Dan Graziano: Not A Surprise If At Least One Bucs Receiver Is Dealt
September 2nd, 2023
Tradebait says NFL insider.
Folks outside the Tampa Bay area simply are not buying what the Bucs are selling, whatsoever.
And this belief is held by many of the talking heads at the four-letter. One is named “Dan Graziano.”
The long-time NFL insider believes the Bucs are in firesale mode, or should be. With a dearth of receivers for many contenders, Graziano is connecting the dots.
Top teams need a stud receiver. A lowly team (at least Graziano considers the Bucs a lowly team) has two star receivers. And despite what the Bucs are hollering, Graziano says the team is rebuilding. Or should be. Thus, don’t be shocked if Mike Evans or Chris Godwin or both are playing for another team(s) by the time the trade deadline rolls around on Halloween, Graziano types.
What I’m hearing: Teams spent the offseason struggling for solutions at wide receiver, and not all of them found those solutions. The demand will continue as the season rolls along and as injuries set in. The Buccaneers are in rebuild mode after Tom Brady’s retirement, and they’re carrying almost $77 million in dead cap money this year, trying to dump as much of that hit as possible into this year so they can go back into acquisition mode next year.
Moving Evans or Godwin to a contender (assuming, as we are, that the Bucs aren’t one) at the deadline would help with that project. Evans is the more movable one, because he’s making just $13 million in salary this year and is a free agent at year’s end, while Godwin has a (non-guaranteed) $20 million due in 2024. But you’ll hear these names kicked around in October for sure.
Joe wouldn’t contemplate this. Not at all.
For argument’s sake, say Graziano is right in that the Bucs are going to be down this year. That tells Joe there might be a seachange at One Buc Palace. And a quarterback being selected in the first round would be in play.
What better way to ease in a rookie quarterback than throwing to Evans and Godwin?
If the Bucs are in firesale mode, there are other candidates to swap.
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:12 pm
I don’t like this at all. The only player the Bucs should be willing to trade at this point is Devin White. That’s it.
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:12 pm
Trading Evans doesn’t make much sense to me. We still owe him almost $24M in guaranteed money.
Plus – I don’t believe we would get a 1st round pick because he is in the last year of his deal and his age…
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:21 pm
Godwin is the better fit for this offense, younger, team first great guy also
It’s not sounding good for us and the future of ME13 but I don’t see us eating another 12-15 next year to get a 3rd round pick…
I don’t think this ends well for either side – best case scenario for all is to kiss and makeup and pay the best receiver and maybe the best player to ever don a Buc uniform
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:27 pm
I agree with Joe, if we have to pick a top college quarterback this coming draft, it’s best to develop him with two top veteran receivers.
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:29 pm
This is nothing but bloviating speculation from yet another media member.
He’s hearing other teams need WRs… well yea, duh. I guarantee he’s not hearing ANYTHING from anyone with the Bucs whatsoever.
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:36 pm
Who can separate the lies from the truth, from the pure speculation anymore. Prognosticators don’t have much credibility around here lately.
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:36 pm
If anyone should be traded it should be Trask. Someone has to have a need for an experienced 3rd string qb
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:37 pm
Only teams that would want Evans are the “all-in right NOW” types, like the Jets. Really cant think of many
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Oh … I like the both notion!
They both deserve to go to championship level teams.
The hard side of running a successful franchise.
We need a young stud center from a team in a trade and picks are needed for the future
September 2nd, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Enough with the Mike Evans trade talk and not playing for the Bucs. I just got my first Mike Evans jersey a few weeks ago a creamsicle jersey and I need to be able to wear that for years to come. Let’s be honest I don’t really think Mike wants to leave he just wants a long term deal in place.
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:12 pm
If they should trade anybody they should be trading Diva Devin & then give Watts or Dennis a chance there. That’s why I would’ve leaned more towards drafting Josh Allen over him that year & I can see why now but instead we let him drop to Jacksonville.
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:20 pm
Trade trade were in rebuild mode were not going to win a superbowl with this qb or old wrs.. we have 6 undrafted people make this team and a 6th rounder people are thinking is the next jerry rice!!
