More On The Explosive DE Market In Free Agency
February 24th, 2016
Yes, Joe is live at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Yes, Joe inhaled beers, beers and more beers alongside NFL coaches, former Bucs coaches, NFL personnel men, scouts, general managers, agents, prominent media and Dan Marino.
(This morning, Joe is paying a bitter price.)
Joe didn’t talk to Marino, but Joe did talk to everyone else, and Joe learned that the explosive and expensive market for defensive ends in free agency this year, a picture painted by noted Sports Illustrated scribe Peter King earlier this week, is very damn real.
Young pass rushers in free agency have agents sniffing for $10 to $14 million per season. Two million per sack sums up the market, one guy told Joe. Combine that with a consensus that this is a down draft year for offensive linemen but a strong one for defensive ends, and there’s a very interesting offseason brewing.
Everyone is chasing that elusive beast who seems to grow more and more extinct: the sackmaster.
Joe will remind readers of the simple and prophetic January words of Packers Yoda Ted Thompson, as told to Joe at an East-West Shrine Game practice. Thompson invoked the “Good Lord” himself.
It’s no wonder Thompson broke his own no-free-agents policy for Julius Peppers a couple of years ago.
What the Bucs do to fill their need for a starting DE? It’s really too early to say.
February 24th, 2016 at 8:21 am
Free Agency defensive ends will have so many teams to chose from, Bucs will be interesting because we are not sure that this is an attraction with the losing history and unknown as a head coach, not sure what kind of lure Mike Smith has with players, haven’t heard a whole lot, so it may come to money and Joe Hayes.
February 24th, 2016 at 8:28 am
So what would I do? Sign Martin even at a slight premium, FA’s at the corner and safety positions, and draft DE’s….as we say in Wisconsin…till the cows come home.
February 24th, 2016 at 8:31 am
My dad used to say “kill it with a stick” to mean let’s get this done once and for all. I never forgot what he meant and the Bucs have been trying to get a consistent pass rush since Simeon Rice, It is time for them to “Kill it with a stick”.
Here’s a way to do it! The Bucs have 49.3mil in cap space (OTC). Let’s project what it really could be with some bullet biting. Get rid of the people that can’t help you and get the people that can at a premium!
OG Logan Mankins retires and is replaced by either Kevin Pamphile or Vadal Alexander/LSU or Germain Ifedi/TXA&m taken in the 2nd round.
CB Alteraun Verner is cut and replaced by Harlan Miller/SE Louisiana or Deiondre Hall in the 3rd round.
OT Gosder Cherilus or Demar Dotson is cut and replaced by Mitchell Schwartz in FA.
TE Brandon Meyers is cut and replaced by up and comer Tevin Westbrook already on roster.
C Evan Smith is cut and has already been replaced by Joe Hawley.
DE George Johnson is cut and is replaced by Noah Spence in the 1st round.
FS Major Wright is cut and replaced by Tashaun Gipson/Browns in FA.
DE Kourtnei Brown and OG Garrett are cut and not replaced because they never should have been here.
THE MATH
Logan Mankins 7.00mil
Alteraun Verner 6.75mil
Bruce Carter 4.25mil
Gosder Cherilus 4.5mil
Evan smith 2.5mil
George Johnson 2.00mil
Brandon Meyers 1.75mil
Major Wright 1.75mil
Garrett Gilkey .675mil
Kourtnei Brown .525mil
Total Cap Savings 31.7mil
Current Cap Space 49.3mil + Total Cap Savings 31.7mil = 81mil
THE RATIONALE
The top 5 five names could be kept and probably will. But what is the impact of their absence on winning against the probability of losing with no effective pass rush? Then there is the opportune time. When will circumstances permit us to collectively make such a bold stroke again? We haven’t had a pass rush in 10 years. Surely we could replace and repair any loss from those 5 names easier than getting another shot at fixing the rush once and for all! No rookie in the draft is likely to have an immediate impact on the defense as 2 pro bowl proven veterans.
