Major Move On Major Wright
April 1st, 2014
Lovie Smith sure seems to be a man of his word. One of the first things Lovie told the NFL world as Bucs head coach was that he saw no good reason to leave any cash in the coffers when it comes to building his roster.
With veteran safety Major Wright now in/headed to Tampa, it seems the Bucs are about to buy even more talent.
NFL Network is reporting Wright, the former Bears safety, is next up for the grand tour and sales job at One Buc Palace. Ian Rapoport also Twittered that the Bucs don’t plan to let him leave.
@RapSheet – Major Wright is visiting the
#Bucs tonight and tomorrow, source confirms… what he tweeted. They’ll try to sign him before he leaves.
Now this is a very intriguing move. Lovie has been clear that he doesn’t shop for free agents to be reserves and that courted free agents want to know their odds of winning a starting job.
If Wright signs, will that mean he’s been told he’s got a decent shot of winning a starting job from Mark Barron or Dashon Goldson?
This is Goldson’s final Bucs season with a guaranteed contract. Unless he returns to Pro Bowl form, Joe can’t imagine Goldson staying on the team in 2015 at his current rate of pay. Goldson is due $8 million in 2015.
Wright, 25, a former Florida Gator, was a starter in Chicago and had four interceptions for Lovie in 2012. That shows the “ball skills” Lovie craves. Barron had a career high two picks last year.
Regardless, Wright would be a strong signing for the Bucs, an upgrade to Keith Tandy on the depth chart, for sure.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:12 pm
Wow, I’m impressed with the commitment to depth… on defense. I’d really like that same commitment shown on offense. Especially when it comes to starting, proven, veteran talent on the O line.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:21 pm
It looks like we are not a “set” at safety as some may have thought we were.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:21 pm
Agreed, although it’s tough to have that much depth on both sides of the ball, but yes, in a perfect world…
If we do sign him, it will be pretty interesting to see who ends up as the starters week 1.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:22 pm
the draft will be all offense the way were going!
April 1st, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Depends on the price…he can ride the pine if he’s cheap enough..good insurance against Goldson….and good depth.
There could still be a trade or two….
April 1st, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Shot across the preverbal bow of starting safeties
April 1st, 2014 at 8:31 pm
Barron is yet to impress me. To think we could have had Kuechly hurts all the more.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. aka Gators south. Go Gators! Go Bucs!
April 1st, 2014 at 8:32 pm
@Mike10 – completely agree. Depth on the o-line needs to be a priority. Maybe following the draft we will see some gap filling occurring, and hopefully there will be some decent depth talent left over. I also think that this is a clear sign that suspensions due to high hits from Goldson wont be acceptable under this regime.
Gotta love the fact that regardless of pay and status, no one will feel that their position is assured on this roster.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:33 pm
If Bucs take Kuechly, another linebacker needy team ends up with David.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:33 pm
I don’t think this is a threat to Goldson or Tandy this year. IF he’s signed, it more likely means the end of Kelcie McCray and/or Bradley McDougald. Don’t ask me who these guys are – bodies that Schiano found somewhere and added them to the roster last year.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Nice defensive depth… Can we work on some offensive starters? Maybe some offensive depth as well. This is getting ridiculous…
April 1st, 2014 at 8:45 pm
I remember seeing this kid when he was at Saint Thomas Aquinas. Even then he was a banger. Huge improvement over Tandy.
April 1st, 2014 at 8:48 pm
@zam but we got David and foster is coming along. And barron hasn’t been terrible
April 1st, 2014 at 8:57 pm
C’mon and finish the deal – In Lovie we trust!
April 1st, 2014 at 9:02 pm
You also have to take into consideration that we only have five draft picks, so we can’t exactly build depth through the draft this year.
One more thing to consider is that the 49ers have about five million draft picks and might have some interest in replacing Donte Whitner with someone familiar with their schemes, possibly… Dashon Goldson?
April 1st, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Goldson’s tha next buccaneer 2 walk tha plank
April 1st, 2014 at 9:14 pm
Sign him!
April 1st, 2014 at 9:15 pm
Maybe this is for a safety to play over those great tight ends Tampa is always going up against, maybe line up 3 safeties in a defense rather than 3 corners. It’s not a bad idea…
April 1st, 2014 at 9:25 pm
He will probably start most of the year if the hawk keeps getting suspended.
