Chip Carter's Newsroom

No playmakers yet for the Bucs in free agency. Don’t panic...the high dollar positions are running back and wide receiver, big names are out there that will require big paychecks The draft is deeper this year in terms of both, so there is still plenty of time. Remember the signing period for restricted free agents ends April 18th but unrestricted free agents (which is the list the players the Bucs are shopping from) ends on July 22nd, or the first scheduled day of training camp. (whichever comes first and usually it’s the training camp day). There is always a process in free agency, big dollar contracts, roll through the league the first couple of weeks, then teams start gearing up for the draft and then the shopping starts again. This is a process that will continue, (especially for the Bucs right up to training camp).

While Bruce Allen has nearly 45 million to spend, he doesn’t have to spend all of it (although he should) but (because of league rules) the Bucs have to spend nearly 29 million of it, thats how much they need to raise the team payroll.

Some of the names floating through the Bucs free agent rumor mill are gone, Lance Briggs is staying with Chicago and getting a guaranteed 13 million dollar bonus...Devery Henderson will remain a Saint, Dante Stallworth is getting 10 million in guaranteed cash to move to Cleveland.

Here is the latest on the Bucs move updated Sunday at 10:14am.....Bengal Chad Johnson is still in the mix....Johnson isn’t a free agent, the Bucs would have to make a trade to get Johnson but he would be a big upgrade...and getting Johnson would give the Bucs a shot at another first round receiver in the draft (more on that below)

Another WR in the mix, is Bryant Johnson out of Arizona....he’s big, picks up good yards after the catch and has decent speed.....

At running back, Mewelde Moore is still in the mix....as well as Julius Jones...Moore would be my first choice...he can break it at any time, is a solid team player, won’t moan about playing time...so he will fit into Gruden’s platoon system at running back...and the Vikings don’t want to spend the cash to bring him back.......

So far here are the Bucs are looking at.

Unrestricted Free Agents

TE Anthony Becht (won’t be back)

DE Kevin Carter (talking with team now about renegotiating his deal)

CB Sammy Davis

WR Mark Jones

C Matt Lehr (a question mark)

DE Greg Spires (cut loose)

RB Michael Pittman (won’t be resigned)

TE Jerramy Stevens (will get a new deal)

LB Jeremiah Trotter

C John Wade (cut

Players signed:

RB Michael Bennett

WR Paris Warren

C Jeff Faine

LB Antoine Cash

DE Jimmy Wilkerson

TE John Gilmore

 In my mind, the Bucs biggest priority has to be offensive impact players. Right now, this team just doesn’t have any. Joey Galloway is coming off an injury filled season, he will be 37 years old when the schedule cranks up in September and he will pull in nearly 1.7 million (assuming the Bucs don’t extend his contract, which I think would be a mistake). Galloway makes great grabs, but does he make clutch catches. I don’t think so, simply put he is a speedster that can stretch a defense, but if this team doesn’t have a receiver he can line up with, someone to benefit from the holes Galloway creates, what the point. The Bucs have the 20th pick in the first round of the draft and right now Cal Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson is at the top of their list. He’s not big, 5'9" but he was the fastest player at the combine, running the 40 in a blistering 4.35 seconds.

As the shopping season continues, I will keep you updated on the latest, so keep checking back.