Davin Joseph Released
March 8th, 2014
The Bucs released offensive guard Davin Joseph today. Joseph, a former first round pick by the Bucs, was on the wrong end of 30 and with his high salary became a roster casualty, reports Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
The move saves considerable cash under the salary cap. Second, of course, is real cash. The Bucs now have some $24 million to play with before they reach the NFL-mandated salary cap for the 2014 season.
The release of Joseph is eye-opening but not surprising. Joe’s hunch is Joseph or his agent weren’t willing to budge much on reworking his salary, thus his release. Though Joe is a Donald Penn kinda of guy, he should be very concerned about now.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
IT HAS BEGUN…….
March 8th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Step one, release Davin Joseph. Step two – show Penn that the Bucs mean business and he needs to take a pay cut. Step three sign Alex Mack at center ,shift Zuttah to guard.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
That is 6 million more in Cap space for an edge rusher.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
Thank you for the years of service Davin. I’m sure you’ll do great wherever your life takes you next.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
JOE…Any news on Carl Nicks?
March 8th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
@Jordan
Alex Mack was given the transition tag by the Browns.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Yep, which means the Browns can match any contract offer.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
@Grudenite,
Nicks is going to require an injury settlement, he has guaranteed money coming to him.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Good luck Davin, you were a great role model and citizen of Tampa Bay. I hope the O-Line continues your Thanksgiving Turkey Time tradition going, it really helped a lot of less fortunate people out. Once again, good luck wherever you end up next season and God bless.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
I can understand they want to go in another direction and create more cap room but surely they could have gotten at the very least a 7th round pic for him from one of the teams! Whats the point in throwing away an asset like that! Any thoughts on this Joe?
March 8th, 2014 at 1:50 pm
Unfortunately I can see him staying in the division. New Orleans and Atlanta could both use some offsive line help.
Ideally Nicks is next and Penn is kicked inside, and we draft a LT first round. Line was really bad last year and needs to get younger.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:52 pm
From what I gather, Nicks is guaranteed 6.9 million for the next three years whether he is on the team or not. He is set to make 9.3 this year alone, so the Bucs have to figure out if he can start week 1 as a 9.3 million dollar Guard.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:52 pm
At least he won’t have to worry about wearing those ugly new uniforms.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
that is 6.9 total, not each year for Nicks.
March 8th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Was a great player but it came to the point the player didnt match the paycheck thanks againdavin .
March 8th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Yup, the are in deep at the guard position. Lol. Doubt they release Penn unless he refuses to restructure. Now, will Joseph go to the Dixie Chicks like Joe predicted?
March 8th, 2014 at 1:54 pm
*they
March 8th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Upon hearing this news in Cali where Penn is training, Penn did 40 reps at 225 and within the hour dropped weight from 330 to 320lbs. Goal is 312. Penn was heard saying “Schiano was a pussycat compared to Lovie Smith. This fool is going all Chicago gangsta-style up in here. I got the message!” lol
March 8th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Gonna guess Bucs tried, which also tipped teams off they were going to release him which muddied the trade water. Joe is a big Joseph guy but have to be honest, he hasn’t shown (yet) he could recover from that ugly knee injury. Why would a team trade for him?
March 8th, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Yep, not surprising. Thank you Joseph for everything. If I was Penn, I would be posting more pictures of myself in the weight room right about now. The good thing is the bucs could be freeing up more than 30 mil in cap space when its all said and done.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Good idea Joe, scratch that! Want to wish Davin Joseph good luck and hope that Penn fares better!
March 8th, 2014 at 2:00 pm
I love this move for the origination – while when he was drafted and the need at the time was dire, he is a victim of circumstance and injury.
What I mean by that is he struggled due to his injury and his salary. I wish him the best and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up in Dallas or a mid tier team who will be willing to pay slightly above the market rate.
As for the Bucs, I respect this move because we have to get more from the areas of the team that were paid to be the foundation of the team. Penn will be gone next if he refuses a pay cut. Nicks will be on the team just this year and then he’s gone and Zuttah will be moved and or cut. I’m expecting many more transactions soon including the following cuts:
– Bowers
– L Johnson
– penn
– m Williams
– Demps
– M Smith
March 8th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
Our strong point 2 years ago is now looking like a major weakness. I think free agency has to be all about the trenches. The only steady offensive lineman we have now is Demar Dotson, and Zuttah isn’t great at center. Interesting to see what happens over the next week, I’ve been glued to all the blogs and NFL sites haha. New look Bucs has begun.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Williams won’t be cut this year. His 2014 salary is only 1.8 million and he carries 6.4 million in dead money.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
I guess as a fan you always value your teams players more than the rest of the league does. Good luck to Davin and I just hope he doesn’t sign with a team in the division.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Nicks is likely next. Get that mess figured out so he doesn’t sit on IR all season or worse, not play and NOT be on IR and take up a roster spot like last season. It’s unfortunate Carl, but the NFL is a business. Wonder if Goldson will survive with Byrd on the market.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
You expect M. Williams to be cut? It’s possible but highly unlikely, at least not before the draft. I really can’t see us cutting him at all unless there is something we dont know about.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Williams is too valuable to cut without a good replacement yet. As long as he is not popping pills, toting guns, and killing dogs, etc. I could care less if he does a keg stand.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:10 pm
D. Joseph was overrated. Don’t be surprised if M. Williams get cut, he’s overrated also. Lovie has to retool roster and turn into championship caliber.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Everyone seems to be forgetting about “dead money”. Dashon Goldson and Carl Nicks have dead money that is nearly equal to their high salaries. This means that if you cut them, you have 7 to 9 million dollars that still goes against your salary cap, yet you have one less player.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:12 pm
Goldson also has 6 million guaranteed this season.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
Goldson is less likely to be cut because the only good replacement is Byrd, unless you want Champ Bailey playing safety [sarcasm]. Nicks however will do no good just sitting on the roster. Pay him his money. Nobody knew he was going to turn out this way, but “rockstar” still widely overpaid.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:18 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucs go ahead and cut Penn and Nicks. The combination of Joseph, Penn and Nicks being cut would yield 15.2 million dollars in extra cap space. This 15.2 million in savings + the 18.7 million in space gives us 33.9 million to work with in free agency.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:22 pm
I never understood the phrase “wrong end of 30”. If someone is 30 years old, how are they on the wrong side of it? And wouldn’t it be easier to just write that Joseph is 30 years old?
