Next Must-Win Is In Free Agency
December 14th, 2015
Adios
Watching cornerback Alterraun Verner run around thieving Team Glazer gelt yesterday was depressing. It’s easier watching Michael Johnson perform for the Bengals, or tight end Brandon Myers being inactive on the Tampa Bay sidelines.
At least those 2014 free agent whiffs are no longer dragging down the home team.
In case you were sleeping, the Bucs will have about $52 million in chips with which to gamble when the free agency dinner bell rings in about 90 days. That’s among the biggest war chest in the league. Huge!
Speaking on the official Buccaneers Radio Network postgame show yesterday, ex-Bucs tight end Anthony Becht sounded like a man pounding his fist. Talking about the Bucs’ secondary, Becht said Jason Licht and Lovie Smith must win in free agency next year (for a change) to help that struggling unit.
Amen, brother.
Josh Norman anyone?
Yes, March free agency is an expensive and significant gamble. But good personnel departments should win more than they lost. The current Bucs regime has a bad batting average with some embarrassing strikeouts.
But that doesn’t mean you stop trying. In the modern NFL, most of that cash has to be spent. Even if the Bucs re-sign Doug Martin and cough up a reasonable sum for Sterling Moore and, say, Henry Melton for depth, Licht and Lovie still would have a mountain of money to spend.
It’s thoughts like these that make Joe violently ill. Cutting Darrelle Revis, a Hall of Famer in his prime, was such spectacular blunder.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:18 am
Panthers will put the tag on him if they don’t reach a deal. I think we need DE’s just as bad if not worse.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:19 am
They also have certain players to resign.
And I realize looking forward to FA is kind of a thing when covering a football team, but given Jason Licht’s record, why would it excite us at all?
What we really need is a great DE…and if one hits the market it would take truly massive money to get him. Not worth it.
Greg Hardy will come at a bargain…but…you know where that leads…
December 14th, 2015 at 10:22 am
Trading a 1st for an overpriced rehab project was a blunder.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:23 am
That’s the thing with Licht declaring victory on the draft. Sure…the top 4 picks look solid ( Smith is still questionable and Alexander needs to stay clean or he’ll be just another Tanard Jackson ), but he and Dovie may have had the worst free agent haul their first year…perhaps ever top to bottom.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:25 am
Bonzai I was beating the drum for Hardy all off season but after seeing his explosive personality in Dallas along with his past off field issue I’d rather they just draft a pass rusher. Hardy doesn’t seem like the type of teammate that they need in the locker room.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:28 am
Maybe the solution is to flip the focus of free agency. Instead of focusing on defense, they might try offensive focus like a WR or 2.
Trades and DRAFT are what will fix this team now. We’re close though. We just need three great defensive draft picks.
I love McCoy, but aside from Winston, he is our most valuable player. Trading him might (if it were anyone but Jason Licht working the deal) get us 3 first rounders. If two were this year? Do that deal.
Then draft DL in round 1. CB in round 2. CB or Safety in round 3.
And our defense is fixed with those 4 picks…at least at starting positions. The next step is to develop them as quickly as possible.
As to offense, We have our center position fixed. Mankins can go another year, so his spot can wait until the following year. We have one tackle fixed and our other guard fixed. So all we need this year is another tackle.
WR is the weak spot outside of Jackson and Evans…well, that and a pounding fullback.
So resign Martin or franchise him (franchising him would take a chunk of that money, btw) and sign a couple WRs…especially WRs that have produced and stayed healthy.
If it’s possible, replace Jackson…but best to wait another year.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:28 am
So I think it’s safe to say that undrafted free agents are not the answer? Who woulda thunk it? I mean honestly who could have predicted that Adam Humphries, Dontee Dye and Jude-Itsnotevenworthlearninghisname or whatever would be awful NFL football players. Well except for all 128 D-1 schools during the college recruiting process and every scout in the entire NFL. But besides those guys? Man what a shock!
December 14th, 2015 at 10:28 am
@Waterboy
Exactly. That’s what I was hinting at when I said we know what we’ll get with him. Drafting is the best bet.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:32 am
@Fsuking
The only reason those guys are playing is due to injuries, man. We’ve actually struck gold on a couple UDFAs.
