i think its good! we need players! i like how he took less money that mean he wants to play and he feels he has something to prove to tampa!

This is great!! Signed another FA. Keep your mouth shut and try to catch the ball Clayton!!

Yippie !!! I can barely hold back the excitement...We have a blocking wideout to go with our new catching TE...Our offense will be amazing...Clayton hasnt made a tough catch since his rookie year,at this point i would be surprised if he could catch a cold...

Another boring day for Buc fans...I cant wait for the next wave of underwhelming non stories...Clayton had no options-who needs a receiver who cant make a catch ??I guess Tampa did..

Day three of FA begins-not with a splash,but a plop...

Im beginning to seriously think we should take a look at the dogkiller...

BREAKING NEWS !!!!
Bucs traded their first round pick for 3 slim jims and a 32oz gatorade cup with a picture of LT on it !!!

I know some people will be negative about this, but I like the signing. Clayton and Gruden did not get along and you it affected Clayton's oppurtunities and production. I'm not saying it's a proper excuse for his lack luster production and drops, but I really wanna seem him get a chance under the new staff. He is one of the few offensive guys that is actually one of our guys, darfted by us....of course I want to see him have success in Tampa.

Hope we still sign Henderson or Washington, but this is a good move IMO.

Let me see if I understand the plan . Cut all our veteren leaders. Resign our underachievers that could potentialy affect better players from coming here. Not sign any new fa and trade top draft picks for questionable character guys. Did I miss anything guys?
What a joke this is turning into.

And Clayton didn't get along with gruden cause he quit catching the ball after his rookie season. Gruden gave him more chances than most would have. I was shocked he had the nerve and gall to open his yap and bash his head coach. Learn something from brooks and act like a professional. You really look like a dumb*** after dropping so many balls.

finerdetailz-looking like the plan isnt it..Im hoping things will change,its hard to stomach though..

I think Im gonna take a few days off from following what we are and aren't doing.I have to again lower my expectations for this team and its future..Right now Im having a hard time remaining optimistic...

Good bye for a while..

One last post-to our new leaders:
The Cheifs traded THEIR 2nd round pick for Cassel AND Vrabel..The Cheifs have a possible franchise QB now...ALL for a 2nd round pick..

The Bucs gave up their 2nd and a 5th round pick for a TE...A guy with questionable character and a crappy work ethic..

Some teams know what they are doing and have a solid plan..The Bucs arent one of them..

Chris Mortenson just came out and said Detriot was gonna trade there 20th pick for Denver for Cutler but Bucs offered them there 19th pick and 6th pick for Cutler and Denver was gonna give New England there 12th pick for Cassell but Bill Billicheck didnt want his ex OC to get Cassell so they traded to Kansas City for there 34th pick.Denver just hired New Englands OC (sorry dont remember his name).So you cant say there not trying to really build a great team.Give Morris and Dominick a chance. They will build a better team just calm the hell down and let them do there job,FA just started.I would have loved to had Haynesworth but he is not worth 100 - 115 MILLION DOLLARS.THERE WILL BE GREAT FA SIGNINGS JUST WAIT AND SEE..............GO BUCS !!!

Wow Crem, if your recent posts are you trying to be optimistic, I'd hate to hear you being a pesamist.

Dom is out there trying to make big things happen like a trade for Cutler. I know it didn't go thru, but that would have changed everything in one swoop. You gotta give these guys the benefit of the doubt. They say all the right things as far as wanting to be more physical and emulate teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They just need time to make it happen. Give them two off seasons, and two seasons before you start throwing stones.

Being a fan of a rebuilding team is like buying stock. If you constantly check to see how it's doing and over analyse every single thing you'll drive youself nuts. You just gotta sit back and cross your fingers and have faith everything will pay off in the long run.

I agree it's getting tiresome waiting and watching for something to happen so I'm going to follow creme and lay low for awhile and quit watching. Out..

Hard to be optimistic when the owners are broke ass idiots and the front office is incompetent.

All you Gruden/Allen haters are getting what you deserve. And hang on, because it's just the beginning!