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:21 pm
This team still has 5 Pro Bowlers on Defense plus Davis, and Dean are decent CBs and if Hall,Tryon ,Diaby , Nelson ,Kancey play decent this could be a top 5 defense ..Last year if the Offense could of mustered 21pts a game they would of won 11 games ….I just think if they were tanking they would of not of bothered signing Baker and just rolled with Trask and Wolford .
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:26 pm
I think the Bucs still think they can win this year and a loss of Evans would be a huge mistake. Still think the Bucs are going to negotiate with him during the year notwithstanding all his agent’s B.S. threats.
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:27 pm
Why??? Like Jydge Judy says: if it doesn’t make sense, it isn’t true
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:29 pm
It’s ok to admit we are rebuilding.
It happens. We mortgaged the future for a SB.
I would do it again 100/100 times.
Now? Zero reason to struggle to be mediocre.
Bite the bullet already and rebuild. That is 100% ok.
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:30 pm
We’ve already seen others suggest this. Do we really need to keep recycling this stupidity?
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:31 pm
This is f**king crazy
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:34 pm
Yeah.. So Evans reportedly wants Cooper Cupp money 3yrs $80million. I think Evans could get a similar contract if he was a free agent. Im not sure how much leverage he has to force a trade. Other than Evans holding out. More likely he will refuse to play through his groin injury. In that case if Godwin and Palmer look good while Evans isn’t playing he has even less leverage to renegotiate with the team. Who knows maybe they work out a deal by Sept 9th. I think the team friendly contracts were easier for Mike to stomach when we were a contender. Now that Tampa isn’t in position to make a Superbowl run he wants to get paid. The other problem Licht has. If Licht is able to get a deal done with Evans. Then White is going to be upset all over again.
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:40 pm
THIS IS A VERY DISTURBING SITUATION..I WANT MIKE EVANS & CHRIS GODWIN TO REMAIN WITH THIS TEAM ! (FOR THE REST OF EACH’S RESPECTIVE CAREERS !…HE’S EARNED THE MONEY HE’S ASKING FOR, “GLAZERS, PAY THE MAN !”..HE DESERVES TO RETIRE A BUCCANEER ! ! ! ( & CHRIS GODWIN IS SIMPLY TOO CLUTCH OF A PLAYER ( EVEN IN THE SLOT, TO EVEN CONSIDER TRADING ! ! ! ) RESTRUCTURE SOME VETERAN CONTRACTS , MAKE IT HAPPEN, FOR MIKE EVANS & HIS LOYAL FANS OF HIM & THE BUCCANEERS..THANK YOU..
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:41 pm
Marine Buc, Unbelievable & JD Still … You all nailed it. Looks to be a lot of spit-ballin going on right now. Graziano’s prognostication lost its’ credibility with me when he said that he ‘believes the Bucs are in firesale mode, OR SHOULD BE’. He could learn a few things about making predictions by reading up on Nostradamus (his ‘predictions’ have also been the basis of much well-deserved controversy).
Bucs would not have re-signed Dean & LVD this year if they were going into firesale mode. We’re just paying the price now for trying to compete for the championship while Tom Brady was in the nest. Once he flew the coop, we had no choice but to reinvent ourselves. IMO the Bucs have done a very nice job of that to date. I honestly believe that we have a respectable chance to go about 10-7 this season and very possibly make the playoffs with that record. Still gotta play the games though. And that’s the fun part of it.
September 2nd, 2023 at 1:57 pm
If there is a trade partner for Evans I say do it. Get some draft capital out of him. Chances are he’s gone in free agency next year anyway.
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:03 pm
if things go south we just might trade off one…
certainly not 2 – to then leave a bare cupboard for baker, trask or the next qb…
mike could go off this year with baker….so i think all this in the media is bs, fodder and hype while we nfl fans all anxiously await the kickoff to the season
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:08 pm
Deal them both. This season is a loser anyway.
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:11 pm
One more example of group-think. Someone said it once and now they are all saying it. Football writers really do exist in an echo chamber.
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:16 pm
bucs nation X bloviation
relax and be patient…………season coming soon
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:18 pm
I know the perfect team, Dallas. Mike lives in Texas, and jerry needs to do whatever to get a SB before he croaks. This would be a match made heaven. Jerry would love having a SB champ on his team, and Mike would probably welcome going there with Dak. Jerry would be willing to over pay I’d bet too.