Heck, Dye has very little experience. Adam is what he is. He makes catches from time to time. That’s what backups do.
Injuries are the issue in the WRs. That and drops by Evans. Jackson should be targeted more though.
ASJ has actually looked a little better in the last game or so. Penalties cancelled several of his catches.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:33 am
@Espo
Cannot blame Lovie for that one. But I agree.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:36 am
Where is the trade Gerald McCoy talk coming from? What faction of beer soaked, absent minded Bucs fans think it would be a good idea to trade one of the foundations of our franchise and best defensive players in the NFL because he doesn’t get a sack a game and lead the team in tackles? Smart! Have you morons ever wondered why the Bucs have had an extremely stout run defense since around 2011? Well let me give you a hint, it’s not coaching!
December 14th, 2015 at 10:44 am
FSUKing – Exactly. I want to seem more from McCoy but more from him ON THE BUCS.
December 14th, 2015 at 10:46 am
I want someone to please answer this question…
Is GMC OVERPAID OR IS JJ WATT UNDERPAID
December 14th, 2015 at 10:51 am
Watt under
December 14th, 2015 at 10:59 am
Watt overpaid. Gmc produces at a level with the great DTs in the game. Watt out produces everyone at any position.
Gmc has been injured almost all season. You can’t look at this season and say he sucks. He’s injured. Of course he isn’t going to be his best when he has 1 bum shoulder and his other hand is broken. If the bucs were smart they would sit him, rest him up, and let other guys get some experience. Gmc at 75% is not worthy of playing time. He had a bad game this week. He isn’t comfortable with all of his injuries, and it’s hurting the pass rush.
December 14th, 2015 at 11:01 am
@BucaneerBonsai
With the wealth of WR help available post draft, during the pre-season prior to the trade deadline and post trade deadline, I’m not sure we can blame playing Dontee Dye and Adam Humphries on injuries. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that 1 Good receiver, 1 good but old receiver and 1 kinda decent receiver isn’t enough to get any team through 16 games with a rookie QB. And Jude playing had nothing to do with injuries, that right there was Lovie’s utter inability to evaluate talent once again shining brightly! Oh yea and about those UDFA that we struck gold on? I was referring to this year and I count exactly zero that have contributed anything and 3 that have lost us games.
December 14th, 2015 at 11:04 am
Vernier is not the problem with the bucs secondary. It’s the safeties. They can’t cover. Always have open guys in their zones. And it burned us all day yesterday. Lovie needs to get back to man to man or cover 3 defense. Our cbs have no chance if they are stuck in a cover 2. It makes no sense to have your best coverage players covering the flat. Empty space. Our safeties can’t cover 3 guys going deep. It’s just not going to happen. Our cbs might not be great man to man defenders, but they have no shot if they don’t cover anyone at all.
December 14th, 2015 at 11:08 am
Kyle Brindza- Texans game (RIP)
Jude- Colts game + Saints game (Will never start for another NFL team)
Dontee Dye- Saints game (Should have been cut on his way back to the sidelines)
December 14th, 2015 at 11:13 am
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
December 14th, 2015 at 10:28 am
I love McCoy, but aside from Winston, he is our most valuable player. Trading him might (if it were anyone but Jason Licht working the deal) get us 3 first rounders.
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Lol…I mean sometimes you just make it too easy. The best GM of all-time couldn’t get 3 firsts for a near 30, injury riddled, huge contract DT. Utter nonsense.
December 14th, 2015 at 11:19 am
We are playing with a bunch of UDFA & Rookies…..and not doing that poorly…..we have a good nucleus of returning players.
We need 3 really good draft picks….I’m for using the Glennon pick (whatever it is) and picks 4-7 to trade up for 3 really good players.
We can get a WR or 2 in FA…..would like to see us with a FB that can run….and a PR/KR…..
I actually think our Oline is good to go for another year….wouldn’t use a draft pick there unless later round
December 14th, 2015 at 11:30 am
Maybe emphasis should be placed on retaining our talent: Martin, Melton, Carter.
