Interesting CB Rumor
March 10th, 2018
Target of Bucs?
Now Joe must confess up front to being unfamiliar with the source of this information. But going by the guy’s Twitter followers, some people of repute follow this source, as do NFL scouts.
Chad Forbes, who goes by the Twitter handle of @NFLDraftBites, claims he knows who the Bucs are targeting in free agency to try to fill the crater at cornerback. And it is not a household name.
Forbes believes the Bucs and Bills cornerback E. J. Gaines will talk turkey next week when the free agency dinner bell begins to ring.
@NFLDraftBites: Hearing from few folks EJ Gaines to #Buccaneers is happening when FA opens. In the $8-9M per Yr range. Nothing Signed & Gaines has surprisingly deep market for a Zone Corner. But Bucs are SERIOUS.
Again, Joe has no idea if any of this is valid.
What Joe can say about Gaines is he has played for three teams in his three-year NFL career, but what jumped out at Joe is that he started 11 games last year for the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills. Joe also knows the Bucs organization was very impressed with Bills coach Sean McDermott, who was a finalist for the job that eventually went to Dirk Koetter.
So if the Bucs are impressed with the defense-minded McDermott, perhaps that means the Bucs think a lot of one of his starters.
Maybe this is what Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht calls “value.”
It appears, that on face value, Gaines is no Ryan Smith.
March 10th, 2018 at 8:10 am
Journeymen ? …if not for the speculated 8-9 million a year….he he good by association ?…or is he good ?
March 10th, 2018 at 8:13 am
PFF rates him as being a good CB, decent price, he started most of last season for the Bills
March 10th, 2018 at 8:16 am
Ryan Smith out played Licht’s 1st round pick at CB! Even after this idiotic coaching staff tried to make him a safety!
March 10th, 2018 at 8:18 am
Well at least there is a rumor of us doing something. Glad we got Fitz back and got the Evans deal done.
March 10th, 2018 at 8:26 am
(Zone CB) in today’s NFL???????
I’m ready for the new GM and staff.
Literally the Eagles just showed the world you have to have MULTIPLE CBs that can turn and run;
Zone CBs – only the Trash Bucs
March 10th, 2018 at 8:30 am
Honestly if anyone should be moved to safety it’s Hargreaves, he’s a really good tackler for his size, and at 200 pounds his physical attributes would work well, he’s taller and bigger than honey badger, Joe why don’t you float this to one of your Bucs sources
March 10th, 2018 at 8:33 am
Hey everyone is not a super star you need good players everywhere! Most of aren’t happy with anything and just like to bitch ! Like a bunch of old lady’s lmao
March 10th, 2018 at 8:33 am
I get the feeling it’s not Hargreaves it’s this inenept coaching staff, scared to make adjustments and afraid of losing instead of trying to go all out to win
March 10th, 2018 at 8:39 am
Licht going for the second tear F.A.’s again. Trumaine Johnson is worth throwing some money at. This is like Swaggy, verse Campbell, like saving a couple of bucks at dinner by ordering the steak burger instead of the prime. We’ll continue to be the steak burgers of the NFC South.
March 10th, 2018 at 8:43 am
Steak burgers are actually pretty good.
Are you meaning to compare choice beef against prime beef?
That’s a different story hodad.
March 10th, 2018 at 8:45 am
Joe’s I have to say you never miss a report. I tweeted you last night about this and I love how you never ignore leads
March 10th, 2018 at 8:52 am
Yep. Another off zone CB
March 10th, 2018 at 8:55 am
The Bucs don’t need another zone CB. The Jaguars, Saints, Vikings have shown us that you have to have aggressive CBs to be successful
March 10th, 2018 at 9:01 am
He was the guy in the Sammy Watkins trade so not a journeyman
March 10th, 2018 at 9:05 am
Joe he’s only played for 2 teams; the Stl Rams who later moved to LA and the Bills. He spent 3 years with the Rams organization so it doesn’t look as bad as being shipped around to 3 teams over 4 years.
