Donald Penn Trade Proposed On NFL.com
July 30th, 2010
Longtime player personnel executive and now superanalyst for NFL.com and NFL Network Mike Lombardi has identified three should-happen trades that would benefit all NFL teams involved.
No. 3 on his list is the Bucs moving Donald Penn to Dallas for the Cowboys’ 2011 first round pick and their new starting left tackle, Doug Free, who is slated to take over for Flozell Adams this season.
The Cowboys have an outstanding team — a Super Bowl-caliber team — with some slight concerns at left tackle. Penn would solve those problems by giving Dallas a blue-chipper at one of the game’s most important positions. Penn could be the missing piece for the Cowboys to reach the Super Bowl in 2011. They can easily extend his contract by giving him a deal in line with D’Brickashaw Ferguson’s recent extension with the Jets.
The Bucs would gain a first-round pick next year and would still have a potential solid starter to help them protect Freeman’s blind side this season. They can sell this trade to their fan base by saying this was a concept deal. Trade a proven asset that was not going to re-sign to a proven contending team and invest in the future.
The Bucs save money, build for the future with a draft asset, and Dallas get its missing piece. For the Cowboys, trading for Penn is a luxury they can afford.
There’s quite a bit more to Lombardi’s story, in which he questions Mark Dominik’s power and ability. Ouch!
Interestingly, Joe proposed a Penn-to-Dallas trade before the NFL Draft – one of very few hypothetical trades Joe publishes – and many commenters in that thread called Joe a circus buffoon for even thinking of such a thing. …Hmmm.
If you read Lombardi’s full take, which is that the Bucs don’t want to pay Penn so they might as well get good value for him, it’s hard to argue with his reasoning.
July 30th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
This is a hypothetical trade at best. Penn is not that much of an upgrade over Doug Free. Yes, the Cowboys should go long into the post season, maybe even win the Super Bowl. But for them to trade for Penn AND send us a #1 next year, that’s crazy talk.
Another fallacy is the reasoning they can’t resign Penn or don’t want to. I believe they can sign him long term. But it won’t happen this year with all the other RFA who are also in the same boat due to the union not working with a current CBA in place.
If Dominick caved in and renegotiated with Penn he would be fielding immediate calls from the agents of Rudd, Jackson, Joseph, Trueblood and others. I’m sure some owners of other clubs would not look favorably on the Bucs with the owners current collective stance toward negotiating a new CBA.
This draft scenario is a pipe dream at best. Mr. Lombardi started his Happy Hour a little earlier today.
July 30th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
As much as I would hate to see Penn leave, this doesn’t sound to bad. A 1st round draft pick and a potential solid starter in the place of Penn sounds pretty sweet. Plus, if this trade were to happen soon, Free would adjust to the Bucs scheme in 2-a-days and Josh would have good protection in the preseason. Since Penn sounds like he won’t sign until after the last preseason game. But, this is just my opinion.
July 30th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
The Bucs gaining a second #1 draft choice next year would also handcuff the Bucs FO by having to commit another huge contract with guaranteed money to a rookie. Granted it would not be a high draft choice based upon how far the Cowboys go in the playoffs but still a much high pot of money than what they could resign Penn for. This flies in the face of the FO wanting to spend a lot of money on payroll.
July 30th, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Spirit of ’76
that’s not necessarily true, one of the big discussions going on right now with the new CBA is a rookie salary cap that would keep rookie’s from making 30 million guaranteed money before ever proving they can deliver in the NFL
July 30th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Doug Free’s contract runs out after his $1.1M for this year. The 1st round pick could be a very late first round pick to a mid-round pick… and they might not even play in 2011…
July 30th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
MichiganBucsFan, you are quite right. If the new CBA is negotiated with a NEW rookie salary cap, the hit might not be as dramatic. But we all see how far the owners and union are apart on all issues inclusive of # of games played, retired player health compensation, salary cap and floor levels, and most importantly player compensation. I’m not feeling too confident that their will be a season next year. And if there is a season it will be because there will be a lot of compromises by both sides.
July 30th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I want Penn in camp….BUT……. if they had to do it… getting Free and a 1st rounder would be worth it.
They would have Free, Dotson, & Fulton. If one of them did not emerge as a long term LT, they could draft one along with a DE in the first round next year.
Might not be such a bad move… the more I think about it, it might be a good move.
The bottom line is: I want Penn in camp but if he is too stupid to realize they are not going to give him a big contract until the CBA is cleared up then … well….. maybe something like this happens.
Of course, if Dalls is willing to give up Free AND a 1st rounder it is either because Free really sucks (which I do not think he does) or Jones is just really hard up to have the Cowboys playing at home in the SB (highly likely that is the case)
July 30th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Trade Penn for a #1 pick AND starter? You’ve gotta be kiding me!
Dallas isn’t THAT dumb!
If someone proposed that trade to Dominik and he didn’t take it…..
July 30th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
All this rumor means is
#1 the Buc’s Front Office put this rumor out.
