“The Buccaneers Dragged Their Feet”
July 24th, 2019A Hall of Fame personnel man, the godfather of modern NFL scouting, took a little dig at the Bucs.
Gil Brandt cobbled together a new list of the 10 best free agent signings this offseason and Ndamukong Suh was nowhere to be found. However, the guy he replaced, Gerald McCoy, checked in at No. 10. And Brandt started his explanation with a dagger for the Bucs hierarchy.
The Buccaneers dragged their feet on releasing McCoy, letting him go in late May after reported attempts to trade him apparently went nowhere, and Carolina benefited, with the six-time Pro Bowler drawing a more limited market than he likely would have if he’d been available earlier in the offseason. McCoy’s presence should help Kawann Short get his career back on track after a disastrous three-sack 2018. McCoy, meanwhile, will be motivated to show up Tampa in their two NFC South showdowns. The Bucs were terrible on defense as a team last season, ranking 27th overall, and I expect McCoy to get back to form playing for a Panthers unit that ranked 15th in 2018.
Brandt sort of brings up an interesting point. Did the Bucs screw up by waiting too long to release McCoy, which allowed him to land with (and presumably help) a division rival?
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The Bengals, Ravens and Browns, for example, courted McCoy when he was cut. If that happened back in March, maybe those teams would have had more cash to throw his way to keep him out of the NFC.
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Or perhaps the Bucs didn’t give a hoot where McCoy landed because they didn’t think he was a good player any longer.
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Regardless, things should be awfully fun in Week 2, when the Bucs head to Charlotte to face McCoy and the Panthers on Thursday Night Football.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:17 pm
The Bucs screwed up when they forced the dc to run a scheme to keep she-mc happy!!!!!!!!!!!! The Bucs screwed up when they built around she-mc with a bunch of over paid slappies!!!!!!!!!! The Bucs did screw up when they did not trade gmc and start the official and much needed rebuild like the “real” fans asked for so long!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 24th, 2019 at 5:18 pm
GMC is garbage didn’t matter what team he went to. I just hope the Bucs run every play his direction.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:20 pm
Isn’t it “drug their feet”?
July 24th, 2019 at 5:23 pm
Another outsider who makes his opinions on emotions, not facts. Such BS. He wasn’t here to see the condition GMC was in after games and how his worsening condition affected his play from week to week. He was regressing in front of our eyes. A non factor on a team that needs playmakers. He was taking up a valuable spot and was being overpaid. Gil Brandt will easily forget this hogwash when GMC can’t be that dominating force he props him up to be. Someone after this season should be willing to call him out on this slight to Bucs management.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
Or perhaps the Bucs didn’t give a hoot where McCoy landed because they didn’t think he was a good player any longer.
BINGO!!!!!!!!
BA said himself….he aint the payer he was 5years ago……
we shouldve traded his @$$ after the 2015 season….
GO BUCS!!!!!!
July 24th, 2019 at 5:27 pm
*player
July 24th, 2019 at 5:30 pm
See what he doesn’t understand is that it was part of the plan to weaken the division rivals by limiting his options so he hopefully ended up there. Success!!!!
July 24th, 2019 at 5:34 pm
They held onto GMC just to pi$$ off T—–x.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:37 pm
Its a shame that licht weight and the sheep, always “figure it out” a year too late!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 24th, 2019 at 5:38 pm
I am gonna LMAO when McCoy gets 5 sacks this yr in his two games against us.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:43 pm
GMC is not worth the money he was due to be paid by the Bucs. Hence he got let go.
Gil Brandt is 86 years old and was in the NFL last in 1988 (gone before Aikman and Emmitt). What has he done in the last 2 NFL decades worthy of such opinion hype? Not much. I am sure he is a great guy….but not a NFL guru or sage.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:57 pm
I was hoping Suh would be the draft pick over McCoy but Detroit grabbed him. In every year they two played I would have rather had Suh on my team over McCoy. This year is no different except we have the better player this time.
Went ahead a rewatched the 2016 Dallas game(our last meaningful game) the other day. McCoy made no impact the entire game and was not even on the field during critical plays……Let’s job at see what Suh does in meanigful game when we get there. I bet he has a impact.
July 24th, 2019 at 5:59 pm
Why is Joe wasting his ink on McLoser? He’s not a Buc anymore, he shouldn’t be on this site.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:03 pm
Hes a good player. Not dominate. And will finally play for something this year. Hes got his fire back after all the fun he had in Tampa losing and dancing around in his bat britches. I was done when apologized to Big Ben mid stride.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:27 pm
SB go find a corner to laugh in all by yourself if that’s how you feel.Just don’t try to hop on the bandwagon. You’re banned.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:30 pm
if the league needed to fear a motivated mccoy, he would still be a buc. he knew going into last season that was fighting for a $13 million non-guaranteed salary for 2019…i think that’s bigger motivation than piling up some stats vs the team that sensibly deemed him not worthy of top 5 pay at his position.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:38 pm
Carolina is dumb, dude has become a very average player.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:40 pm
LMAO here. Of couse our Bucs screwed up. hasn’t that been our Forte over the last few years? Licht knew the minute Arians was hired. He could have put together a trade..some sort of package. If not for a player at least for a 2nd or 3rd rounder. No McCoy ain’t great. But watch us miss him. And I bet all of yas, He has some lights out games against us. WHo?..will be next yrs scapegoat?
