Benefit Of Bucs Signing Derek Carr
February 15th, 2023
“Derek, let me tell you about The Undertow.”
So this offseason’s first playoff quarterback is eligible to sign with any team he chooses, today if he has the urge.
The Raiders released quarterback Derek Carr yesterday to avoid paying him a roughly $40 million roster bonus.
Over at the four-letter, Dan Graziano cobbled together a list of teams that plausibly could sign Carr. One is the Bucs.
Here are Graziano’s benefits for a Carr-Bucs marriage:
Pros: Their 2022 roster was good enough to convince Tom Brady to give it one more year, and they are two-time defending division champions (even if they were 8-9 last season). Mike Evans and Chris Godwin look like fun guys to throw to. No state income tax in Florida. Plus, Carr’s record in cold weather is a bad one, and if you sign with the Bucs you know that at least 10 of your games every year won’t be in cold weather.
Ah, so Carr is the anti-drama queen Aaron Rodgers, eh? (For those who think the Bucs should go get Rodgers, check out his record in warm-weather games. It ain’t pretty.)
The Bucs could do far worse with Carr. Here’s the thing: Bucs coach Todd Bowles likely knows he needs to win this year, whether that’s winning a shatty division or finishing with a winning record. Bowles and the Bucs have a significantly better chance of doing so with Carr or a seasoned veteran versus Kyle Trask.
Carr might be expensive, but Joe would understand the Bucs’ interest. But Joe doesn’t give a damn if Joe Montana wants to come out of retirement, you’re not going to lure a quarterback without an offensive coordinator.
So the way Joe looks at it, the Bucs are in a holding pattern until that opening is filled.
In 12 days the combine begins. Joe cannot imagine the Bucs won’t have an offensive coordinator by then.
Will Carr be taken by the time the Bucs hire an offensive coordinator?
February 15th, 2023 at 8:15 am
Realistically, how can we afford him? Carr goes to Carolina.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:20 am
There’s no benefit to signing carr because he’s not capable of taking us to the Super Bowl. If we’re gonna lose anyway then I rather us fix the salary cap so we can be prepared to compete for the Super Bowl again in 4-5 years
February 15th, 2023 at 8:22 am
Carr is like fool’s gold – there’s an abundance of QB’s like him that give the impression they have elite potential.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:22 am
Carr is not coming here, no chance. Even if the Bucs wanted him, which I don’t think they do, the math doesn’t add up. We don’t have the money to compete for his services, mute point, beating a dead horse. Think they settle on an O.C. by weeks end? Here’s a name to consider, Blaine Gabbert. He’s the same age as all these hot QB coaching candidates, and has basically been co QB coach the last three years. He’s worked closely with Trask the last two years, and is very familar, and close to all the offensive players, and team. He also rescues people in the Bay on his days off. Now I don’t know if he even wants to be a coach, but his playing options are probably limited too. Might have to talk him into it if we can’t find anyone else. He must have some insight on what’s been wrong, and how to fix it.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:22 am
I agree
The Bucs cannot afford him…..he’ll play someplace else.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:27 am
I’m sure the Bucs have a plan for OC.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:33 am
Oh brother… Here we go again.
Please stop with the Derrick Carr BS…
It is NOT going to happen!!!!
The most the Bucs will have to spend on all their draft picks and signing 20 free agents is around $30-35M.
Can anyone here do basic math?
Carr is not going to play for $5M dollars folks. Stop it.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:34 am
if they sign Carr they might as well hire Gruden as the OC
February 15th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Prepare for years of the doldrums. It will not matter who they sign up. They trying to cobble some kind of losing team and coach to put on the field. Gonna be ugly.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:37 am
The saints are in cap hell and are trying to sign Carr. What are you ninnies talking about when you say “Bucs dont have enough cap space”.
Is your argument that the Bucs should not sign Carr, so that they can start working on the negative cap now. Or are you just too thick to understand that the Bucs can make room to sign him..
Legitimately interested in why people think the Bucs cant sign Carr..
February 15th, 2023 at 8:38 am
Seems Carr to Carolina will be a great fit and make the Panthers an instant playoff team
February 15th, 2023 at 8:40 am
Bingo. Slimy Saints had a trade worked out with the Raiders for Carr and Carr put the kibosh on it. Slimy Saints are in worse shape with the cap than the Bucs.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:42 am
No way we should squander money on a QB……we’ve already mortgaged our future last year and Bowles doesn’t deserve help.
We f==ked up in 22…..should suck it up in 23.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:42 am
@ Hodad
I agree.
As much as everyone hates to hear it – Blaine Gabbert makes more sense than anyone else.
