What Would I Do With…. The 2010 Tampa Bay Bucs
While back I began a series of articles called “What would I do with…”. I think I only got a couple teams into it. Since we are waiting on the 2009 playoffs to advance I thought it would be a perfect time to continue the series. Today as luck would have it the random number generator came up with the Tampa Bay Bucs. So, here’s what I, Bryan Mellon GM of America’s Team the Washington Redskins would do with the 2010 Tampa Bay Bucs. Of course, this is just a “What If” scenario as I am GM of the Redskins, a winning franchise who has no reason to question what it would be like to end my maximum GM contract and go into a new direction.
Let’s look at positions first: (BTW, I’d suggest going to Hobby Lobby because you are going to need a good pair of scissors for all the cuts.)
QB’s
Marc Bulger- 32 yrs old- 9 YP- $7.84 M salary in 2010
Bulger is a veteran QB who can win games. So keep him right? Nah… I would trade him. He will be a valuble piece for some team and most likely would cost only a 2nd round pick of another player.
Matt Leinart- 26 years old- 3 P- free agent to be
Leinart probably should have been starting but I understand why not since Bulger was on the team. I think Leinart can still be a good QB. He’s maxed out in THA and now needs to get his AWR up. I would make him a match eligible. I would match anything under a 1st round pick equivalent
RB’s
Chris Johnson- 23 yrs old- 1 YP- $590 K salary in 2010
Johnson is interesting.93 SPD is not super impressive but he will increase to 95 ACC in the offseason. If you bumped his SPD up to 95 to go along with 93 AGI and 95 ACC maybe you have something. Other attributes make Johnson appealing such as the 70 STR, 70 CTH, 88 JMP and 98 KR. He would at least be my RB2, KR1, PR1 and WR4/5.
All other RB’s try to trade for late picks or cut.
FB
Carnell Williams- 27 yrs old- 4 YP- $1.93 M in 2010
I do not like these types of situations. I am not a fan of Williams as the team’s FB but they have invested a fair amount into him. I would not cut him as that $3M hit would be costly and you would prob only get a 7th round pick in return for him, if anything. I would keep him on the roster but look for another FB. If a RB were to get injured you could move Williams to RB, in return saving a potential FS signing. Just a thought.
TE’s
Freddie Jones- 35 yrs old- YP 12- $3.36 M salary in 2010
You know, Jones has had a heck of a SFL career He has quietly put up some nice numbers. If he does not retire the Bucs would be investing a lot in Jones next year. I do not think a GM would trade for him so he would be a cut for me. His hit is small at $740 K.
Clark Harris- 24 yrs old- YP 2- $580 K salary in 2010
Harris may not have any specific attribute that jumps off the page but he is big and somewhat athletic. He would enter the season as my starting TE.
WR’s
Amani Toomer- 35 yrs old- YP 13- $5.4 M salary in 2010
The best thing that could happen here would be for Toomer to retire. If he doesn’t retire I would take the $2.68 M hit and most likely cut him. If the team had salary left I would reconsider that though.
LaTarence Dunbar- 29 yrs old- YP 6 $2.73 M salary in 2010
Dunbar is a former SFL Draft Gem who has put up multiple 1000 yard seasons and can do so for multiple seasons to come. He would most likely be my WR2. Another option would be to trade him for something like a 2nd round pick or a future pick to a contender. Any team in the SFL could benefit from a guy with 99 SPD, 99 AGI, 99 ACC and 97 CTH.
Veterans Deion Branch and Donald Driver- both are pending free agents who I would not resign due to team needs at other spots.
OL
Oh boy. This is a tough area. There are multiple ways to look at this area. Personally, I think the existing players should be reworked as this group is good enough to play together next year.
LT Joe Thomas- 24 yrs old- 2 YP- $5.3 M in salary in 2010.
I would most likely move Thomas to RT. I would then restructure him to a 7 year deal. There’s another possibility though: Before moving him to RT and restructuring I would put him on the trade block. If I could get 2 major players of impact for Thomas I would seriously consider trading him. This team has holes and if you can trade one elite player for two superstars it is at least worth consideration.
