Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Bucs’ Shaquil Barrett Will Sign By July 15

June 29th, 2020 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Shaquil Barrett wants a long-term deal, but, if that doesn’t materialize, he won’t drag things out. The Buccaneers edge rusher says he’ll sign his one-year tender if the two sides can’t agree to an extension before the July 15th deadline.

Last week, Barrett said he was about “50-50” on signing the one-year franchise tender and indicated that he would have an update on that front by Friday. Friday has come and gone, but Barrett now appears to be saying that he won’t hold out from the Bucs. Of course, signing the one-year tender today would not preclude the two sides from working out an extension before 7/15, so the delay is a bit of a head-scratcher given his comments. When asked about that, Barrett said the two sides are “still trying to work something out.”

That “something” could be a compromise on Barrett’s 2020 salary. It’s believed that Barrett was tagged as a linebacker, rather than a defensive end, so the one-year placeholder would pay him $15.8MM. Defensive ends, meanwhile, are marked at $17.8MM for the franchise tag this year. In the past, we’ve seen teams meet their edge rushers in the middle – a one-year, $16.8MM arrangement could be satisfactory for both sides if a longer deal doesn’t come together.

Last year, Barrett led the league with 19.5 sacks and registered 37 quarterback hits in total. No matter what happens in the coming days, Barrett says he’ll be aiming for a repeat in Tampa Bay. He’ll “most definitely” stay put in 2020, so Bucs fans can rest easy on that front.

Five Franchise Tagged Players Have Yet To Sign Tenders

June 25th, 2020 at 11:13am CST by Zachary Links

Teams have until July 15th to hammer out long-term deals with franchise tagged players. As of this writing, there are five players who have not signed their one-year tenders: Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Broncos safety Justin Simmons, Buccaneers edge rusher Shaquil Barrett, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, and Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.

The franchise tag is a sore spot for players, because it prohibits them from realizing their true value on the open market. Sometimes, players begrudgingly sign on the dotted line after skipping out on a portion of offseason activities. There have also been some notable holdouts to extend into the regular season – Le’Veon Bell, for example.

You can put Green in the former camp. The Bengals superstar wants long-term security from the only team he’s ever known, but he says he’ll sign the one-year tender if they can’t come to terms.

In the past, Simmons has indicated that he won’t skip Broncos activities, but Mike Klis of 9News speculates that agent Todd France could talk him into playing some hardball. Offers have been exchanged between the two sides, but, for now, the safety is looking at a one-year, $12.7MM proposition.

Jones – currently in line for a $16.1MM deal – has expressed frustration with the slow pace of negotiations with the Chiefs. The Chiefs, meanwhile, already have a $20MM defensive lineman in Frank Clark. Barrett, who said he’d be a good sport about signing the tender, says he’s expecting to have some movement by tomorrow, though it’s not clear if that means receiving an extension offer or putting pen to paper.

Ngakoue, of course, is prepared to go to war with the Jaguars. The two sides have been locked in a heated stalemate for a long time and the Jags say they won’t cave to the defensive end’s trade demand.

Buccaneers’ Shaquil Barrett Unsure About Signing Franchise Tag

June 25th, 2020 at 10:24am CST by Zachary Links

Buccaneers defensive end Shaquil Barrett isn’t making any promises when it comes to the franchise tag. Before he was cuffed in mid-March, Barrett indicated that he would sign the tender. Now, that’s “up in the air.”

“It’s still up in the air right now, about 50-50,” Barrett told NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe. “We’ll find out a little more information on Friday.”

It’s not clear if Barrett is expecting an extension offer by Friday, or if he’s hinting at signing his tender by the end of the week. It’s believed that Barrett was tagged as a linebacker, rather than a defensive end, so the one-year placeholder would pay him $15.8MM. Defensive ends, meanwhile, are marked at $17.8MM for the franchise tag this year.

After spending four seasons in Von Miller‘s shadow, Barrett broke out with the Bucs. Last year, he shattered Bucs’ single-season record and led the league with 19.5 sacks, plus 37 total quarterback hits. After that performance, Barrett rightfully wants some long-term financial security.

“I’m gonna play off the tag [if] I got to but I do want that long-term deal,” Barrett said in March. “It’s all about security for me and my family; that’s all I’ve been fighting for my whole time in the NFL. Even a franchise tag, I’m still getting the security too but I just want a long contract and long-term security.”

The two sides will have until July 15 to finalize an extension. If they can’t come to terms, they’ll have to wait until next year to resume negotiations.

Multiple Buccaneers Players Test Positive For COVID-19

June 20th, 2020 at 12:42pm CST by Zachary Links

At least two Buccaneers players have tested positive for COVID-19, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In keeping with privacy laws, the team has not disclosed the identities of the positive players.

One Bucs assistant also tested positive earlier in the week, raising concerns about viral spread in the organization. The list of positive cases in the NFL seems to be growing larger and larger. COVID-19 has struck one 49ers player, Broncos safety Kareem Jackson, Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott, and many more – most of whom have remained anonymous.

