Bucs “Clearly Want To Keep” Eric Wright
April 7th, 2013
If Joe knew of a connected Hollywood producer, he’d pitch either a reality series or a soap opera after the Bucs offseason filled with cornerbacks twists and turns.
Will Darrelle Revis be traded to the Bucs or not? Will Eric Wright remain with the Bucs or not? Will Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik sign a free agent cornerback? How many corners will Dominik select in the draft, less than three weeks away?
Each and every day brings a new twist to the aforementioned questions. And Bucs fans continue to abuse their bodies in an effort to try to get past the draft, many angry beyond words Dominik hasn’t signed a lawn chair with a pulse, preferably with a name fans recognize so they can rest a bit easier at night.
Now comes word, typed by the fingertips of Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, that the Bucs allegedly want to keep Bucs’ fans favorite player of the offseason, Wright.
It’s no surprise CB Eric Wright dropped by One Buc Place to chat with GM Mark Dominik and Schiano about their plans for 2013. Wright’s $7.75 million salary is no longer guaranteed and he will need to restructure that deal to remain with the team. But given the shrinking pool of free agent cornerbacks, the Bucs clearly want to keep Wright. Had he been in this free agent group of corners — sans Adderal suspension — Wright would’ve been ranked higher than many.
The only question for Schiano was whether he can count on him to be there on Sundays.
“He has been (reliable),” Schiano said. “So he had some things that tripped him up, but he has been a reliable player. Not only here but at other places where coaches on our staff have been with him. If I didn’t feel we were good there, we would’ve already separated.
This is certainly an about face from what Joe learned just after the 2012 season. Joe was told by a suit it was a virtual certainly Wright was going to get cut because Dominik had leverage on him; Wright’s contract could be voided thanks to him popping Adderall and getting busted for it last year.
Joe is starting to believe Wright’s tenure with the Bucs depends solely on what happens with the alleged Revis trade to Tampa Bay.
April 7th, 2013 at 8:34 am
it’s HILARIOUS how the TABLOID “media” MAKES-UP stories about Revis & Wright non-stop!!!!!!!!!!! Lolololololololo…….
April 7th, 2013 at 8:43 am
It isn’t a “made up” story. The cornerback situation, including Wright’s fate, are the foremost concerns on most fans’ minds right now. Wright stopped by to see Dom, and Revis said he wasn’t optimistic the trade was going to happen. Sorry if you don’t like it, but that is news.
As for Wright, I’ve pretty much accepted we’re keeping him. I’m less convinced he’ll take a pay cut. Unless we get Revis, I don’t see how we have any leverage at all to make Wright take a pay cut.
April 7th, 2013 at 9:17 am
Right we have none but if/when we draft a pair of cb’s or sign revis we would have all the leverage . . . Besides I have said it before I want to keep wright if he had the talent to score a big contract a year ago that talent should still be there . . . Getting popped for pills doesn’t change that
April 7th, 2013 at 9:23 am
I’ve been telling you guys he will be a buc at least until we trade for the island. The fact he is he is better than all the fa cbs that were out there except for grimes. But we don’t know about the injury to grimes Achilles. I think it is smart they still. Will draft a couple kids and we will be ok and if we do get revis and draft 2 cbs we like then maybe. They drop wright maybe not might keep him to be insurance for revis. I’ll tell you what. If we have wright banks and Mathieu and revis then wr go from a weaknedd to a strength.
April 7th, 2013 at 9:34 am
@joe as for being reliable before coming to the bucs the first 5 years he only missed 5 games . . . Not that unreliable
April 7th, 2013 at 9:34 am
Wright will take a pay cut because that’s where the market is. The top of the market is 5.5mil and Wright can go nowhere and get better. The market has hardened so much that the NFLPA suspects the owners of collusion.
So the issue becomes, is Wright willing to play for 5.5mil at the Bucs or would he want to play for another team. If you read his Blog, he wants to stay and it seems the Bucs want him to.
The Bucs were smart not to publicly malign Wright as did Fandom. Both parties are saying the Wright words (pun), so I have every reason to believe they will reach an agreement!
April 7th, 2013 at 9:40 am
time to get a new source….errr suit !
