Sean Murphy-Bunting Has A Suitor
March 19th, 2023
The wining and dining stage of free agency has arrived.
When the free agency dinner bell rings and the annual negotiating period begins, teams can’t visit with players or talk to them directly for 48 hours unless the player doesn’t have an agent. But teams don’t want to wait to shake a guy’s hand and look him in the eye. That’s why so many deals are reported quickly.
However, after the intial frenzy, often remaining free agents will make old fashioned visits to the teams interested in them.
Per NFL Network, that’s exactly what’s happening with cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.
After four years in Tampa, the 2019 second-round pick and playoff hero is a free man. He’ll head to hang out with the Titans tomorrow.
The Titans’ interest in Murphy-Bunting is intriguing. They’ve seen in training camps during multiple joint practices, and they have film on those sessions. So Tennessee has a little more from which to assess.
Joe hopes Murphy-Bunting gets a nice deal somewhere. He’s a good player, but not great and durability has been a concern.
Joe does not rule out SMB finding his way back to Tampa for the 2023 season.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:00 pm
I’d like him back. One less excuse for Bloweszo when he pulls off his fifth consecutive losing season as a head coich.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:02 pm
Panthers just got Thielan! Big weapon for whomever they take 1st in draft.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:03 pm
F your post we all that and a bag of chips.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:11 pm
We have 4 CB already, don’t see room for him, we always draft corners – the final spot goes to a developmental rookie – Davis/Dean/Z/Delaney tendered – all on the roster
We need safeties!!!!! Like 3 of them
JL methodically signing stop gaps, SS coming soon likely – like the dude from the rams, edmunds, etc – cheap vets on 1 year deals
March 19th, 2023 at 8:15 pm
He didn’t live up to his potential, but he did play a key role for us in our 21 Playoff run, especially in the Packers game. Kinda like the defensive version of Scotty Miller. Good kid, wish him the best.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:24 pm
He is a good depth player when available. Hope the Bucs can get him back.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:26 pm
I’d love for the Bucs to re-sign SMB, but I can’t see how they could given their current salary CAP status. Right now we’re just $1.1 mil under our adjusted CAP (Top-51) but we haven’t yet accounted for LVD, Gaines or Edmonds. Thus we need to create some CAP space just to sign those 3.
Our options to do that have really dwindled. We could restructure Mike Evans, or more specifically give him a new contract (his ends this year), then kick the can further down the street. We could give White a new contract (his ends this year too), then kick that can down the street also. We could release Succop & free up about $3.8 mil (not nearly enough). Other than those 3 possibilities, we’re pretty much out of options to create CAP space because of all the restructurings & releases we’ve already done.
I’m putting my money on a new deal for Mike Evans because of his $23.7 mil CAP hit & $21.4 mil dead CAP. Looks to me like Mike’s in the driver’s seat to this season & holds all the cards.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:59 pm
Hope they take him. The Office will do what they need to do. They have a plan. They always do. I don’t try to play armchair GM. I leave that to the real pros.
March 19th, 2023 at 8:59 pm
I think if they offer him a contract he’ll take it especially if there’s no competition and he thinks he can win a starting spot. I’m sure he doesn’t see himself as a depth piece and wants to start somewhere…. If he’s a competitor he’ll be gone
March 19th, 2023 at 9:03 pm
Love Sean, he came back after doing that to his arm?? Absolute dawg
March 19th, 2023 at 9:23 pm
Cap room also needs to be made for all the draft picks.
March 19th, 2023 at 9:24 pm
@ DR
I doubt we sign anyone else until after the draft. Let SMB test the market.
If SMB wants to come back and give us a very team friendly deal that would be cool.
If not he is replaceable…
I’m interested to see if they do anything with Shaq Barrett’s contract. I doubt they will but they might not have a choice.
March 19th, 2023 at 9:45 pm
Voice of Truth Says
“We have 4 CB already, don’t see room for him”
We’ll keep 6.
March 19th, 2023 at 9:47 pm
I love Shaq but he got paid and disappeared! He’s like a ghost on D! Now with the injury I’m afraid his career may be done. Has anyone seem him lately. Has he kept himself in shape?
