Stay Or Go With Kwon?
March 8th, 2019
Where will he be next week?
It isn’t out of the realm of possibility the Bucs could have a new middle linebacker this year.
Of course, Kwon Alexander, the incumbent Bucs middle linebacker and playcaller of the defense, is a free agent. Alexander had the rotten luck of blowing out his knee in a contract year.
This, as much as anything, could doom Alexander’s days with the Bucs. Jenna Laine of ESPN takes a look at where things stand with Alexander.
Multiple teams have expressed interest in Alexander. How much are they willing to pay? That’s the big question, considering he’s coming off a torn ACL, although it doesn’t appear to have affected his market.
Prior to Alexander’s injury, he was seeking $12 million annually. The Bucs weren’t willing to go above $10 million, which is consistent with the salaries of Bobby Wagner, Alec Ogletree, Benardrick McKinney and Eric Kendricks, and teams tend to look at comparable deals when negotiating. Alexander still may get $12 million from some team, but the Bucs should be prepared to at least hit the $10-million threshold if they hope to keep him.
Look, Joe has stated time and again Alexander may be the perfect teammate. His intangibles are through the roof. But $10 million for a guy coming off knee surgery who even before that only finished one full season? And this isn’t even factoring in the Bucs defense with Alexander calling plays has been mostly rotten as can be.
Just by comparison, Crows inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, who has missed only three games in his five-year NFL career, was making just under $9 million last year. If Alexander is worth $10 million Mosley is worth $12 million.
Look, Joe likes Alexander but there are way too many questions with his game and his health to see any team coughing up $10 million a year for him That’s all there is to it.
March 8th, 2019 at 5:41 am
Hasn’t finished a season, suspended for 4 games, misses too many tackles, and is routinely out of position on a horrific defense! This type of “productivity” is easily replaceable , and for cheaper.
Stop settling Buc fans!
March 8th, 2019 at 5:50 am
Resign him move him to OLB in the 3-4 or keep him in the middle. Draft Devin White become explosive on defense and win up front. I don’t think they are going to get any outside players except for honey badger. BA loves Barber so there won’t be a new RB coming in and I think a few planned releases on defense will bring him back and sign the badger. Allen, Unrein, Gholston are gone. A few offensive lineman being let go will bring Hump back as well meaning Beneoch, E. Smith, are gone for sure and those releases could bring in the badger as well if Hump decides to walk. We gotta keep Kwon and Hump if we are to have a continuity for this run. Guys who are familiar with each other not the area but guys who are familiar with the area maybe accepted as well as always
March 8th, 2019 at 6:06 am
10 is not worth it for the product on the field. Not even close. Especially after acl injury. But we reward mediocrity here
Crazy if someone would pay him that. Guessing Bucs are offering in 7-8 range
March 8th, 2019 at 6:08 am
Bucs have made their “substantial” offer. Probably like $30M over 4 years with $15M guaranteed.
Much more than that seems not worth it to me – especially with the added risk being taken on because of the uncertainty about Alexander’s abilities and availability in 2019 coming back from a major knee injury.
Kwon seems intent on testing free agency – so I guess we’ll find out whether the open market thinks he’s worth $10+M or not. I’m betting on NOT.
The Bucs basically have a dead lock on Kwon’s upgraded replacement if they want to go that route and take Devin White at #5 in this year’s draft….
March 8th, 2019 at 6:38 am
Kwon best days are being anything more than 10 mil is robbery.
March 8th, 2019 at 6:54 am
The Bucs think success is resigning their own players to second contracts no matter how good, or bad they are. Until we get a G.M., and ownership that thinks success is actually winning games, doesn’t matter what they do.
March 8th, 2019 at 6:55 am
CJ Mosley would be a big sign, as big as Hardy Nickerson was all those years ago. Please, no more LSU LBs. No more Clemson DLs. Get a Safety from somewhere.
And if this team wants Barber to run, it has to upgrade the OL. We have the C. Now we need a RG.
March 8th, 2019 at 6:57 am
Do we not understand that we are in serious cap trouble…….fans keep talking about cutting Djax to save all our problems…..
There is no talk about all the FA players that are still unsigned……including a kicker, Peyton Barber, Backup QB…..backup linemen a S, 2 CBs, WR. TE LS & 3 LBs…..(currently, we have Beckwith, LVD & Bulloch)
Squeeze all that out of Djax.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:04 am
Just let him walk. He’s average at best and we can draft his replacement or sign Hicks away from Philly
March 8th, 2019 at 7:10 am
I trust THIS staff to properly evaluate the roster, and make whatever changes they deem necessary. But the more guys they bring back, the more it’s an indictment of just how bad they feel the prior coaching staff did their jobs. Think about it. If they are bringing these guys back, its because they think they can get more production out of them with PROPER coaching. I for one am curious to see what a competent coaching staff can do with the guys we have. Forever, we have seen our players go to other teams and flourish, because those teams know how to coach up their players. I believe we now have the proper level of coaching here to get the most out of our players, and I’m excited to see how it’s all gonna shake out.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:11 am
He’s bogus. Time to move on.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:15 am
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 8th, 2019 at 6:57 am
Do we not understand that we are in serious cap trouble…….fans keep talking about cutting Djax to save all our problems…..
