We Can Not Keep 60 Guys…Can We?
The Bucs currently have 67 players under contract. The following is an attempted breakdown of how the hell we get down to a 53 man roster.
35= Players who are almost gauranteed to make team
10= Players who seemed destined to meet the Turk or to be on the Practice Squad
21= Guys who are battling for roster spots
1= Looks like PUP or IR
9= Sorry, just missed it
I’m basing this under the presumption that we are going to bring back Kevin Carter, and Utility Lineman Matt Lehr. That leaves us currently with 37 players under contract who are gauranteed to make the team. I will also go under the presumption that the Bucs will either have to trade up or down in the draft (up to get a better player, down to accumulate more picks in another year). I will designate 4 roster spots for rookies. That will leave us with 41 players under contract, leaving 12 remaining spots for 21 guys. We also have been showing a keen interest in DT Rod Coleman, so I will make one more presumption and assume his previous relationship with Gruden will land him with the Bucs. This will leave us a total of 21 guys battling for 11 spots, after 4 rookies make the team (due to a trade up or down to get rid of some of our picks).
Final Spots = I will designate the players that I think will win out the spots in this color.
QUARTERBACKS
7 Jeff Garcia
5 Bruce Gradkowski
– Brian Griese
12 Luke McCown
2 Chris Simms
RUNNING BACKS
35 B.J. Askew (FB)
29 Michael Bennett (RB)
33 Kenneth Darby (RB)
– Warrick Dunn (RB)
34 Earnest Graham (RB)
44 Byron Storer (FB)
24 Carnell “Cadillac” Williams
RECEIVERS
11 Taye Biddle (WR)
– Antonio Bryant (WR)
17 Michael Spurlock
18 Brian Clark (WR)
80 Michael Clayton (WR)
84 Joey Galloway (WR)
– John H. Gilmore (TE)
87 Keith Heinrich (TE)
19 Ike Hilliard (WR)
15 Chad Lucas (WR)
81 Alex Smith (TE)
– Charlie Spiller (WR)
85 Maurice Stovall (WR)
– Ben Troupe (TE)
82 Paris Warren (WR)
OFFENSIVE LINE
72 Dan Buenning (OG)
69 Anthony Davis (OG / OT)
48 Andrew Economos (C)
– Jeff Faine (C)
75 Davin Joseph (OG)
70 Donald Penn (OT)
77 Luke Petitgout (OT)
78 Arron Sears (OG)
65 Jeremy Trueblood (OT)
DEFENSIVE LINE
90 Gaines Adams (DE)
54 Patrick Chukwurah (DE / LB)
71 Jovan Haye (DT)
95 Chris Hovan (DT)
96 Greg Peterson (DT)
98 Ryan Sims (DT)
91 Greg White (DE)
– Jimmy Wilkerson (DE)
LINEBACKERS
92 Charles Bennett (LB)
58 Quincy Black (LB)
55 Derrick Brooks (LB)
52 Antoine Cash (LB)
57 Adam Hayward (LB)
– Leon Joe (LB)
59 Cato June (LB)
– Teddy Lehman (LB)
– Matt McCoy (LB)
56 Ryan Nece (LB)
43 Sam Olajubutu (LB)
51 Barrett Ruud (LB)
DEFENSIVE BACKS
26 Will Allen (FS)
20 Ronde Barber (CB)
31 Phillip Buchanon (DB)
27 Torrie Cox (CB)
22 Sammy Davis (CB)
28 Tanard Jackson (CB)
30 Donte Nicholson (SS)
23 Jermaine Phillips (SS)
21 Sabby Piscitelli (SS)
PUNTERS
9 Josh Bidwell
KICKERS
3 Matt Bryant
QB’s – We will most likely keep two of these guys (Gradkowski, Griese, Simms), just to be safe. For the sake of trying to figure out this clusterfuck though, I will presume one will make the team, and I’ll go with Griese…10 spots left.
RB’s – One more RB will make the team, and with the rumored health of Caddillac, I’m presuming he’s going on the IR/PUP list, and having recently re-signed Michael Bennet as the final back…9 spots left.
WR’s/TE’s – Our 3 TE’s seem locked in stone. That leaves just Galloway and Hilliard as locks. I think that Clayton, recently inked Antonio Bryant, and Maurice Stovall will round out the receving crew. Warren is out…6 spots left.
OL – We don’t have a need to cut Petigout based on salary, so I’m gonna guess him and his bad back, will be just that, back…5 spots left.
DL – Based on the Carter and Coleman presumptions of earlier, our line is stacked and filled with depth. Last years UFA Patrick Chukwurah will make it the team due to his special teams prowess and potential for pass rush off the ednge. Former 1st round pick, Ryan Sims, and recently signed Jimmy Wilkerson are out…4 spots left.
LB’s– I think two of these LB’s will be kept (Lehman, Heyward, Joe, Cash, McCoy, are the choices). I’m gonna take the special teams aces, Cash and Hayward as my choices….2 spots left.
CB’s – I’m fairly sure we’ll draft here, but as of now, I’m under the assumption that we would have to keep two of these guys. Sammy Davis showed promise, especially considering he is a dime back in this scenario, and Will Allen is quite versatile being able to play S (both spots), CB, and is a good special teams player…0 spots left.
This leaves the final cut list as follows: Chris Simms, Bruce Gradkowski, Ryan Sims, Jimmy Wilkerson, Leon Joe, Teddy Lehman, Matt McCoy, Torrie Cox, as well as the riddance of 3 draft picks in some way shape or form.