NFC South: Kellen Winslow
Time for a look at some headlines from around the NFC South.
- After San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith downplayed Cam Newton’s stats, Carolina linebacker Jon Beason defended his quarterback. Beason took to Twitter with a message for Smith. Beason said Smith would have been looking for a job if Peyton Manning had signed with San Francisco.
- Kellen Winslow, who was traded away by Tampa Bay on Monday night, said he can breathe in Seattle. He said things were getting a little stuffy in Tampa, where he and new coach Greg Schiano had some philosophical differences.
- New Orleans coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is installing a defense that won’t feature as many all-out blitzes as the Saints used in recent years. But safety Malcolm Jenkins said that doesn’t mean the Saints will be any less aggressive on defense.
- New Orleans offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael said backup quarterback Chase Daniel has been stepping up and taking a leadership role with Drew Brees not participating in organized team activities.
- The Sporting News ranks the 32 NFL head coaches and there is not an NFC South coach in the top 14. Suspended New Orleans coach Sean Payton isn’t included in the rankings, but his replacement, Joe Vitt, is. New Orleans fans, who have been a bit sensitive lately, aren’t going to be happy when they see where Vitt was ranked.
As we wait for the Saints and Panthers to hold media sessions after Thursday’s workouts, let’s fill some time by taking a look at updated salary-cap figures for each NFC South team.
The Atlanta Falcons are $2.8 million below the salary cap and have only one draft choice (fifth-round pick Jonathan Massaquoi) left to sign. The Falcons don’t have a lot of room to work with. But, if some veterans they like come available, it wouldn’t be that difficult for the Falcons to restructure some contracts to free up salary-cap room.
The Carolina Panthers are $3.2 million under the cap. That figure is a little misleading. The Panthers released guard Travelle Wharton and designated him as a June 1 cut. That means Wharton’s entire cap figure ($7.6 million) currently is counting against Carolina’s cap. Once June 1 gets here, the Panthers will be allowed to spread Wharton’s cap hit out over this year and next.
The New Orleans Saints are $2.3 million under the cap. Like the Panthers, the Saints could be looking at some dramatic changes in their cap room. If linebacker Jonathan Vilma’s season-long suspension is upheld, the Saints will immediately free up his $4.9 million cap figure. The Saints can use that room as they try to get quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term contract.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are $16.5 million under the cap. That figure is updated with the trade of Kellen Winslow, which freed up $4.8 million in cap space. The Bucs still have to sign first-round picks Mark Barron and Doug Martin, but there still is plenty of room if the Bucs see an available player they like.
The Atlanta Falcons are $2.8 million below the salary cap and have only one draft choice (fifth-round pick Jonathan Massaquoi) left to sign. The Falcons don’t have a lot of room to work with. But, if some veterans they like come available, it wouldn’t be that difficult for the Falcons to restructure some contracts to free up salary-cap room.
The Carolina Panthers are $3.2 million under the cap. That figure is a little misleading. The Panthers released guard Travelle Wharton and designated him as a June 1 cut. That means Wharton’s entire cap figure ($7.6 million) currently is counting against Carolina’s cap. Once June 1 gets here, the Panthers will be allowed to spread Wharton’s cap hit out over this year and next.
The New Orleans Saints are $2.3 million under the cap. Like the Panthers, the Saints could be looking at some dramatic changes in their cap room. If linebacker Jonathan Vilma’s season-long suspension is upheld, the Saints will immediately free up his $4.9 million cap figure. The Saints can use that room as they try to get quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term contract.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are $16.5 million under the cap. That figure is updated with the trade of Kellen Winslow, which freed up $4.8 million in cap space. The Bucs still have to sign first-round picks Mark Barron and Doug Martin, but there still is plenty of room if the Bucs see an available player they like.
We don’t know exactly what Tampa Bay’s new offense will look like until September, but there are some clues out there that suggest the Buccaneers could go away from the league-wide trend of throwing more to tight ends.
The Bucs had a major shakeup at the position this week when they traded Kellen Winslow to Seattle and brought in free agent Dallas Clark. The Bucs basically replaced one veteran pass-catcher with another.
Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano said he believes Clark can get back to being the same player he was before injuries limited his production with Indianapolis the past two seasons. In 2009, Clark caught 100 passes.
But, even if Clark is healthy, he might have a tough time registering a 100-catch season. The Bucs hired former New York Giants quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan as their offensive coordinator, so it’s safe to assume this offense will at least look a little like what the Giants run.
In a 2011 season in which eight tight ends, including Winslow, were targeted at least 110 times (according to ESPN Stats & Information), the Giants took a completely different approach. New York’s top tight end, Jake Ballard, was targeted 58 times and ranked No. 25 in tight-end targets. Ballard produced 38 catches for 604 yards and four touchdowns. Backups Bear Pascoe and Travis Beckum were targeted 16 and 10 times, respectively.
Maybe Sullivan doesn’t take the exact approach the Giants did. Maybe a healthy Clark convinces Sullivan to throw to the tight ends more often.
