Free Agent Approach 2015
March 21st, 2015
Joe gets it a lot: folks asking why the Bucs don’t sign this guy or that guy.
Understandable. Fans, kicked in the nuts annually in recent years, desperately want the Bucs to improve so they can look forward to Sundays and good football for a refreshing change.
This offseason, the Bucs mostly have held their chips, seemingly happy building depth that is terribly needed on the roster. But some fans seem to think the Bucs are reverting to the Hugh Culverhouse days because of inactivity in signing big money free agents.
Leave it to the “Custodian of Canton,” eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune to explain the Bucs’ rationale after the free agent dinner bell rang earlier this month.
Bucs cautious approach to 2015 free agency driven by two factors: relatively weak class and sting of last year’s costly mistakes
— Ira Kaufman (@IKaufmanTBO) March 20, 2015
Do not discount the latter motive. Just think about it: After spending some $29 million of Team Glazer’s cash on three guys who turned out to be so rotten they were thrown out on the street after just one season, it would be awfully hard to look a Glazer in the face and try to repeat that spending spree.
If the Bucs are going to sign players, then Joe assumes it is to better the club, not to just sign guys with no gas left in the tank for the sake of signing someone. What’s the point in that?
March 21st, 2015 at 8:06 am
Our offense was so good last year. Why would we screw up the chemistry?
March 21st, 2015 at 8:14 am
Ira is a putz, clearly he is the lapdog….come on with that reason, you could obviously have said that last year when we blew over $100 million on players that aren’t here a year later.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:16 am
The sad part of free agency is that EVERYONE from Bill Pollian on down lauded the Bucs and L&L for their aggressive attack and in acquiring the “Best” free agents at DE, QB and OT.
The fact is these guys sucked, but that also means EVERYONE who lauded the Bucs, me included, didn’t know their butt from a hole in the ground. It’s a crapshoot and if you don’t try, you will never succeed.
Backups are great, but remember, you can only draft about 3 new starters a year. The rest are projects or busts that never really help your team.
Who is the oldest draft pick on the Bucs? I’m pretty sure it’s GMC. That’s pathetic.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:17 am
I will be happier when we sign at least one Olineman….we will take care of the QB in the draft….we have RB/WR/TE….
We have first shot at the waiver wire so there will be opportunities.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:19 am
The 2 major differences between this year and last (aside from not going for the high priced FAs) is that:
1 – they are bringing these guys in and getting a feel for what’s in the player’s head – whether he loves to play football and work hard or not – instead of just throwing a bunch of $ at the so called “top FAs” as soon as the FA dinner bell rang without even meeting with them in person.
2 – Lovie is bringing in FA Defenders that already know his system and thus cut out or way down on the learning curve and time needed to adjust to Lovie’s system.
Based on what happened last year as well as years past, that is probably a wiser strategy.
Plus this years crop of FAs was not very good as a whole. Very few options in our areas of greatest need unfortunately.
This team needs to be built the right way – through good drafting and then rewarding and re-signing the players who have proven themselves in your system.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:25 am
I know wy Says:
March 21st, 2015 at 8:14 am
Ira is a putz, clearly he is the lapdog….come on with that reason, you could obviously have said that last year when we blew over $100 million on players that aren’t here a year later.
—————
He obviously did say that, “just think about it: After spending some $29 million of Team Glazer’s cash on three guys who turned out to be so rotten they were thrown out on the street after just one season.” It’s right there in the article.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:25 am
At least get Wis so we can kick EDS to RG. We’re not going to have a winning season, I know, but lets at least get an experienced O lineman who is young and can start to gel with our new QB.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:35 am
It’s a blessing in disguise that there was a weak FA class this year. Hopefully it’ll force them to draft better. Hopefully…
March 21st, 2015 at 8:47 am
@Pickgrin – well said…
March 21st, 2015 at 8:53 am
Quality needs were out there to be filled. They are just scared to make mistakes now. That’s the job a-holes. Quality talent evaluation and decision making. If they cannot do their job now because of mistakes they made in 2014 then bounce these chicken sht fools. They effed up last year and we have to watch them not improve this football team because they are scared? We deserve to consider ourselves fans of the perennial worst team in football. This isn’t changing anytime soon.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:56 am
They signed someone, a punter that we desperately need. In fact he might win us a game or two.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:58 am
bee Says:
It’s a blessing in disguise that there was a weak FA class this year. Hopefully it’ll force them to draft better. Hopefully…
*************
Gotta do both well because there are too many holes to fix the through the draft alone.
