Buccaneers: Examining free-agents from Jacksonville and Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings
As much as I always want to see the Buccaneers playing for the Lombardi Trophy, Case Keenum was my guy this post-season.
I really wanted him to pull it out, and predicted his Vikings to beat the Eagles. Boy was I wrong.
Knee jerk reactions say, ‘dismantle the whole team and start over!’ This won’t happen of course.
Instead, they’ll comb through those with expiring contracts and make offers they feel are fair to the guys they want to keep.
The rest, well, they’ll try again elsewhere. Keenum is familiar with that story.
Here’s who might leave the Vikings in 2018:
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Quarterback, Sam Bradford
Cornerback, Terence Newman
Linebacker, Emmanuel Lamur
Defensive Tackle, Tom Johnson
Guard, Joe Berger
Cornerback, Marcus Sherels
Quarterback, Case Keenum
Quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater
Wide Recevier, Michael Floyd
Cornerback, Tramaine Brock
Running Back, Jerick McKinnon
Guard, Jeremiah Sirles
Running Back, Bishop Sankey
Center, Cornelius Edison
Defensive Tackle, Shamar Stephen
Kicker, Kai Forbath
Center, Nick Easton
Safety, Anthony Harris
Running Back, Mack Brown
Long-Snapper, Jeff Overbaugh
Most Likely to Leave: Running Back, Jerick McKinnon
Someone’s about to pay this young man a lot of money.
Despite having $60 Million in estimated cap space for 2018, I don’t think it’ll be Minnesota.
Spotrac estimates McKinnon will get $4.4 Million per year from someone. The Buccaneers could afford it.
They also have a need at running back.
Hmmm.
Most Likely to Re-Sign: Quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater
Something in me doesn’t believe the Minnesota chapter of Bridgewater’s career is over. He’s not going to get top dollar of course, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this go down as a one-year deal, or a three-year team friendly one.
Either way, I think “Teddy-Two-Gloves” comes into 2018’s camp as the favorite to start, and he starts the season as the guy once again.
Best Target for the Buccaneers: Quarterback, Case Keenum
I got called a cheater when I used Le’Veon Bell as the Steelers player most likely to leave. And then used him as the most likely to stay. And again used him as the Buccaneers’ best target out of Pittsburgh.
So, I won’t use McKinnon here. Instead, I’m going with a veteran quarterback to back-up Jameis Winston.
Yes, Keenum did great in 2017. Yes, he got his offense all the way to the NFC Championship game. No, I don’t think anyone is giving him credit for it.
Who is going to make him a starter? Cleveland? Arizona? Not likely. No, instead, he’ll get signed to the richest back-up contract in the NFL and go looking for a team with a young quarterback and good weapons around him.
Sound familiar?
*Editor’s Note from James Yarcho: “He can’t beat us, if he’s with us.”
This has been my look at the teams defeated in the NFL’s championship round of the playoffs, which free-agents they may have available, and which ones the Buccaneers may lay their eyes on.
Who do you like, and who don’t you? Give me your thoughts on all of these guys. Thanks for reading!