Eric Wright, You Have Been Denied!
March 15th, 2013
Well, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik has had a rollercoaster week.
First, he gets stonewalled by the Jets trying to trade for cornerback Darrelle Revis, then he lands stud safety Dashon Goldson, then he sees his subpar pass rush grow weaker when Michael Bennett bolts for Seattle and now the week is ending on a high note for Dominik.
Cornerback Eric Wright’s grievance against the Bucs has been denied by the NFL. The NFL alerted the Bucs this afternoon that Wright’s contract can be voided.
@RCummingsTBO: NFL has indeed informed the Bucs they have won their grievance with Wright. Wright’s 2013 salary no longer guaranteed. As expected.
Wright, a free agent pickup last year by Dominik, had a clause in his contract that it could be voided if he was suspended. Last season, the NFL nailed Wright for popping Adderall and he served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s banned substance policy, thus kicking in the option for Dominik to cut him.
But Wright isn’t cut, yet. Given how miserable the Bucs cornerbacks are, given how Dominik has yet to land Revis after much heavy petting with Jets general manager John Ikzik, given how Dominik has either struck out on every free agent cornerback, or has decided to sit in the dugout and watch all the decent corners go elsewhere, the Bucs, as the roster currently stands, do not have the luxury of cutting Wright, even though Bucs fans have been drooling for Wright to get kicked to the curb since the end of the 2012 season.
Wright is a backup plan for Dominik now. If the Bucs cannot upgrade the corner position (God forbid), Dominik, Joe believes, will rework Wright’s contract for a much more team-friendly deal.
He’s still with us, folks.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:22 pm
Keep him until something better comes around… Right now nothing on this roster is better! The CBs on this roster are as bad as Talib’s self control
March 15th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
That money buys you half of a Revis – but he’s ten times the player.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:24 pm
He will obviously be pissed, so I don’t see how or why we keep him. Regardless of how devoid of talent we are, we don’t need sour grapes on the team. He essentially sued the Bucs. There is no way we kiss and make up with him, imo.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
The Rock Star got lucky on this one….meanwhile Wright must be sick to his stomach (he was docked 4 game checks last year too) smh
March 15th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Lol!! Well, at least there’s that!
Might as well cut him. He played horribly( always has), and with that huge amount of money at stake- he still couldn’t leave the drugs alone.
If Wright is the answer- then we have no plan. Cut him, and just blow these season off. With the moves the other divisional teams are making- it’s obvious we aren’t building to win anyway.
Just blow off the season, and collect the Tv money
March 15th, 2013 at 3:30 pm
Wright is too stupid to play for us…..4 game suspention and millions of dollars in contract for taking a pill. What an idiot. Wright should be pissed only at himself. He would be lucky to stay with the Bucs and would have something to proove.
Lets bring back Talib and give them both another chance (not really).
March 15th, 2013 at 3:30 pm
Keep in mind that when Eli lit the Bucs up in week 2 last year for over 500 yards, Talib, Wright, Ronde and Barron were all on the field and healthy. Just sayin’…..
March 15th, 2013 at 3:31 pm
BIG you got it. He will be a nother bad seed, NOT a ” Buccaneer man”. Let him go, get Grimes and move on!
March 15th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
I’m with Tim on this one. This has to be a fractured relationship at this point, and it would probably be better for both parties to just move on. Assuming we get Revis and don’t get another free agent CB, I would assume Trufant would be our pick in the draft (that is, if we don’t give up our first round pick to the Jets).
March 15th, 2013 at 3:34 pm
I hope we bring back Talib, just so I can watch Capt. Tim flip his lid!! I foresee an epic rant.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
I disgree Capt.
I believe the Bucs can win IF they make the right moves. The right moves are not always set in stone or what the fans believe.
They can now make a substantial offer to Grimes, keep their picks and improve the team.
