Ward Just Doesn’t Fit The Plan
February 27th, 2010
Time to play Guess the 2009 Buccaneer.
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* Bothered by a knee injury.
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* Missed two games.
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* Produced well below expectations.
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* Earned a fat paycheck.
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* Unhappy about not getting the ball.
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* Far too old to be part of “the plan.”
So who is he?
That sure sounds like Antonio Bryant, who the Bucs waved good-bye to this week. But the answer is Derrick Ward. The only difference is Bryant missed three games and Ward missed two. Ward’s also a year older.
With the Bucs offering restricted free agent Cadillac Williams a one-year tender on Friday, Joe would be stunned if Ward plays for the Bucs in 2010, assuming Cadillac takes the $2.2 million deal, which was reported by Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
When Raheem the Dream told the media Bryant wasn’t in the plans, he said, “We’re going in a young direction.”
Joe’s expecting to hear the same song when the Bucs find a way to dump Ward.
February 27th, 2010 at 8:33 am
As I posted a while back, either Ward or Williams needs to go. I strongly suspect that if the Bucs’ brass had known Cadillac was coming back from injury so well they wouldn’t have signed Ward in the first place. (I did like the signing at the time.)
As I understand the situation, there are no longer any cap considerations in releasing veterans, only cash concerns.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:01 am
We need to get away from 40 or more pass attempts a game,no matter who we hand the ball to.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I think your right about the cap, if no CBA then the floor and ceiling go poof.
Having rid themselves of paying Bryant, highest salary on the team last year, and if they cut Ward, thats a lot of $.
One wonders if they will reinvest it in the team…………….
February 27th, 2010 at 9:06 am
Raheem’s plan sucks anyways and he’ll be gone after this season.
Keep Ward , you can’t trust Caddy will stay healthy.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:57 am
I’m surprised we are paying Caddie 2.2 million dollars to stay. I was hoping to see Graham, Huggins, and a rookie RB in the backfield this year. Caddie is a good guy and amazing story, but not a great RB. How long are we gonna hold onto this guy? We let him stay and finish out his 5 year/$30 million deal, but 3200 yards and 18 tds in 5 years wasn’t worth that contract, and it’s not worth another $2.2 million in my opinion.
Caddie is a great kid, but he is about to be 29 in a few months and has two rebuilt knees. If we are serious about helping Freeman, can we please get a real running game? I’m hoping he is just a safety net in case we aren’t able to upgrade in FA or the draft.
Ward should be trade for whatever we can get.
February 27th, 2010 at 10:22 am
We have too many holes on this team already to use a draft pick on a RB , IMO.
Don’t open new holes by cutting a quality player like Ward. He was good enough for a Super-bowl Giants team , but he isn’t good enough for us ?? I call bullshit. It wasn’t his fault he was injured and got very few chances.
Leave the RB’s alone and focus on the team’s REAL problems.
February 27th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I say good riddance. I would applaud the move if this happens. Why not give more carries to Ernest Graham? That would be fine with me. If the Bucs are purging the team of malcontents, then Ward would be a natural choice.
February 27th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Ward is a hemmroid anyway. The fact that he refused all media interviews all season tells you this guy is a pouting headcase.
February 27th, 2010 at 11:16 am
I sure like that Spiller kid from Clemson. Running back is one position where a rookie can really help.
If I were the dream id be looking at somebody to help in 2010……………the Glazer’s arent known to “stand by their man” all that long.
February 27th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Trade Ward to San Diego, straight up, for Cromartie. Who cares about all the Baby Daddy crap, Cromartie has great ability and with the right coaching will make a good bookend for Aqibilla the Hun. Draft Berry on top of that, move Barber to Nickel Back and the secondary is sewn up for at least 5 years.
February 27th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Bigmac
I like that move. I also believe the number of nappy headed ho’s the man knocked up is his own biz.
But i think you would have to add a pick for the chargers to pull the trigger.
February 27th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Would like to see Ward moved for a draft pick or a solid WR or CB. Team could use a change of pace back like McCluster, McKnight, Bell, James, etc. to pair with Caddy & Graham.
February 27th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Can we see what Huggins has? Before we get another RB in the draft. From what he showed me in Pre season he looks just like the rest of the small fast backs out there in the draft,, except that he actually has some NFL exp. how well did we know that Graham was a good back??? only did injury even bring him into the picture… so lets look at a RB late in the draft. we have a Very Fast RB in Huggins why not use him and see what he has on the field???? not hide him on the PS… Play them.. Just how i see it… now if we might be able to get that RB out of Stanford ,, yeah i think he will be a good pick 3rd round but not much farther up..
just my view out here in the AZ.
what do i know…
February 28th, 2010 at 5:43 am
Get rid of triple C, he is by far worst player at his position on team. Clayton sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 28th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Joe
The Bucs should keep all the running backs they have. When you consider at least one RB will be injured during the year. The Bucs need help in other areas. Has Jermaine Gresham been mentioned on the Bucs radar. The Bucs could use a good 3rd down possession TE. They are going to be in a lot of 3rd and long situations next year. But they have so many holes to fill its hard to say what they need the most.
March 1st, 2010 at 4:12 am
we arent winning a superbowl this year…so get rid of ward…..keep caddy graham, and others…if one breaks down go to the next….we might draft a rb….we might also have huggins and peanut…so ward should go…..the one year tender to caddy is the perfect move as if he regains his burst which he didnt have last year and stays injury free we could see him upgrade himself from what we saw last year…we all cringed at times when he got hit, thinking of those buckling knees….and it had to be in his head as well….hopefully he is past that and as the pundits all say, players dont get that burst back till the second year away from major knee injuries…so the bucs signed him and will wait and see…if he is average at best this year, then indeed it will be his last one wearing pewter and red….adam from ny