There is no talk about all the FA players that are still unsigned……including a kicker, Peyton Barber, Backup QB…..backup linemen a S, 2 CBs, WR. TE LS & 3 LBs…. ”
Actually, buddy, the Bucs imported a kicker and signed him.
K Philip Anderson
S Justin Evans
S Jordan Whitehead
CB Vernon Hargreaves
CB Carlton Davis
Plenty of guys we can cut for who we need, but you are right if you are saying we cannot make a splash free agent signing. Not if we plan to keep our good players.
We have the TEs already.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:20 am
Tampa bay, don’t buy into the hype. We are not in serious cap trouble. In real dollars we aren’t even in the top 10 of cap numbers. There are many ways to drop the cap number that we haven’t had to consider since there weren’t any players worth paying on the roster. Yes Djax can be cut amongst other names. JPP could be extended with cash upfront and drop salary. Some players like Vea had front loaded contracts that will drop this season. From what I see McCoy has 3 years on his contract. If we don’t cut him or renegotiate, his salary can drop with cash. Say give him 5 million cash up front and spread it out over the remaining years. That drops 2 million off his cap hit. There are a number of small deals like this. The list of players that you included is inflated. TE ? Really? You think we need a TE. 3 LBs? Maybe 2. I wouldn’t stress over the Glaziers money.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:24 am
Bye
I’m sick of my favorite team over paying for underperforming players
March 8th, 2019 at 7:27 am
Don’t forget the 10 million every team is getting at the start of the league year.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:28 am
Here’s how I look at it: Kwon Alexander is the QB of our defense, but he was hampered by Mike Smith and his horrible coaching.
LVD is NOT the QB of the defense, and he is getting $8m per year. So is it fair to expect Kwon to take less than LVD? I don’t think so.
Joe’s statement above leads us to believe Kwon wasn’t good, but he is actually very good. He was misused. Not to mention there were so many injuries last year that he had a bunch of scrubs constantly blowing assignments.
And yes, that’s the other side of it. The part no one is mentioning. This team was desimated by injuries last year. Most of the defensive players were backups or signed off the street.
So laying the blame at Kwon’s feet is narrow minded at best.
And frankly, I love Kwon and GMC, but if I had to choose one over the other, I would choose Kwon.
Forget the whole 3-4 thing. When all is said and done, we will barely see it.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:33 am
What the buc, words of wisdom. Very well said.
Also, since the team doesn’t have to be under the cap until September, they can sign who they want. When current players see the new names, they’ll want to stay and will be more willing to do new deals.
You bring up some excellent points!
March 8th, 2019 at 7:37 am
I will say this: Given the choice between Humphries and Kwon?
I have to choose Hump. But I hate to lose either. The thought of Hump getting 4 rings with the Pats or Kwon playing against us sickens me.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:56 am
Bonzai
Right we do have a kicker & if you are happy with him at $500k…..fine…..but we are short many players…….and @ $500k per player adds up……and try to get a backup QB & Peyton Barber for that.
Yes we can cut a multitude of other players but they have to be replaced also…..why do you think Peyton Barber & others have not been signed…..Wester, Lidekte,,,,,we only have 3 TEs and usually go with 4. Only have 1 QB and usually go with 3.
We only have 6 draft picks.
Why is it do you think we haven’t signed Peyton Barber?…..praise from all the new coaches & he is hanging out there in FA.
I hear about all of these moves we can make…..but so far the only one has been Curry.
Any hope of bringing back Kwon & Hump is wishful thinking. And Honey Badger & Dee Ford are dreams at this stage.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:59 am
Kwon, is an average LB and will not get the $9-10 mil he is looking for, i know recovery time is better now but the bucs have one LB to use in their 3-3 scheme in david and now can draft devin white and then the other “LB” is going to be JPP or nassib. Starting defense in 2019 will be:
DL: Mcoy, Vea, JPP
LB: Devin White, LVD, Nassib (Rush End)
DBs: Honey Badger, Evans, Whitehead & VH3, C Davis
I think that Bowles can get some work done with these guys, need an extra LB for run downs when you are not running nickel but that looks good on paper
March 8th, 2019 at 8:09 am
Pass. I prefer to land Z Smith from Baltimore as an UFA. Then add a lower level depth guy like Sam Acho or someone of that ilk. We need beefier LB’s going forward, and healthier ones as much as we can control.
