Bucs To Sign Former Pro Bowl WR Steve Smith
April 2nd, 2013
Who knew the Schiano edict of more competition would find its way so quickly to the Bucs’ receiving corps?
Per USA Today, the Bucs have come to terms with former Giants, Eagles and Rams receiver Steve Smith, who caught 107 balls for the Giants in 2009 and went to that season’s Pro Bowl. His position coach that season? Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan.
Smith has agreed to a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to a person informed of the progress of negotiations. The person, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the financial terms weren’t to be discussed publicly, said it’s for the veteran minimum of $840,000.
Joe’s not getting all hot in the pants about this signing. Smith, who turns 28 next month, did a whole lot of nothing in Philly and St. Louis the past two seasons outside of being banged up. Joe wonders if Smith still has the blazing, 4.3 speed that made him a second-round pick out of Southern Cal.
But what intrigues Joe are the Bucs’ moves to bolster depth in their receiving corps and force bigger competition among the ranks in the slot, adding veterans Smith and Kevin Ogletree to Tiquan Underwood, and jettisoning disappointing Arrelious Benn.
This also seems to be a sign that the Bucs will make some fans unhappy and not draft West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin with the 13th overall pick, if he’s even there for the taking.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Love the speed signing. We need more decoys to stretch the field.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:09 pm
I like the Steve Smith signing, the guy obviously fits in Sullivans scheme having a 100+ catch season when he was with the giants. Im sure he is very excited about playing for him again which is added motivation for him to prove he still got it. I believe Coach Sullivan pushed for Smith knowing what he has in him. If he plays nearly as well as he did that 09 season, our offense just got more explosive.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:14 pm
go bucs, no more excuses for josh freeman and whether we like it or not because of the rules our chances at the playoff depend on him being a franchise type quarterback. rather have him drafted in the mid rounds than mark sanchez drafted in the top 10, jets have a quarterback called butt fumble, thats just embarrassing
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Also, as intriguing and tempting as it could be to take Austin (would accept it if Im wrong) he will not be the bucs pick at 13. We will draft DT or CB first. Star/Richardson or Trufant/Rhodes. The pick will come down to availability and how they rank their draft board.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Sure hope we score 50+ points a game. Where’s the CB depth? =[
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:29 pm
I like, and understand this signing, not that it pushes us over the top, but it adds depth to a position group that depends on depth (even when everyone’s healthy) for every team.
Ironically, the one of the other groups that depend heavily on depth (along with OL and DL) is the DBs, which we’ve done very little to address.
I do not understand the Kaeding signing. I get that we need two kickers for the off-season/pre-season activities, but I’m sure a younger guy, who would’ve come cheaper, was available.
Hmmm…
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:34 pm
Love this pickup,our slot WR will have to earn it and I think during games the coaches will go with the hot hand which is hard for defence to defend.Dont worry corners are coming ,even if we dont ge trevis or any other free agent we have this thing called a draft.Bucs 11-5 2013
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Im on that bandwagon bucobruce if we can get that next year i want the league to expect it every year like they do patriots and steelers and 49’s we have to grind until were mentioned in the class on a regular basis
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:46 pm
Bucs medical staff needs to hand out anxiety meds, we have the most paranoid fans this year, last year every expected us to win 4-6 games, saw how well they played then everyone was sipping the playoff koolaid even though our defense sucked. TRUST ME if we know the db’s need upgrading im sure the bucs know it too. smoke one ease your mind. worry about something more important like your life your health or your family. who cares about winning the free agent race, we wanna win august thru december not march thru june
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:54 pm
3’rd and Ike.2
April 2nd, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Would love Austin at 13 with Ryan and Proyer in the 2nd
April 2nd, 2013 at 3:16 pm
this could help.. bucs always brag about being good with knees maybe they can get smith back to form. still young.
April 2nd, 2013 at 3:30 pm
Smith has had two subpar seasons back to back and when I go to ESPN to find his stats it doesn’t even list his name. I am highly doubtful this guy has anything left in the tank so its anothe no name backup we have signed. I guess we are banking on the draft and the Revis trade. Wonderful! I think Schiano is getting a taste of frugal ownershipo.
