Others Wonder Why Bucs Passed On Holmes
April 12th, 2010
One of the top receivers in the NFL, the No. 1 receiver on one of the best teams in the NFL and a Super Bowl hero, who is just 26-years old, was shopped last night for a late-fifth round pick.
The Bucs apparently decided to pass.
Joe cannot properly put into words his amazement. But Aaron Schatz, BSPN.com NFL analyst and Editor in Chief of FootballOutsiders.com, can. Twittering past midnight, he is stunned that the Bucs were seemingly not interested in pulling the trigger on Pittsburgh wide receiver Santonio Holmes for a fifth round pick, who was dealt to the Jets.
For crying out loud, Tampa’s starting receivers are Michael Clayton and Maurice friggin’ Stovall. Did Pittsburgh just not call them?
Joe believes Holmes is worth at least a third round pick and Joe would have thought long and hard about shipping the Bucs’ latter of two second round picks to Pittsburgh for Holmes.
The fact he was on the market for a fifth round pick, and Mark Dominik didn’t get it done, just blows Joe’s mind!
Yes, Joe knows about the guy’s baggage, but he is more than a proven receiver. You trying to tell Joe a fifth round pick doesn’t have question marks about making the team much less being able to start? Holmes is an elite receiver!
Programs exist that can help people put down the pipe. Catching clutch passes in the NFL (in the postseason no less) cannot easily be taught.
April 12th, 2010 at 8:16 am
Joe, Mark does not have time to call other teams. Remember, he is watching 16 hours of college film a day, because they are going to find playmakers with their 5th, 6th and 7th round picks. ( well that and they don’t trust the scouting department.)
April 12th, 2010 at 8:16 am
A 5th round pick. Domminick is holding them draft picks tighter than a closed fist. A forida kid proven playmaker with off the field issue. But Talib, Jackson have issues off the field I am so done with Domminick, I really belive Morris can be a good coach but he is inexperienced and learing on the fly. but if he does not have the pieces then this project will not work
April 12th, 2010 at 8:16 am
our owners and gm suck and so does the headcoach bucs wont be good again till new owners take over, this whole not signing any free agents or doing any big trades when your team is coming off the worst season in 20 years and have lost 17 out of 20 games is a joke this rebuild thru the draft approach is basically saying we wont be good for 3-5 more years and thats if our draft picks arent bust
April 12th, 2010 at 8:18 am
Say no to AB, Boldin, Holmes, Marshall.
Say yes to Michael Clayton and Reggie Brown.
Brilliant.
April 12th, 2010 at 8:28 am
From what I have read, Holmes is in the last year of his contract and facing a 4 game suspension. That means the Bucs would get 3/4 of a season from him before they would have to do a new deal. Therein lies the problem. The Bucs focus these days is to sign veterans who will work cheap. Come 2011 Holmes would have demanded more money than the Glazers would be willing to part with. Lets face it the Glazer boys aren’t parting with much these days.
April 12th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Jake:
What you wrote is accurate, but remember, so many Bucs fans are pining for Brandon Marshall and he too is in the last year of his contract.
A fifth round pick? Good, grief that’s worth the gamble.
April 12th, 2010 at 8:46 am
good point JOe. Dont know if Holmes is good as Marshall but he might be the best reciver after the catch look at the hghlights
April 12th, 2010 at 8:48 am
I am speechless! I am without speech! This team acts like they just won the Super Bowl and we have Rice and Taylor as our starting WR’s. This make NO SENSE!!
April 12th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Joe, team Glazer has already proven that they don’t care what the fans think, with both the moves they made last year, as well as free-agency this year. We can forget about them spending money on someone of Holmes or Marshall’s caliber. And I still have my doubts that they will spend 3rd Pick money on Suh or McCoy in the Draft. I just hope the fans give back to the Glazer boys what they are getting. “No money spent”!
April 12th, 2010 at 9:04 am
@tampa 2, agree with you. I wouldn’t be surprised at this point in time for the Bucs to make a play for Fat Albert aka FaceStomper because Washington has already payed him the bulk of the upfront money. He is a cheaper alternative at this point than drafting Suh or McCoy and paying a $30 to $35 million signing bonus. They could then trade down, save money and pick up an additional draftpick to replace what it cost them to get Fat Albert. You would then hear the spin on how bad we wanted Fat Albert last year and how he is the second coming of ..you know who. May not happen, but wouldnt be at all surprised. Would be purely money driven.
April 12th, 2010 at 9:05 am
tampa2:
Joe doesn’t have any issue with Team Glazer wanting to build through the draft. Joe very much has an issue with the hierarchy thinking the team can be remotely competitive with the current crop of receivers on its roster. And a guy like Santonio Holmes was there for the taking for a fifth round pick and (apparently) nothing was done?
Joe is disgusted.
April 12th, 2010 at 9:50 am
We got Reggie Brown for basically the same price ……BWAHAHAHAHA!
April 12th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Perhaps were waiting so we can give a much higher draft choice to Denver for a similar player.
Or, plug a rookie in with an essentially rookie QB, whom has the whole franchise on his shoulders.
Either way, its one more pititful excuse in a offseason full of them.
It does make it clear why the Glazer boys hired the “yes men” currently occupying the GM and HC positions.
I have to disagree with one thing you said Joe. This is not a “build through the draft” plan, this is a “dont spend money while were up to our eyeballs in debt” plan. One is merely the cover for the other.
I expect more Glazer cover and excuses from the local media later today.
April 12th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Now if we can get Clayton to hold on to a football the way the Glazers squeeze a buck we will have an all pro receiver!
April 12th, 2010 at 10:10 am
That might be the post of the day!
April 12th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Florio is reporting the Steelers called EVERYONE was called about the Holmes trade. So, the Bucs knew about it and choose not to improve the team.
April 12th, 2010 at 11:11 am
Of course they did. Nobody trades a player without calling around to see what they can get.
Why would the Steelers want to give the jets a special deal. They compete in the same conference! If anything, they would have preferred to send him to an NFC team.
April 12th, 2010 at 11:12 am
29 other GMs said no to this deal, too.
The problem is that he will be suspended for 4 games. And his contract is up after this year. He could also be facing jail time at some point. So that’s only 12 games he’ll be around for.
April 12th, 2010 at 11:23 am
@Jerry: yea, but 29 other teams don’t have a desperate need for WR’s like the Bucs.
Holmes won’t face jail time for the night club incident as the police have already said charges won’t be filed.
April 12th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Just imagine IF (big if) Reggie Brown can play quality ball like he once did in the start of his career, Santonio Holmes playing well and the Bucs still having Antonio Bryant on the roster……. That would make the Bucs receiving roster light years greater than the roster they have right now….
Oh what the Bucs could have if ONLY they had better management!!!
April 12th, 2010 at 11:46 am
29 other teams said no.
Wouldn’t that statement be true of every trade in the history of the league? Unless of course someone traded a player to two teams at once, and I believe there might be a rule against that.
April 12th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I agree Phil76 and Joe. Great post.