Or maybe the Bucs will follow what the Giants did and dare to be different than the rest of the league.
The Bucs had a major shakeup at the position this week when they traded Kellen Winslow to Seattle and brought in free agent Dallas Clark. The Bucs basically replaced one veteran pass-catcher with another.
Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano said he believes Clark can get back to being the same player he was before injuries limited his production with Indianapolis the past two seasons. In 2009, Clark caught 100 passes.
But, even if Clark is healthy, he might have a tough time registering a 100-catch season. The Bucs hired former New York Giants quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan as their offensive coordinator, so it’s safe to assume this offense will at least look a little like what the Giants run.
In a 2011 season in which eight tight ends, including Winslow, were targeted at least 110 times (according to ESPN Stats & Information), the Giants took a completely different approach. New York’s top tight end, Jake Ballard, was targeted 58 times and ranked No. 25 in tight-end targets. Ballard produced 38 catches for 604 yards and four touchdowns. Backups Bear Pascoe and Travis Beckum were targeted 16 and 10 times, respectively.
Maybe Sullivan doesn’t take the exact approach the Giants did. Maybe a healthy Clark convinces Sullivan to throw to the tight ends more often.
Or maybe the Bucs will follow what the Giants did and dare to be different than the rest of the league.
Bucs have to look ahead to 2013 salary cap
May, 23, 2012
May 23
2:29
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
Tampa Bay’s trade of Kellen Winslow might have been about more than just the tight end and new coach Greg Schiano not being on the same page.
The move might have been made with an eye toward the salary cap and the future. Yeah, I know that may sound a little weird because the Bucs haven’t been big spenders. In recent years, they’ve had one of the league’s lowest payrolls and easily have stayed under the salary cap. That’s still true this year as the Bucs have a little over $12 million in cap space remaining. They currently have used about $133.5 of their $146 million of cap space this year and Tampa Bay’s cap includes $23.5 million of space for a rollover for space not used last year.
But the Bucs spent big in free agency this year and next year’s going to be a different story. The cap isn’t expected to be much more than $120 million in 2013. Prior to the Winslow deal, the Bucs already had $117.4 million committed toward next year’s draft. By trading Winslow, the Bucs erased his $5.6 million cap figure for 2013, so that drops them down to $111.8 for the moment. But that’s going to change quickly. First-round draft picks Mark Barron and Doug Martin will sign contracts that will take up several million dollars of cap space next year. And the overall view of Tampa Bay’s cap situation could change dramatically after the 2012 season because some of the young players could trigger escalator clauses and it’s possible the team could look to extend the contracts of quarterback Josh Freeman and some others between now and next offseason.
The Bucs are going to have to be very cognizant of salary-cap space in 2013. They already started to address that with the Winslow deal. This is a work in progress because Schiano still is getting to know his personnel. But, if a player doesn’t seem to fit Schiano’s style and has a high cap number for 2013, that player could be joining Winslow.
I'm looking at Tampa Bay's numbers for 2013 and I'm seeing guys like linebacker Quincy Black ($5.75 million), guard Davin Joseph ($6 million), defensive tackle Gerald McCoy ($10.9 million), tackle Donald Penn ($6.3 million) and thinking it would be wise for those guys to get on Schiano's good side and stay there.
The move might have been made with an eye toward the salary cap and the future. Yeah, I know that may sound a little weird because the Bucs haven’t been big spenders. In recent years, they’ve had one of the league’s lowest payrolls and easily have stayed under the salary cap. That’s still true this year as the Bucs have a little over $12 million in cap space remaining. They currently have used about $133.5 of their $146 million of cap space this year and Tampa Bay’s cap includes $23.5 million of space for a rollover for space not used last year.
But the Bucs spent big in free agency this year and next year’s going to be a different story. The cap isn’t expected to be much more than $120 million in 2013. Prior to the Winslow deal, the Bucs already had $117.4 million committed toward next year’s draft. By trading Winslow, the Bucs erased his $5.6 million cap figure for 2013, so that drops them down to $111.8 for the moment. But that’s going to change quickly. First-round draft picks Mark Barron and Doug Martin will sign contracts that will take up several million dollars of cap space next year. And the overall view of Tampa Bay’s cap situation could change dramatically after the 2012 season because some of the young players could trigger escalator clauses and it’s possible the team could look to extend the contracts of quarterback Josh Freeman and some others between now and next offseason.
The Bucs are going to have to be very cognizant of salary-cap space in 2013. They already started to address that with the Winslow deal. This is a work in progress because Schiano still is getting to know his personnel. But, if a player doesn’t seem to fit Schiano’s style and has a high cap number for 2013, that player could be joining Winslow.
I'm looking at Tampa Bay's numbers for 2013 and I'm seeing guys like linebacker Quincy Black ($5.75 million), guard Davin Joseph ($6 million), defensive tackle Gerald McCoy ($10.9 million), tackle Donald Penn ($6.3 million) and thinking it would be wise for those guys to get on Schiano's good side and stay there.
