“Osi Would Fit Here”
March 21st, 2013Former Bucs defensive end Steve White floated all kinds of Bucs takes during his appearance on WDAE-AM 620 on Monday with host Tom Krasniqi.
White even wondered aloud whether the Bucs will go into the 2013 season with DaQuan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn as starting defensive ends because rockstar general manager Mark Dominik can’t afford anymore busts or perceived busts among his premium draft picks. (You can catch all the audio via the link above.)
But even with Bowers and Clayborn as the preferred starters, White would like to see another pass rusher so the Bucs can be effective getting after the quarterback with four guys.
“I think Osi [Umenyiora] would fit here,” White said. “If you want pass rush, he can get you that.
“Most of our run defense comes from blitzing anyway. So I thought he would be a good guy, [John] Abraham, any of those [premier] guys.”
As Dwight Freeney, Umenyiora and Abraham remain unemployed and watch their cash value plummet, Joe also is wondering why the Bucs aren’t bringing these guys in for visits and having their medical team scrutinize them. After all, if the Bucs can score Darrelle Revis and squeeze a good year out of a veteran pass rusher to team with Bowers and Clayborn, the Bucs’ defense might be good enough to actually lead the team to the playoffs.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Even Revis and Champ Bailey will be exposed w/o a pass rush.
NFL Receivers and some QB’s are just too good, and the rules favor them.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Bring on Osi, Freeney and Abraham then sprinkle in some rookies. The Rockin Star can’t draft enough players to replace the needs on defense alone. Thankfully the long snapping position is secure.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:18 pm
“Osi Would Fit Here”
Schematically? Maybe. Practically? No.
We need depth not starters. We have Clayborn, Bowers, and Teo (who is underrated). Unless one of the top free agents will accept a backup role (and backup money) I sincerely doubt any of them will end up here.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Osi wants to be a starter. We want/need Clayborn and Bowers to start. I don’t see it as a good fit unless he agree to be a back-up for peanuts on the dollar.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:26 pm
He would fit, provided he understands his role. Backup and mentor the start, fill the starting role if they go down. I bet you could get Osi for 2 yr, 6 mil, no signing bonus and 2 mil guaranteed.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Bump that to 4mil guaranteed
March 21st, 2013 at 4:33 pm
That would make too much sense to bring in Osi. He guaranteed he would be defensive player of the year on NFL network. The man is on a mission. Bring him in Effing Dom…
March 21st, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Damn, has no one been paying attention to what the Bucs strategy is? They clearly only want two types of players in free agency: 1) premier players who are the best at their position and who make salaries at the top of the range for that position, or 2) role players who make less than $2 million per year. Nothing in between. No middle class players. Get it?
Osi is a middle class player. He will probably make $3.5-$5 million per year on a one or two year contract, the very range the Bucs are clearly staying away from in free agency. If the Bucs get another DE it will likely be a role player in free agency or a draft prospect. In other words you won’t see an Osi or an Abraham here unless their salary drops down below $3 million.
Why keep bringing up names when you can clearly see the strategy unfolding before your eyes? Why remain in denial?
March 21st, 2013 at 4:39 pm
@FLBoyInDallas
Took the words right out of my mouth. I mentioned the Bucs strategy in another thread but quickly realized that Eric Wright kind of punches a hole in that theory. He was clearly not a premier player at his position but also not a role player. For the most part though, yes, they do sign either the best or depth. Not so much in between.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:42 pm
it’s a smart move to stay away from these guys as close to the draft as possible as their value steps down. I called for this as soon as Bennet was gone that there were plenty of serviceable veterans that can contribute to the Bucs.
These veterans might want to be a starter, but has to realize they are older and can do more damage if limited to 20 snaps to give relief between the two starters.
March 21st, 2013 at 5:02 pm
@WestCoastBucsFan
It was an assumption by Dom that Eric could be a premier player for the Bucs. He is learning from his mistakes, buy not over paying for backup talent.
March 21st, 2013 at 5:03 pm
I guess better defensive scouting is helping. I’m sure, Butch and Shiano it giving him as much input as possible.
March 21st, 2013 at 5:12 pm
It was reported yesterday that Osi was taking a physical with the Falcons and a deal was close…..I guess that fell through. Joe did you hear that to?
March 21st, 2013 at 5:14 pm
The way the injury bug gets us every year Osi would end up being the starter by default.
March 21st, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Imagine picking up Freeney AND Abraham? Use them on 2nd and 3rd and longs. Use them wehn we get behind… which might be often.
Then, for predominately rushing downs, use the 2 young guys.