April 7th, 2013 at 9:46 am
This sucks. For every fan who thinks this is a good move please go back and watch Wright’s film from Browns AND Lions. It’s ugly. I’ve never understood the Bucs fascination with him. He’s mediocre at best and the fact we are forced to rely on him..,again is a testament to how poorly the front office handled free agency this off season. The need for corner help combined with the large amount of salary cap space should’ve force Dom to bring in not one, but several second tier corners to compete. This is just another reason why I hope Mark Dominick is out after this year. Anything less than a 9-7 season will force the Glazers to look at the one weak constant over the last five years….Dominick.
April 7th, 2013 at 9:49 am
They are pretty much forced to keep him. Even if they get Revis they still need quality depth at CB.
To many needs left and too little draft picks.
I worry that the Bucs will be drafting for need and not for best player available.
Go Bucs!
April 7th, 2013 at 10:12 am
@bucnnole his stats beg to differ. . . 361 tackles,11 for loss 1 sack, 14 int 2 returned for 2 , 3 ff, 70 PD. . . Can u really tell me Johnson or Gorrer or whoever else is walkin around 1bp is better
April 7th, 2013 at 10:28 am
cool i am glad he will be back. hope we can get him for 3 to 4 mil though. draft some depth and put ronde back at corner. forget revis till next year. we should be a little better
April 7th, 2013 at 10:28 am
We’ve been told for weeks now by Joe and others that Dominik has all kinds of leverage in regards to Wright, as well as in regard to Revis and the Jets. Anybody else get the feeling that maybe the “rock star” is being leveraged?
April 7th, 2013 at 10:35 am
@Sunny,
Leonard Johnson would be better if you multiplied his stats to equal the games played Wright has.
Can’t wait to trade for Revis. Can’t wait to have Wright be presented: axe or paycut. As Bart Scott would say, “Can’t Wait!”.
April 7th, 2013 at 10:50 am
@stevek if I use that thinking I can use freeman stats last year times it by 12(how many years Brady has been playing) and he would have better passing yards than Brady (48780) don’t think anyone is confusing free for Brady
As for Johnson I like the kid he also has a great story but its to early to throw him into the lions den maybe in 2 years he will be good or he might surprise us this year but that is a big if and a big unknown to let wright walk away
April 7th, 2013 at 11:02 am
“It isn’t a “made up” story. The cornerback situation, including Wright’s fate, are the foremost concerns on most fans’ minds right now. Wright stopped by to see Dom, and Revis said he wasn’t optimistic the trade was going to happen. Sorry if you don’t like it, but that is news.”
Yeah, someone “close to Revis” anonymously told a reporter the wonderfully unspecific news that Revis “wasn’t optimistic” – which is exactly how you make up news stories. Odds are there has been very little to actually report this whole time, yet there are new articles flowing pretty consistently. Because people have columns to fill.
April 7th, 2013 at 11:12 am
Sunny, I wouldn’t take any of the JV corners we have now over Wright but I would’ve taken Tracy Porter, Cary Williams, D.Cox, N.Ashamua, B.Grimes, S.Smith, or even A.Winfield(who’s still available). My point is I’d rather have multiple mid to lower paid cbs as opposed to two higher paid ones(Revis and Wright) with Revis coming back from a major injury. In this scenario, if either Revis or Wright goes down, we are stuck with the same scrubs as last year.
April 7th, 2013 at 11:22 am
What’s the big deal with Wright? No one screamed for Tanard Jackson’s release when he was suspended twice. Bring the guy back at a reasonably reduced salary. Its better than watching Leonard Johnson and Gorrer get toasted all day.
April 7th, 2013 at 11:29 am
@bucnnole
Those corners are proven if it was five years ago.theyre old.grimes can’t even run.and Sean smith was replaced by grimes so what does that tell you.cmon man wright isn’t bad.ya he messed up but he’s a good corner in this league.everyone liked him last year just thought he was over paid.if we can keep the guy for less money then it’s a no brainier. Then we get your boy Xavier Rhodes and another cb and we’re fine
April 7th, 2013 at 11:59 am
I agree bucnnole age is a factor on those cornerbacks if we we already a playoff team looking for a Super Bowl then sign them but we are trying to get to the playoffs
April 7th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Snook:
No kidding! Same with Talib who people freaked out over when Dominik traded him. You would have thought Dominik traded Darrell Green away.
Joe’s no fan of Wright but the way people hate him, it’s like he lit fire to their houses. He hasn’t done anything less than Talib and Jackson.
