Savoring The View
March 15th, 2021
Bill Currie Ford is a Tampa tradition since 1959. They’re awesome Bucs fans and so charitable in the community. Shop now at BillCurrieFord.com. New year, new deals! And remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles. Ira loves his 2020 Ford Escape, cherry red.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
What a gorgeous start to the work week. Brees is gone, Shaq’s back and the future is so damned bright, Bruce Arians had better keep wearing that face shield.
“They call it Stormy Monday,” is the opening line of a classic blues lament, but the Bucs have transformed it into a song of jubilation. The news that Shaq Barrett won’t be hitting the free-agent market has Todd Bowles tearing off his mask and leading the cheers.
There’s more work to do at One Buc Place, but the heavy lifting is over. The Big 3 within the Big 8 are back and Tampa Bay’s odds on repeating just improved dramatically.
The free agency trifecta has been hit.
Everyone played a role in this winning trifecta.
Referring to Barrett, Lavonte David and Chris Godwin, Bruce Arians told us their asses weren’t going anywhere. That’s a great sound bite, but it was up to Jason Licht and Mike Greenberg to find a way to make it happen.
And don’t forget about the ringmaster hovering over in the corner – this doesn’t happen without Tom Brady.
The same guy who casually tossed the Vince Lombardi Trophy from boat to boat is the same chap methodically keeping this offseason ship afloat.
Brady wanted Godwin back. Brady wanted David back. Brady restructured his contract so Barrett could re-sign with Tampa Bay. He’s probably burning up the phone lines with Ndamukong Suh, Ryan Succop and Leonard Fournette at the moment.
What about Gronk and Antonio Brown? Relax, they’re on speed dial.
New World
While the Bucs reload, their most formidable division rival is in the process of unloading key players. And while Arians has certainty and comfort at the game’s most important position, Sean Payton will be staging an open competition at quarterback this summer.
Good luck to Jameis Winston if he thinks he can make Saints fans forget the greatness that was Drew Brees, who terrorized the Bucs for 15 seasons.
A Bucs-fan-friendly handoff awaits in New Orleans, explains Ira Kaufman.
How bad was it? Glad you asked.
Including his stint with the Chargers, Brees finished 20-10 against Tampa Bay, the most wins he posted against any opponent. He completed 69 percent of his throws, with 61 TD passes and only 27 interceptions for a glittering passer rating of 99.5.
In those 30 games, Brees was sacked a mere 37 times.
More often than not, the Bucs were unable to move Brees out of his comfort zone. He stepped up in the pocket and picked them apart strategically, with unmatched precision. Yet when it counted most, the Bucs exacted their revenge in the final matchup.
Two months ago, Brees completed only 19-of-34 passes for a skimpy 134 yards in Tampa Bay’s 30-20 playoff triumph at the Superdome. Brees was picked off three times and his passer rating of 38.1 was the second lowest of his glorious career with the Saints.
It was an awful way for a first-ballot Hall of Famer to go out. It was a beautiful way for Buc fans to bid Brees adieu.
Barring major injuries, the Bucs should be peering down on the rest of the division this fall. There will be some issues of complacency — there always are for defending champs — but Brady won’t let it fester. At the first hint of smugness on the part of any player or coach, No. 12 will show zero tolerance.
After all, he’s on borrowed time and that time is now. Booger McFarland appears confident the Bucs are poised to repeat.
“Bucs keep Shaq, Lavonte and Godwin,” McFarland wrote on Twitter. “Hell of a job by Jason Licht. Gronk and Suh will likely return and O.J. Howard healthy is scary also. Buccaneers should be exponentially better than they were this past season.”
That’s a frightening forecast for the rest of the league. A year ago at this time, Buc fans weren’t absolutely sure Brady was coming aboard.
Now, he’s leading the NFL’s gravy train.
Ira! … Ira’s good friend Sean Sullivan, the Bill Currie Ford general manager, is ready to help you personally. Just call, email or stop in, one mile north of Raymond James Stadium.
March 15th, 2021 at 4:53 pm
$@%# YEAH! SO PUMPED UP!
March 15th, 2021 at 4:56 pm
Has there ever been a better 12-month period for Buc fans?
March 15th, 2021 at 5:00 pm
NO
March 15th, 2021 at 5:02 pm
So many peeps got their panties in a bunch
The big 3 are back. And they are all good deals
Godwin no choice cause the franchise tag is set amount
But i love seeing some whiners here. Classic stuff.
