Buccaneers Sign Brent Grimes, Fans React On Twitter
By James Yarcho
Finally! Right?! Buccaneers fans have been clamoring for an impact signing and today Jason Licht came through by signing four time Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes to a two-year deal.
The Buccaneers finally began addressing their defensive needs today as they came to a two year, $13.5-million dollar deal.
I'm told CB Brent Grimes has agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $16.5M with the #Bucs.
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) March 11, 2016
I know what you’re thinking. The article states $13.5-million and the tweet says $16.5-million. What gives? Well…
Looks like Brent Grimes' deal is really $13.5 million with incentives that could push it to $16.5 million max, per @ArmandoSalguero. #Bucs
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) March 11, 2016
Brent Grimes has been to three consecutive Pro Bowls and four throughout his career. The 32-year old corner has 26 career interceptions and, to put things in perspective, thirteen of those interceptions came from 2013-2015. In that same time span, all Buccaneers corners had sixteen interceptions combined.
Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole reported earlier this week that NFL general managers were avoiding Grimes, despite the talent, due to his wife’s antics via social media. Miko Grimes is not the “strong, silent” type. She’s the “I call it like I see it and I don’t care how you feel about it” type, which tends to rub people the wrong way. Within moments of Brent’s signing, Miko deleted (or likely just suspended) her twitter account. Rumors quickly circulated that the Bucs may have asked her to do so in order to not be a distraction. Miko issued a statement through Miami Sun Sentinel’s Omar Kelly, responding to such rumors. It said,
"“The Bucs are a REAL organization, being ran PROPERLY, unlike that dumpster fire in the AFC East we just left! They wouldn’t DARE ask me to delete my twitter! I deleted my twitter (because) I didn’t want the twitter gangsters and thumb thugs to have anyone to @ when they found out the Bucs, and multiple other teams, made them all look STUPID! Who doesn’t want a pro bowl corner that’s doing **** NO OTHER CORNER IN THE LEAGUE CAN DO! Men lie! Women lie! Stats lie! The media lies! You know what’s undefeated? FILM!!! We are HAPPY and I don’t feel like sharing it with anyone just yet. I’ll be back very soon and I’ll be the same supportive, dedicated, truthful ***** I was before I left!”"
Bucs fans are apparently excited by the news that Grimes (both Brent and Miko) will be coming to Tampa, as they should be. Brent played extremely well in Atlanta and has a good relationship with defensive coordinator Mike Smith. He has a chance now to help bolster one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL from 2015.
Bucs fans took to twitter to share in their excitement.
@ThePewterPlank love it! Quietly doing a good job in free agency so far
— Cody Bowers (@cody_bowers44) March 11, 2016
@ThePewterPlank I like it. I like the attitude it brings to the defense.
— Jay Smith (@rearranged44) March 11, 2016
@ThePewterPlank if day one of ota, him and GMC fight, it will be the best thing to ever happen to that defense
— Cory culpepper (@culpepper73) March 11, 2016
So there you have it, Bucs fans. The “splash” signing so many were hoping for. Not a defensive end, but certainly a big piece to add to the defense at a position in desperate need of help.
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What do you think? Good signing? Bad signing? Risky signing? Or “I’ll reserve judgement until he plays”? Sound off in the comments below!