No Need To Sweat

March 2nd, 2020

Update.

Joe has noticed some getting their briefs bunched up that the Bucs may use a franchise tag.

No, not on Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. But with Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett.

Shaq doesn’t want to be tagged. Nor does his agent, oily Drew Rosenhaus. Joe isn’t worried one bit. Why?

By franchise tagging Shaq, in a perfect world, that puts Shaq in another prove-it year. You can call Joe whatever you wish but jumping from a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2015 to 19.5 raises a lot of red flags.

Yes, yes, yes. The Broncos were stupid not to play him more. No question. Still, damn near quadrupling your career-high seems more of an outlier than not.

At worst, franchise tagging Shaq buys the Bucs and Rosenhaus more time to hammer out a long-term deal.

So no, Joe isn’t sweating. To quote Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians, he ain’t going anywhere.

In the meantime, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has an update on the Bucs’ negotiations with Rosenhaus in the video below.

28 Responses to “No Need To Sweat”

  1. Adrnagy Says:

    Yes. Tag him one year. No long term contract. He will be the next Albert haynesworth.

    By franchise tagging Shaq, in a perfect world, that puts Shaq in another prove-it year. You can call Joe whatever you wish but jumping from a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2015 to 19.5 raises a lot of red flags.

  2. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    I’m not going to cast doubts on Shaq. When we brought him in I knew nothing about him and there were a bunch of people here talking him up big.

    He came through for them, so I’m behind him 100% now.

  3. MidwestBucsFan Says:

    Agree with tagging Barrett as the right move.

    Plenty of time to work out the best contract for both sides, or as Joe mentions — place him in another ‘prove it’ year.

  4. Mister Negative Nancy Says:

    Yeah I kinda think it makes sense from the Bucs standpoint, though I think the NFLPA is idiotic to allow teams that option.

  5. Bruce Blahak Says:

    yes, franchise him, better chance that WinSTUNNED is properly dropped too

  6. rrsrq Says:

    Log term deal, esp. if you can’t keep JPP, the Bucs shouldn’t want to be going through this next off season, this is a free agent who actually worked out well for the Bucs, you have had him in the building and know his work ethic, how he fits with the defense and the team.

  7. Aaron Says:

    I think you sign him to a long term contract: he said he’d take a discount…remember, we want to bring in other FA and to be to show them that if they do their part we’ll do our part – goes a long way.

  8. Formerly Tampa 2 Says:

    Shaq already said that he would take less money to remain a Buc. All they need to see is “less than what”? Hope they get it done without the tag.

  9. BucEmUp Says:

    Probably best move to tag shaq but I want James to stay with that new 20 20 vision

  10. ModHairKen Says:

    Totally agree. Tag him. Let him out up even 10 sacks, and then give him a longer deal.

    And Shaq, you can thank Doug Molly Martin.

  11. zzbuc Says:

    JOe, I agree with you 100% n this one!!!!!!And makes sense if and only if they bring back JPP!!!!

  12. D-Rome Says:

    Still, damn near quadrupling your career-high seems more of an outlier than not.

    Shaq would have been a 10-12 sack per year guy in Denver if he got the amount of snaps there as he did in Tampa. He’s been a productive player his entire career. 19 sacks is an outlier but it’s not as if he’s going to go back down to 7 sacks.

  13. LordCornelius Says:

    To me the tag talk just means he is not going anywhere but a long term deal is still ideal for both sides.

    We went like a decade without finding a guy who could get 10 sacks a year and this guy had almost 20… Even if he regressed to like 8-10 sacks, that’d still be elite production relative to our pass rushers of the last decade.

  14. TOM Says:

    All that talk about Winsome Lasik surgery & now has 20/20 vision is all BS. Same with his thumb & leg injury. Just more stupid excuses why he was so bad. As far as Shaq goes I believe his sack total will remain high. Maybe not as high as 2019 but easily double digits.

  15. SOEbuc Says:

    If they can’t sign Godwin this year, they can not tag Shaq. He came into Bowels defense and got 18.5 sacks, even if he was playing next to Khalil Mack for a long time. Godwin and LVD who are most certainly due their money as FA in 2021.

  16. Defense Rules Says:

    Tagging Shaq isn’t the way to go IMO, UNLESS Shaq & his agent leave us no choice. He’s the real deal and we can’t let him get away. Would much rather see the Bucs do a long-term deal (4-5 years) for say $16-$17 mil per year with about 2 years guaranteed.

    But if the Bucs can’t get a deal like that done before March 10th, they have no choice but to franchise tag Shaq to keep him ‘in the fold’. They could still hammer out a long-term contract after that. But even if they didn’t, next year may be a different situation based on Shaq’s 2020 performance. Obviously no one knows at this point how it’ll all play out.

  17. Big O Says:

    At this point there’s no telling what’s going to happen just have to wait and see and let the chips fall where they may.

  18. 813bucboi Says:

    d-rome

    i agree….

    joe and others act like SHAQ was drafted in the first round by denver…..

