I don't expect us to be very busy. Probably just a DE or slot WR.
I think I read the Bucs are currently $17 million under next years cap. Penn's cap hit is $7.7 million next year. He is still owed over $650k in signing bonus money. You could rework his deal a little to free up cap room or cut him and save $7 million. Penn isn't horrible. I think he's a little overpriced but would be willing to rework his deal a little and keep him (unless we draft a LT).Nicks counts nearly $10 million against the cap over the next 3 seasons. He was guaranteed $25 million and I don't know how much of that has already been paid. I think most of that was paid out over the first two years and it looks like the last 3 years he has a large roster bonus. If we were to cut Nicks, I still think we save close to $9 million this year and then $10 million for each of the next 2 years after.Cutting Joseph saves $6 million next year and then $7 million each of the following years through 2017.If you rework Penn to save 2 million, cut Joseph and Nicks, you now have $18 million under the cap more...add in the $17 million and now the Bucs are $35 million under the cap.You have to resign some guys like McCoy who is a free agent after 2014...but I can see the Bucs bringing in a couple elite players, a couple lesser but still good players and then drafting to fill the other needs.
If Nicks comes back healthy next year, then we keep him. I agree, we need to cut Joseph, move Zuttah, and Draft Marcus Martin in the 4th or 5th round. Bring in Hardy and Graham if they don't resign or get tagged. And sign McCoy long team, asap.
I don't see the Bucs as big players in free agency...but I can see them targeting at least one of the top flight free agents and maybe a couple good players that aren't in that elite status. I don't know that we will have the money to do 2 top guys. I think the key is to target a DE to play with McCoy and Clayborn. You do that and your D is good enough to be a top 10 D without doing anything else other than bringing in good coaching.As for Nicks...I really worry he will never be the same. There's talk like he may never step on the field again and that he might have nerve damage. That's a huge risk for a guy that's making $10 million a year. I'd almost rather cut him and try and sign someone else. You should be able to find a guy better than the clowns we have been playing at LG.
Michael Johnson.Nothing else matters.
Michael Johnson.Nothing else matters.
Yeah, his 3.5 sacks this season would really make our pass rush fearsome.
Anyone who watched the Bengals games this year, knows that this dude lived in the backfield and applied all kinds of pressure. He also single handedly had more batted down passes at the LOS than the entire Bucs defense managed. He is a complete DE. Stellar against the run, and good in pass rush. We would be lucky to have him.
1) LT Jared Veldheer, 26-year-old, graded out as PFF's No. 9 left tackle in 2012, Veldheer partially tore his triceps in August, was back in November for the last 5 games playing every snap while allowing no sacks.Raiders are trying to keep him off the open market, if he hit free agency, i'm all-in... he's one of the NFL's up-and-coming young pass protectors.2) OC Alex Mack, 28-year-old, graded out as PFF's No. 1 center this year, one of the best run-blockers in the league, Mack has rated as a top-ten center by PFF in each seasons since he was drafted in 2009.3) SLB Daryl Smith (Ravens), one of the best 43 LB since ten years, can help David/Foster to take the next step... (or Jon Beason?)4) DE if we have the cap, sign Jared Allen, Michael Johnson, Greg Hardy, Lamarr Houston or Michael Bennettif not go for the less expensive old vet/young underrated guy combo:LDE/DT Alex Carrington, underrated force as a rotational lineman for the Bills... competition for Gholston & BowersRDE Dwight Freeney, should be a cap casualties in San Diego, better fit in a 43 & our young front seven need more experience... would like to work a trade for Brandon Graham (Eagles), a middle draft pick in 2015 + Bowers? or just trade Dashon Goldson who should be cut in 2015... imo without a better passrush, Eagles secondary could have been worst than our 2012 secondary...resign Lorig, Meredith, Watson, Casillas & Hayward, each for a million per year or find someone who deserve a million dollar... only Watson should have more than a million!huge paycut for Zuttah & Koenen... half of the salary or get rid of them and find someone less expensive!release Joseph... trade Penn for a late draft pick in 2020 or a hot dog... if Nicks is done = injury settlement ala Quincy Black?try to work a new deal with McCoy & Revis!draft a QB if there is one worth our 1st round pick, sign a vet QB(Shaun Hill, Matt Flynn?) for one year to compete with Glennon & trade down for more picks(in 2014 or 2015)...take a QB(1st round or later?) if there is one worth the shot, a big TE (Ebron, Amaro, ASJ or Fiedo), one or two Guards(Richardson, Yankey, Martin, Su’a Filo, Collins or Jackson), a slot receiver & a CB... udfa priority: Punter
Anyone who watched the Bengals games this year, knows that this dude lived in the backfield and applied all kinds of pressure. He also single handedly had more batted down passes at the LOS than the entire Bucs defense managed. He is a complete DE. Stellar against the run, and good in pass rush. We would be lucky to have him.
After I posted my smart-azz reply, I read pretty much this same evaluation on another site. I think they said that PFF has him ranked as their #2 4-3 DE. I do like that he'll only be 27. Pair him with a young FA CB like Sam Shields, and the D will be vastly improved. Then concentrate on offense during the draft, and maybe sign a mid-tier O-lineman or two. Speaking of the Bengals, I've read an article on ESPN insider that had nothing but good things to say about Anthony Collins. He's their backup OT who played really well in relief at several o-line spots this season. He apparently played 526 snaps without giving up a sack or pressure. And some of those were against Peppers, Allen, and Mathis. As a bonus he's also friends with Michael Johnson. Do you have any insight on him? The article I read threw out 4.5 million/yr as a reasonable contract. That already sounds better than Penn.
I think I read the Bucs are currently $17 million under next years cap. Penn's cap hit is $7.7 million next year. He is still owed over $650k in signing bonus money. You could rework his deal a little to free up cap room or cut him and save $7 million. Penn isn't horrible. I think he's a little overpriced but would be willing to rework his deal a little and keep him (unless we draft a LT).Nicks counts nearly $10 million against the cap over the next 3 seasons. He was guaranteed $25 million and I don't know how much of that has already been paid. I think most of that was paid out over the first two years and it looks like the last 3 years he has a large roster bonus. If we were to cut Nicks, I still think we save close to $9 million this year and then $10 million for each of the next 2 years after.Cutting Joseph saves $6 million next year and then $7 million each of the following years through 2017.If you rework Penn to save 2 million, cut Joseph and Nicks, you now have $18 million under the cap more...add in the $17 million and now the Bucs are $35 million under the cap.You have to resign some guys like McCoy who is a free agent after 2014...but I can see the Bucs bringing in a couple elite players, a couple lesser but still good players and then drafting to fill the other needs.
Don't forget our genius of an ex GM thought it would be a great idea to rework Nicks deal after he got hurt and gave him even more guaranteed money, cutting Nicks only saves us $2.286 million in 2014 not the full $9.357 million. Unless it's an injury settlement I don't see Nicks being let go.
Peppers will be 34 in a few weeks.
Graham isn't going anywhere. Saints will franchise him.
