Just 48 Hours From Free Agency!
March 13th, 2021
Will freedom ring for Shaq Barrett?
As Joe sits around mauling Hooters boneless wings while watching college basketball and condensed NFL games from last season, it is now noon — just 48 hours from the start of free agency.
Monday at noon officially opens the NFL free agency “tampering” window, when agents of pending free agents are free to negotiate contracts with any team.
In reality, agents and teams have been doing that work behind the scenes for weeks, with agents giving their clients a great feel for the market. But Monday is when it gets real, and reporters like Adam Schefter, Jay Glazer, Prickly Pete Prisco, Jason La Canfora and others will start announcing dozens of deals that have been agreed to with premium free agents.
Then on Wednesday at 4 p.m. — the start of the 2021 NFL league year — is when the contracts will become official.
Of course, it’s all eyes on Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett, the 28-year-old stud who has proven his value over the past two seasons. Shaq says he wants to break the bank.
What kind of hardball is Shaq playing with his agent, oily Drew Rosenhaus? Does Team Glazer have a limit?
Are the Bucs ready to pounce with a quality Plan B and/or Plan C if things don’t work out?
Joe may not sleep as these hours count down.
Enjoy today’s new Ira Kaufman Podcast, presented by Bill Currie Ford.
March 13th, 2021 at 4:33 pm
If Shaq doesn’t come back then Suh, Gronk, Lenny, Succop and Nachos will ALL be back with the $ the Bucs freed up with re-negotiations.
March 13th, 2021 at 4:41 pm
“Does team Glazer have a limit?” I hope it is the cost of several free agents. To lose a bunch is the limit – too high a price. At least we should know soon.
March 13th, 2021 at 4:41 pm
I want Barrett back, but keep in mind that before Shaq was Shaq, Licht picked him up off the Bronco’s trash heap for pennies.
Who’s to say Licht & Co. don’t have another “Shaq” as Plan B, if Barrett does, in fact, get an offer way beyond the Glazer’s piggy bank?
The reality is Barrett doesn’t have that much Buccaneer DNA…
March 13th, 2021 at 4:43 pm
Drew is really playing the Bucs.
March 13th, 2021 at 4:44 pm
If you’re keeping the band together, but have to replace 1 single member that still counts right? How many guitarists has guns and roses had?
March 13th, 2021 at 4:49 pm
Let’s sign and trade him for obj. Or simply wait and see what licht does. He problably will see what the market is offering him.
Let’s say no one offers shaq a contract. Do licht offer a $5M a yr ?
March 13th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
The Bucs should sign and extend as many contracts as possible making them long term contacts. It is a buyers market. The cap will probably go up 30 to 40 million next year and the players are going to want to get paid.
March 13th, 2021 at 4:52 pm
It would be irresponsible not to have a limit. The hope is Shaq, or more accurately his agent doesn’t try to exceed it.
March 13th, 2021 at 4:56 pm
Adrnagy: You would sign Shaq and trade him for OBJ? Don’t the Bucs need Shaq back? Or, you know, another pass rusher?
March 13th, 2021 at 5:05 pm
It is certainly possible that Shaq has made it clear he wants to test the market to get a feel for what his true value is this year – and has promised the Bucs that he will give them right of last refusal. And the Bucs are respecting that.
Or – that Licht and Rosenhous are close to an agreement but just haven’t quite gotten there yet.
It would suck to lose Barrett – but we can’t overpay ($20M+) to 1 player on the defense when every other FA is accepting at least somewhat of a “discount” to play with Tom Brady on a team that’s an odds on favorite to win another Super Bowl this year……
This year the cap is DOWN $16M and there will be a plethora of talented FAs at multiple positions just itching to play here on the cheap for 1 year.
March 13th, 2021 at 5:13 pm
Not to go to in depth. Justin Houston is 32, double digit sack every year if I’m not mistaken. Hungry for a ring. Maybe $8m will do.
March 13th, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Adrnagy, that’s some good comedy right there. Maybe you could open for Larry the Cable Guy?
