Here are five inexpensive options for the Buccaneers to consider in free agency.
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The feeding frenzy begins on March 9th at 4 PM ET. For the Buccaneers and the rest of the league, that marks the start of the new league year. It also begins the free agency period. It’s at that time when contracts with in-house free agents can be made official, and teams can sign free agents on the open market.
Our Bucs have holes to fill, we all know that. How are they going to be able to fill them? Some of it is going to come in the draft, but free agency will plug some of those holes as well.
We hear a lot of talk about guys like Alshon Jeffery and Eric Berry. Some have even speculated dreams of bringing Le”Veon Bell to town. It’s OK to dream, it never hurt anybody. We know it isn’t likely, but imagine if that did happen.
But those are the players at the very top of the market. Those are the types of investments you make shopping at places like Brooks Brothers, or any other fancy store you can think of. But there is value in bargains as well. A lot of useful products have been bought off of the shelves of Walmart and Target, you just have to know where to find them. When you do, you can get more for your money.
Today, we are going to look at five inexpensive players on the market that would fit with the Bucs quite nicely.
Marquise Goodwin
Jameis Winston would salivate if he had a weapon like this opposite Mike Evans. This man can fly, simply put. He has a history as a track star. Now, that doesn’t always translate into a good football player, ask Jets fans about the name Lam Jones for proof on that. However, in the case of Goodwin, he does just fine.
Now, his stats aren’t gaudy, which in the end will help keep the salary down. Take a look:
| Games | Receiving | Rushing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | Rush | Yds | TD | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | YScm | RRTD | Fmb | AV |
| 2013 | 23 | BUF | wr | 88 | 12 | 1 | 32 | 17 | 283 | 16.6 | 3 | 59 | 1.4 | 23.6 | 53.1% | 3 | 13 | 0 | 17 | 4.3 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 296 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2014 | 24 | BUF | 88 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 42 | 42.0 | 0 | 42 | 0.1 | 4.2 | 11.1% | 3 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 50 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 25 | BUF | 88 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 14 | 1.0 | 12.0 | 100.0% | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2016 | 26 | BUF | wr | 88 | 15 | 9 | 68 | 29 | 431 | 14.9 | 3 | 84 | 1.9 | 28.7 | 42.6% | 431 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |||||||
| Career | 39 | 10 | 111 | 49 | 780 | 15.9 | 6 | 84 | 1.3 | 20.0 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 17 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 801 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
However, there is a lot of talent behind those numbers. At the NFL Draft, he flew down the strip for the 40 yard dash in 4.27 seconds. Want to see him put it into practice? Watch this clip from early in the 2016 season:
Tyrod goes DEEEEEEEP.@flashg88dwin beats Revis for an 84 yard TD!
— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2016
WOW. #TNF #NYJvsBUF https://t.co/cwnT5bPB2K https://t.co/RmkMWM443U
I know that was against the aging Darrelle Revis, but speed is speed. This guy has it. He would open up the short to intermediate game for guys like Evans and Cameron Brate. The box could not be crowded any longer, opening up lanes in the running attack.
He hit his career high last year with 431 yards and he was only making about $550,000 per year. Those numbers won’t require a big raise, and he is poised to break out in the right system.
Jason Licht, bring him to the right system.
Terrance Williams
A quarterback has to trust the players he is throwing the football to. If they drop a lot of passes, the quarterback won’t have the faith in them to make a play in a big spot. Well, what if the Bucs could add a player that doesn’t drop any passes? That is exactly who they would be getting in Terrance Williams, who didn’t drop a pass in 2016 (per Sporting Charts). Zero drops in 61 targets. Now that is reliability.