    SHAQ was an UDFA sitting behind d.ware, v.miller and shane ray…..

    wrong move imo…..

    pay him!!!!

    i can see licht f’ing this up…lol…

    shaq signs the franchise and he gets 16.5 sacks next year….he tells licht i was willing to take less last year…..now i want to be the highest paid….

    imagine shaq getting 19.5 in 2019 and 16.5 in 2020 and then walking to the highest bidder…..

    GO BUCS!!!!!

  19. CPN Says:

    I’d rather pay Shaq… dude may not have 19.5 sacks again, but he is a force to beat on the line.

  20. Sorryjackchuckiesback Says:

    Again just looking at stats and not the reason for those stats!! Look at the tape! Barrett won with passion and a HUUUUGE bag of moves!! From hand moves to getting around the corner to bull rushing when he had to!! He won because he was better than the other guy!!! And also he didn’t just sack people!! He was good everywhere that is not a fluke!! Denver used him to drop back 90% of the time!! What you need to look at Joe is how many times did he get to the QB when he did rush for Denver!! I’ll bet he won most the time!! Like 6 out of 10!! I’ll bet when they did send him after the QB he got there!!

  21. WhatTheBuc Says:

    Signing him now will likely save money in the future. When the new CBA is signed, player salaries will increase. 15-16 million will be a bargain when then next guy up signs for 24 million. If you remember when Carr signed a 20 million dollar contract everyone was shocked. Now people are talking about trading for Carr’s team friendly deal.

  22. Rod Munch Says:

    Shaq has to do it again before I’m giving him a huge deal – because right now, if you do a long term deal, you’re paying him based on 20-sack production and it’s incredibly unlikely he ever has that type of production again. If he does then you gladly make him the highest paid defensive player in NFL history. But it’s much more likely he gets around 10-12 sacks, which is great, a really productive player, but not a $20-million a year player.

    In any case there’s no way I’m giving Shaq a long term deal, I’m franchising him while working out a bridge deal with Winston. If Shaq doesn’t like it, he can sit out, that’s his right.

  23. SteveK Says:

    Shaq is worth more than Jameis and more of a positive commodity to the team.

    This is the worst comment in a while, and to no surprise it comes from a fan that may also have FSU/Jameis above the Bucs. How can one say this with a straight face, and hope for Jameis to be back based on “merit”. And to compare Shaq to a player with no heart is disgusting. Do you play team sports? The nerve to question 20 Sack Shaq, but to put America’s Turnover Machine on a pedestal.

    Here is the trouble comment. I wish Charles Barkley could fall you and tell you how terrible it is. Knuckle-headed terrible.

    Adrnagy Says:
    March 2nd, 2020 at 10:38 am
    Yes. Tag him one year. No long term contract. He will be the next Albert haynesworth.

    By franchise tagging Shaq, in a perfect world, that puts Shaq in another prove-it year. You can call Joe whatever you wish but jumping from a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2015 to 19.5 raises a lot of red flags.

    ^^^

    FSU Honks Gone Wild!

  24. SteveK Says:

    Rod,

    Shaq getting paid before Jameis, as he should!

    Fought his ass off as a practice squad guy, then with the Broncos and comes here and fills Bowles role as las rusher to a tee.

    Shaq basically had the equivalent to 5100 yards passing, and 34 TDs- its just he didn’t give up the booty, get destroyed on the run-like Gerald- and set a franchise record for sacks.

    Jameis is not good. If he could turn it over at the league average rate and still air it out, then sure, sign me up.

    It’s laughable to see all the pro-Jameis fans doubting Shaq. It’s mind boggling when Shaq was so damn good. Winston had five years, the draft pedigree, and in his contract year he started 2-6, fought to 7-7 and laid 2 eggs at home to end the season. Half a dozen picks and 2 pick sixes, including a walk-off. But yeah, let’s not pay Shaq. FFS. What’s wrong with our fan base?

  25. Rod Munch Says:

    SteveK – Cool story, thanks for sharing bro.

    Anywho stupid, if you bothered to read what I wrote – I said you tag Shaq and get a bridge deal done with Jameis – that means you keep them both.

  26. Defense Rules Says:

    Rod Munch … “If Shaq doesn’t like it, he can sit out, that’s his right.”

    And there-in lies the potential problem Rod. Remember what Oily Rosenhaus did with Errict Rhett? According to an article at the time on Rhett …

    “As if Rhett hadn’t already done enough damage to his bank account, his future and his reputation, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, played the part of Dr. Kevorkian. Rosenhaus forgot to send a letter voiding the final year of Rhett’s original contract.

    “That was the biggest mistake I ever made,” Rhett said. “We forgot to send in that fax. I thought that was the game plan. I had no idea he actually forgot to do it. That was devastating to me right there.”

  27. SteveK Says:

    Munch,

    I read, Winston ain’t worth a new contract. Especially in a world where Shaq doesn’t get his deal.

    lol stop being a 🤡

  28. pick6 Says:

    the tag is always a gamble. this offseason more proven statmakers will get higher annual values than shaq in a long term deal, anything north of 12 sacks next year and Shaq will be the market-setter next offseason