There’s a perception out there that Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman relied too much on tight end Kellen Winslow last season.
Just watching the Buccaneers play last year, I shared that perception. But let’s turn to ESPN Stats & Information for some evidence that Freeman was forcing too many throws to Winslow, who was traded to Seattle on Monday night.
Freeman and Winslow formed a pretty good tandem back in 2010 and that led to some talk from Winslow about how he believed he could double his statistics in 2011. That didn’t happen.
In 2010, Winslow, when playing with Freeman, was targeted 94 times and had 66 receptions (a 70.2 completion percentage) while averaging 7.8 yards per attempt with five touchdowns and one interception. Winslow also had three drops. Freeman turned to Winslow even more frequently in 2011, targeting him 111 times. But the rest of the numbers weren’t as good as the previous season. Winslow and Freeman connected on only 64 percent of their passes last year and averaged just 6.5 yards per attempt. More importantly, Winslow caught only two touchdown passes from Freeman, but the quarterback was intercepted 10 times when targeting his tight end.
Over the past four seasons, the only quarterback-receiver tandem that combined for more interceptions when a specific receiver was targeted was Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer and Terrell Owens in 2010.
Just watching the Buccaneers play last year, I shared that perception. But let’s turn to ESPN Stats & Information for some evidence that Freeman was forcing too many throws to Winslow, who was traded to Seattle on Monday night.
Freeman and Winslow formed a pretty good tandem back in 2010 and that led to some talk from Winslow about how he believed he could double his statistics in 2011. That didn’t happen.
In 2010, Winslow, when playing with Freeman, was targeted 94 times and had 66 receptions (a 70.2 completion percentage) while averaging 7.8 yards per attempt with five touchdowns and one interception. Winslow also had three drops. Freeman turned to Winslow even more frequently in 2011, targeting him 111 times. But the rest of the numbers weren’t as good as the previous season. Winslow and Freeman connected on only 64 percent of their passes last year and averaged just 6.5 yards per attempt. More importantly, Winslow caught only two touchdown passes from Freeman, but the quarterback was intercepted 10 times when targeting his tight end.
Over the past four seasons, the only quarterback-receiver tandem that combined for more interceptions when a specific receiver was targeted was Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer and Terrell Owens in 2010.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Less than 24 hours after officially parting ways, Greg Schiano and Kellen Winslow will be back together again. Sort of.
Schiano, the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is scheduled to appear on NFL32 on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Winslow, the tight end that Schiano and the Bucs traded to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, is scheduled to appear on the same show.
Schiano and Winslow will be interviewed individually. We don’t have the exact times on their appearances or what order they will come in. But, if you tune in promptly at 6, you should be able to hear both Schiano and Winslow.
Schiano, the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is scheduled to appear on NFL32 on Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Winslow, the tight end that Schiano and the Bucs traded to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, is scheduled to appear on the same show.
Schiano and Winslow will be interviewed individually. We don’t have the exact times on their appearances or what order they will come in. But, if you tune in promptly at 6, you should be able to hear both Schiano and Winslow.
Dallas Clark deal low risk for Buccaneers
May, 22, 2012
May 22
1:25
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- You could suggest the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stepped out of character when they signed free-agent tight end Dallas Clark late Monday night.
Before adding Clark, the Bucs had only two players on the roster who were 30 or older. One was 37-year-old cornerback Ronde Barber, but he literally is grandfathered in because he has spent his entire career with the team and is a Tampa Bay icon. The other is defensive tackle Gary Gibson (30). He’s also an exception. Gibson, a career backup, played for coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers, is here for depth and there’s no guarantee of him making the regular-season roster.
Other than them, every other player on the roster has an age that starts with a 2. This is a team that's made it clear it will build primarily through the draft.
Clark spent nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and as recently as the 2009 season was one of the league’s most productive tight ends -- when he had 100 receptions. But Clark suffered a season-ending wrist injury in the middle of the 2010 season. Last season, Clark had an assortment of injuries and was limited to 11 games, in which he produced 34 catches. That led to speculation that Clark’s career might be over.
“I’m not done playing,’’ Clark said Tuesday after his first workout with his new team. “You’re an NFL player. Every day you are proving yourself. The second you stop, you are out the door.’’
Clark said he’s over last season’s injuries and isn’t hampered by anything.
“I believe whole heartedly that he is going to return to his form and play the way he is capable,’’ Schiano said. "That’s what we need. I think he can do everything we are going to ask him to do. And it is really good to have strong veteran presence in that tight end room as well.”
But the thing is, Clark really isn’t all that much different than Barber or Gibson. The Bucs are hoping he’ll be their main pass-catcher at tight end, but they also plan to play Luke Stocker in a lot of situations. Their investment in Clark isn’t all that huge. They signed him to a very simple contract.