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:21 pm
Mike Evan’s had no leverage he can even be franchised tagged
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:21 pm
After this year
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Just pay him already #!!
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:45 pm
No one knows what Baker is going to do. Regardless, dumping the receivers is just stupid. Let’s say for instance, Baker falls on his butt and Trask comes in and does no better. They are going to flush Bowles (see what I did there? =) ) and then …. what? New coaching is not going to want to start at absolute zero. Where is the draw? If you get your shiny new qb then what? Who is he going to throw to? Trey Palmer? this happens every year. A new rookie comes out and catches everyone’s attention…and then poof! Where did he go? The Bucs have 2 stud receivers and who knows? Maybe Palmer will be number three. If that’s the case and Evans wants to go…Let him. If he wants to stay you keep him. He’s not done. I wouldn’t sign him for 5 years without a solid exit plan and I don’t think he would want to play for 5 more years. Playing receiver that long….Vincent Jackson didn’t do too well after retirement and I would hate to see Mike go a similar route.
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:45 pm
Games start next week and this sort of nonsense will subside.
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:47 pm
Of course Graziano heard that after the agent’s announcement. These dudes are so annoying trying to make someone think they are breaking a story. Bucs fans know it’s a lie, you heard it from your own mind
September 2nd, 2023 at 2:50 pm
I would not be surprised if we started trading some players and collecting draft picks to entice whoever our next head coach is. Not saying I like it, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
September 2nd, 2023 at 3:00 pm
If they tag Mike that’s going to be about $28 million fully guaranteed. I don’t see that happening.
September 2nd, 2023 at 3:43 pm
Can’t wait for the season to start *sigh*
September 2nd, 2023 at 3:44 pm
Why do people want mediocore we want new fresh faces to get to a superbowl trade evans godwin and shaq.. there old some with serious injuries let them play for a superbowl caliber team while we rebuild.. this is what good ownership does
September 2nd, 2023 at 4:18 pm
if we go, say, 10-7 this year and offense is humming…
canales could be the new hot coordinator pundits are talking about as a young upstart head coach…
if bowles at some point is outta here, we might already have a potential new head coach waiting in the wings…
i know i’m getting way ahead, but you never know…
just sayin’
September 2nd, 2023 at 4:39 pm
If history serves correct, we win a Superbowl every 20 yrs or so. So go ahead Bucs, trade your best player. its not going to matter for the foreseeable future anyway.
September 2nd, 2023 at 4:51 pm
Some of you have issues…Lol I don’t understand these people that want the number one pick so bad they’d give away including targets for a rookie to throw to. Guess you want us to be like Carolina with a mediocre receiver core and below average o line. Yea that’s the best thing for a rookie
September 2nd, 2023 at 4:54 pm
Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson, Josh Rosen, Johnny Manziel, Jameis…Trey Lance….THOSE are all #1 picks. IS that what we wanna tank for?
September 2nd, 2023 at 5:09 pm
I’d take a hamstring hobbled Mike Evans, over Chris Godwin, any day.
If Evans can get his hands on the ball. he’ll probably catch it.
Chris Godwin has durability issues. You can pencil him in missing time this year, right now.
September 2nd, 2023 at 5:24 pm
If Rah Rah Canales is here for the long term (and it’s not certain), he has to decide who best implements what he has in mind. Past performance and underperformance do matter, but this is a new offense. Allegedly.
September 2nd, 2023 at 5:35 pm
@Defense Rules – 100%.
It’s nothing more than chatter from him. And like you said, the team seems to be trying to be competitive while paying our dues for the Tom Brady Years™, not exactly a firesale situation.
@Beer Whisperer – great point. Godwin has been banged up and missed a lot of time too, not just for his ACL /MCL injury. Mike usually gets a minor injury each season too, but never seems to miss more than 1 week, except for the 2019 season.
Above all, his production / ability hasn’t started to slip at all, yet.
Evans just wants some security beyond this year, IMO.
September 2nd, 2023 at 6:20 pm
Every single receiver on every Bucs roster since ME13 was drafted benefited from him being doubled team his entire career.
September 2nd, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Keep Mike. Johnny Wilson to the Bucs.
