The Ryan Succop Decision
February 15th, 2022
Bucs GM Jason Licht
Will the Bucs keep their old kicker when he’s coming off a down year?
That’s the expensive question facing Bucs general manager Jason Licht.
Before you say, ‘No, no, not Licht picking a new kicker,’ Joe doesn’t think any successful GM like Licht should be operating in fear. You evaluate what’s in front of you, neither crippled nor emboldened by the past.
So with that in mind, what will the Bucs do with kicker Ryan Succop as they look for nickels to save so they can sign more important free agents?
Succop, who turns 36 in September, did not kick a 50-yard (or more) field goal last season. That’s no coincidence. He doesn’t have the big range of Super Bowl champion Rams kicker Matt Gay or Super Bowl runner-up kicker Evan McPherson of the Bengals. Those guys combined to go 14-for-19 on field goals of 50-plus yards during the regular season.
And look at the backgrounds of McPherson and Gay. One was a rookie fifth-round pick last year (McPherson), and Gay was a Bucs’ castoff signed by Los Angeles off the Colts’ practice squad.
Two other stud kickers this season? Veteran Nick Folk has drilled 90 percent of his field goals since arriving in New England after the Bucs cut him, and Las Vegas sharpshooter Daniel Carlson was a Vikings castoff.
Yes, it’s relatively easy to find a good kicker on the street, one with power and range. But the Bucs’ kicking circus of years past still gives Tampa Bay fans the shivers. Joe feels your anxiety.
Will the Bucs keep Succop and pay him $4 million this season? Or will he a June cut to save the Bucs more than $3 million on their salary cap?
Remember, on the Tampa Bay offseason roster is the guy who won top-kicker honors in college football in 2020, Jose Borregales. He was with the Bucs all last season.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:04 am
he’s as good as gone… we can’t afford to spend $4M in a kicker…. in fact I bet we wish we stuck with Gay.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:07 am
Bucs didn’t protect Jose Borregales all season just for kicks (oooh, unintentional bad pun). Succop will be released before the FA dinner bell rings in favor of Borregales, and won’t have a hard time finding a new job.
Succop has a CAP hit of $4.0 mil, but a Dead CAP of $1.5 mil, so I think that means we’d save $2.5 mil on our salary CAP. Fully expect that JL will also release Pinion. He’s due to make $2.9 mil this year but has zero Dead CAP, so there’s another $2.9 mil saving BEFORE we pay for a replacement punter.
Guessing that between Succop & Pinion, Bucs could save around $4.5 mil. Not a huge amount, but should be enough to re-sign say Will Gholston AFTER we’ve paid the replacement punter & kicker. Anybody’s guess though whether releasing both of them would be a smart gamble.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:09 am
He got his ring. He was good when we needed him to be. I’ll remember him fondly.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:09 am
With our ST coordinator even Justin tucker wouldn’t be automatic.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:13 am
Too bad we didn’t draft Matt Gay and give him some time to improve…..uhh…wait…what?
February 15th, 2022 at 10:14 am
I like Succop very reliable inside 50 but man thinkin about the Bucs kicking grave yard spooks me. But hey team is making alota changes so why not save a few bucks
February 15th, 2022 at 10:14 am
Also what about Bradley Pinion? There is no dead cap number tied to him and he’s sitting there with a 2.9 million dollar number. I would consider cutting both.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:22 am
I expect him to be cut to free up cap space. I appreciate his work in 2020, I just wish last season could have turned out a bit better overall. That miss against LA is what sealed his fate.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:24 am
Let’s get younger…..and let’s get cheaper…..and let’s get better….cut them both.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:25 am
My sons teammate on his 7th and 8th grade modified team is a better kicker then Pinion, those kicks out of bounds were ludicrous!!!! save the cash…..
February 15th, 2022 at 10:26 am
Can we get a new special teams coach while we are at it and get his input on new kicker and punter
February 15th, 2022 at 10:29 am
The circus will be in full bozo status if Lame Goobert or Kyle Trashk are playing QB for the Bucs. In that case, see what Borregalas can do.
If Tom comes back, I’d keep Succup in training camp but let Boregard and maybe another guy compete.
