Trading Gerald McCoy?
February 22nd, 2019
Options.
The Bucs are between a rock and a hard place.
The team has only won 10 games in the past two years and in every season but two since Chucky was jettisoned in January 2009, the Bucs have been anchored in Buccaneers Cove, last place in the NFC South.
To make matters worse, the Bucs are in a salary cap pinch. If losing isn’t bad enough, on paper the Bucs paid a lot of Team Glazer loot to lose big. That’s a double-whammy right up the tailpipe.
And despite the fact Gerald McCoy has been one of the best defensive tackles in the game, he’s highly-paid (due $13 million this fall) and on the wrong side of 30 (he will be 31 next week). So some believe GMC is a target for a salary dump.
Basically the Bucs have three options with GMC; they can trade him, cut him or keep him. Jenna Laine of ESPN explored a potential trade.
Arguably the best thing Tampa Bay could do is trade McCoy while he still has value. Last year, Pierre-Paul was acquired by swapping a third-round draft pick and getting a fourth from the New York Giants. In McCoy’s case, the Bucs might be able to land a fifth-round draft pick, possibly a fourth.
The problem with a trade is that it’s already a strong free-agent class with Grady Jarrett, Ndamukong Suh, Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson, to name several. Why lose valuable draft capital if you can sign a free agent?
It’s also a strong draft class at the position, which works to the Bucs’ advantage, including Houston’s Ed Oliver, Alabama’s Quinnen Williams and Clemson’s Christian Wilkins.
There may be no market for GMC because of the available talent Laine points out. So the only way the Bucs could trade GMC is if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht gives him away for a bargain basement price, which Joe guesses is better than just outright throwing GMC out on the curb.
Even a paltry fifth-round pick could be used in a package to (if need be) trade up to get Kentucky manbeast Josh Allen in the draft.
Joe is of the mind to keep GMC, conditionally. He could help himself by restructuring his contract, of course.
Joe’s initial plan was for the Bucs to take the cash allotted to GMC and use it to grab a stud defensive end in free agency. But it sure looks like any halfway decent defensive end won’t see free agency.
So Joe would rather the Bucs pick a pass rusher in the first round and keep GMC.
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:14 am
In before tmaxcon!
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:17 am
Wait joe a 5th possibly a 4th…. that has to be a type the cancer93 nuthuggers have been suggesting 5 first round picks and 3 2nds were the minimum bucs should expect for the career losing crying clown….
He’s worth a ticket to san Francisco doll day at pride fest and 2 comicon tickets nothing more. Addition by subtraction
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:22 am
No.
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:26 am
Cancer93 on field results have been garbage when it matters most. He has had zero trade value the last 2 years. Only low standard bucfan thinks that soft career losers are valuable…. once again i was right ive been saying 5th round for 3 years….
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:43 am
Last year was the year to get value for him when teams were going all in. This year I think a lot of veterans will get cut with how strong the draft class is up front. The more guys on the market the less appealing that 13 will be. Can’t wait to see how the roster fills out with a real coaching staff
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:47 am
LOL Barely! 🙂
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:47 am
Very doubtful that GMC will be playing in Tampa Bay next year for $13M….
Perhaps if McCoy were to take a pay cut down to $7 or $8M – that’s the only way it would make sense to keep him at this point in his career.
I doubt he would get much more than that on the open market if the Bucs were to release him…
Maybe $9 or $10M max if a team was desperate for his services – Maybe…
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:56 am
Best days in bucs histort
1. Firing dungy the clown failure
2. Super bowl win (would be 1 but super bowl cant happened unless number 1 happenes happened first)
3. The day cancer93 is gone will be first time team has hope in a decade…
February 22nd, 2019 at 1:40 am
We probably couldn’t trade swap for the mr. Irrelevant pick for him. We probably just need to cut him already.
February 22nd, 2019 at 3:40 am
Hey Joe,
Why is it okay for Tmax to call GMC “cancer” in your comment section? You guys punished me for forgetting to type “allegedly” about Jameis’s accusations. But this a-hole gets to come up here and call a respectable player “cancer.”
It’s low rent trash and I’m sick of it
February 22nd, 2019 at 4:21 am
I don’t care how he is removed from the team…trade, cut, whatever….as long as he his gone….team cancer indeed…forever the face of losing
February 22nd, 2019 at 4:50 am
Softie restructured is just dumb.
He believes he is great and his play will he even softer.
Hell, he may even stop apologizing to QBs and helping opposing players up off the ground if he feels like he’s being disrespected financially.
Licht dropped the ball by not trading him when he could have.
Just cut him and build a nasty new line.
February 22nd, 2019 at 4:52 am
Trade him? Who will take on his salary?