March 13th, 2021 at 5:21 pm
I think the Oily One ( aptly nicknamed by Joe? ) is the worrisome x-factor here. He’s the type of agent ( next question! ) who will grandstand for his own benefit/reputation than ultimately do what’s best for his client. Shaq loves it in Tampa ( few if any better cities to live in the U.S. if you ask me ) and would be best served playing the next 4 years or so as a Buc. We shall see what another team will desperately throw his way.
March 13th, 2021 at 5:24 pm
Question for Sir Joseph of BucsFan (the Joe who loves Shaq and once upon a time loved Yannick Ngakoue)…We all (well, you and I, anyway) want Shaq back. Would Yannick be a consolation prize if Shaq doesn’t re-sign? Or has Yannick lost some luster to you?
March 13th, 2021 at 5:38 pm
Shaq, let’s get the deal done. Do it for Devonte…and all of your fans. Team first! More Super Bowls… future hall of famer….. Let’s keep it red and pewter…
March 13th, 2021 at 5:44 pm
Ardnagy with all our wr you sign and trade Shaq for OBJ. You are a hoot.
March 13th, 2021 at 5:46 pm
….now is become everything about ShB. every price above NFL average for the position, is too expensive for us. I’m not putting what number is good, imo after we secure the rest, that is the right number to keep ShB. We have a great team, and the best leader in the business/game, TB12.
remind me how all the talk here were about JW……he was VERY important once….
March 13th, 2021 at 5:49 pm
Brady. Evans. Godwin. AB. Gronk. OBJ.
Rojo , Peterson , j. White.
Best offense in history. And we go 17-0 ! And SB. …
March 13th, 2021 at 5:51 pm
The great thing is that Bucs all have SB rings…..
We paid the price last year…..not redoing Godwin’s contract….Tagging Shaq instead of signing him to a long-term deal…..
The bottom line is that it worked…..now we have to adjust.
I have never thought that we could afford both Shaq & Godwin….and still sign others necessary…..I still feel that…..I hope we sign him and will let Licht worry about the others….
We need……Succop….backup QB, Suh, Gronk, RNR, Stinnie other depth pieces & the 21 draft class…..perhaps AB….bye, bye Lenny,
March 13th, 2021 at 6:08 pm
This is a nail biter
March 13th, 2021 at 6:28 pm
To the person asking about losing 1 guitar player and does that still mean the band stays together… Check out bands like the Eagles.. Pink Floyd even … Metallica… Guns n roses had a guy named buckethead even after slash left (wait… Maybe that was your point
March 13th, 2021 at 6:48 pm
Cleveland is expected to make a serious run at Shaq Barrett.
They were in the race to sign JJ Watt, but lost out.
Imagine him playing in Cleveland, next to Myles Garrett ?
I still think we should have Tagged Barrett instead of Chris Godwin, because we are much deeper at receivers than pass rushers.
March 13th, 2021 at 7:14 pm
I honestly thought with the Brady extension and the LD deal that Shaq would have been right behind them, but I guess when you’re that close to FA, you want to see what happens with offers first and then make your decision. Can’t blame him for wanting the best deal he can get.
March 13th, 2021 at 7:29 pm
OBJ is injury prone and too self absorbed. Too risky.
March 13th, 2021 at 7:32 pm
So Joe is telling us that it’s hopeless without Shaq?? The only guy on this team that is irreplaceable is Tom Brady…..simple as that….
March 13th, 2021 at 7:51 pm
What’s happening: They offered him a respectable contract. He’s going to test the water and see if a little more money will send him somewhere else. Which sounds like he will. Especially because we haven’t reworked anyone else’s contract yet other than Brady. Don’t think they don’t have another plan with the departure of Shaq and honestly I’d love to see us save that money, players restructure, the draft and FAs available if Tom gave them a call to see if they wanted to play for the Bucs.
March 13th, 2021 at 8:06 pm
Browns are 1- Shaquille 2- clowney
Bucs 1- Brady’s recommendation 2- Brady’s recommendation
March 13th, 2021 at 8:25 pm
Concentrate on Suh,gronk,Goodwin long term and succup,then Shaq,my opinion only
March 13th, 2021 at 8:26 pm
And AB
March 13th, 2021 at 8:31 pm
scbucs fan, you have a point
March 13th, 2021 at 8:45 pm
Justin Houston signed for 6 years 101 million with 52 million guaranteed in his first free agent deal. His last deal was 2 years 24 million at age 30.
