“Insurance Policy” Hike At One Buc Palace
March 9th, 2021
Bucs fans remember well how bicycle-throwing, furniture tossing, NFL bad guy Antonio Brown was sold to the Tampa Bay faithful when he was signed midway through the 2020 season.
Bucco Bruce Arians called him an “insurance policy” while Mike Evans battled early-season hamstring issues, Chris Godwin missed multiple games with a concussion and had just broken a finger, and Scotty Miller was battling a hip issue and more.
It made sense. Brown wasn’t asking for much cash and Tom Brady yearned for him, and the Bucs could always cut the guy if he displayed the me-first behavior that made him notorious.
It turned out that Brown was more than insurance. He was targeted more times per game played than Godwin or Evans. And Brown was a catalyst in the playoffs with two touchdowns and 75 percent of his targets hauled in.
So now with Scotty Miller healthy after a breakout season, Godwin franchised, Mike Evans re-born and Tyler Johnson confident with experience, is Brown really needed?
At some point, insurance at a position becomes overpriced and unnecessary. And there’s no doubt that free-agent Brown is seeking a hefty rate hike.
Joe would let Brown walk and hope/expect for his new team to get sick of his attitude (the one he did not display in Tampa) in time for the Bucs to re-sign him cheap after he gets cut — if they even need him at all.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:01 pm
Let him walk. Spend that money on d line.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:01 pm
He’ll probably be back because of the same reason he was a Buc at all: Tom Brady.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:02 pm
“is Brown really needed?”
srsly?
when you can get a Top 5-10 player at a position at bargain basement prices, and one that has proven himself.. YOU DO IT! He could step in for CG or ME in an instant.
He is not only needed, he ups the standards for our WR’s. the guy is a baller!
March 9th, 2021 at 1:03 pm
I think we are getting way ahead of things……AB is down the list……surely, he will test the market unless he’s offered a deal from Licht……and I think Licht has to focus on players like LVD, Suh, Gronk, Succop…….
I’m quite sure AB wants to play for the Bucs and will give us an opportunity to sign nim.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:05 pm
Evans and CG were less than stellar prior to him coming to town…. and don’t give me injuries bs. ME was having a pity part and not running crisp routes,,,,and you wonder why CG came back from that finger so quick???? he knew AB could take his job. IMO anyway.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:09 pm
@robert.. “Me not running crisp routes before AB” are u kidding me? U must have no access to film. Cause even with a bum hammy, mike ran the best routes Ive ever seen him run. And I watch the WR group all the time. Stop making up stuff man, thats disrespectful to evans.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:10 pm
“TB12 go to is the
screen and short crossing route
it is Bradys emergency play and setup to deeper throws
To Brady, no one runs it better or has more confidence to catch it than AB
AB has actually slept between TB12 and Gisele numerous of times”
Kobe Faker
March 9th, 2021 at 1:12 pm
Brown is the purest receiver the team has. Scotty or Johnson are no where close to replacing him. Sorry but he was just getting his feet wet and far and away the best receiver Bucs have. I think he had one drop in PO’s and that was more if a lateral pass. Yes you always take the chance he reverts but to cut him loose is ludicrous. He caught the same pass in SB that Brate dropped in Washington. KEEP him!!!
March 9th, 2021 at 1:13 pm
RObert, I agree that we should try to bring AB back…….But ME13 injurie was no bs Sir……
March 9th, 2021 at 1:15 pm
This is a dumb premise. If you wreck your vehicle and collect on the insurance, do you drop your coverage the next year? AB will be better after a year in the system and are you telling me there will be no receiver injuries next year? Just last year we experienced multiple receiver health issues…as you wrote in the article.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:21 pm
you guys can’t say that TB and ME were not in sync early to mid season. period. TB likes receivers who run routes and ME likes sand lot football and jump balls….used to anyway. Happy he and ME got on the same page, but to say otherwise is crazy.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:27 pm
I hope AB stays. Injuries happen. Fine WR. Outstanding in the playoffs.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:33 pm
We’re going for back to back and we need him…as long as he’s friendly….losing him will hurt but we have guys
March 9th, 2021 at 1:38 pm
We can only stand losing Shaq if we score 35 per game…bring AB back….Gronk & throw in Fournette or Etienne…..
March 9th, 2021 at 1:44 pm
Brown has intangibles that Miller does not. Case in point was the touchdown he caught where the ball likely was meant for Miller. Miller waited for the ball but Brown went and got it.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:51 pm
You are going to have to cut somewhere – with Godwin back, let Lenny and AB walk. There will be replacements to be had. Make David and Shaq your next targets.
