Will Millard Lure Bennett To Tennessee?
March 7th, 2013
Joe was intrigued to see the ProFootballTalk.com story today about the Titans seeking to land a premier pass rusher in free agency.
This troubled Joe because former Bucs defensive line coach Keith Millard, possibly the only guy Joe wished would have hung around from the Raheem Morris administration, is entering his second season as the Titans’ “pass rush specialist” and Joe suspects Millard could push the Titans to bid on Michael Bennett.
When Millard left the Bucs, he and Joe had a very long and candid talk about all things Bucs, and Joe documented some of that chat in two parts. Joe remembers Millard talking about the ferocity of Michael Bennett and how Bennett and Gerald McCoy were the Bucs defensive linemen that could emerge as true team leaders, versus others like Roy Miller, Adrian Clayborn and DaQuan Bowers.
The Titans also can lure Bennett with two things the Bucs have: a mountain of cash under the salary cap, and no state income tax.
March 7th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
To be honest it just all depends on what the bucs think of Bennett not what Millard thinks of Bennett. Do the bucs believe in Bennett enough to outbid everybody and keep him or are they comfortable with him walking? its like you said before, Joe, if a team really wants you they’ll find a way to keep you. but if we dont sign him then yeah the Titans are a possible landing spot for him.
March 7th, 2013 at 2:38 pm
The bucs are going to be the team that chooses how this all plays out, not the titans, is what I meant.
March 7th, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Rick Stroud at Bucs Beat says that Bennett is likely gone. The Bucs expect other teams to offer more than they are willing to pay.
I will not comment on the veracity of Stroud’s commentary or the sanity of the Bucs position regarding Bennett!
March 7th, 2013 at 2:49 pm
Stroud is a tool. The mainstream media are crap.
March 7th, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Bennett will make the right amount of money, or he is out.
Schiano, Butch Davis, Wandstedt and Dom are fixing this roster.
I am hoping for some trades to shake up and improve our team.
March 7th, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Getting Revis will drain us, if we get him, leaving Tampa unable to match the value of Bennett.
March 7th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Aside from a bargain basement deal, there is no way the Bucs land Revis. Too many holes to fill on this roster to give up our picks.
March 7th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
I think Bennett can be our Osi over time. Let him and Roy Miller hit Free Agency and test it. I’m pretty positive Roy is coming back, but Rick Stroud? That’s pretty much like me saying me or you reporting he is leaving.
March 7th, 2013 at 3:59 pm
I was thinking earlier today, if they really let Bennett walk, they are doing some considerable extrapolating of Bowers’ rate of improvement. But how much money & cap room can you tie up in a single position??
March 7th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
Cliff Avril
That’s who we should target. Where is the article on him?
March 7th, 2013 at 4:15 pm
It is one of those no win situations. You have to let him hit free agency to see what he is worth. He is not a player that’s looking to go to a Super Bowl so it is about the money or how much he likes the team. With a relatively shallow resume’ it will be hard for teams to evaluate him so his buddy Millard in Tennessee might get him in the door but 9 1/2 sacks is not Pro Bowl material.
After all that rambling, I guess we will have to wait and see (But I wouldn’t sell the farm fo him.)
March 7th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Forget Cliff Avril. He pretty much the same mold as Bennett, and is expecting more than he’s wrth just like Bennett. I say we sig a couple good FA corners and draft DE in the first round. Move up if we have to to get a stud.
March 7th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Cliff rejected 10mil a year the Bucs will have to pay him at least 12mill a year. For a institutional player that is too high. He is horrible against the run which Shiano will not accept. He only had 11 sacks last season and 9.5 this season Bennett had 9. They might as well pay Bennett at least he can stop the run.
March 7th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Now this, is the kind of thing that frustrates me
“Dallas Cowboys franchise-tagged Anthony Spencer for the second year in a row doesn’t mean he won’t receive a contract extension”. The organization, with help of his agent have; discussed exploratory trade conversations. Just in case Dallas decides against extending Spencer.
This way both parties dont walk away empty handed. Spencer receiving his extension. Dallas receiving some kind of compensation.
*Though both situation are not the same,they are similar.
First off, both teams starting quarterbacks are seeking extension; before years end. Even though Dallas is in a bigger market (Tampa being in a smaller market), neither team has won a playoff game in sometime.
Dallas is up against the Salary Cap, Bucs have tons of Cap space
Even though Spencer has been franchised, he’s one of the premier edge rushers available this offseason(So is Bennett). Spencer has better career numbers. Yet the younger Bennett is on the come, and presents a better long term investment.
Both players perceived value is more than, their prospective organization are welling to shell out. That said, above average pass rushers are at a premium in a pass happy league.
So why, In the hell— we didn’t Franchise Bennett and explore the same options. The current market would suggest that we could’ve got something; in return for Bennett. Even if it was a 3rd round pick.
At worse Bennett, we have been locked up for another year, seeking to prove himself worthy of a long term extension.
March 7th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
* would have been locked up for another year.
March 7th, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Agree bennett should of been franchised, we would of paid him 11 million for one year
March 7th, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Don’t forget about compensatory picks! We will most likely receive a third round pick if Bennet walks. If we signed another DE in free agency then we can replace him AND get at least 4th round pick next year. Who knows, maybe this was Dominik’s plan all along?
March 8th, 2013 at 6:49 am
In my view the franchise designation should be reserved for a truly elite player; not a slightly above average player.
March 8th, 2013 at 9:25 am
I would never franchise him !!!!!!! It astonishes me that Tampa has forgot what a dominant DE is suppose to be, we don’t need to overpay for mediocre players. We need to over pay for that staple on our d-line who is a beast and is going to get 15-20 sacks and make everyone around him better. C’mon Tampa Bay, have we forgot what it’s like to play defense.