Buc life baby.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:44 pm
This is a lame prediction anyways. All’s Gil Brandt is doing is making a safe pick for his list so he don’t have egg on his face later.
Of course he won’t go out on a limb and put Suh on his list cause he is joining a defense that was just ranked 32 two years in a row. McCoy is joining an established good defense and is a safe pick to not flop and embarrassing Brandt……….Just like the previous article that ranks Byron as a top coordinator. It’s a safe pick cause he is working for a proven offensive guru with Bruce and has established weapons for the offense………This is generic analysis with safe picks.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:49 pm
It was time for McCoy to go, much as I liked him. He was really about two years overdue. When he showed up in 2017 first thing on Hard Knocks and said his knees hurt, that was pretty much it for me. Lost his luster, time to move him.
We need Suh to be a guy to bring some moxy while also producing–they would not have gotten any of this with McCoy. So McCoy being call a good move to the Panthers doesn’t mean it would have been good/better leaving him here. Just changing the evironment can change the player. But if not careful, Suh has the capacity to be the Swaggy/DJax. Hopefully he can instead mentor or be a team player enough to help in development of upcoming D leaders like D. White.
July 24th, 2019 at 6:49 pm
So what they dragged their feet he was the property of the bucs, he signed up for it and it made him a rich man
July 24th, 2019 at 6:50 pm
they took time as the new regime asses the situation.
we need to move on from McCoy, not worth the $$$$$$.
the business of the NFL, it happens ask Mason Foster
July 24th, 2019 at 7:11 pm
GMC = old news Joe. Time to turn the page.
July 24th, 2019 at 7:13 pm
Should have been traded 2 years ago. Nevertheless, good riddance!
July 24th, 2019 at 7:39 pm
Poor GMC and his over $100 million dollars wah wah wah
July 24th, 2019 at 7:42 pm
Weak…stuff. This ain’t “news”. Sad.
Like almost all lazy things on here, in last 3 weeks. And report Bucs stuff that PFT hasn’t ALREADY reported.
Rachel..is knowingly running far far away, for good reason.
July 24th, 2019 at 7:45 pm
There…is a way to talk directly to these supposed “advertisers” on here, boys and girls. It can, smartly, be done. Trust me.
July 24th, 2019 at 7:57 pm
SB
If McCoy can get 5 sacks in two games against us then that will only PROVE he was a Lazy Player for us
You GMC hold Loyalty to a guy who spit in Tampa’s face
GMC could have taken 1/2 a million less than NC was offering and stayed here with the state taxes he is paying
GMC proved he was a Baby when he got let go
GMC showed he had NO LOYALTY TO THIS TOWN when he didn’t take the pay cut
I HAVE A Bucket of BEER THAT GMC DOESNT GET 5 sacks all year
July 24th, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Gil Brandt also says Cowboys and Eagles are the best two teams in the NFL so I’m going to take his word
July 24th, 2019 at 8:06 pm
Magadude
Dang way to scare the bejesus out of us! Swaggy? DJAX?
Possible of course but let’s hope not. I had one impression of Suh until I saw an interview with him at the French Open of all places. Yeah dude is a big tennis fan. He’s also very articulate…and comes across as a very decent man.
That inspired me to do some research and he’s also very good at business. I’m not saying the money is irrelevant but he has a huge stash already…he doesn’t need it. He doesn’t come across as the guy who lives for fame and fortune and sports a lot of bling. DJAX? Swaggy? DJAX has certainly earned some bucks…Swaggy not broke but his deal here was financially important.
Barring injury I feel good about Suh.
July 24th, 2019 at 8:11 pm
attempts to trade him apparently went nowhere,
————————–
Never forget! Now, for the record I would have gladly kept McIceCream for 4 mil cuz frankly that’s all he’s worth.
July 24th, 2019 at 8:16 pm
McCoy is a crybaby, on and off the field. Good Riddance.
July 24th, 2019 at 8:23 pm
Gil Brandt comes up with some goofy lists but this one doesn’t seem too outlandish. He’s deserving of the hof but naming Zeke Elliott one of the best running backs of all time on the site he writes for is downright silly. I take any of his lists with a grain of salt.
July 24th, 2019 at 8:37 pm
Let’s just say the coach called him out and he crumbled
July 24th, 2019 at 8:56 pm
We will soon find out whether Suh was better for this coaching staff than McCoy. My money is on Arians’ assessment. Not some talking head.