RT Marcus McNeil- 24 yrs ol- YP 3- $2.11 M salary in 2010.
I would move McNeil to LT and hope he settles down at that position and becomes a reliable SFL player. He has given up 51 sacks in 4 seasons at RT. Oddly enough his rookie season was great when he had 74 pancakes and just 7 sacks allowed. His sack total increased to 13 in 2007, 17 in 2008 and 14 this past season. I still believe this guy can play.
RG Josh Sitton- 23 yrs old- YP 1- $700 K salary in 2010
I would keep this guy at RG. He seems capable and is low cost so I say utilize him.
LG Mike Williams- 29 yrs old- YP 7- pending free agent
I like Mike Williams as he has done good for me in the past. I don’t think the team can resign him though as OL is not a big need and they have someone else who can start instead.
LG Andrew Bravo- 23 yrs old- YP 1- $500 K salary in 2010.
Like C Elgin, I am not a fan of Bravo’s size at a teenie weenie 260 # but I would like to see what this guy can do. I would at least enter the season with him as my starting LG.
All other OL including RT Keatta Walker would be cuts.
C
Mike Elgin- 23 yrs old- YP 2- $1.07 M salary in 2010
I am not a fan of Elgin’s size, just 282 # but I think the other team needs outweigh this one so I’d keep Elgin as my starting C in 2010.
K & P
David Akers- 35 yrs old- YP 11- $1.89 M salary in 2010
If Akers returns he could be your starter but I would probably draft his replacement, if possible this offseason.
Scott Player- 40 yrs old- YP 11- pending free agent
Obviously, the team will either be drafting a punter or signing one in free agency.
DE’s
All DE’s are pending free agents and none are worth resigning. This is going to be an area of urgent need.
Tamba Hali- 25 yrs old- YP 3
Hali has not gotten the chance to start for the Bucs. While he may not be a superstar I think he could have been at least playable. He is not worth resigning due to team need and with his high OVR of 87 he may find it difficult to catch on with another team unless it’s via the vet minimum clause.
DT’s
Jimmy Kennedy- 29 yrs old- YP 6- $5.95 M salary in 2010.
Kennedy is not worth his salary, in my opinion however it’s doubtful the GM can just cut everyone even though Kennedy’s hit would only be $2.10 M. A resourceful GM who might run a 3-4 could move Kennedy to DE. I’m not saying this would work for sure but it might be worth a shot.
DT Sam Adams- 36 yrs old- YP 15- $5.68 M salary in 2010.
I am assuming Adams retires since he is YP 15. If he doesn’t the GM needs to decide to hang with Adams at DT one more time or take $2.7 M hit and release him. If I were going to run a 3-4 and he does not retire I would prob just keep him ad my DT1.
DT Tank Johnson- 27 yrs old- YP 5- $4.27 M salary in 2010.
I am not the biggest Tank Johnson fan but he is somewhat decent and signed to a long contract. It would take eating a big $4M + hit to trade him. I would prob make him a DT2 or move him to DE. Either way he remains on the roster.
MLB’s
MLB HB Blades- 25 yrs old- YP 2- $920 K salary in 2010.
The only MLB that will be on the roster at the end of the season will be Blades. All this guy has done over the last three seasons since being drafted late in the 3rd round of the 2007 SFL draft is rack up 323 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries, 6 int’s and score 2 defensive TD’s. His attributes are not outstanding but he should enter the 2010 season with the magical 90 AWR. Blades would either enter the season as the MLB starter or be explored via the trade block. If I could get a 2 rounder add him to a bigger deal to acquire multiple starters it would be worth exploring.
OLB’s
LOLB Mike Vrabel- 34 yrs old- YP 12- pending free agent
Vrabel did well for the Bucs this season. He may retire but even if he doesn’t I don’t think he’s a player the team should resign. Their focus should be elsewhere.
LOLB Rufus Alexader- 24 yrs old- YP 2- $780 K salary in 2010
Alexander lack the speed to start (in my opinion) but should make for a top notch backup and special team. He makes the 2010 roster for sure.
