Bucs' Coach Says He Would Have Taken QB Josh Freeman With 1st Overall Selection;Justifying His Pick Or Blooming Idiot?!

[HacheMan]

New coach Raheem Morris & new general manager Mark Dominik are slowly turning Tampa Bay into the laughing stock of the NFL again......hno:

I've NEVER seen worst moves in such a short period of time from any sports franchise ever........

First they show low class by cutting one of the best linebackers & overall good people in the NFL, and future HOF Derrick Brooks, instead of telling him ahead of time to give him an opportunity to just retire.

Then they give a contract to QB Luke McCown who has basically no experience, claiming how excited they are about him and how good he's going to be.

Then they trade for a troubled & often injured TE in Kellen Winslow Jr, then giving him a huge contract.

Then they TRADE UP 1 spot (lol) for QB Josh Freeman in the NFL draft, ahead of the Denver Broncos, who said they had no interest at all in Freeman.

And now this statement of how he would have taken Freeman 1st overall he had this pick.

 

[Muddy]

Raheem is s stoopid!

 

[Betallsports]

Sure doesn't look good for Tampa Bay

 

[EasyMoney]

As a long time Tampa fan I'm extremly disapointed in the front office and coach. And don't forget that when free agency stated they had more cap space and still have more cap space than literaly any other team in the NFL. If freeman was 6'1" 220 lbs he wouldn't even be a day one pick. Great he's big so lets take him at pick 17. and trade up for no reason what so ever to do it.

Here is the thing. If your team sucks then go ahead, blow everything up and start over, but Tampa has good football players. A good O-line, a good run game, Bryant (who looks like he will be a good WR), a good TE (a way overpaid one but still), a couple of good defensive guys. This wasn't a team that needed to be blown up and rebuilt. Draft a defensive guy or even Maclin at 19 and see if you can get a QB next year. Tampa could possibly start this season 0 and 7 (Dal, @Buf, Giants, @Wash, Phily, Car, and New England). Tell me which of those teams should Tampa beat. Maybe Wash and Buffalo, but both of those are away games. We aren't beating Giants, New England, Phily, and probably not Dallas or Carolina. So take your lumps this year with McCown or Leftwhich and go after Bradford or McCoy next year. Reaching for a guy that has bust written all over him is not the way to go. I hope I'm wrong about Freeman but come on the guy was the 5th best QB in the big 12 last year now he is supposed to be a franchise QB because he has size.

 

[EasyMoney]

by the way Tampa's new "franchise QB" had a 14 and 20 record in his 3 year college career, With 44 TD's and 34 INTS. K. St. had a better record the 3 years before he got there than they did the 3 years he was there.

Sam Bradford had 50 TD's this year alone playing mostly the same compitition. Granted Bradford has better talent around him, but thats pathetic. And the K St. WR's didn't suck. 2 of them are in the NFL right now so Freeman had some talented guys to throw to.

 

[Romanowski]

solid if youre a panthers fan

 

[EasyMoney]

solid if youre a panthers fan

That it is my friend. Carolina and Atlanta will be kicking our butts for years to come.

 

[HacheMan]

If they were going to gamble it would have been better to just wait until next year & go after Tim Tebow. At least we know for a fact he does have some talent.....

 

[Romanowski]

tebow would sell tickets too

 

[Ironman_8]

I dont know I kinda like what Raheem is doing here.

He knew him from KSU so he knows what he's getting himself into and basically defining his regime with this one move.

His team goes into the tank and he looks like an idiot but if Freeman does well then he looks like a genius.

 

[Wynn]

As a long time Tampa fan I'm extremly disapointed in the front office and coach. And don't forget that when free agency stated they had more cap space and still have more cap space than literaly any other team in the NFL. If freeman was 6'1" 220 lbs he wouldn't even be a day one pick. Great he's big so lets take him at pick 17. and trade up for no reason what so ever to do it.

Here is the thing. If your team sucks then go ahead, blow everything up and start over, but Tampa has good football players. A good O-line, a good run game, Bryant (who looks like he will be a good WR), a good TE (a way overpaid one but still), a couple of good defensive guys. This wasn't a team that needed to be blown up and rebuilt. Draft a defensive guy or even Maclin at 19 and see if you can get a QB next year. Tampa could possibly start this season 0 and 7 (Dal, @Buf, Giants, @Wash, Phily, Car, and New England). Tell me which of those teams should Tampa beat. Maybe Wash and Buffalo, but both of those are away games. We aren't beating Giants, New England, Phily, and probably not Dallas or Carolina. So take your lumps this year with McCown or Leftwhich and go after Bradford or McCoy next year. Reaching for a guy that has bust written all over him is not the way to go. I hope I'm wrong about Freeman but come on the guy was the 5th best QB in the big 12 last year now he is supposed to be a franchise QB because he has size.