April 7th, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Not only is he better than Brett Grimes statistically, he’s healthier AND they get to reconstruct his contract making Dom’s previous contract with him null and void AND we get the best FA corner out there. How is this not an win win win!? Screw Revis, restructure Wright and draft Rhodes… done.
April 7th, 2013 at 1:37 pm
I think that tweet he posted about how he was vacationing with his wife during his suspension while the bucs were getting their a$ses kicked really rubbed people the wrong way and is the main reason why everyone hates him. It showed a guy who didn’t really care.
April 7th, 2013 at 1:40 pm
As long as we are WAY under the cap, I don’t care what we pay Wright. He’s a veteran at least. Stats don’t matter for CB’s, I’ll trust the coaches decision. He’s only worth $4 million or so (1/2 his salary) BUT….. it isn’t my money! The likeliest scenario is Revis trade, keep Wright, Ronde, and a rookie to work in slowly. Next year you put the screws to Wright as the rookie is now seasoned, Ronde retires and Wright becomes an overpaid nickel for us (even at reduced rate).
Either way, we need Wright for now, if I was him, I’d sign for a lower yearly rate, but extend the deal with new guarantees. If he gives up salary Bucs have to give up something, it’s how these scenarios tend to go. $5mil per year for 4 years with $8 -10 guaranteed would make some fan’s heads explode!!!! But its what will make this marriage work. Believe it or not, he does have leverage, we need a CB and he has $8mil due him to play this year.
Also, it’s not “kosher” to screw a guy out of cash the year after he signs a contract, just because you can. Our other players, FA’s and agents see that too. He did screw himself with the adderal … but everyone with half a brain and everyone in pro sports knows that is not a big deal. In fact it’s great for the Bucs, now he’s in the substance abuse program (lots of tests) so the Bucs will know the second he even goes to the wrong concert!
April 7th, 2013 at 1:45 pm
He’s a horrible cornerback. He can be signed cheap. It’s the only reason for interest in him. Go watch last years game tape, before you start crying how good he is. Dude should legally change his name to “smoked”.
And this is news to no one. He was horrible in Detroit. Only Dim thinks he has some hidden, unmanifested talent. Every NFL source out there screamed when we signed him- saying we waaaay overpaid for a terrible player.
One year in last place place for pass defense, and a drug( quit saying Adderall, you have no idea)suspension later- proves they were all right- and dim was wrong again.
Now, he still sucks- but we want him cause he’s cheap.
No playoffs this year. Defense is worse now than last year.
April 7th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
@ Capt. Tim
if you remember we were desperate last year for CB and thats why we waaaay overpaid for a below average CB. its the same situation we are in right now only Dom has learned from his mistake, hence the reason why we haven’t thrown alot of money at any of this years average free agent CB class. get off the guys nuts.
April 7th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
As much as we are completely down on Wright and deservedly so, maybe this will serve as a lesson and will challenge him to show he was originally worthy of a 7.5 mil contract. Maybe we will get the Eric Wright that Dominik first envisioned.
Then again we may just get a guy who resents his treatment and will do as little as possible, just to collect a paycheck. If Goldson truly is his friend, the latter should never happen. So I’m going to think, we will get a Wright, who will try to put forth a pro-bowl effort, and then everything is good at One Buc Palace.
April 7th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Andrew1- what has he learned? We are even more desperate for CBs! There were a great many good CBs out there this year! He didn’t sign one, because he was afraid he’d over pay a bad one!
That futher proves that he can’t judge Talent( as if Derrick Ward, Albert haynseworth, Michael Clayton, Tanard Jackson, Aqib Talib, Arellious Benn, Brian Price,Myron Lewis, etc, etc weren’t proof enough). A Gm that can’t judge talent, will doom a team to the cellar of its division! He can try rebuilding for 10 years. We’ll still be on the bottom.
Dim is counting on the Revis trade.
If it does happen A) we are paying QB money to a friggin CB.
B) he is damaged goods. A knee injury- at a posistion that requires more stops, cuts, and sharp turns than any other on the field. C) he will hold out every other year for more money. That is what he has done so far
If it doesn’t happen a) we are screwed, because dim put all his eggs in one basket. B) any free agent out there knows we are desperate- and will force us to overpay c) rookie CBs don’t really contribute for a year or two.