We will be lucky if the Bucs are able to bring in Jacoby Brissett or Baker Mayfield. But even those guys are going to probably cost too much.
All part of having to swallow Tom Brady’s $35M dead cap space hit all at once.
Basic math folks.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:46 am
@ Uhmmm/Joe
The Saints have 12-13 different contracts they can restructure in order to gain extra cap space.
The Bucs only have 4-5 contracts to restructure…
Again – basic math folks…
February 15th, 2023 at 8:51 am
Marine Buc. I am sorry you have a simple understanding of what the Bucs can do with their cap.
Its really not that complicated.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:53 am
Dumb, we broke.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:58 am
I’ve watched every game in Tampa Bay history and the ONE thing that could make me NOT watch the games would be to sign and play Baker Johnny Manziel Mayfield.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:59 am
Reality, folks.
This team is a rebuild job. Two years at least.
And it must cut $55 million in 2023 salaries in the next month.
The last thing they’ll do is spend serious money on a QB this offseason.
February 15th, 2023 at 8:59 am
@ Uhhmmm
You and Joe can keep dreaming of Carr leading us to a 6 win season while destroying our cap for another 4 seasons.
It is not going to happen.
The Bucs can make a few cuts. Restructure 3-4 contracts. Extend 2-3 contracts.
We are $55M in the hole. They can raise about $90-95M by doing so. That means the Bucs will have @ $35M-$40M to sign all our draft picks (@$7.5M) and sign 25 or so free agents…
You got to be more realistic bro.
Basic.
Math…
February 15th, 2023 at 9:07 am
No!
They need to start Trask, cut some veterans, & get their books in order so they can be relevant for a decade. Why bring in a vet quarterback that’s going to cost a bunch of money that they don’t have, put lesser talent around him than they had last year, and think they’re going to do anything?
They couldn’t win with better talent and Brady!
The notion of signing a veteran quarterback, like Rodgers or Carr, and thinking they will do anything is ridiculous.
Get the salary cap taken care of, bring in younger guys through draft and free agency, and set yourself up for the next decade.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:09 am
@alanbucsfan
I agree fools gold, he looks good but has a pathetic playoff record (2x) and an overall record of 63-79. For the price hopefully the Bucs pass and work on the O line and D line and secondary.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:09 am
Besides… When has Carr ever been a teams savior? They need to figure out a young quarterback, Trask or draft one, and draft O & D line.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:18 am
I agree with Marine Buc might as well throw Gabby in the pit this year and start the rebuild. That is the way the NFL Rules work. The more old pros they dump the sooner we get back to SB. I do not want to see a cobbled together expensive Bowles mess for the next few years. I could enjoy a restart though even if they lose almost every game.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:19 am
What is the point of signing an average quarterback to big money to be an average team?
We had Tom Brady last year and people were talking about playing Trask because we sucked so bad. Carr will not make us better than a Brady led team so give it up, bite the bullet. We sucked before Brady and he’s gone so retool
February 15th, 2023 at 9:22 am
Were I Derek Carr, my choice would be Carolina. They are only lacking a quarterback, and maybe a corner who is at least as fast as ME13
February 15th, 2023 at 9:26 am
Carr had to deal with a mess of an organization, and I think he can be better than his record has been under a good coach. Therefore, he will be worse if he comes to Tampa.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:28 am
I agree with above. The saints are in cap hell every year and they keep building. There’s no way we can’t do the same. I like carr. I also like mayfield. I think we have too good of a team not to reload.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:33 am
The only person that would take the OC job under Blowes is someone like Zippy the Pinhead.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Package up their draft capital and go for Lamar Jackson….way more upside, Carr has peaked. Jackson generally utilizes the clock more because of his running, that’s a perfect for Bowles game management
February 15th, 2023 at 9:44 am
No thank you. Let’s go with what we’ve got and build for the future.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:47 am
The Bucs situation is so terrible that Todd Monken chose to live in Baltimore and not Tampa.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:48 am
With Carr, we would definitely win the division. And maybe a playoff game or two. I just don’t think he would put this team over the top as a SB winner. We just have too many other holes.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:48 am
Tear it down and rebuild.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:51 am
There is no benefit to going 8-9. Thats one.