It’s a one-year deal. He’s scheduled to make $2.7 million in base salary and only $1 million of that is guaranteed. There was no signing bonus or any incentives. That comes after the Bucs freed up $4.8 million in cap room by trading tight end Kellen Winslow to Seattle.
If Clark bounces back and produces anything similar, the Bucs got a bargain and they’ll be thrilled. If the injuries linger or Clark isn’t the same player he was before, it’s not like the Bucs have made a huge long-term investment in him.
In short, the Bucs entered into a low-risk deal that at least has the potential to bring a lot of rewards. If it doesn’t, there’s really no harm.
In other financial news, the Bucs have given wide receiver Preston Parker a one-year contract extension. Parker still will make the same $540,000 in base salary this year that previously was scheduled. But he received a $50,000 signing bonus and his 2013 salary will rise to $1 million.
Before adding Clark, the Bucs had only two players on the roster who were 30 or older. One was 37-year-old cornerback Ronde Barber, but he literally is grandfathered in because he has spent his entire career with the team and is a Tampa Bay icon. The other is defensive tackle Gary Gibson (30). He’s also an exception. Gibson, a career backup, played for coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers, is here for depth and there’s no guarantee of him making the regular-season roster.
Clark spent nine seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and as recently as the 2009 season was one of the league’s most productive tight ends -- when he had 100 receptions. But Clark suffered a season-ending wrist injury in the middle of the 2010 season. Last season, Clark had an assortment of injuries and was limited to 11 games, in which he produced 34 catches. That led to speculation that Clark’s career might be over.
“I’m not done playing,’’ Clark said Tuesday after his first workout with his new team. “You’re an NFL player. Every day you are proving yourself. The second you stop, you are out the door.’’
Clark said he’s over last season’s injuries and isn’t hampered by anything.
“I believe whole heartedly that he is going to return to his form and play the way he is capable,’’ Schiano said. "That’s what we need. I think he can do everything we are going to ask him to do. And it is really good to have strong veteran presence in that tight end room as well.”
But the thing is, Clark really isn’t all that much different than Barber or Gibson. The Bucs are hoping he’ll be their main pass-catcher at tight end, but they also plan to play Luke Stocker in a lot of situations. Their investment in Clark isn’t all that huge. They signed him to a very simple contract.
It’s a one-year deal. He’s scheduled to make $2.7 million in base salary and only $1 million of that is guaranteed. There was no signing bonus or any incentives. That comes after the Bucs freed up $4.8 million in cap room by trading tight end Kellen Winslow to Seattle.
If Clark bounces back and produces anything similar, the Bucs got a bargain and they’ll be thrilled. If the injuries linger or Clark isn’t the same player he was before, it’s not like the Bucs have made a huge long-term investment in him.
In short, the Bucs entered into a low-risk deal that at least has the potential to bring a lot of rewards. If it doesn’t, there’s really no harm.
In other financial news, the Bucs have given wide receiver Preston Parker a one-year contract extension. Parker still will make the same $540,000 in base salary this year that previously was scheduled. But he received a $50,000 signing bonus and his 2013 salary will rise to $1 million.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Kellen Winslow had been gone from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for all of about 12 hours. From the way coach Greg Schiano answered a question about why he traded away the tight end, you would think Winslow had been gone for 12 years.
“I’m going to hesitate to look back," Schiano said. “I’m going to focus on the guys that are here.’’
SchianoRead into it what you want, but I think it’s pretty obvious what’s going on here. Schiano’s cleaning house of guys that don’t fit the new style he’s bringing to the Buccaneers.
Winslow said Schiano told him he wasn’t happy the veteran tight end had spent most of his offseason in San Diego, rather than working with his teammates. Winslow got the message on Saturday night, after he had arrived in Tampa with plans to join the Bucs on Monday. But that was too late for Schiano, who also might have had some doubts about relying too heavily on a tight end that missed a lot of practices with a sore knee over the last three seasons, even though Winslow never missed a game with the Bucs.
Schiano is a Bill Belichick disciple. He believes players should practice, at least most of the time. Schiano also believes in doing things his own way.
Schiano made it clear when he took the job that every player on the roster was getting a fresh start. That was true in some ways, but some guys were starting off with a strike against them. Winslow was one. Tanard Jackson was another. Both had issues in the past. Schiano kept them around for a bit, but he parted ways with both of them at the first sign of trouble.
The Bucs weren’t happy with the approach Jackson was taking in the offseason as he attempted to come back from injury last year. The Bucs weren’t able to trade him, so they simply released him. I’m pretty sure there will be some more casualties along the way. Schiano has made it very clear guys have to toe his line, which is about 20 yards away from the blurry line Raheem Morris used to stand behind.
“There’s really not a message," Schiano said. "It is not one of those situations. The only message I want to address is we need to be the best football team we can be. Time is our enemy. We are running out of time. Teams in our division have a head start on us.''
Intentional or not, I think Schiano has sent a very clear message. It doesn’t matter if you’re cornerback Aqib Talib, who seems to be starting off with an 0-2 count and Stephen Strasburg on the mound, or a guy with a spotless background.
