Where Will The Bucs Dish Out $25 Million?
March 14th, 2011
Peter King writes the Bucs would be wise to spend up to $20 million a year on a certain free agent cornerback.
Esteemed NFL Radio talking head and Sports Illustrated NFL writer Peter King was zeroing in on the Bucs and Chiefs today in his popular Monday Morning Quarterback column at SI.com.
King was upbeat about what he perceives as progress in the labor talks and was buzzing about the return of the salary cap. In its absence in 2010, the Bucs and Chiefs spent low and won high.
• Teams would have to spend 90 percent of the salary-cap number over the first three years of the new CBA. Last year, the Chiefs and Bucs both won 10 games and spent no more than $85 million on player salaries. Over the next three years, they’d have to raise that to at least $110.3 million, on average, per year. (That number would vary, depending on the salary-cap numbers the owners and players would agree to.)
So, per King’s calculations, the Bucs will have roughly $25 million to spend after meeting their salary totals of last year.
As Joe wrote earlier, that almost forces the Bucs into free agency, especially if they can’t re-sign their own players like Barrett Ruud and Davin Joseph, among others.
But even if they re-sign Ruud, who made more than $3 million last year, paying him, say, $6 million in 2011 only represents $3 million of that $25 million upgrade that will be forced upon Tampa Bay.
But later King goes on to say a 2011 season likely will be played without a cap as a labor deal is tied up in court. But regardless, salary cap or not, King writes that the Bucs would be wise to bring in Nnamdi Asomugha and pay him up to $20 million a season.
8. I think if I were Scott Pioli or Mark Dominik, running the contending Chiefs and Bucs, respectively, and with the aforementioned puny team salaries, I’d be on Asomugha. Very, very hard.
Joe’s been a bit worried about King ever since he suggested the Bucs might draft Mark Ingram in the first round. And now King is all over the place on the salary cap issue and the Bucs’ direction, especially since he knows that signing Asomugha would run counter to everything Mark Dominik appears to profess.
One thing is clear, though, King seems convinced that the Bucs should make a serious play to win it all in 2011. Why else would a team like the Bucs, with Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib, take Asomugha?
March 14th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Not sure if going after him is the best move, but I do agree that we should go for it all next year. We need to do some damage in the playoffs next year and will need significant upgrades at certain positions to do that.
It would be lucky to find ALL those upgrades in the draft alone.
March 14th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
If they did, it would be their ‘all in’ bid.
No, it’s not going to happen. But, man, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a top 2 DE on the market? Raheem already admitted they might have gone after Peppers if he thought they’d be this good this fast.
If only.
The Bucs are in an interesting position because they don’t really HAVE any guys to lock up long term except for Ruud and Joseph. The only other guy would be Talib, but most deem him still a risk.
A year or two from now they’ll have a LOT of guys that fit the ‘lock up’ mold. (Think: Freeman, Williams, Blount, potentially Hayes, Grimm, Benn, even Price.)
So they are ALMOST stuck in a position where they might have to redo some contracts to get to the cap. But I’d doubt that would be a problem. (Hey McCoy, Penn, and Freeman, would you rather have more money now versus later?)
March 14th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
It wouldn’t exactly be a vote of confidence in Biggers or Lewis, but it would make the secondary pretty nasty if you lined up Talib and Asomugha at boundary corner and let Ronde play the nickel. Not to mention Asomugha was a free safety at Cal. He could move back to safety too. I doubt it happens, but it would make the Bucs secondary a ton better.
March 14th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Why wouldn’t they. DUH
March 14th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
why wouldn’t they try to win it all?
March 14th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
That would be a great trio. Imagine all the pickoffs they’ll have with our newly acquired PASS RUSH! Asomugha would be a welcome addition but not at the expense of what we really need.
March 14th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Im just liking at our free agency record… *shudders*
March 14th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
i’ll put it this way, i wouldnt be upset if they went after asomugha. i think he would possibly aid in the development of the young d-line and probably slow the development of our young corners. 6 of one, half dozen of the other basically.