Has he been a consistent performer? Absolutely. Take a look:
| Games | Receiving | Rushing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | Rush | Yds | TD | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | YScm | RRTD | Fmb | AV |
| 2013 | 24 | DAL | te/wr | 83 | 16 | 8 | 74 | 44 | 736 | 16.7 | 5 | 82 | 2.8 | 46.0 | 59.5% | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 740 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| 2014 | 25 | DAL | WR | 83 | 16 | 16 | 66 | 37 | 621 | 16.8 | 8 | 51 | 2.3 | 38.8 | 56.1% | 621 | 8 | 0 | 7 | |||||||
| 2015 | 26 | DAL | WR | 83 | 16 | 13 | 93 | 52 | 840 | 16.2 | 3 | 42 | 3.3 | 52.5 | 55.9% | 840 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |||||||
| 2016 | 27 | DAL | WR | 83 | 16 | 15 | 61 | 44 | 594 | 13.5 | 4 | 47 | 2.8 | 37.1 | 72.1% | 594 | 4 | 1 | 6 | |||||||
| Career | 64 | 52 | 294 | 177 | 2791 | 15.8 | 20 | 82 | 2.8 | 43.6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 2795 | 20 | 3 | 25 |
Dez Bryant has spent time out of the lineup over the years, and Williams has filled right in nicely. He has had some big days for big D. Remember the shootout a few years ago between Tony Romo and Peyton Manning? That day, Williams caught four passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. He would fit in well as Evans’ number two.
He only made about $724,000 per year previously and he will be due a raise. However, with his catches never being higher than 52, I believe they can keep the cost reasonable and he should have every chance to break out with Tampa.
Even if we have had trouble in the past with former Cowboys. Young readers, ask your parents about Alvin Harper.
Ronnie Hillman
We know the state of the Bucs running game. To say it is flux is putting it mildly. We have the much talked about Doug Martin situation. Will he be on the team? What type of player will he be if he returns from suspension and plays? Will he even be able to stay on the field. It has been proven that Charles Sims can’t take the lead as the every down back, and it remains to be seen how much faith the team has in Jacquizz Rodgers.
Licht could address the situation in the draft, but he might not need to wait that long. Ronnie Hillman is an unrestricted free agent. Now I know he didn’t do a lot in 2016, but he is just two a year removed from career highs in rushing yards (863) and rushing touchdowns (7). Here are his career stats:
| Games | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Rush | Yds | TD | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | YScm | RRTD | Fmb | AV |
| 2012 | 21 | DEN | 34 | 14 | 0 | 84 | 327 | 1 | 31 | 3.9 | 23.4 | 6.0 | 12 | 10 | 62 | 6.2 | 0 | 29 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 83.3% | 389 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 22 | DEN | 21 | 10 | 0 | 55 | 218 | 1 | 19 | 4.0 | 21.8 | 5.5 | 14 | 12 | 119 | 9.9 | 0 | 19 | 1.2 | 11.9 | 85.7% | 337 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2014 | 23 | DEN | rb | 23 | 8 | 4 | 106 | 434 | 3 | 37 | 4.1 | 54.3 | 13.3 | 34 | 21 | 139 | 6.6 | 1 | 16 | 2.6 | 17.4 | 61.8% | 573 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 2015 | 24 | DEN | RB | 23 | 16 | 11 | 207 | 863 | 7 | 72 | 4.2 | 53.9 | 12.9 | 35 | 24 | 111 | 4.6 | 0 | 14 | 1.5 | 6.9 | 68.6% | 974 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| 2016 | 25 | 2TM | 8 | 1 | 41 | 131 | 0 | 17 | 3.2 | 16.4 | 5.1 | 15 | 7 | 93 | 13.3 | 0 | 32 | 0.9 | 11.6 | 46.7% | 224 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| MIN | 33 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 50 | 0 | 14 | 2.8 | 10.0 | 3.6 | 7 | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 0 | 32 | 0.8 | 8.6 | 57.1% | 93 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||
| SDG | rb | 36 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 81 | 0 | 17 | 3.5 | 27.0 | 7.7 | 8 | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 0 | 21 | 1.0 | 16.7 | 37.5% | 131 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| Career | 56 | 16 | 493 | 1973 | 12 | 72 | 4.0 | 35.2 | 8.8 | 110 | 74 | 524 | 7.1 | 1 | 32 | 1.3 | 9.4 | 2497 | 13 | 8 | 18 | |||||
| 4 yrs | DEN | 48 | 15 | 452 | 1842 | 12 | 72 | 4.1 | 38.4 | 9.4 | 95 | 67 | 431 | 6.4 | 1 | 29 | 1.4 | 9.0 | 2273 | 13 | 8 | 16 | ||||
| 1 yr | MIN | 5 | 0 | 18 | 50 | 0 | 14 | 2.8 | 10.0 | 3.6 | 7 | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 0 | 32 | 0.8 | 8.6 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| 1 yr | SDG | 3 | 1 | 23 | 81 | 0 | 17 | 3.5 | 27.0 | 7.7 | 8 | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 0 | 21 | 1.0 | 16.7 | 131 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
He is quick to the edge, adding speed to the running back depth chart. He can make plays when given the opportunity to do so. In the Super Bowl winning season with the Denver Broncos, Hillman posted four 100 yard games. That’s one quarter of the season for those of you scoring at home. This young man can play.
