Bucs free agent strategy baffles me

[alldaway]

Maybe I missed something but after a season where the pass defense was an issue I don't see the value in signing a safety that isn't primarily a cover guy.  It is true that safties that can cover have greater value in the NFL but Goldson isn't that type of safety.  We all know it as he is more of a traditional strong safety type.  Does he compliment Barron? I would like to thinks so, but Barron to me should have been the "strong safety" and the Bucs should have shot their wad for a true cover safety through the draft.  Not saying Barron can't cover, but I would rather see two safties that can turn their hips rather than one.

Signing a safety and a LB isn't a bad haul for the defense thus far, but the holes are more obvious at DT, DE, and CB, so to me I don't see much urgency along plugging up the defensive line.  On offense, while the tight end position should be addressed I don't think it is that dire to be honest.  But RT and OL depth are obvious areas where the Bucs should address because frankly I don't think the find what they value through the draft.

Last off season, the Bucs seemed to have a more cohesive plan to address areas of the team that needed to be shored up.  This off season the plan seem to be to look for value rather than need in free agency.  The Bucs brass deemed Goldson good value compared to CB's out there on the market I suppose but I can't seem to agree with such rationale.

I don't get it.

[Oracle]

Who needs a pass rush when you have an 8 million dollar a year man at free safety?

[GatorBuc85]

With what they did last year with Nicks, Jackson, Clark, Barron, Martin and David... I have faith that they know what they are doing. It sucks sitting here waiting, but oh well.

[XFactor]

Free agency is not over.

[Oracle]

With what they did last year with Nicks, Jackson, Clark, Barron, Martin and David... I have faith that they know what they are doing. It sucks sitting here waiting, but oh well.

Last year's draft was one of the deepest and best in NFL history.   All teams greatly improved themselves last year.   This year the draft sucks.   Don't expect any big splash players this year.

[alldaway]

Free agency is not over.

Yes thanks for the obvious but I am not liking how this is all going down.

[kbl117]

If we don't sign grimes + a Toller type, AND one of either Abraham, freeney, dumervil then I'd say we get a horrible grade for FA considering a) our glaring holes, b) our available cap space, and c) the huge amounts of talent that was signed at such affordable prices at our positions of need

The number of viable options has diminished quite a bit

[danimal09]

Signing the top free agent baffles you? Not chasing these average to below average CBs that are names more than they are players baffles you? It is about building through the draft, always has been and also it is only three days into free agency. I am just glad most of the fans on this site aren't GMs.

[jhop88]

With what they did last year with Nicks, Jackson, Clark, Barron, Martin and David... I have faith that they know what they are doing. It sucks sitting here waiting, but oh well.

Last year's draft was one of the deepest and best in NFL history.   All teams greatly improved themselves last year.   This year the draft sucks.   Don't expect any big splash players this year.

Some of the stuff on this MB continues to amaze me!!!

[The Anomaly]

Signing the top free agent baffles you? Not chasing these average to below average CBs that are names more than they are players baffles you? It is about building through the draft, always has been and also it is only three days into free agency. I am just glad most of the fans on this site aren't GMs.

Yeah, because our GM has such a great track record. BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Do you people even read what you type?

[alldaway]

I see a lot of CB's that are better than average (or were) on the market, and Goldson isn't a cover guy, so yeah I am not sold with the Bucs approach at all.

[jhop88]

If we don't sign grimes + a Toller type, AND one of either Abraham, freeney, dumervil then I'd say we get a horrible grade for FA considering a) our glaring holes, b) our available cap space, and c) the huge amounts of talent that was signed at such affordable prices at our positions of need

The number of viable options has diminished quite a bit

"Huge amounts of talent..."

Please explain.

[danimal09]

I see a lot of CB's that are better than average (or were) on the market, and Goldson isn't a cover guy, so yeah I am not sold with the Bucs approach at all.

Well I guess the quality of CBs are up to opinion but I don't see the quality in them. Just a bunch of big names without the talent to match. But were are you getting that Goldson is not a cover guy?

[The Anomaly]

I see a lot of CB's that are better than average (or were) on the market, and Goldson isn't a cover guy, so yeah I am not sold with the Bucs approach at all.

Well I guess the quality of CBs are up to opinion but I don't see the quality in them. Just a bunch of big names without the talent to match. But were are you getting that Goldson is not a cover guy?

Several articles say similar to this...

"While Goldson, who will turn 29 in mid-September, picked off 14 passes over the past four season in San Francisco, he struggled down the stretch in coverage — particularly in the NFC title game against Atlanta."

[alldaway]

49er fans were split as to whether it was Whitner or a combination of Whtiner and Goldson for some of the issues in the 49ers secondary.  But anyways, the Bucs don't have to hit a home run to upgrade the CB position, so hitting a home run for the safety position is kind of like an empty victory if they can't parlay that into a better secondary against the pass.