Tampa Bay Buccaneers Official 2023 Off Season Thread

[Miller4Prez64]

I’m not feeling Zeke, but knowing Licht he won’t want to go into the draft with just White and Vaughn at RB so I expect a cheap vet to sign a one year deal here.

[Terry Tate]

I am not feeling Zeke either. He has a ton of miles on those tires. Because of his name value, he's probably going to want more than what he'd be worth.

I wasn't feeling the Mayfield signing either. I think we've firmly entered the "if you have two QBs, you don't have one" era.

[Naismith]

Every team has two plus QBs. If you mean starting quality QBs, I’m not sure we have one.

[Navybuc]

Every team has two plus QBs. If you mean starting quality QBs, I’m not sure we have one.

They obviously think Baker is worthy of a starter and then some.
They offered him almost as much money per year as Darnold and Dalton got combined.

[Naismith]

I feel dumb because I can’t tell if that’s sarcasm or not!

[Phantom]

Every team has two plus QBs. If you mean starting quality QBs, I’m not sure we have one.

They obviously think Baker is worthy of a starter and then some.
They offered him almost as much money per year as Darnold and Dalton got combined.

No kidding, Baker is going to start in game 1

Do you honestly believe Trask will win the job from Baker? lolol

[Naismith]

No kidding, Baker is going to start in game 1

Do you honestly believe Trask will win the job from Baker? lolol

Based on the contract the Bucs gave Baker, it seems likely they think it's possible (and likely hope) that Trask wins the job. I wouldn't be surprised if either guy wins the job.

[mdb1958]

I think we are down to three guys over thirty, were getting younger.

[Four Verticals]

Every team has two plus QBs. If you mean starting quality QBs, I’m not sure we have one.

They obviously think Baker is worthy of a starter and then some.
They offered him almost as much money per year as Darnold and Dalton got combined.

Mayfield's deal is for $4mil which can get to a maximum of $8.5 mil. The deal isn't structured as if the job is his.

[These Are The Days]

I am not feeling Zeke either. He has a ton of miles on those tires. Because of his name value, he's probably going to want more than what he'd be worth.

I wasn't feeling the Mayfield signing either. I think we've firmly entered the "if you have two QBs, you don't have one" era.

Zeke is a name. I know we have his old coach and all so it's probably a bit of a coincidence. But I think our interest is because few still associate him with glory days wearing the big blue star and it's like "But they got Zeke!" I don't know if he helps anything because our failure on the rushing attack stems from how predictable it was. Teams would just dare us like "lol do that shit again like you did the last 4 drives" and we'd be like "wErE gOnNa RuN rIgHt ThIs TiMe! YoU wOnT sEe ThAt CoMiNg!" and go full surprised Pikachu meme every time it didn't work

Weren't we like the worst rushing team ever or some deal like that? I just don't know how Zeke helps that new OC or not

[Buc2]

They obviously think Baker is worthy of a starter and then some.
They offered him almost as much money per year as Darnold and Dalton got combined.

Mayfield's deal is for $4mil which can get to a maximum of $8.5 mil. The deal isn't structured as if the job is his.

I was just going to mention this. It starts at $4.5M with escalators up to $8.5M. I don't know why people just jump on the $8M figure as if that's what he will be paid. If he is paid that much, then suffice it to say that means he must be playing pretty damned well because he'd have to to earn it.

[BucsNBills]

Mayfield's deal is for $4mil which can get to a maximum of $8.5 mil. The deal isn't structured as if the job is his.

I was just going to mention this. It starts at $4.5M with escalators up to $8.5M. I don't know why people just jump on the $8M figure as if that's what he will be paid. If he is paid that much, then suffice it to say that means he must be playing pretty damned well because he'd have to to earn it.

So in reality he's only getting paid a bit more than Gabbert did as the vet backup. I don't think his signing precludes us from making any other moves at QB before the draft.

[Bootz]

I was just going to mention this. It starts at $4.5M with escalators up to $8.5M. I don't know why people just jump on the $8M figure as if that's what he will be paid. If he is paid that much, then suffice it to say that means he must be playing pretty damned well because he'd have to to earn it.

So in reality he's only getting paid a bit more than Gabbert did as the vet backup. I don't think his signing precludes us from making any other moves at QB before the draft.

