Buccaneers Claim Tim Wright
Less than a year after trading him to the Patriots, the Buccaneers have re-acquired tight end Tim Wright, the team announced today in a press release. The Bucs have the No. 1 waiver priority in the NFL this offseason, and placed a claim on Wright after he was cut yesterday by New England.
Wright, 25, grabbed 54 balls for 571 yards and five touchdowns for the Bucs in his rookie season in 2013. However, after drafting Austin Seferian-Jenkins and signing Brandon Myers, the Bucs took advantage of their depth at tight end, sending Wright to the Pats in a deal for veteran guard Logan Mankins.
In New England, Wright didn’t come close to matching his 2013 totals, totaling just 26 receptions for 259 yards, though six of those catches went for TDs. His individual numbers were still more impressive than those compiled by Seferian-Jenkins and Myers in Tampa Bay — the duo combined for just 43 catches, 411 yards, and two touchdowns.
The claim on Wright is the second time this week that the Bucs have taken advantage of their top waiver priority. The club also added former Browns punter Spencer Lanning via waivers, and claimed veteran safety D.J. Swearinger a month ago.
Negotiations Stalled Between Dotson, Bucs
9:18am: Dotson will end his holdout and report to the Bucs’ mandatory minicamp next week, according to Mark Cook of PewterReport.com. As I noted below, that should help restart contract talks between the two sides, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a deal was agreed upon before training camp.
8:46am: A week ago, we learned that Buccaneers tackle Demar Dotson was seeking a new contract, and wasn’t in attendance at the team’s OTAs as he angled for that new deal. According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, Dotson’s absence from the Bucs’ voluntary program has created an impasse in negotiations.
Sources tell Cummings that the Buccaneers previously entered contract talks with Dotson’s camp, aiming to secure their longest-tenured player to an extension. Per Cummings’ sources, negotiations were nearly complete, but they stalled due to a team policy that prohibits the negotiation of contracts with players who are absent from workouts, whether those workouts are voluntary or mandatory.
Based on Cummings’ report, it sounds like the impasse between Dotson and the Bucs may be temporary. The club is holding its mandatory minicamp next week, and if the veteran right tackle reports at that time, it sounds like talks could resume, and an agreement could potentially come together quickly. For now though, as long as Dotson is away from the team, those discussions are at a standstill.
While the Buccaneers have struggled to find a reliable left tackle in recent years, they have received steady production on the right side from Dotson, who has started all but one game for the team since the start of the 2012 season. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Dotson has recorded a positive grade in each of the last three seasons, and ranked 28th out of 84 qualified tackles in 2014. He’s set to earn a base salary of just $2.5MM in 2015.
Bucs Sign Second Round Pick Ali Marpet
The Buccaneers have signed second-round pick Ali Marpet, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Bay Tribune (on Twitter). With the Hobart guard in the fold, the Bucs have now signed all seven of their 2015 draft picks.
The Bucs traded up from No. 65 to get the Colts’ No. 61 pick, where they selected Marpet. The swap called for the teams to swap their fourth round picks, which meant that the Bucs moved down from No. 109 to No. 128. Buccaneers GM Jason Licht later said he traded up for Hobart guard Ali Marpet because offensive line depth in the draft was shrinking.
Tampa Bay also fortified its offensive line earlier in the second round by selecting Penn State tackle Donovan Smith with the No. 34 pick. Both Smith and Marpet are considered front-runners to start on a revamped Buccaneers’ offensive line in 2015.
South Notes: Bucs, Glennon, Martin
Titans receivers coach Shawn Jefferson sees big things in rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota‘s future, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com writes.
“He is deadly accurate,” Jefferson said. “I am just giddy about his future going forward …He’s the real deal. A couple years ago I was back in Detroit and when Matthew Stafford stepped into the huddle the first time, once I heard his voice and the way he called a play, I said, ‘OK, that’s a real one right there.’ Same way with this one. He’s real. He’s got the goods.”
Here’s tonight’s look at the South divisions..
- The Buccaneers gave some thought to trading Mike Glennon this offseason, but GM Jason Licht pulled back when he found how many teams were interested in the young QB, Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com writes. Ultimately, the Bucs felt they were better off with Glennon for at least one more season in case of injury or ineffectiveness from No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston.
