Most Intriguing: Carl Nicks
June 5th, 2014
The more hobbled Carl Nicks wears a floppy hat — and not a helmet –adds to the doubt he will ever suit up again.
Each team that turns fortunes around always has a key player in that mix. A rock. A core element to that foundation.
Many Bucs fans point to Hardy Nickerson, the current Bucs linebackers coach, who was a veteran on a young Bucs team that turned the corner from woeful to an eventual Super Bowl champion.
Such a guy isn’t always a skill position player or a guy that racks up sacks like Joe does empty beer bottles on a steamy Florida summer afternoon.
For good guy Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, he believes that most intriguing player for Tampa Bay is hobbled guard Carl Nicks.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
G Carl Nicks: The Bucs overloaded their offensive line, which was aging and had many starters entering the final year of contracts. Nicks was a rare holdover, and at his best, he was perhaps the most dominant guard in the game. He is the kind of guy who can help set a physical tone and give this unit an identity … that is if he can play at all. Nicks was robbed of last season from MRSA, a potentially deadly infection, and it remains to be seen what he can do in 2014. If he can get close to his old form, then all the more reason why I believe the Bucs can be one of the surprise teams in the NFL (with rookie GM Jason Licht perhaps duplicating the first-year heroics of Arizona’s Steve Keim from 2013; Licht working under Keim at the time). This offense has no shortage of size and potential playmakers, but being stout up front is always a prerequisite.
Yes, the return of Nicks would be key on a suspect line. But for every day Nicks cannot do anything more at practice than hold a bottle of water and hand out towels and encouragement, that just adds to the doubt he can ever return.
Joe thinks it’s clear why the Bucs are hanging on to Nicks. If he can rebound, then all of a sudden the offensive line looks so much better. Yeah, Nicks is that good of a guard.
But we all know about that dirty word “hope,” don’t we?
June 5th, 2014 at 7:17 am
Bucs Brass know what there doing with Nicks, he’s to much of an asset. We don’t need him participating in pajama practice, we need him for the season & something is telling me that you know that as well Joe…
June 5th, 2014 at 7:21 am
The Bucs are hanging onto Nicks because if he can play we’ll be a much better team, and if he can’t we gain absolutely nothing by cutting him. We’re on the hook for a big paycheck whether he gets cut or not. Unless he is able to recover this year, he’ll be cut after this season once the guaranteed part of his contract has passed. If he can recover, he still looked like a dominant guard when he did play the last couple years.
There is no reason to not roll the dice on Nicks this year, even if the odds of him playing are near zero.
June 5th, 2014 at 7:26 am
RG-ALEX BOONE-Is Available !!
Per: Matt Maiocco @MaioccoCSN
Can the 49ers find money for Alex Boone, Kap, Iupati, Crabtree and V.Davis? (Ehab Elsobky) Not a chance. Sorry to break the news. But, really, 49ers general manager Trent Baalke has been saying this all along. The 49ers have braced for some key players moving on. In fact, that has already happened with the departures of safeties Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner over the past two offseasons.
The top priority was, without question, Kaepernick. And the 49ers realize that once he gets what is considered a “fair” contract, the complexion of the roster will change. The NFL’s salary cap is on the rise, but it will not increase so dramatically to account for big-money deals for each of the team’s stars.
Last season, the 49ers had behind-closed-doors conversations about the futures of guard Alex Boone and Mike Iupati. The 49ers will likely have to make an either/or decision when it comes to their guards. And the 49ers seemed to prepare for that day with the third-round draft selections of center-guard Marcus Martin and guard Brandon Thomas.
-(Right Guard) Alex Boone’s decision indicates determination to get new deal
http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/boones-decision-indicates-determination-get-new-deal
June 5th, 2014 at 7:26 am
I would have felt better if yesterday he was there to hold a bottle of water and hand out towels and encouragement on the sidelines.
What was surprising to me was that he didn’t get the obligatory pass from the coaching staff that they knew where he was and they were still expecting him at training camp – but nothing! The OC and O-Line coach wouldn’t even discuss him. Lovie didn’t comment at all yesterday.
I won’t make unwarranted assumptions, but something doesn’t feel right!
June 5th, 2014 at 7:27 am
(RG)-Alex Boone (27) is the 38th-highest paid guard in the NFL, and the 49ers have him under contract for two more seasons for a total cost of $3.7 million. Boone is not attending the voluntary offseason program as he seeks a new contract. He would be subject to nearly $70,000 in fines if he does not attend the mandatory minicamp June 17-19.
June 5th, 2014 at 7:29 am
If he comes back now he will probably be as good as our present guards. He has been out to long. I wonder if he still lifting and were his strength is compare to the last time he played.
When the pads come on we will know the real status of the o-line. Until then in Lovie and Licht I trust. They get paid the big $$$. We just create our own illusion of how things should be… lol
June 5th, 2014 at 7:36 am
Even if his toe was 200% he!s an injury waiting to happen having not played in 3 years. Can he even be called a football players at this point.
June 5th, 2014 at 7:36 am
If possible lets get Boone and Iupati from the 49ers. I wonder if this has been the plan all along???
