Freeman released by the Bucs

[ksudodger]

After failing to find a trade partner, the Bucs have eaten the money and released Josh Freeman. I say we release Clemons, pay Josh the prorated part of $850k that Clemons made and make him earn a spot. If he behaves and plays well, we have a bargain backup with serious physical talent. If he does not, let him go...low risk high reward.

Although, I have a feeling Jacksonville might jump on him now that it won't cost them draft picks or players to get him.

 

[fastforward]

I don't expect anyone to claim him off waivers given his $8M+ salary. Assuming he clears waivers it'll be up to him where he ends up. I don't see why he would view us as a good situation. We won't give him much of a chance to earn a starting job.

 

[SJ76]

Bring him in let's have a dam competition and then trade Pead for Leshoure.

 

[Retroram52]

Fastforward, The Yucks are on the hook for $6.2 mil of his $8 mil salary. So the most it would cost someone else is $1.8 mil. However, since he is FA, he can negotiate with any team and we can offer him Clemons' salary and see if he bites!

 

[UnrealTerm04]

Given our current situation, I expect he will completely ignore us. Need to be real, he won't see any field time behind Sam Bradford's contract. I expect Freeman to sign with Oakland, Minnesota or Jacksonville.

 

[fastforward]

Freeman was a 'vested veteran' who was on the Buccaneers roster for Week 1. That guarantees his money for this year. The Buccaneers are on the hook for the remaining 12/16 of his 2013 salary...unless someone claims him, which isn't going to happen. Clemens is in the same category so we'd have to burn the remaining $600K of his salary, and throw out our Plan-B back-up QB who's familiar with our playbook with that move. We're more likely to release someone who isn't a 'vested veteran', such as Bates or Rivers, who are only guaranteed milk, cookies, and bedtime stories. Even so we could probably stretch to $1M if you wanted to take the chance on not needing to replace future players headed for IR this season with more than those who'd accept minimum wage.
The bigger question is why would Freeman choose to sit on our bench for $1M when he wasn't happy to sit on the Buccaneers bench for his remaining $6.25M. It's reasonable to assume that he's going to want a significant proportion of practice reps...and I don't see any good reason to take those away from Bradford. There would seem to be much better options for Freeman elsewhere. The Titans and the Bengals make as much sense as we do and they have cap space.

 

[SJ76]

Freeman is not going to come in and start but for insurance if Bradford goes down?

We do have a pretty good track record for back up QBs but Clemons would be pathetic if Sam does get hurt.

I wouldn't be pissed if we had a QB Controversy at all. Sam needs to be pushed.

 

[fastforward]

If we had a QB controversy Bradford would definitely be gone before next season. If he couldn't convincingly beat out a newcomer after being with the team for 4 years it would be clear that he's not the future. The question is would it help us? If Bradford easily beat out a competitor but still didn't play great then where would we be? If the competitor won would we be committed to him? We'd look even more stupid if we let him go. On the other hand we could be giving a big contract to a flaky QB who could be awful come training camp next year. Worse still Bradford might win the competition but not do so convincingly which could split the team. The 1 thing I am sure of is that it wouldn't help our 2 rookies and 2 1-year veterans at WR. If we're going to have a competition or controversy i'd rather have it in camp next year.
I'm fine with upgrading the back-up QB position at some stage. I just don't see Freeman in that role.

 

[SJ76]

Freeman is the kind of kid that can "drive the bus". Before you all go mental on me listen up.

If we did pick him up for the year as a back up, we would know more about Sam at the end of the year. What would it cost to keep freeman for 3 years? 5-7 million a year? That's a lot cheaper than Bradford. Add a few bruising RBs, along with the WRs we have now? Keep building a solid D!

Josh is 6'5 240 with speed. He can move out of the pocket too. I know he had issues with the coach obviously but I don't think he's that bad of a kid. This coach in Tampa is going down and he was making a young QB the scapegoat. Not saying Josh was great, but he's got that Culpepper body and arm. Plus we would have more money to spend and a faster QB.

 

[DK7000]

Moving forward with Freeman and not Bradford is an incredibly bad football move, especially with the QB's in this upcoming draft. Would much rather move on with one of them.

 

[SJ76]

Get Freeman cheap and draft another young QB. Obviously giving the keys and $60 million to Sam hasn't worked. He's had no competition at all.

I said it 4 years ago. The NFL is moving in a different direction. Mobile QBs is where it's at UNLESS you have a really good pocket QB and a Oline that actually provides a pocket.

But you can win plenty of games with a good run game and solid D - Seattle is a great example. Did anyone notice them beat thy Texans in Houston without their LT, RT, and center?!?!

That's what some of yous don't get. It's about ball control UNLESS you have a great QB and prolific offense. Running the ball and good D can win you plenty of games. Been saying it for years.


Yearrrrrrrrrrrs!

 

[Retroram52]

I don't think many people are listening SJ76. We whiffed on Skelton who signed with the Niners, another big and mobile QB and we will probably whiff on Freeman. And this is the Rams mentality of the Nineties minus the Vermeil years and the better part of the new millenium after the Martz years. We do not know how to build a consistent winner by constantly bringing in high quality players. We are always waiting and then react stupidily because we waited too long.

 

[SJ76]

Plenty of good and mobile QBs coming out this year. All we can do now is FISH like Vita said... But we have to be smart. We have some picks and we have some good young players. But our offense has got to come out oft his coma.

Only way we salvage this season is thump Jax and get rolling. If Blaine comes home and outplays Sam I think that's all she wrote. And Fisher can't bench his QB so the OC might go. The what? Lol. If Sam does bad it's because he's had so many. OCs! And the cycle continues.

Cycle of insanity really.

 

[Retroram52]

Yes. We seem to be in one now going on another decade. I don't know if this will ever change??

 

[fastforward]

I don't understand the love for Skelton. He was outplayed by both Kolb and Hall whilst he was with the Cardinals. It's debatable whether or not he even outplayed Lindley. Skelton was a project that the Cardinals abandoned after 2 years for the aforementioned 6th round pick who hasn't impressed. The 49ers had Skelton on their books in April but he fell behind Kaepernick, McCoy, Tolzein, and Daniels. Releasing Daniels was a mistake by the 49ers that they probably regret. I would rather have McCoy whose weak arm would be less of a factor in a dome. I would have considered claiming Daniels as well. It's an issue that's probably best left now until the off-season. If we can't win with our starting QB I doubt we can win with a back-up.

 

[LTR1961]

Assuming they can get him for a resonable number as some have mentioned, I would take a shot. They need someone to push Bradford and also be a viable option should Bradford get hurt. Clemens is not a good option is any way.

 

[Retroram52]

Precisely LTR!!

 

[Red_Chaos]

At this point STL is a long shot, teams like bills and browns are thin at qb at the moment and might have bigger pockets of money to burn than the rams

 

[Retroram52]

Word is Freeman is headed to the Raiders!

 

[fastforward]

"...Freeman isn't a guy you can start right away. He's not a cerebral passer and, on the field, he's not much of an upgrade over Weeden..." - Marc Sessler, NFL.com.

Josh Freeman won't be pursued by Cleveland Browns - NFL.com

lol.

Everyone but Gabbert is an upgrade over Weeden. I'm hoping Gabbert won't prove me wrong.