#2 Dominik will take a second rounder for Penn
#3 That we will take a Left takle with the top 3 pick in next years draft
July 30th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Realist…it is not a rumor, it is a writer creating a hypothetical situation.
July 30th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Maybe we can McCoy’s money to Penn , since we are obviously too cheap to sign him either….
July 30th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
You guys kill me. McCoy’s signing has nothing to do with the Bucs being cheap. MCCOY is waiting to see what happens with Kin Sam. Do you even read the articles before posting? They did not low ball the other picks either, and they are all signed.
July 30th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
This is next year! What is this going to do for us NOW?? Oh, I forgot. 2010 is supposed to be another throw away season.
Anyway, here’s what Cowboys head coach Wade Philips had to say about Free:
“Doug has been confident coming in, and I think he has done well. His pass protection looks strong, and he is a good run blocker. When he played last year, I thought he was one of our best run blockers when he played the right tackle for Colombo. So I think he is real strong in the run blocking area, which I think is going to show up quite a bit, like it did last year when he played. And pass protection wise; when you’re going up against the guys he is going up against, I think he has done a good job. And I don’t think you can get much better than the guys he is going up against.”
I live in San Antonio, Texas, so I know everything there is to know about the Cowboys. They’re currently having their training camp here, so I actually saw Free a little bit the other day. I didn’t pay much attention to him, but I’ve heard some good things about him from the fans and team. He’s likely to take over for LT after the Cowboys released Flozell Adams this offseason, but he’s inexperienced and still pretty unproven.
I think keeping Penn here and giving him a contract is still a better option. If a great team like the Cowboys like him and think he could help get them to the super bowl, then that says something! We should keep him here if that’s the case. Oh no, the Glazers love their draft picks! Honestly, I would be surprised if the Cowboys traded Penn away. But trading away a high draft pick is nothing new to them. They have all the talent you could want on a team.
July 30th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Pat…The Cowboys have not expressed interes, this is just speculation from a writer.
July 30th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
McBuc….the 4th and 5th picks have already signed right behind McCoy.
You think they really have to wait until Bradford signs??? The slotting is in placew from the 2 picks behind them. Pull your head out of your arse…
July 30th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
@McBuc
Over half of these rumors are from GM’s and agents. Its called drumming up interest to get the best deal. This story came from Dominik.
July 30th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
“this story came from Dominik” LOL. The story trashes him. Might want to read it first.
July 30th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Funny he questions Dominiks power and ability … Dominik traded Gaines Adames for a 2nd rounder .. Dominik probably already has a better career then Lombardi has had .. Lombardi wouldnt even be a writer if his name wasnt Lombardi and you can quote me on that one
July 30th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Lombardi is an idiot where this is concerned. It’s just not going to happen. Period.
And to those saying McCoy is holding out for more money, you are wrong as well. The contract would already be signed if the Bucs were willing to settle for 5 years instead of 6 years.
The solution? Offer to take 5 years, loaded with hard to reach incentives or offer more money for a 6th year.
This deal will get done, if not by the end of tonight, then by sometime in the next day or two. Watch and see.
July 30th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
a bird in the hand…….
keep Penn !
July 30th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
All the National Media seems to think that Penn is one of the better left tackles in the league. Yet the Bucs made him sign a one-year tender last year for about what they are offering him to sign the tender for this year.
And all Penn has ever asked for was a long term deal. Dominik is either a Glazer puppet or an idiot. Or maybe both! Dominik has been caought lying at least twice about Penn. So where is his credibility with anyone. Hold out Donald. The cheapskates will have to pay you sooner rather than later!
July 30th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Tampa2 — gotta love the irony in this statement that you make about Dom:
“So where is his credibility with anyone.”
LMAO. You might know a thing or two about credibility issues.
July 30th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Tampa2 – I don’t know what games you were watching last year but Penn isn’t all THAT. He’s a good player and it would be nice to sign him to a long-term deal – but that isn’t going to happen in 2010.
Dominik is playing hard ball and Penn’s agent is playing hard ball.
This is gonna end ugly! Noted July 30, 2010!
July 30th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
“And all Penn has ever asked for was a long term deal”
Along with every other player in the history of the NFL.
July 30th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
@ JimBuc
The story came from Dominik. That means he let the media know that Penn is available for trade for a 1st round or lower. This is called creating interest in a available player. The insults were just from the author of the article, totally unneeded as we all know as Buc fans that Dominik is way over his head. The author was letting the national readers know this. This way painfully obvious, but i have read your other comments JimBuc. So I thought I would spell it out too help you out.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
They are now saying Penn signed a long term deal. Good. Dallas would have not given up their LT and a #1. I don’t think they would have given up just a #1. So I am glad that this is done now.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Haha this pretty funny reading all the comments above about Penn now
July 30th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Penn Sucks …..just when JimBuc finally convinced me that he wasn;t worth signing to a long-term deal , the Bucs went ahead and did it anyways.
Now we are stuck with a fat overrated Left tackle .