Still no edge rusher, T2 Mike, LT, RG or FS on the roster.
Did I mention QB?
Sooo.., now we are relegated to resigning scrubs from last year?
Meanwhile, the host of JBF and his league of JBF Winston minions believe an immature rookie head case is going to save this franchise?
Vegas gets it. 5, maybe 6 wins.
March 21st, 2015 at 8:58 am
How many high profile free agents did Rich McKay and Dungy snag in free agency when they were building the Super Bowl team? You don’t build a winner through first-wave free agency.
March 21st, 2015 at 9:10 am
Why aren’t we adding “depth” to the OLine with players familiar with the new OC’s system?
We have 4 starting quality DT’s, and 1 OT, 1 G- and there was NO ONE better than Gilkey or Patrick O in FA to be added??
Bullspit, it’s a joke – we better draft at least 3 OL
If I read 1 more Koeter made it happen with no OLine article I am gonna puke- that wasn’t by design, it was injury driven- let’s not plan on the playoffs with our current half a line approach
March 21st, 2015 at 9:14 am
How about Michael Johnson being outplayed and cousins,Collins, gholdson being benched for cheaper players. Most players have to become a household name with their play and I think we have a few players that will. The just want a need to go after big name except o lime and d line anyway
March 21st, 2015 at 9:14 am
Actually Sam Wyche drafted the backbone of the bucs defense and then chucky signed the FAs that put the bucs over the top… Roman Oben Joe J Keenan etc,
March 21st, 2015 at 9:30 am
Nice post DEAN. Not only did you own your mistaken beliefs but also all the other so called experts who lauded the Bucs FA class. A rare act indeed out on this sight.
I could just hear all the same people calling for the Bucs screaming for them to sign Greg Hardy calling them idiots and incompetent six months later when he slaps another bar tramp around.
Other than Hardy, most of the FA’s signed were second tier players. The only good OL FA, the Wiz, still hasn’t signed and he only became available because the Raiders liked his backup better.
March 21st, 2015 at 9:30 am
There is always more free agent misses then hits it is a fact.
March 21st, 2015 at 9:33 am
DallasBuc Why don’t you try to write a paragraph without using your silly made up cuss words you ignorant earthling.
March 21st, 2015 at 9:33 am
Lovie Smith is no Tony Dungy. Let’s stop with that rhetoric now. People are confusing personal traits with traits of professional competence.
March 21st, 2015 at 9:35 am
Ignorant earthling?…and you are the intelligent one?
March 21st, 2015 at 9:42 am
WE ARE REBUILDING! It sucks to hear but it’s the truth. We will be more competitive next year but no way were making playoffs (according to JBF’s bf, he’s making the playoffs and playing in next year’s super bowl against Tom Brady or Peyton Manning… LMFAO) Lovie knows what he is doing on defense, it’s up to Koetter to get Glennon ready for the season while Mariota learns the offense and get acclimated to Tampa. If we can draft 2 OL in the 1st 4 rounds and get an edge rusher, we might surprise some people.
DRAFT DAY CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH!
#MariotaorBUST
March 21st, 2015 at 9:54 am
@Pickgrin You completely nailed it! I have nothing to add! LOL
@Dean I agree with ddneast and give you props for pointing out that virtually everyone thought the Bucs won the FA battle scoring the best group last year.
In fact a challenge to posters here. Could you find one ‘expert” who claimed the Bucs scrwd the pooch? I do not recall a single source that pointed out the Bucs totally missed on last year’s group, in fact I don’t even recall ONE person pointing out that MAYBE the group wasn’t a good as all the pundits suggested.
March 21st, 2015 at 10:26 am
1) Shouldn’t someone with as much experience as Lovie be able to do a better job in free agency and not have it be a “learning experience”? Especially when some of the FA came from a team Warhop was coaching on? (Wtf is he still doing on the coaching staff?)
2) as bad as the Oline was, the signing of a dead man would be an improvement. Where is the added depth there?
