Projecting The 2021 Bucs
February 15th, 2021
Extension?
It’s fun to think about what the Bucs will be in 2021, even though Joe doesn’t want to quit embracing that Super Bowl victory eight days ago.
The way Joe looks at it, the Bucs should win the NFC South.
Joe doesn’t think there is any reason why they shouldn’t, unless park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, trophy-throwing Bucs Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady’s knee is much worse than we believe or God forbid he gets hurt.
Joe’s good friend Mike Tanier over at Pro Football Network has an interesting if not smart piece on how the Bucs’ roster will look next season.
Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are by no means prohibitive favorites to repeat as NFC or Super Bowl champions. But they are clear short-listers, along with the Packers and a few other teams.
Similarly, replay Super Bowl LV with a healthier Chiefs offensive line and some slightly more even-handed officiating in the first half and the results would be very different. Teams like the Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens are better bets to win Super Bowl LVI than the Buccaneers, who still belong among the top contenders.
Of course, all of this is moot if Brady finally starts to do what human beings in their 40s are supposed to do. When that happens, it happens. Until then, the Buccaneers have a chance.
Tanier studies many Bucs and tries to find out which free agents stay and which players may get contract extensions to free up 2021 cap space to keep those free agents. For example, Tanier believes Donovan Smith is a prime candidate to get his contract extended.
Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett is a must to return, Tanier believes, though he will costly. Tanier also believes it would be foolish to nickel-and-dime kicker Ryan Succop and return to the horrifying kicker merry-go-round the Bucs were known for in the Lost Decade.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:14 am
God no!
Let Durable Donnie loaf his way out of town.
Yes, the line played well this year but he’s still the biggest liability.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:20 am
Give it a rest bub. Donavan earned his spot this year plus he has Brady’s trust. That’s something u can’t buy. These guys don’t grow on trees.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:23 am
HTF, Smith a liability?
He has played extremely well this year with a QB that he can actually block for as the play is designed, as opposed to the other guy we suffered through for 5 years
February 15th, 2021 at 8:26 am
Let’s face it, if Brady wants him to stay, he stays. If Brady wants him gone, he is gone. Simple as that!
February 15th, 2021 at 8:30 am
Some of you crack me up.. LT’s don’t grow on trees. Anyone saying just let Smith go is kidding themselves. The “replacements” in FA are old and arguably not an upgrade and we are not in a great position to draft someone that is day 1 better than what D. Smith is now. These are just the facts.
This is all aside from the fact that D. Smith earned our respect by his play as of late. I think bucs should resign him and try to do so in a way that helps our cap situation this year.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:31 am
Time for the cap genius (l think it’s Greenberg?) to earn his money.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:47 am
So David is on decline ?and Bucs move on from OJ and Godwin too Lol. To sign shaq .. pls.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:48 am
There’s always a village idiot.
Go Bucs
February 15th, 2021 at 8:50 am
@nagy what are you taking about homie? Wrong thread
Go Bucs
February 15th, 2021 at 8:53 am
Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett is a must to return, though he will costly.
That might be an understatement, because other teams will also be bidding on Shaq, and may run up the price to silly levels.
I also agree that Donavan Smith earned his spot this year, plus he has Brady’s trust.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:53 am
Stupi go and read the pro footaball mike tanier article
Rico 210 Says:
February 15th, 2021 at 8:55 am
Donovan Smith stepped up and played well in the biggest games in his life. He has earned my respect, after so many times of seeing his maddening erratic play, he showed well during one of the great runs through the playoffs and Super Bowl. Keep him. Franchise Shag and work out everything from there. KEEP THE FRONT DEFENSIVE 7 INTACT. Without them as the foundation, even with Brady, the Buccaneers would not be WORLD CHAMPIONS. GO BUCS!!!!!
February 15th, 2021 at 8:58 am
A post with no context and you call me stupid? Really? Ok homie, thanks for the info
Go Bucs
February 15th, 2021 at 9:00 am
Idiots like Rico don’t know nothing about Bucs. Like most of all you girls … too much toilet water you drinking daily.
Licht keeps his own. …Meaning Godwin , David , OJ , will be back.
Shaq , fournette , suh will test market or Tag.
Evans will take pay cut to sign is buddy Godwin. White will push to get David
AB and gronk are in a different level bcuz of Brady . So yes they will be back.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:06 am
BTW I do not know what Mike Tanier is thinking, but barring injury, the Brady led Bucs will be a lot better offensively and on defense. They will hit the ground running as opposed to last years chaotic beginning to the season. Brady did not even know where the bathroom was at 1 Buc palace was until late July. This team should be a buzz saw for teams to play from game 1. So it sounds like Mike Tanier has lingering affects of continuing to drink the KC Koolaide. This Bucs team is going to be a dominant team next year, full of confidence and a comfort level with each other that they did not have this year until late in the season. Every team will bring the A game, lol but they do not have BRADY lol and lets not forget the emerging powerhouse defense the Bucs have. GO BUCS!!!!!
