Albert Haynesworth Released
February 15th, 2012
So much for the rebirth of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Per the Bucs’ official Twitter feed, Haynesworth is now unemployed.
@TBBuccaneers: The Bucs have released DT Albert Haynesworth, who started 6 games in 2011 for Tampa Bay after being claimed off waivers on November 9.
This is curious to Joe. The Bucs have zero depth at defensive tackle. The younger Bucs defensive linemen seemed to gravitate toward him and he was nothing like what he was rumored and reported to be as far as a bad influence with other teams.
Very strange.
February 15th, 2012 at 1:43 pm
The guys over at OBP didn’t want to pay that 7.2 million. I saw this move coming a mile away 🙂
February 15th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
or he actually was a bad influence. we seem to have alot of new info coming about aout the way things ‘really’ were and find out that appearances were different during the season.
February 15th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
All about the benjamins joe, all about the benjamins
February 15th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
I agree, Joe. He was definately not what they say he was, unless he was and had changed his ways.
February 15th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
This is strange to Joe?? He was slated to be obscenely overpaid and he didn’t exactly light it up.
February 15th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Obviously, Schiano doesn’t want to deal with him and Glazers don’t want to pay him.
Win win… from their point of view.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Very strange indeed
February 15th, 2012 at 2:02 pm
I don’t know how this move couldn’t make sense. The guy shot his load a few years ago and has never been able to regain his form or shut his piehole.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
It is only very strange because you don’t pay attention to the cap. It was obvious we were never going to pay over $7mil for his level of performance. This should surprise absolutely nobody.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
first of many …names to follow….
February 15th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
A few more like this and by my estimation, we can add another 20mil or so to the 60.5 mil under the cap!
February 15th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Money move.
There is nothing preventing him from being re-signed at a much lower number should the need arise (if available).
February 15th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
I think he came in and had a good attitude and played pretty well considering he had little time to learn the system and the team was falling apart. I would not be surprised if the Bucs resigned him at a more appropriate rate for his caliber of play.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
He better have a good acountant because his next contract is going to be performance laced bottom tier money he might have to sell that boat so much for the stugats
February 15th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
This is a great move. The guy was the most undisciplined player on the D-line. I’m not talking about off the field stuff, but rather on the field. He simply free-lanced everything. He didn’t stay in his assigned gaps and was plain sloppy. He set a poor example of how to play within the system on the field. Yes he was a veteran and he may have tried to verbally encourage the others, but that alone doesn’t cut it. This sends a good message I think.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Yeah, I don’t see how this move would surprise anyone. 7 mil for a guy who is nothing more than a flesh plug for a running lane (if that). He didn’t show any flashes last year and certainly isn’t someone who coudn’t be replaced with any medium grade FA or a mid round draft pick. He showed me absolutely nothing and always has the potential to be a problem. More trouble than he’s worth.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
No depth AND we have no idea how McCoy is doing.
Oh well. Maybe they’ll re-sign him.
I’d rather see them cut Talib instead.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
The “Glazers are cheap” crowd needs to keep quiet on this.
There’s a difference between being cheap and being smart with your money. $7 million for Fat Albert isn’t worth it. Not even close.
Let’s cut Quincy next.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Trust. Belief. Accountability.
Do you think Fat Albert would have had any of the above?
February 15th, 2012 at 2:38 pm
@ adam ant
you are right, and it is kind of surprising seeing that Albert has been in the league for a while. I can’t remember how many times I heard and on this play Haynesworth was out of his gap yada yada yada. Being 30 years old and 8 or 9 year vet you should not be out of your gap EVER. There is a chance i think we bring him back for cheap but if not we have plenty of room to go out and sign some DT that can actually play. This team has two DT who deserve to be on the roster that is McCoy and Price, and those two always get injured. Other than that every DT should be cut.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
$$$
February 15th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Come on guys, we can rest comfortably on the fact that we have the productive and reliable Games Missed Constantly and Price. LOL
I realize AH was costly and probably too costly, but at least he shows up for work and makes a few plays.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Snook:
Not exactly true. GMC has told Joe on two different occasions he’s ahead of schedule in his rehab, and Joe has reported that both times.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
This is nothing to worry about, I am sure they’ll bring in some vets. I am sure money was a factor, if that was the only reason I wouldn’t mind seeing them bring him back at a lower salary. When he is motivated he can be awesome. We don’t really know what’s happening at ODB!
