Taylor Could Soothe Bates After Draft

March 30th, 2009

It was among the weekend news, so Joe is putting it out here for you.

Free agent defensive end Jason Taylor is still being kicked around as a possiblity for the Bucs, says Miami Herald reporter Armando Salguero.

A year ago, Taylor wanted out of Miami because he wanted to a chance to win right away. But in getting his wish, he learned that going to another team is no guarantee of going to the playoffs.

Taylor still has that grand postseason desire, and now New England is the sexy, and probably most logical team, for him to end up with in 2009 — assuming Brady doesn’t get injured again. Tampa Bay also beckons as a possibility, with former Dolphins defensive coordinator Jim Bates running that defense.

The choice will be largely up to Taylor. And the choice largely will determine who Taylor is and what he is about. If he is still driven by a desire to put himself in the best spot to win a title, he must go to New England.

But Taylor is said to also be motivated by a desire to remain close to his family and not put them through the difficulties of his disastrous 2008 experience, when he lived in Washington and they stayed in South Florida.

Now Taylor seems to be exactly the kind of guy Raheem The Dream and Mark Dominik don’t want — an over-30 veteran not interested in killing himself in the offseason.

But if the Bucs either trade their No. 1 pick in a package for Jay Cutler or use it to draft a wide receiver, Dominik and The Dream are going have to throw Jim Bates some kind of bone to shore up the defensive line.

Reuniting him with Taylor could be that medicine.

One Response to “Taylor Could Soothe Bates After Draft”

  1. MTM Says:

    No stay away from Taylor. He could help out way too much. Fill one of the many holes. The Bucs have. Besides that. He sacks QB’s. Let New England pick him up for nothing. So he can help them win a play off spot. The Bucs need to sit back and just let it come to them. Maybe a bull**** speech from the Glazers about how there looking to add to the roster.
    Another day goes by and nothing is done. Bates is in for a long year.