- More from Reynolds, who writes that the hire of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter extended Doug Martin‘s stay with the Buccaneers. “Dirk Koetter, once he started watching tape of all our players, he came away impressed with Doug,” Licht said. “You saw the tape when he’s healthy, he’s still a very effective runner.” The Muscle Hamster is in Tampa Bay for 2015, but they declined his fifth-year option, putting Martin in a “prove it” situation. In his rookie year, Martin made a heck of an impact by running for 1,454 yards off of 319 carries with 11 touchdowns while catching 49 passes for 472 yards and a TD.
- Eighth overall pick Vic Beasley is expected to sign his rookie contract with the Falcons “soon,” tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Beasley is in line for a signing bonus worth $8.8MM+, with an overall four-year contract value of about $14.495MM.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Colts cut kicker Taylor Pontius, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Pontius was a member of the Colts’ rookie minicamp as a tryout player in May and signed a contract soon after.
- The Patriots announced that they have released rookie defensive back Eric Patterson. Patterson, 22, was signed by the Pats as a UDFA back in May. The Ball State product started in 28 of 41 games during his collegiate career and finished with 135 total tackles and six interceptions.
- The Vikings announced that they have signed free agent defensive tackle Chrishon Rose. Rose, who comes out of East Carolina, played in 13 games as a senior, posting 41 total tackles including 14 solo stops. Rose’s defensive unit held 18 opponents to 100 or less rushing yards in his four seasons at ECU.
- The Packers have signed tackle Vince Kowalski, a UDFA from Villanova, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The signing brings Green Bay to the full 90-man roster limit. Kowalski started all four seasons at Villanova and was named first-team in his conference last season.
- Rams sixth-round pick Bud Sasser went unclaimed off waivers and is now a free agent, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
- Washington has signed tackle Bryce Quigley and cut quarterback Hutson Mason, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (on Twitter). Mason was serving as an extra arm behind Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy, and Kirk Cousins in camp.
- Former Northern Arizona punter Andy Wilder, who went undrafted last spring, has been cut by the Buccaneers, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
- The Panthers will sign former Raiders tight end Scott Simonson to a one-year deal, a source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
Buccaneers To Claim Spencer Lanning
The Buccaneers are claiming punter Spencer Lanning off waivers today, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Typically, we’d have to wait for the NFL to confirm the transaction, in case multiple teams put in claims. However, the Bucs have the league’s top waiver priority this offseason, so Lanning will be headed to Tampa Bay.
In 2014, only two punters had more attempts than the 93 punts Lanning made for the Browns. On those 93 attempts, he averaged 44.5 yards, with a net distance of 39.2 yards per punt. Those were middle-of-the-road numbers, and the Browns took the opportunity to try to upgrade the position over the weekend when they acquired Andy Lee from the 49ers for a conditional 2017 seventh-round pick, waiving Lanning in the corresponding move.
In Tampa Bay, Lanning will compete for the starting job with incumbent punter Michael Koenen and Northern Arizona product Andy Wilder, who was signed as a free agent in March. Koenen may head into camp with the edge, but his $3.25MM cap hit, which includes no dead money, makes him vulnerable if one of the younger, cheaper players impresses.
NFC Mailbags: Washington, Glennon, Panthers, McClain
It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the NFC…
- If DeSean Jackson struggles in 2015, John Keim could envision the wideout playing elsewhere in 2016. Washington selected Jamison Crowder in the fourth round, so they have young wideouts to move forward with. However, if the veteran produces, Keim could see the Pro Bowler sticking around.
- Pat Yasinskas believes Mike Glennon will spend this season with the Buccaneers, even if the quarterback has a good preseason and improves his trade value. The 25-year-old is a solid backup, and the writer believes the team would have already dealt Glennon if they had any intention to move him.
- With the Cam Newton deal wrapped up, David Newton would expect the Panthers to sign linebacker Thomas Davis to a new deal prior to training camp. Since Luke Kuechly will definitely be on the roster for the 2016 season, the writer believes the team won’t rush to sign the former Defensive Player of the Year.
- When asked why Rolando McClain took so long to opt for surgery, Todd Archer clarified that surgery is always a “last-case option.” However, the writer questions why the Cowboys linebacker hasn’t been at Valley Ranch for rehab.