I also read somewhere that Revis is due a bonus tomorrow. The Jets might break tonight…and I hope Dominick works a contract out before agreeing. Frankly…I’d get Grimes for 7-10 mill and draft a cb.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
The verbiage in Wright’s contract should be the EXACT same language that should be in the “Honey Badger’s” contract when we draft him in the mid- rounds next month.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:39 pm
I’m past the Bennett conundrum and on to how the Bucs intend to improve the defense and the secondary in particular. The Goldson get is a good start but more is needed.
I must admit I’m at a loss for why the Bucs restructured the Jackson and nicks contracts and accumulated a trove of money, but didn’t use it. I have to assume they went loaded for bear, but no Boone and Crockett showed up. Or their emphasis all along was on acquiring quality back-up/depth and there is more to come.
With the release of Q. Black and winning the E. Wright grievance puts another 13mil in the mix which leaves them still with around 32mil after 3 FA signings. I still think the triumvirate of Schiano, Davis, and Dominik know what they are doing. In time, I think we will all begin to see the plan unfold.
One final thought. Because of the Bucs approach to FA so far, I predict a controversial draft also – just not enough questions answered in FA. There is not likely to be much consensus no matter who they pick. Just something to keep in mind!
March 15th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Something tells me the Bucs were waiting for this drama to officially unfold today before making a CB move. I predict we have at least one if not two CBs signed by this Sunday and Wright is cut.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
Guy blew a huge guaranteed contract to do some Adderal. What a moron.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
go spend that money on grimes now! then pull off the trade for revis and our secondary is starting to look scary all of a sudden!!!
March 15th, 2013 at 3:49 pm
@BuccaneerBonzai
Dom already has a structured contract in place for Revis, the Jets GM just needs to stop playing around and ship him to us.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
Uh, huh.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:53 pm
He better hope the Bucs call to restructure. He will have a limited market for his services if he is released and I can’t see any team giving him more than a 1 year deal. I do however hope we can him. We just can’t trust him on or off the field.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:57 pm
With Kolb being cut, curious if McNulty pushes for the team to sign him much like Garrett did (in theory) with Ogletree.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Let Wright sit and stew for now. See how the rest of FA and the draft goes and then offer him a restructured deal for what he’s really worth based on last year’s effort and this year’s needs, with little or no guaranteed money. Sour grapes on his part won’t likely be a concern if he has to work for his money or get cut with nothing.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Hawaiian- lol! I can’t even imagine that rant. I watched the Hilarious Hitler rant that Levi posted- kinda worried me, cause it sounded like me sometimes!!
BuccaneerBonzi- man, I wanna believe that! But Grimes is coming off an Achilles injury- a bad one at that. This is especially bad for a Cornerback, because it heals “stiff”- and greatly reduces your back pedal speed. Fatal for a CB. They have made huge advancements in knee surgery.
Achilles- not so much. It’s usually a career killer.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:09 pm
@Capt.
That Hitler video was hilarious, and calmed me down quite a bit. And you are absolutely right about the Achilles injury. Of course the severity of the tear makes a big difference, but regardless, he’s 30 and that is a terrible injury for a CB.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Grab Myer’s 2year 7.5M.Pac-man for 8M for 2.Ya Grimes or Revis is a must.I rather have Pac-man playing the slot over Barber.Plus we could put him on the edge if our corner’s get hurt.Barber is still great at reading those quick hitches and bubble screen’s but that is about it.We should still be what 30M under the cap when Wright get’s cut?