June 5th, 2014 at 7:41 am
(RG)-6’8 Alex Boone can also swing at (RT) as well.(Value pick)
June 5th, 2014 at 7:53 am
Luv,
I share your enthusiasm in wanting to improve the O-Line. But Boone is not quite available and neither is Evan Mathis. They are both unhappy with their present contracts and want new ones. They’re both good players and their teams are not going to let them go for nothing.
Mathis is 32 and Boone is a 6-8 tackle playing guard. Are they a fit in Tedfords scheme and neither is going to be happy in Tampa without new long-term contracts – the reason they are unhappy where they are.
Would you make a trade for Boone who by the way has a history that could be a concern on a long-term contract, and what would you offer in trade and to Boone?
June 5th, 2014 at 7:57 am
With all the leaks (I mean unnamed sources) at One Buc Palace and nobody can pry any information out about his condition? That does not look good good to me. Can they be trying to reach a settlement? They can’t be trying to keep it secret he will be back because what other team would it really scare?
June 5th, 2014 at 8:05 am
@Macabee
Would trade for Boone in a heart beat-One of the best zone blocking RG’s in the game. Sure after a breakout 2012 year (+22.9 overall grade *PFF), Alex Boone took a step back in 2013 (-1.9). T-34th of 59 guards in Pass Block Efficiency.
But-
As it stands right now we have
2015-$33,044,215
2016-$69,716,144
That’s before extensions, rollovers, cuts, etc. Plenty of space to front load his contract extension w/ guarantees -like we typically do
June 5th, 2014 at 8:08 am
Let him go. Even if he can play, obviously it will be excruciatingly painful. Why risk damaging his foot further and risking the rest of his life?
June 5th, 2014 at 8:09 am
Mathis (32) has graded out as the BEST zone blocking (LG’s) in the NFL (Since 2011). Considered by the many as the most technically sound interior lineman in the league.
June 5th, 2014 at 8:25 am
Nicks NEEDs to attended the pajama practice, he has been out of football for over a year now. He is done, we all now it, just don’t want to admit it. We will pick up a guard or two after teams make final cuts.
June 5th, 2014 at 8:26 am
Well I think we can all agree that taking an o lineman in the first round next year will be the way to go.
June 5th, 2014 at 8:33 am
The way it seems to be going, I predict that the Bucs might not let Nicks participate physically at all this off season in hopes of having him available by the first game against Carolina. He may not get many physical reps but he should be mentally prepared at least. They have to pay him regardless, it’s just to bad that he will take a valuably limited roster spot if he can’t return to form. But I’m sure once the season starts and they realize that Carl is forever done, they will make an injury settlement and move on. I’m sure they will have a list of guards on stand by in case Nicks can’t return or he is a shell of his former self.
June 5th, 2014 at 8:50 am
Rough numbers, but I think we are on the hook for $8M of the $9M on his contract. So we wait and hope for a miracle.
June 5th, 2014 at 9:24 am
Well he is wearing two question marks on his jersey!
June 5th, 2014 at 9:25 am
We’re on the hook for his complete salary in 2014. He occupies a roster spot, that’s it. No other reason to have him. He won’t be here in 2015, almost certainly. You don’t pay guards with that kind of injury history 10+ million per year.
June 5th, 2014 at 9:35 am
2014 Nicks is the Highest paid Waterboy EVER!!!
But Perhaps Cutting Nicks in 2014 = MRSA Lawsuit equal to his Contract Number anyways and This keeps Nicks and the NFLPA quiet
June 5th, 2014 at 10:01 am
La Confora is the worst. He picks Nicks as the guy whos going to turn the bucs around. The only reason hes still on the roster is his guaranteed contract.
June 5th, 2014 at 10:22 am
Looks like Schoolboy Q in this picture
June 5th, 2014 at 10:58 am
Carl Nicks will never play another down in the NFL. I believe he will start the season on the PUP list and eventually on injured reserve, for 2014. I am sure the BUCS are moving on without him and looking for other options. There are very few options “on the street” that improve the offensive line and only a trade will address the issue. We’re not out of time but it’s getting short!!!
June 5th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
If his salary weren’t guaranteed, he would be gone by now. The only reason they’re keeping him for now is that, if they’re gonna pay him anyway, they might as well see if there’s an outside chance he’ll play.
June 5th, 2014 at 12:49 pm
Imagine the PR nightmere handling Carls injury. As a fan I don’t even want to wright MRSA. I hope their letting Nicks recover, take another year off with pay or what ever it takes to keep him Happy. I would to have him ready for the year! I just don’t want to hear about the Bucs and MRSA ever again..
June 5th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
I am starting to think that Carl Nicks = Albert Haynesworth.
June 5th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
starting too??? I been saying it for 2 years!!!
they should cut him and eat the cost to set an example.
unless this is some messed up ruise they are playing…but they have been straight forward about everything else, so no reason to think that.
June 5th, 2014 at 7:42 pm
Is that true that Nicks has not played a game in 3 years? I thought he played a few last year and almost half the season the year before. I’m guessing they are expecting to put him on the PUP list to start the season and get him the 2nd half of this year hopefully after the bye week.
June 6th, 2014 at 6:48 am
Here we go again. We might as we’ll talk about Johnny football.