“Impact”
March 5th, 2017
Ultimate prize?
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has his pockets full of Team Glazer loot and has yet to dismiss any notion he won’t buy a great player to help finally get his team into the playoffs.
And while the Stick Carriers are understandably fully focused on DeSean Jackson and other explosive receivers, the PFF tribe is of the mind Licht might want to look elsewhere.
In other words, Matt Claassen types Licht would be wise to thieve from his good friend Steve Keim in Arizona. To be specific: Go get defensive tackle/end Calais Campbell, the No. 1 free agent on the market.
Calais Campbell has long been a mainstay of the Arizona front-seven. He plays run defense as well as any interior lineman. Campbell is coming off his best year as a pass-rusher, and has tallied at least 48 QB pressures in each of the past four years. One also knows what to expect from Campbell week-in and week-out as one of the most consistent defenders in the league. His last below-average performance in the regular season came way back in Week 4 of the 2013 season. Campbell has also shown that he can play in any defensive scheme and make an impact.
Joe would rather have Campbell than Jackson. Campbell is a rock of stability. Jackson, not so much.
If one is looking for a reliable, more consistent investment, an argument could be made to get Campbell over Jackson. And maybe throw Team Glazer loot at Terrelle Pryor instead?
March 5th, 2017 at 7:47 am
What are his stats on opposing team help ups? What is his “Had fun” percentage?” Haha! Sorry boys hada do it!
March 5th, 2017 at 7:51 am
If we sign Campbell…and another WR in FA that really opens up the draft.
Yeah we’ll still need our RB…and another developmental WR but the other five picks are available for some other needs….draft is deep in safeties…Perhaps another OL…perhaps a pick to wheel and deal and get Dalvin or another top talent like Curtis Samuel. I’ve liked Samuel all along because my Buckeye son proclaims him the very best player on OSU last year but after smoking that 4.3 at the combine he’s going to be a real reach!!! He just ran his way into the first round.
I shall be ecstatic if we sign Campbell and DJAX. If we do that we will have addressed some major needs before the draft even begins!
March 5th, 2017 at 7:54 am
Keep in mind he’s coming off a knee injury last season…….
March 5th, 2017 at 7:58 am
Pryor likely has the bigger contract (or very similar) so not sure about that idea.
March 5th, 2017 at 7:58 am
Love me some Campbell!
March 5th, 2017 at 7:59 am
Than Djax
March 5th, 2017 at 8:03 am
I said it last night, and I’ll say it again, If we get this dude, as well as Tony Jefferson, Desean Jackson and bring back all of our key FA guys. And we 3 offensive game-changer’s in the first 3 rounds of the draft, then we become Superbowl contender’s right away.
I guess you can call me an optimist. 🙂
March 5th, 2017 at 8:09 am
We need to sign two safeties, a D-lineman and a WR in free agency. Period. They could be our own guys at safety even, but we need bodies. Would rather have Tony Jefferson and Barry Church though.
March 5th, 2017 at 8:24 am
Yes, yes, yes – bring Campbell in!!
March 5th, 2017 at 8:27 am
Can’t bite my tongue any longer I did for this long because I didn’t wanna pist my bro Erik off. I Apologize E but I can’t take it anymore Pryor is @$$ hole who is seeking to cash in with cleve because they have gob load of money. All. this love of football and will to win stuff sounds real good but that dude has told his agent to get a deal done in Cleveland for a reason. Why else would he wanna stay there other than the chance to cash in BIG. But many here willing to take him right. If it was about winning he would be attempting to position himself with a winning program not stay in s@$! hole cleve.
March 5th, 2017 at 8:28 am
No secrets here. He should’ve our #1 target. Gas up the plane and go pick him up.
March 5th, 2017 at 8:29 am
* should be
March 5th, 2017 at 8:31 am
You know your football Blake and its okay to speak how you feel regardless of whether others will share your sentiment. My philosophy is f@$!em if they disagree wit me. That what you said right there isn’t optimism that’s fact. Nobody would be f’in wit us.
March 5th, 2017 at 8:38 am
No signings would make me more excited then: Campbell and one of Stills/Pryor/DJax
March 5th, 2017 at 8:43 am
Agree with Blake_Buchanan on the guys they need to sign in free agency but would also a center and RT to that list.
This draft is deep in WR and RB talent they need to take advantage of that and possibly even draft 2 of each. I was also impressed with O.J. Howard yesterday and wouldn’t be upset if they took him in the 1st rd. and picked up a WR in the 2nd and RB in the 3rd.
March 5th, 2017 at 8:44 am
@Nos-Bos,
I understand what you are saying, bc why on earth would anyone want to stay with such a loser, let alone the fact it is in CLE. Keep in mind, Pryor has a better chance of getting bigger money outside of CLE – Stills is looking outside of MIA just so he can max his payday.
