(Lack Of) Free Agency Confidence
March 16th, 2015
Joe is constantly peppered on Twitter by fans irked that the Bucs haven’t hit home runs in free agency this year.
Given recent history, that may be a very good thing.
Bucs fans are stressed over no edge pass rush (a 10-year malady) and the leaky offensive line. Joe tries to assure these folks there are still players out there who can help and the regular season is still 5 1/2 months off. That’s a lot of time.
It seems, however, Tampa Tribune humorist Martin Fennelly isn’t so confident a year’s time would aid the Bucs’ front office. Fennelly wondered aloud (well, typed in a public forum) if Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota will actually want to play for Tampa Bay.
What if we sat them down and told them all the scary stories, explained just how long Bucs offenses have been lousy, as if it had been written into the team charter, as well as that teetering offensive line, and the historical fact that no quarterback the Bucs have ever drafted has ever made it to a second contract with the club.
Or we let them hear us add up the total cost for the Bucs of Goldson, and Josh McCown, and Michael Johnson, and Anthony Collins, and Barron, and Darrelle Revis — and the terribly limited return. It’s staggering.
Surely, it would be something to think about. Not that Jameis and Marcus would. I mean, they’re kids. What do they know about the institutional madness and the Bucs’ offense? They go back as far as Josh Freeman, if that. And if their agents fill them in on the Bucs, they’ll also mention that no state income tax thing, again.
Well, Winston is on record with his desire to play for Tampa Bay.
He said so when he visited One Buc Palace and he did so when he broke down a play for Steve Mariucci on the NFL Network, pointing to a receiver on the diagrammed Xs and Os saying, “Hopefully, I have Vincent Jackson.”
Is the history ugly? Is the Bucs history scary? Yes, Michael Johnson scary. That’ doesn’t mean the team is a lost cause.
Part of the repair process is picking Winston come April 30.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
You really should link to Fennelly’s column.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:07 pm
Yup. Fixed. Innocent oversight.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
We’re not alone in the NFL. Lots of other busts on all but a few teams.
And at least we have 1 Superbowl victory.
But yeah…..it’s time to start kicking some $$
March 16th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
It’s an extensive repair job. Sure the new QB is an important step in the repairs, but that’s kind of like putting a new set of tires on an old rusted heap auto that sputters.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
Picking Winston come April 30 would be THE START to “fixin'” the Bucs.
However, the offensive line and pass rush are a different story. To be honest, this year I haven’t been too excited about the prospects available in this years free agency. Maybe that’s the reason the Bucs haven’t been successful or jumped on anyone so far. Yes, they’ve added some support cast, but nothing that shakes the rafters and says, “look out here he comes”.
The scary part is there is only so much that can be accomplished in the draft. Maybe 3 starters, at best.
Boy, I just had a money saving and franchise building idea. Listen to this!!!!
We offer Ted Thompson (Green Bay Packers) to come here at 15 Million a year to FIX this freakin mess. That’s the same amount we blew just on Michael “ghost”, alone.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:21 pm
My, My how perceptions have changed here in TampaBay!!
from 1 year ago!
https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=109099
March 16th, 2015 at 12:21 pm
we should have over paid for a good offensive lineman… we can’t fix all our problems in the draft.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
This team has way too many issues to fix in one offseason. Get used to the fact that we wont fill all of the holes. Hopefully they’ll make enough moves to get the team to .500 or better. This year.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Unlike last year where we spent first and did the homework later, it appears that Lovie and crew are selecting carefully. Melton, Carter, and Conte all come from cover 2 defenses. Coincidence? I think not.
The blueprint has always been there; draft well and augment with free-agency. They listened to the fans who wanted to spend, spend, spend and look what happened.
We’ve got a loooooong way to go folks. Keep in mind that this team is more than one QB away from being good.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:34 pm
Its the Bucs time to shine. Winston will eventually take us to the promised land if L&L can somehow find a way to field a balanced and competitive team around him. When Jameis said he expects to play in Super Bowls – he wasn’t kidding or bragging.
Having a QB with Winston’s football IQ, swagger, alpha male leadership, clutch play history and natural God-given talent to sling the rock better than anyone we’ve seen in years. This is a dream come true scenario for the Buccaneers. Lovie deserves credit for tanking games to put us in this position. That had to be really, really difficult to do what was best for the team and best for the franchise while making himself look worse for the losing. Thank You coach Smith. We would have never gotten Jameis Winston otherwise. The last game of the 2014 season was the Bucs most important game in a long, long time. If we had won that game, Tennessee would have snatched up Winston before we even had time to make a phone call.
March 16th, 2015 at 12:57 pm
I will give Jameis Kudos for saying that. I get the feeling Winston Wants to be here and Mariota wants to be where he is wanted Most. May the best man win, but I’m pulling for Marcus.
March 16th, 2015 at 1:01 pm
What the Bucs have displayed the past few years has been beyond bad. Free agents that have reasonable alternatives choose to go elsewhere. Sad, but that is where we are right now. It is going to take time to fix the damage done the past few years.
March 16th, 2015 at 1:03 pm
Free Agency left a lot to be desired. There were very few sure fire good pick ups available – and those that were available came at too steep a price. $19M per year – every year for Suh???? Give me a break. McCoy looks like a bargain at $13.5M.
Bucs have no choice but to draft well. Need to hit on at least 3 if not 4 good starters in this year’s draft – and that ain’t easy to do. Winston as starter is a given – so 2-3 more starters from this draft would be good work by Licht and the scouting dept. Let’s hope 2 of those guys play on the OLine. If Cam Erving slips to the Bucs in the 2nd round – that would truly be the dream scenario as he is a hell of a lineman and can play any position up front. And Jameis having his main man up front blocking for him – the continuity and automatic trust factor there would be very beneficial for Winston’s ability to succeed this year.
