Let me get this straight,

[yuccaneers]

Teams biggest need was playermakers and they sign special teamers in Leon Joe, Teddy Lehman, Matt McCoy and resign Antone Cash not to mention TE John Gilmore and  DE/DT Jimmy Wilkerson. Well they should have one hell of a special teams unit next season.

[ALong13]

Gilmore and Wilkerson won't start but they should get a good amount of playing time and will play in quite a few games, if not everyone that they are healthy for. Gilmore is an excellent blocker, and that is why they brought him in...

[yuccaneers]

Wilkerson contract is worded in such a wat the team isnt even sure he will make the final roster with the way the signing bonuses are in it

[bizkitlimped]

Yeah, who knows. I wonder if PR knows anything about a possible trade, some of these signings aren't making any sense. I see Gilmore and Faine. But 4 backup linebackers and an average back up qb? I hope Simms and McCown beat out Griese, that would be hilarious.

[gharen]

With the signings of McCoy and Lehman, who are the odd men out? I'm thinking Trotter and Neece. Would have rather seen them take a chance on Dan Morgan as a backup MLB.

[bradentonian]

Way to improve the pass rush, Bruce!

[mjs020294]

I am going to stop coming to this site.......each day gets more freaking depressing.   

[finnbluebucs]

Yet again Bruce Allen has flattered to deceive us all with his Free Agency Policy. He repeatedly said in the end of season Press Conference that the main priority was to acquire speed, which the Bucs have not done at all. Although Allen has signed the best available player to fill a glaring weakness at Center, our WR corps is still pedestrian, we haven't even come close to filling the void left by Kelly's departure and we haven't added any pass rush ability whatsoever to what we currently have, which, as we saw last year, is not consistently good enough.

What's the use in having the most cap space in the NFL when you're GM won't even use it? The whole idea of creating $40 odd Million is so that you can take on a few big contracts and so compete for the premier talent in Free Agency. I really have to question Bruce's thinking because it seems ridiculous in my opinion.

[DanTurksGhost]

I am going to stop coming to this site.......each day gets more freaking depressing.

Oh, the drama.

[Boid Fink]

I am still a huge fan of Bruce Allen.  And Jon Gruden.  I will wait patiently to see what cards he will pull from his sleeve.  If not, I will be thinking they have to know more than any casual does, so I will watch the Bucs go out this season, well coached and well balanced, and root for them to keep the game close, and for them to win another division with almost the same team they had last year.  The Saints will be tougher with the acquisition of some defensive help, and I am sure Brees will not start out as Simms-esque as he did last year, making it even tougher for us to overcome them.  But game to game, the BUcs can hang with anyone.  They have lost BK which really hurts, but perhaps Buchanon can step in to his shoe and add some speed to the corner spot...the kid has a lot of talent, and has lost his card carrying coward card, and is now a member of Raheem's secondary. 

Gruden is the best coach in the South, and I know he is grinding his teeth at the thought of losing out in FA, but there is sooo much time left, and sooo much flexibility in their cap...

Not going to bash my man Bruce Allen yet.  BUt I am a little perplexed at how things shook out. 

They did nab Faine, which already makes the O-line look stunning on paper, IMO.  We seen Graham do his grinding work, and Bennett flashed like Gordon last year in very limited duty.  He has speed for days.  Garcia is still dependable.  Ike is dependable.  Askew healthy is very good.  Gilmore replaces Becht and should be able to enter the second level of defense in his blocking assignments faster than BEcht could.  And Smith is serviceable, though not anything special.

If the Bucs add a speed threat in the draft, which they very easily could, they will have a more complete looking offense, IMO. 

The Bucs will be able to compete easily with Carolina, and with Atlanta.  New Orleans is going to be tough, but it can be had, as it has been done.

[cyberdude557]

If the team does not at least equal last year's performance (which will be tough to do looking at the opponents we have to play), and ticket sales continue to be sluggish...Gruden may be looking at the exit sign. Excuses can only get you so far. First it was that we didn't have cap room. Now the excuse will be that there wasnt anyone out there to bring in... i mean sooner or later the Glazers are going to draw the line.

[flyinbuc]

Can't halp to think that if Garcia gets more time his happy feet will quiet some and plays that were passed up because of the pass rush up the middle will be made.  Sometimes playmakers are lineman

[rpc1978]

i have to admit its hard to defend trading for griese and adding 3 special teams LB.  we might have the record for most QBs or LBs on the roster at once.  In light of our other needs and especially with the cap room we have, its really disappointing to see what we've done thus far in the offseason.  

[jerseybucsfan]

I love the way Allen's inactivity is already being thrown on Gruden. Anyone who plays THAT card is the puppet ... of the Buc-hating local media.
Newsflash: Gruden won before Allen got here. Allen has zero playoff wins here.

[dodda45]

McCoy and Lehman are both good players who are definite upgrades over Nece, Trotter, and Hayward.  Both were first day picks(2nd round) who can start and play very well if needed...McCoy was a player who many thought would be a perfect fit for the Bucs when he was drafted.

What stud 3-technique rushers are there or were available at the start of free-agency?  None other than Coleman and apparently he is not healthy enought to get much interest from anybody...Just because we don't want to overspend for average receivers does not mean we don't go ahead and improve the roster...When we lost June for the playoffs, Nece was a poor substitute...We had Trotter backing up Ruud last year for gosh sakes...now we have a guy that most think is a starting caliber MLB if he could just stay healthy.  Our run-blocking from the Tight-End spot was atrocious last year and so we improved that(I hope he turns out like an Askew-type pickup)...I really like our depth at LB with McCoy, Lehman, Black and Cash.

Oh yeah, free agency is not over...Remember, the biggest free agent playmaking receivers last year were all picked up in trades (Welker,  Moss for example).  Teams don't let guys of this caliber just hit the market.  This draft has alot of speed receivers in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.  I am worried about this and would like more playmakers but it is hardly the fault of Allen...There was simply know studs out there and the ones that were decent got insane salaries.