Package Deal
January 17th, 2020
The PFF tribe has spoken.
How important is Jason Pierre-Paul to the Bucs? Let’s take a gander.
Over at the PFF tribe, Ben Linsey tries to make the case that 2019 NFL sack leader Shaq Barrett is head and shoulders a more important free agent signing than JPP.
Buccaneers also have a high-value defensive free agent set to hit the market in Shaquil Barrett, who certainly boosted his value this season on a one-year, prove-it contract by leading the NFL in sacks. Depending on the price point, the Buccaneers will have to decide on Barrett and then depth at the position, since Barrett’s 81 total pressures nearly doubled the next closest Bucs’ edge defender — Jason Pierre-Paul (44).
This is what Joe would call drive-by, box-score gazing.
Yes, Linsey’s numbers are accurate, but misleading — imagine that?
First, JPP only played in 10 games, so of course his numbers are going to be lower than Shaq’s. There are other factors.
JPP was in a neck brace most of the offseason. Usually, JPP is a workout warrior. So he was clearly not in the same shape he normally would be in. Also, JPP stated around Thanksgiving that he was finally was rounding into football shape.
In the past, that’s what training camp was for JPP. He had no training camp because he was in a neck brace (see previous paragraph).
You give JPP a full offseason to work out and a full training camp and his numbers would have been better.
Also, we all know what a difference JPP was in taking heat off Shaq. Before JPP returned, teams had one goal with the Bucs’ defense: Take out Shaq. Their focus couldn’t only be on Shaq with JPP on the field.
In Joe’s eyes, Shaq and JPP are a package deal: The Bucs need to bring back both.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:06 am
Totally agree.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:12 am
We could save cap space and keep both Shaw and JPP by ridding ourselves of…….oh, you know.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:13 am
If the Bucs make the ignorant mistake of letting one of their defensive studs walk because they need that cap space and cash to sign Winston, there will be a mutiny on the Bucs ship, as there should be.
But hey, it’s Jason Licht, so……………………
January 17th, 2020 at 9:14 am
JPP, Barrett, Sub & Nassib > Winston.
Keep the D together and bring in a Brad Johnson type QB: smart, sees the entire field and doesn’t make dumbass mistakes.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:14 am
JPP improved SHAQs play and the secondary….
secondary didnt start playing well until JPP came back and got into football shape….
JPP and SHAQ need to be re-signed at the same time….
GO BUCS!!!!!
January 17th, 2020 at 9:22 am
Now that’s a smart move.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:30 am
I dont care if they keep JW or not – I’ll leave that up to BA.
So if you want to sign JW to a one year deal – instead of using the franchise tag. Sign him to a 5yr deal that’s really 1 year deal. Pay him the franchise tag dollars and add performance based incentives. (27m with 5m incentives) than add escalating salaries that pretty much makes the Bucs have to restructure his contract if they want to keep him beyond that one year or cut him without cap issue if they dont…
than Franchise Barrett and Tag JPP
Barrett is more attractive on the Franchise tag – it only takes 1 team to offer him $20+ mill a year…than the Bucs can either pay him or take the 2 first round picks.
If they decide to go with the picks – they could remove the tag on JPP and sign him.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:36 am
I’ll sign JJP instead of Barrett. In a heart beat. I would not sign Barret to long term. Franchise tag and then after he can prove it wasn’t a fluke
January 17th, 2020 at 9:38 am
Or if we dont sign JW let them both walk and start over. Trade ME13 as well
January 17th, 2020 at 9:39 am
JPP =’s #56 to this lockeroom
January 17th, 2020 at 9:40 am
They need to keep that front together. That should be priority #1.
January 17th, 2020 at 10:02 am
AlteredEgo Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Says:
January 17th, 2020 at 9:39 am
JPP =’s #56 to this lockeroom
I don’t remember Nickerson blowing off his fingers and hydroplaning his car in the middle of the night so he can miss more than half the season….. Nickerson was a quality man. JPP is one of the dumbest knuckleheads ever to play but desperate low standard bucfan wouldn’t know a real leader if they walked in on Patton bumping uglies with their wife.
January 17th, 2020 at 10:04 am
Lamarcus
I agree dude. I would sign jpp first. I think his stats would have been as good or better than shaqs if he played all season. He has more than just physical ability as watching him pregame is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Dude is obsessed and really gets the team pumped. Big difference when he returned.
However, I want both. I think in terms of priority signings this season it should be
JPP
Shaq
Jameis
Suh
Perriman
Nassib
January 17th, 2020 at 10:07 am
you jameis haters and those not fortunate to be born with intelligence can not have it both ways. you can’t kill jameis on character and interceptions when your so called defensive leader can’t stay on the filed for a full season based on bad choices…. bucs missed the playoffs because of jpps bad choices not jameis’s interceptions….
again you can’t have it both ways and ignore the fact JPP is a dumbarse….