There is NO EXCUSE for letting Marting walk.
December 14th, 2015 at 11:51 am
the problem with free agency is the top tier guys aren’t making it into free agency to begin with…so you’re stuck having to overpay for mediocre players or washed up vets because the league says you have to spend a certain amount of money…you improve a team by drafting well & developing talent within
December 14th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
So your telling me that neither Torrey Smith, Parnell McPhee, Jeremy Maclin, Brian Orakpo, Micheal Crabtree, Cecil Shorts, Parrish Cox or even Hakeem Nicks couldn’t have helped our team? Well you would be wrong. Smith and Maclin would have been deadly on the outside, Crabtree or even Nicks would have been the best WR 3 we could have hoped for, McPhee or Orakpo are still better than anything we have on the edge of our D-line and Parrish Cox would have been a nice little depth piece at CB. We really could have done well in Free agency
December 14th, 2015 at 1:09 pm
Mike10 Says:
December 14th, 2015 at 11:30 am
There is NO EXCUSE for letting Marting walk
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Sure there is: Giving running backs big deals pretty much never works, and you can get solid running backs for the league minimum.
December 14th, 2015 at 3:25 pm
You gotta love hindsight!
I guess everyone forgot about Lo Murphy and Kenny Bell and the fact that V Jax has been hurt most of the year. Maybe the Bucs didn’t have their crystal ball handy when these guys went down. Shame!
The Bucs need help in the secondary, there is no question about that. Thing is, Verner didn’t look bad last year and Banks also played OK. So how was the talent evaluation last year?! Jude and Sterling have outplayed these guys, maybe they’re hungrier.
Yeah, we need help. One question though; without the penalties and drops how “terrible” are we?!
December 14th, 2015 at 4:34 pm
@fsuking…ever wonder how hershal walker ended up in minn? ever wonder how the dallas built a dynasty?…trading one of your best players(asset) for future assets(draft)…I would pull the trigger on a trade for gmc for some draft prospects in rounds 1and 2….imo gmc was giving his massive contract to be a leader and bring this team/city out of misery but gmc just isn’t that type of player…he just wants to play….jameis on the other hand was drafted to change the losing culture into a winning organization…I think its time to trade gmc and get something good in return…shoot the bucs have already done something similar to this in the past…ever wonder how we got our 1 superbowl championship….we traded the farm for chucky…at some point as a organization you have to sit back and evaluate what we really need in order to be successful for the present and future…that answer is talent and we have too many voids of talent at a number of positions….GO BUCS!!!!
December 14th, 2015 at 6:01 pm
For the love of all that’s holy, will you stop it with the Revis crap Joe!?
December 14th, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Hey Joe,
I love the website and think you guys are great. I think you must have the patience of Job to deal with Steve Duemig on a weekly basis. But please: stop with the Revis comments already! Yes he was good. But would I want that guy, or Jameis? You have a Revis on your team, you get one more win last year, you lose Jameis. He’s not here now, so let it go already. Other than that, Keep up the great work!
December 14th, 2015 at 10:24 pm
WILL LOVIE SMITH STILL BE HERE ???????
December 15th, 2015 at 1:30 pm
Can’t Fix It:
This season alone Lovie has bought two if not three more years.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Glazers for the most part are hands off owners.
Licht and Lovie could be the start of something special. If they can put together two more drafts close to this we will be in the midst of a dynasty.
It can’t be emphasized enough. The Bears fired a 10-6 coach. A coach who took them to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman as Qb. In his 10 years won the conference once and 3 division title.
I do not know who will be the Big Dog of the NFC-South? I do like where Tampa sits. Atlanta a mess, New Orleans time is on our side both in Qb and coach as for Carolina; running Qbs do not last. I wish Newton no harm but a matter of time, see Earl Campbell versus Franco Harris for full explanation.
December 15th, 2015 at 8:21 pm
If we could swap MG8 with the correct draft pick to get Aguayo i’d do it!!! I’d love to have a kid being called perhaps the greatest college kicker ever. When a team takes a Janikowski, or Vinateri they have a scoring machine for 15 years.
A money FG kicker would really make this team scary!!!