And lets not forget, Lebron went back. And like Lebron, Pryor is from OH. Also, keep in mind, CLE was the only NFL team that gave Pryor a shot to change his career (going from crappy QB to WR). Maybe he feels some loyalty? If that is the case, you have to give the guy credit.
I like Pryor for the Bucs. He got over 1,000 yards with NO QB and being the primary WR. Just imagine him opposite Evans and with Jameis throwing to him!
March 5th, 2017 at 8:45 am
No brainer! But we can bring in more than just 1 big name FA. How bout’ Campbell, and Poe, and Mangold, and Pryor or Jackson! That’s about $40-$45 million in FA additions. Still leaving is plenty of money to re-sign some of our own guys (Jacquizz, Gholston, etc..). Then in the draft….the sky is the limit! Cook may actually drop now due to his poor combine results, plus McCaffrey, Foreman, Kamara, Samuel could all still be there for us…in Round 2, maybe a guy like JAbril Peppers might b there in the 40’s when we pick! Can’t wait for an aggressive approach to the season to begin next week.
March 5th, 2017 at 8:48 am
NosBos I think you are wrong on Pryor. You are discounting the fact that the head coach for the Browns is the only coach in the NFL who has consistently had faith in Pryor’s ability to compete in the NFL
March 5th, 2017 at 8:51 am
USF, that to me is the main reason he wants to stay in Cleveland
March 5th, 2017 at 8:52 am
Pryor could also just be saying the right thing publically so he looks good when a deal doesn’t get done and he leaves for another team. He can then look at the fans and say ” I tried guys”
March 5th, 2017 at 8:59 am
I’m not BIG on him because I don’t need a player coming inn not totally buying into his role. My fear with him is what happens when he realizes his role that he was brought inn to be a shiny decoy to make MEs life easier how will he respond week after week when MEs numbers are better than his. Will he remain quiet or will he become disruptive. I love ME because ain’t Diva in him. Djax knows he ain’t the same player he was four or five years ago years so accepting the younger better player getting his shine won’t be thang. He said he wants to play with a BIG time QB, what a compliment to our young trigger man. That and he believes he can be the difference needed to go on a lenghty playoff run. People in those NFL circles know we coming and wanna be apart of it. Long live America’s QB.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:01 am
That point I can accept NosBos. Having an attitude because he is not the number one target could potentially be an issue with Pryor. Hopefully that would be something the Bucs would work out before hand with him so it wasn’t a distraction during the season.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:03 am
All that said I think our top target is Jackson. He will take a contract with two years of guaranteed money and we can then move on from his large salary.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:04 am
@NosBos One of the Joes reported the other day that Pryor is not a locker room cancer. And I think that any dude who was a National championship winning quarterback that switches roles in the NFL to stay in the game he loves is humble enough to be a #2 receiver.\
Also I’m so confident in Jaboo’s leadership that is so good at being able to rally his teammates to play for each other as a family, that I think we could take just about anybody into our room and it would be fine.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:20 am
I just think that if he was offered the same exact contract from teams that need a #1 WR and the Bucs, he would pick the best situation of the teams needing a #1 because of the bigger role he would have. Nothing wrong with that but that means the Bucs would have to overpay him.
Now when you overpay him (say for example $13-$14 mil a year) as an organization you just drove up the price of your #1 WR on your own which idk about anyone else, but to me it doesn’t make sense to do that.
Maybe they could’ve gotten away with giving Mike Evans $13-$14 mil but now since Pryor is making that he could want $15-$16 mil and if that deal happens you now have 2 WRs making a combined $30 million a year potentially. Last year there is only 1 team paying over $20 mil combined to 2 WRs (Denver)
March 5th, 2017 at 9:25 am
As Americas Quarterback said Joe,”I LOVE ME SOME ALPHABET SOUP!LETS EAT SOME W’s.” Now we all know he had “Campbell” in mind so what Jameis wants!…(EverEvery say it altogether)..JAMEIS GETS!
March 5th, 2017 at 9:29 am
I was on the Pryor bandwagon about a month or so ago when I thought he could be signed for 7 mil. per year but if he’s asking #1 WR pay after only 1 productive year I’d pass on him.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:29 am
Myles Garrett runs 4.64 at 272 lbs, wow
March 5th, 2017 at 9:34 am
The Bucs aren’t going to get T.Jefferson he is gonna want to go play for Todd Bowles.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:36 am
One guy that I was really unsure of was Peppers. After watching his combine interview this morning I wouldn’t be disappointed with the Bucs drafting Peppers.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:39 am
@Joe, both maybe?