February 15th, 2021 at 9:07 am
That’s a terrible article by someone who obliviously isn’t familiar with our team. I think Lenny, Brown, & either Brate or Howard are gone. I don’t see David, Godwin, Smith or Barrett (unless he is unreasonable) going anywhere. Suh could retire or play another year and will most likely want his 8-9 mil.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:20 am
I don’t understand why it is such a stretch of the imagination to accept the most penalized team in football was actually called for a handful of penalties.
This is not shocking, Chiefs apologists.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:26 am
Smith had a PFF of 72, had 11 penalties, gave up six sacks in 962 snaps. It’s not all–pro, but it’s ok
February 15th, 2021 at 9:29 am
Guys, Howard is already signed on his fifth year option so he’s not gone unless we cut him which we won’t or trade him.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:37 am
I typically try not to let comments about officiating like Tanier’s in this article bother me, but I’ve absolutely had it at this point.
Romo said at the very beginning of the game that the Chiefs were known for being grabby. So, if you don’t want refs to call holding on you, you know what you should do? Don’t hold? The Chiefs earned that reputation.
On top of that, what does Tanier mean when he says “more even-handed officiating”? The Chiefs actually got away with other stuff that wasn’t even called! And, please point out to me where the Bucs consistently got away with stuff? The Chiefs lost because they couldn’t score ONE touchdown on this defense.
Also, this wouldn’t have been a Chiefs win if they had a healthier O-line as Tanier suggests. I mean, did he see how the D-line had been playing, not only in that game, but in the games against GB and NO? The D-line had been destroying better O-lines than the Chiefs before that game. So, that argument holds no water.
Normally, what media says doesn’t irritate me, but when they begin to work on discrediting a team’s win, and that’s EXACTLY what Tanier did here, though I’m sure he’ll claim he didn’t, it gets me mad.
Ok, rant over…Sorry, Joe. I know you like Tanier, but these were some ignorant comments that I normally don’t see out of him.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:41 am
So. Is Tanier saying that the regular season has rules which allow the selection of playoff teams, but those rules change with the playoffs and change again in the Super Bowl?
“Officiating” had nothing to do with the large number of Chief penalties. Overly aggressive play and poor coaching did.
The chiefs were also out coached.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:49 am
” slightly more even-handed officiating”
Do people even Watch the game more than once before coming up with conclusions like this. Props to Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe for doing so. I watched one of their shows where they went through ALL 13 penalties.
There was only ONE they didn’t approve of. Those penalties were Legit!
February 15th, 2021 at 10:04 am
Sb ^^^^
I agree. Bucs should have won by a lot more.
-They could not score from 1 yard line and turn over on downs
-Jensen snaps ball over brady head on possible td score
– hudson shows he is not receiving tight end on pass from brady in endzone
Bucs should have scored 40-50
In regards to no tackles for chiefs. The bucs blitzes on only 7 snaps. The rest of the game , got pressure with rush normal 4
They said mahommes was most pressured qb in super bowl history
Pressured around 60 percent of drop backs
Chiefs got dominated on both sides of ball
Penalties did not me jack
February 15th, 2021 at 10:07 am
Smith isn’t going anywhere. He’s signed through 2021.
Really don’t believe the Bucs can afford all three (David, Godwin and Barrett). Lawd, if people cannot see how important Shaq is, Joe prays for them.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:12 am
Completely agree with the Succop part. Us losing him is literally throwing away points, and ultimately throwing away games.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:30 am
I love it! Keep doubting the Bucs! We thrive on the doubters and naysayers!
February 15th, 2021 at 10:30 am
Thanks coach adrnagy Now we see how things will work. Now back to the toilet.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:32 am
Before the season started, I posted up several times that TB12 was not broken; it’s great for football and Tampa that Brady is with the Bucs; and that they would make several runs. I hoped they might win it right away- WOW! Now, wasn’t that special? And we’re already at the part where the team is picking last; players can cash-in and go; and there’s a strong core that has bought into the winning bit and wants more. Cheers!
Don’t get too attached to characters; be afraid to lose a few players along the way. This ride ain’t over. If you put the same/exact team out there every years, teams would key on and beat you. It’s like hitting in baseball; keep ’em off-balanced. Another draft surprise/starter; some more “I want to play with the GOAT”; and some mid-season pickups…back at the big dance. Lots to look forward to.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:43 am
Joes
I agree. Shaq is a freak. Had to play left side this year after 18.5 sacks on right
People on here claiming he is not worth big bucks
That vea is reason for all his numbers
Dont get me wrong , i think vea is a huge asset for this team
But people need to give shaq is credit too
Jpp too
But Unlike jpp , shaq can run down mahommes and rodgers. Not many can do that.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:47 am
Bird:
Pass rusher is the most important position on a defense. It just is. Without Shaq, Joe isn’t sure the Bucs beat the Packers and maybe they don’t beat the Chiefs. Is it any coincidence that through the Lost Decade the Bucs couldn’t buy a sack, and they sucked? And once they found a pass rusher the team got much better?
