Le’Veon Bell And The Bucs
March 8th, 2019
More Le’Veon Bell chatter.
Joe has no clue how the Bucs can pull this off, but it isn’t stopping guys on national websites suggesting the Bucs can be real players for quitting running back Le’Veon Bell.
Will Brinson of CBS Sports (correctly) believes the Bucs need a reliable running back and that Ronald Jones (barring a major turnaround) looks like a terrible swing-and-miss.
So Brinson’s answer to fix the woes of the Bucs’ backfield? Sign Bell.
The Bucs meet most of our qualifications. Jameis Winston is a young quarterback with accuracy issues who could use a dangerous weapon out of the backfield as a checkdown savior. Tampa is desperate to win now; they’ve been desperate to win for a while. Bruce Arians is in his first year but Winston only has one year left on his contract. You get the sense if this goes poorly it could be blown up again. The Bucs drafted Ronald Jones in the second round last year and that did NOT work out well. Jones and Peyton Barber are now on top of the depth chart. The Bucs do not have much salary cap space right now (under $2 million) but Jason Pierre-Paul ($14.9 million), Gerald McCoy ($13 million) and DeSean Jackson ($10 million) could all be cut without any repercussions. $7.5 million of JPP’s salary in 2019 becomes fully guaranteed on March 17 — he had 12.5 sacks last year, but at age 30, he might not be a transcendent pass rusher anymore. McCoy has remained fairly consistent but he is likely in the decline stage of his career. Whatever, you get the point: the Bucs can free up salary cap space pretty quickly if they believe Bell is a guy that can help transform their offense. And why shouldn’t they? Look at what Arians did with David Johnson in Arizona. Bell could put up huge numbers in Arians’ aggressive offense that implements running backs in passing formations.
Now letting JPP go is not novel. Joe’s seen folks float trading him. Joe can’t go there.
The Bucs for a decade tried to find an edge rusher that can at least come within a zip code of a quarterback. One time they had one and they let him go for no good reason. Now, the Bucs finally have one and now you want to get rid of him? That’s crazy.
Yes, malcontent Jackson should be gone. No doubt. Joe could see GMC being released or traded but only if the Bucs plan to add a defender, preferably another edge rusher (such as trading for Dee Ford).
But to cut JPP? That might be dumber than cutting Darrelle Revis. The way the NFL has become there is no more important position on defense than an edge rusher. Joe has no interest in waving goodbye to JPP.
March 8th, 2019 at 12:10 am
what an idiot… yah lets release the only real dog we have on defense (jpp) for some fat quitter.. no thanks.. this azz clown is so out of touch..
March 8th, 2019 at 12:21 am
Umm, that might be the one thing this team could do right now that would make me tune out. He made watching our defense worthwhile.
March 8th, 2019 at 12:24 am
No thanks. I said it before… Focus on offensive and defensive lines and DBs and a LB.
Yes they need another running back but bell can take a walk.
I’ve never heard of a running back or receiver who did not want thevball.
He quit on his team because he felt his workload was too much.
Screw that
March 8th, 2019 at 12:26 am
Antonio Brown to the Bills looool
March 8th, 2019 at 12:33 am
This article shows how relevant the Bucs are on the national scale. These “Analysts” or whatever you call them know nothing about this team. This dude probably doesn’t even know we don’t have enough money to sign Peyton Barber right now much less Leveon Bell.
As for JPP, in one year he became the leader of the defense, IN ONE YEAR!! For all the injuries he battled through, I can only imagine if he can stay healthy next year what he can do!
March 8th, 2019 at 1:16 am
Easy to make the cap space… You trade Brate and Jackson, now you’ve more than covered his entire salary, and you probably pick up, at worst, a couple of 4th rounders – and for as terrible as Licht has been with 2nd rounders, he’s done a good job with 4th rounders – minus Ryan Smith – but the 4th round is a true lottery so I don’t hold that against him.
March 8th, 2019 at 1:30 am
I still think that they should get rid of Desean and give the money to Humphries. Then if they are confident that Quinnen Williams (only happens if a QB goes 1-4) will fall in the draft you could release Gerald and roll that money to Bell. If Devin Bush (Michigan LB) falls into the second, which is likely, grab him to replace Kwon Alexander. You need a RG from FA, roll Benenoch to RT2. There may be corner or safety depth available at 3-4. There will definitely be interior OL and DL depth available in later rounds.
