Tampa Has Cap Room to Spare, So Naturally the Bucs Gave a Punter $19 Million
Following the implementation of the NFL’s new CBA, the Tampa Bay Bucs were one of the teams furthest under the salary cap. After a shocking 2010 season where rapidly-improving Josh Freeman nearly led them to the playoffs, they went defensive-heavy in draft. I thought the Bucs would have followed that up by getting in the mix to land a prominent free agent or two. And remember, they play in a State with no income tax!
With Aqib Talib’s legal troubles, perhaps they’d make a play for Cincinnati corner Johnathan Joseph? How about adding another downfield option for Freeman in Braylon Edwards?
Nope.
Nope.
Tampa’s big splash so far? An embarrassing, 6-year, $19 million deal for punter Michael Koenen, with $6.5 million guaranteed. Who were they bidding against, themselves?
Now the good news: the Bucs were one of the worst teams punting the football last year (40.2 average was second-to-last in the league), and Koenen was in the Top 10 in pinning teams inside the 20 and 10. So there’s that.
Tampa fans have a right to be jammed up for the Bucs’ lack of activity this week. Coming off a 10-6 season, my guess is that the Bucs will be lucky to get to .500 this season. And they might not be that good if they can’t navigate a rugged early schedule: four of their first seven opponents made the playoffs last year, plus they have to face up-and-coming Detroit and travel to Minnesota and San Francisco, two teams that figure to be in the playoff hunt this season. The Bucs visit New Orleans, Green Bay and new-look Tennessee in November. Tampa closes the season with three of four games on the road; the other game is vs Dallas.
How does 5-11 sound?

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141 Responses to “Tampa Has Cap Room to Spare, So Naturally the Bucs Gave a Punter $19 Million”
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July 29th, 2011 at 11:33 AM
I think Freeman has a chance to be pretty good, but I agree on Tampa this year (without having looked at their schedule). They beat one team with a winning record in 2010.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:34 AM
I thought the Bucs would have followed that up by getting in the mix to land a prominent free agent or two.
Me too. They resigned most of their own guys, to eat up a lot of that money, but they could have been players. They needed to have been players. I think they had to spend, by rule, 50 million cash worth of cap space this year.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:35 AM
You know what the Bucs need? A pass rusher. Their secondary was actually pretty credible for a team who generated maybe the fewest QB hurries in the league. I know for certain they didn’t sack many people.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:36 AM
They think they got two of them in the draft (Clayborn and Bowers).
July 29th, 2011 at 11:36 AM
NSFW.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:36 AM
tampa’s schedule isn’t that rough at all…saints 2x, colts, packers, falcons 2x. cowboys if they might be good? bears and texans maybe?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Guaranteed erection every time I hear that.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:36 AM
I think there’s another free agent missing in here.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Surely Aqib is done in Tampa, right? If so that’s a big loss. He’s a certifiable badass on the field.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:37 AM
lotta risk there.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Yeah, they went DE with their first two picks, right?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:37 AM
3 million per year with only 6.5 of the total contract isn’t too bad. if he performs like he did and they consistently win the field position battles it will work out for them and it’s worth while.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:37 AM
What? Who says this?
I heard on the radio this morning that teams don’t have to spend the minimum cap requirement until 2013.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:38 AM
link?
agree.
Vikings are gonna be playoff contenders?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:38 AM
WHY DO I HAVE TO BE AT WORK?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Just ask the Jaguars.
/Frantically trades up for Derrick Harvey
July 29th, 2011 at 11:38 AM
What the fuck, man. You put a link to Olivia Wilde’s boobs while I’m on my work computer.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Yeah Clayton said this… I guess noone else bothered to actually read the agreement
July 29th, 2011 at 11:39 AM
They think they got two of them in the draft (Clayborn and Bowers).
lotta risk there.
That D line seems solid, honestly, if just one of those guys works out.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:39 AM
/giggles at people not clicking that
July 29th, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Yeah, it seems like faux outrage about this signing.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Isn’t TBL a McNabb fanboi? This makes sense
July 29th, 2011 at 11:40 AM
I heard on the radio this morning that teams don’t have to spend the minimum cap requirement until 2013.
I did not know that. The broke ass Glazers aren’t going to then. That explains plenty.
There is a league wide commitment to spend 99% of the cap. I guess that’s getting left to everybody else.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:41 AM
Whoever did that photoshop made miss wildes boobs far too big if he wanted it to be taken seriously.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:41 AM
agreed…based on talent. but the odds of that happening with a guy with only one arm and microfracture guy? hope it works out…otherwise those weren’t great “draft values.”