February 15th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
OBP (One Bucs Place) lol
February 15th, 2012 at 2:50 pm
Would love to hear if this was ore about the money or if Shiano and Davis have already started pouring over game film and made this decision.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Bill Sheridan is interviewing for DC position.
February 15th, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Doesn’t that put us ahead of KC for the most cap available for free agents? Nice to be winning something… I think…
February 15th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Albert basically refuses to play within the scheme anywhere he goes. He’s always been too big for his britches. If he didn’t want to bury his head in a play book and figure it out for over $7 million a year, what makes anybody think he would for the veteran minimum?
February 15th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Obviously Joe is being tongue in cheek saying cutting Haynesworth is strange. I read right here about Haynesworth 2012 contract and we all read about how Keith Millard said he was a huge liability.
February 15th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Joe how on earth is this strange to you? I thought you were better than that. Everyone close to the Bucs have been saying hes going to be cut for ages now. Why pay him 6m when you can cut him and maybe resign him for the minimum? If they even want to resign him.
February 15th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
I think if he shows he can get in shape, then maybe you can bring him back at a better price.
We also have to consider the defense, what scheme Schiano wants to run.
Albert was his best in Tennessee, under Washburn, where he was a freelancer, didn’t have a gap, just the job to get upfield any way possible. And that will not work with most defensive systems.
February 15th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
How is this a strange move? Has Joe never heard of salary?
February 15th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Sorry guys. Joe looks at play first, cash second.
Always strange when a team with zero depth unloads a guy who has some merit. Understand the salary bonus angle.
There are a lot of guys on the Bucs not even close to pulling their salaries yet they are still on the roster.
February 15th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
“There are a lot of guys on the Bucs not even close to pulling their salaries yet they are still on the roster.”
The big difference here Joe is that they can get away from Haynesworth’s salary with zero cap hit. It’s really a no brainer when they can get two guys for that price.
February 15th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
I like this move now to cut the rest of the problem quincy black has to go I don’t mind dining Hayes for a low contract and move foster to the right side and hayes to the weak side and sign Jackson from the browns he’s a tackling machine and release faine and move zutta to the center and sign a good LG like nicks or grubbs we have been struggling in oline ever since Sears got sick I think those moves would help out in a lot of ways
February 15th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Joe if you’re basing it on play did you watch the last few games of the year? Haynesworth barely did anything to help the worst defense in Bucs history.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
God bless America!
Tell Albert, I hear Shamu is looking for a back up… AYCE sushi, great swimming pool, and you don’t get conditioning tests.
Joe,
I would rather have “Games Missed Constantly” out there, and Roy Miller over this scrub. Albert is a piece of crap teammate. AllD he wants is to eat, be lazy, and takes plays off.
Pay me a $40 million bonus, and I would sell out on every single play.
Good riddance you filthy,lazy, b*tch @$$ teammate!
February 15th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Zero depth?! It is FEBRUARY 15TH!!! Do we have a game this Sunday that I was unaware of?
This post is dumb even by “joe” standards. I get that “joe” needs to make controversial statements in order to get web hits for “joe,” but “joe” sounds like an idiot.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Mike Sullivan presser is on now.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
I would have been shocked if they KEPT him. What can this guy do for 7.2 million that Frank Okam can’t do for the league minimum?
February 15th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Big Al had a chance to lead when the Bucs were on their slide, maybe he didn’t, maybe they will spend dollars there in free agent, remember John McCargo ( ha, ha). I do believe a healthy Price and GMC, with Fat Albert would have been a formidable rotation.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
…on Buccaneers.com 🙂
February 15th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
I didnt read any comments before posting this, but I wan’t impressed with his 7 games here and he was part of the bug blow out streak that ended the season. Joe, we can get equal talent for less $$$ in the draft.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
*big not bug
February 15th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
To have the worries of losing of my 7 Million salary… are we not all Glad that he did not already cash our Guaranteed Signing Bonus… What where we talking about again..Cheap Owners and Hand cuffed GM, Not Having the winning bid that ended up being 32 million-ish Guaranteed. on a 100 million dollar plus contract. And I have read here and other places that we offered more Millions to Mr. Haynsworth and he declined our offer. We should all be thankful. 30 + million of our salary gone to a player we had to trade away…. Yeah to have the worries of losing my salary period…
February 15th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I’m not going to say Albert deserved to be cut. I think it’s more like he needed to be cut.