Dont worry …others will be falling in place very soon. Gronk and suh next.
——
Chiefs just signed a guard for almost the same price as shaq deal. 16 mil per. Yah a guard. Thats a win for bucs
Saints are still 18 mil over cap and dont have a qb signed other then taysom hill. Signing jameis if they decide will be another 8-12 mil . Win bucs
Matt ryan is no longer matty ice. Win bucs.
The panthers signed two tackles i have never heard of …getting d and f grades. Win bucs.
—-////
Relax reap buc fans. Not you fake arse ones
March 15th, 2021 at 5:05 pm
Packers losing their starting stud center Linsley. Win bucs.
Telling you. Things are looking good
March 15th, 2021 at 5:37 pm
Is it odd the Bucs haven’t announced the Shaq signing on their website?
March 15th, 2021 at 5:38 pm
2002 was special.
But to answer your question Cobraboy….
…H3LL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And we are just beginning something special.
Hopefully, we can find a special replacement for when Brady retires. It would be ideal for our future QB to be groomed by Brady.
March 15th, 2021 at 5:40 pm
Getting ready to win …
Brady’s workouts with Evans, Miller, Howard, Brate, Gabbert at a Tampa High School started in May 2020. I wonder if they’ll do it again?
March 15th, 2021 at 5:45 pm
Cobraboy: Never!
March 15th, 2021 at 5:45 pm
Keep in mind, IRA predicted the Packers over our beloved Bucs. That should not be lost on the fan base. #hadnofaith.
March 15th, 2021 at 5:53 pm
I am confident that Brady & LVD leading the way with 21 cap savings will inspire many other Bucs to do the same.
D. Smith, Jensen, Marpet, Gholston, Brate, JPP…..maybe even more from Evans.
And I fully expect that Licht is working on a long-term deal with Godwin…
His tag figure is $16.2 mil……surely they can work something out to save $6-8 million on the 21 cap and pay him larger amounts in the future.
March 15th, 2021 at 5:57 pm
What a bizzare phenomenon. I have nothing to bitch about. Just bliss.
March 15th, 2021 at 6:44 pm
Gronk is back. 1 year, 10M
March 15th, 2021 at 6:46 pm
Gronk back
March 15th, 2021 at 6:48 pm
I love it!
Most of our free agents back. Softer division schedule. Soft afc east, except for Bills … and Bills play here. Soft nfc east.
We can draft strictly for one good pass catching rb and the rest just bpa depth.
Everything’s coming up rose’s.
2022 might be tricky, but who cares about that this year.
March 15th, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Gronk is back. Whiners find a new target.
March 15th, 2021 at 6:51 pm
Suh, Succop, Gronk and maybe AB … all cherries on top.
March 15th, 2021 at 7:05 pm
PR reports Gronk is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 15th, 2021 at 7:07 pm
Wow!!!
Just heard SHAQa cap hit is only 6 million this year.
Gronk’s deal is 8 mill plus incentives.
Still room to sign others.
NEED-
Suh and /or Nacho
Succop
WANT-
Nacho
AB
Lenny
Stinnie
March 15th, 2021 at 7:52 pm
Looks like the dream team will be back for another go ai it 🙂
March 15th, 2021 at 8:08 pm
Gronk play football with Tom in Florida (again!)
March 15th, 2021 at 8:09 pm
Suh next please!
March 15th, 2021 at 10:31 pm
Come on y’all chant it with me. CHAMPA !!!!!! BAYYYY!!!!!! CHAMPAAAA !!!!! BAYYYY!!!! Let’s goooooo. If we gat back to back champs I gotta say it’s bin worth the wait thru the lost decade. Go Bucs
March 15th, 2021 at 10:33 pm
You are right Cobraboy! We are BUCS fans in our best years ever.
March 16th, 2021 at 12:00 am
More good news for the Bucs, lol the rich are getting richer, Hendrickson of Saints signed with the Bengals.
March 16th, 2021 at 12:04 am
Suh will take his time. Why should he rush? Can’t blame him at all. He might want to be in the NFC North again so he can terrorize Rodgers two times a year again.
I really hope he stays, he is The Beast. Geraldine was more like a table lamp.
March 16th, 2021 at 12:11 am
Best time(s) to be a Buc fan indeed…2002 was glorious but was at the end of an era as it turns out and 2003 was a painful reminder of that. Next two years should be a lot of fun.
March 16th, 2021 at 11:01 am
Cobra: Short answer – No
Slightly longer answer – ^&%^ NO!