Piggy Backing off BucWild

by MNeilson on Mar 9, 2011 9:04 PM EST

Yesterday, BucWild warned you to be cautious of any rumors that revolve around trades and the draft. Talk is cheap and often used to gain some sort of leverage. Though the CBA negotiations are much more involved and complex, the same strategies are in play. Regardless, it got me thinking about something else that needs to be said. There is a lot of big name free agents and once elite journeymen that will be thrown around. Already, there has been posts about any free agent on the market. While there is nothing wrong with discussing how the player may fit it in as a Buccaneer and it's fun to think what if, the truth is, it won't happen. The short history of this front office has proved that it does not value in-demand free agents or 'sexy' attention picks. Rather, they choose to focus their resources on talent scouting and development.

There is no absolutes as to what the organization may do. However, we can all make some pretty reasonable assumptions. In the two seasons under this current leadership the Buccaneers have passed on many high profile guys including Albert Haynesworth, Julius Peppers, TJ Houshmanzadah and Terrell Owens; All of which could have contributed significantly. Many, including myself, saw the Kellen Winslow signing as a second rate free agent. Outside of Peppers, all non-signings have played out well. We have talked ad nauseam about the strategy that Dominik has employed so I won't go into it further. Last year ('10) the Buccaneers sent shock waves into the free agent market by signing Sean Jones (sarcasm). They simply have ignored a lot of the media and fans desires to see the Bucs dig deep into their pocket books for a free agent.

So this year, rather than pouring over what the Buccaneers could look like with Tiki Barber, Nnamdi Asomugha, Tyson Clabo or Mathias Kiwanuka I choose to proceed as if the Bucs will cut what they presume as dead weight (Derrick Brooks, Warrick Dunn, Antonio Bryant) ignore sexy names (Haynesworth, Owens, etc) and draft talent that has been heavily evaluated and strive to develop that young talent (Mike Williams, Cody Grimm, Gerald McCoy). It's proven well thus far and has put us on the right pace of development.

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Passing on Haynesworth?

I seem to recall putting in the second largest bid for him.

And while you would call K2 a “second-rate” signing, there are many of us who wouldn’t. He cost a second and fifth round pick and got the highest salary of any tight end in history ($42.1 million). I don’t think the evidence supports the supposition that the Bucs Administration eschews big free-agent or trades. I just think they don’t toss money around to make themselves feel like they are doing something like Dan Snyder.

Like you though, I like the approach they have taken so far. I just don’t think Dominick and Morris are as allergic to big time signings as most people seem to. I think they are just more careful.

by jrscott on Mar 9, 2011 9:34 PM EST reply actions

There are others...

namely Derrick Ward. He was the top RB free agent in 2009. Not that it worked out, but they did go after the top guy available.

I think the philosophy is not to avoid big name free agents, but to be responsible about it. Will signing that free agent limit or stunt the growth of a young guy already on the team that we feel has promise? Is that big name free agent a consistent producer and good teammate? What value for the money will we get from the older player vs a young draft choice at the same position?

Each year with this regime, the team has signed free agents and made trades. The K2 trade worked out well for us, the Reggie Brown trade not so much (but we only gave up a 6th round pick for Brown too). Sean Jones played well, Derrick Ward not so much. We gave Angelo Crowell a shot and missed, but it didn’t really cost us anything, and could have had huge upside if he’d recovered from his injuries to prior form.

I think the hardest part about talking about free agent signings this year (who we want, dream additions to the team), is that we don’t know who will end up hitting the free market yet. When the new CBA is in place, I’m pretty sure teams will have a week or two to resign their own free agents before the free agency period begins. Many of the players that could be available won’t be. Most that won’t be will be the big name guys.

by Bruce McRae on Mar 10, 2011 12:55 AM EST reply actions

What do you mean? We tried to get Albert, and traded to acquire Winslow...

We offered Haynesworth the largest contract monetarily but he went to Washington stating we were not a stable organization. Kellen Winslow was not acquired through free agency we traded our second and fifth round picks in 09 for his services.

by freeman05 on Mar 10, 2011 12:57 AM EST reply actions

I do think we have some dead weight

on the roster however.

by freeman05 on Mar 10, 2011 12:58 AM EST reply actions

We certainly do have some "dead weight" on our roster...

and with two good drafts, or maybe even one draft with a couple of select F/A signings, and we should be on track. As players are replaced, the first drafts of Dom will look less spectacular as some of those players will also be gone. We are getting close as a team, but it will become more difficult to find players that stick as our talent level has improved.

by Cracker Ball on Mar 10, 2011 7:09 AM EST up reply actions

Free agency is like the draft

with draft round replaced by dollar signs. Some players are values, others are reaches. We used to reach to often and end up paying too much for minimal return. We are doing better at finding values, but need to get better. There’s nothing wrong with signing the first round ($$$) free agent, so long as his return is equal to his investment. More often than not, the top player at any position in free agency will receive a contract that they can’t live up to (not always the case, as I think Julius Peppers played as well as he’s always played last year for Chicago).

by Bruce McRae on Mar 10, 2011 9:40 AM EST reply actions

It is important to stick to your plan of attack

but it is more important to put that plan of attack in motion. 1 thing you can say about the bucs and this new movement which we are in year 3 of is that they have been extremely consistent. They do not deviate from the plan, they sign and trade fore guys that they want , and they build through the draft. If the Bucs signed all those players or some of those big names, they will not have enough money to spread around, what happens when ,Free, Blount, Talib, Hayes, Zuttah, Williams become free agents. There are pros and cons no matter how you look at when you talk about building a team, 1 thing is for sure the way the bucs is going about doing things has proven the most successful.

by keysersoze19 on Mar 14, 2011 7:12 PM EDT reply actions