Bucs’ Demar Dotson Seeking New Contract
Buccaneers right tackle Demar Dotson has not been in attendance at the team’s OTAs this week, and according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, Dotson’s absence is contract-related. The veteran offensive lineman is seeking a new contract, and the two sides are engaged in contract negotiations, per Auman.
While the Buccaneers have struggled to find a reliable left tackle in recent years, they have received steady production on the right side from Dotson, who has started all but one game for the team since the start of the 2012 season. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Dotson has recorded a positive grade in each of the last three seasons, and ranked 28th out of 84 qualified tackles in 2014.
Dotson’s solid play has come at a discount for the Buccaneers, who have paid the 29-year-old only $5MM over his last three seasons. Dotson is set to get a pay bump to $2.5MM in 2015, but that’s still well below what other reliable starting right tackles are earning.
Dotson may be deserving of a raise, but as Auman observes, the Bucs may also be reluctant to give too much ground. After all, the Southern Mississippi product still has two seasons left on his contract, and giving him a significant raise would send a message to the rest of the team that holding out from voluntary workouts is an effective negotiating tactic. Still, it sounds like GM Jason Licht and the front office have been in touch with Dotson’s agent, so perhaps a compromise can be reached before the tackle’s holdout stretches into the summer.
Extra Points: Winston, Liuget, Harris
Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is high on rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, as Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida writes. However, he says the real test of his abilities is yet to come. “He’s a first-overall pick. Of course you see the talent,” McCoy said of Winston. “You’ve got to give it some time, guys. Everything is real basic right now. Until we put on pads and I can actually chase him, then I’ll tell you how good he is.”
- There has been a lot of positive momentum in the Chargers‘ efforts to sign defensive end Corey Liuget to a contract extension, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. The two sides are getting closer, according to a source that spoke with Gehlken.
- Titans cornerback Brandon Harris suffered a torn ACL during today’s practice, according to a source that spoke with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean (on Twitter). Harris, who signed a one-year deal with the Titans during the offseason, now faces a lengthy rehab process. The 25-year-old earned 112 defensive snaps for the Titans in 2014, recording 11 tackles and three passes defended. He was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2011 draft and although he wasn’t expected to play a starring role this year, he was being counted upon for depth at the cornerback position.
- Falcons coach Dan Quinn supported the team’s quick decision to release linebacker Prince Shembo, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Naturally, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who went through the Michael Vick federal dog fighting investigation of 2007, was involved in the decision to release Shembo.
- The Ravens were glad to snag cornerback Tray Walker in the fourth round of this year’s draft, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The Ravens knew that the Texas Southern product was drawing widespread interest, so they were over the moon to get him at No. 136. “He’s a guy that we had targeted,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “We really hoped to get him in the draft. He’s a guy that we wanted to get in the mid-rounds. We were looking to try to draft him, and we were able to do it.“
- The Dolphins should be happy that they got Ryan Tannehill‘s deal done before Cam Newton‘s new pact with the Panthers, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets. The total money given to Tannehill may not have changed, but the contract security likely would have been different.
- The Chargers and mayor Kevin Faulconer met to discuss the possibility of a new stadium on Tuesday, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. “Today we and our negotiating team met with Chargers chairman Dean Spanos and his adviser Mark Fabiani for more than an hour,” Faulconer’s spokesperson Craig Gustafson said in a prepared statement. “It was a productive discussion on a variety of issues, and both parties agreed to meet again within the next several days.”
NFC Notes: Newton, Bucs, Packers
Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) expects Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to top Ben Roethlisberger‘s $34.25MM in fully guaranteed cash at signing. Newton’s agent secured $38MM fully guaranteed at signing for fellow client Jay Cutler. Here’s more out of the NFC..
- Curious about Newton’s pending deal with the Panthers? Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer wrote up a FAQ about the pact, which will keep Newton under contract with the Panthers through 2020. Person notes that even though Newton’s deal is lucrative, it shouldn’t hamper the team’s ability to lock up star linebacker Luke Kuechly. That’s because GM Dave Gettleman cut high-priced veterans such as Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams in favor of low-cost free agents.
- The Buccaneers have a pair of long snappers on their roster already, in Andrew DePaola and rookie Courtland Clavette, but the team took a look at another one today, working out veteran free agent Brandon Hartson, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
- Don’t expect the Packers to take advantage of the post-June 1 designation by cutting any pricey veterans this month, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. As Demovsky notes, the club already made its major cap-savings moves, releasing linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones in February.