Leonard Williams And The Bucs
February 17th, 2020
Tight with Bucs DC Todd Bowles.
It seems Bucco Bruce Arians likes his old players.
Arians tried to bring running back Andre Ellington out of mothballs, but that didn’t work.
Arians also tried to woo safety Honey Badger to the Bucs but ran out of Team Glazer loot.
(Ain’t that the sh!ts? It’s like you have X-amount of cash budgeted for your Vegas trip and you are running low on your last night there because you partied and gambled too hard. We’ve all been there.)
The Moneybacker, Deone Bucannon, was rushed to Tampa by Arians last spring to help the Bucs defense, but he got cut, too.
So Joe wonders if Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has the same affection Arians does for former players.
Over at Bleacher Report, Maurice Moton suggests Bucs fans should keep an eye on former Jets/Giants defensive lineman and soon-to-be free agent Leonard Williams, who will turn 26 this summer and is a former favorite of Bowles.
When coaching the Jets, Bowles went to bat for Williams pushing the notion he should get a contract extension. In Bowles’ last year with the Jets and the team struggling, Williams defended Bowles.
“Todd Bowles is definitely the right guy,” Williams said. “… I think people are too quick to give up on coaches or give up on our organization instead of allowing them to build when it takes time.” …
Under Bowles’ tutelage, Williams put together a Pro Bowl 2016 season, logging 68 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks. If the Buccaneers play-caller can bring out the best in the 6’5″, 302-pounder, Tampa Bay could maintain a solid front that ranked first in run defense in 2019 and generate more pocket pressure on the interior.
Look, Joe hates to say it, but of the three big defensive free agents (Shaq Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh), it’s fair to assume one will not come back. Of course Joe hopes they all return.
Willliams’ last decent season was 2018, when he had five sacks, which is how many sacks Vita Vea and Suh had last year combined. And Williams last year had 16 quarterback hits, which was more than Suh (14) and Vea (12).
February 17th, 2020 at 5:23 am
It’s all down to the dollar, what have we left when we get JW replacement vet and draft the next long term QB, defense comes 1st !
February 17th, 2020 at 5:46 am
Walter Football has Williams rated at 4 stars. I guess it depends on how much money he wants.
February 17th, 2020 at 5:47 am
I’d take him for suh
We just have to draft better
February 17th, 2020 at 5:58 am
This is probably the first FA suggestion here that I like. This would make sense for replacing Suh. Certainly younger and possibly cheaper.
February 17th, 2020 at 5:59 am
Sign the D first and give JW what’s lefy — assuming the Bucs want to keep him.
February 17th, 2020 at 6:00 am
Left
February 17th, 2020 at 6:29 am
As much as I like Suh he’s definitely the guy who is most likely not going to be resigned. I hope saving that 4 million last season to void a year off his contract was worth it. Signing Williams would mike it a much easier decision in the draft if Kinlaw and one of the top OTs were both on the board at 14.
February 17th, 2020 at 6:41 am
Jameis aint leaving. Stop wasting your time
February 17th, 2020 at 6:59 am
I wonder will Suh take a pay cut to stay.
February 17th, 2020 at 7:03 am
“Jameis aint leaving. Stop wasting your time”
JW is history, mark it down, D first, then vet,draft QB, you know it makes sense !
February 17th, 2020 at 7:04 am
He’d be a good replacement for Suh, as Suh will most likely be the one heading out of the afore-mentioned three big Defensive free agents. I’d like him replacing Gholston even better, if we could find a trade partner. However I think drafting Kinlaw would be the best and definitely cheaper move if we get lucky and he’s actually there at 14.
February 17th, 2020 at 7:16 am
Draft Suh’s replacement…..but Williams would work….
February 17th, 2020 at 7:33 am
Jamies is going to be the Bucs QB in 2020.
February 17th, 2020 at 7:53 am
Lest we forget again, Bucs have THREE DTs who are UFAs right now … Suh (6’4″ & 313 lbs), Allen (6’3″ & 327 lbs), Nunez-Roches (6’2″ & 307 lbs). Drafting 1 DT will not replace all 3 (the math doesn’t work).
Drafting a DT in the first 3 rounds is essential though IMO, but NOT to replace Ndamukong Suh. Let him replace Beau Allen and learn from Suh instead.
