Tampa Rebuilding

[Iron Shiek]

Well, I'm sure this belongs in "Around the NFL" forum but nobody ever goes in there when I post stuff like this, then I see the same thing posted in the "Steelers" forum, so here goes:

Breaking news on NFL Radio:

Tampa releasing Derrick Brooks, Cato June, Warrick Dunn, Ike Hilliard and Joey Galloway.


Wow. Talk about a salary dump. They already had a ton of cap space, and this will give them more. They have cleaned house from GM on down. Glad we don't have to worry about this kind of major change. Anyway, does Tampa make a run at Cassel now?

[phillyesq]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

Wow.

Most of the guys on that list make sense, but I'm really surprised they're releasing Brooks.

[AkronSteel]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

Wow....those are bold moves but I actually agree with them. That team had ran its course with the organization constructed the way it was. It was never going to be more than a Wild Card with those core players. It will be interesting to see how much $ they spend in FA and how they actually spend it! I would expect Haynesworth and HoushYourMama to get offers from them but I don't know about giving up 2 first rounders for Cassell. I don't think that corralates with the moves they made today. I have a sneaky suspicion they may actually make a play for a QB in the draft. I could actually see Sanchez going there at some point in the 1st round.

[Iron Shiek]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

And I'm sure the Cheaters will sign half the guys they released...

[AkronSteel]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

And I'm sure the Cheaters will sign half the guys they released...

That would definately fit in with what the Cheaters do....they sure do like to bring in the older guys. I would think Brooks and Hilliard would be high on Belicheat's list!

[AngryAsian]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

Would love to see Joey Galloway in a Steeler uniform. The guy plays tough and is old as dirt... but talk about heart. The guy still makes the tough catches. Maybe he'd be willing to play for Vet. Min. to win a championship at the twi-light of his career.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

I thought Tampa was $40+ million under the cap anyway? Hmmm...maybe they are just thinking fresh start across the board with Jon Gruden working for the NFL Network and Monte Kiffin working for his son at the University of Tennessee and Bruce Allen doing who-knows-what now. It is amazing that Mike Tomlin is so respected around the league now that the guy who was his assistant defensive backs coach in Tampa is now their head coach. I'm sure Raheem will be asking himself "What would Tomlin do?" on a daily basis down there. Here's a hint, Coach Morris...try to trade that Mahan guy you currently have on your roster for a 7th round pick.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

And I'm sure the Cheaters will sign half the guys they released...

They should have just made it easy by trading those 5 guys plus 2nd round picks in this year's draft and next to New England for Cassel (since Cassel signed his tag already, no other teams can make him an offer with the 2 first round pick compensation in effect...The Pats can trade him for whatever they want to now).

[Lonbull]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

A little off-topic but I think Matt Cassel is too big a risk for any team. I remember a guy by the name of Daunte Culpepper lighting up the league one year - many "experts" thought he was going to be the new proto-typical QB....and then Randy Moss left.

Randy Moss can make Quarterbacks look a LOT better than they will be with non-Hall of Fame talent. The team that buys into Cassel is going to be very sorry they did.



L.B.

[Oviedo]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

I thought Tampa was $40+ million under the cap anyway? Hmmm...maybe they are just thinking fresh start across the board with Jon Gruden working for the NFL Network and Monte Kiffin working for his son at the University of Tennessee and Bruce Allen doing who-knows-what now. It is amazing that Mike Tomlin is so respected around the league now that the guy who was his assistant defensive backs coach in Tampa is now their head coach. I'm sure Raheem will be asking himself "What would Tomlin do?" on a daily basis down there. Here's a hint, Coach Morris...try to trade that Mahan guy you currently have on your roster for a 7th round pick.

This was just discussed last week on the local Orlando sports talk radio. The Buc were between $30 and 40M under the cap before this happened. One of the things they were talking about was to reach the minimum mandated payroll for a team they were going to have to be big players in free agency. They were talking then that Tampa was going to go hard after Haynesworth and possibly one of the Ravens LBs. Looks like this may be setting up to be true.

