The Big Winner Is…
March 6th, 2019
Winning.
With the smoke still smoldering from the heavy news what transpired yesterday on the final day of tag season, it is time to sift through who won and who lost throughout the NFL.
So Dan Graziano of BSPN poked around the embers to see what the results of this week’s transactions will be. And Graziano believes one of the big winners with the Bucs re-signing left tackle Donovan Smith is none other than America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
So not only does Winston, the Bucs’ quarterback, have his left tackle back for this season, he’s got Smith back and happy. We don’t know what will become of Winston as he embarks up on the final year of his contract, but if he’s to live up to his top-draft-pick status and his potential, he’ll need his protection to be as good as it can be. Smith might not be the greatest left tackle in the league, but he’s a lot better than what would have been available to the Bucs if they’d had to replace him.
And that right there is a big reason why Donovan Smith is back. New coach Bucco Bruce Arians has no desire to break in a rookie left tackle. And the options available for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager to replace Smith at left tackle were worse than what the Bucs believe to be Smith’s value.
The fact Smith has never missed a start in his four-year NFL career is a huge plus for an offensive lineman, much less a left tackle.
So Joe asks, if not Smith, who was out there that was a better option? The Bucs concluded the answer to that question is no one.
March 6th, 2019 at 9:27 am
Yeah…until we have to cut Brate and let Humphries walk to clear up cap space.
March 6th, 2019 at 9:34 am
Sounds like a genius business strategy.
March 6th, 2019 at 9:37 am
NE was smart enough to find replacements for Nate Solder via trade. They also had the foresight to draft Trent Brown’s replacement last year. This is a perfect example to show what good teams do versus what the Bucs do. Bucs can’t compete in NFL with stupid crap like this.
March 6th, 2019 at 9:45 am
@BFFL…
31 other teams can not, and have not, employed the specific scouting department personnel and coaching staff to consistently pull off that magic. Not even the Chiefs, the Saints, the Eagles. Translation, the Patriots in ALL their player development from start to finish are an island unto themselves. Move on from NE comparisons.
Go Bucs! Get Quinnen!
March 6th, 2019 at 9:46 am
Bucs always win big this time of year….
March 6th, 2019 at 9:54 am
Now, draft a plug and play Right Guard (Lindstrom maybe) and determine if Cappa is the future at RT possibly or is he the RG and draft a RT…
March 6th, 2019 at 9:56 am
As you know, I am a big Jameis fan…
but I have to ask…
Is that picture above from The Walking Dead?
Because poor Jameis looks like a walker, LOL.
March 6th, 2019 at 9:59 am
Winning and Jameis are not in the same vocabulary
Joe is unintentionally funny as usual
March 6th, 2019 at 9:59 am
Every time Joe mentions that Smith hasn’t missed a start…I cringe.
Why?? It’s from yrs & yrs of Jinx factor experiences.
“Kicker X has made 40 straight inside of 40yds”..Shank Right.
“QB Y hasn’t thrown an INT in 200 passes”.. PICK 6 on next pass.
“Player Z has made 50 straight starts without missing a snap”… Blown ACL on 1st play in training camp will surely follow.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:00 am
Brian Dorry I love Brate and Humphries but they are much easier to replace than Smith, who is a left tackle. If Humphries want $8 million a year we must let him walk anyway. Brate should also be willing to renegotiate because we can’t pay him $7 million a year. Arians does not run many two-tight end sets and we can’t pay that amount on him as long as Howard is here.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:04 am
Loyaltotheend,
You have no credibility.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:09 am
Brian Dorry Says:
March 6th, 2019 at 9:27 am
Yeah…until we have to cut Brate and let Humphries walk to clear up cap space.
keeping low ceiling nice guys is why bucs suck and always are in the basement. you can’t win with brate and hump bucs have proven that.
talent wins not slow white guys with no upside.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:11 am
Z31 Bucs
Yet, I’m occupying space in your head rent free and it’s quite empty in here
March 6th, 2019 at 10:12 am
I am warming to the fact that Humphries is gone, DJackson stays and Godwin will be the new slot.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:33 am
Loyaltotheend says
“Hope is for suckers who believe in religion and children”
((((((((((
Most bizarre comment in JBF history.
Like I said, you have no credibility….
and yes, it is quite empty in your head.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:51 am
We started with around $15,000,000 in cap space.
We released DE Vinny Curry, which added some space.