July 29th, 2011 at 11:41 AM
Definitely, but they think they addressed their DE concerns. It wouldn’t make sense for them to draft 2 DEs and then go out and sign another one. Of course that would have made more sense than breaking the bank for a punter, but I digress.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:41 AM
NSFW.
so hot. Love the tiny nips like that. And I love that they aren’t “perfect,” you know. The right one is just slightly asymmetrical.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Val Venis approves.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:42 AM
/giggles at people not clicking that
//joins spencer in giggling.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:42 AM
you obviously don’t know football if you’re questioning the importance of the punter.
/jim tressel’d
July 29th, 2011 at 11:43 AM
NSFW.
What the fuck, man. You put a link to Olivia Wilde’s boobs while I’m on my work computer.
Don’t go crazy man, seriously nothing to see.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Get on your phones people!
July 29th, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Don’t go crazy man, seriously nothing to see.
/clooney’d
July 29th, 2011 at 11:44 AM
Can someone please just sign Braylon Edwards, just so the Vikings don’t get him? Pretty please?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:44 AM
All these NFL moves and MLB speculation and there’s just cooters and tatas all over the place here. FOCUS, guys!
July 29th, 2011 at 11:44 AM
sweet. renewed hope!!!!
/looks at roster
//farts
July 29th, 2011 at 11:44 AM
Don’t go crazy man, seriously nothing to see.
they’re bigger than I thought they’d be. She needs some sun, though.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:45 AM
E-mailed that link to myself for later. I’ll give them a look. Still can’t believe she was voted “hottest woman alive” or whatever by one of the Maxim/FHM publications. She can’t even sniff Brooklyn Decker’s hatchet wound.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:46 AM
he’s gotten better…
July 29th, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Oh look. The Bill has banned Ocho from tweeting. Gotta love that New England mantra. No fun here.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:46 AM
After you see her tits in that photo I am sure you will correct yourself.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:46 AM
maybe if the jets sign asomugha the pats will sign edwards so there won’t be enough men on the field in the jets defense to blitz and cover man to man
July 29th, 2011 at 11:47 AM
it’s almost as if they put the ‘professional’ in professional sports.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:47 AM
they’re bigger than I thought they’d be. She needs some sun, though.
Those areolas are nice, and those glass cutters are freaking fembotish.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:47 AM
Come on, that’s a must see. That’s funny.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:48 AM
christallmighty. that would be perfect. so the one time that McNabb doesn’t under throw a WR by 5 yards the fucker is going to drop it. awesome.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Not really.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:48 AM
to whoever was saying the Bucs need a pass-rusher …
http://twitter.com/#!/evansilva/statuses/96969469422874624
July 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Helloooo ladiessssssssss….
/worst WWF character ever
July 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM
wait, Sanders…is that from the filmdrunk story saying her tits were CGI’d?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Some people would make you think he should be more of a priority over Asomugha.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Does that mean it is just a snap or two away from snapping? I don’t get it.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM
That’s right I ruined it. What about it?
July 29th, 2011 at 11:49 AM
The fuck are you talking about? The Gronk and Mccourty tweet all the time(in the offseason)
July 29th, 2011 at 11:50 AM
WE HAD A DEAL!
July 29th, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Always take the wait and see approach to DE’s. They all look explosive when not blocked.
I think they Vikes are going cheap at the WR position. Jones? WTF…
July 29th, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Does that mean it is just a snap or two away from snapping? I don’t get it.
day 3 of camp, Bucs reach injury settlement with Da’quan Bowers.
/seriously he’s good
//4 man fronts rock
July 29th, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Oh you bastards. THat was a cruel joke but that was a risk I was willing to take.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Oh, we do, just trying to snap at some other idiots.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:54 AM
i guess having two amazing CB’s are better than having better overall depth on the rest of the team
July 29th, 2011 at 11:54 AM
One thing I do like about the new CBA is the lack of rookie holdouts, just saw Bills & Dareus came to an agreement and Cam & Panthers are almost there as well.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:54 AM
And I love that they aren’t “perfect,” you know. The right one is just slightly asymmetrical.