Keep him? In a 3-4, he will most likely backup Vea for $13 mil?
Cut him? Only other option is rework his contract
February 22nd, 2019 at 5:20 am
If he restructure the contract then he’s worth keeping obviously. If he doesn’t restructure then trade him to a desperate team after the draft. I don’t think his contract hurts us in retaining our free agents this season
February 22nd, 2019 at 5:50 am
He is a beautiful soul.
But his “fun philosophy” has failed.
Fukk “fun.” Its time to be obsessed with winning.
I want players like Julian Edelman.
Go Bucs!
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:00 am
And I call you out for special treatment that a certain player gets and I get blocked.
Yet tmax crap goes on all day everyday like a broken record.
And others call you out and their post goes thru ?
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:01 am
If a team offered us two of those Gatorade towels that teams get for free I would take it. Batman is a joke and a fraud and as soon as the pro-McJoke people realize it the better we will be. Bring NASTY not choir boy!
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:06 am
Trade McCoy for whatever we can get.
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:15 am
I think we need the money too badly to keep GMC……only a restructure down to the 8mil per year area would work.
Even if we get nothing for him, we need the $13mil.
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:20 am
I am ok with McCoy but not for 13 mil. His numbers are just average right now and he can disappear in games.
I hope they can get a pick for him. Gruden may throw us a bone.
However, teams may just wait for him to hit free agent market where he could be had for much less. Heck , maybe bucs will let him test free agency so he knows his value is less and try to resign for lower figure . His leaving will create a huge hole in team.
Somewhere around 8 mil is probably right. 10 seems to much.
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:36 am
We were losing and headed towards a cap crunch, yet we didn’t unload anyone in a trade to build draft capital….And that’s with a GM who always talks about building through the draft and “no risk it no biscuit”….Licht is such a bs artist
McCoy, Hump, Jackson….all should have been unloaded. Those move alone free up nearly $30 million in cap space AND fetch some draft capital. The dude has no clue to what he’s doing….he has no vision for a roster, he’s terrible in free agency….mediocre in drafts and has somehow managed to look worse then Dominick.
The media talks about how talented this team is….then immediately says we need 2-3 new offensive linemen, 1 RB, 1 DE, 2 Safetys, 1-2 CBs, 1 LB, and a kicker. That’s not loaded folks, that’s entire rebuild.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:01 am
If the bucs had a competent GM, he/she would have traded mccoy and djax at the deadline and recieved higher draft picks than they may possibly get now. The market was much better at the trade deadline then it is now, but jason gump continues to destroy this team and stick in a deeper hole to dig out of. I cannot wait for the day that the entire house is clean and the bucs get a legit GM ala Cleveland and the bucs are back atop the NFC South
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:02 am
Got a major feeling that Licht is gonna be rolling into Indy next week thinking he is so slick…to wheel and deal…and once Schefter tells the world the details after any trade he may make, well, it likely won’t be so spectacular.
I’m of the mind that AS LONG AS the full $13 million comes off our books, and that GMC is playing elsewhere in 2019 (for Quinnen), then receiving even a high 6th rounder is good by me, say to Denver? It sure looks like Elway needs some DT help up front, $37mm+ in cap space, and Elway has no tolerance for young-ish players minus drafting Chubb. Get the 10th pick in round 6 from DEN Licht!!!
Go Bucs! Get Quinnen!
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:22 am
Minus maybe 3 or 4 people on the team, no one should be safe from trade.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:26 am
“Joe is of the mind to keep GMC, conditionally. He could help himself by restructuring his contract, of course.”
This is how I view it as well.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:31 am
Although, then we have to think about a reasonable price. Asking him the give up half what he’s making would not be reasonable…it would be insulting. So dropping him to 10m?
That would seem like a respectable request. The problem is whether it is enough of a pay cut to help the team.
But in my opinion, Lavante David is in the exact same boat.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:32 am
If you want to change the culture he has to go. Tell me what is worse a quitter or dancing on the sidelines laughing it up down 21? Both should be shown the door!
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:33 am
Joe, love to trade up with Jets if Josh Allen is available. they are going to a 3-4. Probably would not fit GMC.
Oh well.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:33 am
Howard Cosell Says:
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:14 am
“In before tmaxcon! ”
Thank you. I love starting my day with a great laugh!
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:34 am
The coup de grad was his apology to Big Ben after/during the hit he put on him. That solidified all criticism of him. GMC is a class man but that statement hurt him.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:41 am
Not sure why this fan base loves to settle for mediocrity because someone is a nice guy. Give me the biggest a-hole in the world that blows people up on the line and isn’t worried about hurting their feelings.