All could have been avoided by signing one of the good young FA Cbs. Sean Smith for 3.5 million? Better than 16 million for Revis on a bad knee! And if Revis is healthy? We need more than one CB anyway! We need 4.
But we have allowed ourselves to be boxed in a counter- when we could have had all the leverage. The jets should be the desperate trade partner, but we screwed it up, and now have let options slip thru our hands
Dim has learned nothing. Our CB situation is more dire than before. We will cripple the team with a huge contract- for a player who might be damaged goods! Or we are stuck with the same guys who we the worst unit in the league last year- minus Biggers.
There is no master plan.
And I know Dim didn’t draft Talibum or Retard. But he made no effort to replace them- when it was obvious that they would not be part of future plans!
April 7th, 2013 at 4:45 pm
@ Capt Tim
yea, ok. you would have been the first one on hear bitchin and moanin if we would have overpaid for one of those avegarge CBs only to find out it turned out exactly like the Eric Wright situation.
I mean do you even hear yourself? your so impossible to please that you even find the whole Revis situation a lose/lose for the bucs. your just one of those annoying fans that think the bucs can never do anything right.
o and btw even though Dom has whiffed on his fair share of players, he has also picked some really good ones like Donald Penn, Doug Martin, Lavonte, our entire oline, Vincent Jackson, and others. GET THIS THROUGH YOUR HEAD, NO GM IS PERFECT, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR GOOD AND BAD MOMENTS!!!
if you honestly believe the bucs dont have a plan of action then you are the stupidest person on this blog.
April 7th, 2013 at 4:46 pm
@ Capt Tim
yea, ok. you would have been the first one on hear bitchin and moanin if we would have overpaid for one of those avegarge CBs only to find out it turned out exactly like the Eric Wright situation.
I mean do you even hear yourself? your so impossible to please that you even find the whole Revis situation a lose/lose for the bucs. your just one of those annoying fans that think the bucs can never do anything right.
o and btw even though Dom has whiffed on his fair share of players, he has also picked some really good ones like Donald Penn, Doug Martin, Lavonte, our entire oline, Vincent Jackson, and others. GET THIS THROUGH YOUR HEAD, NO GM IS PERFECT, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR GOOD AND BAD MOMENTS!!!
if you honestly believe the bucs dont have a plan of action then you are the stupidest person on this blog. Dom hasnt gotten to be a GM without have some kind of successful plans.
April 7th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
sorry about double post.
April 7th, 2013 at 5:59 pm
Andrew1- get this thru your head- LAST PLACE
Last place his year!
Last place place the year before
The Raheem miracle! 10-6 with a horrible team- 50 million below salary cap!
Previous year- Last place
Previous Year- last Place
Son, sounds like you like lapping up “Loser Stew”. Well, I guess the Glazers are counting on fans like you! Expect to be losers, and content being humiliated every single week! You are probably just grateful that every home game is blacked out, so you don’t have to face humiliation one day outta the week.
Well, you go right ahead and wallow in it!! I’m sure management figures we are a bunch of southern hicks, anyway- just looking for an excuse to get out of the Doublewide!! Yeehaw!
Not me. I’m southern PROUD! I expect our players to be given a fair chance to compete on Sundays! That isn’t happening, when Dim is sitting on 30% of the money he’s supposed to spend on players! This entire offseason, all we’ve seen is starters and Backups leaving- and them bringing in minimum salary bench Warmers to replace them. ” no player will be cut because of Money!” Yeah, right!! Open your eyes
They have fed you losers since they won the SuperBowl. I guess it was” mission accomplished- now lets carpet bag the hicks!” And you can GET THIS THRU YOUR HEAD!! – they got more of the same for ya!
You love Losing so much, why don’t you invite Dom over for Dinner. Tell him how’ll you’ll support the team- even if they suck the rest of your life! It’s the kinda fan he’s counting on!
You just better watch your wallet, til he leaves, though. He’s so cheap- he’ll probably be checking you couch cushions for nickels- in between courses!!
April 7th, 2013 at 6:06 pm
Now holler at your wife, and tell her to come outside the Doublewide- and read this to you!! I want you to dictate another long paragraph- telling me how damn happy you are losing every week!! And How somehow, being happy being a loser makes you a good fan!
All it really makes you is a butt kisser!
