Keep An Eye On Da’Norris Searcy
January 26th, 2015
Sorry Hawk lovers, but Dashon Goldson won’t be back with the Buccaneers, barring a heck of a contract restructuring.
Tampa Bay broke the bank for Hawk in 2013, instead of ring-bearer Michael Bennett, and nothing good happened. So how will the Bucs replace Goldson after he’s cut and his giant contract comes off the books?
Joe’s looking at 26-year-old likely Bills free agent safety Da’Norris Searcy, who just had his best season.
With new Bills head coach Rex Ryan, there’s sure to changes to Buffalo’s stout defense, and Jason Licht and Lovie Smith had a lot of success picking off Bills castoff Jacquies Smith in September. Joe suspects Lovie and Licht will feel quite a comfort level with players from teams where they had free agent success. See Seattle, as Joe penned last week.
Searcy was snagged by Buffalo four spots before the Bucs drafted Luke Stocker in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
He’s missed just one game since got his first taste of the starting lineup in 2013. Last year, he made 13 starts and had three interceptions, a forced fumble and had five passes defense.
Searcy was most happy about finally playing full-time in 2014, including passing downs, per a postseason video on the Bills’ website. “They got to see that I could cover.” Per NFL.com, he had 18 tackles in the last two games (Oakland and New England.)
Here’s what the Buffalo News said about Searcy returning in December, before the shocking news of former Bills head coach Doug Marrone quitting.
Da’Norris Searcy: When Byrd departed in free agency, it opened a hole in the starting lineup that Searcy has done a nice job filling.
In 14 games, including 12 starts, Searcy has 58 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble, five passes defensed and a half sack. That’s back-to-back sneaky-good statistical seasons for a player who’s probably underrated.
Searcy missed one game because of a hamstring injury, and has been limited in a few others because of other minor bumps and bruises, but has done enough to earn a second contract with the team.
Chances re-signing: 80 percent.
Outside of film study, the Bucs do have an inside connection on Searcy. Bucs cornerbacks coach Gil Byrd’s son, Jarius Byrd, played for years alongside Searcy in Buffalo. The Bucs could tap that source for a sense of Searcy’s work ethic.
Searcy won’t be too expensive, and if you’re going to chase free agents, then at least go after young guys that have played to a high defensive standard. The Bills’ defense was ranked 10th in 2013, and fourth last year.
January 26th, 2015 at 12:46 pm
We’ll miss the “Squalk”………..hopefully, he’ll take a large paycut…..if not, buuuuuuubye!!!
January 26th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Until they figure out how to get some pressure on the QB it wont matter who we have playing in the backfield. The problem with this Tampa 2 that Lovie refuses to alter is that you need Hall of Fame caliber defensive linemen for it to work right.
I think Searcy is a quality player and we can definitely use as many of those as we can get.
January 26th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Good thinking, Joe. The free agent market looks like it has some winners this year that could turn the BUCS into a Playoff Defense: DE – Hughes, CB – Jackson, Williams, Taylor, and Maxwell, S – McCouty, Brown and Stewart.
January 26th, 2015 at 1:23 pm
“Sorry Hawk lovers”
I don’t think they exist.
January 26th, 2015 at 1:50 pm
How many great plays has this former “pro bowler” made since the Bucs started paying him all that $ 2 years ago. How many? You can’t think of 1 can you?
Too bad Dom didn’t have the foresight to pass on Goldson and use some of that $ to keep Michael Bennett instead…
January 26th, 2015 at 1:57 pm
We need to start building through the draft.
January 26th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
Or, maybe Dom did have the foresight but Schiano didn’t want him on the team…
but i guess that would undermine the whole “Schiano is a great talent evaluator” argument.
January 26th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Any chance the Saints cut Byrd due to their cap situation and Bucs pick him up for a reasonable deal to replace Goldson.
January 26th, 2015 at 2:59 pm
That “genius” or “rockstar” Mark Dominik tried to build a defense from the secondary forward, when everybody knows you start with the defensive line.
Swapping Michael Bennett for Dashon Goldson was a horrible move, as was giving up the #13 overall pick in 2013 for Darrelle Revis. The Bucs could have had either Sheldon Richardson or Star Lotulelei with that pick, and the defensive line would be formidable either of those players alongside Gerald McCoy.
Mark Dominik is the primary culprit for the Buccaneers’ futility since he became GM.
January 26th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
You do know that your statement is fictional, right?
January 26th, 2015 at 4:05 pm
Mark Dominik is the primary culprit for the Buccaneers’ futility since he became GM….
But he left us a boat load of cap space, He wasn’t all that bad compared to what we have now!
January 26th, 2015 at 4:47 pm
Too bad. I like the Hawk. I think he got gun shy after the first year.
January 26th, 2015 at 5:06 pm
Yes we do need to build through the draft. I think our draft from last year will look a lot better once we have an actual coordinator and oline and hopefully a shiny new qb from Oregon. I would have went after byrd from buffalo but we never got him. Im just tired of seeing all of our top talent players going to other teams. If you were to bring back all of the good players we have let go that we could have kept over the last five years it would be a fun team to watch…..oh well hopefully the bucs life starts getting better next season. Glaziers need to put a knife to lovies throat and tell him to make it happen…
January 26th, 2015 at 5:30 pm
gotbbucs Says:
January 26th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Until they figure out how to get some pressure on the QB it wont matter who we have playing in the backfield. The problem with this Tampa 2 that Lovie refuses to alter is that you need Hall of Fame caliber defensive linemen for it to work right
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What Hall of Fame DLinemen do they have in Seattle and Dallas? The system works fine if the players are above average. If the system was sooooo outdated, you wouldn’t be seeing 3 of the 5 teams running winning their divisions, and 2 more teams (Falcons and Redskins) deciding to run it next season.
January 26th, 2015 at 5:31 pm
Celly Says:
January 26th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
Johnny Dejay Says:
January 26th, 2015 at 2:59 pm
That “genius” or “rockstar” Mark Dominik tried to build a defense from the secondary forward, when everybody knows you start with the defensive line.
You do know that your statement is fictional, right?
————-
Uhhh, no, that’s very accurate.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:48 am
Joe,
There defense may have been ranked 10th but that’s because they have the best DL in the league (led in sacks 2013 and I think as well in 2014), and I believe the secondary was there weak spot so I’m hope going Searcy was there best Defensive Back because their backs were a mess.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:29 am
Simply put the cover 2 works,far from outdated. Just ask the defending superbowl champions.