If they paid the guy more than the cost of a sandwich, it was too much. I love how ESPN has him rated as the 27th ranked FA receiver available, right below Dane Looker, who went undrafted in the 2000 draft. I'm really curious if Clayton actually thinks of himself as a quality receiver? From his comments, it seems like he's thinking only of himself most of the time. Think I would've like to have Dane Looker instead.

All you Gruden/Allen LOVERS will soon have nothing to bitch about when Morris and Dominick show you how fast they can build a better team.You guys are backing yourself into a corner already to hate what these guys build,theve been here a MONTH.What will you have to say about your TEAM if they start kicking ass,are you still gonna hold resentment against the new staff because your beloved Gruden is gone.Are you Buc Fans or Gruden Lovers.Your already spiteful of everything that happens.If you cant even give these guys time to prove them selves you should find another team because you sure dont sound like Buc Fans just Gruden Lovers.You can root for Grudens new team in another year,if he gets one,which i believe he will.COME ON ARE YOU BUC FANS OR WHAT....
GIVE THIS STAFF THERE CHANCE.........GO BUC !!!!......

Clayton is just like Keyshawn without the hands. His attitude and the lack of speed will really help the new vertical offense. I think the guy from the Canadian league will beat him out if we don't sign any other receivers.

Trapper - An organization is made up of people. You can waive your flag all you want, but if the leadership screws their most valuable people and basically abandons ship for their own selfish reasons, what are you supposed to do, continue to support them? That's just foolish.

This plan isn't worth the papers the top free agents refused to sign on to come here!

Ronald Curry was an available cheap upgrade, and instead to resign Clayton. This plan is awful. Curry brings the same traits as Clayton, along with being "sure-handed".

I, like everyone else, is still waiting for Clayton to return to 2004 form. However, he was supposedly in great shape this year, only to be disgraced by Jon Gruden on opening day by not even being DRESSED, at New Orleans, his home area, with 50friends and family there at the game to see him.

That was just plain wrong. I like to think Claytons problems stem from being in Grudens dog house.

Think about it, how many times did you see garcia throw him the ball?

I find it more entertaining reading these posts than I do reading the article. The on-going argument between the so-called Gruden haters and Gruden lovers is comical. Maybe it's just me, but I always thought a fan rooted for the team regardless of who was coaching or playing.

The sad thing is that some of you seem to want the new regime to fail and have already declared them failures before the first game has been played because of a variety of reasons including public speaking ability, releasing popular players (like all teams do) and not signing every other team's free agents.

It's as if you guys are staring at your computers all day watching the free agency tracker expecting the Bucs to sign anyone that you perceive is better than our own just because he came from another team.

It's like the Alltel nerds are all Pewter Report subscribers.

tomsand,
when your a fan of a team, your a fan of a team...period.

Im a derrick brooks fan because he played for the Bucs. If the Eagles drafted him, I would hate Brooks.

As long as jon gruden was coach of the bucs, I supported him. its his team, and Im a fan of the team, so I may not agree with their plan but thats why I do what I do and Im not in the football business.

Someone in 1979 probably thought Bill Walsh was an idiot for throwing the ball so much. thats NOT how you win football games.

Tony Dungy, no one around here had ever even heard of him when he was brought here. we all wanted Spurrier or Jimmy Johnson or other big name coach.

If your a real fan of the team, you support the team, support the players and coaches of the team, and thats it.
You may not like a certain player, or play, or philosophy, but who the heck are we to challenge that?
your always free to start rooting for another team, which then makes you a fair weather fan.

Ive been DIE HARD since 79. I watched the Throw McKay in the Bay stuff, and now he's reveared.
I, like many, maybe even yourself, watched through the 83to 95 Debacle. You dont last through that unless your prepared to stay in it for the long haul.

Thats not to say as a fan you have to be a mindless automaton, but when you start getting to the point of "Im protesting" or " I cant support this organization anymore", then you probably shouldnt.
There are about 40,000 of us out there that could not care if we were the last ones in the stands.
Were Buc fans till we die.''

C'mon, BUCS fans. We all support the team, or we wouldn't be on this blog.