Awesome.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Not saying he should be, but Edwards made a lot of Sanchez misfires look really good last year. His rep as a ball dropper is a bit misplaced. He definitely is closer to TO in hands than Marvin Harrison, but like Roy Williams, he’s suffering a bit from failing to meet outsized expectations and a reputation from 2008.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:57 AM
I’m loving this stuff. Get in, get the deal signed and be done with it.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Jerricho Cotchery is going to go back to be unforgotten this year. NBD.
July 29th, 2011 at 11:59 AM
That’s actually a great point. Cotchery is pretty good. The thing you miss with not having Braylon is the “freak factor” you can’t just find anywhere. The freak factor is a QB’s best friend.
/Realizes Colts have never had a freak factor guy
//Kicks can
July 29th, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Dude made a lot of beast plays while in NY, but it was clear that Sanchez has been favoring Holmes and Keller more last season. And like I said before, Cotchery is not a throw away receiver.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM
seriously…he gets WIDE THE FUCK open. and he’s huge. and can outjump like everyone.
he should be WAY better.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM
All of this football talk has me all jacked up. Just one more freaking month.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM
BSanders. You. You are good. Yes you are.
/said while pointing index finger your direction
//DeNiro’d
July 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM
They still got that white guy that is never healthy?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:00 PM
/points at Wayne, Harrison, Clark, and 18
//Throws can back at Cap Rooney’s face
July 29th, 2011 at 12:01 PM
is gonzalez white? or you talking about border collie?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:01 PM
I mean, wow.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Cotchery is good, especially so after the catch. Edwards is/was a great play action receiver. That’s what the Jets don’t really have without him. Shrinks the field a good hot bit. But if they get Randy Moss on the cheap they don’t lose any of the routes Edwards ran. It’s basically a trade, except Randy won’t be doing any backflips after the game.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:02 PM
He’s still got that dirty Ann Arbor pussy juice on his hands.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:02 PM
Just one more freaking month.
stupid rugby world cup is going to get buried. They should have run that thing right now.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:03 PM
A Colts fan complaining about WR is comical. Please…don’t complain when you had to deal with Todd Stinkston, James Thrash, Fred-Ex and the other shit pile outside of TO in 2004 and Jackson/Maclin during the past twelve years.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Braylon is good when he doesnt drop passes. Like last year.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Yeah, I think you guys aren’t getting what a “freak” is.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:03 PM
And no more dougieing. Fuck, Jets need to resign Braylon just for that factor alone.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Gonzalez is white. His name not so much but he is definitely white.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:04 PM
he’s definitely good, he always has been. good for running after the catch. but aside from holmes and cotchery there’s not much on their receiving corps.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Again, I wasn’t complaining about their WR’s. It would be nice, though, to have a guy who could jump out of the gym who pull down bombs lobbed into triple coverage, or outrun safeties and corners.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:05 PM
We’re not. We’re saying, who needs a freak when you have, you know, RIDICULOUSLY ELITE FOOTBALL PLAYERS!
/throws can at Cap’s face again.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Bsandz is right. The Colts have had some great system WRs, but no beasts.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Remember when Cotchery got blasted and his knee never hit the ground and he took off for the End Zone?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:07 PM
I wouldn’t go that far…but there’s some truth to this.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Holy shit Banders is back?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Sucks those elite players have to deal with the Mexigod chucking the rock all over the field.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Haha, I’ll take being fucked with only two good starting wideouts.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Tampa, shouldnt your screenname be “Bobama”?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Reggie Wayne is a fucking beast. Maybe not as athletic as other WRs, but dude gets it done.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:09 PM
When did we start calling Manning Mexigod? Pay attention, son.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:09 PM
You think that, and then the injury bug bites and you’re in a playoff game hoping Blair White can get separation.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Braylon’s talented at all, but he’s yet another douche that I don’t want to root for. I’ve had enough of those guys over the years.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Again, people are confusing what I said. I think Reggie Wayne gets more out of his natural ability than maybe any player in the NFL outside of James Harrison. He isn’t an athletic freak. Braylon Edwards maybe gets less out of his natural ability than any player in the NFL. This is what I’m saying. The Colts don’t have many of those freakish guys simply because those guys get drafted at the top of the first round, unless they have a sordid past like Moss.
The one year they did, they drafted Freeney, who fell to 11th because everyone thought he was too small.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:12 PM
I’m sorry, it just comes off as “Man, my Bentley is awesome, gets me everywhere. But goddamn it, I’ve never owned a Koenigsegg.”