Besides, Bowles will make the exact call on what size/shape/pedigree of LB that he’ll require. My guess is it ain’t Kwon, unless only in 2nd tier of FA one one year low prove it deal, still then he would need to move outside. Just pass.
Go Bucs! Land Quinnen!
March 8th, 2019 at 8:12 am
When you have a poor defense, overpaid players, its time to start over. you keep signing guys that are average with no CAP space. This is business 101.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:17 am
@ What the Buc & Bonzai
Sorry guys…..the $187-191 Million Cap for 2019 is already figured in…..we are at $194 right now.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:26 am
I like Kwon but im not on board with paying him top 3 mlb money. Bush out of Michigan and Wilson out of Alabama should both be there by the begining of round 2.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:31 am
save the miney draft white and put spence at olb
March 8th, 2019 at 8:38 am
Let kwon and hump go, get some comp pics next year.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:39 am
What the buc … This year’s CAP increase has already been factored in. Supposedly it now stands at $188,200,000 for 2019 (last year it sat at $177,200). Bucs also have $4.5 mil rollover Cap from 2018 giving us $192,700,000 to play with. Factor in existing contracts for the 59 players currently under contract (as of yesterday), dead money, signing bonuses & workout bonuses, and they come up with $190,978,551 for the Top-51 players (Rule of 51 applies). That leaves us with $1,721,449 of salary Cap space, and we’d still need about $9.2 mil to cover rookie salaries.
Spotrac Bucs Cap Space .. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/tampa-bay-buccaneers/cap
Spotrac NFL Cap Space (by team) .. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap
By the way, all those saying that we have PLENTY OF MONEY because we can cut certain players & reduce/restructure some salaries need to be aware that every player we cut (like say DJax?) means we have to find & pay an equivalent player to fill their shoes (snaps, production, etc). For instance, if Bucs get rid of DJax AND Hump, that’s a LOT of snaps you just did away with (that must be replaced) AND a LOT of productivity. Thinking that you’re just gonna pick up a UDFA to fill those shoes and pay them peanuts is wishful thinking at best.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:54 am
Take away the rooster hair, chest-thumping after a routine play and the whole LiTiRilla persona, and Kwon Alexander is not even a top 2/3 MLB. The ACL just lowers his already low value.
He is too small, not particularly smart, hardly the fastest LB in the league, plays out of control because he is small, routinely gets blocked into the cheap seats, overpursues and takes horrible angles.
Being the QB is one of the worst defenses in NFL history is hardly a strong bona fide.
I just do not get the Kwon Love. I wish the guy would just shut up and elevate his game 100%.
Unless something extraordinary happens in the draft—trades, etc.—I would not at all be surprised if Devin White to be the new Bucs MLB who makes a huge improvement for the Bucs D.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:05 am
this is the only fan base on planet earth debating to keep two career losers one who is a key member of some of the most embarrassing defensive units in nfl history who is fragile and can’t tackle the other is a short, slow wr that has NO UPSIDE who is nothing more than a depth backup you hope never has to play he is a 5 or 6 who is the most boring player on special teams in entire nfl…. you people and your emotionally weak attachments to bad players is so laughable… thank you
i truly believe you losers would rather defend failures than actually try and improve. emotional attachments to losers give you more loses…..
do you fools love the basement or would you finally like to taste some success???? or maybe you are just happy living in the past off a trophy that expired 15 years ago.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:25 am
Yes, we have to replace players we cut. But the draft will replace a bunch too. And undrafted FAs.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:28 am
Devin White , eskettitttttt
March 8th, 2019 at 9:43 am
Good point. May well be.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Kwon Alexander may be the most overrated Buccaneer over the past several years. He plays hard and seems like a good guy but my goodness, you can’t bring the entire band back and expect a different outcome.
Bonzai, I hate to break it to but you’re not some NFL insider. No one around here writes with more hubris than you while being wrong so often on what the Bucs will and will not do. It’s fine to have opinions on what you think the Bucs should do but you write as if you have inside information on what the Bucs *will* do. We all know you don’t.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:00 am
I like Kwon.
Big talent.
Still young.
Now would have extremely good defensive coaches.
He has stud potential.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:08 am
It’s embarrassing when we have the worst defense in history and he showboats and talks trash making a play in garbage time.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:15 am
JesusHChrist Says:
March 8th, 2019 at 8:38 am
Let kwon and hump go, get some comp pics next year.
Not likely…..the compensatory rules require a high salary and they don’t have one.