I'm counting on Gabbert being back unless he retires. No other team wants him and Trask ain't "ready". Griffin will likely be back too.

[_MB_]

What would you have done differently?

I think their moves indicate that they think they can still compete even though they clearly can’t. They’re going to pay the bill of the Brady years by fielding cheap QBs but to me, that’s a half measure. I would have preferred they let David walk to a contender, traded Evans for 2024 picks, and let Dean sign elsewhere to get a 2024 comp pick.

I don’t see what it accomplishes to try to be competitive with no real chance to win the Super Bowl or set yourself up for the future.

You're fired.

[Grahamburn]

What would you have done differently?

I think their moves indicate that they think they can still compete even though they clearly can’t. They’re going to pay the bill of the Brady years by fielding cheap QBs but to me, that’s a half measure. I would have preferred they let David walk to a contender, traded Evans for 2024 picks, and let Dean sign elsewhere to get a 2024 comp pick.

I don’t see what it accomplishes to try to be competitive with no real chance to win the Super Bowl or set yourself up for the future.

Fair enough. Things can change quickly in the NFL.

The Eagles looked inept against us in the playoffs in 2021 and were in the Super Bowl in 2022. If they would have taken the "trade everyone of value" approach instead of trying to retain/add talent that would not have been the case.

Bowles' defense is usually pretty good. Him being able to retain his guys gives us hope that we can compete. Maybe a fresh look on offense can be the difference to getting into the playoffs again in an NFC that is fairly wide open if you think about it.

There's a large majority of QBs and other great players in this league that were not drafted in the top 5. You don't have to tank to get them.

[mdb1958]

I would say LVD and Dean made their choice.

[mdb1958]

Brandon Walton's designation used to be G, then it went to G/T, and now it's just T..

I wonder if the Bucs were mildly surprised.

[Bootz]

Who?

[Phantom]

Who?

Mr. Chase Edmonds! That’s who

[Grahamburn]

He had some nice years with Arizona and then signed with Miami as an FA. Didn't live up to the deal there.

[real bucs fan]

He’s depth. This is clearly Whites backfield. But we did need a solid 2/3 and that’s what Edmonds can do. Probably will draft a rookie late as well

White, Edmonds, Vaughn, Day3 Rookie. Hopefully White breaks out as a star.

[Miller4Prez64]

I figured a cheap RB was coming. No way Licht was going into the draft with just two bodies at RB. I don’t get going after someone like Edmonds this early into FA though, because honestly this dude likely won’t make it out of camp.

[mdb1958]

@Bootz -- Fordham

[real bucs fan]

I figured a cheap RB was coming. No way Licht was going into the draft with just two bodies at RB. I don’t get going after someone like Edmonds this early into FA though, because honestly this dude likely won’t make it out of camp.

I think the key here was brining in a vet for league minimum. We weren’t gonna pay a RB more than that after cutting Lenny to save 3 million bucks.

[mdb1958]

Does anyone subscribe to Rotowire for info

[Miller4Prez64]

I figured a cheap RB was coming. No way Licht was going into the draft with just two bodies at RB. I don’t get going after someone like Edmonds this early into FA though, because honestly this dude likely won’t make it out of camp.

I think the key here was brining in a vet for league minimum. We weren’t gonna pay a RB more than that after cutting Lenny to save 3 million bucks.

That’s the goal, but still targeting someone like Edmonds this early into FA is pretty weird. The league year started yesterday and we signed someone whose ideal role is “being cut before the season starts.” Just would have preferred waiting out the RB market to signing a guy that is a few months away from the XFL. Everything I’ve heard about this guy from Dolphins fans has been very bad, definitely don’t want this guy getting snaps over White or a rookie.

[Naismith]

I think their moves indicate that they think they can still compete even though they clearly can’t. They’re going to pay the bill of the Brady years by fielding cheap QBs but to me, that’s a half measure. I would have preferred they let David walk to a contender, traded Evans for 2024 picks, and let Dean sign elsewhere to get a 2024 comp pick.

I don’t see what it accomplishes to try to be competitive with no real chance to win the Super Bowl or set yourself up for the future.

Fair enough. Things can change quickly in the NFL.