I personally don’t see any of the QB prospects making enough of an impact to be worth 1-4 but someone will get desperate. There is nothing in FA so why not? Someone will do it. My top three are Nick Bosa, Q. Williams, and Allen. Ed Oliver is a maybe and Greedy Williams is going to struggle.
March 8th, 2019 at 1:54 am
Signing Bell would also take care of losing Hump as Hump mainly plays at or near the LOS and Bell is probably the best 3-down receiving back in the NFL. So you get a true 3 down runner, who doesn’t have a ton of mileage on him, who can come in and do everything, including more than replacing your #4 WR. Sounds like a plan.
I would be nervous however about losing D-Jax AND Hump, if you lose both you’re saying either Bobo or Watson is your #3 WR, and suddenly a position of strength doesn’t look all deep. Also losing Brate means you’re betting on OJ to stay healthy for an entire season.
But with Bell you’re getting an incredible upgrade at RB, one who can catch you 80 balls out of the backfield.
Of course the Bucs could also try to trade McCoy, or cut him if need be, and keep Brate or Jackson or resign Hump. I’m not for getting rid of McCoy, but if the choices are McCoy or Bell, I’ll go with Bell. In fact I’m totally for blowing the defense completely, and that includes trading away JPP and McCoy and getting rid of everyone not named David and spending all that money on the offense. As I’ve said since last offseason when Bell was out there, the best defense is an offense that scores 30, or well in the Bucs case 30 isn’t enough, so 40.
March 8th, 2019 at 3:19 am
Bell is a great player but at this point he is only thinking about the money. He could care less which team gets him as long as he is paid. In my opinion he is not worth blowing up the entire team. Arians is really impressed with Barber and Jones needs a second chance. There are always good undiscovered running backs available. Resign GMAC and JPP.Then draft LB White, DL Sweat, CB Greedy or any defensive player at 5 or trade down and hopefully get a player that they want. The Bucs have not done very well in Free Agency.
March 8th, 2019 at 3:50 am
The Giants traded JPP to the Bucs because he didnt fit their 3-4 scheme… If we cut JPP we could put that 14 mil into a better scheme fit like Trey Flowers or Dee Ford but not a RB.
Ive seen the comments about BA wanting JPP in Arizona but I wouldnt be shocked if they release him.
March 8th, 2019 at 5:00 am
@Rod Munch … “In fact I’m totally for blowing the defense completely, and that includes trading away JPP and McCoy and getting rid of everyone not named David and spending all that money on the offense.” Uhhh, wow. Just WOW. So you want to blow up a historically bad defense … AND MAKE IT EVEN WORSE. Bucs went 5-11 two years in a row for a reason Rod.
And the Bucs offense isn’t nearly as elite as you seem to think it is or at least could be with Bell. It’s averaged roughly 20 PPG over the last 3 years. To expect it to DOUBLE that production with the addition of Bell is … uhh, wow. Just WOW.
March 8th, 2019 at 5:00 am
Bucs are in no position to pay $15M+ to a RB for multiple years guaranteed.
Can’t happen. In fact the Bucs are forced to stay cheap at RB from here on out because of the $75M going to Winston, Evans and the left side of the Oline….
We’re having to talk about measures no one really wants to do – like not re-signing Hump and trading Brate – because the “budget” is too tight and we still need money to fill holes and bring in better players on defense.
Licht is just going to have to figure out how to pull a starting NFL RB out of the draft after whiffing his first 3 attempts (Sims Rd 3, McNichols Rd 5, Rojo Rd 2).
Thank God we have UDFA Barber. I know BA was raving about his tape recently – but the reality is we DO need to find a dynamic, athletic, pass catching RB to balance out the RB situation…
March 8th, 2019 at 5:20 am
Just sit back and watch where this guy is headed to. Then pick up the guy who is pissed ’cause his (former) team picked Bell over him. Who ever it is, he will play with a big chip on his shoulder!
March 8th, 2019 at 6:22 am
We only overpay for mediocrity.
And Bell is legit on the field. So it Ain’t happening.
The jets will give him 14-15 mil per
He wants Miami to offer something. Loves him some south beach.
