Buccaneers’ Stay or Go? Chris Conte Edition
The Buccaneers have decisions to make in the next few weeks. The new league year begins on March 9th, and that means free agency time is near. Time to think about who stays and who goes.
It’s approximately three weeks before the new league year, as well as free agency, begins. Jason Licht, Dirk Koetter, and the rest of the Buccaneers’ staff is busily preparing for how to improve on a 6-10 finish from 2015. The first order of business is dealing with internal free agents.
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The Bucs have several free agents not named Doug Martin. Martin is the biggest name, but there are other names that need to be talked about. The Bucs are saying it so we will also. Should they stay or should they go? We’ll look at the internal free agents, and make our own decision.
We start with safety Chris Conte.
After playing his first four years in the league with the Chicago Bears, Conte signed with the Bucs prior to the 2015 season, reuniting him with coach Lovie Smith. He started 13 games last season, posting two interceptions, placing Conte in a three-way tie for second on the team with Bradley McDougald and Kwon Alexander.
On a team that only posted 11 interceptions, two is a significant percentage.
Conte also placed fourth on the team in tackles with 79. He played no impact in the pass rush, posting zero sacks. In games against NFC South opponents, Conte posted 31 tackles and one interception.
As far as his contract is concerned, he made $1,500,000 in 2015, which is not a huge hit in a year that is predicted to jump to at least $155 million.
If not Conte, then who? Safeties available include Eric Weddle, Eric Berry and Reggie Nelson. Nelson picked off eight passes in 2015, and Berry is the only one of the three that is under 30 years old. Weddle and Nelson would be exciting, but the Bucs aren’t close enough that a 30+ safety would put them over the top. Youth might be the better way to go, and Berry is likely to stay in Kansas City.
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Licht should leave no stone unturned. If Weddle, Berry, or Nelson could be acquired at a reasonable price, have at it. But these players will likely be high-ticket items, and would be better served by bringing Conte, a talented young safety, back to Tampa.
What do you think?