Free Agency Countdown – 19 Days: Lucas Patrick & The Bucs
February 19th, 2025
How many Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars should Joe have in the freezer at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters when the free agency siren goes off in 19 days?
What a sweet day that will be.
Free agency kicks off at high noon Monday, March 10, and the Bucs have money to spend (and they can craft more salary cap space if needed).
Given the backup center Robert Hainsey is outta here, per Tristan Wirfs, Joe thinks the Bucs might be hunting a quality guy at the position. Even better if it’s a player who can give quality input to Graham Barton.
That brings Joe to pending free agent Lucas Patrick, who started 10 games for the slimy Saints last season. Not only is Patrick a fellow Duke guy like Barton, he spent several years at Duke when rookie Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was an assistant coach there.
Patrick, 31, spent five years with Aaron Rodgers (two as a starter) before moving on to the Bears and Saints. He played last season for near the NFL minimum.
Joe’s not saying Patrick is better than Hainsey, but he certainly has more experience and he’s played plenty of guard, as well.
Undrafted in 2016, Patrick has grinded out a hell of a career for himself. On paper, he seems like a Jason Licht kind of guy.
February 19th, 2025 at 1:48 pm
Sounds like versatile backup help on the cheap. Worth kicking the tires that’s for sure.
February 19th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Not sure ice cream bars go with beee? But hopefully the beers are flowing in celebratory fashion.
February 19th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
*beer
February 19th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
He sure does have the resume! Unfortunately, he has had some injuries with the Bears and Saints. The last one was a knee injury, end of the season.
February 19th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
Here in Chicago, my Bears fan brother could not wait for the Bears to get rid of Patrick. Why? he was hurt constantly and did not play very well when healthy, just sayin…
February 19th, 2025 at 7:01 pm
Nice option!
February 20th, 2025 at 1:44 am
I’m not sold on the whole Hainsey is gone thing Joe. If Hainsey wants to be gone then by all means. But I think that puts the Bucs in a bad spot. Cupboard is bare at center. We got zip. Sometimes its better to keep the devil you know….Hainsey may be the best backup center in the league. Don’t know what his value in the FA market will be but Jason may do well to pay the man.
Go Bucs!
February 20th, 2025 at 1:20 pm
Never hire any player under 30 – he just might be around for a while !!