If you take one step over Schiano’s line, you’re going to be talked about as a former member of the Bucs.
“I’m going to hesitate to look back," Schiano said. “I’m going to focus on the guys that are here.’’
Winslow said Schiano told him he wasn’t happy the veteran tight end had spent most of his offseason in San Diego, rather than working with his teammates. Winslow got the message on Saturday night, after he had arrived in Tampa with plans to join the Bucs on Monday. But that was too late for Schiano, who also might have had some doubts about relying too heavily on a tight end that missed a lot of practices with a sore knee over the last three seasons, even though Winslow never missed a game with the Bucs.
Schiano is a Bill Belichick disciple. He believes players should practice, at least most of the time. Schiano also believes in doing things his own way.
Schiano made it clear when he took the job that every player on the roster was getting a fresh start. That was true in some ways, but some guys were starting off with a strike against them. Winslow was one. Tanard Jackson was another. Both had issues in the past. Schiano kept them around for a bit, but he parted ways with both of them at the first sign of trouble.
The Bucs weren’t happy with the approach Jackson was taking in the offseason as he attempted to come back from injury last year. The Bucs weren’t able to trade him, so they simply released him. I’m pretty sure there will be some more casualties along the way. Schiano has made it very clear guys have to toe his line, which is about 20 yards away from the blurry line Raheem Morris used to stand behind.
“There’s really not a message," Schiano said. "It is not one of those situations. The only message I want to address is we need to be the best football team we can be. Time is our enemy. We are running out of time. Teams in our division have a head start on us.''
Intentional or not, I think Schiano has sent a very clear message. It doesn’t matter if you’re cornerback Aqib Talib, who seems to be starting off with an 0-2 count and Stephen Strasburg on the mound, or a guy with a spotless background.
If you take one step over Schiano’s line, you’re going to be talked about as a former member of the Bucs.
TAMPA, Fla. – I just arrived out at One Buccaneer Place and the Bucs already are on the practice field.
I’m heading out there and taking roll will be my first task. Just want to make sure no one else has been traded or released overnight.
I’ll be back after practice and interviews. Coach Greg Schiano is scheduled to talk after the workout and I’m pretty sure we’ll hear his logic behind trading away veteran tight end Kellen Winslow and signing Dallas Clark as his replacement.
I’m heading out there and taking roll will be my first task. Just want to make sure no one else has been traded or released overnight.
I’ll be back after practice and interviews. Coach Greg Schiano is scheduled to talk after the workout and I’m pretty sure we’ll hear his logic behind trading away veteran tight end Kellen Winslow and signing Dallas Clark as his replacement.
Let's take a look at the top Tuesday morning headlines from around the division.
This one sounds a little strange at first. Carolina coach Ron Rivera said Brandon LaFell “encapsulates who we are’’. Think about that for a minute. LaFell is a young player that has shown some flashes of promise. But, overall, LaFell hasn’t done all that much. He hasn’t even been able to permanently lock up the No. 2 receiver job, but the hope is he can fill that role and start showing more consistency. So, in a way, LaFell does represent the Panthers. They’re a young team with a lot of potential, but they have yet to arrive.
Joseph Person takes a look at the top position battles for the Carolina Panthers' defense as they begin workouts on the field. The top one is for the No. 2 cornerback job. Fans might not want to hear this, but it looks as if that’s Captain Munnerlyn’s job. He remains undersized, and that makes him a target for opposing offenses. But unless Brandon Hogan, who played little as a rookie as he recovered from knee surgery, takes a huge step forward, I don’t see anyone else on the roster ready to challenge Munnerlyn.
There is one slight positive to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees being unsigned and not participating in offseason workouts. Safety Roman Harper said that makes it easier to install the defense of new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Harper said if Brees was around, he would show no mercy on a defense that’s going through some big adjustments.
Gary Shelton writes that Kellen Winslow shouldn’t be surprised by the Buccaneers' decision to trade him. He’s right. It was pretty obvious that Winslow’s a guy who is used to doing things as he pleases. It’s also pretty obvious coach Greg Schiano runs a very tight ship. If Winslow really wanted to play for Schiano, he should have realized it was time for some changes. At the very least, he should have first talked to the new coach about his plans for the offseason. I’m not sure Schiano would have been excited at the prospect of Winslow spending some of his time working out in San Diego. But it’s at least possible the coach and player could have worked out a deal if the situation was put on the table before workouts started.
This one sounds a little strange at first. Carolina coach Ron Rivera said Brandon LaFell “encapsulates who we are’’. Think about that for a minute. LaFell is a young player that has shown some flashes of promise. But, overall, LaFell hasn’t done all that much. He hasn’t even been able to permanently lock up the No. 2 receiver job, but the hope is he can fill that role and start showing more consistency. So, in a way, LaFell does represent the Panthers. They’re a young team with a lot of potential, but they have yet to arrive.
