WILLIAMS AND BUCS BEGIN EARLY CONTRACT EXTENSION TALKS

[Bucs N Beers]

And Zuttah now that I think about it.

[tmac87]

What type of money is MW19 hoping to see? Not $11.1M, obviously. So I was trying to think of a recent FA contract and what someone like him signed for. Enter Robert Meachem, signing in San Diego (4yr 25.9M, 14M Guaranteed). I initially valued Mike at about $4M year, but If his agent wants Meachem money (He's outperformed his first years 4 years in the league as well), then we may be out of luck. Here's to hoping Dom can write a rewarding, yet appropriate contract.......hopefully. Recent history hasn't been kind.

[Biggs3535]

Drafting good players and re-signing them is how payrolls go up in the NFL, and that will start to show.

No, the Glazers just finally got their Man U debt under control.

Thank Gawd the big, bad evil owners finally let the football draft good players who are actually worthy of giving second contracts to.  No more decrees from on High to draft crappy players by the cheapskates.

Boo friggin' Hoo.

[Feel Real Good]

What type of money is MW19 hoping to see? Not $11.1M, obviously. So I was trying to think of a recent FA contract and what someone like him signed for. Enter Robert Meachem, signing in San Diego (4yr 25.9M, 14M Guaranteed). I initially valued Mike at about $4M year, but If his agent wants Meachem money (He's outperformed his first years 4 years in the league as well), then we may be out of luck. Here's to hoping Dom can write a rewarding, yet appropriate contract.......hopefully. Recent history hasn't been kind.

Williams is eminently better than Meachem.

[olafberserker]

Did I miss the draft where we finally lit it up that enabled us to FINALLY sign a couple of impact players last offseason?

[Biggs3535]

Did I miss the draft where we finally lit it up that enabled us to FINALLY sign a couple of impact players last offseason?

Josh Freeman and Mike Williams on offense and Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn on defense.  And the fact that there were quality FA's like Jackson and Nicks to sign, and not Free Agent fool's gold like Albert Haynesworth, made a difference as well.

This has all been said before.  You've got your heels dug in regarding the big, bad meanie owners who wouldn't bail out piss poor drafting year after year after year after year, and that won't change no matter how much evidence is provided to the contrary.

[olafberserker]

Those guys hadn't established themselves prior to this year and there are still some questions.   It's been a long time since this team has attacked FA the way they did this past off season.  That is just a fact.   And drafting shouldn't dictate that.

[Buc on the Move]

What are some of the best #2s making?  That is what MikeWill should be making.  He has played in every game possible for him to play.  Been our most productive receiver over that time span, and all this from a 4th round draft pick.  I hope he doesn't mind giving the team a bit of a hometown discount, but I also hope the team looks to lock him up for a while.  How much more money has Regus Benn made in the same amount of time, to do practically nothing?  I hope both sides can reach a reasonable agreement that works out for all involved.  Mike Will has definitely earned it, and I hope they make him a Buccaneer for Life, per his wishes.

[Hate]

Those guys hadn't established themselves prior to this year and there are still some questions.   It's been a long time since this team has attacked FA the way they did this past off season.  That is just a fact.  And drafting shouldn't dictate that.

I disagree...not that there's anything wrong with that

[dbucfan]

Did I miss the draft where we finally lit it up that enabled us to FINALLY sign a couple of impact players last offseason?

Josh Freeman and Mike Williams on offense and Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn on defense.  And the fact that there were quality FA's like Jackson and Nicks to sign, and not Free Agent fool's gold like Albert Haynesworth, made a difference as well.

This has all been said before.  You've got your heels dug in regarding the big, bad meanie owners who wouldn't bail out piss poor drafting year after year after year after year, and that won't change no matter how much evidence is provided to the contrary.

