This is turning out to be one of those cases where all that smoke is obscuring the view of a pretty massive fire (sale).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who actually doubled their win total yesterday with a victory over the hapless Washington Redskins, are still in the market to trade a number of their aging veterans, according to a report from Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
Wide receiver Vincent Jackson, running back Doug Martin and safety Dashon Goldson, whose names all came up in the rumor mill ahead of the NFL trade deadline, are all still up for grabs, if not yet necessarily priced to move, La Canfora reported.
While general manager Jason Licht was unable to find suitable deals for running back Doug Martin, receiver Vincent Jackson and safety Dashon Goldson before the trade deadline, the team will field overtures for all three this season, sources said, with other general managers under the impression they will be available in 2015 at the right price.
New coach Lovie Smith has already jettisoned several players leftover from the previous regime - cornerback Darrelle Revis was released and they traded 2012 first-round pick, Mark Barron, at the deadline - and the purge will apparently continue.
The good news for interested teams is that as the days pass, the Bucs' asking price will continue to drop.
Tampa held out for a second-round pick for Jackson, and that price could drop this offseason, especially as 2014 draft picks Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins continuing to make strides in the second half of the season. Martin can be had for a late-round pick in all likelihood and Goldon's bloated contract limits his market but he very well will not be back in 2015.
At 2-8, the Buccaneers are playing out the string of a lost season. As they turn their attention towards the future, Smith and Licht will continue to raze the roster and attempt to start anew, revamping and remolding the team in their ideal image.