The growing number of cases has the NFL considering an expansion of its contagious disease containment policy. Roster changes are also likely on the way – the league may move practice squads from 12 to 16 players because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci is pushing for a “bubble” strategy, one that would isolate players and NFL personnel from the community at large during the season.

For now, the NFL says it will test players three times per week in advance of training camp and possibly test more during the season. A single-location for games – like what the NBA is doing – is not currently being considered.

Jets’ Jamal Adams Has Bucs On Trade Destination List

June 19th, 2020 at 1:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Jamal Adams wants out. The Jets Pro Bowl safety has a few preferred spots in mind and he tells ex-NFL safety Ryan Clark that the Buccaneers are among the teams on his list (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates).

A trade to the Buccaneers would reunite Adams with Todd Bowles, his former head coach with the Jets. Bowles currently serves as the Bucs’ defensive coordinator and he’d surely love to add Adams to his secondary. And, even though they’re on the other side of the ball, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski would likely love to welcome their old divisional foe to Tampa Bay.

Adams is also said to have the Cowboys, Ravens, Texans, Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, and Seahawks on his not-so-short list. And, depending on where he lands, he’d reportedly be willing to wait on a contract extension. Still, teams taking the long view may be warded off by the sticker price. Ultimately, Adams is seeking a deal worth about $20MM/year – far beyond the ~$15MM/year it would take to make him the NFL’s all-time highest-paid safety.

The Jets, for now, are sticking to their position – they want to keep Adams for the long haul. But, in order to do that, they’ll have to pony up some serious cash, and get that offer in front of him quickly.

Bucs Assistant Coach Tests Positive For COVID-19

June 19th, 2020 at 9:03am CST by Rory Parks

A Buccaneers assistant coach has tested positive for COVID-19, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Pursuant to the club’s safety protocols, two other assistants have been quarantined.

Fortunately, the coach that tested positive was asymptomatic, but as we creep closer to training camp and as more people return to team facilities, reports like these may become more common. The continued refinement of protocols and the expected increase of testing will be key in determining whether the league will be able to push forward with training camp and the regular season as it hopes.

The NFL permitted coaches to return to their respective facilities on June 5, though as Greg Auman of The Athletic points out, Tampa Bay’s coaches did not return until Monday, June 15. Auman also notes that positive tests are especially troublesome for the Bucs’ staff, which features a number of older coaches (including HC Bruce Arians, 67).

Of course, with training camp still over a month away, there is no cause for alarm just yet. Still, Tampa Bay is now the seventh team to have a player or coach diagnosed with COVID-19, which is not surprising, but it does underscore the difficulties that the league and its medical staff are facing.

Devonta Freeman: “A Number” Of Teams Have Interest In Signing Me

June 5th, 2020 at 9:59am CST by Zachary Links

Devonta Freeman‘s free agency has dragged into June and could continue deep into the summer. For what it’s worth, the running back isn’t too concerned. On Twitter, Freeman let his fans know that “a number of teams are interested” in signing him.

“I read in the media that Tampa Bay Buccaneers are interested. A number of teams are interested, but we can’t negotiate through the media, the Buccaneers can reach out to me directly,” Freeman tweeted.

The Bucs – Freeman’s longtime divisional rival – do indeed have interest in Freeman, as conveyed by head coach Bruce Arians. However, Arians says that Freeman’s current sticker price is too rich for their blood. Previous reports indicated that the Bucs put an offer on the table for Freeman, but based on what the running back is saying, it sounds like the conversations came to a hard stop.

Freeman also received, and rejected a one-year, $3MM offer from the Seahawks. It’s not clear what the longtime Falcons star is demanding, but it’ll take more in the way of base compensation and probably an achievable incentives package to get him to sign right now. As we get closer to September, Freeman may or may not ease up on his stance. No matter what, Freeman says retirement is not on the table.

Freeman’s last deal was set to pay him about $8MM in 2020. There’s no way he’ll come close to that salary in base pay, but it stands to reason that he could find middle ground with the Bucs. The Bucs have upgraded much of their roster around Tom Brady, but RB remains a problem area. As of this writing, they’re set to roll out the promising yet inconsistent Ronald Jones as their top rusher with support from rookies Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Raymond Calais.

The Eagles are also interested in Freeman, though they may prefer the familiarity and price tag of LeSean McCoy. However, they have yet to make an offer to Shady.

Bucs Notes: Brady, TEs, OL, Free Agency

June 4th, 2020 at 2:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady‘s transition to a new team in advance of his 21st NFL season has obviously been less than ideal, with the COVID-19 pandemic preventing the future Hall of Famer from working with teammates and coaches at the Buccaneers‘ facility. The first time the soon-to-be 43-year-old quarterback is expected to be permitted to enter his new team’s facilities will be training camp. But the Bucs do not plan to compensate for this by giving Brady more preseason work. Bruce Arians said Thursday he doubts Brady will need more preseason time to make up for the virtual offseason, per Greg Auman of The Athletic (on Twitter). Still, Brady’s preseason snaps figure to be more important than usual this year.

