Can the Buccaneers afford the free safety?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a bad secondary in 2018 and with holes at arguably every position besides 1 corner spot (Carlton Davis) and strong safety (Justin Evans), the group could be instore for a massive overhaul. The third defensive back up on our Free agency spot light list is safety LaMarcus Joyner of the Los Angeles Rams.
LaMarcus Joyner’s Career
Joyner was a second round draft pick of the then St. Louis Rams back in 2014. Under Jeff Fisher, Joyner never really got the chance to be a full-time starter with the team, but then came Sean McVay and Wade Phillips. Since the arrival of those two, Joyner has transformed himself into a starting free safety in the NFL and has started every game he has played in in the last two years, Joyner has 127 combined tackles, 97 solo tackles and four interceptions.
In 2018, Joyner was the 28th ranked safety in the NFL with an overall grade of 73.1. He graded out the best in pass rushing at 85.2 and the worst in coverage at 70.9. He was pretty average in the run defense with a grade of 74.8.
What Will Joyner Cost?
It is well documented around One buc Place that the Buccaneers simply don’t have much cap space heading into the free agency period which is slated to start March 11th. Now, some roster moves are expected that will free up some space, but big free agent contracts will be hard to come by. According to Spotrac.com, Joyner’s market value is set at $10.6 million dollars. Ouch. Now, you might ask how they come up with these projected numbers and it’s actually quite simple. Spotrac compares key numbers of the set to be free agent to previous free agents at the same position who had similar numbers. To see Joyner’s comparisons to guys like Harrison Smith, Eric Berry and Tyrann Mathieu, click here.
Will It Happen?
I can’t see this signing happening. While Joyner would be an upgrade on the back end of the defense, I simply think there are too many holes to fill and the team can’t afford to throw almost $11 million dollars at a soon to be 29 year old safety. That $11 million could be spent on multiple cornerbacks or even a cornerback and an offensive lineman. If the Buccaneers had close to $70 million in cap space, I would give it a 50-50 chance, but with the current number being what it is, I just don’t see it
Checkout the latest episodes of Overtime with myself and Evan Winter right here on Bucs Nation as we continue to preview upcoming free agent positions and players the Buccaneers should be targeting come the middle of March.
Next up on the FA spotlight is Guard Mike Iupati.
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