Simply put, if the Bucs don’t keep Shaq, the offseason is a fail.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:53 am
Godwin, as good as he is, will negatively affect the team’s roster at $17-18 million per year. It’s reality.
Bucs D must be retained, period.
February 15th, 2021 at 11:01 am
Franchise Shaq and keep the D intact, Godwin is not the priority that keeping the D is. GO BUCS!!!!
February 15th, 2021 at 11:13 am
Anyone who thinks Smith is a liability is a football maroon…
February 15th, 2021 at 11:16 am
I suggest to all if you who think Donnie is good to go back and watch just him during all of our games.
I focus on him a lot and he usually disappoints. All he does is back peddle. He only focuses on one man. Sometimes he missed them completely. He’s slow and he never tries to do anything extra.
Watch Wirfs, he gets his first man usually and then looks for more.
Donnie?
Oh, I got my guy…..
Yes we won the Super Bowl but that doesn’t mean that everyone on that OL is a high quality player.
Move Wirfs to LT and draft a RT
That’s the smart move because DD ain’t worth 14 mil.
February 15th, 2021 at 11:25 am
All the so-called media experts said the Chiefs would win too, even with the OL injuries!
Man people are just dumb.
They write to get clicks and throw all logic out.
February 15th, 2021 at 11:57 am
Smith & Howard signed for 2021 doesn’t mean they can’t be traded. The thing is Howard is just to injury prone & besides I think TB & Brate have a special connection. As far as Lazy ass Smith goes he plays good when he feels like it. Myself I would try & trade both. Need the cap space.
February 15th, 2021 at 11:59 am
The Chiefs got their butts whipped plain and simple. Embrace it.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:01 pm
Smith stepped up for the playoffs, which is good. That doesn’t negate his sometimes maddening laziness during plays. I’d like to see him step up every game before handing him another big contract
February 15th, 2021 at 12:20 pm
He’s basically saying if you play that game again, Chiefs win and that they are the better team. Seen a few say this…either Brady haters or they lost money on a bet and are butthurt for being wrong.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:21 pm
” slightly more even-handed officiating”
SB…that irks the shyte out of me too….especially with KC being one of the most penalized teams in the NFL to begin with.
They lost because they couldn’t score any td’s. Period.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:24 pm
95% of the “experts” and “analysts” picked the Chiefs prior to the game and gave reasons why.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:30 pm
Joe can assure you the Bucs have zero inclination to get rid of Donovan Smith, whether by trade or by release. You are just going to have to stock up on Mylanta for the foreseeable future when it comes to Donovan Smith. He’s not going anywhere for at least the next season.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:37 pm
Jeez Joe. You just gave me an anxiety attack. Didnt realuze Succop was a free agent. Seems like it should be a foregone conclussion he returns……but lets face it, this front office does like to get overly cute at the kicker position.
February 15th, 2021 at 1:52 pm
so here’s the thing. we rarely do signig bonuses, so that means that there is basically no dead cap money in the future. so we actually have a lot of flexibility in terms on setting up contaracts that divert signing bonuses and have low base pay against the cap, which is what the saints have been doing, so if they choose to make a run and worry about the cap in the future, we have plenty of options to bring back everyone that we need, and possibly even add a decent backup or 2, as well
February 15th, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Somebody tell this guy we won 11 not 10 games. Also we would have beat the Chiefs even if their line was healthy.