March 14th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
The glazers wont spend the 25 mill. They will have dom sign special teams players to fraudulent noah herron like contracts (see the st pete times article) with impossible incentive laden bonuses – like millions for 6 blocked punts (never happened).
The glazers will never agree to a cba that requires them to spend 25 mil unless the net to them equals more. Oh yea, that peppers fa deal really sucked for the bears, for all u sheep who the glazers have fooled into being fa haters.
March 14th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
LOL this may be the most psychotic, ill-informed, flamewar-starting comment Joe has seen in quite some time.
March 14th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
If the Bucs go after a FA corner, I would rather try Jonathan Joseph or Carlos Rodgers because they arent as old as NA, would be a little cheaper, and would give us an excellent secondary.
March 14th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
I really don’t think CB is one of our pressing needs. If we’re going to throw big money at someone, I’d rather it be on someone like Ray Edwards.
March 14th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Yeah I know Joe. Thomas hasn’t posted in a while! Its the same old tired Glazer/Rah/Dom bashing. The man is consistent though regardless of how rediculous he comes off.
March 14th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Wow- again a top National sports figure is prescribing what I argued a month ago.
Signing a top character, top at his posistion guy is a great idea. The Bucs will have money to sign him, a quality Vet DE, And a great TE. Time to do it
Thomas 2.2 inches remains a clueless troll as always. We know you love Chucky. Take your crushes elsewhere
March 14th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
” The glazers wont spend the 25 mill. They will have dom sign special teams players to fraudulent noah herron like contracts (see the st pete times article) with impossible incentive laden bonuses – like millions for 6 blocked punts (never happened).
The glazers will never agree to a cba that requires them to spend 25 mil unless the net to them equals more. Oh yea, that peppers fa deal really sucked for the bears, for all u sheep who the glazers have fooled into being fa haters.
LOL this may be the most psychotic, ill-informed, flamewar-starting comment Joe has seen in quite some time.”
——————–
Just another day in the office for Thomas.
March 14th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
I’m sorry, but Nnamdi Asomugha is too old. He turns 30 in July. That might mean he’s got a couple good years in him, but he’s also at the age where he’ll be slowing down before too long.
Add to that the fact that he’s only been healthy 2 of last 6 complete seasons.
Youth is the name of the game in Tampa Bay. I could see them going for a 28ish player but not a 30ish player.
March 14th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
As opposed to Ronde Peter?
March 14th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
First of all, we are not signing Nnamdi for the reasons Pete Dutcher just said. Like it or not, they are not going to sign a 30 year old from another team demanding that kind of money. As much as I love the Bucs and believe that they are trying to build a winner, it ‘aint happening. However, it has been proven that elite corners can last well into their 30s playing at a very high level. We don’t have to look any further than our own team, with Ronde. Champ Bailey is another example. But unless Nnamdi has the ability to rush the QB from the edge, he is not a real need on this team. Needs should always come before luxuries, and Asomugha is a luxury.
March 14th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Signing Asomugha is not out of the question. The point is valid, the team will have to spend a significant amount of money over last seasons salary just to reach a salary floor. Resigning Ruud AND Joseph wouldn’t add more than about $6 or 7M to the team cap total. If they can’t resign either of those two, there’s another $3M or so they’ll have to spend on someone new PLUS the $25M. The team could go out and make a push for 4 or 5 big time FA players and still struggle to hit the salary floor. They’ll probably have to restructure deals with some of their current players to add more money to them. Maybe work Freeman’s deal out an extra 3 years now with some more up front money, or rework Blount or Williams to pay them more than URFA and 4th round money.
March 14th, 2011 at 11:02 pm
Pete Dutcher +1 Good post.