March 21st, 2015 at 10:28 am
StPete- I loudly and consistently critisized all 3 of the bust signings all offseason. I was attacked mercilessly for suggesting these guys, especially McCown, were poor choices and was virtually alone doing so.
March 21st, 2015 at 10:33 am
@Dallas
Ok props to you for Johnson, Cousins, and Collins but McCown. He was the ONE player that I think had ALL of us going ???. I think most gave Lovie a pass there believing McCown was brought in to mentor MG8.
March 21st, 2015 at 10:41 am
this approach worked so well when the bucs did it 4 years ago.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2011/08/raheem-morris-bucs-will-build-through-draft/
March 21st, 2015 at 10:54 am
They signed a lot of 1 year prove it deal with generally young FA. I like the approach but it does feel like are in rebuilding mode. What’s worrying most is the core offense: QB, OL, RB is mediocre as we speak. Koetter has been dealt a very bad OL and I’m still wordless with the fact that Warhop is still coaching.
I think defense will be improved. Hipe that Gholston starts playing good. MJ last year somewhat playing time that could have helped him improve
March 21st, 2015 at 11:03 am
StPete- no way pass on McCown. He was my biggest complaint. Lovie named him starter from the moment he got here. You don’t name a decade plus garbage QB like that your starter in March. That was just plain awful.
March 21st, 2015 at 11:13 am
There is nothing wrong with spending money…so long as it is spent wisely.
I can understand the lack of attaining a DE, even though it would have been nice getting Hardy, because let’s face it…there wasn’t much out there.
BUT…there are two positions they should have addressed beyond all doubt. Center. Punter.
Getting a new Punter would free up a few million per year. Getting a better center would deal with two spots on the line. That’s just responsible spending.
As it stands, the only way I can see the Bucs having close to a winning record this year is keeping Goldson, drafting a DE in round 2 and a MLB in round 3.
That means ignoring the OL needs with a rookie QB.
It’s a nightmare.
Frankly, for the first time since I was a kid, I’m considering not even watching games this year.
March 21st, 2015 at 11:14 am
Fans need a winning season to recharge our batteries. We can only take so much of this constant pain.
March 21st, 2015 at 11:16 am
@HARRY right on man… and build through the draft??? I know of 3 guys david mccoy and evans on the roster
March 21st, 2015 at 11:18 am
bonzai 7-9 or 8-8 and competing on the field and off would inspire me… stevie wonder can see the OL sucks what has L & L done to address it?
March 21st, 2015 at 11:23 am
I was also against the signings of McCown and Johnson last year. Didn’t know enough about EDS to say either way, but I didn’t see the wisdom in creating so many needs to fix in one year (getting rid of Zuttah) (which is now looking like a blowup that will take 3-4 years to recover from).
I was also against the hiring of Tedford and Frazier.
As I recall, countless times I pointed out that our offense was “secret” because it didn’t exist. And I was right.
I also pointed out that Frazier was a bad hire because Josh Freeman had so many friends on the team, and it would be only natural for some of them to hold his treatment of him against him.
I was in favor of releasing Revis. He is WAY overpaid. Nowhere worth the money. He had only 2 picks with us…that’s a price tag of $8m per pick. And only 11 passes defended. Heck, with the Patriots he only defended 14 passes and had only 2 picks. He simply is not worth $5m per year, much less $16m+.
And Verner is a good replacement. We got practically the same production out of Verner, for $10m+ less money.
March 21st, 2015 at 11:31 am
dusthty rhothdes Says
“bonzai 7-9 or 8-8 and competing on the field and off would inspire me… stevie wonder can see the OL sucks what has L & L done to address it?”
Exactly my point. They’ve done nothing to address the OL. And, because it is so bad, the defense needs fewer pieces to be fixed…hence the shorter time period to make it winning caliber.
Really, all defense needs is a DE and MLB….maybe a safety (if Goldson is cut)
Offense needs a QB, OT, C, OG & Halfback (blocking one)
7-9 isn’t good enough. 8-8 isn’t good enough.
I canceled my season tickets, boycotted going to games. Stopped buying merchandise because of last off season. I saw it coming…even though once the season started I tried to have hope.
I’ll always b;eed red and crap pewter, but watching the last couple years has been getting harder and harder.