September 2nd, 2023 at 7:14 pm
The fact that this is the Bucs news topic we’re all talking about now is a serious buzz kill
September 2nd, 2023 at 7:27 pm
This talk about a firesale by national media hacks always makes me think about when the D’Rays were continually bad under Chuck Lamar, Lou Pinella and Hal McRae dudes like Pierre Gammons would be clammoring for them to deal their best talent for peanuts to one of the big market teams in the Northeat, Chicago or LA. Graziano is probably wishing that ME or Godwin can shore up a below average receiving corps for whichever team he is holding a jock for. Of course he would probably not want his club to overpay for such talent with a high draft pick either.
September 2nd, 2023 at 7:42 pm
Jefferylane 77 you are an idiot! Never seen you on this sight before what are you a Falcons fan.
September 2nd, 2023 at 7:54 pm
They don’t have to negotiate with Evans he is under contract if he wants to hold out fine but that is all he can do. I am betting he won’t .that is just his agent trying to get him more money. I bet Mike is not even in on this.
September 3rd, 2023 at 2:42 am
1st mentioning ME13 could end up like Vincent Jackson is just wrong, stupid and out of place.
2nd We all WANT him to stay for obvious reasons.
Whatever happens there will obviously be pissed off fans that come back in droves to say I told you so if it is the wrong decision.
Jerry Rice having his best season at 33 makes me believe Big Mike is not done.
Having a great camp too.
I’ll bet money there is NOTHING wrong with his groin.
We need Mike and he NEEDS the record.
Match made in Heaven for this year.
If we make the playoffs and don’t sign him, he banks some where else next year.
If he is unwilling to come off the $28 million mark then there is literally nothing we can do though. We don’t have money period.
September 3rd, 2023 at 7:12 am
This army of so called experts must lay awake at night dreaming up the next days BS to spew in order to get their gig to last a while longer. They almost never do their homework and really look at what NFL teams have actually done and think about why.
Go Bucs!
September 3rd, 2023 at 3:30 pm
I’m not doing ANYTHING at least until the Bye… Unless, Mike holds-out AND I can get at least a future 1st-Round Pick (etc. along with another pick or two, especially with two “contenders” in desperate need and a ‘bidding-war’), then I’m movin. But, all these people crying and pleading to keep both Godwin & Mike FOREVER, for the rest of their careers through the very end while professing their everlasting dying love is just ridiculous. It’s Stupid. This is a Business FIRST, & you NEVER pay for what someone has done but ONLY what you expect/project/believe they will do moving forward… IF, you are a ‘successful’ organization. You have to take advantage of the limited assets that you do have while still you can. Just as with anything, you buy low & sell high… EVERYTHING is about timing. PERIOD. But, these people… Yeah, Pay Mike Evans 3yrs/$80M+ or whatever it is JUST so that he can remain with and retire as a BUC!!!! Just Stupidity. It’s ignorance and it makes absolutely NO Sense… ZERO Sense, whatsoever. And, NO. Keeping Mike & Chris around for a Rookie QB is NOT necessity number-1… They are totally replaceable, at this point. The NUMBER-1 best/most important thing for a Rookie QB would be building that O-Line FIRST, and finding another Tristen Wirfs. Those guys don’t grow on trees – Receivers, DO. And, you can do that a lot quicker by having LOTS of Draft-Picks and $$$$$ freed-up. I love both Mike & Chris but Jefferson & Chase they are definitely, NOT. Mike is on the backend of his career and Chris (always banged-up due to his never afraid, hard, ‘all-out’ style of play), is well on his way to being. You MUST Take Advantage When/If The Opportunity Arrives. You can find productive young receivers out there and some solid veterans on the cheap. If, this team is 1-3, 0-4 come Bye-Week… The (serious) talks/discussions with other teams MUST begin. We might be in position to get a HAUL. We have to take it. The FUTURE of this entire organization is a stake. You cannot pass that up JUST to remain ‘loyal’ to a guy up until the bitter end (and it most definitely, would turn VERY ‘bitter’ in that scenario, because it always does), and just to make YOU feel all warm and fuzzy and good at heart. To hell with THAT. Annnnddd, it’s not fair to The Player either, forcing them to go thru a total rebuild at their advanced age and wasting YEARS of their career, when they could/would rather be playing for a Contender and another shot at a Ring/HOF/etc. There is NOTHING that would make ANY sense about holding onto either one of them. PERIOD. End of Story.