Williams would be a reasonable replacement for Suh … but I’d rather have Suh. Williams’ numbers with the Jets during the 1st half of last season were mediocre, and not all that much better in his 2nd half of the season with the Giants. In his last 3 years he’s averaged 1.5 sacks/year. Besides, the Giants paid a bunch to get him & there’s a good chance apparently that they’ll tag him to keep him ($13 mil on the transition tag seems like a lot for his production). Nah … I’d rather have Suh. And $10 mil for his productivity is quite fair & doable.
February 17th, 2020 at 7:53 am
Didn’t Williams make quite a bit more than Suh last season? Signing him, JPP, and Shaq would take $50 mil. This is what the draft is for. Draft a cheap replacement and keep costs down for five years instead of throwing money at every shiny object with a recognizable name.
February 17th, 2020 at 8:01 am
Gristle Season…Chewing Gum on the Bedpost Season….
So many needs and wants…only one pick middle of each round….enigma quarterback….one foot on the dock and the other on the boat…glass half empty or half full ?
February 17th, 2020 at 8:28 am
Doesnt make sense with a 78yr old bruce arians. Stop trying to speak it in existence
February 17th, 2020 at 8:41 am
I definitely would love to have Williams assuming Suh is not retained…Definitely has more upside than Suh at this point…
Side note for those praying Jameis is not a Buc next season…You guys may as well find a new team now…Like the Terminator he’ll be back…
February 17th, 2020 at 8:56 am
Joe pimps this guy just about every year.
Get ready for another LeVeon Bell article later today too.
February 17th, 2020 at 8:59 am
While I agree Suh is the most expendable (if any are), I think JPP will be the one to leave. His request to drop the final year of his contract in order to take a pay cut (which served no point at the time when you think about it) makes it clear he wants out.
February 17th, 2020 at 9:14 am
And…why would the Giants be letting a 26 year old strong interior D Lineman be walking out the door in his prime…exactly????! Especially when Judge as HC comes from the Patriots where they most certainly emphasize such a guy at such a position… Neah.
Kinlaw in the draft. And/or 1 yr $11 million for Suh if JPP walks. Shaq will be re-signed.
But Judge isn’t letting Williams leave New York. Gettleman has enough cap space too. Wasn’t a viable option.
February 17th, 2020 at 10:00 am
Sign Williams, Shaq, Suh, Nassib, free agent safety, free agent offensive tackle/guard and whatever QB they can buy for 20 mil.
February 17th, 2020 at 11:02 am
I am confident the Bucs will do the wrong thing, regardless of what or who it involves. 44 years of experience bears it out. The pirate curse remains alive and well.
February 17th, 2020 at 11:33 am
will get more than suh. if the team grabs williams they probably lost 2 of the 3 guys you mentioned, not just 1
February 17th, 2020 at 11:35 am
Dear buccaneers I am was really truly happy with the team last year season . Jason licht an Bruce Adrian of guys are reading this please don’t let Shigell Barrett an Ndamukong Suh an Beau Allen an Jason Pierre Paul an other people walk . JUST LET go the defensive end go an Jamis Winston walk. An I think the idea of the new front 7 defense line Barrett,Suh, Allen, Vea,Niassib, an William’s william make this line
On stoppble force.
February 17th, 2020 at 11:58 am
This guy is a lot younger than Suh and I’m guessing that he would be more expensive because of that. If we can find a way to sign Shaq, JPP, and this dude, I would love it.
February 17th, 2020 at 1:00 pm
Leonard Williams signed a 4 year, $18,630,866 contract with the New York Jets, including a $11,809,721 signing bonus, $18,630,866 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,657,717.
NYG/Williams paid him 3.5 million in base last year ; no signing bonus.
Suh was at 9.2 million in base last year.
Williams will be looking for that big signing bonus again but with only a half sack in 2019 his market may not be as strong.
February 17th, 2020 at 3:12 pm
If we lose Suh, then move to draft Brown…or trade down out of the first and draft Davidson…he’s more edge than DT but can also plat DT.
February 17th, 2020 at 5:47 pm
At 26, L.Williams is primed for a bounce back…Knowing how he was able to excel in Bowles system, it make perfect sense to consider him for a 2-3yr deal.
February 17th, 2020 at 7:46 pm
Need to bring Cam Newton to Tampa.. if so we can go get a decent defensive tackle an offensive take us to the playoffs. We have all the tools on offense was Cam Newton