March 10th, 2018 at 9:08 am
Joe who is this guy exactly?how does he stack up against other guys at his position?
March 10th, 2018 at 9:09 am
Guzziep
Coaches did not make vh3 act like an azzclown after being torched week in and week out…. not coaches fault vh3 is short, slow and stupid… not coaches fault the orgaization drafted a BS local feel good story with 5th rd talent at 11
Vh3 is a bust. Move on
March 10th, 2018 at 9:10 am
The Bucs play mostly zone so it makes sense they would be looking at zone CBs.
No point in going after big name FAs if they dont fit your scheme. And as Ive been saying, the scheme isnt gonna change until a new DC is brought in.
March 10th, 2018 at 9:14 am
I know Joe doesn’t like PFF but they have him rated as one of the top corners in the NFL
March 10th, 2018 at 9:23 am
Ummm, who the hell is this source?!? So we should rely on it why?
This Gaines fool has missed 26 GAMES (!) in just 3 years–there’s only been 48 games in his effing career– including all of 2015 due to that foot injury called Lisfranc, which keeps guys out for a while, and a shoulder injury mixed in there too. THEN, BUF trades for him in 2016 and doesn’t even keep him?!
He’s only 5’10” 185 lbs… more “zone cover” bull…didn’t we try this same shiiite with VHIII?!
What the hell?! This screams HELL NO, if…at all true.
KYLE…FULLER…there’s the target. Doesn’t matter that he’s on the transition tag.
Go Bucs!
March 10th, 2018 at 9:32 am
I am concerned about his injury history. He’s missed 26 games over the past 3 seasons.
March 10th, 2018 at 9:35 am
Mitch
Bucs seek out players with injuries its one of key prerequisites to be a bucanner man.
March 10th, 2018 at 9:44 am
Tmax- completely disagree, VH3 is a bump and run guy, coaches had him 15 yards off the line . Deion would be terrible in this defense.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:11 am
Don’t believe this rumor.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:21 am
Joe Says: “It appears, that on face value, Gaines is no Ryan Smith.”
This snarky, sophomoric facet of this website is so unnecessary.
It helps nothing and no one.
Subversive from within.
C’mon. Take a deep breath. Joe’s no Peter King. –Joe
March 10th, 2018 at 10:28 am
Gaines has only been on two teams. STL and LA are the same team.
Jacksonville is predominantly a zone defense. You guys know that right? Seahawks and Panthers have been either solid or elite defenses utilizing mostly zone concepts.
Mike Smith’s defense runs mostly quarters or cover 2 shell with outside corners playing off. This is EJ Gaines’s strength.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:29 am
EJ Gaines can ball! I watched a lot of Bills games this year and that kid is a legit stud CB … if we can get him for 4 years $34mil or so, I’d take that over the older and more expensive Talib … I like this news.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:32 am
denjoe Says
“Ryan Smith out played Licht’s 1st round pick at CB! Even after this idiotic coaching staff tried to make him a safety!”
Way to stay steadfastly mired in the past.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:32 am
can he sack a qb?
March 10th, 2018 at 10:37 am
Here’s a decent short article on Gaines:
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/buffalo-bills/index.ssf/2018/02/buffalo_bills_need_to_pay_cornerback_ej_gaines_to_stay_says_espn_insider.html
The kid just turned 26, so a 4 year deal would cover him through his entire prime (26-29) and would be a welcome signing.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:39 am
Really the only thing I don’t like about Gaines, other than the fact he missed 10 games in his 3 “healthy seasons”, is that he’s SHORT … if we have him and Grimes and Hargreaves, that’s three midget CBs … I personally love what the Rams did getting Peters and Talib as I love long and tall corners, but again, Gaines would be a quality signing imho so I wouldn’t be upset if we signed him to a 4 year deal.