LOLB Kevin Simon- 24 ys old- YP3- $1 M salary in 2010
Simon is a backup LB, simple as that. He would prob make the team but I would also list him for trade for a 7th round draft before the season starts.
ROLB Rosevelt Colvin- 32 yrs old- YP 10- $3.86 M salary in 2010
Colvin is a nice veteran player who can still go. If I was the GM of the Bucs ROLB is an area I would look to bring a younger player into and save some cap $’s. I would try to trade Colvin as the cap hit is only $1.76 M and he can most likely land you a mid round pick. If he doesn’t get traded I think the team can enter the 2010 season with him as their ROLB if they needed to.
CB’s
Cedric Griffin- 26 yrs old- YP 3- pending free agent
To be perfectly honest, in my opinion Griffin should have been restructured earlier this season. It would have given the team one less free agent in 2010 but it’s very easy for me to say that looking in from the outside. I would prob sign Griffin via the team’s single resign.
CB AJ Davis- 25 yrs old- YP 2- $640 K salary in 2010
Davis will be a depth player at CB going into 2010.
CB Fred Bennett- 23 yrs old- YP 2, $920 K salary in 2010.
Bennett will play a role somewhere in the CB depth chart in 2010. There would be the possibility of adding him to a trade block. I would think in return you’d have to at least get a decent 2nd round pick in return or a starter at another position.
CB EJ Biggers- 22 yrs old- Rookie- $820 K salary in 2010.
Like AJ Davis above, Biggers will stay with the team in some sort of CB depth spot as we enter the 2010 season.
CB Richard Marshall- 24 yrs old- YP 3- pending free agent
This is where the restructure of Griffin above would help out. While I don’t think anyone would say Marshall is going to be a SFL hall of fame CB he is for sure worthy of a spot somewhere within the top 5 CB’s on this team. Marshall could be resigned if the team had an open signee spot. Again though, he’s not going to be a yearly pro bowler so not signing him won’t hurt too much.
FS’s
Brodney Pool- 25 yrs old- YP 4- $2.22 M salary in 2010
This guy will stay a Buc for a while I assume, no matter who the GM is. He’s signed long term boasts 90 in SPD, AGI, ACC and JMP. He also has respectful AWR and TAK.
Sean Jones- 27 yrs old- YP 5, $1.68 M salary in 2010
Jones is okay an dwould make a fine backup but $1.68 M is a lot to pay a backup safety. I would prob offer him for a the best pick possible and draft a cheaper backup. Jones has a $0 hit towards the Bucs salary cap.
SS’s
Chris Hope- 29 yrs old- YP 7- $7.14 M salary in 2010
Hope will be among the first releases for whoever run the team in 2010. The team simply can not pay their backup SS $7 M.
Shaun Williams- 33 yrs old- YP 11- $3.04 M salary in 2010
Williams should (again in my opinion) be an early cut if he doesn’t retire. He’s too old and has regressed too much to pay him $3 M to be a backup and he simply isn’t good enough to be a starter.
Courtney Bryan- 23 yrs old- YP 2- $920 K salary in 2010
Bryan would enter the 2010 season as my starting SS but I would look for a better one via free agency, the trade market or the draft.
Draft Picks
The Bucs have the 4th pick in each round of the 2010 SFL draft.
1.4
I would attempt to trade this pick for multiple 1sts, a CB or QB.
2.4
I would prob keep this pick and gladly take whomever slips from the 1t round.
3.4 & 4.4
I would prob trade these pick in an attempt bring in a veteran starter at a position of need- perhaps the DL.
5.4
I would more than likely trade these for as many 6th and 7th round picks as I can get.
6.4 & 7.4 plus any other 6th or 7th rounders I get
I would use these 6th and 7th round picks to draft backup OL and DL. I would attempt to draft a backup RT, LT, C, RG, LG, LE & DE.
There you go that is “What I would do if” for the Bucs. By they way, I have discussed this (or at least the meat of it with the current Bucs GM) in an attempt to provide an outsiders view point. No one has to agree with any of the above info as we all have our own ways of managing a team. I’m sure I make some GM’s wonder just what in the heck is going on in Washington when they look at some of my moves.