According the spotrac, after the extension to Donovan Smith, we are left with:
$10,261,449 CAP SPACE
So here is what we need to do:
Release
• DE William Gholston. SAVED: $3,750,000
• DE Mitch Unrein. SAVED: $3,750,000
• DE Noah Spence. SAVED: $1,273,132
• DT Beau Allen. SAVED: $5,000,000
• RT Demar Dotson. SAVED: $4,803,125
Trade or Release
• WR DeSean Jackson SAVED: $10,000,000
Adjusted Cap Total: $38,837,706
Restructure
• DT Gerald McCoy from $13,000,000 to $10,000,000
(or Trade to save entire amount)
• OLB Lavonte David from $9,750,000 to 7,750,000
Adjusted Cap Total: $43,837,706
Deduct $9,000,000 for Draft Picks
Re-sign
• WR Adam Humphries – $8,000,000/year, 2 years guaranteed, 5-6 years total
• MLB Kwon Alexander – $8,000,000/year, 2 years guaranteed, 4-5 years total
• G Michael Liedtke (ERFA) – $750,000/year, 0 years guaranteed, 2 years total
• T Leonard Wester (RFA) – $1,000,000/year, 0 years guaranteed, 3 years total
• RB Peyton Barber (RFA) – $2,500,000/year, 2 years guaranteed, 3 years total
• S Andrew Adams (UFA) – $650,000/year, 0 years guaranteed, 2 years total
Total Cap Remaining – $13,937,706
It doesn’t leave a lot for free agents unless more money is freed up, but it does make sure a lot of holes are filled.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:52 am
People who believe in jinxes are mentally weak.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:52 am
alter
i agree…..lol…
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
March 6th, 2019 at 10:56 am
@z31
Reading comprehension might not be something you excelled at in school. Come find me in section 312 and we can talk.
@Wright
Exactly! The weak mentality of the franchise has infected the fans.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:59 am
“Bruce Blahak Says:
March 6th, 2019 at 9:54 am
Now, draft a plug and play Right Guard (Lindstrom maybe) and determine if Cappa is the future at RT possibly or is he the RG and draft a RT…”
This is my biggest annoyance with our O-line philosophy. Not knowing wtf Cappa’s best position should be after having him in the building for an entire year. Or Marpet being moved every year.
The best O-lines don’t do that sh**. They may move from RT to LT and develop that way, but typically the drafted studs just go to one spot and master it between OG or OT.
March 6th, 2019 at 11:02 am
bonzai
like that strategy but i would restructure gholston & brate and release hump…..
but that strategy is what we need to do….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
March 6th, 2019 at 11:11 am
if not Smith, who was out there that was a better option?
Hey lol that sounds like the exact same strategy Dirk Koetter used with Mike Smith. I hope a major evaluation of licht next contract is tied to the one that he just inked D Smith to because if he has another subpar season and another rookie left tackle leaps him then yea licht should be fired for that weak logic
March 6th, 2019 at 11:19 am
Every play call offense or defense has its strengths and weakness. Each team when they build a roster also will have its strengths and weakness. Due to player availability, cap cost, and market value of a position each team has to make decisions on how they will invest and determine their 53 man roster.
In Bruce I trust.
March 6th, 2019 at 11:27 am
Loyaltotheend Says:
“Reading comprehension might not be something you excelled at in school.”
(((((((((((((
It most definitely was.
March 6th, 2019 at 11:34 am
By the way, your sentence should have said “… something THAT you excelled at in school.”
Not that it is a big deal, but you really should know that before throwing the schooling dart, lol.
March 6th, 2019 at 11:37 am
“The Big Winner Is…”
Donovan Smith’s bank account…
March 6th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Smith hasn’t improved in 4 seasons. He’s still the same player he was in 2015. You like to see guys improving with time. He has room for improvement for sure. Let’s hope he warrants that fat pay check and gets better.
March 6th, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Dapostman Says:
March 6th, 2019 at 12:12 pm
Jameis hasn’t improved in 4 seasons. He’s still the same player he was in 2015. You like to see guys improving with time. He has room for improvement for sure. Let’s hope he warrants that fat pay check and gets better.
March 6th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
Bonzai
Kwon is looking for 10M+/yr. Hump is really not that critical to the Bucs and should be let go. Yes, he had a lot of catches but that has more to do with the Bucs anemic coaching and offense multiplied by Brate and Howard injuries. Hump ended up being the check down on many plays.
I would much rather have CJ Mosley over Kwon everyday. The Kwon problem/risk is no team will know for sure he will be ready come Sept. IMHO he did not play well enough to get 10M contract.
March 6th, 2019 at 7:53 pm
@Altered,
Jameis has improved every season. He even improved his TD/TO ratio the last 6 games. This was his best 6 game stretch of his 4 year career. Why are you so obtuse?
March 6th, 2019 at 9:45 pm
Bumphries is replaceable. Let him go.