March 19th, 2023 at 9:54 pm
@PA Buc Fan
He got paid in the offseason before we won the Super Bowl, and he played with his hair on fire in the game and chased Mahomes all across the field in the game. Pretty sure he was top 5 in pressures generated in the 21-22 season.
He tore his achilles pretty early on last season, which is very concerning as players typically lose a step after that injury.
But to say Shaq disappeared after getting paid is just flat out false. We don’t win the Super Bowl without him.
March 19th, 2023 at 9:54 pm
One more compensatory pick next year
March 19th, 2023 at 9:55 pm
The way the Titans tried to do Byard dirty makes me think they’re not such a great front office. That dude is the best safety in the league.
March 19th, 2023 at 10:15 pm
I think the dislocated elbow was a serious injury that mentally took a toll and he sufferred after but now he will have a breakout season why of course because he is no longer a Buc
March 20th, 2023 at 12:07 am
Can SMB play safety? I don’t think he’s big enough.
March 20th, 2023 at 1:09 am
Look at the Titans depth chart and it tells you everything.
Last year they started Andrew Adams for 11 games, and he was their top corner. That’s Andrew Adams of Bucs fame, the guy who left and no one even noticed. SMB is a big upgrade from that.
With that said I’d love to have SMB back. Corners can take a long time to develop, and SMB is a pretty good 3rd corner. Even if you drafted someone again in the 2nd round, they’ll probably be awful for at least a year or two. If SMB doesn’t want an insane contract, they should of course try to keep him. If he leaves, then the Bucs should give Andrew Adams a call again.
March 20th, 2023 at 2:03 am
cut and dry, i want smb back in the fold
March 20th, 2023 at 2:34 am
We need a true nickle.
March 20th, 2023 at 5:37 am
DBS … ‘The Office will do what they need to do. They have a plan. They always do. I don’t try to play armchair GM. I leave that to the real pros.’
There are several JBFers, myself included, who’d undoubtedly fit your comment. In my case, just for your information, I like to try to understand WHY decisions were made … or WEREN’T MADE. And in a business like the NFL, it often comes down to MONEY as we’ve all seen many times.
JL & the Bucs will do what they CAN DO within the confines of the salary CAP. That’s the nature of the beast. I have no doubts that they have a very elaborate plan to move forward. And yet that plan will always be contingent upon some factors or variables that they have no control over (who’s actually available when they pick in the draft for instance).
I guess I’m not one who assumes that ‘the real pros’ always make perfect decisions in the heat of battle. Again, the nature of the beast. But (in my case anyways) trying to understand WHY they made … or didn’t make… various decisions helps me to keep my ‘bitching about bad decisions’ somewhat under control.
March 20th, 2023 at 5:45 am
Agree with Teacherman,
We need somebody in the slot to put Winfield back at safety. He will have to stay with a receivers on the crossing routes and be a solid tackler. Very hard to find a player with that all round skillset in the draft without some developmental years.
March 20th, 2023 at 6:57 am
SMB is gone
March 20th, 2023 at 7:01 am
good riddance, sorry…
March 20th, 2023 at 8:23 am
DBS: I agree, let Jason and his staff handle the CAP. I never understood why some fans want to crunch the numbers. Their takes are usually off base. I have learned to ignore them.
March 20th, 2023 at 9:06 am
1 year up to 5mill with titans.
March 20th, 2023 at 9:55 am
I like SMB!! He’s young and still learning. He will do fine in the NFL! But the picture of him above.. isn’t that a camel toe?
March 20th, 2023 at 11:55 am
@ DR
I love playing “armchair GM”…
It’s part of being a real fan of a franchise. I have as much fun in the off season as I do during the season.
Roster building in the NFL has always intrigued me and I enjoy trying to analyse the situation and make a somewhat educated guess on what the team will do.
Most of our predictions so far have been right on the money – we basically nailed this off season and have predicted most of the moves JL has made.
The folks on here complaining about “armchair GMs” probably aren’t smart enough to understand the salary cap rules and the basic math that is required.
LOL!!!!