That’s IF they don’t create more needs by cutting the wrong players.
March 21st, 2015 at 11:32 am
Don’t know how my cursor got shifted up, but that last sentence was supposed to be right after the Offense needs, lol.
March 21st, 2015 at 11:48 am
Bottom line this regime has done nothing to instill confidence in a fan who wants a playoff caliber product on the field from player moves to tedford debacle
March 21st, 2015 at 11:48 am
Big difference in wanting to spend money and having to spend money because of the new CBA. It’s a fact that the Glazers haven’t spent unless they have had to since they purchased Man U. The Jags this year had to overpay to get free agents to hit that cap floor.
It’s not about spending in free agency it’s about correct evaluation of players and how they may or may not fit your system. Also wants the internal make up of these players are they workhorses or not. We seem to get players that usually suck in big name free agents outside of VJ. On the other hand teams like the Pats remake their secondary to change their d around and win the Super Bowl. We have about 5-6 legit starters on this team the rest are depth players starting.. Number 1 pick is the result
March 21st, 2015 at 12:12 pm
Congratulations DallasBuc.
I believe the Bucs, and the so called experts, thought McClown had gotten over his stupidity and might make a comeback like Rich Gannon.
Sadly, Mark Arroyo proved to be no Chucky.
But then you probably believe an OC doesn’t determine how well that unit performs.
March 21st, 2015 at 12:44 pm
DallasBuc Says:
March 21st, 2015 at 8:53 am
Quality needs were out there to be filled. They are just scared to make mistakes now. That’s the job a-holes. Quality talent evaluation and decision making. If they cannot do their job now because of mistakes they made in 2014 then bounce these chicken sht fools. They effed up last year and we have to watch them not improve this football team because they are scared? We deserve to consider ourselves fans of the perennial worst team in football. This isn’t changing anytime soon.
I was going to say something like this, but you beat me to it. Well put – you’re 100% right. It’s a chicken$h*t move to use last offseasons failures as an excuse to not improve the team in any way possible.
March 21st, 2015 at 12:51 pm
So far they have let go of last years projected starters at defensive end and haven’t replaced them. They had one of the worst offensive lines of all time and have not added anyone to replace them. There is no way to defend their mistakes. The team is rotten so no free agent with options want to come here. Basically we need to go into the draft and get a QB, two defensive ends, a left tackle and a right guard. What are the chances are going to draft 5 players that will be able to perform at a high level for years in this draft. 4 of those 5 are premium positions as well so a 4th or 5th round left tackle or DE being good is very unlikely. The Bucs just let go of a mid first round DE that didn’t pan out. I doubt that 5th round DE is going to be a stud.
March 21st, 2015 at 1:26 pm
ddneast- I never suggested any such thing. Having a poor, inexperienced OC doesn’t make McTrash a good QB either. His mediocre playing career speaks for itself. I don’t blame him for being terrible. You have to blame incompetent Lovie Smith for paying him to be exactly what he has been for well over a decade. Apologize for the Lovie and lapdog incompetence all you like. Most reasonable fans see it my way now that McGarbage and Lovie led us to the first pick in the 2015 draft.
March 21st, 2015 at 2:25 pm
Didn’t L and L just say a few weeks back that just because you failed last year doesn’t mean you stop trying?
March 21st, 2015 at 2:33 pm
@mike10 i think L & L now stands for Liar & Lieing
March 21st, 2015 at 3:18 pm
All of my Cowboys Friends are telling me we are really going to like Bruce carter, they hated to see him go. That tells me more than Ira or Joe could tell me.
March 21st, 2015 at 6:10 pm
How about the fact the Bucs suck and good players don’t want to play here. Sometimes players want to play somewhere they can win more than 2 games. The Bucs could have called these splash players and their agent told them “not interested”.
March 21st, 2015 at 6:25 pm
Trubuc, you’re definitely not wrong on that one.. “Giggles Licht” sure isn’t pulling any leverage either
March 22nd, 2015 at 12:43 am
Shoulda got one signature O-Lineman, then draft the bums!
March 22nd, 2015 at 9:11 am
Giggles Licht!
March 23rd, 2015 at 7:04 am
If they really wanted to make the team better we should have signed Greg Hardy.