July 29th, 2011 at 12:13 PM
No one’s confusing it. We just can’t break out violins for you considering the personnel that’s walked through Indy.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:14 PM
I hear that. I’m just saying, if you look at the scheme the Jets ran against the Colts and Patriots in those two playoff games last season, you’ll see what I’m trying to say.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:15 PM
I’m sorry, I was trying to have a strategic conversation and everyone went, “Oh, boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo!”
July 29th, 2011 at 12:16 PM
Interesting…The Vikes are looking to re-work McKinnie’s deal…
July 29th, 2011 at 12:16 PM
Do the Jets and Colts play this season?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:17 PM
I’m not NOT getting what you’re saying. If we could all have everything we wanted on our favorites teams, we’d never complain. And to be honest, you were an alive coach and a more concerted special teams effort away from rendering that example moot.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:18 PM
I understand it completely. You just want to know what it’s like to have a supreme athletic talent at the WR position. I can describe my DHB experience, if you’d like.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:18 PM
How does 5-11 sound?
Seriously blow me the Bucs will prevail, and We lost a couple games by a field goal last year, and Freeman will kick some ass, don’t worry about that. 5-11 my ass, I mean come on the shitty Seahawks made the playoffs last year which was ridiculous
July 29th, 2011 at 12:19 PM
Of fucking course. Seriously, you can’t go back and not read that as you going “Man, if Peyton had Larry Fitzgerald, it would be awesome.” It’s like me saying “Man, if the Rex had Haloti, it would be cum inducing.” It’s pretty obvious.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:19 PM
I gotcha bsanders.
/says the guy who’s team drafted four “freak” WRs in the first round of the past decade
//only one is an actual freak
July 29th, 2011 at 12:19 PM
You know what really sucks? The Colts first-round pick who had all of six tackles last season completely whiffed on tackling Cromartie at the 20. All kinds of win there.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:20 PM
To be fair, Charles Rogers is a crack fiend/freak.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:20 PM
Yeah. January 15th at New Meadowlands.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:20 PM
Fuck Janoff.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:21 PM
Two sponsered posts in a row.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:21 PM
Fuck. Sponsored*
I’m a horrible person.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:21 PM
I keep this.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:21 PM
It soooo was.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:22 PM
/“I’m. Charles. Rogers. I had sixty-eight catches and thirteen touchdowns.”
July 29th, 2011 at 12:23 PM
Haha. There’s a guy named “kaka”. Hahaha.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:23 PM
/weeps
July 29th, 2011 at 12:24 PM
I give Olivia Wilde an A- on those boobies.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:24 PM
“I be honest. I blew evy day. I blew evy day.”
July 29th, 2011 at 12:25 PM
No one will ever take the title of putting the cart before the horse more than the Jets and their fans.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Something is on CJ’s mind…
July 29th, 2011 at 12:26 PM
There’s a guy named “kaka”. Hahaha.
He knocked DuDu off of Brazil’s national team.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:26 PM
AHEM.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Haha. There’s a guy named “kaka”. Hahaha.
Something is on CJ’s mind…
Isn’t kaka “shit” in spanish?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Kaka is one of the world’s best. I think he’s Brazilian, so that means Portuguese language, right?
July 29th, 2011 at 12:28 PM
I couldn’t help it.
[Gravatar image]
This conversation is so sad.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:28 PM
My mom used to call shit ‘kaka’. It was ‘kaka’ and ‘weewee’
July 29th, 2011 at 12:29 PM
This conversation is so sad.
I chuckled.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:29 PM
Formerly one of the world’s best. And yes.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:29 PM
“Bahahaha! He called the shit poop!”
“YOU’RE ALL GONNA DIE!”
July 29th, 2011 at 12:30 PM
I root for the most BORING team in the league.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Now here, here I will play a violin for you.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Fits Indy perfectly.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Ah, soccer. Just what I was looking for today.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:34 PM
/solemnly nods
July 29th, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Might as well just blow that city up. Such an urban blight.
July 29th, 2011 at 12:38 PM
kaka
July 29th, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Sigh.. I’m so glad I missed this post cause now I understand the anger other people have when TBL or Duffy write uninformed post on there favorite teams..I’m not going to get into a point by point breakdown but needless to say YEAAA…
July 29th, 2011 at 1:04 PM
im going with bryant mckinnie…he could’ve been an all timer based on how strong he is and how fucking agile he is for someone that big. he’s put almost nothing into his game and is still above league average at the hardest position on the OL.