I know you don't agree, but I still say the franchise considers these to be financially lean times and they don't want to spend the money to make the team a contender right now. Yes, the Glazers have a high net worth on paper, but they borrowed a lot of money to buy Manchester United and Buccaneer season ticket sales have declined substantially. In fact, the 100,000 person wait list has evaporated and they will be offering lower section seating and partial season ticket packages this year for the first time. Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris are basically cannon fodder until the franchise realizes better cash flow and the Glazers then decide to spend the money for a legitimate GM and Head Coach.

 

[EasyMoney]

I know you don't agree, but I still say the franchise considers these to be financially lean times and they don't want to spend the money to make the team a contender right now. Yes, the Glazers have a high net worth on paper, but they borrowed a lot of money to buy Manchester United and Buccaneer season ticket sales have declined substantially. In fact, the 100,000 person wait list has evaporated and they will be offering lower section seating and partial season ticket packages this year for the first time. Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris are basically cannon fodder until the franchise realizes better cash flow and the Glazers then decide to spend the money for a legitimate GM and Head Coach.

Its not that a completly disagree with you. I'm sure the ecomomy isn't helping anybody. rich or not. I doubt that NFL teams are fealing the pinch yet but the Glazers could be holding onto money with the expectation it will get worse brfore it gets better. The unfortunate part for the fans is we don't care. We want a decent product on the field that has a chance to compete. Other owners are spending. Glazer bought the Bucs in 1995 for 192 Mil. Today they are worth about 1.1 billion. He has made 900 million dollars on the team in just appreciation alone.

Mark Cuban said it best: Some owners don't want to lose money, and some owners don't want to lose games.

I want the guy that doesn't want to lose games. Since 1995 I thought the glazers were that owner. I'm coming to the sad realization that maybe I was wrong.

 

[NickPappagiorgio]

I have been scratching my head with every one of the Bucs' moves in the offseason. There is no way I wanted Winslow on this team, hes nothing but a cancer. And to give him an extended contract is laughable, hes just as bad as TO.

As for Freeman, I dont get it. Hopefully im wrong but I dont get it. I would have kept Garcia for at least another year, hes a gamer. The defense has gotten old and should have been retooled through the draft. Theres going to be alot of lean years to come on TB. I dont see them winning 6games this year.

 

[barman]

This year should have been focused on first four picks being linemen and then next year homing in on a QB and a RB with first two picks.

Their rushing was 15th in the NFL which means they've got more work to do, especially since that's the highest rank they've attained for rushing in at least a decade.

And they were 16th in rush Defense as well.

Potential upside here is that in fact they could well lose 12 or more games and thus get a Top 5 pick next spring, which if packaged with some kind of trading up might allow them three picks in first 40.

 

[Wynn]

Its not that a completly disagree with you. I'm sure the ecomomy isn't helping anybody. rich or not. I doubt that NFL teams are fealing the pinch yet but the Glazers could be holding onto money with the expectation it will get worse brfore it gets better. The unfortunate part for the fans is we don't care. We want a decent product on the field that has a chance to compete. Other owners are spending. Glazer bought the Bucs in 1995 for 192 Mil. Today they are worth about 1.1 billion. He has made 900 million dollars on the team in just appreciation alone.

Mark Cuban said it best: Some owners don't want to lose money, and some owners don't want to lose games.

I want the guy that doesn't want to lose games. Since 1995 I thought the glazers were that owner. I'm coming to the sad realization that maybe I was wrong.

I believe the Glazers are more concerned with current cash flow and realize that they could not get anywhere close to 1.1 billion for the franchise if they had to sell it today. In a tough economy and a tight credit market, there are very few owners like Mark Cuban out there.

 

[EasyMoney]

I believe the Glazers are more concerned with current cash flow and realize that they could not get anywhere close to 1.1 billion for the franchise if they had to sell it today. In a tough economy and a tight credit market, there are very few owners like Mark Cuban out there.