Albert was out of his gap at times last year, but bare in mind he came in and started without knowing the defense. I got the impression his attitude had changed. Maybe spending time without work got a point across.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The two reasons he was cut…age and money.
Some of you may not like it, but the Bucs are not going to sign many 30+ guys (except maybe Barber). They still intend to be young. Sure, they will add a few vets, but I doubt any will be 30 or older unless it’s a big name player.
And his contract he got from the Skins is pretty much ruining his career now. He’s backup material at best, and the money is just too high for his level of ability these days.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Didn’t we front load Quincy Black’s contract? He should get cut sooner than later, in which case I presume Joe won’t be surprised.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Joe was under the impression money was no object?
So, yeah, given that premise, Hayneworth getting cut and others not worthy of their contracts are still on the roster…
Yes, strange.
February 15th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Fat Al had the biggest of all the undeserved contracts, and was the easiest decision to make (easy is an understatement.)
Arguing that “I thought money was no object” (read that in a mocking doofus voice) is a horrible argument and reeks of inflammatory troll-speak. What moron is clamoring for that money to be wasted on the likes of Fat Al? They will (allegedly) spend what it takes to WIN. Not spend what it takes to spend.
I sincerely hope you are just feigning surprise for the discussion it causes, because if you are actually surprised, you have outdone yourself “joe.”
February 15th, 2012 at 5:16 pm
..and don’t divert the point by saying “it wasn’t really the BIGGEST of the undeserved contracts, blah, blah, blah.”
February 15th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Spot on , Joe.
With McCoy and price having Health issues, it’s stupid not to keep him. He didn’t know our scheme, but played with effort, and tried to help the young guys. The D-line was not the problem last year.
And to the people suggesting we draft a DT- how many damn picks do you think we have???
We have no LBers, no secondary, no speed on offense- yet you want to draft another DT with our top 3 picks?? Cause that’s the obly place to find them. DTs are an extremely scarce and valued commodity in the NFL! We couldn’t find anyone when McCoy got hurt
This was just another cheap move, that will hurt the team
February 15th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Capt Tim:
This defense potentially has sssooo many holes One could make an argument there could be/are holes at each of the back seven positions. Joe just shakes his head when he reads about fans wanting to reach for Trent Richardson when the Bucs already have a power back whose clueless former offensive coordinator didn’t know how to use and the defense is crying out for a major upgrade.
February 15th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Albert was actually an extremely dim light on a complete blackout of a team.
Bringing him back for depth and competition would have been the right football move.
When do we make the right football move?
February 15th, 2012 at 6:20 pm
This is a great move. Especially if he is being a bad influence on our younger guys! And by cutting him, we now have right around $67 Million dollars to spend if the Glazers choose too.
And a CB like Brandon Carr would be a nice addition to our new and revamped secondary. We need 4 new CB’s and atleast 2 new Safetys if not 3.
But IF Claiborne is already gone at pick #5 then we should really consider Courtney Upshaw. He would pair awesome with Mason Foster and hopefully sign Jonathon Vilma to help mentor those guys. Have Vilma at Mike, Foster at Will, and Upshaw at Sam. Talk about a much improved LB core!! I still hope we get Claiborne, but if we can’t then Upshaw is a beast who could put up the same if not better numbers that Lamar Woodley!!!
February 15th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Here are some FA’s I think we should look at and sign several if the Glazers want to win anytime soon.