Houston is possibly not a bad 2nd choice. But he is clearly a 2nd choice that will not be as good on this defense.
You will be getting a guy 4 years older than Shaq and giving us 300 less snaps. The hope is that Houston is still close in rushing the passer.
Houston is not a run defender at all. Shaq is solid there. Shaq doubles his tackle total.
Houston is clearly not capable of dropping into coverage. He has 1 pass defended in the last three years.
Shaq is clearly younger and better than Houston.
Kinda like the comparison between Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin.
Antonio Brown still good in some aspects but not as good as Chris Godwin.
Could we have survived without Godwin and AB instead this year? Yup, we know we could based upon last season.
Could we survive with Houston and not Shaq? Possibly but not quite as certain.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:11 pm
“Let’s sign and trade him for obj”
Turn off the Xbox.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:32 pm
Why you sad … when shaq said “ ready to break the bank “ he didn’t say with Bucs. It’s to the highest offer. He’s been set all along in the market. So don’t be sad. If it happens with Bucs well … good. If not … good too.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:44 pm
@NE+ bucs fan: we’re of a similar mind-set; watched it work nearly 20 yrs in NE. The Next Man Up WILL do the job. No one player is bigger than the team. That’s what Brady’s restructure communicates- Team First. Also, if there’s a little give now, there’s more $ to be made with each progressive playoff game.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:45 pm
Look, it’s not him alone. It’s the rest of the team and the position. If Shaq leaves, they will sign a good replacement. Carlos Dunlap is a sack machine.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:46 pm
The bucs are much more than one player. A decent multi offer take it or leave it. If the answer is no, bye bye. Next man up? A quality free agent who will take a reasonable offer to be on the A team.
March 13th, 2021 at 9:59 pm
Geno I understand. , did you Nelson and gill getting reps? Behind the scene I’m sure licht and Bowles wanted to see what they have. Perhaps that’s the plan. And bring in someone like Houston on pass rush downs. And cheap$$.
One strange thought is why hasn’t suh signed ? He’s his on agent. Wants to be back and took less this past year. .. he wants to win.
geno711 Says:
March 13th, 2021 at 8:45 pm
Justin Houston signed for 6 years 101 million
March 13th, 2021 at 10:45 pm
Adrnagy…no. just no.
March 14th, 2021 at 1:40 am
If I wasn’t such a Bucs fan, I wish Shaq would sign elsewhere just to see the fun of the Joes (or one in particular) go freaking nuts.
Whatever happens, so, so glad we got that SB win out of this team.
March 14th, 2021 at 12:30 pm
here’s another good one. how many lead singers has ACDC had? 2. Only because the original passed away. Now I refuse to include that catterwalling, ear splitting, cat in heat singer fro G&R. YUCK!!!!!!! would you rather let Shaq go and keep the band together??? That’s a rhetorical question. Reminds me of some people saying Joe Montana is the GOAT because he was 4-0 in the SB. I doubt anyone is saying that now. EVEN Kellerman. I would always ask “would you rather be 4-0 or would you rather go to 10 and win 7? Friends if threre’s a fan out there that say Montana’s is best is either an indredible hater, a lier or just plain stupid hahaahahahhahaha
March 14th, 2021 at 7:03 pm
Boneless wings Joe?
March 14th, 2021 at 8:11 pm
Sign Succop, AB, Gronk: Now.
Before someone take them, even if they don’t need them, just to destroy volontary our team.
If you think that I’m paranoid look at what was done after every SB wins in NE and you will paniqued!
Shaq would have already sign if he wants to return, no?
I don’t know,… perhaps I’m just anxious to see most of our team back soon!
Time is running out,…
GO BUCS!
March 14th, 2021 at 10:07 pm
Shaq is gone and thats fine. There’s 2 guys i would love to kick tires on thats Dunlap a home state guy and Kwon Alexander a former Bucs stud for cheap although Arians does not like his size thats why he was allowed to test the market then. Shaq should stay but I guess Jacksonville got him.