Joseph Person takes a look at the top position battles for the Carolina Panthers' defense as they begin workouts on the field. The top one is for the No. 2 cornerback job. Fans might not want to hear this, but it looks as if that’s Captain Munnerlyn’s job. He remains undersized, and that makes him a target for opposing offenses. But unless Brandon Hogan, who played little as a rookie as he recovered from knee surgery, takes a huge step forward, I don’t see anyone else on the roster ready to challenge Munnerlyn.
There is one slight positive to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees being unsigned and not participating in offseason workouts. Safety Roman Harper said that makes it easier to install the defense of new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Harper said if Brees was around, he would show no mercy on a defense that’s going through some big adjustments.
Gary Shelton writes that Kellen Winslow shouldn’t be surprised by the Buccaneers' decision to trade him. He’s right. It was pretty obvious that Winslow’s a guy who is used to doing things as he pleases. It’s also pretty obvious coach Greg Schiano runs a very tight ship. If Winslow really wanted to play for Schiano, he should have realized it was time for some changes. At the very least, he should have first talked to the new coach about his plans for the offseason. I’m not sure Schiano would have been excited at the prospect of Winslow spending some of his time working out in San Diego. But it’s at least possible the coach and player could have worked out a deal if the situation was put on the table before workouts started.
Bucs have better TE fit with Dallas Clark
May, 21, 2012
May 21
11:54
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t take long to unload Kellen Winslow, after telling the veteran tight end he was on the market for a trade.
The Bucs announced late Monday night that Winslow had been traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a seventh-round draft pick in 2013 (that can rise to a sixth-round pick if Winslow meets certain playing-time and statistical requirements in Seattle) and they quickly turned around and signed veteran Dallas Clark to replace him.
The move came after Winslow broke the news to Sirius XM NFL Radio on Monday morning that coach Greg Schiano had said the Bucs wanted to trade him. Winslow said Schiano expressed unhappiness that he wasn’t taking part in offseason workouts with his teammates.
Although the Bucs only got a late-round pick for Winslow, it’s a still victory that the Bucs were able to get anything for a player who probably would have been released if no one offered anything in trade. Schiano is in the process of cleaning up Tampa Bay’s locker room and Winslow follows safety Tanard Jackson, who previously was released, as another player that didn’t fit the team’s new personality.
Clark may be a better fit in the locker room and he and Winslow might be an even exchange on the field at this point in their careers. Winslow had 218 catches for 2,377 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Bucs. Winslow never missed a game in that span, but missed lots of practice time.
Clark may be on the downside of his career, but he may be a better fit in Schiano’s system. Clark spent the past nine seasons with Indianapolis. He started 111 of 114 career games, while catching 427 passes for 4,887 yards and 46 touchdowns.
"Dallas Clark is a consummate pro and proven playmaker," Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said. "He will be another asset, on and off the field, for our team. In addition to Luke Stocker's continued improvement in his ability as an every-down tight end, we feel we have both talent and depth at the tight end position."
The Bucs announced late Monday night that Winslow had been traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a seventh-round draft pick in 2013 (that can rise to a sixth-round pick if Winslow meets certain playing-time and statistical requirements in Seattle) and they quickly turned around and signed veteran Dallas Clark to replace him.
The move came after Winslow broke the news to Sirius XM NFL Radio on Monday morning that coach Greg Schiano had said the Bucs wanted to trade him. Winslow said Schiano expressed unhappiness that he wasn’t taking part in offseason workouts with his teammates.
Although the Bucs only got a late-round pick for Winslow, it’s a still victory that the Bucs were able to get anything for a player who probably would have been released if no one offered anything in trade. Schiano is in the process of cleaning up Tampa Bay’s locker room and Winslow follows safety Tanard Jackson, who previously was released, as another player that didn’t fit the team’s new personality.
Clark may be a better fit in the locker room and he and Winslow might be an even exchange on the field at this point in their careers. Winslow had 218 catches for 2,377 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Bucs. Winslow never missed a game in that span, but missed lots of practice time.
Clark may be on the downside of his career, but he may be a better fit in Schiano’s system. Clark spent the past nine seasons with Indianapolis. He started 111 of 114 career games, while catching 427 passes for 4,887 yards and 46 touchdowns.
"Dallas Clark is a consummate pro and proven playmaker," Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said. "He will be another asset, on and off the field, for our team. In addition to Luke Stocker's continued improvement in his ability as an every-down tight end, we feel we have both talent and depth at the tight end position."
Winslow: You don't get rid of best players
May, 21, 2012
May 21
12:51
PM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
You might want to check out the audio of Tampa Bay tight end Kellen Winslow telling SiriusXM NFL radio that the Buccaneers have told him they’ll try to trade him.
I heard the tail end of the interview in my car earlier Monday, but didn’t hear the strongest stuff until I got the full audio.
“You know, look, I’ve been there the last three years and I’ve had a successful career so far," Winslow said. “You just don’t get rid of one of your best players because of that."