The Eagles looked inept against us in the playoffs in 2021 and were in the Super Bowl in 2022. If they would have taken the "trade everyone of value" approach instead of trying to retain/add talent that would not have been the case.

Bowles' defense is usually pretty good. Him being able to retain his guys gives us hope that we can compete. Maybe a fresh look on offense can be the difference to getting into the playoffs again in an NFC that is fairly wide open if you think about it.

There's a large majority of QBs and other great players in this league that were not drafted in the top 5. You don't have to tank to get them.

The Eagles actually had in place what I'm suggesting, though. They had three first round picks last year so they had the ammo to try to acquire a QB, but Hurts showed them enough to punt one of those firsts to 2023 and see if he could be the QB of the future and if not, they had the ability to move up and replace him. If Hurts hadn't shown as much improvement as he did, they would have been able to move up.

The Bucs could have put them in a similar position with their own second round QB, though obviously one that hasn't shown anything on the field like Hurts had prior to last year. If they accumulated 2024 draft assets and then played Trask this year, the best case scenario is he shows enough to be the guy and they can decide (like the Eagles did) whether to punt some of those added assets into 2025 as QB insurance or just use the picks.

The Eagles were 100% setting themselves up for long term Super Bowl contending with the way they acquired future picks to address the QB position. The Bucs are setting themselves up to win as many games as possible without being Super Bowl contenders unless they get a lucky break at the QB position.

[mdb1958]

@Bootz -- Fordham

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[Miller4Prez64]

I’m starting to have second thoughts on re-signing Dean. He’s a good player, but he’s not a great one and with potential contracts for White, Winfield and Wirfs, I think maybe it would have been best to just let someone else pay him and collect the comp pick next year.

[Noles1724]

I’m starting to have second thoughts on re-signing Dean. He’s a good player, but he’s not a great one and with potential contracts for White, Winfield and Wirfs, I think maybe it would have been best to just let someone else pay him and collect the comp pick next year.

He comes from a local high school (Cocoa High) so I'm cool with it.. fun fact.. the past 3 super bowls have had a player from Cocoa High.

[Cheb]

I’m starting to have second thoughts on re-signing Dean. He’s a good player, but he’s not a great one and with potential contracts for White, Winfield and Wirfs, I think maybe it would have been best to just let someone else pay him and collect the comp pick next year.

While I hear what you are saying, there's a very real chance that the offenses in our division will largely stink, and the division crown will go to the team that can stop the run and play the best defense. If Dean and Davis can lock up the other teams' top two options against our NFC South opponents, we can then reliably spin down safeties into the box to stop said run games.

Had Dean walked, we would be trusting a rookie or Zyon McCollum to reliably cover Chris Olave or Michael Thomas, which I don't think would be terribly wise.

[Bootz]

I barely trust Dean to cover those guys.

[Miller4Prez64]

I’m starting to have second thoughts on re-signing Dean. He’s a good player, but he’s not a great one and with potential contracts for White, Winfield and Wirfs, I think maybe it would have been best to just let someone else pay him and collect the comp pick next year.

While I hear what you are saying, there's a very real chance that the offenses in our division will largely stink, and the division crown will go to the team that can stop the run and play the best defense. If Dean and Davis can lock up the other teams' top two options against our NFC South opponents, we can then reliably spin down safeties into the box to stop said run games.

Had Dean walked, we would be trusting a rookie or Zyon McCollum to reliably cover Chris Olave or Michael Thomas, which I don't think would be terribly wise.

The thinking here is just too short term for my liking. Dean is locked up for 4 years now and we have several players that are better than him about to ask for big paydays.

I don’t think a total tank job is necessary, but smart FOs know who to pay and who to let walk and I’m getting the feeling that Bowles is directing the FO to pay all his boys on defense at the expense of the offense.

[Cheb]

I barely trust Dean to cover those guys.

Prior to last season I would have agreed with you, but Dean has elevated his game at least to my eye, and the advanced metrics seem to back that up. Dude's a good corner, right up there with Davis.

Now if we get a reliable pass rush going to speed up the routes they are facing, we will be really cooking with gas.

[Moozician]

@Bootz -- Fordham

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Greenhagen is pretty good, but that performance was more of an indictment of Fordham's Defensive Line than it was showcasing his skills.