March 21st, 2013 at 5:29 pm
@Sneedy16
I am not so sure that Dom thought Eric was a premier player. If he did then he was the ONLY one that did because he didn’t get resigned by Detroit who had a terrible secondary that year. I think Dom knew we needed a corner and also knew we had to overpay to get one here. Sometimes when a hole is that great you need to overpay.
March 21st, 2013 at 5:49 pm
LOL Do you really think the bucs are going to make a good move like this?
March 21st, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Dtackle and Corners…. Draft Star lulatule, trade for Revis then either sign Grimes or draft corner in round two.
March 21st, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Build from within…this is Tampa….Bay area…I rather take my chances with potential young players than ego driven Interloping AZZ Clown Saviors…
March 21st, 2013 at 6:34 pm
It’s clear they don’t want another Wright. That is why they aren’t chasing corners this year. It’s either Revis or cross your fingers for some draft picks.
I think it is an interesting strategy. Look at Vincent Jackson. Dude completely changed the offense, made everyone around him better. Teams had to gameplan for him, double him with a safety over the top every play. He opened up more running lanes than anyone, just by lining up.
Dominik seems to believe Revis can do the same for the defense. Shut down one side of the field, give the defense more flexibility with coverages and blitzes. Make the field smaller for everyone else. And he might be right.
Bowers, Clayborn, McCoy, David, Goldson, Barron, Revis, Barber. There’d be no excuses with that as your defensive core.
March 21st, 2013 at 7:40 pm
Osi, Freeney and Abraham want to start and make starters money. Role players they are not. The Bucs have Clayborn and Bowers as their etched in stone starters so the others would not want to come here.
March 21st, 2013 at 8:26 pm
Osi, Freeney, Abraham, Claiborn, McCoy and Bowers. This sounds like a great rotation that would be able to put some pressure on the QB’s in the NFC South. Nobody is guaranteed a starting position in the NFL. see Alex Smith.
March 21st, 2013 at 9:45 pm
How about playing 5 lineman?
Stick Freeney out as the 5th lineman and Nobody would be stopping that pass rush.
Yep, the ole 5-2.
March 21st, 2013 at 10:20 pm
If the Bucs only sign elite players- the best Right tackle in football is wandering around homeless right now.
Sabastian Vollmer
Ok, Dom- splash some ink at’em
March 21st, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Wright wasn’t a surprise. Everyone knew he wasn’t a decent player.
If Dom only signs elite players, because he’s afraid he’ll sign more losers- then we need to hire someone who can appraise talent! Isn’t that the biggest part of his job??
He seems to migrate towards injured players, bad players, or 7th round/ undrafted free agents. His ability to draft decent players in the 7 th round, or sign undrafted guys, would actually be pretty impressive.
Except that he misses on so many picks between the 2nd and 6th round.
March 21st, 2013 at 11:13 pm
FREENEY!!!
He wants to prove something. Has a chip on his shoulder. Can get them 10 sacks rotating in part time on passing downs.
I don’t think Abraham has anything left personally. He had ( I think ) 10 sacks last year but weren’t something like 6 in 2 games??? He was not a big factor most the year.
Osi? Maybe, does not seem the same since he got injured 2 years ago, but I could be wrong. He is used to rotating with other DEs so it could work. Problem is he might be demanding more cash than the other 2 simply because of age.
March 21st, 2013 at 11:17 pm
Bucs will win Super Bowl this year!!!!!!!!!Book it
March 21st, 2013 at 11:17 pm
“Capt. Tim Says:
March 21st, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Wright wasn’t a surprise. Everyone knew he wasn’t a decent player.”
Think you are wrong. Most nknew he was a “decent” player, just not elite and DOM over paid. MAybe it had something to do with BUcs fans screaming for him to do something for a couple offseasons.
Well, when a GM HAS to do something it usually means over paying.
Besides, you should go look up how other teams do with draft picks the numbers are not pretty. The whole draft process is a comnplete and total crap shoot. DOM has done pretty decent and with real coaching now, it is about to pay off.
PLUS, let us not forget who was the big DB guy – – -RAHEEM. He may have pushed hard for Wright, not DOM… we do not know.
March 21st, 2013 at 11:24 pm
I would love Abraham to come here…he always struck me as more of a Bucs type anyway. He’s old enough to bring Bowers along but not be a long-term replacement.
I’m all for our current DEs starting as well though…depth is the part that worries me.
March 22nd, 2013 at 7:21 am
Dave…I don’t think Raheem was here at that point. Wright was signed last year…about this time…after Raheem was fired. In fact, I forget whether Schisno was hired yet…Bucs had a long seach.