Winslow said he had been working out on his own in San Diego and flew back to Tampa on Saturday night. Winslow said he planned to begin working out with his teammates Monday, but Schiano informed him Saturday night that the team wanted to move in a different direction and would attempt to trade him. If a deal can’t be worked out -- and other teams may be hesitant to take on Winslow’s current contract -- it’s safe to assume Winslow will be released.
“That’s just what I was told," Winslow said. “I have nothing bad to say about Coach Schiano. It was just a disagreement on why I’m not there yet."
I get Winslow’s point about not getting rid of a good player for not spending the entire offseason with his teammates. Winslow has been a good player and it’s not unusual for some veterans to skip all or most of the offseason program and show up only for minicamps. Carolina receiver Steve Smith has done that frequently in the past.
But Winslow doesn’t have quite the stature of Smith. And whatever status he had with former coach Raheem Morris disappeared the moment Schiano was hired. Schiano comes from the Bill Belichick school of coaching and he’s trying to set some framework for his team. He’s making it real clear that players will do things his way -- or else they won’t play for the Bucs.
It has been a slow process, but Greg Schiano is obviously cleaning house in Tampa Bay.
Veteran tight end Kellen Winslow told Sirius NFL Radio on Monday morning that he has been told by the Buccaneers that his services no longer are required. Winslow said team officials said they will try to trade him.
That might be difficult now that the rest of the world knows Winslow is on his way out of Tampa Bay. But the Bucs appear more than ready to move on from the tight end that joined them in 2009. Adam Schefter reports the Bucs worked out veteran tight end Dallas Clark last week, and appear to be the favorites to sign him.
Although bothered by a sore knee that forced him to miss a lot of practice time last season, Winslow, 28, appeared in all 16 games and caught 75 passes. But age and Winslow’s knee probably weren’t the main reasons why the Bucs have decided to move on. Winslow said he was told by the team that one reason he won’t be back is because he hasn’t been taking part in voluntary offseason workouts.
That seems to matter a lot to Schiano, and it should. He’s trying to instill order in a team that had none last season. The Bucs previously released safety Tanard Jackson, and team officials said they weren’t happy with how Jackson was approaching the offseason. Schiano came in saying everyone was getting a fresh start. That was true, but, in the cases of Jackson and Winslow, the Bucs have shown there's no room to slip up.
The way the Bucs dealt with Jackson and are dealing with Winslow sends a clear message to the rest of the roster that Schiano is running a tighter ship.
Back in February, I speculated about the possibility of the Bucs moving on without Winslow. They don't necessarily need salary-cap room, but releasing him would instantly free up $4.8 million.
Veteran tight end Kellen Winslow told Sirius NFL Radio on Monday morning that he has been told by the Buccaneers that his services no longer are required. Winslow said team officials said they will try to trade him.
Although bothered by a sore knee that forced him to miss a lot of practice time last season, Winslow, 28, appeared in all 16 games and caught 75 passes. But age and Winslow’s knee probably weren’t the main reasons why the Bucs have decided to move on. Winslow said he was told by the team that one reason he won’t be back is because he hasn’t been taking part in voluntary offseason workouts.
That seems to matter a lot to Schiano, and it should. He’s trying to instill order in a team that had none last season. The Bucs previously released safety Tanard Jackson, and team officials said they weren’t happy with how Jackson was approaching the offseason. Schiano came in saying everyone was getting a fresh start. That was true, but, in the cases of Jackson and Winslow, the Bucs have shown there's no room to slip up.
The way the Bucs dealt with Jackson and are dealing with Winslow sends a clear message to the rest of the roster that Schiano is running a tighter ship.
Back in February, I speculated about the possibility of the Bucs moving on without Winslow. They don't necessarily need salary-cap room, but releasing him would instantly free up $4.8 million.
This is the time of year when you hear a lot about offseason workouts. This is when teams can begin conditioning drills and get out onto the field to start working on football and that continues through minicamps and organized team activities.
It’s a great time to build chemistry. You’ll also hear a lot of coaches bragging about how almost all their players are participating in the workouts, which is great. But, in some cases, there’s a lot of money to be earned just for showing up and working out in the offseason.
I just got a look at all the offseason workout bonuses scheduled to be earned (if the players take part in a majority of the workouts) by NFC South players this year and there were some eye openers. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik doesn’t use a lot of workout bonuses in the contracts he negotiates. But, when he does use them, they’re significant. Tight end Kellen Winslow and cornerback Eric Wright have the largest workout bonuses in the division for 2012 at $500,000 each. Offensive tackle Donald Penn is right behind them at $400,000 and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is scheduled to collect $300,000. Linebacker Quincy Black has a $250,000 bonus and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye is slated to make $200,000. Those six are the only Buccaneers with workout bonuses this year, but they come to a total of $2.15 million.
Carolina general manager Marty Hurney and New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis are much more liberal in their use of workout bonuses. The Saints and Panthers each have 21 players scheduled to earn workout bonuses this year.