April 2nd, 2013 at 3:53 pm
Not too much to note here. I doubt any of these guys are gonna beat out Williams. I think added speed is good but we need slot help. Still have same issues we did when free agency started. Cmon Mark spend man!!
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Frugal ownership? Stop it, Nick. Frugal ownership doesn’t invest top dollar in Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Eric Wright (ugh) and Dashon Goldson. Frugal ownership doesn’t sign-off on their GM exploring trade options for the best CB in football (Revis). The Glazers have shown a willingness to spend on premier talent when it is available, be it big ticket free agents or by trading draft picks (Keyshawn Johnson, heck even Jon Gruden was obtained via trade).
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Smoke one. Then worry about your health. Brilliant!
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:21 pm
I am also a Giants fan. I live in NY and watch the Giants every single week. This guy doesn’t have speed, never did and certainly doesn’t now after having microfracture surgery on his knee. That is why the Giants ultimately let him go. He is not going to stretch the field. However, he was a VERY dependable target for Eli for a couple of years. He is an excellent route runner, very reliable hands, hard worker, not afraid to go over the middle. There is no way he will ever be the player he once was, but I think as a depth move, this can be very good.
Everyone thinking he will add a speed element is sorely mistaken. He is WAY more like Ike Hilliard than Joey Galloway. In fact, I’d say Ike Hilliard might be a perfect comparison for his skill set. He never did anything flashy, but was always where Eli needed him to be and he was a 3rd down coversion machine. I hope his knee is in better shape, and even if he’s 75-80% of what he was in 2008-2009, he can be a productive component of this offense.
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:24 pm
@dannymac
Nobody is saying he will beat out Mike Williams. He doesn’t bring speed, but was incredibly productive out of the slot. His skill set is pretty much tailor made for the slot. I don’t know why you would assume they want anyone to beat out Williams anyway. This is a complementary/depth signing.
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:32 pm
The reason I think the Rockstar is not picking up any CBs in free agency is because he plans on doing so, mainly, in the draft. There are a hefty group of CBs coming in this year’s draft. The Rockstar has been very smart with his moves so far and I am pretty sure he is aware of his CB depth situation.
I believe that by that start of the regular season we will have all we need to be a competitive team in the NFC South.
Fire The Cannons!!!!
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Nick2, Philly and the Rams did not do much as a collective bunch,. We have seen guys come in that seemed to have lost it, check out Antonio Bryant, and played well. It happens all the time. How can you still rip on the owners after the FAs of last year, not to mention we now have the highest paid Safety in the game. Just because they have not done exactly what fans think they should do does not make them cheap…it may make them smart. I personally feel the Wright is as good as anything out there. When he is healthy is a good CB. everyone is just bent over his suspension. It is not like he has had trouble every year of his career. If they pull off Revis, are they still frugal
April 2nd, 2013 at 4:54 pm
McBuc so one year of spending after being the lowest payroll in the league 4 consecutive years makes you happy? Wow your easily pleased. Not me, I want an ownership that each year looks for top talent and NOT just in the draft. I love Goldson but when we have needs at corner, and all along the defensive line and you have Dumerville and Richard Seymour etc out there and we are not even in discussions with anyone of value except Revis who we cannot even negotiate with? Wow you and thegregwitul need to wake up.
April 2nd, 2013 at 5:19 pm
@Nickaswell
Cowboys and Redskins have been spending top dollar almost every year and look what that got them?
April 2nd, 2013 at 5:30 pm
@Nickaswell: like most impatient fans, you are operating under the assumption that every single available player in the NFL wants to sign with one team (which happens to be the Bucs). This isn’t how the NFL works. This isn’t how life works.
Maybe Elvis Dumerville had no interest in signing with the Bucs. Maybe he did and the Bucs wanted to go in a different direction, maybe he preferred a different team. There are 32 teams in the NFL and most of them are appealing to players in some way. It may be more difficult for a team like the Buffalo Bills to attract elite free agents, but then again, they did land Mario Williams last season. .
