McCoy, Joseph, and Koenen all working Lofton to be a Buc

[michael89156]

Curtis Lofton Playing Chicken With Bucs?

Posted on March 15, 2012 5:00 pm by The Commish


By: Justin Pawlowski


 


After meeting with the Buccaneers to start free agency and receiving an offer from the team, MLB Curtis Lofton is off to city number two.
 
According to Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network, Lofton left Tampa with an offer on the table and is headed for another NFC South team.
 

Curtis Lofton will visit Saints this weekend. Tampa submitted an offer. NO also brought in David Hawthorne for visit.
 
No doubt that LaCanfora has been speaking with Lofton’s agent.
 
I do know that the Buccaneers are interested in Lofton, but his asking price might have been $3-$4m per year higher than what the Buccaneers offered.
 
This will be an interesting time in this game of chicken.  After the Buccaneers introduced their first three free agents, Mark Dominik said that the team will slow down on free agency and start focusing on the draft.  The message sent to Lofton is that we aren’t going to pay your ridiculous demands.
 
Yesterday, it was reported on twitter that Lofton had signed with the Eagles.  Moments later, it was reported that he hadn’t been signed by the Eagles, but that they might be interested.  With Lofton’s rumors of Philly and now his trip to New Orleans, Lofton just might be trying to leverage the Buccaneers to raising their offer for him.
 
The Buccaneers are hesitant, and rightfully so, to overpay for a middle linebacker whom they believe to be a liability with stiff hips in coverage.  If someone else decides to pay Lofton more than Patrick Willis, then so be it.
 
With Gerald McCoy, Davin Joseph, and Michael Koenen all continuing to work Curtis Lofton on twitter, you wonder if this is all a leverage game or if Lofton could end up signing with another team.
 
One thing we do know, the Buccaneers still need linebackers.

[Boid Fink]

Bucs do need some linebackers. Not opposed to him. The thought of QB starting again makes me nauseous.

[Supreme]

Bucs probably would have been able to sign the LB of their choice if they didn't give QB that ridiculous contract.

[nubcake]

Maybe we should join them. Bomb his twitter till he has no choice.

[The Anti-Java]

There may still be hope for him.   But with the coaching staff talking about keeping Mason in the middle, Henderson might be a better target.

[Supreme]

Maybe we should join them. Bomb his twitter till he has no choice.

it's been going on all day.

@CurtisLofton50
#LoftonInPewter
#BucNation

[Freeman 5]

Eventually he'll come around I think. GMC was his old college roommate. Enough said.

[Legend]

There may still be hope for him.   But with the coaching staff talking about keeping Mason in the middle, Henderson might be a better target.

Could be using as leverage for Lofton. Basically telling him we are fine with Foster at Mike if he wants to think he is worth that kinda money.

[The Franchi5e]

If it's indeed true that Tampa was his first visit...sounds like he was supposed to be a part of that introductory press conference with V-Jax, Nicks and Wright. And yeah, he's definitely traveling to these other places as leverage. I have no doubt in my mind that unless somebody offers him 8 or 9 mill a year that he'll be a Buc soon. He's also been talking with Mossis Madu on Twitter since free agency started for what it's worth.

[Legend]

No one except maybe the Raiders would give him more money than Patrick Willis makes.

[GameTime]

if not lofton, hawthorne, mays, tulloch...there are a lot of guys that can fill the spot imo.

[VinBucFan]

Bucs probably would have been able to sign the LB of their choice if they didn't give QB that ridiculous contract.

you realize that non of the LBs are signed, right, and that the Bucs have the cap space even with QB's contract, right?  In other words, the QB contract is meaningless.

[VinBucFan]

If it's indeed true that Tampa was his first visit...sounds like he was supposed to be a part of that introductory press conference with V-Jax, Nicks and Wright. And yeah, he's definitely traveling to these other places as leverage. I have no doubt in my mind that unless somebody offers him 8 or 9 mill a year that he'll be a Buc soon. He's also been talking with Mossis Madu on Twitter since free agency started for what it's worth.

+1

Everyone should remember the D'Q Jackson contract and think about the impact its having on all of this.

[Skull and Bones]

No one except maybe the Raiders would give him more money than Patrick Willis makes.

is Eric Wright worth more than Patrick Willis?  cause we paid him like he is.

[JDouble]

I'm over Lofton. Really don't want us to sign him. He isn't very good in coverage in the first place, but he looks like an ass now and I'm not interested in greedy players that think they are worth twice as much as they really are. Give me Tulloch for $5M and be done with it.