If they draft a tackle then just move Penn to guard.
I think the whole point was saving money. Just moving him to another position doesn't solve the contract issues.But having said that, how can you release a 350 pound guy that can dunk a basketball ?
If they draft a tackle then just move Penn to guard.
Not a bad idera honestly. He has the body for it and if he played LT, he can surely handle G.
I don't think Penn has the ability to play with a low enough center of gravity to play guard. Dude will lose the leverage battle 9 times out of 10. The Jeremy Trueblood experiment comes to mind.
Agree that you don't move Dotson. Also not too sure about Penn as a guard. Although I'd love a top LT in the draft, I think guard/center is more important short term. The problem though is, like QB, the usual way to find a quality LT is at the top of the draft. If the Bucs are in position again next year to draft the top LT, that also probably means Glennon sucked hard in 2014 so the need to draft a QB would be huge as well. With that as part of he equation, even though Penn is not the worst on the line and even though LT is not the highest of needs right now, I would certainly grab a stud LT now if the option is available.
Penn is middle of the road, sometimes borderline top 10. Dominik doesn't like drafting offensive linemen so that definitely isn't an option if he's still around. I agree with Dominik too. It's better to just get NFL tape on them and then pick them up based on that. Either by spending money in FA, or just getting a bunch of castoffs. Jamon Meredith is a solid player, and we didn't need to spend a first round pick on him like we did Joseph. Trueblood was a sack of crap and a waste of a 2nd round pick. Demar Dotson was undrafted and he's a top 5 RT in the league. Then there's Penn vs Kenyatta Walker. They have a few more years before Penn declines because of age, and I hope that they're trying hard to plan for it. I know that's the only reason we brought in Carimi. He stinks, but they probably saw something on tape that they liked and hoped that with a few years he could turn into a starter. Hopefully they keep trying, because I don't think that Carimi is anything but depth. It's not like Penn is giving up pressures left and right. Occasionally he has a bad game, but otherwise he's solid. The interior oline, drafted guys like Zuttah and Joseph give up more pressures than anyone else.
If they draft a tackle then just move Penn to guard.
I think the whole point was saving money. Just moving him to another position doesn't solve the contract issues.
Releasing Joseph saves $6M in cash and cap. Releasing Nicks saves $7M in cash.
If they draft a tackle then just move Penn to guard.
I think the whole point was saving money. Just moving him to another position doesn't solve the contract issues.
Releasing Joseph saves $6M in cash and cap. Releasing Nicks saves $7M in cash.
I could see DJ being let go...I have a hard time seeing them releasing Nicks. If they were optimistic about Bowers, not sure how they wont be assuming that Nicks comes back next year healthy and ready to produce.
If they draft a tackle then just move Penn to guard.
Not a bad idera honestly. He has the body for it and if he played LT, he can surely handle G.The idea of moving Dotson to LT kills me though. Why do people assume, just because a guy has been solid at RT, he can just switch sides and be a great LT? It rarely ever works that way. Also, Penn only averages $7M a year. That isn't even in the top ten for LT salaries. He is a good value at that price. Davin Joseph on the other hand averages $7.5M and is the 5th highest paid guard in the league. Nicks averages $9.5M and is the #1 highest paid guard in the league. We need to cut some fat from the o-line for sure, but I'd keep Penn's $7M and look at the $17M we are paying two guards that are doing nothing for us.
I agree. And maybe draft a OG at some point. The idea of a rookie taking over the LT positionjust doesn't appeal to me one bit.
2014 NFL Mock Draft Review: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Get Younger on the Offensive LineBy Leo Howell - Dec 10th, 2013
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Our friends over at NFL Mocks have released their latest mock draft, and author Sayre Bedinger has the Buccaneers making a pick that may not seem like a need, but it helps in multiple ways. 7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cameron Erving, OT, Florida State The Bucs would love to land one of the top pass rushers here, and they could still try and trade up or take Buffalo’s Khalil Mack here, but I think Erving is a good fit. Mike Glennon has proven that he should at least get a shot to start next year, so the Bucs make a move here to upgrade the offensive line and protect the QB. While the point about Mike Glennon is up for debate, and the comment about wanting a top pass rusher and missing out is incredibly true, the selection of an offensive tackle makes tons of sense. You may ask why, considering the improved play of Demar Dotson and the veteran presence of Donald Penn. But it’s Penn’s large contract which makes this deal beneficial for the Buccaneers, as it gives Tampa Bay a young left tackle who could wind up being better than Penn in the long run, and allows them to move on from Penn and save a substantial amount of money. According to the Over the Cap calculator, the Buccaneers could release Penn and have less than $700,000 in dead money, with cap savings of over 7,000,000 thanks to removing Penn’s contract from the books. And considering that the cap hit for a pick in the 7-10 range will cost about a third of what Penn currently makes, the Buccaneers could have more cash in hand to find pass rushers and tight ends this offseason while also locking up Gerald McCoy for the long haul. So what makes Erving special? He’s a former defensive tackle with an aggressive approach and quick feet. And if you’ve watched the Florida State offense recently, you’ve seen how the offensive line paves the way for a running game that is almost as dominant as the Heisman contender under center for the Seminoles. Unlike adding Sammy Watkins, which would not free up any money due to the structure of Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams’ contracts, this move makes perfect sense despite offensive tackle not seeming to be a “need” at the moment. So if the Buccaneers miss out on a pass rusher or quarterback in the draft, don’t be surprised to see an offensive tackle holding up a red jersey in New York at the draft. http://thepewterplank.com/2013/12/10/2014-nfl-mock-draft-review-tampa-bay-buccaneers-get-younger-offensive-line/
Your assuming that Erving is actually going to declare for the Draft. at this point it's 50/50
Keep Penn. He's worth the money. Our bigger need is at OG IMO. But if a tackle is the BPA.... pull the trigger.
If I controlled a top 10 pick and thought I could secure a stud LT for 10 years, I do it in a heartbeat (unless Peyton/Luck is sitting there). I don't know if Cameron is that guy, but if my scouts thought he was...of course, I say the same about pass rushing DE; however, we don't seem to know what to look for at that position.
Looking at Luke Joeckel and Eric Fischer....it makes me not want a LT in the top 5! lol.
.I have a hard time seeing them releasing Nicks
I have a hard time paying Nicks another 7 million dollars.
The title says "solution" which would indicate that there is a problem. There is not a problem. It also says "large" contract. We have Penn on the cheap for a LT. $7M per year isn't even in the top 10 for LTs.
.I have a hard time seeing them releasing Nicks
I have a hard time paying Nicks another 7 million dollars.
Good thing you're not paying him.And IIRC he's guaranteed anyway.
.I have a hard time seeing them releasing Nicks
I have a hard time paying Nicks another 7 million dollars.
Good thing you're not paying him.And IIRC he's guaranteed anyway.
No his base salary is not guaranteed. He would still count against the salary cap but the Bucs would not have to pay him anything. And nice little shot at me but if the red board had their way with contracts this team would have capped out years ago on Haynesworth, Ray Edwards, Antonio Bryant and Nnamdi Asomugha. I was adamant about trading for Miles Austin while he was buried on the Cowboys depth chart, trading up for Watt and signing Sproles, but what do I know.