March 15th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Keep In mind Mr Patrick that was the first Game of the year and it hasn’t been that bad the remainder of the year.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:20 pm
Elvis Dumerville RELEASED….due to his contract not being filed in time.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
thank u Lord
March 15th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
When I think Eric Wright, I can’t help but remember this gem
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/0ap1000000082806/Morgan-won-t-be-denied
March 15th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
@ MikeInTampa2
where ever you got that info, it incorrect. NFL network just reported that Dumerville agreed to take a 4 million dollar paycut to stay with the broncos.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:29 pm
I guess for some players its not all about the money. thats refreshing. we can scratch the possibility of getting Dumerville.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:29 pm
@Andrew 1
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/15/fax-snafu-leads-to-elvis-dumervils-release/
March 15th, 2013 at 4:30 pm
DUMERVIL ‘S ON THE OPEN MARKET!! Come on Dominick. I will pissed if he squanders another opportunity.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:31 pm
Andrew that info is false. His restructuring paperwork did not get faxed in time.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:33 pm
^^^^ oops, Im sorry. you guys are correct. sorry MikeinTampa2. disregard everything I said.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
i doubt were getting Grimes. We would have reached out to him already.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
the broncos will probably resign him though since he would have stayed if it wasnt for that technicality of filing his paper work 7 minutes late.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
we are set at DE …all we need are some CB’s and a Starting lb. I agree with Scotty, we will see something happen soon.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Does Dumerville fit our system? Guy is 5-11, 250 holdover OLB from a 3-4 system.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
I agree, Wright needs to be shown the door. He will always feel bitter and ripped off by Tampa, and will become a locker room Cancer.
Dumerville sounds intriguing, but I think a deal is in the works for Revis, and that is what we are waiting on.
I may be wrong, I have been wrong before, but this is what I think.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:46 pm
76BUCS, really. Pacman over Ronde Barber.
Just awful, go away.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Typo: 260
March 15th, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Benn just got traded, Roy Miller signed with Jax. Wow.
March 15th, 2013 at 4:50 pm
Benn has been traded to the Eagles
March 15th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
They get Benn and a 7th rounder in 2013 for a sixth rounder in 2013 and a conditional pick in 2014
March 15th, 2013 at 4:53 pm
These our the DE’s on the roster:
Clayborn – coming off knee surgery
Bowers – injury history, inexperienced, NY gun charge
Levingston – huh?
Morgan – whuh?
Owusa – who?
White
Sure, looks good to go. Nothing to be concerned about there.
March 15th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
Man, thanks Oil Derrick! I feel a lot better now!
*begins Hitler like ranting!!*
Man, glad Miller is gone, Too! We had so many superstar DTs, that we had to dump a tremendous Run stopper!! Who’s his backup?
Insanity. It’s like we are doing a safety dump!!
March 15th, 2013 at 5:35 pm
* salary dump* – when we are 30 mil under cap
March 15th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Bowers will be the starter on the Lt side and Clayborn on the Rt. You Don’t want Bennett making 5+million a yr. as a backup/rotational guy. Dom found this guy b4 he’ll find another. I think the Bucs will sign E. Wright to a reduced salary and that’s why they haven’t signed another CB, while waiting for the Revis deal to play out. Morgan and Irvin looked like possiblities as backups. At 13 in the 1st. Pick will be DE, DT, LT or CB. Another reason Bennett and Miller were not kept.
March 15th, 2013 at 8:33 pm
REDDMAN, you Sir are an idiot. So, you’re saying we will have a defense made up of injury prone, inexperienced starters backed up by Arena Football castoffs? Brilliant. Please look to what Seattle, San Fran, and Miami for Pete’s sake. This is getting out of hand, almost laughable. Dominick will lose his job after this offseason snafu
March 15th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
This whole Revis thing is really starting to upset me. We could have signed Bennett, Sean Smith, and DRC for basically the same price that Revis is wanting per year! He is a great player, but he is coming off a knee injury and has been an issue in the Jets locker room since he held out on his rookie contract. Not a “Bucs guy”. It makes no sense to me at all.
I honestly believe a combo of Smith and DRC would’ve helped us out way more than just Revis. Can you imagine our starting secondary with Smith, DRC, Goldson, and Barron. With Leonard Johnson and maybe Ronde playing in the nickel. That would’ve been the best Secondary we have had in my memory. I’m sure some people on here might be able to come up with a better one.
I would give a 2nd rounder and a 7th rounder for Revis and sign him to a deal around 10million a year. The value for FA’s this offseason is a lot lower than recent years. 16 million a year is ridiculous to say the least!!