March 10th, 2018 at 10:47 am
Bonzi
Ryan Smith looked like Deion Sanders compared to the short, slow and stupid Vh3… You really need help.
March 10th, 2018 at 11:04 am
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In other news, I think the Browns landing Tyrod Taylor makes it nearly 100% likely that SAQUON BARKLEY will indeed be the #1 overall pick … and that they’ll wait till their 4th pick to take a QB, which I believe will be Josh Allen.
The Giants are the team that is extremely hard to predict. I think #1 is Saquon, #3 is Chubb, #4 is Allen, #5 is Darnold and #6 is either Rosen or Mayfield but it all depends on what the Giants do with the #2 pick.
Right now, I’m thinking they will trade the #2 pick to the Broncos or Jets and then take Quenton Nelson at #5 or #6.
Also, the Bills now have a ton of picks to move up into the top 7 so if they don’t trade into the #2 or #3 spot, there is a great chance they call Licht and offer a King’s ransom for the #7 pick to take their new QB.
If I had to put $$$ on it, I’d say this is how the top 7 plays out:
1. Browns: Saquon Barkley
2. Broncos (trade with Giants): Sam Darnold
3. Colts: Bradley Chubb
4. Browns: Josh Allen (the perfect guy to sit for 1 year behind Tyrod)
5. Giants: Quenton Nelson
6. Jets: Baker Mayfield
7. Bills (Trade up with Bucs): Josh Rosen
21-22 BUCS (pick two). Viti Vea, Arden Key, Sam Hubbard, Maurice Hurst, Ronnie Harrison, Derrius Guice, Carlton Davis, Will Hernandez, James Daniels, Billy Price
Note: If Rosen, Darnold, Mayfield or Darnold is still on the board and that is who the Bills are trading up for, I actually think we could get MORE than just the #21 and #22 as the Bills are now DESPERATE for one of the top 4 guys and have a ton of picks to play with.
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March 10th, 2018 at 11:31 am
If he’s going to be the #2 CB that’s fine. Bring in Trumaine Johnson as well.
March 10th, 2018 at 11:45 am
@BuccLuck
I second that.
March 10th, 2018 at 11:51 am
Walter football had him ranked as second rated corner
His issue is staying healthy.
March 10th, 2018 at 11:53 am
No doubt. This website has turned into a bunch of cry babies.
March 10th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
EJ Gaines is a good FA signing at a position of need. He has had injury issues, but he was ranked the 13th best CB by PFF last year, has decent size, and is 26 years old. He excels and zone, because that is what the Bills run. I have seen write ups online saying his strength is man-to-man. So who knows–I’ll defer to the front office guys who have watched all of his film. Secondary is a huge position of need–so I am in favor of it. Bucs need to strengthen their roster from top to bottom–not blow massive amounts of money on premiere FAs, that in the past have show to rarely play above their A
March 10th, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Who is that?
Reminds me of when Swaggy Baker was signed I had to look him up to figure out who he was.
March 10th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Bucs are trading GMC to Raiders for 2nd round pick!!!
March 10th, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Zone CB. I’m liking it. Getting an early rise for our 2018 BS 15-yard cushion scheme.
March 10th, 2018 at 12:44 pm
Piratic
You need a lap dance… Lighten up Frances.
March 10th, 2018 at 12:48 pm
I like rolling the dice (figuratively, poker is where the name comes from). Instead of two ones (21 & 22) with a next year four as the cherry on top, I’d rather take the 21 and next year’s 1, then add in a third this year (Buffalo has two thirds).
Buffalo is plagued with the same ownership issues we have. They think they’re giving away a late round pick, but odds are they regress to the mean. We could end up with a really high pick, maybe even a top five.
