Notes from free agency:
— Every time I think the Bucs overpaid for Baker Mayfield, I think about noteable pine-riders Sam Darnold, Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston. Darnold and Mariota are getting up to $10 million and Winston can earn as much as $8.7 million to not provide answers for the Vikings, Washington and Browns. Maybe Mayfield should ask for a raise.
— I still say the ultimate Comeback performer in the history of the Bucs is Jason Licht.
— Good to see Lavonte David back. No, I don’t buy the Hall of Fame talk, but he’s a Ring of Honor guy.
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— Yeah, Mike Evans is great. Yes, there are times that Chris Godwin is even better. But I still say the Bucs need a better No. 3 receiver.
— Can’t say I’d be jealous the Bucs didn’t chase Saquon Barkley. Six years as an NFL running back is about 40 in human years.
— By the time you are at this point of the column, Travis Kelce has filed eight new commercials.
— So far, the Bucs have a chance to be every bit as good as the 9-8 season they had.
— The NFC South has a chance to be much, much better next season. New Orleans should be good and Atlanta will be better. Right now, I’d imagine the smart guys will pick Atlanta, then the Saints, then the Bucs.
— So who’s happier? Pittsburgh, which has Russell Wilson. Or Denver, who doesn’t.
— Can the Bears trade Justin Fields to Saskatchewan?
— If you’re ranking the Bucs’ units, yoiu’d have to go 1) Wide receiver; 3) Kickers; 3) Offensive tackle.
— One last testament to Tom Brady’s greatness. Look how Bill Bellchick whittled down Mac Jones’ potential.
— Aaron Rodgers, noted nut job, is on the short list to be on the vice president for Robert Kennedy. Evidently, Antonio Brown was unavailable.
— I miss Jason Kelce already.
— Where, exactly, should the Brinks truck park in front of Devin White’s house?
— Shaq Barrett will be better with the Dolphins than he was with the Bucs. But not much.
— Dak Prescott is being sued for sexual assault. Evidently, the plaintiff wants Baker Mayfield money.
— Granted, Mayfield isn’t headed to the Hall of Fame. But for those guys dissecting his stats from 2023, keep this in mind. Every other starting quarterback in the NFL had a better running game than he did.
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