BUT, it is 100% okay to disagree with decisions that BUCS ownership/management/coaches make. Why? BECAUSE we're the fans who help pay all their salaries. I have forked over thousands of dollars over the years for tickets, concessions, parking, merchandise, etc. I'll continue to pay, WIN or LOSE, and follow this team to the grave. All of you probably will do the same.

So, when I want to make a negative comment about the new leadership making a bonehead move signing an under achieving WR who whines and bad mouths coaches when he doesn't get "his way," I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO! You can support the team and still have opinions, fellow PR readers! Re-signing Clayton is a colossal mistake. Let's hope there are better FA days ahead.

The fact that Clayton took less money to continue to play here is promising any way you look at it. That's good enough for me. He and H. Ward are the best blocking WR's in the league and Clayton seems to be getting open more often than he used to. Any his hands have improved from the last 2 years.

I think he's proven to be a good enough player to keep on the team when given enough opportunities. Whether he's good enough to continue to start depends on who else we bring in. I'm a big T. J. Houshmendzadeh man. I won many fantasy leagues over the past few years by picking him in the mid rounds and watching him consistenly get 80 yards and a TD per game. Go Bucs!!

Clayton didn't open his mouth until Gruden was gone. He has never been reported as a locker room problem, nor has he ever done anything to embarass the Bucs off the field. Clayton was a first round pick who is still only 25. This guy gets no credit for doing the dirty work like knocking the snot outta guys in the running game. He's a big tough S.O.B. who thinks nothing about cracking back on D lineman. I'm glad he's a Buc instead of that head case from Cinncy. Jags said touchdown instaed of checkdown. Maybe now that we have a coach with the balls to throw it in the endzone, a 6'4" receiver will come in handy.

i agree w/niko521,but you have to admit its too easy to point out the negatives.most of the history of this franchise is very bad, filled with stupid trades bad draft picks and not resigning players.just imagine what it would have been like if we got Bo jackson to play here or Earl Campbell(they were drafted by the bucs).What we need is ownership and a coaching staff that understands what its like to be a bucs fan.because it aint easy! but there's no way im not going to root for whoever is coaching or owns the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS!!!!!!

I actually like this move. All of our receivers have had problems with drops. Galloway included. Clayton had his share I'll grant that. But this will give us some added depth. I'm surprised the Bucs haven't made more of a splash in FA. I hope the new regime is moving us in the right direction.

Time will tell.

I, for one, would like to thank all the Pewter Report staff for all the time and money spent on what I think is the best FA Preview edition I've read so far. It's been making a wonderful coaster. :)

wppmcclane, thanks for the perspective. I am of the mind that if this is the fan site for the Bucs, I'd hate to see the haters site. But what you said is right. Fans have a right to their opinion, and the really pasionate fans are probably going to be the most critical.

You may also want to send one to Dominik, I think he may have misplaced his. ;) Seriously though, I do think we'll see a few signings in the next few days, are prices will start to drop as the days go by. I'm still intrigued by the possibility of bringing in Carlisle and moving Mahan for a pick or player.

OK, Cassel AND Vrabel for a measly 2nd round pick...would have been the face of our franchise...finally a FQB...but NO. Even Jay Cutler would rock, but we always seem to come up juuuust a bit short...WTF?! We have the most money in the NFL but ALWAYS wait for the bargain shopping - PATHETIC. As stated above, I can comment on ANYTHING about this team cuz I spend the money...I expect them to put a good product on the field and you do that by getting at least SOME proven vets...sign some GREAT friggin players!

who's gona' wear #80???? Clayton or Winslow. I think Clayton will do a good job this coming season. Wait and watch???!!!!

great

d henderson used to be his room mate and he won't even come to tampa

pinkstob,

Good points about Clayton who I lost respect for the last few years but your first paragraph is an especially good one and I agree with your takes, especially turning down more money to stay here says a TON about his attitude, and he genuinely enjoys blowing defenders up on devastating blocks which is another very good character sign.