March 10th, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Last year Gaines was the 13th-highest-graded cornerback in the league per PFF. At 26 years old, his asking price may be just right in a strong cornerback market this offseason. Something to consider is that his play skyrocketed from 2016 to 2017 in his contract year. In addition to missing five games last season, Gaines missed 5 games in 2016 and an entire season in 2015 with a Lisfranc injury. At 5-10 185, Gaines is lacking in size. He would be an upgrade from our current CB group.
March 10th, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Was PFF the same site that had OJ Howard as one of the worst rookie 1st rd draft picks last season?
March 10th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
@tmaxcon: I didn’t realize that you were a comedian! Oh, the irony.
Lap dances are for kids. I’m a cogent adult that does not require hyperbole to express myself. Don’t ever forget that.
@Joe: When you feel the need to defend yourself by hiding behind THAT guy, it’s a huge indictment.
Those types of phrases are truly detrimental. Every time you choose such an approach, you can be certain that your former Journalism professors are cringing, and that your intelligent readers are embarrassed for you. You implore culture change, yet resort to the same tactics that have been ridiculed for years and years. Understand, I don’t see this as an acute problem on this website, yet when it happens I am always put off by it, and it lowers my expectation of JBF.
“If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.”
March 10th, 2018 at 3:10 pm
I don’t recall 100% but when Buffalo had its playoff game there were a few plays he made that drew praise from announcing crew
March 10th, 2018 at 3:21 pm
Com’on guys, lay off Piratic. He’s a loyal, long-time reader. He gets frustrated with Joe from time to time but he’s cool.
Broy34:
Thanks for the tip.
March 10th, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Can assure you Joe’s professors never envisioned the (near) death of newspapers.
One of the reasons for the success of JoeBucsFan is that it isn’t a newspaper nor does Joe have any desire to emulate a newspaper. Why strive to be like a member of an industry on the verge of extinction? That’s not a good business model.
Pretty sure Joe’s professors would be happy Joe found a way to carve out a successful business while so many of Joe’s former J-school classmates are working civilian jobs, not by choice.
March 10th, 2018 at 5:52 pm
Tmaxcon, they love you on here!😂😂😂😂 you telling the truth about gmac, glazer boys,Jason light,is absolutely the truth and some of these people just don’t want to realize it.
March 10th, 2018 at 5:56 pm
I must admit that I, like Piratic, enjoy top-notch writing and cringe when I see obvious errors on various websites.
However, I also love THIS website and think Joe has a great thing going!
March 11th, 2018 at 5:31 am
@Joe: Definitely. I, too, am very certain that your professors could not see the end coming for printed daily news. Just 20 short years ago, the idea would have seemed ludicrous!
Without question, your obvious success here at JBF is because you pursued a different business model, and you are to be commended for that. Well done, gentlemen.
Finally, I have no doubt that your former Profs would be over the moon with regard to your success, that was never in question. Yet I still stand by my belief that they would not be happy when you delve into such unnecessary tactics.
That being said, I do enjoy when JBF skewers guys who deserve it: Sackless, gifted-the-job Kyle Moore, that embarrassing QB from 2014, the fearsome foursome that was our defensive backfield for the better part of a season, Lovie Smith (smh), Ghost Johnson, Anthony Collins, Jerramy Stevens, Kellen Winslow, Sabby the Goat (ugh), Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Da’Quan Bowers, ASJ, Doug Martin (with an aside that I believe that the O-line did him no favors), and especially Chris Baker. I know there are many, many more, but I can no longer bear to add to this list, it’s too painful.
Finally, thank you for taking the time to back me up. It was completely unexpected, and much appreciated. The next time that you’re in Vegas, hit me up.
March 11th, 2018 at 5:56 am
Piratic:
Thanks for the kind words. In Vegas until late afternoon Monday.
March 11th, 2018 at 9:19 am
@Joe: You are very welcome.
Oh, man, and I just had an appendectomy, and can’t throw down!
Definitely next time, though, ok?
March 11th, 2018 at 11:32 pm
Almost threw up in my mouth when I read “zone cornerback”
15 yard cushions here we come!