Is Jason Kelce Next?
March 9th, 2017
Center of attention, per CBS.
Joe was asked on Bucs Uncensored yesterday to finger a bold move Tampa Bay might make that nobody is talking about.
Joe went right to the guy CBS insider Jason La Canfora is Tweeting about this morning, Eagles Pro Bowl center Jason Kelce. La Canfora says the Eagles are looking to trade.
This is nothing new. Joe wrote about this weeks ago. The Eagles like the young center on their roster and are thinking of parting with Kelce, who is signed for four more seasons at about $6.5 million per year. He has little guaranteed money left in his deal.
Kelce, 29, hasn’t missed a game since 2014. And while Eagles fans think he’s lost a little off his game, he’s still a quality center, a Pro Bowler last season.
Joe would love to see the Bucs deal for Kelce. Maybe a third-round pick?
A deal like that would halt the potential move-Ali-Marpet-to-center gamble, and free the Bucs to give up on J.R. Sweezy, who is an even bigger gamble after coming off back surgery and not practicing or playing for a year.
Hey, the Bucs moving all-in on DeSean Jackson and locking down Mike Smith for two years means they’re in win-now mode. Kelce would be another win-now kind of play.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:28 am
One thing for sure, depth is key on the line. You know injuries happen.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:28 am
Any relation to travis kelce?
March 9th, 2017 at 10:28 am
Just sign mangold
March 9th, 2017 at 10:29 am
for a 4th deal
March 9th, 2017 at 10:29 am
Yea if it is a 2 year window go after Mangold and save the pick you would trade.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:32 am
Another thing to add on J. Kelce….He was in Chip Kelly’s offense in that he was a lot of no huddle, uptempo….I know Koetter likes going uptempo and that would help having his experience……
March 9th, 2017 at 10:33 am
A 4th or 5th.. he’s not worth a 3rd imo.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:33 am
For a 4th— do it!
March 9th, 2017 at 10:33 am
I’m pretty sure they’re brothers
March 9th, 2017 at 10:33 am
Noooooooo. I live right outside philly so I see a lot of eagles games and hear a lot of eagles chatter. We do not want Kelce. There is a reason the eagles are trying to get rid of him. The last two seasons he hasnt been very good at alle. He sucks in the run game and everyones problem with Hawley was that he wasnt a good run blocker and would get beat too often. Thats what you are getting in Kelce. Please stay away. Would rather just sign Wisniewsk.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:37 am
PABucsFan…you beat me to the punch. He’s a name and that’s the ONLY reason he made the probowl this year. He is below average starter with an above average salary. He’s light and gets manhandled easily. We will need to double team strong inside players and his only asset has been his speed and ability to pull and block (smaller players only) but he’s lost a step.
STRONG PASS from someone that is stuck watching Eagles games weekly.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:37 am
Mangold is a pro bowl caliber Center, who can still play for a couple of years…so we can groom a young guy…and he won’t cost us a draft pick.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:39 am
Nah i’m good.. can’t keep trading away picks.. get the young guys on cheap contracts and hope they work out
March 9th, 2017 at 10:39 am
Bucs need to step up and get the team to the level of the Giants, Packers, Falcons and Packers, Djax is a piece, but the Giants, look ready to roll
March 9th, 2017 at 10:41 am
Ya I’m giving up a 5th or later, and we will “take on his contract”. I feel like we usually get shafted in trades, I would like to see Licht pull off some magic
March 9th, 2017 at 10:42 am
Definitely an upgrade over the undersized Hawley
March 9th, 2017 at 10:42 am
get the young guys on cheap contracts and hope they work out
That is a recipe to stay in the basement another decade!