With 81mil in cap space, go out and solve this problem once and for all. Sign Mario Williams at 12mil/yr and Justin Pierre Paul at 10mil to 4 year contracts 2 years guaranteed with offset language! We will be fine in cap space going forward. Cap goes up by 10mil in 2017. Jackson’s 11mil drops off in 2017. McCoy and Williams (34) drop off in 2018. By now, Noah Spence is either a pro bowler or has been suspended from the league. Don’t hesitate! Kill it with a stick. Now!
DE Mario Williams/Bills 12.0mil
DE JPP/Giants 10.0mil
OT Mitchell Schwartz/ Browns 7.5mil
FS Tashaun Gipson/Browns 4.5mil
RB Doug Martin/Bucs 8.0mil
CB Brice McCain/Dolphins 4.25mil
Projected FA 46.2mil
Projected remaining cap space 34.8mil
February 24th, 2016 at 8:48 am
How bout this list…
Safety~Eric Berry
WR~Travis Benjamin
DE~Olivier Vernon
C~Alex Mack (word is he doesn’t want to stay with the browns)
And draft either Vernon Hargreaves lll or Noah Spence pending on how they check out after the combine and interviews…
February 24th, 2016 at 8:57 am
Wouldn’t mind them signing Chris Long for depth and competition. Plus he would come cheap and u cant expect a whole lot from a rookie in his first season so u need a couple veterans to lean on until they can get it going. Very interesting to,see what this roster will look like at DE after FA and the draft.
~☆[GO BUC$]☆~
February 24th, 2016 at 9:06 am
Sign WR Jermaine Kearse
Sign WR Marvin Jones
Sign DE Olivier Vernon
Sign SS Eric Berry
Sign DE Jason Pierre-Paul if can buy low due to injury
Franchise Doug Martin
Convince Mankins to play 1 more year
Keep Alteraun Verner
Cut Evan Smith
Cut George Johnson
Cut Bruce Carter
(Creating extra 8.75 mil)
1st Pick – Draft DE Noah Spence
2nd Pick – Draft OT or OG
3rd Pick – Draft CB
4th Pick – Draft DE
Rest of Picks – BPA
That’s how you fix the team.
February 24th, 2016 at 9:09 am
bucs4life86 Says
“C~Alex Mack ”
No point in going after a center when we found one in Hawley. Why create a need when we’ve already addressed it?
February 24th, 2016 at 9:59 am
RSRQ made the point first that everyone else ignored, all the commenters are saying sign this guy and that guy and this guy and that guy….NOT that simple, they have to WANT to be there……long losing history and rookie, unproven head coach……so it’s not as simple as everyone saying sign this one and that one and this one and that one…..like everyone is DYING to come here….
Think about it fellas!!!!
February 24th, 2016 at 10:13 am
@Macabee
Not sure I agree with all of your moves but that was an excellent post!!
I love reading posts from guys who put in that much thought and provide that many specifics to back their point. Well done.
February 24th, 2016 at 10:22 am
So, Joe, you didn’t get to talk to Dan Marino? That’s okay. At least you got to talk to all the people worth talking to.
February 24th, 2016 at 11:28 am
after this offseason, GMC will look like a bargain at $14 million
February 24th, 2016 at 11:49 am
Guys will want to come to Tampa Bay to play with Famous Jameis Winston and with Gerald “double/triple teamed” McCoy. But I don’t think the Buc’s will have to sign free agents as though they were picking a team on Madden “16. There are plenty good players already on the roster.
The former coach was inept. That has been addressed.
There is a smart, up and coming GM, a consistency in the offensive coaching. The defensive can’t help but improve, I mean, wow, last year was awful.
There is the money. Lots of cap space to build that championship team. After all,..this is the year. This team will be in the playoffs.
I think Licht will have success in getting the playing he wants.
…..And if that is not enough there are other attractions like Busch Gardens and Disney is less than an hour away and a beautiful sundown at Clearwater Beach.
February 24th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
I totally agree with Tom Ed here. Free agents can sign anywhere they deem a fit for them or a place they think they will like. They have to truly want to come here. And with our history? A lot of players will not come. Nevermind You thinking we have the new, Golden boy HC and DC. They have done nothing yet. And Tampa is not that good at attracting free agents. All of the predictions are great. Now actually signing these guys is quite another thing.
Players are not dumb. They research our history.