An owner and a general manager (and to a certain degree, a head coach) usually operate under a multiple year plan. They have resources not available to the average fan and usually layout a plan to improve a team over the course of several seasons. I think the Bucs were smart to save their money for elite players such as Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Dashon Goldson, although I have no explanation for Eric Wright’s absurd contract. The Bucs clearly see something in Wright that most teams do not. I would have preferred Brandon Carr, but maybe Brandon Carr preferred the Dallas Cowboys and the money and opportunity they afforded to him. Again, the Bucs do not hold the right of first refusal for every single free agent in the NFL, to think as much is ridiculous.
April 2nd, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Micheal Clayton 2.0
April 2nd, 2013 at 5:52 pm
the only teams winning are the one that build through the draft and supplement with free agents pay attention to the offseason of the nfl not the dollars spent. look at all the players jon gruden brought in, we woke up one day and realized how old we were. raheem morris had ZERO experience, would you as an owner went out and gave him top dollar free agents to fail with?
April 2nd, 2013 at 5:59 pm
@Nickaswell
Your mindset being thatBucs FO should spend big EVERY offseason is the very rason why we still have bitter fans after the SB wen Tampa had to relieve fan favorite playrs of duty due to financial restrictions: (Lynch, Sapp, Booger, etc)
April 2nd, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Sneedy16 Says:
April 2nd, 2013 at 5:19 pm
@Nickaswell
Cowboys and Redskins have been spending top dollar almost every year and look what that got them?
Sneedy! C’mon Man! The Redskins have: Raheem Morris, Bruce Allen, and EJ Biggers.
The Redskins beat us this past year, had a ROOKIE QB lead them to the PLAYOFFS.
LOOK WHERE SPENDING HAS GOT THE REDSKINS, PLAYOFFS.
Last time I checked, both the Cowgirls and Redskins have more Lombardi trophies than the Bucs.
Yeah, see where spending gets you yet? The promise land….
April 2nd, 2013 at 6:02 pm
@Big Marlon B
I’m with you. I was never under the impression of Steve Smith being a ‘speed’ guy he has possesson type written over him though. If he ran a 4.3 in college it definetly doesn’t transfer to the field well.
April 2nd, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Buc’IT, Sneedy, all positive percys’ and Freeman enthusiasts,
Do you all EXPECT playoffs for the Bucs in 2013?
I sure as hell do, and that is that.
I don’t care how we get there, but playoffs are the expectation.
It looks sketchy on the owners’ end to have 27 million in cap space, our roster of corners, and not one FA addition.
Goldson, awesome! All the other signings, cool.
Didn’t EJ Biggers walk in free agency? Could Ronde retire?
I am sincerely concerned that there could be no veteran talent on the DB roster, other than dipsh!t Wright and his 8 million dollar circus.
April 2nd, 2013 at 6:07 pm
thegregwitful,
Good point, “what if no player wants to sign with the Bucs?”
Yeah, well that is a reflection and player’s point of view looking at the Buc’s ownership/GM/Coaching.
Schiano is a hard ass, I doubt the softies want anything to do with him. Our GM did great last off season (I just hope it isn’t on a leap year system: spend and draft GREAT).. That brings us to the ownership. What player wants to come sweat balls in Tampa, just to play of a defense with Myron Lewis (Joe 🙂 )
April 2nd, 2013 at 7:22 pm
Can he play corner?
April 2nd, 2013 at 7:55 pm
Well done Pop Star another piece of the master plan is in place. This move will surely help the defense. Now just draft the remaining starters needed and the Super Bowl roster is complete.
April 2nd, 2013 at 8:48 pm
At the very least this is a good depth move. Now if we could just pick up a great tight end, our offense would be dominant. That is assuming Freeman gets it together.