The most likely FA compensatory losses for the Bucs 2020 draft would be Brent Grimes & Fitz…….Curry won’t count because we cut him causing his FA status.
All other FAs are low salary players.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:24 am
Tmax what would you do? Just curious cuz I never hear a solution from you. The only thing that you post is soft, losers, cancer an negativity bro life’s to short to always be so negative put a smile on 😉
March 8th, 2019 at 10:49 am
I hope they are looking very closely at this LB corp. Kwon’s problems. Don’t even know if Beckwith will be able to return to the game (Bucs sure as hell haven’t mentioned anything), having no clue what the injury prone Spence would look like at OLB. The LB corp was down to about the third or fourth string except for LVD last year.
There could be some serious trades on defense for younger pro bowler types (i.e. C.J. Mosley). Even JPP and/or LVD. Those guys motors are still pro bowlers running hard but we need some fresh meat and would would give us a lot more cap space and likely something very nice in return.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:52 am
1buc
Solutions are pointless…. glazers have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they have no intentions of fielding a competitive team. Like 99.5% of bucfan glazers are content living in the past with underachieving has beens as legengss and celebrating the trophy that expired 15 years ago. Glazers dont have to field a good bucfan would not understand it
March 8th, 2019 at 11:24 am
Unfortunately, Kwon was looking pretty slow and stiff BEFORE the injury.
Which is one reason why I changed my name from ‘The Kwon Alexander of Bucs Fans’
March 8th, 2019 at 11:48 am
>>> It’s embarrassing when we have the worst defense in history and he showboats and talks trash making a play in garbage time.<<<
Didn't he call Warren Sapp a mother f'er on Instagram? SOB should be thrown off the team just for that. This guy couldn't wash Sapp's jockstrap.
March 8th, 2019 at 12:03 pm
TBBF… Looks tome like we could have $14.5 mil to play with AFTER paying the projected rookie pool ($9.2 mil) AND AFTER cutting DJax ($10 mil), Unrein ($3.75 mil), Anger ($3 mil), and ‘restructuring’ GMC from $13 mil to $8 mil. We’d also pick up some $$$ by releasing some of the guys on the current roster who won’t make the final 53. Still not very much to play with.
We NEED to sign 4 FA starting-caliber vets as a minimum IMO: Kicker, RB, starting outside CB, and a starting Guard. Add in our other NEEDS (like a backup QB) and we’re in dire straits IMO. But to listen to some JBFers… NO PROBLEM.
March 8th, 2019 at 12:51 pm
Good thing the Browns don’t have to worry about Joe Thomas anymore, and you see, they started winning without him. So it must have been all his fault right?
This is the logic you are applying to Kwon Alexander, makes no sense. He is not responsible for a poorly ran franchise or an outdated soft scheme. Keep pushing that narrative though.
March 8th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
@Defense….
We do have a few bucks……now if Licht can restructure GMC from $13 to $8…..he is a miracle worker……..think he can get to $10 though.
That restructure deal pretty much has to match what GMC could get on the open market…..and I think he is worth more than $8……JPP proved that.
March 8th, 2019 at 1:21 pm
Cobraboy wins this thread….
March 8th, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Alaskan Abdominal Snowman Says:
no he is not responsible for a poorly ran franchise or an outdated soft scheme that honor goes to the glazer tools that being said Kwon is responsible for his loud mouth, inability to tackle, bad angles and fragility that keeps him off the field. kwon is a backup on any contender in the league bucs have proven they can lose with all these popular fan favorites who suck on Sundays why not give some fresh blood a shoot or is that too terrifying…
March 8th, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Yeah Cobraboy nailed it. Kwon is just not worth the hype. The Film doesn’t lie.
March 8th, 2019 at 5:21 pm
Ok Guys. Time to move past mediocrity. Qwon will be ok but..He will never return to that 90 to 100% again. Them ACL’s never truly heal. Time to move on…
March 8th, 2019 at 6:13 pm
I’m with the guys on the Devin White bandwagon. He’s 15 lbs heavier than Kwon and smokes Kwons 4.55 40 with a 4.42.
If one of the “big three DL” fall to us I would understand taking one…outside of that I think it should be White. He has the ability to play a critical position in the middle of our D and make a real difference. I believe he is worth a 5th unless Licht KNOWS for sure he can get him later.
BTW…I agree with Dusthy’s lineup but I believe he and others have written off Spence to soon. Spence is in the same position as JW. They BOTH have this year to show their real talent. For Spence the new defense might be just what is needed and like JW getting coaching help so will Spence with Bowles.
March 9th, 2019 at 11:46 am
Like his intensity but he’s not worth overpaying 10+ mil.