Even with all the apparent holes – if the Bucs can manage to only accomplish drafting Winston and fixing the OLine to play at a decent level – then this team will be sooooo much better than what we saw last year. The presence of Koetter alone is worth 4-5 wins. Surely the players can win a few more on top of that.
March 16th, 2015 at 1:18 pm
To much negative fans makes me sick I feel will will get an lineman and go to draft in slot better shape then most think and draft at least 3 very good players better times ahead
March 16th, 2015 at 1:22 pm
There’s another round of veteran free agency after the draft. The Bucs appear to be doing their home work this year, and not just giving away money like a drunk with a check book at a bar. I think the being patient might pay off this year.
Worst case scenerio, We’ll have even more salary cap space for next year, and We can return to our spend now, and ask questions later ways…
March 16th, 2015 at 1:29 pm
Being 1st in waiver wire could help all the way till 3rd game of season always someone will get waved coaching has got to be better way to many bad decision s last year that could of turned to a win instead of a L
March 16th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Any player that loves the game should embrace the challenge of turning around a lackluster franchise. The last thing this team needs is a malcontent that becomes part of the problem instead of part of the solution. Sapp and Brooks were part of a historical turnaround, in large part because they stood up and said they weren’t going to accept losing. McCoy is showing some of that fight. Everyone else has to jump on board, including free agents and rookies.
March 16th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
Joe, can you please explain to me how / why they are saying that Cinci is expecting to receive compensatory picks for Johnson, and possibly for Collins?
In what world does that make any sense?
March 16th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Home Run, how about just a walk.
March 16th, 2015 at 3:27 pm
Just when I thought I’d heard the dumbest pay from a so called writer someone has to come out and top it…. Lol eli refusing to go to San Diego is one thing but these guys don’t have that family legacy and being that their kids over confident kids they won’t turn down money a first overall pick would get. Damn so ridiculous yes they’ll sit back and sat I won’t play for you because of what mark Dominick did or because of last year even though those guys were cut. How about someone trying to man up and say they’ve never had a franchise quarterback I wanna be the first. Damn seriously what was Seattle known for because it wasn’t championships before Russell Wilson, it was Tavaris Jackson and Matt Flynn
March 16th, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Starts with ownership…
The Glazer stooges could catch fish barrel, They gave us Rah, Dom and Shiano..three guys that had no business leading an NFL team and that has sent us back to expansion days…it will take a long time to build this team and maybe new ownership…heck, even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.
March 16th, 2015 at 4:46 pm
@Buccfan37 your analogy is wrong. Drafting Winston is not at all like getting new tires for a clunker. It is more like getting a shiny new engine for a rusted out car. The new tires and body work is still needed to make the car drivable, but the engine (QB) is by the far mist important thing to get the car back on the road.
March 16th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
I want some of whatever Fennelly is smoking. Either QB would love to play in Tampa as would plenty of free agents.
Obviously if somebody like Wiz has a chance to land on an absolute SB contender or a rebuilding team he’s going to take the SB team. And so that’s about a half dozen teams that have a clear advantage on us.
If we stick to the baseball metaphor the reason we haven’t any home runs is because the pitcher would pitch to us giving us nothing to hit.
Pickgrin nailed it!
Free Agency left a lot to be desired. There were very few sure fire good pick ups available – and those that were available came at too steep a price. $19M per year – every year for Suh???? Give me a break. McCoy looks like a bargain at $13.5M.
March 16th, 2015 at 5:33 pm
They tried to grab a couple of DEs and linemen but were unable to get them to sign. So,e of you guys have very short memories I guess. They tried to get some of the first FAs available but no decent veteran wants to be a pert of this train wreck. Now a good bunch of you are acting like L&L are being selective in free agency. No, they just were ubpnable to sign their initial targets.
March 16th, 2015 at 6:06 pm
How anyone can have any confidence in this front office is beyond me at this point. The Glazers finally cut the purse strings and this group went out and wasted most of it on players that didn’t stay with the team a whole calendar year. I hope I’m wrong but I get the feeling it is going to be another long season when all hope of making the playoffs, or even a winning record, are out the window before I have to go buy Halloween candy.
The Bucs had two glaring needs, in my opinion, OL and DE, and to date there has been nothing done to fill those needs. These are exactly the same positions the Bucs were trying to fill last year and failed miserably and this year doesn’t look much better. How many OL have the Bucs even been reported to have met with maybe 1 or 2? The Bucs need starters on the offensive line and drafting them in the 4th or 5th round and hoping they work out is not an effective way of filling those needs. Even with the Saints having a fire sale to get under the cap the Bucs are still easily the worst team in the division. With the 1st pick in the 2016 NFL Draft the Bucs select …
March 16th, 2015 at 6:30 pm
I’m just perplexed that they have not made at least one move for an offensive lineman or edge rusher. They got Carter. That’s it. Oh and signed some of their own lackluster free agents. At least they know the system.
March 16th, 2015 at 9:17 pm
Remember guys we are not just drafting #1 overall..OK that’s gone to a QB.
But we also are near the top of subsequent rounds. It wouldn’t take that much to trade our high 2nd round pick for a move back into the late or maybe even mid 1st round depending how badly we want a DE or OL that my drop a bit.
And one thing that I think Stroud pointed out this past week…the Fameis sweepstakes will yield more than just the #1 pick We also get the first shot at every waiver in the league until September. That means we get to pass first on EVERY player cut! That is huge and Licht gave Stroud some examples and there are some really good players snatched from the waiver wire and we pick first.
I think Licht has a plan I really do.