Left Tackle- Levi Brown and Jared Gaither. IF we signed either one of these guys, move Penn to RT and get rid of Trueblood
RB- Ray Rice
WR- Dewayne Bowe
Defensive Tackle- Paul Soliai, he would be awesome to put in our DL
LB- Lofa Tatupu and Curtis Lofton
CB- Kelvin Hayden, Cortland Finnegan, and honestly about 10 or 15 other guys who are FAs are better than what we currently have
Safety- Laron Landry, Michael Griffin
This is just a quick list off the top of my head. Does anyone know a website that has all the FA’s to be and RFA’s for the 2012 offseason?? Its hard to find one!!!
February 15th, 2012 at 6:47 pm
I actually agree with this move. While I think he played ok for us when he was picked up, he’s not worth $8 million next year. We can pick up someone better for A LOT less!
February 15th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
While I agree with you on Richardson, Joe, I’m guessing the thinking is that given Albert’s level of ability and his age at this point, they can get someone of equal or better ability for far less and probably younger as well.
Just because they do have money doesn’t mean they should recklessly spend it. His release was a smart move.
Capt. Tim, it all depends on what the Bucs do in Free Agency. If they can get a decent DT for depth (or maybe 2) in free agency, there is no need to draft. But if they fill some other positions that way, maybe they can spare another pick on Defensive Tackle…if there is anyone worth taking in rounds 2-4.
One way to get another 2nd rounder would be to trade Winslow. I don’t really want to see him go, but for that I could live with it.
February 15th, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Courtney Upshaw is a 3-4 pass rushing outside linebacker, he’d play end in our system which would be a horrible pick at five.
Penn is better than Levi Brows easily and Gaither is a health risk but I’d take him at RT
Ray Rice – will never happen until possibly 2016 when he has nothing left in the tank.
Bowe would be awesome
Soliali is a 3-4 NT
Lofa is too old with bad knees no thanks, Lofton would be decent though
I like Landry and Griffin but you do realize Griffin is a FS right?
February 15th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Joe must be trolling here, surely he doesn’t believe the BS he’s writing.
Even if money is not an issues, why do you pay someone 6m when you could cut them, have them hit the street (where he’ll get no offers) and could sign back for next to nothing?!?! Much like Joe’s replies in the comments here, it makes no sense.
February 15th, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Just curious, but who made the decision to cut Albert? Was it Dominic alone, or did Shiano pull the trigger? I wonder how that decision was made at this stage of a new coaching staff?
February 15th, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Thank you, Joe, and agree 100%.
It would be hard to defend the play of Any of our back 7!! Absolutely the worst to disgrace the uniform( omitting only the great Ronde Barber)!
We don’t have enough Draft picks to get replace the sad excuses we have at those spots. And there is no depth behind them.
I can take film, and but up a decent argument for Big Albert. While he didn’t seem to have any training at zone assignments, he was on many occasions a disruptive force! You could O-lines accounting for him.
I don’t think most posters gave any idea what a rarity a decent DT is in this league. They are like starting QBs and shutdown corners. You spend top draft picks on them- or you don’t get one! You aren’t gonna see a good DT as a Free agent very often. They are as rare as unicorns.
So if you can pick up a former all pro, who needs technique work, but can blow up the pocket- YOU FRIGGIN KEEP HIM!!!
As a backup, Al showed rare talent. You won’t find that in rounds 5-7. Or in free agency that doesn’t cost starter pay for a back up!
Way to go,Dim! The D-line was the only unit that was good as is. Now, we need another decent DT!
Does he know that he’s supposed to be improving the team!
Next he’ll be signing “burnt toast” Biggers and Skid Mack to multi year starter contracts, like he did with the totally useless Quincy Jane Black
Really think he should have gotten canned with Raheem. Its obvious that he is not quite getting the Vetern player thing at all
February 15th, 2012 at 7:31 pm
I agree with Joe is strange due to the fact that Quincy stunk more and still is on the team. Albert could be brought back at a discount.
Cuts- Black,Jones & Faine.
Talib depends on Barber.
Will see.
February 15th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Maybe this has been pointed out, but no depth!? Ummmm… It’s still February right? Nobody can honestly say that Albert deserves 7 million for what he showed last season. I doubt many teams will be interested in his “services” this season (maybe Rams because of Fisher) so all the pro-Albert folks may get him back for a fraction of the cost. Have some of you (Joe included) forgotten what a disaster this guy has been everywhere he’s gone?