/tip of my hat
March 15th, 2011 at 12:20 am
I’d agree, Asomugha is too old for what we’re trying to do here. But the fact is we’ll have to spend a LOT more money just to reach the floor. I’d rather spend that on a few guys that could help now. If he were signed to a 2 or 3 year deal, then his contract would be up before it comes time to re-sign most of our current young guys. We could let him go and free up a huge chunk of salary cap room then to re-sign our own young guys. In the meantime, I don’t see the harm, unless Biggers or Lewis is the next Barber or Talib.
March 15th, 2011 at 12:43 am
I agree BamBam, but there is no way he would sign a 2 year deal. Some owner (cough cough Snyder, Jones) will sign him to a deal of ridiculous length, you can bank on it.
March 15th, 2011 at 5:17 am
Remember, it’s the NFL, not the NBA. Contracts aren’t guaranteed. You can sign someone for twenty years, but still cut him after 4. Teams do it every year. We did it to Derrick Ward. Plus I think we are are in a win now posistion. Nanandi is goog for 3-4 more years. The great Ronde Barber might start to slow down any day. Talib and Namandi gives us security for years to come- during what should be Freeman’s playoff run. Talib and Namandi, or Talib and Biggers?
March 15th, 2011 at 9:07 am
@ Hawaiian Buc
what does age have 2 do with performance? No TD’s allowed in 3 yrs. I dont care if Asomugha was 80, that’s great 4 any CB. What sense it makes 2 have our best CB blitz? With him we can solely focus on DE’s and increase our blitzing.
March 15th, 2011 at 10:58 am
yeah, I have to agree the man is a beast. Has not allowed 1 single td in 3 years. Who wouldnt want him on their team? Barber is slowing down as the seasons go. Asomugha has like 3-4 years left in him.
March 15th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Fools gold.
March 15th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Duh Winning
March 15th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
IMHO,
I think you misunderstood my sarcasm. My point is that we need DE’s a whole lot more than a CB. Our secondary is already very good, but we need ends that can get to the QB. He is a great player, make no mistake. He is probably one of the 3 best CB’s in the league. I would be the first to buy his jersey if he did sign with the Bucs, but it’s just not going to happen.
March 15th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
@Capt. Tim,
True, but there is also guaranteed money. This is what players really look at. So if we sign him to a 20 year contract, but cut him after 2, he might still be guaranteed $150 Million (obviously these numbers are exaggerated). Regardless of how long he plays for us, he is going to get paid big money. The guaranteed money he will command will probably be far greater than all of our free agents combined. Trust me, he will not be screwed out of his money.
March 15th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
@Pete……I am not understanding your “he has been healthy for only 2 out of the last 6 years” comments. The man has played in at least 15 games his entire career up until last year when he played in only 14. Trust me, the buc fans and fans of every other NFL team will take 15 games from this guy. His health is not a question. He never gets to play actually because the opposing qb never throws his way.
You team him up with Talib and boy that is dangerous. I agree that DE is the most pressing need, but that can be addressed in the draft. We are talking free agency here. And just so you know, having both Talib and NA will make that front 4 look a whole lot better. Lets not forget that TJack would be back. Thats just a dangerous secondary.
March 15th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
They can add impossible to meet incentives to contracts to meet the cap floor if they need to.
I had pulled up his stats on nfl.com and it said something different then it says now…very strange. Maybe it was a bug on the website or something, but I swear I saw it when I posted. Regardless, I was wrong on that count. I still think he’s too old though.
As to Ronde…
Different matter entirely. Ronde is already on the team, and plays a key role in leadership. I highly doubt the team would have handled the 3 win season as well as they did without him.
But Ronde is also like…deciding to buy a used car or not. Do you stick with the car you know, or take a risk on another car that might have a whole new set of issues?
Honestly, I don’t see how Ronde is still producing. It’s remarkable to say the least. But he has as much as admitted that this will be his last year, so you can bet the Bucs will consider a CB in the draft.
On the other hand, Biggers or Lewis might still turn into something.
March 15th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
One other point…Ronde is already here for another year…they will not bring in a starting quality guy to replace him at this point. It would be a slap in the face to him. (though, with it being Ronde, he might handle it better than most)