http://www.rantsports.com/blog/2012/06/20/nfl-rumors-tampa-bay-buccaneers-could-trade-defensive-tackle-brian-price/NFL Rumors: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Could Trade Defensive Tackle Brian Price
One of the possible NFL rumors around the league involves the possibility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trading defensive tackle Brian Price. Price decided to forgo his senior season with the UCLA Bruins two years ago to declare for the 2010 NFL Draft.
Many projected Price to be a first-round selection. Price fell out of the first round, and he was drafted 35th overall in the second round.
Former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano is putting a higher value on team chemistry than overall talent. Schaino already showed free safety Tanard Jackson and tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. the door by releasing Jackson and trading Winslow to the Seattle Seahawks.
There are two teams that could use Price on their rosters. Those teams are the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys.
The Browns need a defensive tackle for the short term in the wake of Phil Taylor’s injury. Taylor injured his chest while lifting weights.
Maybe the Browns can package a deal with the Buccaneers. My proposal would be something like the Browns get Price and a sixth-round draft pick and the Buccaneers receive Colt McCoy and a seventh-round pick.
Josh Freeman could use a better backup over Dan Orlovsky, and McCoy was 0-2 vs Freeman when Texas faced Kansas State during McCoy’s tenure with the Longhorns.
Price is 6-foot-1 and 301 pounds. Price has struggled as a defensive tackle in the Buccaneers’ 4-3 scheme. Maybe Price would be more suited for a 3-4 defensive end role in a five-technique system.
The Cowboys would be an ideal fit for Price because their team could use some short-term depth at defensive end. Tyrone Crawford is 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds. Crawford played in a 4-3 scheme at Boise State, and will need time to adapt to the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme.
It would not hurt for the Cowboys to look to make a play for Price. Price resembles Kenyon Coleman in some aspects. Coleman is currently the Cowboys’ starting left end, and he also played for the Bruins when he was in college.
Maybe Price can improve his work ethic and compete for a second chance as a starter some point down the road if he gets a change of scenery. Price has to show a major improvement in his work ethic if he expects to blossom into a long-term starter for the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers have a lot of young players on their defensive line, and have failed to provide the defensive line with a veteran leader who has many years’ experience. That may illustrate why Price has not received the proper guidance at this early stage of his NFL career.
I just got a feeling that things will not end well for Price and the Buccaneers if any more off- the-field incidents occur like the one involving rookie Mark Barron on Tuesday.
