Should the Bucs sign QB Josh Freeman to long-term extension now?

[TBayXXXVII]

Then he'll have to play under the tag or not play at all.  The team can do that twice.  If he truly is a franchise QB, then some team will be willing to give up picks for him.  If Freeman is that petty, take the picks and be done with his prima donna azz.  (Note, he's a prima donna under the circumstance where he's petty enough to have his feelings hurt because a team wants him to actually produce like a franchise QB before they pay him like one.  I'm not saying that he's a prima donna now).

And he can not sit out a year and still sign with a new team before his 27th birthday? Dude can still give another team EIGHT years of solid QB then. Its not like he is competing with QB that have 4.5 solid years as a starter under their belt, being just 26. Are we willing to pay so much money to him, should he sign or maybe have no expierence at QB at all, should he not?

If he sits out, the year won't count.  Then the team can still tag him 2 more times.  He must sign the tag and be on the active roster 6 weeks if he wants the year to count.

Edit... someone correct me if I'm wrong on that last sentence.  I know the first two are right... not sure about that active roster part.

[TBayXXXVII]

I'm fine with letting things ride out with Freeman.  If Freeman isn't the answer and you extend him now and he turns out to be nothing special, then you're going to be overpaying a QB for mediocre play and hindering other positions because of cap space.  If he's the answer, he'll re-sign.  I'm not scared like A-J is.  In April of 2014, there'll most likely be legit 1st round franchise caliber QB's that will be available.

Why would we OVERPAY him, he gets what he is worth, if he is mediocre he gets a mediocre contract. We see him as top10-15 QB, thats what he will get. How should we get any of those franchise caliber QB in 2014, aslong we are in every game with Freeman at QB? The question is how much does this search for a franchise QB hinder other positions, pick wise? Whats the cost of a potentional franchise tag or the contract of a 1st rd QB, that could be even worse, aka dead money.

AH!!  That's the point though.  If the Bucs think he's worth a 5 year / $50M deal but Freeman thinks he's worth a 10 year / $150M deal... guess what?  He's not going to sign.  It takes 2 to make a deal.  Let's say they both comprise and he gets a 7 year / $84M deal and he performs like a 3 year / $20M player... then he's overpaid and hurts the team not only in production, but in overall talent and salary cap status.

[The Anti-Java]

Then he'll have to play under the tag or not play at all.  The team can do that twice.  If he truly is a franchise QB, then some team will be willing to give up picks for him.  If Freeman is that petty, take the picks and be done with his prima donna azz.  (Note, he's a prima donna under the circumstance where he's petty enough to have his feelings hurt because a team wants him to actually produce like a franchise QB before they pay him like one.  I'm not saying that he's a prima donna now).

And he can not sit out a year and still sign with a new team before his 27th birthday? Dude can still give another team EIGHT years of solid QB then. Its not like he is competing with QB that have 4.5 solid years as a starter under their belt, being just 26. Are we willing to pay so much money to him, should he sign or maybe have no expierence at QB at all, should he not?

If he sits out, the year won't count.  Then the team can still tag him 2 more times.  He must sign the tag and be on the active roster 6 weeks if he wants the year to count.

Edit... someone correct me if I'm wrong on that last sentence.  I know the first two are right... not sure about that active roster part.

True.....Vjax went through all that.  And he reported on the last day he could to have the year count.

[QaZ]

The point is.. the guy should in no way after what will be 3.5 years starting be a "crap shoot" anymore.

Peyton is franchise QB, somehow the Colts still cut him. And how good those alternatives are we saw last year.

The points is...until we do not have a replacement for him, atleast in our sight, we better stick to a top15 QB, rather than having M Cassell or T Tebow. Then we can not even realisticly look at our defense to carry our QB.

[caradoc]

Put aside the tag and the time he has on his contract.  Answer the question, if you had to sign him right now or he'd be an unrestricted FA and you didn't have a tag to use on him, would you sign him to a long term contract with significant guaranteed money based on what you've seen so far?

[VinBucFan]

Put aside the tag and the time he has on his contract.  Answer the question, if you had to sign him right now or he'd be an unrestricted FA and you didn't have a tag to use on him, would you sign him to a long term contract with significant guaranteed money based on what you've seen so far?

That hypothetical illustrates why Dom has a tough decision, but also why he might be negotiating with him now.

[Bschucher]

HELL NO!

[QaZ]

If he sits out, the year won't count.  Then the team can still tag him 2 more times.  He must sign the tag and be on the active roster 6 weeks if he wants the year to count.

Edit... someone correct me if I'm wrong on that last sentence.  I know the first two are right... not sure about that active roster part.

Ok, so he atleast can not sit it out. Should force him to signing here, but then for way more than now, which would not be much an issue if he is really good. Still a gamble, which might hurt us cap wise. How much more/less than 'overpaying' a mediocre QB, which makes us look for a replacement, while still having to pay him?

[TBayXXXVII]

Put aside the tag and the time he has on his contract.  Answer the question, if you had to sign him right now or he'd be an unrestricted FA and you didn't have a tag to use on him, would you sign him to a long term contract with significant guaranteed money based on what you've seen so far?

The answer to your scenario is no.  But, that's not the situation at hand.

[TBayXXXVII]

If he sits out, the year won't count.  Then the team can still tag him 2 more times.  He must sign the tag and be on the active roster 6 weeks if he wants the year to count.

Edit... someone correct me if I'm wrong on that last sentence.  I know the first two are right... not sure about that active roster part.

Ok, so he atleast can not sit it out. Should force him to signing here, but then for way more than now, which would not be much an issue if he is really good. Still a gamble, which might hurt us cap wise. How much more/less than 'overpaying' a mediocre QB, which makes us look for a replacement, while still having to pay him?

Here's the problem with your stance.  You're saying to re-sign Freeman at a mediocre QB number, because that's what he is right now.  What if Freeman doesn't think he's a mediocre QB?  What if Freeman thinks he's a top 5-10 QB?

[chace1986]

Put aside the tag and the time he has on his contract.  Answer the question, if you had to sign him right now or he'd be an unrestricted FA and you didn't have a tag to use on him, would you sign him to a long term contract with significant guaranteed money based on what you've seen so far?

Nope.

[caradoc]

Put aside the tag and the time he has on his contract.  Answer the question, if you had to sign him right now or he'd be an unrestricted FA and you didn't have a tag to use on him, would you sign him to a long term contract with significant guaranteed money based on what you've seen so far?

The answer to your scenario is no.  But, that's not the situation at hand.

No it's not.  But it is an informative question to ask, because when you answer it you have to divorce yourself from you hopes of what someone might be someday down the road and be honest with what he is now.  And you will be more accurate in your assessment of him now than in your projection for the future.

And he is more likely to measure up to your current assessment in the future rather than change into what you hope or project.

[The Anti-Java]

The Bucs are onboard with Freeman, doesn't matter what any of us fans think.

[caradoc]

The Bucs are onboard with Freeman, doesn't matter what any of us fans think.

Yeah, and Jim Harbaugh was on board with Alex Smith.

[The Anti-Java]

The Bucs are onboard with Freeman, doesn't matter what any of us fans think.

Yeah, and Jim Harbaugh was on board with Alex Smith.

He had an alternative, we don't.