Here is the latest out of Tampa:

Arians has not gotten much out of the tight end position during his stay as head coach in Arizona and Tampa. That should soon change. The Bucs currently house an all-time tight end stable, with Rob Gronkowski joining the team’s O.J. Howard–Cameron Brate duo already regarded as one of the NFL’s best. Arians said the Bucs will use a two-tight end offense as their base this season (via Auman, on Twitter). Going with more “12 personnel” looks would give Howard and Brate more time on the field and potentially represent an effort to conserve Gronkowski, who retired partially because of injury issues last year. This also points to the Bucs giving stronger consideration to keeping all three tight ends rather than trading Howard or Brate. Arians even said he’s interested in three-tight end looks.
Tampa Bay is not expected to make a move to add interior offensive linemen to back up starters Ali Marpet, Alex Cappa and Ryan Jensen, Arians added (via Auman, on Twitter). The Bucs did not draft any guards or centers, but Arians likes what he has seen from backups Aaron Stinnie, Anthony Fabiano and Zack Bailey. A fifth-year blocker, Fabiano is now on his eighth team. Stinnie was a 2018 Titans UDFA; Bailey was a Bucs 2019 UDFA who spent much of last year on IR.
However, the Bucs are keeping multiple roster spots open for possible veteran additions. Arians said (via Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com, on Twitter) he and GM Jason Licht discussed saving room for veterans who would be more prepared to play than rookie UDFAs. With Brady on a two-year deal, Tampa Bay stockpiling vets would make sense.

Devonta Freeman’s Asking Price Too High For Bucs

June 4th, 2020 at 12:09pm CST by Rory Parks

Interest in former Falcons RB Devonta Freeman has picked up significantly over the past couple of weeks. Atlanta released Freeman on March 16, and there were no public reports of interest in his services for some time, but the Jets, Eagles, Seahawks, and Buccaneers have recently kicked the tires on the two-time Pro Bowler.

Seattle ultimately filled its RB need by signing Carlos Hyde. The club submitted a one-year, $3MM pitch to Freeman, but when he did not sign, the Seahawks pivoted to Hyde, who landed a one-year pact worth up to $4MM with incentives. Philadelphia and Tampa have yet to pick up a veteran RB to add to their stable, and unless Freeman’s asking price comes down, he will not be joining up with the Bucs.

Tampa head coach Bruce Arians says his club would have interest in Freeman if his price tag wasn’t so high (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). The way he phrased that statement is interesting, because an earlier report from Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Enquirer suggested the Bucs had made an offer to Freeman, who was considering that proposal along with one he received from the Eagles. Arians’ statement today implies that Tampa either never made an offer or else is not willing to further engage until Freeman lowers his demands.

The Bucs were rumored as a potential landing spot for an RB upgrade earlier this offseason, as their depth chart is currently topped by 2018 second-rounder Ronald Jones, who had an up-and-down season in 2019 after a disastrous rookie campaign. GM Jason Licht has expressed confidence in Jones, but the team was looking for a pass-catching back to complement him, and Licht did pick up two RBs in the draft: Ke’Shawn Vaughn (third round) and Raymond Calais (seventh). Freeman profiles as a potential upgrade for a team that suddenly has Super Bowl aspirations.

For his part, Freeman recently shot down rumors that he is considering sitting out the 2020 season. He appears to be aiming for a 2020 payout closer to the one that he was scheduled to receive from the Falcons (about $8MM), but that’s likely not coming his way, as he is now two years removed from his last effective season.

Coaching Staffs Permitted To Return To Facilities

June 4th, 2020 at 11:00am CST by Rory Parks

As expected, the NFL has issued a memo authorizing coaching staffs to return to their team’s facilities tomorrow, June 5, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). Rapoport passes along the relevant portion of the memo in a separate tweet.

The league further noted that teams can have up to 100 people in their facilities at any one time (subject to state and local regulations, of course). As of right now, only players undergoing medical treatment are permitted in the facilities, as has been the case. However, the memo did note that the league will continue working with team medical staffs to implement testing for coaches and other club personnel prior to green-lighting the return of players.

Despite some earlier rumblings that the league would try to squeeze in a belated minicamp, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reiterates that the focus remains on getting coaches and players together for the scheduled start of training camp in July, not minicamp (Twitter link). Indeed, we have heard previously that some coaches would not take advantage of a minicamp even if one was authorized, and Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said his players will not be at team facilities before training camp (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).

That may be the case for most teams. As Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes (via Twitter), the NFL has left open the possibility of having players return on a limited basis later this month, but the union would have to agree to that, and it does not seem inclined to do so. In addition, multiple coaches tell Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com that they will remain away from facilities until training camp, in spite of today’s memo (Twitter link).

Still, this is a positive step towards the business-as-usual goal that the NFL has espoused all along. At this point, it appears as if only the 49ers‘ coaches will be unable to access their facilities tomorrow (Twitter link via Rapoport). Santa Clara County has been slower to lift restrictions than other Bay Area counties, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets, but the team is in communication with local authorities to obtain the necessary permission as soon as possible.

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