March 5th, 2017 at 9:40 am
Due to year of bad drafting we really have to get him a d jack.
Then we can build the rest of the way through the draft while winning.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:49 am
I’m only interested in DJ, Marshall, Pryor, or maybe Gordon as FA WR. The rest are Nos unless at a bargain price which won’t happen. I’d like Brandin Cooks over a unproven rookie as well but that doesn’t seem likely.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:50 am
We need this guy lined up by McCoy in the middle. Another big body who would help free up other guys to make plays. Make it happen Licht!
March 5th, 2017 at 10:10 am
I agree Joe, Calais Campbell and Josh Gordon when he gets reinstated and released by the browns.
March 5th, 2017 at 10:13 am
An idea that I’m not completely behind, but is very interesting, would be if we can get 2 WR in FA and draft all defense and one RB. We could get veteran weapons to help Winston, while building a dominant defense and filling the young RB role. Next draft we could go offense to replace the bridge WRs. Just a thought.
March 5th, 2017 at 10:15 am
This is going to be a fun 2 months!
March 5th, 2017 at 10:16 am
“When?” You know this how?
Would rather roll the dice on Vincent Jackson than druggie/suspension king Josh Gordon.
March 5th, 2017 at 10:20 am
@Joe the way I view the Gordon situation is this, there is no real risk to taking a flyer on him. Because his potential reward outweighs the risk. Because if he gets popped for toking the mary-jane flowers again we owe him nothing. But if he stays clean and returns to form, he is a dynamic weapon.
Not saying sign him over someone else, but I would be all for bringing him into compete for a spot.
March 5th, 2017 at 10:25 am
If Gordon was ever going to get off of the drugs, he would have by now. I wouldn’t waste my time on the guy. We need people who care about football.
March 5th, 2017 at 10:26 am
87, it most certainly will be!
March 5th, 2017 at 11:08 am
The risk in Josh Gordon isn’t in money. We have plenty of that. It is in the media and if I am not mistaken isn’t this Licht’s contract year? If Josh Gordon does get popped and suspended again it could be a huge negative on Licht that he trusted a guy who was suspended multiple times for drugs. Don’t think he will take a risk that could end up costing him big.
March 5th, 2017 at 11:23 am
I love Josh Gordon, and I know everyone is different, but his story is eerily comparable to Tanard Jackson. That guy was a pro bowl safety, but for the weed.
March 5th, 2017 at 11:50 am
@JoeyPoppems you make a good point. I’m just saying if Licht were to cover his bases and get all the upgrades he wants, and Josh Gordon is still out there to be had for the cheap. I’d bring him in.
March 5th, 2017 at 12:00 pm
If, if, if I could spend the cap money I would buy Campbell, Pryor, Cyprien and pickup a veteran OL. I would keep Gholston and try to lock up a lot of our young home grown talent. Then head into the draft with less stress about the roster. This is a huge Defensive draft and there is also a lot of good offensive players that can fill in as playmakers, rather than be the number one playmaker.
March 5th, 2017 at 12:38 pm
Sign FAs Campbell, Jefferson, DJax!!
Draft:
1. Cook/OJ Howard/Davis/Barnett/McCaffrey
2. T/G/C Forrest Lamp
3. RB Kareem Hunt
4. WR Josh Reynolds
Pull that off JL and you will be my HERO for life.
March 5th, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Pick do you still keep Barnett in your listing after he ran that 4.8 40??? Weighing in at 265lbs..
March 5th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
That’s not a bad 40 tbh. And he’s been battling through an illness all weak. They said just yesterday that he was struggling to even keep down fluids.
March 5th, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Who says Josh Gordon’s issue is with Mary Jane and not something more hardcore? I’m not sure he’s worth having around in the locker room.
March 5th, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Yes NOS – don’t care that much what happens at the Combine. Tape is King. Barnett will be a very good NFL player just like all the others I listed.
Cook’s 4.5 and McCaffrey’s 4.49 is not going to wow anyone for instance- but put on the tape and both play much faster than their straight line 40 indicates.
March 5th, 2017 at 5:50 pm
We’ll see Pick kinda slow and small. Not a good mixture but we’ll see here shortly.
March 5th, 2017 at 6:50 pm
since when is a 260 lb DE small?
March 5th, 2017 at 9:28 pm
The 10 yard split is more important than the 40 for a DL. If your DLman has to run 40 yards on a play, you have bigger problems than a slow lineman.
March 5th, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Didn’t Spence run a 4.8 at 252LB?
March 5th, 2017 at 9:39 pm
He sure did Eric. And I’m sure Nos doesn’t regret us drafting him.