I also love TJ as he's considered a possession WR or has been labeled as such and many may argue why pay him $10 million (his asking price) when we now have Clayton, but I watched a lot of Bengals games and TJ is more than a possession receiver and has a very dangerous big play deep verticle aspect to his game although his yards per catch tapered off last season (I think Palmer's injuries had something to do with that as the backup had neither Palmer's arm or nerve to go deep to TJ). I think TJ is the perfect verticle/possession WR who is capable of acrobatic catches as is Bolden., the difference being we wouldn't have to trade for TJ but pay him $10 million per with a ton of guaranteed cash as well. TJ had some injury problems a few years ago and the Bengals stood by him and it's a bit nervy on his part to demand so much but his numbers DO support it. If we were to sign TJ with Bryant and Clayton, we'd still need a true burner with TJ and Bryant having the speed to stretch defenses but perhaps not putting the type of fear that a Galloway even at his age would havehad to really stretch defenses vertically.

Remember Darryl Green of the Redskins was running 4.1 forties at the age of 40 years old and I think Galloway (if his hamstring would have held up and it wouldn't under Raheem who wouldn't have let him rest it on Wednesdays and keep him out of two a days) would have been an inexpensive but extremely dangerous vertical threat that teams would have had to account for with their FS's every time he would be split wide. Galloway was that freak of nature that would have endured time and had very productive years (career bests under Gruden in a conservative WC offense) so just think what he'd do in a truly vertical offense as a situational player?

I also want to add that Clayton losing about 15 to 20 lbs last year helped him regain his quickness he had in his rookie season as he was misled into believing that adding weight and bulking up would make him more durable which it didn't. I'm still willing to believe in Clayton even though I didn't want him back, but because of his heart and loyalty and IMO still a good upside, I think it could work. The Buc's OC (Jags) stated that even though the offense would be verticle there would still be a lot of tight slant routes that Clayton could flourish in.

Also, remember he turned down more money to play with a team that has the worst starting QB in the entire NFL and the poorest QB squad in the NFL with the Bears being close IMO. He's a team player for sure!

niko521......i agree with you,you support your team and coach's.
i have been a Buc fan since 1980 when i moved to Florida and ive always supported my team and coach's,ive supported gruden till this last year.Each coach ive stuck with until a point where there not productive for our TEAM,all staff's change if there not productive or moving forward and when ive made my points about why it 's time for Gruden to leave ive been bashed by so-called Buc fans for being a Gruden hater because of speaking out against the "GENIUS".But im excited about a new direction,so that's why i go after the Gruden Lovers because there bitter and dont really seem to be Buc Fans because of there bitterness they hold anger against a staff that's been here a month.i know there's some gruden lovers that are excited about this new staff but i dont get these bitter Gruden Lovers who call them selves Buc fans and call people like me who felt it was time for a change gruden haters.

tomsan,all the players they cut except cato june dont even participate in practice.they want young players who can get threw a full dress practice and play atleast a16 game season.
Every team has to get young .You have no clue if this will be a great staff or not.Every team cuts old players every year,yes they should have handled Derrick Brooks better but cutting old players has nothing to do with the new direction of this team.
You should find a new team if you cant even give this new staff a chance.These incompetant owners brought Dungy and Gruden here, they know alot more about football then will ever hope to.

Dean11: Earl Campbell was not drafted by the Buccaneers. The Bucs had the first pick in the 1978 draft and traded the pick to the Houston Oilers for the Oiler's first round selection (#17) with which they used to draft Doug Williams. The Bucs also received the Oiler's second round pick which they used to draft a guard named Brett Moritz from Nebraska who didn't even start in college. He was an immediate bust. They also got Houston's 1979 5th round selection which turned out to be QB Chuck Fusina from Penn State. The biggest prize in that trade was that Houston threw in Tight End Jimmy Giles.

the news keeps getting worse

this mgt has it all mixed up.

cut Brooks and Dunn, and get "tougher" by re-signing Michael "Bust" Clayton and pay him $5million a year for 5 years. I couldn't wait to give away all my family's Clayton jerseys.

Guess the mgt is hoping we will bring back the grocery bags for our heads.

$5 million for 5 years!!!!!!!! I can't believe that - Dane Looker would have been much less and has to have better hands