Bobby – while I am no Lamar fan, because the major, MAJOR difference between him and a Jalen Hurts is maturity, leadership, and someone that goes through their reads, has proper throwing mechanics and is not run FIRST. Jalen is a real quarterback who happens to be athletic and squats 550 pounds. However, Lamar is still a blue chip athlete at the position, and if you don’t have that kind of guy – you will get left behind. Perhaps a different scheme would help Lamar. Maybe Lamar will grow up and stop trying to be one of the homies etc. But your Todd Bowles comment is neither here nor there because he will be gone after next yr unless they go 11-6, with a wild card win, which they wont…
February 15th, 2023 at 9:54 am
Meanwhile, the Saints have just reworked Marcus Mayes’ deal to chip a few mil off their salary cap figure. Signing Carr can be done, but the how, who, and when are just way up in the air in terms of who else Carr visits with and the price tag he’s asking for. For all we know, Carr knows he’s got some value somewhere, and I think he’s in it to not just get paid, but to be on a team that can compete and win with him under center. Will it be the Bucs? who knows, but the Saints being in worse salary cap shape than us and having been doing this $$$ dance for years there’s nothing people outside of 1Buc place can tell me about what Tampa cannot do in regards to at the very least making a push/offer.
February 15th, 2023 at 9:56 am
That’s a hard No!
February 15th, 2023 at 10:09 am
Look for something to happen today as far as signing a offensive coordinator.
February 15th, 2023 at 10:12 am
Bucs have a problem
No quality Coaches want that spot
Bowles is the HC after the next season fans will revolt due to another loser and a one year OC under a Crap HC does not a Coach want
February 15th, 2023 at 10:30 am
no
February 15th, 2023 at 10:31 am
I am in the short-term pain for long-term gain crowd here. But…. If the brain trust decides to sign carr, I’ll be on board with that as well. There are obviously reasons they would like to do so. Don’t think it’s the best move, but if it’s a move I will get behind it as a die-hard fan.
February 15th, 2023 at 10:35 am
Can’t we just raise the cap ceiling?
February 15th, 2023 at 11:05 am
We are not signing Derek Carr. Can we just stop with the BS?
February 15th, 2023 at 11:15 am
Nope. Just be bad for a couple years.
February 15th, 2023 at 11:15 am
None of us own an NFL franchise, so we do not have a clue as to what the plan is. Im not a fan of Carr, or Trask, but the team still has to do something. Like Joe said, Bowles is not going to look at this as a rebuilding season since he is on the hot seat. If you were the Glazers, would you even trust him to be the guy to develop the roster of new players? The assests we have on this team are easier used than trying to move on, or even get value for. No clue as to how any of the organization values Trask, but if they do not think he is the guy after seeing him for 2 seasons, they arent going to burden Bowles with him. Trask is even more hosed because he is going to have to acclimate to a new offense. I do agree that all things considered even, we would be in better shape going 8-10 with Trask than with Carr. The championship window is likely closed, but here in Tampa its business as usual. A few more division titles and playoff appearances soften the blows of long decades of depression. Make the most of it.
February 15th, 2023 at 11:19 am
If the Bucs sign Jimmy G. I’m done with them. The new incompetence is simply off the charts with this organization.
February 15th, 2023 at 11:47 am
Zippy the Pinhead > Lefty the Loser, our offensive coordinator last year
February 15th, 2023 at 12:24 pm
If you want Trask to start, that’s fine. It makes sense. Plus we can all start looking forward to the draft by week 10.
February 15th, 2023 at 12:38 pm
Jack Clark Says
“There’s no benefit to signing carr because he’s not capable of taking us to the Super Bowl.”
Bucs fans said the same thing about Drew Brees when he hit the open market before the Saint’s signed him.
Carr, on the right team, can excel. He’s 32…so if he does well, he’s got a good 10 years left.
Trask certainly is unlikely to lead us to a Superbowl.
February 15th, 2023 at 12:39 pm
#99 the Big fella Says
“Look for something to happen today as far as signing a offensive coordinator.”
Same. Today or tomorrow.
February 15th, 2023 at 1:03 pm
I’m with you guys on signing that new OC.
Today or tomorrow For Sure! “Maybe”. I just know it!
February 15th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
I read a comment on here a few weeks ago that sums up perfectly why We should not sign Carr; “ His next post season victory will be his first!”,and he’s played for teams that were built for him to win with! so , we can’t afford to pay him anywhere near 40million dollars and how many years would we have to give him to become familiar with our offense or try to build an offense he would be happy with, and what are the odds that even then ,he has what it takes to guide anyone to the Superbowl no matter how much time we give him or how much he’s paid? He is simply not worth the risk.
February 15th, 2023 at 6:17 pm
It won’t happen until 2030, but drink with me for a few gallons and imagine the benefits of Bucs firing Toad the Blowzo.
February 15th, 2023 at 6:53 pm
The Bucs need to clean house, trade for draft picks and be solid in 2-3 years. Otherwise it will be years of mediocrity. Bowles is a decent coordinator but a completely overmatched head coach most Sundays. Thank you fans!
Tom Brady