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Bucs

Colts' James is not a good deal for Bucs

By JOHN ROMANO
Published March 11, 2005

Did you hear Edgerrin James is on the market?

And darned if he isn't priced to sell. I'm not sure, but I thought I heard someone mention free financing and a 30-day guarantee on ligaments.

The Bucs have to jump on this, right? They were one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL last season, and now they've found a Pro Bowl running back mistakenly priced in the clearance aisle.

So what's the holdup?

What's keeping the Bucs from grabbing James?

Just guessing, I'd say common sense.

There are two prices to every NFL trade. The cost of acquiring the player from the other team. And the cost of fitting him under the salary cap.

Just because the Colts seem willing to let James out of their huddle for less than a first-round draft pick doesn't mean the Bucs can afford him.

James is seeking a long-term deal. Something preferably with a $15-million signing bonus. I'm sure you wouldn't mind spending the Glazers' money, but you might think twice about using up any more cap space.

Tampa Bay has suffered from salary-cap pain the past two seasons, and will probably be squeezed again in 2005. But there appears to be relief ahead. General manager Bruce Allen says they should be in good cap shape for '06.

Accordingly, the Bucs have been conservative in the first weeks of the offseason. They got quarterback Brian Griese re-signed, but the deal is essentially a series of one-year contracts. The Bucs also have been slow to move into the free-agent market, waiting instead for players to fall into their price range.

So should that preclude them from pursuing James?

No, but it suggests they'll be more prudent than aggressive.

Yes, I know, James is one of the finest running backs in the league. And there are times you consider busting the bank for the right player.

But this probably isn't the right time, or the right player, for the Bucs. Tampa Bay has too much work ahead to be considered a strong playoff contender, and James is not going to change their fortunes by himself.

The reality is James already has six seasons in the league, and one rebuilt knee. He was fourth in the NFL in rushing last season, but that was as a co-star on one of the best offenses in the modern era.

You can't automatically assume he will be a 1,500-yard runner elsewhere, and you can't assume he will last the length of a five-year contract.

Ask yourself this:

Why is Indianapolis, a team with a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl, willing to let a franchise cornerstone go?

And, furthermore, why are they letting James' agent tell the world that the asking price will be quite low?

This is how the Colts look at it:

James gained 1,548 yards last season. Even if Dominic Rhodes is a lesser talent than James, he should still get 1,200 yards in their high-powered offense. So, for the extra 300 yards or so James might get them, the Colts will save about $7-million that can be spent on the defense.

Which is exactly how the Bucs need to look at James.

If he takes up $7- or $8-million a year on the salary cap, or even $4- or $5-million if they get creative, where are the Bucs going to find the money for offensive linemen? Or a safety? Or a placekicker? Or the $5-million or so it would take to sign their draft picks?

Oh, it could be done. Allen could get creative and restructure some contracts. The Bucs could ship a defensive starter - Booger McFarland or Ronde Barber - to Tony Dungy's waiting arms. The Bucs could cut Michael Pittman and a few other players to make room under the salary cap.

But what would that accomplish?

It would be like adjusting your budget to buy a BMW, but keeping it in the garage because you can't afford the maintenance or insurance.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus seems to recognize this. He knows the Bucs are not in a position of strength this offseason. That's one of the reasons he is floating the idea of the asking price for James being so low.

He's doing the same thing in Miami, and the Dolphins also seem lukewarm to the idea even though their running game was worse than Tampa Bay's.

It's almost as if teams are waiting to see how much lower the price might get. We already know the Colts are willing to deal. Now we'll see if James is willing to lower his contract demands too, because the trade is not likely to happen unless he agrees to a new contract ahead of time.

It is, you have to admit, an intriguing idea. It's hard not to imagine what a Buccaneer offense might look like with James carrying the ball. If they could acquire him without giving up their first-round draft pick, you can even envision an offense with Griese, James, Michael Clayton and Mike Williams.

So, no, the Bucs can't afford to ignore James.

But they probably can't afford to get him either.

[Last modified March 11, 2005, 01:40:27]