March 8th, 2014 at 2:32 pm
We need more young talented guys, Youngry Guys!! Hope we cut more and have 40 million in cap space. Then talent and depth will be so much better!!
March 8th, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Goodbye Joseph, thanks for the memories! I hope Atlanta takes on your contract because then we can watch our Akeem Spence blow you up every snap. Now, on to Penn. Restructure and move to guard position, or else join Joseph with the Dixie chicks, so Quinn can blow you up for 4 sacks a game, and you can get Matty Ice killed. Or better yet maybe you’ll land on the same team as your buddy JF5. Draft a LT, move Zuttah back to guard and find us a bonafide center.
Thanks for the memories Men, but this is a business, not a retirement ward. That’s been the biggest problem with this team for a long time. We keep certain players way past their expiration dates while we constantly let young developing players go. People need to understand that when we keep players that are showing major decline that they take up valuable roster spots.
Maybe what GODdell should do is create a special 5 player roster exemption for senior veterans that don’t count against the roster and we can keep paying them because that’s what fans that can’t let go want to do.
March 8th, 2014 at 2:40 pm
I made a failed attempt at humor in my post referencing Donald Penn. I want to apologize in advance because it may have unintentionally derided Penn or cast Lovie Smith in an unfavorable light. My bad!
Lesson learned! Stick to my niche and never post while sipping Jack Daniels no ice over a twisted orange peel.
As I said in my follow-up post, I wish Davin well and hope Penn gets it together!
March 8th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
I am surprised Joseph didn’t take a pay cut. Now he is going to be forced to take one. Good luck with that.
March 8th, 2014 at 3:20 pm
A really good dude…wish him the best. Hopefully he lands back on his feet.
Who knows if he can come back and contribute somewhere else but my bet is he will.
March 8th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
@Couch Fan
M. Williams has a short leash and a coaching staff and GM itching to make an example of him. Lovie and Licht are not screwing around and doing the New Jersey hard talk, these guys are all business and guaranteed to rid the team of wasted salary.
Now that I think about it as I type this – Dominik didn’t fall on the sword, he failed to maximize the investment on players and cut ties with failed draft picks.
So to answer your question, yes I believe Williams is on a very short leash and I can easily him gone.
March 8th, 2014 at 3:33 pm
Davin Joseph has been a class act since he was drafted by the Bucs back in 2006. I’m sure it’s tough for any player to come back from such a devastating knee injury like he suffered, and especially for an offensive lineman who depends so much upon leverage and lower-body strength to win battles in the trenches. Thanks Davin for all the great years in Tampa Bay, and for the tremendous support you’ve shown to the military in our community. Wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
March 8th, 2014 at 3:35 pm
It’s amazing how many fans think you can just trade anyone…
March 8th, 2014 at 3:57 pm
2nd round pick,
a GUARD!
March 8th, 2014 at 3:59 pm
Joseph was just another example of a wasted Gruden draft pick. Nobody with even a quarter of an eye for talent, drafts a freaking guard in round 1, not unless that guy is a sure-fire 10 year All-Pro. Joseph was average, maybe slightly above average at his best.
March 8th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
True Brandon – we have been marred with horrible draft and scouting for years, hopefully we can get better. I know the draft isn’t a perfect science but some of our picks were just head scratchers.
March 8th, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Maybe this Glennon guy will be next…
March 8th, 2014 at 4:56 pm
I wish Joseph all the best in the future.
March 8th, 2014 at 5:11 pm
We should have traded him to Houston for their 1st round pick.
March 8th, 2014 at 6:14 pm
I wonder if this means that they were talking to another O-linemens agent today and maybe got a feel on another RG
March 8th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
A sad day. We lost a great Buccaneer today. Davin was a leader both on and off the field. More important antsy, he was a good man, and took time to contribute to the community.
Best of Luck, Mr.Joseph. You played with great talent and class. You have been a cornerstone of this team for many years. It’s been a pleasure watching you work, sir, and I wish you the best.
A great Buccaneer left the building today, for the last time as a player.
They should be flying the Buc flag at half mast.
March 8th, 2014 at 6:34 pm
Jake Matthews #7?
March 8th, 2014 at 7:25 pm
Davin Joseph reported he is glad to be released so he won’t have to play in those ugly uniforms.
March 8th, 2014 at 7:47 pm
What a bunch of jerks and #1 a-holes. I don’t care how much a guy makes and how long he’s been out because he has been injured laughing, making light of ones demise and just saying things that are pure asinine. Do any of you know what it’s like to be limited by an injury? I know some of you dixks know how it feels to be fired! By the way– some lack simple math skills. Cut a man with guarantied money and you loose that plus you will be handicapped by dead money also. If you don’t understand what I have said, just look at the back of my hand and read between the lines!
March 9th, 2014 at 5:22 am
Nicks is going to play in 2014 people. He is our best lineman, But Dotson is impressive. I see Dotson going to left and move penn back to his natural right.