On his previous contract, Hillman averaged $760,000 per year. With the downturn in his numbers last season, it shouldn’t take an epic raise to bring him in. It would give the Bucs an underrated jolt to the backfield.
Andre Ellington
Here we have a player that needs a chance but doesn’t often get it. If he stays where he is, he certainly won’t get it, thanks to a guy named David Johnson. There was a time when Andre Ellington led the league in yards per carry. Unfortunately for him, his play has diminished with the emergence of Johnson. Here are his career stats:
| Games | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Rush | Yds | TD | Lng | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Lng | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | YScm | RRTD | Fmb | AV |
| 2013 | 24 | ARI | rb | 38 | 15 | 1 | 118 | 652 | 3 | 80 | 5.5 | 43.5 | 7.9 | 57 | 39 | 371 | 9.5 | 1 | 38 | 2.6 | 24.7 | 68.4% | 1023 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 2014 | 25 | ARI | RB | 38 | 12 | 12 | 201 | 660 | 3 | 22 | 3.3 | 55.0 | 16.8 | 64 | 46 | 395 | 8.6 | 2 | 81 | 3.8 | 32.9 | 71.9% | 1055 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| 2015 | 26 | ARI | db/rb | 38 | 10 | 3 | 45 | 289 | 3 | 63 | 6.4 | 28.9 | 4.5 | 24 | 15 | 148 | 9.9 | 0 | 32 | 1.5 | 14.8 | 62.5% | 437 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 2016 | 27 | ARI | 38 | 16 | 0 | 34 | 96 | 0 | 13 | 2.8 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 19 | 12 | 85 | 7.1 | 0 | 16 | 0.8 | 5.3 | 63.2% | 181 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Career | 53 | 16 | 398 | 1697 | 9 | 80 | 4.3 | 32.0 | 7.5 | 164 | 112 | 999 | 8.9 | 3 | 81 | 2.1 | 18.8 | 2696 | 12 | 4 | 16 |
This is a player that clearly has flashed at times in his young career. When given the chance to run the rock, he has done it well. He is another small speed back that can wreak havoc around the edge. He has also performed well against our division in the past. During his rookie season, Ellington dropped 154 yards against the Falcons on just 15 carries on the way to a Cardinals win.
2014 yielded a 95 yard performance in a win over the Cowboys. He just isn’t a guy that the Cardinals need any longer. He ran the ball 34 times last year. That is what happens when David Johnson is above you on the depth chart.
He could exchange his red for pewter. He only averaged $565,000 per year on his last contract. It won’t cost much but could pay big dividends.
Devin Taylor
It is simply impossible to have too many pass rushers. Why? Because not only is a pass rush important, a fourth quarter pass rush is important. How did Dwight Freeney remain so effective during his season in Arizona, despite his age? He rushed the passer late in the game to help the Cardinals seal victories. The teams that can get to the quarterback in the fourth quarter win games. Remember David Irving in the Cowboys game? Exactly.
In order to have a fourth quarter pass rush you need a solid rotation, and that means able bodies.
In walks the young Devin Taylor who has carved out a bit of a niche as a pass rush specialist. Coming off of the bench for the Lions in 2015, Taylor notched seven sacks. His best game of the season came in December against the Packers when he got to Aaron Rodgers twice. He became a starter in 2016 and added a safety to his belt, but his sack totals dipped a bit to 4.5.
But remember, we are not looking for players that are already superstars here. We are looking for players that are on the verge of becoming superstars that still can be had on the cheap. Taylor is another player that has flashed at points in his career, hasn’t put it all together just yet, but may just be on the verge of doing so. He averaged $615,000 per year under his first contract. It would take a raise, but not a large one yet.
Imagine this guy coming to his own, playing opposite Noah Spence, who is only going to get better. It could be something special, and certainly worth a try.
Next: Reactions to Reuter Mock Draft
So there are five bargain basement free agents the Bucs should take a look at. What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know via social media.
All salary information courtesy of Spotrac.