March 9th, 2021 at 1:54 pm
He will be back. No team is going to risk paying AB any decent contract. The dude still has a lot of legal problems.
March 9th, 2021 at 2:02 pm
AB and gronk will be back. Perhaps after draft is done. Unless there’s a team that will give aB $ and yrs on contract.
March 9th, 2021 at 2:05 pm
Right on Joe.
March 9th, 2021 at 2:19 pm
I hope he stays. A lot of ppl over look him and talk about his bad side but since he was signed he hasn’t been in a bit of trouble. Sign him and lets get another one.
March 9th, 2021 at 2:22 pm
Only at the right “price”.
March 9th, 2021 at 2:29 pm
Bucs’ offense costs at the present time (per Spotrac) …
QB: Brady … $28.4 mil
WR: ME13 … $16.6 mil
WR: Godwin … $16.0 mil
TE: OJ … $6.0 mil
TE: Brate … $6.5 mil
RB: RoJo … $2.3 mil
LT: D Smith … $14.3 mil
LG: Marpet … $12.0 mil
C: Jensen … $10.0 mil
RG: Cappa … $2.4 mil
RT: Wirfs … $3.7 mil
Total for Starting 11 (offense) now under contract: $118.2 mil.
Of course, that’s only the 11 starters. Add in another $9 mil for Gronk (surely he’s gonna be re-signed) and then ??? for the additional 12 players we typically carry on offense (normally 25) and that should put us up to at least $140 mil for our offense (assuming the average offense backup only gets around $1 mil each … more than likely they’ll average much more than that).
Our S/Ts will cost around $8 mil (Pinion’s already under contract for $2.8 mil; Succop will get around $4 mil and our LS probably around $1 mil).
So now we’re at $148 mil for offense & S/Ts … as a minimum. So we’re good; we’re around $32 – $50 mil LESS than the projected 2021 salary CAP.
Oh wait, forgot the defense. My bad. No problem. Our defense is normally 25 guys and we’ve got 20 guys under contract now, and they’ll only cost us $48.9 mil (per Spotrac). No it doesn’t include LVD, Shaq, Suh, RNR, McLendon, Minter or a few others who played on last year’s Super Bowl team, nor does it include the cost of our rookie class.
But hey, we can make do on defense. Those defensive starters & key rotational players were way over-rated obviously. Everyone knows that offense is what wins Super Bowls nowadays. (BTW, anyone know how to turn off the sarcasm font on Macs?)
March 9th, 2021 at 3:17 pm
Robert – please… Obviously TB and ME weren’t on the same page early in the season, that’s just low hanging fruit. To say that ME doesn’t run crisp routes is just lazy and wrong, as are a lot of your takes.
Why don’t you mark your calendar for a trip to Ohio in about 10 years and tell ME in person that he ran poor routes, then help him put on that gold jacket.
March 9th, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Anyone who thinks AB is a better WR than Evans should start watching something other than football. Idiocy.
March 9th, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Defense Rules I’m with you. I think Brate and OJ are getting cut. We don’t know how much money Brady and ME restructures will save us. I think a D Smith extension/restructure is in order as well. I’ve got faith in Licht and Co. It’s scary though!
March 9th, 2021 at 3:44 pm
AB is a great WR for the way Brady plays the game. He runs great routes, gets open, gets YAC and makes big time plays. We need to keep him.
March 9th, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Oh and we need to keep Brate and Unload OJ.
March 9th, 2021 at 4:09 pm
@Robert,
You obviously don’t read well. Joe said AB will look for a pay day. Your argument is why wouldn’t we sign him at a bargain price. Joe doesn’t expect a bargain price.
Tom wasn’t in sync with a lot of players early on, that’s pretty obvious, given he didn’t have much time with them. But, ME doesn’t get his 7th straight 1,000 yard season if he “runs bad routes” against top tier CBs. Hard pass on your take.
AB will be a Buc if he comes with an incentive laden contract. He’s too mercurial to trust. This offseason will be a good test. But, AB is hands down the best press cover WR we had last season. I would love to have him back if we could work it out.
March 9th, 2021 at 5:05 pm
He doesn’t have a lot of leverage for a contract at this point. We can wait, he’s lowest priority.
March 9th, 2021 at 5:42 pm
Brady wants him: END OF STORY!!!!
March 9th, 2021 at 6:00 pm
Bring Him Back
March 9th, 2021 at 6:05 pm
Best WR off the line and best WR with the ball in his hands on the team
March 9th, 2021 at 6:52 pm
SB
Three years ago, Brown was rated the Best WR in Football.
Period.
Brady looked at our roster, then went and got AB.
AB was Brady’d favorite WR in the playoffs.
