Adam Schefter tweet this morning...

[Madman]

Right on! Can't wait for 3rd and long.

[Condor Bastadon]

I'm thinking that Lumpkin is Caddy's replacement. I've heard all along that his specialties are receiving and pass blocking, he just usually doesn't stay healthy and hasn't had a chance to get on the field full-time. Dominick says that we'll be surprised by Lumpkin, so to me that means that we're keeping him and have plans for him.

I don't think Rah wants to replace Ruud. I've read that he loves Ruud and I wouldn't be surprised if we franchised him if we had to. I know half the board would freak out, but it could happen.

As for Talib...I don't think we're getting rid of him unless the NFL(or legal system) lays out a harsh punishment for him. Given the evidence that i've seen, I don't think he'll get more than a 4-game suspension. So i'd say we keep him in that circumstance. But even if we did get rid of him...we still have free agency, and maybe Rah even believes that Biggers or Lewis can step up so that we don't even need a big time free agent.

[Uncle Stan]

All teams are in the same boat until the CBA is done.

[PWNASAURUS]

Too late to franchise any player. That ship has sailed till 2012 at least if it is even allowed anymore with the new cba. With that said, the writing has been on the wall for Ruud for a long time. Morris and Dominik's favorite quote of mine when talking about players and improving the team, "We'll deal with them till we can replace them." Well whether it is Foster, McKenzie, or even Heyward, Ruud has been replaced.

[Condor Bastadon]

Too late to franchise any player. That ship has sailed till 2012 at least if it is even allowed anymore with the new cba. With that said, the writing has been on the wall for Ruud for a long time. Morris and Dominik's favorite quote of mine when talking about players and improving the team, "We'll deal with them till we can replace them." Well whether it is Foster, McKenzie, or even Heyward, Ruud has been replaced.

You HOPE that Ruud has been replaced. Considering that Ruud, Black, and Heyward are all free agents, and Hayes is very inconsistent, the drafting of Foster could literally replace any of them. I think part of the reason they picked Foster was due to his versatility, he played every LB position in college. I don't think even Rah or Dom know who they're gonna be able to keep yet.

[leeroybuc93]

Blount never did the stuff required of an NFL 3rd down back at Oregon.  Some of you guys act like it's something he could never ever learn.  He's not going to be strictly a first and second down back forever. 

[PWNASAURUS]

Too late to franchise any player. That ship has sailed till 2012 at least if it is even allowed anymore with the new cba. With that said, the writing has been on the wall for Ruud for a long time. Morris and Dominik's favorite quote of mine when talking about players and improving the team, "We'll deal with them till we can replace them." Well whether it is Foster, McKenzie, or even Heyward, Ruud has been replaced.

You HOPE that Ruud has been replaced. Considering that Ruud, Black, and Heyward are all free agents, and Hayes is very inconsistent, the drafting of Foster could literally replace any of them. I think part of the reason they picked Foster was due to his versatility, he played every LB position in college. I don't think even Rah or Dom know who they're gonna be able to keep yet.

Well #1. The team's 2 biggest UFA's Ruud and Joseph probably would not both return due to $$$. They won't give both guys big money and both want it. #2 Bucs drafted Mason Foster and plan to play him at MLB. Bucs did not draft a G or any OL men. This is a sign that they are going to resign Joseph or spend FA money at OL not LB where they have plenty of young talented depth to develop.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/content/few-things-bucs-didnt-tell-you-about-draft

[MUSCLE_HAMSTER]

Gaitor is Mack's replacement. Black could potentially be Ronde's.

This is how I see it. If anyone is "Talib's replacement", its Myron Lewis.

But I don't think we're looking to replace Talib right now.

[Morgan]

Did we find replacements for Ruud, Caddy, and Talib?

Lol what? So we were supposed to replace everyone in one draft with no FA? Stay in Pirates cove.

Those three positions were our biggest need after DE.

[BucBalla85]

I think we will keep Caddy as a 3rd down back. Ruud can leave, we drafted Foster and some other guys can play Ruuds position for now. I dont think Talib is going anywhere right now. Not until the court date. Plus FA is around the corner too so we can fill some of those needs up then as well. Also this team is young as hell. We still have some time before we absolutely need to push for a Super bowl Championship. Its only the beginning around here. Playoffs arent too far off from now.

[BucsWin31]

Blount never did the stuff required of an NFL 3rd down back at Oregon.  Some of you guys act like it's something he could never ever learn.  He's not going to be strictly a first and second down back forever.

Thank you

[-ts]

Too many uncertainties about the Bucs picks -

Yeah definitely. After all the draft has so many "certain things"....

Do you really believe the **CENSORED** you post?

[Chief Joseph]

Too many uncertainties about the Bucs picks -

Yeah definitely. After all the draft has so many "certain things"....

Do you really believe the **CENSORED** you post?

There seems to be a real reading comprehension problem around here. It's either "Yippee, skippy, the Bucs are perfect!" or you get attacked.

[nubcake]

Did we find replacements for Ruud, Caddy, and Talib?

Lol what? So we were supposed to replace everyone in one draft with no FA? Stay in Pirates cove.

Those three positions were our biggest need after DE.

That's debatable. First off, we needed 2 DEs. None of our current guys are any better than backups. Secondly, I'd say any of our 3 LB positions could definitely be replaced(although none are an immediate need). Foster potentially fills one of those 3. After that, I'd say that TE is at least as important as 3rd down RB and we covered that. Safety wasn't really a need, but it isn't a sure thing either and Black was easily BPA at that point. After that, you're in the 6th and 7th round and anyone you choose there is kind of a crapshoot anyways. For what it's worth, one of them was another RB and a CB. And personally I think OL was a bigger need than any of the 3 you mentioned...that was the one position I was disappointed that we couldn't fill.

We had so many holes after the previous regime(not trying to start yet another Gruden flamewar, but it's true) that it's still going to take a couple more drafts to really begin to fill all the holes with players who are at least solid. It's not like we used all our picks on areas we were already strong in.

[Feel Real Good]

Caddy cannot be replaced unless you get a RB that can read blitz packages and pick them up. Caddy is really the only one on the roster that can do that. Some say he's one of the best in the NFL at that particular skill. You put Bradford in there instead of Caddy on obvious passing downs and Freeman is likely to end up on his back.

This guy disagrees.