February 15th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
So this is the new regimes first official move? We don’t can who of the lazy slackers that quit on the team last year( Talib, Black, Hayes, Tanard, jones),
We cut a guy from the only unit that kept playing hard- the D-line!
Yeah- no mystery why this team sucks as bad as it does. Punish the good, reward the worthless.
So many that need to be canned, that you coulda thrown a dart and not miss
Yet we missed
February 15th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
I despair people. This move has been talked about since the day that Haynesworth signed. The Bucs were never going to pay him this bonus unless he played like Haynesworth circa 2008, which he certainly did not. Give it a rest, this has nothing to do with Quincy Black or Aqib Talib, it is to do with Haynesworth’s contract, period, end of story.
February 15th, 2012 at 9:04 pm
Glazers are off to a good offseason.
Pretty cheap head coaching hire and got a University paying most of the salary of the second in command.
And quite a few Rutgers guys on staff who im guessing didnt break the bank.
Now, cut Albert.
Just need a few good excuses on the FA market and well on their way to pocketing another fifty mil. in profit.
And the beauty is, doesnt really matter who shows up at the games!
Well played.
February 15th, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Eric- exactly! We have by far the cheapest payroll in the league. Bet we have the lowest payed coaching staff in the league.
We have the exact same problems we had last year. Dom did nothing.
Expect more of the same. Attendance is a small part of the profits in owning an NFL team
I said before- they run this team like slum lords- and we are stuck being the tenants!
February 15th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Oh grow up, Capt Tim and Eric. LOL
Cutting Albert was the smart thing to do. Period. It doesn’t mean the guys you mentioned won’t get cut as well.
The two of you are doing your best to put a negative spin on things but failing miserably.
Right this moment, all things are up in the air. We don’t know what this team will look like come September, so it’s a little early to be stating the Glazers won’t spend this year.
So far, they’ve moved slowly but done well in the coaching choices. Dominick said it himself…it depends on who is available and what the list looks like, but they plan to get 2 STARTERS and some depth in free agency. Two starters means SPENDING.
February 15th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
PS – I never thought I would see the day when Thomas is more positive than either of you. Shame.
February 15th, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Have to look at what list looks like = not gonna like anybody on it!
February 15th, 2012 at 11:44 pm
Someone said this will be the first of many and I agree. I really believe Schiano and Sullivan are big character guys. Sullivan is a Ranger and West Point grad. I don’t think he would work for someone who would keep Haynesworth, Talib, Winslow etc. Alberta helped us when we needed it the most but no way he or any other Buc trash will be there under the new regime.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:34 am
Sharkcoast- um, more than a few problem children on the NY roster,brother
February 16th, 2012 at 8:47 am
I swear, the Buccaneer fan base is a bunch of sniveling crying babies!!! It’s freaking Feb and everybody is complaining about out payroll!!
GROW UP People, DAMN, let the UFA and Draft play out…THEN START crying!!
It also AMAZES me how freely people want to spend SOMEONE elses money.
February 16th, 2012 at 10:24 am
@Tim dammit you’re right. THERE’S NOTHING TO BELIEVE IN ANYMORE!!
February 16th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
@freemanbomb5
With our speed on defense and hopefully new quick DBs. Our speed and power says we should play more 3-4 and sometimes even 5-2 fronts. Soliali is a beast and talented enough to play a 3-4 or a 4-3 DT. IF he comes at the right price he would be a steal. And Upshaw is a OLB, but I think we will be using more 3-4 looks. And with Upshaw and Clayborne playing both OLB positions and a rotating front of McCoy, Miller, Price, and Soliali!!! Have Foster inside along with a new ILB that is gotten in either FA or Draft. That would be one of the top front 7’s in the league.
BUT, hopefully Morris Claiborne is still there at #5 and we draft him. That would be the quickest card to the Commish ever! hahaha Atleast I would hope so. He is going to be amazing. He shuts down whatever side of the field he is on. If Talib stays out of trouble and he remains a Buc. Can you imagine him covering teams #2 and 3 WRs with Claiborne covering their #1!! Golden