WILLIAMS AND BUCS BEGIN EARLY CONTRACT EXTENSION TALKS

[Biggs3535]

I'm thinking Trueblood

 Which of the Free Agents the Bucs signed in 2011 to over $100M worth of contracts had positive influences on Williams - and the rest of the team?

You mean the punter?

He was one of them, yes.

[olafberserker]

Are you going to try and say that having VJ was not a positive influence on our offense including Williams?

Of course not.

Now, which Free Agent in 2010 had the positive influence on Williams?

Give me a break.  I didn't say the ONLY way someone has a good year is if we sign a FA.   Clayton and Caddy had good rookie years too.   Point was and is that you can sign impact FAs without waiting until you are sure draft picks pan out.  Signing VJ helped improve this offense and the other players in it.  Matter of fact marginal players look a lot better when star players are added via draft, FA, trade or whatever.

Give it a rest.  You can be ok with the owners neglecting this team for several years if you want.  I'm not and I'm glad that they decided to conduct a real coaching search to attempt to hire the best candidate and then decided to go out and get impact FAs to help this team.

[Biggs3535]

Are you going to try and say that having VJ was not a positive influence on our offense including Williams?

Of course not.

Now, which Free Agent in 2010 had the positive influence on Williams?

Give me a break.

I thought I was.

[dbucfan]

No breaks sought.  Being 32 of 32 speaks loudly.  Not enough to negate the attempts made, but enough to demonstrate the bucs consistently did not do everything that could have been done - imvho.  Now we can blame the FO, the scouts, the coaching staff - whatever - but for a good long period the lack of spending speaks pretty loudly my friend. 

[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.

Easier said than done. They thought when they made Jeff Faine the highest paid center in NFL history he'd be an impact player. They thought when they traded for Kellen Winslow and made him the highest paid tight end he'd be an impact player. They thought when they franchised Antonio Bryant for $9 million he'd continue to be an impact player he was when he was making less than $1 million. They thought when they made Davin Joseph one of the highest paid guards in NFL history he'd be an impact player. Just because they finally got a real live impact player in Vincent Jackson doesn't mean they weren't trying before. (And let's be careful bestowing too many superlatives on Carl Nicks. I still have faith in him, but as of right now he could just as easily turn out to be a waste like Faine, Winslow, and others.)

My opinion Jeff Faine was the last attempt to sign an impact type FA.   I agree that they did resign players that they felt were impact type players.   We have not been serious players in FA in several years.  While Nicks may or may not pan out, he was a top 5 FA and looked good preinjury.

My issues with them (owners) and spending money go beyond FA to the hiring of a DB coach to oversee the alleged rebuilding of our team as well as elevating Dom which may or may not end up being a good move.

[dbucfan]

Oh yea, and I was DELIGHTED to see the change last year, and I hope it is a return to the business of winning a SB.

[Hate]

Was just pointing out the positive influence a marquee free agent may have on players already on the team.   

Which Free Agent in 2010 had the positive influence on Williams?

You beat me to it.

As for Johnson, he's a bit of a nut and drops a lotta passes from what i've seen. Not impressed.

[Feel Real Good]

Oh yea, and I was DELIGHTED to see the change last year, and I hope it is a return to the business of winning a SB.

Was it really that big of a change? They signed one player who delivered on his promise. One other player was injured the entire time and eventually succumbed to the injury halfway through the season and the third player was a huge bust on and off the field. For whatever change they made, all they could do was finish tied for the fifth best record they've had the last 10 years.

[olafberserker]

Oh yea, and I was DELIGHTED to see the change last year, and I hope it is a return to the business of winning a SB.

Was it really that big of a change? They signed one player who delivered on his promise. One other player was injured the entire time and eventually succumbed to the injury halfway through the season and the third player was a huge bust on and off the field. For whatever change they made, all they could do was finish tied for the fifth best record they've had the last 10 years.

signed 2 of top 5 FA's both top at their position.  Big change other than the punter they signed couple of years back .......