January 17th, 2020 at 10:08 am
Joe, the defense got a whole lot better when JPP came back, no doubt. However by the time JPP did play, the hard part of our schedule with all that crazy travel was over, and our young secondary had been already baptized by fire. So yes, his return sure helped us down the stretch, but the defense was going to improve regardless with more experience, and less travel.
January 17th, 2020 at 10:12 am
Shaq played great this season, the final eight games or so that JPP played, he was clearly a better pass rusher than Shaq. He is able to do so many different things as a pass rusher. Barrett is great, JPP is better.
January 17th, 2020 at 10:44 am
No doubt
January 17th, 2020 at 10:46 am
100% agree
January 17th, 2020 at 10:51 am
Brandon
I do not disagree with your observation. But there is a corollary that goes with it.
Shaq is younger than JPP. I don’t know if that makes any difference for you.
As for me I remember Reggie White…Chris Dolman…Julius Peppers who all played to their late 30’s.
You never know when someone is going to have a career ending injury will happen but absent that JPP could still have five years in the tank.
January 17th, 2020 at 10:51 am
Agree. Sign them. When can they start signing players?
January 17th, 2020 at 11:36 am
I say keep Shaq and JPP. Go after Bridges at QB, And let Jameis began his career backup role.
January 17th, 2020 at 11:48 am
Bring that Dline back all of them
January 17th, 2020 at 1:13 pm
Agreed about package deal. I would actually say JPP is the more important guy to bring back. Not just just production but leadership and holding others accountable.
Wasn’t it him that cussed out a teammate for laughing about partying after a loss? Wasn’t VHIII cut not long afterward? Hmmmmm……..Wasnt their an article Joe had about strip clubs being an issue with our team? Hmmmmm………Wasn’t Dean inexplicably benched the week after Veron was cut? Double hmmmmm………Joe you ask what leaders actually do for a team. JPP(if it was him) cussing somebody out for nonsense is true leadership………The correct actions was taken to fix the problem and the seconadry got 3,4,5 times better as a result. That’s leadership. Much harder to replace then production in mine opinion.
Oh and JPP makes players around him better as the article mentioned. Typical for a team leader.
January 17th, 2020 at 1:16 pm
Oh and bring Suh back if for no other reason then he is the most pushishing hitter on our team. That will come in handy for taking over this division. Did you see how hard he hit Matt Ryan?
Don’t know how we can get to Bress with that All-Pro line protecting him but I’m confident Bowles will get it figured!!
January 17th, 2020 at 1:21 pm
grow up tmax…
January 17th, 2020 at 1:32 pm
JimmyJack
great leaders don’t miss games because of bad choices multiple times. but hell that doesn’t fit the laughable agenda that jpp is such a great leader of men so let’s conveniently leave that out….
January 17th, 2020 at 1:35 pm
great leaders show up for off season workouts but once again that does not fit the delusional one’s clueless agenda…..
January 17th, 2020 at 1:40 pm
Bucs needs to draft a DE.
January 17th, 2020 at 1:50 pm
Shaq needed JPP. The defense started focusing on him after his defense player of the month. His production slowed down until JPP came back.
January 17th, 2020 at 2:14 pm
Agree with Cobraboy … “JPP, Barrett, Suh & Nassib > Winston.” Keep our DLine together for the next 2 years so we can make a run at the playoffs.
Not so sure though that I agree with you Cobraboy on the ‘Brad Johnson’ part. That would require BA & BL to really change their offensive strategy. I’m not sure that they’re capable of orchestrating such a monumental change in their attack philosophy. If they are, then I’d ask why they didn’t do use their talented TE stable more, especially during the last 2 games when ME13 & Godwin were both out?
And why weren’t they more imaginative in how they used their RBs catching out of the backfield? RoJo for instance had 24 Yards Before the Catch (on 31 catches) and a whopping 285 Yards After the Catch. THAT’s a weapon that wasn’t used enough, just like our TEs.
January 17th, 2020 at 2:43 pm
Can’t disagree…we need to keep the D together.
January 17th, 2020 at 5:44 pm
Cobraboy: I agree. That’s why we need to draft Jake Fromm in round 3.
January 17th, 2020 at 5:50 pm
Shaq disappeared until JPP showed up. We need both.
January 17th, 2020 at 6:26 pm
DR, you can attack down field without a Winston throwing all the picks.
A “game manager” in no way implies mediocre or a weak arm. It implies not being a dumb ass with the ball.
Gunslinger and dumb ass don’t have to be the same.
I also get Winston had to take chances because the defense has been so bad. I’m just not sure he can change because dumb ass has become habitual. We have seen it for five years now and seems to be getting worse.
January 17th, 2020 at 7:05 pm
Yup, that tandem is far more valuable than Winston.
January 17th, 2020 at 9:30 pm
Amen.
January 18th, 2020 at 4:52 pm
The numbers are not misleading. I have not read the entire report, but from your synopsis, the numbers are not misleading.