Carolina’s scheduled workout bonuses add up to $2.055 million. I won’t list anyone under six figures. But here are the guys who can earn big money. Charles Johnson, Jon Beason, DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Kalil and Ron Edwards each are scheduled to make $250,000. Charles Godfrey, James Anderson, Olindo Mare and Garry Williams each can earn $100,000.
If all the New Orleans players take part in enough workouts, the Saints will have to pay out $2.381 million. Sedrick Ellis leads the Saints with a $250,000 workout bonus. Jahri Evans, Lance Moore and Scott Shanle each are scheduled to make $200,000 and Will Smith is slated to make $150,000. Marques Colston, Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, Jermon Bushrod, Jonathan Vilma, Malcolm Jenkins, Devery Henderson, Pierre Thomas, David Thomas, Korey Hall and Will Herring each are scheduled to make $100,000.
Apparently, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff, who probably works out more (he rides a bike religiously) than any NFC South general manager, doesn’t believe in workout bonuses. Dimitroff has used them very sparingly in the past. This year, there’s not a single Atlanta player schedule to earn a workout bonus.
It’s a great time to build chemistry. You’ll also hear a lot of coaches bragging about how almost all their players are participating in the workouts, which is great. But, in some cases, there’s a lot of money to be earned just for showing up and working out in the offseason.
I just got a look at all the offseason workout bonuses scheduled to be earned (if the players take part in a majority of the workouts) by NFC South players this year and there were some eye openers. Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik doesn’t use a lot of workout bonuses in the contracts he negotiates. But, when he does use them, they’re significant. Tight end Kellen Winslow and cornerback Eric Wright have the largest workout bonuses in the division for 2012 at $500,000 each. Offensive tackle Donald Penn is right behind them at $400,000 and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is scheduled to collect $300,000. Linebacker Quincy Black has a $250,000 bonus and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye is slated to make $200,000. Those six are the only Buccaneers with workout bonuses this year, but they come to a total of $2.15 million.
Carolina general manager Marty Hurney and New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis are much more liberal in their use of workout bonuses. The Saints and Panthers each have 21 players scheduled to earn workout bonuses this year.
Carolina’s scheduled workout bonuses add up to $2.055 million. I won’t list anyone under six figures. But here are the guys who can earn big money. Charles Johnson, Jon Beason, DeAngelo Williams, Ryan Kalil and Ron Edwards each are scheduled to make $250,000. Charles Godfrey, James Anderson, Olindo Mare and Garry Williams each can earn $100,000.
If all the New Orleans players take part in enough workouts, the Saints will have to pay out $2.381 million. Sedrick Ellis leads the Saints with a $250,000 workout bonus. Jahri Evans, Lance Moore and Scott Shanle each are scheduled to make $200,000 and Will Smith is slated to make $150,000. Marques Colston, Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, Jermon Bushrod, Jonathan Vilma, Malcolm Jenkins, Devery Henderson, Pierre Thomas, David Thomas, Korey Hall and Will Herring each are scheduled to make $100,000.
Apparently, Atlanta’s Thomas Dimitroff, who probably works out more (he rides a bike religiously) than any NFC South general manager, doesn’t believe in workout bonuses. Dimitroff has used them very sparingly in the past. This year, there’s not a single Atlanta player schedule to earn a workout bonus.
After ending last season on a 10-game losing streak, no team needed more out of the NFL draft than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
On the surface, it looks like they got at least three starters in safety Mark Barron, running back Doug Martin and linebacker Lavonte David. Add them to key free-agent pickups Carl Nicks, Eric Wright and Vincent Jackson and Tampa Bay should have a very different look come September. Let’s take a look at what I suspect at the moment will be Tampa Bay’s starting lineup.
OFFENSE
On the surface, it looks like they got at least three starters in safety Mark Barron, running back Doug Martin and linebacker Lavonte David. Add them to key free-agent pickups Carl Nicks, Eric Wright and Vincent Jackson and Tampa Bay should have a very different look come September. Let’s take a look at what I suspect at the moment will be Tampa Bay’s starting lineup.
OFFENSE
- QB Josh Freeman
- RB Doug Martin (LeGarrette Blount will get some carries, but Martin’s an all-purpose back)
- FB Erik Lorig
- WR Vincent Jackson
- WR Mike Williams (he may have to beat out Arrelious Benn for the starting job)
- LT Donald Penn
- LG Carl Nicks
- RG Davin Joseph
- DT Gerald McCoy
- DT Brian Price (Amobi Okoye will factor heavily in rotation and could start if injury woes continue for McCoy and Price)
- DE Michael Bennett (might have to beat out second-year pro Da’Quan Bowers in training camp)
- OLB Lavonte David
- MLB Mason Foster
- OLB Quincy Black
- CB Ronde Barber (if he doesn’t switch to safety)
- CB Eric Wright (Aqib Talib could factor in, but his future is uncertain)
- FS Cody Grimm
- SS Mark Barron
- KR Preston Parker (rookie Michael Smith also could factor into return game)
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
