), then the Bucs have to re-sign him also. But like with Suh, there’s no rush. Gronk knows this system inside & out, stays in good shape, and oh ya, we don’t have the money to pay him right now anyways.
April 8th, 2022 at 4:29 am
Have to do better against The Saints. Those two loses cost them the bye week. Have to figure it out somehow. GOBUCS!
April 8th, 2022 at 5:13 am
Packers and Cowboys also have very weak divisions. I could easily see either of them with home field advantage in the playoffs. At this point, Dallas appears to have lost more than it gained in FA. Same with Green Bay. The draft is very important to Karron and Daks’ teams hopes this year.
April 8th, 2022 at 5:22 am
Can anyone explain free agency after June 1st with regards to the salary cap, or is that date only about cutting guys
April 8th, 2022 at 6:46 am
Losing to the Saints twice in the regular season is a Super Bowl tradition! If it happens again this year, I’m gonna make some short term investments……
April 8th, 2022 at 6:47 am
The big free agency splash had to be Gabbert and Griffin nottttttttt!
April 8th, 2022 at 7:25 am
Surely the Bucs can figure out how to beat NO. They have plenty of game film to review. Can they not see what the Saints are doing to be so successful?
April 8th, 2022 at 8:11 am
I still think Gronk will return. He is healing up, knows the offense, knows Brady, and does not need OTA’s. Suh is another matter…..I still think it will depend on how the draft goes. If the Bucs can pick up a “Stud” Tackle in the first round he may be gone. But this Draft should be about getting young on the Defense with maybe a guard or T. End in later rounds. Lots of great defensive players in this years draft and our GM seems to know how to find a good Offensive Lineman in the latter rounds…..LFG
April 8th, 2022 at 8:31 am
The Rams have 2 holes on their OL, have not signed anyone on the line and have no real picks… I don’t get it
April 8th, 2022 at 9:59 am
I think the Bucs beat the Rams in free agency. The Bucs could, arguably, be said to have progressed some on the O-line and a lot in defensive backfield.
The Rams regressed with the losses of Wentworth and Von Miller. It is impossible to replace those two out of the box. Maybe by mid season leadership can develop, but their season might be over by then.
April 8th, 2022 at 10:33 am
Joe, lots of typos
April 8th, 2022 at 11:01 am
Neal is a better safety than Whitehead if he stays healthy!! Whitehead was great at coming down in the box and a hard hitter but was never much of a ball hawk and got beat over top a lot!! … Keanu Neal, again as long as he stays healthy, will be an upgrade
April 8th, 2022 at 12:42 pm
Whitehead was good but not that good he had lots of limitations to his game feel like the bucs got better in there secondary for sure with the free agency signings they got more versital in what they are going to be able to do feel like they will probably sign Suh after the draft as well as draft a dt.
April 8th, 2022 at 12:42 pm
And rams lost way more than the bucs did and feel that the bucs are at the top of the NFC right now.
April 8th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Don’t know why but I’m just getting a guy feeling they’re gonna end up with somebody from Cincinnati. Wouldn’t be Gardner because he should be gone but maybe somebody like Cook Bryant Sanders or even Whyle the TE.
April 8th, 2022 at 3:57 pm
Gut feeling.🙄
April 9th, 2022 at 11:29 am
Like you said 0-4 plus Thomas is back and Winston whole new year Shady