As to whether Wright was a good CB? He was paid by potential…a bad move on Dominicks part…but at least he had an out. I still think he is worth resigning…but no more than 3 mil per year…if that.
March 22nd, 2013 at 8:35 am
It’s always strange to me, how everyone trashes Raheem so badly. He won 10 games in one season. Only 3 coaches in The Bucs 35 year history have done that. And I promise you, he won 10 games with a very bad team. When you look at his roster( no free agents, no pro bowlers), I still don’t know how he did it.
I know he lost the teams attention the next season. Part of that was being a rookie coach, trying to be friends with the guys.
But part of it, was the fact that this team was loaded with Scumbags, that Gruden drug in here- Talibum, thc Jackson, Jeremy Stevens- it was really a disgusting collection of human beings.
None of which was brought here by Raheem
He deserved to lose his job. I can understand not liking him. But Wil never understand the hatred. You wanna blame someone for ruining this team? That would be the Tandem that drafted one good player in 5 years, and brought in a bunch of old guys.
Schiano has a bunch of high dollar free agents. Raheem wasn’t allowed to sign free agents. Lets see if Schiano wins 10 games in his second season.
March 22nd, 2013 at 8:45 am
Dave- don’t think- find out. Pro football, the sporting news, inside sports, walterfootball all have to links to archive files. Go read what they said about Wright BEFORE we traded for him. He was named the key offender in Detroits wretched secondary. He made a career of” chasing WRs into the endZone”
Read, before you tell I’m wrong. Instead of just “thinking” something
The one that was wrong( other than you),was Dom- who apparently though he saw some hidden talent in the guy.
Uh, no. Everyone except you and Dom were right. The guy may not be horrible, but he is a bad CB. He should be a nickel or dime back. No more
March 22nd, 2013 at 9:36 am
Capt TiM
Hope you are not saying I was trashing Raheem. I never have. I was all for him having a shot. Turned out it was premature and he needed help putting coaching talent around him.
I was all for keeping him for a few seasons, I think every coach deserves 3 years (mostly). The team absolutely falling apart forced them to wipe the slate clean.
I do not blame Raheem at all. There is not one person to blame for anything. Like almost everyting wrong in the country, there is aot of people to blame, but I would rather be positive and look to see how to improve from here.
I thought Raheem was here pushing for Wright, maybe it was all DOM.
For the record, this is all opinion by everyone on this site. So just because I said I think you are wrong is no reason to get upset or defensive. I don’t think you did but some of what you wrote came across like that. It is merely my opinion based on what I have seen (not somebody else from a website).
As for Wright, maybe I am wrong on his talent level, but I do not think so. He is decent. I only put so much stock into some of those websites. I look at all of them, but I do not care one bit about the “stats” in football. To me football is all about watching the film and seeing how a player plays. I played CB in HS and College. To me the best young CB on the Bucs was Biggers, but he seemed to regress a little. Wright was better. All that said, losing both should not be an issue. They need a MASSIVE talent upgrade there
When watching Wright, I did not think he was that bad. DEFINATELY overpaid by the Bucs, but better than any CB on the roster right now.
Heck Talib is massively over rated if you watch the amount of times he blows coverage.
Regardless, it is a passing league and the CBs are at a huge disadvantage. I think Wright could stay with the team and be a starter or nickel guy IF he resigns for 2-3 million per. After the court stuff though, he probably wants out.
As for the scums Gruden and Allen brought in, could not agree more. Gruden needed to go sooner over his last few years. All he did was stock up all talent or losers all in the name of staying mediocre.
With the core group they have developing now and the coaching staff they have, I think they are on their way. CB being the main glaring hole.
March 22nd, 2013 at 9:38 am
Let us all not forget the most inportant thing that happened (IMHO) this off season:
Freeman having his first back to back full off seasons and regular seasons with the same OC.
Make or break time
March 22nd, 2013 at 9:57 am
Capt Tim
I doubted Raheem’s abilities to begin with, but was willing to give the man his shot. Unfortunately, my gut feeling was correct. Raheem was a horrible head coach!!!
As for Gruden/Allen bringing in FA scumbags, you do realize who the Director of Pro Personnel was at the time, right? You know the man who evaluates and recruites said FA scumbags/players…Dominik.
March 22nd, 2013 at 10:20 am
Everybody seems to forget about Teo. Very underated. Although I liked Bennett maybe the Bucs have a future DE already on the team there high on. Who knows?
March 22nd, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Oar, 10-6 . With a horrible, horrible team.
It was an amazing job of coaching. He played 5 defensive backs all season- to protect a weak area. He had Josh playing like the best young QB in the league
He may not have been a leader of men. But he did a tremendous job of coaching that year