March 9th, 2017 at 10:42 am
I dont know much about him but would the center the niners just cut be worth looking into? Hes young and started a bunch of games the past few seasons
March 9th, 2017 at 10:43 am
Pull the trigger.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:43 am
Definitely NOT a 3rd rd pick. Is Evan Smith gone or is he just not that good. I remember Dirk lauding about how we have 2 starting centers last year, now we have none? Are they giving up on Benenoch? I can see signing Mangold if need be, but I’m not sure about having to trade something to get Kelce. I would like us to hold on to all of our draft picks.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:45 am
Connor Barwin was just released from philly
+8 sacks next year and a great guy in the community
March 9th, 2017 at 10:46 am
Bucs need to come away with both a RT and Center in free agency and draft at least one mid to late round lineman. No way in hell can the bucs count on the dreadfully awful dotson or gos at RT. I think it’s too early for Benenoch or we would have heard more chatter. You can’t screw around Licht protect the franchise, give the franchise weapons and eradicate the losing culture those are your priorities sir.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:48 am
Kobe
a great guy in the community
How many games a year does that win??? Don’t recall seeing that in a box score or stat sheet either…. Just jibberish!!! Bucs need winners the choir boys failed.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:48 am
Connor Barwin dad is the city manager of sarasota too
March 9th, 2017 at 10:49 am
Def not a 3rd this year. Draft is way too deep to give up that pick for a marginal high priced center.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:50 am
TampaTony… Howley is listed at 6’3 302lbs and Kelce is 6’3 282lbs
Kelce is an extremely undersized center that made up for it with athleticism and speed which he’s losing.
March 9th, 2017 at 10:50 am
I’d rather just draft a C in round 3 lol.. Kelce doesn’t appear to be on to pof his game any more.
I don’t mind older guys if there is a good chance they’re still in their prime. It’s bad business to spend draft picks on guys whose games are deteriorating. That wasn’t the case with Logan Mankins..he was still playing well and Pats were sad to see him go
March 9th, 2017 at 10:51 am
I like Barwin but he showed he can’t play in a 4-3
March 9th, 2017 at 10:53 am
Wait until he is cut…
March 9th, 2017 at 10:58 am
@NJBucsfan- I stood next to Hawley at his radio show in the press box at Tampa and we were eye to eye I’m 6’2″ 215. No way he’s over 300lbs either there was a reason he got pushed around easily in the run game last year
March 9th, 2017 at 11:00 am
So why trade an asset for the same player with a larger salary. No upgrade here
March 9th, 2017 at 11:04 am
Don’t trade for a center who is the same size as hawley.. eagle fans wanted him out of Philly.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:05 am
I thought Gottschalk played good when he had the chance.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:08 am
Joe, I think we need to slow the roll on this “2 year window” talk. We went 9-7 with one of the youngest teams in the league. We got here by adding a few pieces in free agency, and for the most part, smart draft picks. I like the DeSean Jackson move, but to start throwing around big money and draft picks now because we have to win it all in 2 years is irresponsible. The Patriots keep winning Super Bowls by not freaking out because “our defensive coordinator will be gone soon” or “oh no, our d-tackle is getting older”, so we have to go all in now. No, they stay the course. They Don’t trade high draft picks and throw big money around at multiple FA’s, they fill holes with lesser FA’s and acquire picks by trading down.
Sorry for the long post, but we need to stay the course to win MULTIPLE Super Bowls! Just ask yourself WWBD (what would Belichick do).
Stop comparing any team to the Patriots. The 2-year window simply represents two more years of inexpensive QB play, Mike Smith’s presence, and production for key-cog veterans like Grimes, Ayers, McCoy (yes, McCoy) and now DeSean Jackson. When your QB is cheap, you have room to add more pieces to go over the top. Seattle is a great example. –Joe
March 9th, 2017 at 11:09 am
I think barwins bigger adjustment was playing on the right side last year instead of his natural left…
Bellichick will get him….and barwin will lead the NFL in sacks
March 9th, 2017 at 11:19 am
How about a 2018 5th round pick? They’ll either keep him this year or cut him next offseason anyway. I would not give up a 17 pick nor in top 4 rds.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:20 am
Sign guard Zeilter and that will make cutting Sneezy a lot easier
March 9th, 2017 at 11:23 am
@tmax- I agree with your O-line assessment. We have no idea if Sweezy can even play at this point which would mean Pamphille stays at LG. I would have liked to have seen them toy with Pamphille at RT but they don’t have the horses yet. Dotson has gotten worse every year and he started out as JUST average in the first place. We need some pieces.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:29 am
Look to the Patriots and how they do their deals when trading. If you give up a third or a fourth round pick for another player make sure you get a later round pick also. So if we trade a third round pick we should get that player and a 5th round pick in return. It’s only fair. These players are at the end of their careers.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:44 am
No trading of any picks unless it is a trade up which won’t happen until the draft. This draft is too deep at a lot of positions. Maybe not too deep Oline but if we’re gonna pick up a center it needs to be in FA.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:46 am
Really? Keep the damn draft picks and sign a quality guy. Spending a 3rd rounder and paying the high salary of a guy on his 2nd contract is just stupid. There are comparable players not only available as free agents but on the roster. Kelce is good, but not 3rd round pick and a bunch of cash good.