March 8th, 2019 at 6:35 am
They can find the cap space. Can’t see a staff coming in and in year one signing a high priced quitter. He has already said its about the money, quite clearly. Cant see how anyone could go there. Please no
March 8th, 2019 at 6:47 am
Article after article floating these high-priced FAs…….simply not happening…..why cut good players?…..even if we had the money, who really wants Bell?
March 8th, 2019 at 7:00 am
“That might be dumber than cutting Darrelle Revis”
Lol. Revis never should have been brought in. Overhyped. Overpaid. Getting rid of him was not a mistake.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:06 am
Talk about moving JPP is only by idiots who have no clue about the Bucs. Yeah, let’s throw away one of the hardest working, most productive DL for a selfish sit-out RB after our new HC just praised BARBER! How about we cut Mike Evans so we can get Antonio Brown? Let’s dig a ditch so we can drive the bus into it. Getting rid of JPP to sign Bell is the stupidest suggestion since the one about firing Gruden to keep Raheem from leaving.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:11 am
He is a piece of crap. No thank you to Bell. I live in Steeler Country and Steeler fans can’t wait for Bell and Brown to be gone forever. The Steelers will win without both of them. Bell is not worth the baggage.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:56 am
NO!!! Why in the He$$ would you even think of getting a selfish player like him??? If BA is who he says he is, then no way he would pick up a guy like that, no way. Otherwise he is just talking out both sides of his mouth and not the coach we think he is.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:57 am
Who cares who makes noise. And their opinions.
Pay the man a smart player friendly 3 year deal with 60% of it fully guaranteed, laced with playing incentives ALSO that are reasonably reachable, happens all the time for star WR/RB’s.
He gets results NOW. Period.
Trade, or cut a few large contracts, at a minimum GMC and DJax by training camp. We’d be fine.
LVBell fits BA’s mold.
Go Bucs! Land Quinnen!
March 8th, 2019 at 8:02 am
Cut JPP?! That’s blasphemy you speak! Trade DJax for a 3rd and GMC for a 2nd,high 3rd. That way you at least pick up draft picks AND get more cap space. Then you can sign Bell and trade the 2 picks you received from GMC and DJax for Dee Ford. Then you go ad draft Williams with the 5th overall pick. THATS how you fix the defense and solve the RB problem.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:14 am
Our record on 2nd rd choices suggests we always trade our 2nd for 2 3rds.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:20 am
Im good on Bell. No need to blow up your roster for a diva, albeit an uber talented diva.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:36 am
This guy is smoking some of the really good stuff.
Cut JPP? What an absurd notion.
Just goes to show that just because you can write s#!t doesn’t mean you know s#!t.
I hate the rumors and bullcrap this time of year.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:38 am
You can let JPP go or trade him, that is what a good team would do and should have done at the trade dealine last year, they should have traded desean and mccoy and possibly JPP as 2018 was lost. Licht sold out koetter and blamed koetter that a historically nfl worst defense was not due to the great players available. The bucs were 5-11 with JPP, trade him for more pieces if you can. Licht is the main problem he has not built anything in 5 years
March 8th, 2019 at 8:47 am
Offer up a 4th or 5th rounder for Bears RB Jordan Howard.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:16 am
IDIOCY!!!! PURE, UNADULTERATED IDIOCY!!!
March 8th, 2019 at 10:27 am
Negative don’t want no quitters an forreal give jpp up hell no but can I have what he is smoking lol
March 8th, 2019 at 10:45 am
Jets have both the cash and desire. He’ll be a Jet at the start of free agency.
March 8th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Enough with this Bell & A Brown nonsense.
March 8th, 2019 at 1:07 pm
Bell is trash.
March 8th, 2019 at 6:23 pm
This guy is simply not worth the major Benjamins. He’s probably the best, most versatile back in the league but he would still wreck the Bucs cap. Pay him…JW…ME…DS…and what’s left for the defense?
The league has changed. Last year teams ran the ball about 40% of the time the lowest % in league history. QB’s around the league were putting up passing numbers that exceed the great Joe Montana.
We signed DS as much to protect JW’s blindside as to open up running lanes. We spent all the time and energy on #weaponsforJameis and we’ve basically succeeded. We are a team that is designed to pass. I get that a strong running game would help facilitate the offense for JW but a “strong” running game is not the same as a “great” running game.
Putting that many millions in an RB just totally goes against the design of this team. We need more millions for the trenches and LB’s…although Devin White could give us a killer MLB for rookie money.