McCoy could have offered to take a pay cut. He may have. We will probably never know. He was a good player in a bad era. Was he as good a DT as Paul Gruber was a LT? Is he Ring of Honor worthy? I don’t know.
What I do know is Suh stomps people and McCoy buys people ice cream. Suh has been to the playoffs. McCoy has not. I like stompers more than nice guys when it comes to football.
July 24th, 2019 at 8:58 pm
@St Pete…didn’t want to jolt the ticker! I got a good impression on Suh also, and he’s vicious on the field. The only concern I have is he’s nearing retirement, more or less playing for his own needs….he doesn’t need to self-actualize any further. So I just hope, if nothing else, he is a good “team guy” which I’ve heard at times he’s not. I think he’ll be good if just plays football, buys into BA, etc.
July 24th, 2019 at 9:59 pm
Gil Brandt has been one of the great minds in football for many years. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the guy.
However, he is 86 years old now. He may be still going strong like the famed battery bunny but time takes its toll. I am more the ten years younger than him and I have my “senior moments” frequently enough. I know whereof I speak. Hence my adopted moniker.
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I see Suh playing well but not great. He does “pace” himself as far as I can tell. This may partly explain why he has missed only two games during his career so far.
I do not see him as demonstrating the all out, all around game example that JPP showed us last year. (I think we will miss him for that as much as the loss of the potential 10+ sacks.)
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Go Bucs!!!
July 24th, 2019 at 10:01 pm
I am more than ten years younger …
See what I mean!
July 24th, 2019 at 10:05 pm
Wow are we talking about his Lame Ass… so sick of this dude word is out that a lot guys in the locker room didn’t want him back.. tell GMC too go kick rocks bare foot
July 24th, 2019 at 10:13 pm
So, can somebody tell me how McSoftie got rated #75 this year in the NFL top 100 for the coming season?? Dude played like A$$ last year and he gets ranked???
What in the hell is going on??? That’s some fake Shiznit to say the least 🤨😖
July 24th, 2019 at 10:19 pm
Cause I’m SHE M C,
I’m Dyno Mite,
SHE M C,
I’ll quit the fight!
SHE M C,
I’m a power load,
SHE M C,
Watch me implode!
July 24th, 2019 at 10:25 pm
@tampabaybucsfan that was hilarious 😂
July 24th, 2019 at 11:14 pm
I am almost sick already just at the thought of what this web site will look like leading up to and after both Panthers games this year.
If GMC was a generational player I could easily understand this obsession. But he is not. Not even close.
If GMC was better than Suh, then I might understand. But he is not. And you think GMC wants to prove something when he plays us? Ok. Well I’ll bet Suh will bring it just as hard in those two games for his own chance to prove something. And I’ll guarantee you Suh has more of an impact in both games than GMC.
Not that it matters, though. This site will still keep the GMC “news” coming, I have no doubt.
July 24th, 2019 at 11:15 pm
Who cares?
Answer : Some Joe.
July 24th, 2019 at 11:49 pm
Most of you on this page are truly dumb assholes if you think McCoy sucked !!!!! He had NO help his entire career as a buc!!!! Look who sapp had around him tards!
July 25th, 2019 at 12:04 am
JPP called GMC out on the field in a game.
JPP practiced inside to show younger guys how to do it.
GMC told rookies to.enjoy it more.
GMC wears kimonos.
GMC prances around singing his fight song.
GMC is probably a good family man.
GMC was a good Tampa Bay Citizen.
I wish him the best, except when we play him and like any good Buc fan, I hope we stomp his ass in the dirt on game day.
Go Bucs!
In BA I Trust!
July 25th, 2019 at 12:32 am
For the kind of money he was getting paid……he did suck
July 25th, 2019 at 6:09 am
@Beginning
Largely agree with your post except for one phrase…”not even close”. Agree completely GMC was not generational but I think he was that next level.
He got all the run here because we set the bar lower with all these losses. And we got all these losses because we had a team of close but no cigar stars. Good guys…but just not enough to get over.
GMC was always one of our top two or three best guys and so he got run. “In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.”
July 25th, 2019 at 6:19 am
The Bucs screwed up? Yawn. That’s like saying water is wet.
July 25th, 2019 at 7:32 am
Gerald was never a game changer, never made “splash” plays early in a game that would set the tone for the defense, never made a impression on me other than disgust at laughing and joking on the sideline while the Bucs were on the wrong side of the scoreboard. Pedestrian interior lineman at best and in no way deserving of the ring of honor. Thankfully he is no longer here, let’s move on.
July 25th, 2019 at 12:23 pm
I long for the day Gerald McCoy is in the rear-view mirror.
Move on, already!
July 25th, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Ugh! No more GMC articles please.