April 1st, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Possibly a great (SS) depth signing.
Hopefully reconnecting with-
• Safeties Coach (Mikal Smith)
• Cornerbacks Coach (Gill Byrd)
…Major Wright can return to 2012/2011 form.
Note: S/SCB ANTONE EXUM would be nice addition in the 5th round
April 1st, 2014 at 9:33 pm
If you plan on having a very physical, competitive camp; guys are gonna get banged up. Which makes signing guys like this essential-This way you don’t lose to much drop off in play. Great safety net pick!
April 1st, 2014 at 9:39 pm
Our safeties ranked at the bottom of the barrel. Barron has been an ok starter but nothing near warranting the number 7 overall pick type of play. Goldson hasn’t done squat. Tandy actually played well and is a good free safety.
April 1st, 2014 at 9:47 pm
tha truth is… Says:
April 1st, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Not likely with an 8 million guaranteed cap hit. Unless someone wants to trade for him, or we find 4 safeties better than him, he’s a Buccaneer this year.
April 1st, 2014 at 9:52 pm
Smh-“IF” he signs- it will a MUCH NEEDED depth signing-thats all
Hopefully we can grab DE Robert Ayers as well.
April 1st, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Not sure why this move was necessary, or even desirable, unless they think they can unload Barron for a draft pick.
I think Joe has made too much of Lovie’s comments about starters in free agency (as usual). I don’t think he was making a categorical statement, but stating a general philosophy, where there are always exceptions. Clearly, they’ve supplemented depth in free agency. I mean, seriously, do you think they really signed Oniel Cousins as a starter? No. Clearly not.
April 1st, 2014 at 9:59 pm
This is the garbage collection part of free agency. If any of the guys signed from here on makes an impact, it’ll be good fortune.
April 1st, 2014 at 10:00 pm
Goldson can be traded, preferably around draft time for a late round
April 1st, 2014 at 10:02 pm
^^ You really think anybody will want to pay him 8 million AND give up a draft pick? I don’t.
April 1st, 2014 at 10:02 pm
Would be an interesting signing. Might be insurance policy in case of an injury or if Goldson continues to get targeted by the refs and gets suspended for a substantial amount of time. Somehow I dont see him making his way into the starting lineup this season though. Either way, Depth and competition is always a good thing. Sign him.
April 1st, 2014 at 10:05 pm
At the very least, this makes for an elite 3-man rotation at safety in 2014. If Goldson can’t learn to go low under the new regime’s tutelage this year, then he’s a goner in 2015, and Wright/Barron will start.
April 1st, 2014 at 10:07 pm
The Bucs were excited about the play of practice-squadder Marc Anthony, a CB in college who they were coaching up at the safety position.
April 1st, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Hopefully we Sign-DE Robert Ayers
DE Robert Ayers (28)- In 2013, played in (15 games) with (3) starts.
• (29) Tackles,
• (5.5) Sacks
• (1) Forced fumble
April 1st, 2014 at 10:17 pm
I don’t see this move as a threat to either Goldson or Tandy this year. If Wright is signed, it’s more likely the end for Kelcie McCray and/or Bradley McDougald.
April 1st, 2014 at 10:44 pm
@LMB
He had a total of 6.5 sacks before last season… He also played RDE which wouldn’t make too much sense to sign another one of those(MJ) as opposed to a LDE or if hes actually an improvement over Clayborn Bowers or Gholston..
BTW if we did sign Ayers it would probably mean Clayborn would never see the field(RDE) because Lovie and Licht sign FA’s to be “starters”
Call me crazy but I think we have enough depth at DE with Clayborn Bowers and Gholston(with 2 of the 3 being back ups) where we could use a late round pick on a pass rush specialist or a hybrid OLB/DE… That is unless we sign this dude to the VET min. 🙂
April 1st, 2014 at 11:10 pm
He’s an upgrade over Keith Tandy but Tandy did a good job of coming off the bench to play for Goldson. Got a couple picks himself, didn’t he? A good backup at least.
April 1st, 2014 at 11:11 pm
@Phillip
At this point in free agency signing a veteran player that has experience lining up, at several positions all across the line gives you scheme versatility. He’s lined up at RDE-LDE-and also at tackle in different sub packages. As much as I believe , Bowers will thrive in Lovie’s system-We can’t discount his previous knee issues. IMO Ayers is a more than capable insurance policy..Just in case.
