Clark “Noncommittal” About Wanting To Return
December 28th, 2012
“No, Dallas, if you want out, just go that way and jump on I-75 North.”
Why isn’t Dallas Clark in love with returning to the Bucs?
By all accounts, Clark is a model teammate, and he’s been getting a lot more balls thrown his way over the past two months. But good guy Joe Smith, of the Tampa Bay Times, asked Clark about returning to the Bucs next season and got the answer Joe gets when he asks cheerleaders to a New Year’s Eve hot tub.
“We’ll see what the options are,” Clark said. “But that’s the offseason. Right now, we’re focused on finishing the season on a positive note.”
Smith described Clark as wanting to keep playing but “noncommittal” on his desire to be a Buccaneer Man after Sunday’s season finale.
This surprises Joe. Clark seemingly has a pretty sweet gig here and coaches like him. What’s making him hesitant?
December 28th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Lol he wants to go to a team with a quarter back that can actually throw him a catchable pass. 😉
December 28th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Not a big loss at all. He’s been non existant for the most part besides the catch in carolina and I doubt anyone would want someone here who doesn’t want to be here. Even if he doesn’t believe in Freeman, that makes him nothing more than a quitter or a “weed” that Joe refers to that Schiano wants off this team.
December 28th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
He doesn’t block all that well and has lost a step, though still pretty good.
Sign Bennett away from the Giants and let Clark walk.
December 28th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
I cant imagine how difficult it is going from playing with Peyton Manning to “josh freeman.”
I would take pause as well because this 50% completion percentage and lack of consistency would make any good player second guess. At least VJax was paid to tolerate it.
December 28th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Do we seem to have some major chemistry problems? I’m not sure since a lot of this is behind closed doors stuff, but starting to really wonder. Bennett’s comments also make me wonder.
December 28th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
“What’s making him hesitant?”
Umm…the horrible QB play?
December 28th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Let’s see…. Hiw many passes have hit him in stride and in the numbers this year? Could it be that Clark knows an inaccurate qb who can’t hit the broad side of a barn half the time? Gosh gives Clark little confidence the Bucs will be playoff bound this time next year. Otherwise his answer would be quite different. Go Bucs!
December 28th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
It’s understandable….. Dallas spent most of his career playing on a team with a remarkable QB and now he finds himself on a team whose QB isn’t dependable or reliable…
He likely want to see if any team is interested in him that has a QB that gives that team and him a chance at a SUper Bowl in the next few years before his career ends…. He already has that answer as far as the Bucs are concerned if they can’t even acknowledge they need to move on from JF!… Best of luck to you Dallas!
December 28th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Maybe he is hoping to hook on with a team he thinks he will win a SB next year. We will be better, and possibly a playoff caliber team, but probably not in the competition for a SB for at least a couple of years. And Clark will have to retire by then….he will have no pro level skills left.
December 28th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Joe,
Heads up! Bucs just restructured Jackson and Nicks freeing up about 18mil!
December 28th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
And BTW, saying you aren’t sure is basically telling us no, unless you can’t find something decent elsewhere. It is time for him and us to move on.
December 28th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Things are going on at One Buc as we speak. Maybe he’s had a dime dropped on him already!
December 28th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
@Mark
That’s exactly how I took it as well. I don’t care if its the beginning, middle, or end of the season, In or out of the playoffs. A player has no reason not to say “This is where I want to be.” But his “Let’s see what the options are” is basically saying he’s gone if anything decent comes his way.
December 28th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Just got a push from bleacher report stating we just freed up 18 mil in cap space by restructuring Jackson and Nicks contracts……this is interesting and exciting
December 28th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Who can blame Clark? He has another year or two left, why not go be depth on a winner?
If I were Dallas Clark I would try to give it one last hoorah on a playoff conteder. We are not there yet, and he would be best served on a more experienced, and at this point, better team.
December 28th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Hey I just got a message saying that Nicks and Jackson are restructuring their contracts so we can have more cap space this off season!
December 28th, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Speaks volumes that EZ E was not restructured….gonner????
December 28th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
I started to post then I read Architeks comments and I couldn’t agree more. When the Redskins played us I was amazed at how accurate RG3 was compared to Josh who was all over the place. Can you imagine the dropoff from Peyton Manning to Josh??? What bothers me is nobody seems concerned (Schiano included) about Josh’s accuracy percentage!! Really? So that just does not matter? I would love to see how many quarterbacks who won a Super Bowl with less than 60% accuracy. Maybe Trent Dilfer???
December 28th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
@Gus and NJBucs
Are you serious? Both of our high priced FAs are restructuring there deal already? That’s great news if its true. Considering we already had a ton of cap space before this, that must mean they are preparing to spend a lot of money since I believe this year is the first year that all teams HAVE to spend to the cap level.
December 28th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Clark is not an asset on the field at this point. He’s a stop-gap for a team who doesn’t have much at the TE position. And he’s a slow one at that. I’d much rather have the Bucs spend a 3rd or 4th round pick on someone like Jordan Reed who is very fast and who has great feet & hands.
December 28th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
@FLboy
I LOVE Reed and would LOVE to see him in a Bucs uniform. He could very well be better than Hernandez.
December 28th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
@Silence…
There is a nice write up by Pat Yasinskas on the four letter website that shall not be named.
December 28th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
@Silence yes this is truly exciting news. Lets just hope its not for the sole purpose of resigning freeman Bennett and miller. I hope your right and that means one more good year in free agency
December 28th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Freeman has sucked lately but Clark is worse. He’s slow and not focused. Kick him to the curb. I like the Bennett idea from the G Men as well. If the Bucs re-sign Michael Bennett they could get his brother which the Bucs need a real TE that can block and catch. I’m totally on board with that move. Too bad it will be months before we know anything definite.
December 28th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
I can’t imagine why!?!?!?!?!?!? *GASP
He wants to play for a QB that doesn’t hang em out to dry, whether through his passes or his comments.
December 28th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
I think he may be headed to Colorado.
Maybe, he would stay if Sullivan, Schiano and Freeman were going.
Why risk the gauntlets (Brian Price) next year?
December 28th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Maybe because he wants to go to a team that actually competes for the playoffs?
December 28th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
Dallas….the feeling is mutual. Maybe Manning will take you in Denver for the vet minimum.
December 28th, 2012 at 8:12 pm
This isn’t really a big deal he’s a moderate upgrade over stocker, but that’s not saying much. Dude sucks so clark is slightly below average at this point in his career. I’d be more then fine with clark leaving and us picking up the te from michigan state.
December 29th, 2012 at 2:18 am
Clark is good if we used him right……….i could see bennett comming here if we keep his brother im sure they would want to be re-united. we need a revamped secondary 2 FA corners that become staters. i say we keep quincy he was decent this year all are problems are in the secondary period.
December 29th, 2012 at 10:23 am
Bring in Martellus Bennet to help sign Michael Bennet. This helps us in both positions seeing that Michael is out best D Line man and Martellus is a young stud. Hell, we might even get a discount by putting the two together. This will ensure we don’t have to waste another draft pick on a tight end. This draft still needs to be all about the defense. Matt Elam, Tyran Mathieu and 1 more cb and a bad ass MLB. Sign Rogers Cromartie and bam, we are good to go. Let me throw this out there as well…WES WELKER!!!
December 29th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
I have always liked Dallas Clark. The coaches didn’t even use him early in the season and used him half assed the rest of the way. That combined with Freeman not being able to hit the broad side of a barn is enough for him to open any doors by saying what he did. He has that right after so many years in the league.I wish him well if he decides to leave.