I wouldn't be to sure about that. According to Forbes The Yankees are the only baseball team worth more than 1 billion and 19 NFL teams are worth more than 1 billion. The Bucs are one of them. To Drive the point home in the latest issue of forbes they estimate the cubs being worth $700 million, yet the high bidder that agreed to by the team easrlier this year had a winning bid of $900 million.

I believe your right about trying to save money but this is what I don't understand then.

Tampa trades for Winslow and then signs him to a 6 year $36.1 million contract with $20.1 million guaranteed. Making him the highest paid TE in the NFL.

They sign Luke McCown to a 2 year 7.5 million contract that could make it up to a 2 year $14 million if he ends up being the starter. Now if he remains the backup that is an awful high priced backup. And if he's the starter that is very good starter money to a guy with basically zero starting experiance.

Then they sign Leftwhich to a 7.5 million deal. Now this contract is at least better for them because nothing is guaranteed and they could cut him tomarrow and owe him nothing.

They give Michael Clayton a 5 year $24 million contract with $10.5 guaranteed when nobody else even wanted to sign the guy. He caught a whopping 38 passes last year and 22 the year before. He's not worth that money.

So if they are trying to save money they are doing a piss poor job of it. Cause they are way overpaying guys. And I do believe there is a bottom to the salary cap as well. Meaning Tampa has no choice but to spend a certain amount and they are still under that amount.

 

[EasyMoney]

I believe the Glazers are more concerned with current cash flow and realize that they could not get anywhere close to 1.1 billion for the franchise if they had to sell it today. In a tough economy and a tight credit market, there are very few owners like Mark Cuban out there.

One last thing. The Miami Dolphins were sold only 3 months ago for 1 billion. And that was for 95% of the team. And the Bucs are said to be worth slightly more than Miami so Tampa would fetch pretty close to that 1.1 billion.

 

[Wynn]

I wouldn't be to sure about that. According to Forbes The Yankees are the only baseball team worth more than 1 billion and 19 NFL teams are worth more than 1 billion. The Bucs are one of them. To Drive the point home in the latest issue of forbes they estimate the cubs being worth $700 million, yet the high bidder that agreed to by the team easrlier this year had a winning bid of $900 million.

I believe your right about trying to save money but this is what I don't understand then.

Tampa trades for Winslow and then signs him to a 6 year $36.1 million contract with $20.1 million guaranteed. Making him the highest paid TE in the NFL.

They sign Luke McCown to a 2 year 7.5 million contract that could make it up to a 2 year $14 million if he ends up being the starter. Now if he remains the backup that is an awful high priced backup. And if he's the starter that is very good starter money to a guy with basically zero starting experiance.

Then they sign Leftwhich to a 7.5 million deal. Now this contract is at least better for them because nothing is guaranteed and they could cut him tomarrow and owe him nothing.

They give Michael Clayton a 5 year $24 million contract with $10.5 guaranteed when nobody else even wanted to sign the guy. He caught a whopping 38 passes last year and 22 the year before. He's not worth that money.

So if they are trying to save money they are doing a piss poor job of it. Cause they are way overpaying guys. And I do believe there is a bottom to the salary cap as well. Meaning Tampa has no choice but to spend a certain amount and they are still under that amount.

Those are excellent points and rather perplexing as well. No other team in the NFL would have paid that much for McCown, Leftwich and Clayton and few would have signed Winslow for that amount. I know they were $40 million under the cap after the veteran purge at the end of the season so maybe the salary floor became a factor.

 

[TonyMar]

If they were going to gamble it would have been better to just wait until next year & go after Tim Tebow. At least we know for a fact he does have some talent.....

kiper says that one of 'em will be a bust...

&

for what its worth...

mel did not think it would be sanchez or freeman...

 

[EasyMoney]

Those are excellent points and rather perplexing as well. No other team in the NFL would have paid that much for McCown, Leftwich and Clayton and few would have signed Winslow for that amount. I know they were $40 million under the cap after the veteran purge at the end of the season so maybe the salary floor became a factor.

If my calculations are right and I'm pretty sure they are. Or at least close. Tampa had almost 60 mil in cap room after cutting Brooks and company. Then after signing Winslow, mccown, clayton ect. they still should be right around 40 mil under the cap as of right now. So as of right now Tampa's payroll should be about 87 mil (the cap is about 127 mil this year). Well they do still have to sign the draft picks but the salary cap minimum is 86.4% of the cap, so about $109.7 million. So the bucs have to spend another $23 million somewhere just to make the cap floor.