Overview
• LDE Michael Johnson-Adrian Clayborn-William Gholston
• LDT Gerald McCoy-William Gholston
• RDT Clint McDonald-Akeem Spence
• RDE DaQuan Bowers-Steven Means
Robert Ayers could push-Bowers/Means for a rosters spot. Either way the camp battle will be intense. Not only for them but also the linemen lining up across from them in practice.
April 1st, 2014 at 11:16 pm
Smh-when I think -what if Aaron Donald is added to that Rotation
April 2nd, 2014 at 12:12 am
@LMB
Forgot about Means… I would rather us use our remaining money on OL depth I think Lovie and Frazier can get our younger guys to play much better and I would be okay with seeing Ayers get 6-8 sacks with some other team as opposed to the younger Bowers Means or Clayborn being cut(for Ayers) and finally hitting that 7-10+ sack mark with another team especially if they are a reserve or starting.
Donald McDonald and GMC all same 3 tech DT? Wouldn’t be a wise move imo
April 2nd, 2014 at 12:26 am
“Lovie has been clear that he doesn’t shop for free agents to be reserves …” – Joe
Well, if that’s the case we have two starting QBs, because he’s signed two.
April 2nd, 2014 at 12:44 am
Nice to see that L & L are smart to bring in players from the State of Florida and the Tampa area instead of Rutgers or just the Midwest. We now have depth on Defense and good competition, and Major Wright is a good Veteran Safety who already knows the Tampa Two and likes to play for Lovie. Sign. Him and we will have four good safeties. That also will make Goldson avoid suspensions and play hard to his potential. Now this will be real discipline, Lovie Style and not toes on the line insanity.
April 2nd, 2014 at 1:00 am
Goldson’s guaranteed cap hit makes it worthless to cut him this year. And considering his history of suspensions, no team in the league will take him with that salary.
So the Bucs are stuck with him whether they like it or not.
This is more of a signing for depth and perhaps planning for down the road. Also, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Goldson ends up suspended again.
April 2nd, 2014 at 1:13 am
This is a public announcement to both Barron and Gholdson that subpar play will not cut it and penalties and busted coverages will land you on the bench.
BTW, Lovie didn’t draft a safety at 6 the ESPN employee formerly known as Rockstar did, do guess what it’s no nonsense time in Tampa.
So people and media types, including Joe(s) can make up stories about little item and defend Mike Williams but Mr Licht and Mr Smith are screwing around.
Notice every interview said we were 4-12 and they know they are exposed with subpar crap that’s been tolerated. I laugh at all the wanna be GMs and reporters that question Lovie and Licht but their business like demeanor and repetitive referencing of the losing should get everyone attention. I love the weekly and daily Johnny Joe Football stories about nothing because this isn’t Madden and these guys are football guys. So if they draft him I trust them and if not I trust them because their jobs ride on winning and not stories.
I digress but I am happy with Lovie and his staff who by the way is no joke – Frazier is a a)$ kicker DC and you just wait to see what’s about to happen. Now let’s address this offense and get some weapons and put a end to the sky is falling stories or some reporters that always claim the glass is half empty.
If it offends then the shoe fits.
April 2nd, 2014 at 4:17 am
Is he a SS or a FS?
April 2nd, 2014 at 5:39 am
Wright is very good player and is still young. This would be a great pick up.
April 2nd, 2014 at 7:53 am
Wright starts, Barron sits
April 2nd, 2014 at 10:03 am
Nice addition. We need depth.
@LUV- I can’t believe you brought up Antone Exum! My wife is VT alum so, I am very familiar with Exum. He’s a solid safety. The real VT stud in this draft though is CB Kyle Fuller. He’s projected as a late 1st early 2nd rounder.
April 2nd, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Who cares that players are from Florida or that they played pee wee, HS or college here? I want the best players regardless of where they’re from.
April 2nd, 2014 at 4:18 pm
I love what LOvie is doing to the roster. Real Talent Evaluators in Tampa.
We have the 3 hardest hitting safeties in the game with the signing of Major Wright. Put them all on the field in that one package where Barron moves down in the box and its Lights Out. Thumpers!!!!