Allen smarter then some think

[yuccaneers]

Bruce Allen might me a bit smarter then some give him credit for. While holding onto Simms to see if he could up the value for the QB. It rubbed some fans the wrong way. It was a wise business move that didnt pay of. But was well worth the risk. After signing Marques Douglas this off-season Allen parted ways with Douglas after not giving him a signing bonus and received not only a late round draft pick in 2009, but also an undisclosed pick in 2010. Some want to argue that they did not upgrade the roster enough with the amount of cap space the team had squirreled away. There just wasn't enough talent to splurge on enter free agency.

But since the team was frugal with its new found cap surplus it will be north of 45 million in available cap room heading into the 2009 season, when Allen once again uses the LTBE loophole. which should ensure that one of the teams most glaring weaknesses should be address with the amount of talent scheduled to hit the free market.

Everyone will have $$$$$

[yuccaneers]

Not everyone will have a huge amount since so many teams are so close to the cap now. Most teams will be under 10 million in cap space while there will be a few teams that will have an abundant amount of cash to spend

[Blackshirts]

The free agent market isnt what it used to be...teams are better at managing the cap nowdays and when they want to resign someone they're more able to do it...there arent many great players that reach the free agent market anymore....

[bradentonian]

Several folks on this board were praising Allen for "stockpiling QBs" and how we cornered the QB market and would turn Grads, Simms, and the rights to Plummer into picks.  In the end, they turned out to be worth squat on the trade market.  I would have preferred to see Simms' roster spot used on a player that might have been able to contribute to the team, as we all knew Simms wouldn't.

As for the cap issue, we've had money for a couple of years now, but so have a lot of other teams, so the FA market continues to be weak.  I don't see any reason for that to be any different next year.  That means Allen will likely have to step up to the plate and offer good picks to get a "name" player, something he hasn't shown the desire to do thus far.

[Lamond]

Well said yucc.

And being as we got 2 picks from the Ravens for Douglas, it's like we got something for Simms anyway. At least they'll be high 7ths....lol

[Simms2Clayton05]

Everyone will have $$$$$

ya but the bucs are in good shape to pay their core players and get free agents in here. If you look at what allen does compared to some of these other gms. Bruce only pays the guys who he knows will help this team and he pays them what he thinks they are worth. These last couple years have been crap for free agency and Bruce has done a solid job. Remember Javon Walker alot of guys wanted him here but look how much he got paid. If BA paid that much he would be eaten alive on this board. I personally think Bruce Allen and Jon Gruden have done a great job keeping us competative every year. I think even the years we sucked we still competed just didnt have enough to pull out wins and made enough mistakes to lose. I think we are on the right track to having a consistent team here now that the salary cap is good. We have enough to pay our core players. We have an awsome facility to attract free agents. This team is on the right track. If you dont think so you are just a pessimist or just against the Allen/Gruden campain.

[Lamond]

There are great players available but you have to have 2 things to get them. $$$ and draft picks.

[Blackshirts]

well if you dont mind giving up two number 1's for somebody that's franchised....

ya but the bucs are in good shape to pay their core players and get free agents in here.

We don't have many core players right now worthy of big $$ so we should have a lot of space under the cap.

This was posted by Florio a week or so ago:

SALARY CAP NUMBERS AS OF AUGUST 25
Posted by Mike Florio on August 25, 2008, 8:41 a.m. EDT

Kansas City Chiefs $31.9 million

Tampa Bay Buccaneers $27.8 million

Green Bay Packers $24.7 million

Buffalo Bills $20.9 million

Philadelphia Eagles $19.0 million

New Orleans Saints $17.7 million

Miami Dolphins $16.2 million

Jacksonville Jaguars $13.3 million

New York Giants $12.3 million

Tennessee Titans $11.8 million

Dallas Cowboys $9.6 million

Cleveland Browns $9.4 million

Chicago Bears $9.2 million

San Diego Chargers $9.2 million

Seattle Seahawks $8.8 million

Atlanta Falcons $8.2 million

St. Louis Rams, $8.1 million

Carolina Panthers  $8.0 million

Indianapolis Colts $7.5 million

Baltimore Ravens $7.0 million

San Francisco 49ers $7.0 million

New England Patriots $6.9 million

Cincinnati Bengals $6.4 million

Denver Broncos $5.9 million

Minnesota Vikings $5.0 million

Houston Texans $4.9 million

Oakland Raiders $4.2 million

Detroit Lions $4.0 million

Arizona Cardinals  $3.5 million

New York Jets $1.9 million

Washington Redskins $1.8 million

Pittsburgh Steelers $1.7 million

As for free agency, teams find a way to keep the players they want. Jets were up against the cap and still fit Favre and his $12mil in there. Any player worth a damn will not make it to free agency because his current team will lock him up.... and in case you didn't know, the cap will go up for everyone again next year.

[Lamond]

The market sets the price. If your team is solid depth wise, like ours will be next year, maybe we pull the trigger on a young difference maker on offense.

[alldaway]

Several folks on this board were praising Allen for "stockpiling QBs" and how we cornered the QB market and would turn Grads, Simms, and the rights to Plummer into picks.  In the end, they turned out to be worth squat on the trade market.  I would have preferred to see Simms' roster spot used on a player that might have been able to contribute to the team, as we all knew Simms wouldn't.

I agree.

At some point the investment (roster space) is no longer worth it if means you are depriving your team of potentially helping another area that isn't the QB position.

[sammy8887]

But since the team was frugal with its new found cap surplus it will be north of 45 million in available cap room heading into the 2009 season, when Allen once again uses the LTBE loophole. which should ensure that one of the teams most glaring weaknesses should be address with the amount of talent scheduled to hit the free market.

I'm looking forward to this plan coming to fruition in the future...

[DanTurksGhost]

Of course the former NFL Executive of the Year is smarter than "some" think.

[FartMan]

There is a good chance that Roy Williams and Anquan Boldin will be free agents next off season.