Or meybe you think Brady fidnt know what he was looking at?
Who did Brady go to in the End zone?
That might be the guys HE trust.
And he just got us a SuperBowl!
March 9th, 2021 at 7:15 pm
Insurance is great
And so is AB
BUY IT DUMMY.
March 9th, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Capt Tim.
AB got 4 TDs in 8 reg season games this yr
Mike Evans got 13 in 16
See a slight difference there?
Has AB EVER gotten 1,000 yards minimum in 7 straight seasons? NO!
Matter of fact he has only done it 6 times in TEN seasons.
Don’t come at me with that garbage of AB won us a SB.
Jeesh for the longest tenured poster here you are sounding pretty dumb.
March 9th, 2021 at 8:07 pm
Bring him back with smallish money but big bonuses based on behavior and receptions. If he proves his worth he deserves fair pay.
March 9th, 2021 at 8:50 pm
You can never have too many weapons. Bring AB back.
March 9th, 2021 at 10:06 pm
Now we have David + Godwin.
Contracts restructuration= AB+ Gronk+Succup + Suh. ( I hope)
Shaq will have to decided if he want $ mow or another SB and bigger $ afterward. Either way I hope Shaq will be happy. He deserved it so much. I hope he will stay! Please Shaq, stay! We support you!
Go BUCS!
March 10th, 2021 at 8:43 am
1st of all…Placing the Tag on CG14 was beautiful! Now that’s out the way, anything else is just luxury. AB knows or should know that most teams if not all other 31 teams doesn’t want his baggage. It’s sad but true because AB is a stud. He may just have to suck it up buttercup and take pennies on the dollar if he wants to play football. At the same time, if GM Jason Licht takes advantage of it and low balls AB, then you have a disrespected AB on the team and that is cancer. So, Jason better think hard on this one cause you don’t want to throw shade on AB but you gotta try and get the man also.
March 10th, 2021 at 8:47 am
1st of all…Placing the Tag on CG14 was beautiful! Now that’s out the way, anything else is just luxury. AB knows or should know that most teams if not all other 31 teams doesn’t want his baggage. It’s sad but true because AB is a stud. He may just have to suck it up buttercup and take pennies on the dollar if he wants to play football. At the same time, if GM Jason Licht takes advantage of it and low balls AB, then you have a disrespected AB on the team and that is cancer. So, Jason better think hard on this one cause you don’t want to throw shade on AB but you gotta try and get the man as cheap as possible.
March 10th, 2021 at 9:09 am
SB
As the longest tenured poster here, Ive sounded dumb before. Alot.
My point is, Brady sought Brown out.
Why?
Obviously, because he felt he needed him.
That should tell you something.
AB hadnt played in basically 2 years. It took him all of the regular season, to get back in shape.
But by the playoffs- he was looking like his old self.
By the Super Bowl- he was drawing double coverage in every play.
Watch the game again. Focus on AB.
Hint- defenses dont double a teams worst WR. The Chiefs doubled Evans and Brown. That was their defensive Strategy.
Godwin is a Fantastic WR. One of the very best in the NFL.
Easily in the top 10 in the NFL.
Its just that AB and Evans are in the top 5.
March 10th, 2021 at 9:19 am
I dont think AB will ask to break the bank he has money already and he wants to keep playingnwith TB ..AB seems really grateful to be there and we def need him back to run it back ..KEEP HIM!! he is one of the greatest recivers out there DO NOT LOSE HIM
March 10th, 2021 at 1:19 pm
Wow I’m surprised he was targeted that much? Seems like Godwin was targeted way more??.. I know that 4 or 5 game stretch they had of bad games they were trying to force him the ball and it threw off, in my opinion, their whole game!! Scotty was just starting to become more than just a blazer, Evans and Brady were finally connecting… Just seemed to throw the whole team off for awhile!! I think they would be better off to let him go and develope Johnson more!! … I didn’t think coming out of college that he was going to be able to get separation in the NFL… But I was wrong!! He really played well when given the opportunity!! This team knows how to select and mold receivers!!
March 10th, 2021 at 2:00 pm
Love that analogy,show me the TD,funny but true
March 10th, 2021 at 2:13 pm
I believe in Miller and Johnson, but gotta sign An if possible
March 10th, 2021 at 2:16 pm
AB
March 10th, 2021 at 2:30 pm
Thats a cold damn shot Joe! Cant you just be happy for the man. Hes turned his life around and headed back to being the best receiver in football, which he was befor all the shenanigans. Hes maturing and doing great things right before our eyes and on the way to being a redemption story worthy of Hollywood and you crap on the man. Shaking my damn head dude. Dog gone ya!