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Cornerback Eric Wright is going to be released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before any kind of offseason workouts begin. That’s what we’ve reported previously, and that’s what makes the most sense. Wright was a severe disappointment, and was proof that money does not solve every problem in the NFL. The loophole by which the Buccaneers are able to release Wright without penalty was language in his contract that stipulated that guaranteed monies would not be paid under certain situations, including suspensions and arrests. Everyone in the Buccaneers’ fanbase, and everyone in the media, considers this to be true.

Eric Wright isn’t convinced that’s all true. And he’s going to do something about it.

It was reported today that the Buccaneers’ corner is fighting voiding of his guaranteed money, and will seek to have his guarantee secure for 2013, making it absolutely foolish for the Buccaneers to release him. The nearly 8 million dollars Wright is due in 2013 would be completely guaranteed if he is able to win his case against the Buccaneers, and would leave him in limbo as a player on a team that doesn’t want him.

Wright has filed a grievance that will be heard by a neutral party, and 620 WDAE reported that the case would be decided upon tomorrow. The Buccaneers are very confident, as they believe the contract is very well written and supports their act of voiding the guaranteed money. As Stephen Holder of the Tampa Bay Times wrote in his article about the situation, Wright would be unwise to not try and recoup some or all of this money, because if he’s released, he doesn’t see a dime of his big money deal with the Buccaneers.

We will keep you updated as more information is available about this situation. If Wright were to win this case, it would really put a wrench in the offseason plan for Mark Dominik and his team. The money due to Wright would be better spent on continuing to rebuild the defense, and having a disgruntled Eric Wright in 2013 would be a lose-lose situation. Hopefully the Buccaneers confidence in the legal jargon in the contract is justified, otherwise this could turn out to be a catastrophic mistake from the Bucs’ front office.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a proverbial “get out of jail free” card on the contract of Eric Wright. His Adderall suspension last season has allowed the Bucs the ability to waive Wright without taking a hit on the salary cap, because his guaranteed money was voided for 2013 and beyond. So is it time to play the card, and let go of the controversial cornerback?

Most Buccaneers fans are in the camp of cutting the cord and going in a different direction. But I’m not so sure that’s the right (no pun intended) move. The Bucs have tons of money to spend this off season, and if they cut Wright, they’ll have even more. They also have the 13th pick in the draft. However, we’ve already discussed the Bucs’ unlikeliness to take a corner at 13 and there aren’t many elite DB’s out there right now. I believe the Bucs should keep Wright (after giving him an earful about how damn lucky he is), and then make a move on another corner in free agency, maybe a Brent Grimes or Derek Cox type of player.

The Bucs weren’t far from being good last year, and with an obvious glaring weakness already identified the front office has a chance to spend some money and shore it up. Why overcomplicate things this offseason? Identify needs, and fix them. The need that anyone who watched Tampa Bay in 2012 can identify is to fix the secondary, and I’m not so sure cutting the best corner you have is the best way to fix that need. Even if that “best corner” isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Bring him back and allow him the chance to right (no pun intended, again) his wrongs, and know that he’s still a mistake away from being released. It might bring out the best in him.

What do you think, Bucs fans? Can Tampa Bay do better than Eric Wright this offseason? Is letting him go too much of a reactive move? Let us know in the comments below.

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When Eric Wright was suspended for violating the NFL’s banned substance policy, the repercussions were both positive and negative for Buccaneers’ fans and the front office. Losing Wright was a blow to the defensive backfield, having just invested a good portion of money in the former UNLV cornerback. Wright was one of the most experienced players at cornerback, and with the uncertainty surrounding Aqib Talib, Wright’s presence was needed to provide a veteran corner with starting NFL experience. The Buccaneers would be carved apart in the defensive backfield in 2012, an area of the team where performance declined from 2011 to 2012, and Eric Wright’s suspension and injuries were a reason for the decline.

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But there were positives to be found in this frustrating situation. Buccaneers’ coaches and fans were able to get a good look at players like E.J Biggers, Leonard Johnson, and Danny Gorer, which would likely not have happened if Wright was able to play as often as his massive contract would suggest. And speaking of the contract, the Buccaneers were able to be freed of having to pay guaranteed salary to Eric Wright through the remainder of his deal as a result of the suspension. This allows the Buccaneers flexibility they would not have otherwise had, and would have ensured Wright would be with the team for at least one more year. So that begs the question…

Should the Buccaneers let go of Eric Wright?

Lots of internet chatter has taken place regarding the future of the former Browns and Lions corner, and there is no unanimous decision. Some fans and writers believe it is a foregone conclusion, Wright will be let go before his 2013 salary is paid out. Other fans believe the Buccaneers would be able to do no better than Wright, and believe he should stay until Tampa Bay is sure they have a better replacement. A third group of fans is somewhat in the middle, believing Wright should take a pay cut and remain with the team at a lower, more team-friendly price point that is more befitting of a player who is oft-injured and has baggage off the field.

I believe the Bucs plan is to let go of Wright, as there are plenty of options in the draft and free agency to bring in less expensive players at the cornerback position. Bengals’ cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was drafted in the middle of round 1 in 2012, and received a 4 year deal worth less than 9 million dollars. If the Buccaneers are able to snag one, or two, cornerbacks at this price, it would be useless to have Wright around, and could instead spend 5 million per year on a player like Greg Toler, and bring depth to the defensive backfield, rather than spending almost 8 million dollars on a player like Wright who has spent 6 games as a non-starter for one reason or another in 2 of the last 3 years.

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Wright is not reliable enough to be counted on to make an 8 million dollar investment worth it, and he might not even be good enough of a corner anymore to make the deal lucrative for the Bucs. Wright logged only one pick in 2012, and it was on a play where he was blitzing rather than in coverage. So for the 10 games in which Wright played, he had 0 interceptions, and only 8 passes defended while in coverage. He also failed to force a fumble, something he had done in previous seasons. Wright’s worst performance of the season was in the week 7 loss to the Saints, when he would find himself frequently in open space, having allowed his man to run deep into safety help that either wasn’t there, or wasn’t in place yet as the play had not developed enough for rookie Mark Barron to know which area of the field he was meant to cover. Wright’s half-hearted attempt at a tackle on Joseph Morgan of the Saints on this play was a fitting highlight for a game where the Saints offense made him look poor all game long.

Wright will turn 28 over the summer, and with his injury history it would seem his best football may be behind him. According to Pro Football Focus, Wright graded out negatively in 2012, after being at least slightly positive his previous 3 seasons. Wright would only grade well against the Raiders and Chiefs, while receiving particularly poor marks against the Cowboys, Saints, and Panthers. In other words, when playing against a competent quarterback, Wright was at his worst. That’s not the sign of a franchise cornerback.

With a salary of nearly 8 million dollars, Wright must play like a franchise cornerback to be worthy of a roster spot. He showed no signs of being a franchise corner in 2012, and as he approaches 30 years old, the window is closing rapidly. E.J. Biggers and Leonard Johnson are both more promising for the future of the Buccaneers, and are more deserving of the money the team has to offer thanks to an excellent salary cap situation. Biggers is a free agent, and I would much rather see the Buccaneers lock him up long term than continue to pay Wright at a salary he will not be able to deliver value for.

Wright gave the Buccaneers a door to walk through when he voided the guaranteed money on his contract by testing positive for a banned substance. It might be a bitter pill to swallow, but letting go of Wright is the best move for the Buccaneers at this point. Allow younger, more promising players to take the lead at cornerback, and watch as Mark Barron continues to grow and help his cornerbacks. The Buccaneers pass defense has nowhere to go but up, and moving on from Eric Wright is a step in the right direction.