My (abbreviated) Plan to a successful franchise

[TBayXXXVII]

Step 1: Hire an offensive minded HC

• I'm fine with almost any hire of a current OC or former HC with an offensive background.  While I've been vocal about Carmichael, and would be perfectly happy with him, for this scenario I believe the Bucs should hire Joe Philbin

Step 2: Draft - I believe the first 4 picks in the draft are Luck (Colts), Blackmon (Rams), Kalil (Vikings), Griffen (Browns).  Cleveland might have to trade up to #2 to get Griffen... and it's possible that the Vikings take Blackmon at #3, but those 4 teams are taking those 4 guys.  With that in mind...

• Trade Freeman to the Redskins for picks 6 and 39
• Pick #5: Riley Reiff, OT - Iowa (or Martin)
• Pick #6: Morris Claiborne, CB - LSU
• Pick #36: Brandon Washington, OG - Miami(FL)
• Pick #39: Dwayne Allen, TE - Clemson
• Pick #69: Ben Jones, C - Georgia

Step 3: Free Agency - While we all assume the Bucs won't be all that active in free agency, I'm a little more liberal... even though I am a Republican.
Offensive Players to sign,,,

• Matt Flynn, QB
• Carl Nicks, OG
• Dwayne Bowe or Marques Colston, WR

Defensive Players to sign,,,

• Trevor Laws, DT
• Anthony Spencer, OLB
• Brandon Carr, CB
• Mike Adams, FS
• Tyvon Branch, SS (how do you let a former UConn Husky slip through your fingers???)

Step 4: Release/Cut or Trade or Don't bring back
The players have GOT TO GO

• Aqib Talib - $1.8M savings
• Tanard Jackson (I'd really like to keep him around though) - $2M savings
• Jeff Faine - $2M savings
• Jeremy Trueblood - $5M savings
• Albert Haynesworth
• Geno Hayes
• Jeremy Zuttah
• Jovan Haye
• Sean Jones
• Spurlock, Briscoe, Parker, Stroughter(keep 2, dump the other 2)

The one thing I didn't really look into is money.  I'm pretty positive that on average, the above free agents will cost about $6M per year.  So the 8 of them should cost the Bucs about $48M.  From what I'm reading, they'll have about $52M in cap space.  I'm guessing that the releasing/cutting/trading section should free up at least $10.8M, leaving the Bucs about $15M in cap space.  Not taking into account other Bucs free agents, I believe I am +4 on the roster.  I'm willing to bet it won't be hard for the Bucs to find 4 players to cut.

[Skull and Bones]

think you are overvaluating Freeman's worth.

[TBayXXXVII]

think you are overvaluating Freeman's worth.

It's begging, I know.  But it's also the Redskins.  I'd be happy with just the 1st pick... or a 2nd this year and next.

[Badabingnrt]

If ur going to get rid of freeman, id hope we get a better replacement and not downgrade significantly with A.J. Feel....i mean matt flynn

[Skull and Bones]

how do you know Flynn isn't the next Schaub or Hasselbeck?  and considering Freeman was among the worse NFL starting QBs in 2011 how much of a downgrade could hen be if at all?

[Badabingnrt]

Im not saying he isnt but you ask 32 GMs whod they rather have if money were no issue and whod u think theyd pick? It just cracks me up how fans of all teams, not just us, blow their load over one game. Flynn looked good against detroit but do you remember Free against seattle in 2010? Flynn could be good but he couldnt hold freemans jock strap right now and freeman was a bum this year

[BucNY]

If Freeman is good enough to warrant a 1st and 2nd round pick, why are we trading him?

[Skull and Bones]

I'd only be in favor of it if Clemonts or Philbin were hired and they believed in him so much they would stake their career on him.

[TBayXXXVII]

Im not saying he isnt but you ask 32 GMs whod they rather have if money were no issue and whod u think theyd pick? It just cracks me up how fans of all teams, not just us, blow their load over one game. Flynn looked good against detroit but do you remember Free against seattle in 2010? Flynn could be good but he couldnt hold freemans jock strap right now and freeman was a bum this year

For me, I've never even wanted Freeman in the first place.  There aren't many QB's I'd take Freeman over.

[TBayXXXVII]

If Freeman is good enough to warrant a 1st and 2nd round pick, why are we trading him?

I don't think he's "good enough" to warrant that return, I just think that we MIGHT be able to get it from the Redskins.  As I said a few posts up, I'd be happy with a pair 2's.

[Badabingnrt]

I was indifferent to freeman but i saw the potential in 2010 so it looks like this year will be the make or break for him. I knoe its ur plan but i dont see any chance of free goin anywhere this offseason

[TBayXXXVII]

I was indifferent to freeman but i saw the potential in 2010 so it looks like this year will be the make or break for him. I knoe its ur plan but i dont see any chance of free goin anywhere this offseason

I agree with you.  As you said, it's what I would do and what I think the Bucs should do.  I don't think they're smart enough to do it though.

[BucBalla85]

I was indifferent to freeman but i saw the potential in 2010 so it looks like this year will be the make or break for him. I knoe its ur plan but i dont see any chance of free goin anywhere this offseason

I agree with you.  As you said, it's what I would do and what I think the Bucs should do.  I don't think they're smart enough to do it though.

Haha just because they won't do your plan doesn't mean they aren't smart enough to.

[Sailing2smth]

Not ready to give up on Free just yet, I think with a change/upgrade at RT and C plus a true #1 we would see improvements.

[BucBalla85]

It's highly unlikely they give up on freeman just yet.