February 22nd, 2019 at 8:44 am
Bucnjim……100% with that….bucs need some players who run around with their heads on fire and they do not have it…..winning that end of the year game that meant jack squat against New Orleans 2 years ago cost us a franchise changer in Quentine Nelson…..a game won due to winston not listening to his coach in a meaningless game that big picture wise cost the franchise
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:02 am
Bucs are overpaying for a lot of overvalued talent that knows only losing
No one on the d outside of JPP is worth their paycheck
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:10 am
licht will have a meeting with GMC and the glazers….they’ll disagree a little…. cry some….and then laugh….then he’ll restructures…..which imo, is better than just dumping him….
restructure GMC, draft Ed Oliver….that creates great depth and gives the rookie time to develop properly….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:28 am
Amazed at the number of people that want to ditch solid players (GMC, Adam H) for the next great college player. Haven’t we all seen enough draft picks that don’t work out. In so many cases the draft experts turn out to be wrong. Keep McCoy and especially Humphrey’s
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:38 am
Don’t want to “ditch” either one but very much am dealing with realities of the salary cap. If the Bucs decide to keep both, it severely limits who they can acquire to help improve the team.
No one on that defense (been one of the worst defenses for years) should be safe outside of Lavonte David and JPP.
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:49 am
@Loyaltotheend … “No one on the d outside of JPP is worth their paycheck.” Really? I kinda thought that Carl Nassib (15 games … 6.5 sacks) was worth his $2 mil salary. Same with some of our first-contract guys like Vea, OJ, Davis. The real issue with salaries comes in when guys get their 2nd contract for big $$$ AND the team keeps losing.
But the reality is that we can’t gut the whole team; not even gut just the whole defense. There’s a term for what you end up with if you do that: EXPANSION TEAM. And in fact the Bucs don’t need to do a total rebuild. But we do need to ‘selectively reconfigure’.
Would love to see us bring in a quality starting veteran MLB with some great leadership skills. Same with adding a quality starting veteran outside CB and quality starting veteran Safety. Then draft a DT, DE & LB in Top-4 Rnds and we should surely be better off than we were last year, especially with a new coaching staff. Paying for those 3 veteran FAs (MLB, CB & S) would necessitate that we cut Unrein (save $3.75 mil), restructure GMC to $8 mil (save $5 mil), cut Gholston (save $3.75 mil) to go with the $8 mil we saved by releasing Curry. Hopefully that $20 mil for those 3 veteran defensive players will be enough.
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:50 am
westernbuc Says:
I am sorry you are attached to such losers that your feelings get hurt when you read the truth!!!!! i speak the truth. SCOREBOARD proves… wouldn’t you be less frustrated if you could just like winners versus career losing clowns.
being scared to change out career losers for winners is a disease similar to liberalism no cure. It never works keeping the same losers expecting different results.
February 22nd, 2019 at 9:56 am
It’s a tough position to be in because of the potential FA market. There might be ZERO market for him. If he doesn’t restructure, we should try to get something for him.
No way do I see GMC playing for the Bucs at $13 million next season.
February 22nd, 2019 at 10:07 am
tmaxcon,
Everyone on the Bucs is a career loser, so by your thought process, we have to get rid of the entire team. Calm down, it’ll be ok. McCoy is ranked the 2nd best DT in the NFL, behind Donald.
From last year: “Having racked up 24 QB hits and a sixth straight Pro Bowl nod in 2017, McCoy is the Bucs’ best defensive player right now. His ability to clear the hip as a 3-technique is rare for a DT his size (6-foot-4, 300 pounds). Like Donald, McCoy’s hands make him special at the position.”
Even if he is turning the wrong side of 30, he is still easily top 5 DT in the NFL in 2019.
February 22nd, 2019 at 10:19 am
Amazed at the number of people that want to ditch solid players (GMC, Adam H)
these are the same solid players that have an unprecedented collection of basement titles….
February 22nd, 2019 at 10:36 am
He’s got to go. However, whenever.
February 22nd, 2019 at 12:56 pm
Pro football talk has a article on there main page. That McCoy will be with the bucs next year. It has been reported Arians and Bowles like him and think he will play a big part in there defense. But that of course could be trade talk
February 22nd, 2019 at 1:39 pm
Tmaxcon and those like him need to go! I don’t need loser fans that care more about “winning” than being great people. Tmaxcon, go pick up all the thugs, prison “tough guys” and selfish monsters. Sure, you may win in the league and be the king of garbage.
I will take guys like GMC who are gentlemen, heroes and unselfish. Oh, and pro bowlers. And when we win it, victory will be bigger than just a super bowl it will shape future generations to be like him.
February 22nd, 2019 at 7:43 pm
If you can sucker a team and get a 7th round pick in 2050 …TAKE IT!