February 15th, 2022 at 10:41 am
The kid on the practice squad is the replacement..Jose Borregales has the leg and has been protected all year
February 15th, 2022 at 10:48 am
Cost bucs against the rams missed a fg then arians decided to go for it on 4th and 14 instead of kicking the uncertain fg
February 15th, 2022 at 10:52 am
When will there be any decisions in favor of us? to improve our standard of living
February 15th, 2022 at 10:55 am
It really doesn’t matter who is kicking. The ST coordinator is so bad at his job he would make Justin Tucker look mortal.
It’s not like Matt Gay is a pro bowler that won a super b…………….
February 15th, 2022 at 11:00 am
Didn’t Borregales sign a futures contract three weeks ago?
February 15th, 2022 at 11:00 am
Coburn right on the bucs definitely need a new ST coach, he is atrocious. He should get fired for the Pinion horrible kicks and punts and then continually running #1 out there who is flipping gawd awful. Why give that scub #1 anyway. Anyways the John McKay line is applicable to the bucs special teams coach and unit
February 15th, 2022 at 11:09 am
Since most of a kickers ability resides between their ears, it’s hard to know who stays consistent from year to year. I don’t know the total since 1976, but the Bucs have gone through what seems to be an inordinate amount of kickers. Ownership, management or coaches don’t matter. Just more proof that the pirate curse actually exists.
February 15th, 2022 at 11:10 am
^^^^ doesn’t
February 15th, 2022 at 11:18 am
welp they blew it this year when it mattered so …. in my opinion they should cut pinion. His two kickoffs going out of bounds absolutely killed us in the first half.
February 15th, 2022 at 11:52 am
Have BA tell Matt Gay that is all is forgiven for knocking the Bucs out of the Super Bow. It was just a little misunderstanding when they let him go.
Yeah.
February 15th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
The gag-reflex/PTSD when speaking about Bucs kickers is real Joe. Show some empathy!
To even consider “what if” has me wanting to down copious quantities of Crown Royal!
February 15th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Our practice ‘20 squad kicker Joseph is now the starter in Minnesota. He hit 87% this past year ‘21. The Bucs had another good on the PS this year too. Not to mention Gay. Gay just needed a year to change his approach from 4 to 3 steps. BA son should have told them it was going to be tough the first year while Gay tightened up his approach.
February 15th, 2022 at 12:29 pm
@ DR
If we cut Pinion I wonder if he can be replaced via the draft. I have no idea which punters will be available this draft but usually you can draft the best punter with a fifth round pick…
Pinion also does kick offs so I hope the new guy will be able to do both the punting and the kick offs as well.
February 15th, 2022 at 1:28 pm
Succup is probably gone with all the other free agents we have to sign
February 15th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
I’d say it is highly likely that the Bucs have new K & P for 2022.
February 15th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
Hire grammtica as a consultant
February 15th, 2022 at 4:54 pm
Likely gone, in particular if you’re tanking with Trask, since there’s no need for a veteran kicker.
February 15th, 2022 at 6:42 pm
Anyone seen neil o’donaghue?😂
February 15th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
“I don’t need him to play, doc. I just need him to kick.”
February 15th, 2022 at 6:46 pm
Defense is right. I was so happy to see him protected all year and the little I saw of him was very positive. To give Succup his due, he almost cured me of “kicker PTSD”, but he was horrible in the entire Rams game. I have a positive feeling about Jose.
February 15th, 2022 at 8:05 pm
Hey I’ll bet Roberto Aguayo is available.
February 15th, 2022 at 8:05 pm
Look at Matt Araiza from San Diego State as a punter. Absolutely incredible!!. If we get a compensation pick, then use it on him. He won’t make it through the draft to pick up as a UFA.
February 16th, 2022 at 1:38 am
Bucs Guy – you related to Ray? Now there’s a punter.
February 16th, 2022 at 2:02 am
If Suck is too expensive, bye. YoungHoe Koo or Zane Gonzalez. Folk was good for NE but prior to that, he was a question mark.
February 16th, 2022 at 5:40 am
It’s time to get better….4 million on a kicker that misses 30 yarders is CRAZY!!! Should’ve beaten the Rams & possibly Won the Super Bowl if our Kicker & Punter did their jobs correctly!!! To be the Best you have to keep up with the Best and be even Better!!!