I was expecting a few of these guys to be released, especially due to their age.  I think there is a strong possibility that 4 of the 5 guys that were released could retire.  Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard and Warrick Dunn all could retire.  Dunn and Brooks in particular have so many other charitable endeavors on their plate that retirement is not out of the question.  After watching Joey Galloway’s lack of speed coming off the line, I don’t foresee many teams knocking down the door for his services.  Cato June on the other hand should generate plenty of interest once FA starts this Friday.  

As far as repercussions for the current o9 Bucs, there are 3 major repercussions from these moves.

1. Lowered expectations for a first year coach and GM should help them avoid the hot seat for at least a few seasons. 
2. Cap Room.  The Bucs were already entering FA with a reported 40+ mil in cap space.  These releases in my guestimation should put us over 60+ mil in cap space.   This gives the new regime the ability to go after the free agent’s of their choosing and draft the players they think fit their system as opposed to filling holes.
3. I think the main goal of this was to remake the roster in a much younger form.  The release of Brooks and June should clear the way for recent draft picks Geno Hayes and and Quincy Black to step into the WLB and SLB spots respectively.  Both guys have been deserving of more playing time, and should get it with the release of these players.  

Finally I want to express my thanks and gratitude for the 14 years he has blessed the Bay Area with his talent and benevolence.  He is an 11 time Pro Bowler and one time Defensive Player of the Year in the year the Bucs won the Super Bowl.  He has 1698 career tackles, 24 forced fumbles, 25 INT’s and 13.5 career sacks.  He is a sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer and on the day of his enshrinement I will be present at his speech in Canton.  I think it would be hard to argue that he is the greatest Buccaneer of All Time.  Above all of his accomplishments on the football field, the man is an ever better person than he is a football player.  He is the kind of person that you hope your children grow up to be like and is an inspiration to any human being, football fan or not.  

Derrick Brooks, Greatest Buc of All Time

“You look at what he did when Chris [Simms] damn near died on the field; he wanted to release him right when he got injured. I get hurt, my shoulder’s torn off the bone. This dude releases me. You know what I mean? I’m your guy. The list goes on. Keenan McCardell, that situation was a debacle. Keyshawn Johnson, another situation [that] was a debacle. Joey Galloway, which was his man, was in the dog house all year because he got injured, broke his ankle or whatever. Brad Johnson, that situation was bad. Brings Jeff Garcia in here, oh, he’s going to change things. I helped recruit him [and he] released me, kept Jeff and then put him in the dog house. Gets rid of Brian Griese, brings him, starts a controversy. It was chaotic. I’m giving you facts.

“How I feel personally? I could tell you that, too. I think he’s a scumbag. I think he’s a scumbag personally. … You know what he told me? ‘Simeon you’ll be here in the next five years.’ I got injured [and] this man’s never said one word to me. I won a Super Bowl for you. I got 13 sacks, 12, 15 every year for you. I balled. I got injured [and] you let me go like it was nothing.”

Ouch!  Scumbag is a harsh word.  

On another note, I listened to Davin Joseph on Jim Rome yesterday, and he said that most players “loved Jon Gruden.”  

One opinion on a guy who got cut, and one opinion on a young player with a bright future.  I would imagine most washed up players who were shafted would have a similar view of their coaches.  Don’t think the opinions of Jon Gruden are done coming out by former players though.

During his Tuesday discussions with the media, Jon Gruden made it very clear about Joey’s current and future role on this offense. 

 ”It sounds easy, sounds achievable, but Joey is not the kind of guy right now, in my opinion, that’s comfortable coming off the bench and playing 18 to 20 plays a game,” Gruden said. “He’s a guy who functions better when he’s playing. Being a third receiver, a guy who comes in and plays situationally, is not for everybody. It’s something he’s never done. It’s hard.”

“We’ve missed (Galloway) for a long time and kind of moved on a little bit,” Gruden said. “We want to play our best guys and right now, that’s what we’re doing.”

With about 51 million dollars in cap space (even more with the release of Galloway) and the obvious need to resign Antonio Bryant and possibly Michael Clayton, as well as the availability of some top tier WR’s who  are unrestricted FA’s (TJ Houshmanzadeh), it would seem like Joey’s days in Tampa are numbered.