Two years ago the bucs signed FAs - Trueblood, Joseph and Black.  Are you saying there wasn't an opportunity to sign other Free Agents?  Now this is a loaded question as there were literally dozens of FAs looking for second contracts - perhaps more rhetorical than loaded.  There have been years when FA pickings were thin - but not every year I would concede.  Add to that the opportunity for the bucs to improve their roster given the lack of quality on the roster and it becomes fairly obvious opportunities to upgrade the team were missed by not participating in FA. 

[Feel Real Good]

Those guys hadn't established themselves prior to this year and there are still some questions.   It's been a long time since this team has attacked FA the way they did this past off season.  That is just a fact.   And drafting shouldn't dictate that.

In 2007 the Bucs spent $20 million in new money on players. In 2008 they spent another $10 million while retaining just about all the players from the year before. In 2009 they dumped a bunch of players and then spent another $25 million in new money. 2010 was the year before the lockout and they dialed things down. Then in 2011 they spent another $20 million. They've had money to spend every offseason. For whatever reason they just kept giving it to crappy players.

[olafberserker]

Those guys hadn't established themselves prior to this year and there are still some questions.   It's been a long time since this team has attacked FA the way they did this past off season.  That is just a fact.   And drafting shouldn't dictate that.

In 2007 the Bucs spent $20 million in new money on players. In 2008 they spent another $10 million while retaining just about all the players from the year before. In 2009 they dumped a bunch of players and then spent another $25 million in new money. 2010 was the year before the lockout and they dialed things down. Then in 2011 they spent another $20 million. They've had money to spend every offseason. For whatever reason they just kept giving it to crappy players.

The reason is they were signing scrubs and/or kickers or punters.


2012 they sign 2 of the top 5 FA's available

[Biggs3535]

Did I miss the draft where we finally lit it up that enabled us to FINALLY sign a couple of impact players last offseason?

Josh Freeman and Mike Williams on offense and Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn on defense.  And the fact that there were quality FA's like Jackson and Nicks to sign, and not Free Agent fool's gold like Albert Haynesworth, made a difference as well.

This has all been said before.  You've got your heels dug in regarding the big, bad meanie owners who wouldn't bail out piss poor drafting year after year after year after year, and that won't change no matter how much evidence is provided to the contrary.

Two years ago the bucs signed FAs - Trueblood, Joseph and Black.  Are you saying there wasn't an opportunity to sign other Free Agents?  Now this is a loaded question as there were literally dozens of FAs looking for second contracts - perhaps more rhetorical than loaded.  There have been years when FA pickings were thin - but not every year I would concede.  Add to that the opportunity for the bucs to improve their roster given the lack of quality on the roster and it becomes fairly obvious opportunities to upgrade the team were missed by not participating in FA.

I think I've made my thoughts on the 2011 Free Agent spending spree very well known.

2011 and 2012 had excellent Free Agent classes, which is very rare.  The big, bad meanie owners spent a lot of money in (#2 in 2011 and #1 in 2012) both of the years.  The problem with the 2011 spending was they spent a lot of money on the wrong players.  Bad football decisions by the GM/HC.  The 2011 FA's will go down alongside the 2004 FA's as far as horrible decisions by the Buccaneer's GM/HC.  Thankfully the team made up for those awful contracts in 2011 by signing Jackson and Nicks.  Wright was another story altogether, but Dominik might be lucky enough to get out of that one shortly.

[olafberserker]

Those guys hadn't established themselves prior to this year and there are still some questions.   It's been a long time since this team has attacked FA the way they did this past off season.  That is just a fact.  And drafting shouldn't dictate that.

I disagree...not that there's anything wrong with that

What?  You think if we miss on draft picks we shouldn't try to fill needs through FA and go after any impact FAs.   Thank goodness McKay, Dungy, and the Glazers didn't think that way back in the late 90's early 2000's.   And now again in 2012.

[TBayXXXVII]

I'd offer him a 5 year / $30M deal with the last 2 being team options... breakdown as folllows

2013: $4.25M
2014: $4.75M
2015: $5.50M
2016: $7.00M
2017: $8.50M

That would put him a little under Steve Johnson.  Seems about right to me.