April 2nd, 2013 at 9:00 pm
Smith has done nothing in past 2 years, no reason to think he will now. I don’t think this changes the Bucs draft strategy at all, I still think Bucs would go for Austin if he is available. But, too early to tell, no one knows if Austin will be there at 13, and no one knows yet if the Bucs will even have that pick on draft day. At best, if Austin doesn’t come to the Bucs, maybe Smith can dig something out at slot receiver. If not, Bucs can always cut him for next to nothing.
April 2nd, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Veteran minimum = lottery ticket. He’s probably done, but you never know. He’s a slot guy, may e he contributes.
Smith and Leonard were signed for their brains and character more than their athleticism at this point. That’s good though, it means we are looking to build and mentor the right way. Whether they get on the field or not (probably not much), they are good signings.
April 2nd, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Joe,
what made you start calling the rockstar, the rockstar.I like it
April 2nd, 2013 at 10:26 pm
@stevek
Your just spitting garbage again. RG3 got them to the playoffs not their spending.
April 2nd, 2013 at 10:28 pm
They had more Lambardi trophies because we had Culverhouse for years and plus they are older franchises. How many trophies they had since 1994? How many playoff wins since 2000? Yeah exactly. Bucs have more.
April 2nd, 2013 at 10:31 pm
# the new Shiano order….competition breeds winners and the Bucs are not Effin around….everything has a purpose ……exciting !
April 3rd, 2013 at 4:52 am
Sneedy,
Who has more trophies since 1976?
Raheem Morris, Bruce Allen, and almost Tanard Jackson- all Bucs casts offs, and Morris/ Allen led the Skins to the playoffs.
Before you smash two of the proudest franchises in the league, please look at our own. One championship, creamsicle beat downs, our original logo was drawn on a cocktail napkin lol, and the one consistent thing our there is EXCUSES.
“We had the Culherhouse era.”- Sneedy, and an equal chance as any to win a Super Bowl.
We we good 10 years ago, is it time to be good again? No, ok, but when you are this far under the cap it raises eye brows.
April 3rd, 2013 at 7:43 am
@Stevek
I do not care about before 1997. You Keep referring to the Glazers as cheap, but since the salary cap era the only team that are more successful are teams that draft well and do not spend much on free agency. Steelers and Patriots are built up of drafted players not signed. They only sign players to fill needs
Saying Raheem took the Redskins to the playoffs with his almost last in the league pass defense is just silly.
Look up your Facts Redskins and Cowboys made the playoffs less than the Bucs have since 1997.
April 3rd, 2013 at 8:33 am
Sneedy,
Bucs have one superbowl, the Cowboys and Skins (whom you threw both of them under the bus) have more.
Facts are facts, and the fact is we are 27 million under the salary cap and light years from the playoffs.
April 3rd, 2013 at 8:46 am
Throw under the bus? I was calling out the ownership for spending so and not getting results. Facts are facts that is what I state. Have they won anything since the salary cap era not that I know of. The Bucs under Glazer has one and that’s a fact.
Light years is an exaggeration. The NFL is full of parity, who would of said that we would have a 10 win season in 2010. It might have been luck on some of the games, but things can happen. No one thought the Bengals would be as good as they are now, but two consecutive playoff appearance in 20 years. You don’t know the future so stop trying to predict it.
April 3rd, 2013 at 8:56 am
Do you feel that Jerry Jones is smart for resigning Tony Romo to $108 million contract and he only won one playoff game more than Freeman? You think The $100 Milliion Albert Haynesworth got was a smart investment?
April 3rd, 2013 at 8:56 am
Do you feel that Jerry Jones is smart for resigning Tony Romo to $108 million contract and he only won one playoff game more than Freeman? You think The $100 Milliion Albert Haynesworth got was a smart investment?
April 3rd, 2013 at 10:33 am
Tony Romo is 10x the quarterback that Freeman is.
April 3rd, 2013 at 11:37 am
@Patrick
Ok if you say so.
April 3rd, 2013 at 11:45 am
Racking up stats and Pro Bowls not wins is what you want then he is your man.