February 15th, 2021 at 2:28 pm
Here’s yet another perspective on projections for 2021 Bucs roster, assuming certain key players sign for amounts shown (double asterisk denotes free agents):
Offense (Starters) … using 2021 Spotrac numbers for existing contracts:
1 – (QB) Brady … $28,375,000
2 – (RB) RoJo … $2,250,154
3 – (WR) Evans … $16,637,500
4 – ** (WR) Brown … $4,000,000
5 – ** (TE) Gronk … $9,250,000
6 – (TE) OJ … $6,013,000
7 – (LT) Smith … $14,250,000
8 – (LG) Marpet … $12,025,000
9 – (C) Jensen … $10,000,000
10 – (RG) Cappa … $1,118,426
11 – (RT) Wirfs … $3,688,188
Total committed on starting offense: $107,607,268
Defense (Starters) … using 2021 Spotrac numbers for existing contracts:
1 – (DL) Vea … $4,716,803
2 – ** (DL) Suh … $8,000,000
3 – (DL) Gholston … $5,500,000
4 – (DE/OLB) JPP … $12,500,000
5 – ** (DE/OLB) Shaq … $15,000,000
6 – ** (ILB) LVD … $10,000,000
7 – (ILB) White … $8,170,222
8 – (CB) Davis … $1,397,809
9 – (CB) SMB … $2,011,636
10 – (S) Whitehead … $1,086,815
11 – (S) Winfield … $1,660,724
Total committed on starting defense: $70,044,009
Special Teams (Starters) … using 2021 Spotrac numbers for existing contracts:
1 – (P) Pinion … $2,800,000
2 – ** (PK) Succop … $4,500,000
3 – ** (LS) Triner … $675,000
Total committed to primary Special Teams: $7,975,000
TOTAL COMMITTED TO STARTING 25: $185,626,277
Houston, we have a problem, and it’s a big one. We NEED to sign 28 MORE players to make up our 53-man team, PLUS pay our Practice Squad players, PLUS keep enough in reserve to cover FA signing necessitated by injuries.
To do that, we have very few, if any, salary CAP dollars (NFL still hasn’t told us yet what 2021’s salary CAP will be; some have projected as low as $180 mil while others think it may stay the same as 2020’s $198 mil).
Either way, we’ll need to free up in the vicinity of $50 mil to cover our remaining personnel needs. Fun times ahead.
February 15th, 2021 at 2:55 pm
^^^^
Trade/release
Donovan 14
OJ 6
LVD 10
AB 4
+35 million
February 15th, 2021 at 2:56 pm
Strongly consider drafting Jensen’s replacement too.
He’s not 10 million good.
February 15th, 2021 at 3:03 pm
Tanier is a complete idiot. Anyone who predicts next season at this point is an idiot.
February 15th, 2021 at 3:03 pm
I like Tanier, a lot, but I think he’s a little wrong here:
Yes, they get rid of Four.
I think they franchise God.
I think they sign Shaq long term.
I think they sign David to a team-friendly deal.
But I also don’t think Gronk signs for more than six, and neither does Suh. They restructure Mike, and hang on: why wouldn’t Brady restructure? Add a year to the deal, reduce his cap hit by at least 10 mil.
And Succup for life.
February 15th, 2021 at 3:04 pm
(& I think they roll with Miller, Johnson, and Watson over AB, unless Tom is insistent and AB signs for 5 and under)
February 15th, 2021 at 4:01 pm
@Christopher … “why wouldn’t Brady restructure? Add a year to the deal, reduce his cap hit by at least 10 mil.”
Restructuring contracts helps you in year 1 but progressively hurts you after that because it’s akin to “kicking the can down the street”.
Drew Brees’ contract is a good example. He restructured recently to provide the Saints more Salary CAP room this year. For 2021 he’ll only be making $12,225,000. Bummer. But he has a Dead CAP associated with that of $22,650,000.
So when Drew retires shortly, the Saints will owe him $12.2 mil this year and about $10.4 mil next year. Wouldn’t you love to have a job like that? Don’t have to lift a finger but make mega-millions in return.
Bucs are better off paying Tom Brady his full salary this year, because after we win our 2nd straight Super Bowl Giselle might well say “Hey, enough is enough. Get your butt home.”
February 15th, 2021 at 4:08 pm
If godwin or shaq or david go elsewhere, we would get a nice comp pick in the draft correct? Like a 3rd rounder? Not that I want that to happen I’m genuinely curious
February 15th, 2021 at 5:38 pm
Brady gets #8 next, best believe he’s going for 10!!!!!…lol…
GO BUCS
February 15th, 2021 at 7:49 pm
Similarly, replay Super Bowl LV with a healthier Chiefs offensive line and some slightly more even-handed officiating in the first half and the results would be very different. Teams like the Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens are better bets to win Super Bowl LVI than the Buccaneers, who still belong among the top contenders.
Tanier is ok, but it’s comments like that that p!ss me off about the national sports media. We kicked the sh!t out of the Chiefs plain and simple, so it’s asinine to make excuses for them or play the “what if” game. All that serves to do is cheapen our victory and make it look like we got lucky. The Chiefs were not allowed to mug our receivers, so their only chance to win went up in a poof of smoke early on. So disrespectful to give those three other teams a better chance to win the next Superbowl over us. The nerve of this dude! 😛
February 16th, 2021 at 10:53 pm
By August the national media will have decided the Chiefs actually won, or at least lost to the refs, Dallas is a real contender other stupid takes that’ll be repeated constantly.
The NFL and especially ESPN badly want a Brady-less Super Bowl in LA with “electric” QBs that are young stars. Rocky VIII is a tough sell, and they want to make Creed out of the new kids. Lamar Jackson vs Dak Prescott in a 90 point shootout is ideal for the NBA fans that now cover football.