[Iron Shiek]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

A little off-topic but I think Matt Cassel is too big a risk for any team. I remember a guy by the name of Daunte Culpepper lighting up the league one year - many "experts" thought he was going to be the new proto-typical QB....and then Randy Moss left.

Randy Moss can make Quarterbacks look a LOT better than they will be with non-Hall of Fame talent. The team that buys into Cassel is going to be very sorry they did.



L.B.

I know...just about EVERY talking head on radio is supremely convinced that he is the real deal. I'm not so sure. However riddle me this Batman. Being in, say, the Lions shoes or another team in desperate need of a QB (Chiefs maybe or Niners), would you rather break the bank (and some draft picks) for a guy that has some games under his belt or break the bank (and one draft pick) on an unproven commodity that isn't really garnering much qb love compared to guys in the past?

I don't know the answer, i guess it depends on the situation. If I'm the Lions, maybe I do the deal.

[Flasteel]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

DB?? Wow. You just don't do that to a guy who has not only been a rock for your defense for over a decade but who has also been perhaps the greatest ambassador in team history. Unless he asked for his release, something like this should never happen. Brooks is truly one of the all-time greats and not just as a player, as a person, and as a humanitarian. Not dissing Dunn, who does some tremendous things with single mothers, but he spent nearly half of his career in Atl and only came back last year.

[Oviedo]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

DB?? Wow. You just don't do that to a guy who has not only been a rock for your defense for over a decade but who has also been perhaps the greatest ambassador in team history. Unless he asked for his release, something like this should never happen. Brooks is truly one of the all-time greats and not just as a player, as a person, and as a humanitarian. Not dissing Dunn, who does some tremendous things with single mothers, but he spent nearly half of his career in Atl and only came back last year.

I agree about Brooks but won't criticize the organization too much until I see what we do with Hines when we ask him to restructure into a cap friendly contract. We don't know that Brooks wasn't asked to do the same thing and just said no forcing the FO's hand.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

Apparently, the more athletic version of Brooks and Dunn are not in Tampa's plans for "The Long Haul"

[Lonbull]

Re: Tampa Rebuilding

However riddle me this Batman. Being in, say, the Lions shoes or another team in desperate need of a QB (Chiefs maybe or Niners), would you rather break the bank (and some draft picks) for a guy that has some games under his belt or break the bank (and one draft pick) on an unproven commodity that isn't really garnering much qb love compared to guys in the past?

I don't know the answer, i guess it depends on the situation. If I'm the Lions, maybe I do the deal.

Iron Shiek - in Matt Cassel's case I don't think there's ever a time when that's a wise decision. The Patriots can't start two QB's at the same time and there's absolutely no reason another organization can't find a solid QB in the 5th round (Tom Brady) or in the 7th round like Cassel.

And if it's players with some games under their belts there are at least two QB's available via free agency that have substantial playing time (K. Collins and B. Leftwich).

IMO - if you're an organization with a really high draft pick, and you haven't been competitive in awhile --- a strong defense first mentality seems to be the best model to get a team back on a winning track.

Pittsburgh (2001), Baltimore (2000), Tampa Bay (2002)....etc.

More and more it seems in today's NFL the Game Manager mode is the safest and most effective. You couple that with a stout defense and you'll be right back in the hunt. It's certainly easier said than done - but teams who have bet big bucks on rookie QB's have been more risky.

I think Matt Ryan was successful because he had two very good WR's that Vick could never get the ball too.

And Flacco certainly enjoyed having a dominant defense around him.

However when I look at Vince Young, Matt Leinart, David Carr, Alex Smith....etc - I see a case where a team is locked up for a lot of money on a guy who can't even be useful on the field in some way.

I mean at least a guy like Manny Lawson - while he may not live up to his hype, he's still contributing.

If I'm the Lions or Chiefs - I take a Vetern who can come in and be relatively mistake free, I take a young QB that I like his talent and his draft position, and then I build with the higher draft picks - either the O-Line or the Defense. I probably will win a few more games with my Vetern, I give myself some time to develop my future QB or I don't spend a lot of money on a guy who can't play, and I get the most out of my high picks.

again just my

L.B.