Free Agency Countdown: 22 Days — The Bucs And Shaquill Griffin
February 16th, 2025
The keg is ordered, the trays of Hooters boneless wings and Mahi tacos will arrive early. The dessert pies will come pre-sliced.
The menu at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters is set for the start of free agency at noon on Monday, March 10.
Now who will the Bucs sign?
A year ago, the Bucs ran out and got a veteran outside cornerback early in free agency. That was Bryce Hall, and he was set to be the No. 3 corner behind Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum.
In Week 1, Hall dislocated his ankle and broke his leg. He never played again. Joe thinks that injury impacted the defense. The team was painfully thin and inexperienced behind Hall.
Might the Bucs bring back Hall on a minimum contract? Or will they look to replace him in free agency?
That brings Joe to pending Vikings free agent Shaquill Griffin, the 29-year-old St. Petersburg native and 2019 Pro Bowler out of the University of Central Florida.
The 2017 Seattle third-round pick signed a huge free agent contract with the Jaguars in 2021. Then he bounced between the Texans and Panthers and last year found a home in Minnesota within the blitz-happy Brian Flores defense.
Griffin played all 17 games (3 starts) and finished with 2 interceptions, 6 passes defensed and 41 combined tackles. Simply put, he can still play.
Might Griffin want to come home?
If the Bucs keep injury-prone Dean, then they certainly need a capable body behind him.
Griffin earned $4.5 million last season and likely will cost in that same neighborhood if Minnesota lets him walk.
Ira Kaufman Talks Jason Licht Popularity, Decision-Making Conversations, Chris Godwin, Underachievement Debate, And Much More
February 16th, 2025 at 10:26 am
Call me crazy but I smell A Raheem Mostert Signing. Miami RB is a dude. Having him and Bucky. For the right price obviously. That will be our one addition to the offense the rest I can live with. I saw enough of play making with the ability for growth. That is all promising. Go Sign a pass rusher it doesn’t need to be Garrett. Sweat, Hendricks would suffice. But for the love of god draft another with the first pick. Swing at the fences if one goes down. throw out another capable rusher to get after QBs. The whole draft should be retooling the defense. Playoffs they almost did enough to win at home. There is signs of life in this team. I trust Licht to get the best plan for now and later. Sometimes we think to short term.
February 16th, 2025 at 10:38 am
Would rather have Hall back….hes a potential starter that knows the defense. Jets fans loved his ability and production.
February 16th, 2025 at 10:42 am
“finished with 2 interceptions”
So last year he DOUBLED Dean’s normal annual output for ints.
Dean’s career ints – 2-1-2-2-0-1 So Griffin has twice as many interceptions last season as Dean has recorded over the past TWO years. Hands of stone indeed!
February 16th, 2025 at 10:49 am
I don’t care who they draft in first round. Just find a guy that can start and play reasonably well.. I’m sick of guys that get drafted high and never get seen until 2-3 years (see Braswell).
I think of all that print on these pages there was about how Braswell is the answer. Then radio silence once the season starts.
February 16th, 2025 at 11:29 am
You’re crazy.
February 16th, 2025 at 11:37 am
Revel is also coming off an injury…just draft him. It will be cheaper and we’ll see what we have.
Emmanwori
Shwesinger
Revel
February 16th, 2025 at 11:43 am
Hall was a great FA pickup and a huge loss. Huge. We never talked about it much because he played for, what, like not even a half?
I would definitely give him another look, as coach says, you can’t have too many capable DBs. But if Griffin can be had also, sure. Bring them all in, then let them pass rush against Wirfs and Godonkey. Because that’s what they’ll be doing in September.
February 16th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Would love to see us sign Shaquill Griffin to compete with Jamel Dean opposite McCollum. He’s got good size (6’0″ & 198 lbs), is just turning 30 (this July), and had an excellent 2024 with the Vikings (54.4% Completions Allowed).
It’d probably cost us $4 – $5 mil to get him here, but ‘beggars can’t be choosers’ as they say. Bucs NEED starter-capable outside CBs right now. Drafting one in Rnd 1-2 is fine, but we need the EXPERIENCE also. Griffin provides that. With a Secondary of Dean, McCollum, Griffin, High Draft Pick, Tykee Smith, Izien, Winfield, Whitehead, Merriweather & maybe Edwards (11 guys) we’d be pretty well set.
February 16th, 2025 at 12:33 pm
Trade up???
February 16th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
In this defense Bucs fans will turn on any corner we sign in less than 5 games because they’ll say it’s the player that sucks not Todd Bowles defense
February 16th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Recall Hall was evid impressing before his injury, def down to have him back on a reasonable deal if he’s healthy. Would make sense to double dip at CB, LB, Edge & probably S as well between FA & the draft. Still feel there’s untapped talent on D though that’s suffered from inferior coaching these last few years. The players deserve to have top quality coaches, not just the HC’s bfs that keep him in his comfort zone.
February 16th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
Dang I didn’t know his injury was THAT bad – Bucs were literally torn apart last year
I’d like to bring a bunch of Vikings – bring Bynum and Murphy too!
Anyone a fan of Kendall Fuller just let go by MIA?
No to Mostert for me this draft class is stacked at RB – maybe Bucky convinces Jason to bring his backfield buddy Jordan James from Oregon w/ last pick
February 16th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
Pewter — the quartet of Positive Pollies will drown your self evident point with paragraphs of copy and pasted lines of information from publicly available data sources, and in the end avoid the glaring reality borne out by results.
10-7 was the worst this team could have done, and they did it. Then lost a playoff game where they let everything underneath happen and gave the Redskins the game. But that’s not convenient for Positive Pollies, so, yeah.
February 16th, 2025 at 4:20 pm
Listen, I think the only position group on the entire defense that doesn’t need any tweaking is the front line, minus outside rushers. Everything else can either use an upgrade to their starters or much better backups.
February 16th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Aqualung, Pewter Power
Amen….
February 16th, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Bring hall back n get grif
February 16th, 2025 at 8:17 pm
Is Terry Tate available? Does he have anything left in the tank?
TT is an all-time great LB. Those clothes-line tackles near the copy machine are legendary…
February 17th, 2025 at 1:41 am
Taking a page out of good old Tom McEwen”s traditional playbook Joe? Love it!
I prefer the grouper sandwich. Fish Tacos never seemed that appetizing to me. Is all this being served by Ira or the Hooters lovelies?
We need big time help. To me all options are still on the table as far as FAs go. Hall? Yes! Griffen? Yes! Those are dang good numbers for a part time starter Joe.
Nobody on the back end should be feeling nice and comfy about staying in Tampa.
Go Bucs!
February 17th, 2025 at 9:53 am
On board for Shaquill! Bring him home. He and his twin brother Shaquem played for Lakewood High. So much talent.