March 9th, 2017 at 11:49 am
2nd round. Elflein or Pocic.
March 9th, 2017 at 12:02 pm
Just one problem. He doesn’t get along with Desean Jackson
March 9th, 2017 at 12:37 pm
Trades cost draft picks… We have guys that can play center… We need those picks for #W4W and pass rush and coverage… Center is down about need #5. Can’t afford to give up a draft pick.
March 9th, 2017 at 12:49 pm
“When your QB is cheap, you have room to add more pieces to go over the top. Seattle is a great example. –Joe”
Yeah an example of a team that contends every year; even after they signed RW to a big contract…
I get the idea of a window from a financial perspective; where we can front load some big deals for the next 2 years but not likely as much after that.. but sacrificing the draft is always dumb imo.
Just think of the value of a Kelce vs the value of a 3rd round pick we hit on- a starter who costs nothing and is young as hell and can become a building block for a decade+. It’s an insanely better value – as long as you hit on the pick; and I’d rather take a 50/50 shot on a draft pick than a low-upside aging player. 1/2 of FA signings are busts as well.. if not more.. Regardless of the name value.
So basically it’s “do we spend a pick AND money on this guy when there’s a 50/50 chance his game drops off and he sucks and we wasted cash with the upside that he’s a solid player that we know is going to retire in a few years regardless OR do we keep our pick and take the 50/50 chance that we draft/sign a young building block for the next 10+ years”
Seattle has only given up premium picks for players in their prime that they thought could potentially be there for like 5-7+ years (Jimmy Graham – 28 years old when they got him, Percy Harvin – was like 25 when they got him). They don’t dump their valuable mid round picks for the aging over the hill Jason Kelce’s of the world. So many of their best players have come from their mid round draft picks.
GB doesn’t do deals like this – and they contend every year with a high priced QB.
Draft is too important! And our GM is actually not bad at it so we know there is a good chance we hit on 2nd/3rd/4th rounders at least 1/2 the time – unless they’re kickers/punters
March 9th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
Would not be a good move. Re-sign Hawley or sign JC Tretter from Green Bay. Pamphile is also an option at C instead of moving Marpet
March 9th, 2017 at 1:13 pm
@Lord C.- Great points! The draft is where you build your foundation. If you target bridge FAs they should always have at least a little future value or some consistency especially if trading picks for them. I don’t think Kelce checks those boxes.
Now, that said, we do have quite a few needs to address and OL is one of them. I’m not counting on Sweezy. I hope I’m wrong, but I just don’t think he’s the guy.
March 9th, 2017 at 1:26 pm
No to trading draft picks unless its a 5th or later. If the Bucs braintrust does like Kelce – and the Eagles would like to move him out – how about offering a straight up trade – Kelce for Dotson and Evan Smith…
March 9th, 2017 at 2:48 pm
The Eagles want to trade Kelce because C Stefen Wisniewski is younger and better. Wisniewski is a free agent that played on a 1 year prove it contract for 1.3mil/yr. Can be had for Evan Smith money!
March 9th, 2017 at 9:09 pm
Kelce is a beast. Would be all for this move.
March 10th, 2017 at 2:07 am
Agreed Joe. Spot on. 3rd rounder a good deal.