April 7th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
@ Capt. Tim
I aint ganna dictate another long Paragraph to you anymore. all I will say is I AM NOT HAPPY LOSING ONE DAMN BIT. however I, unlike you, am remaining patient and have faith that we are going to be successful because as a fan who supports this team that’s all I can do. you and I have not control over this team and the sooner you realize that the better off you will be. all your crying is falling on deaf ears. so happy trails and enjoy being miserable.
by the way I didn’t call you not a fan, I called you an annoying fan.
April 7th, 2013 at 6:26 pm
and whats all this talk about holler at my wife? freakin weirdo
April 7th, 2013 at 8:53 pm
wright was the cb when he played.
April 7th, 2013 at 9:04 pm
Patience and Faith?? NO NO No!!! That is not how it works in this country!! That’s a losing mentallity, that leads to a losing tradition!!!
This is America!! If Dim can’t get ‘we done- then they replace him with somebody that can do do the damn job!! And we let management know- by not buying tickets- and bitching in the public forums!!
The NFL is a product!! A product that the Glazers make a fortune on selling. They stamp our city’s name on the jersey- and soak up the tax breaks!
If you are gonna stamp “Tampa” on it- then you better make it the best product you can!! And keeping 30% of the salary ain’t trying real hard!!!
There aren’t that many ” hope and faith” guys running around! Intelligent fans are going to demand a decent product for their money and Tax dollars
April 7th, 2013 at 9:15 pm
@ Cap Tim
everybody has there own set of beliefs and way of going about things. thats what makes this America, you dim wit. you know you dont have to root for the bucs if your not satisfied with them right? just checking.
April 7th, 2013 at 9:18 pm
I believe in patience and faith, if you dont like it, guess what… I DONT CARE!!! I have a right to do that because that is the country we live in.
April 7th, 2013 at 10:00 pm
Im not satisfied with the losing, but what I am satisfied with are the steps we are taking to get better. we added a good coach, a couple of nice pieces like VJ, and had a great draft last year and hopefully we will have another great draft this year. its only a matter of time before we become a consistent winner. so take your little doomsday bucs mentality and shove it, because the fact is nothing you can say is going to make me think otherwise. go talk to someone who actually gives a sh!t about what you got to say.
April 7th, 2013 at 10:56 pm
Tell us Dr.Tim. What drug was it? You seem to know what a liar he is and for fact it was not. You must have done the test.
April 7th, 2013 at 11:20 pm
Reminds me of a story last week here where just about everyone called the man a liar. Never checked the facts. Only to find out the man was telling the TRUTH!
April 8th, 2013 at 6:00 am
Bucfan20- damn! That’s the point. Isn’t it!! Every single player who fails the NFL drug test claims it was Adderall- because it is the “least offensive” in the public eyes. They say this, because they know the NFL never reveals which, or how many, Drugs were present. They only announce that they player” has violated the NFL substance abuse policy”. The players agent is the one who usually “implies” it was one substance or another. His only interest is to minimize damage to his his clients reputation. He’s a spin Doctor! The NFL actually encourages this, as they want to minimize bad publicity also.
God! It’s sad I’d have to explain this to you!! I guess you are like Andrew1 .
“I’m sick of losing, but I can’t do anything about it- so I just keep giving them my money anyway!”
Guy is as clueless as I’ve seen! ” they suck, and keep sucking, but I’m gonna keep having faith!!” Lol at him! This isn’t A religion! It’s a very expensive product!!
If the store manager at Publix only stocked spoiled food- would you just keep buying, and have faith that someday he would spend more money- to buy quality food?? Ya- I bet you would!!
I bet the truth is- you are a TV fan. You don’t pay to go to the games. You don’t spend a penny. You just watch on TV. Since its free to you, you have no expectations.
If that’s true, Andrew1, how about you not argue with people that actually spend money, and expect something for their thousands of dollars.
We get that you are happy with a losing team.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:37 am
Schiano and Stroud are both delusional.
Wright has never been reliable. Ever. Anywhere. I’m sure he never cleaned his room as a child either.
Stroud doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Wright would not have been “ranked higher than many”…ranked higher than who? HE SUCKS. He wasn’t ranked higher than many last year either. Our signing of him was completely out of nowhere and the contract given shocked every analyst around that has brain cells in their skull. Wright has never been a good corner. His signing was a perfect example of just how clueless, and how awful of a GM Mark Dominik really is. Please stop calling him “Rockstar” because he’s more like a burnt out childhood actor who screws it up again two weeks out of rehab.