Jon Gruden broke out the chisel Thursday at One Buc Place, though a chisel isn't a checkbook. Gruden made another monument out of another Buc. It was the last day of minicamp. The subject was Jamael Oronde Barber.
"They talk about Lynch, Brooks, Sapp, but what about Ronde?" Gruden said. "You got to throw him in there, don't you? I don't know anybody else who has 20 sacks, 20 picks, a Super Bowl ring, multiple division titles, Pro Bowls and is the kind of player he is off the field. To me, his head should be on Mount Rushmore with those other guys you're talking about."
Well said.
But: What about Ronde?
Ronde Barber sat on a bench at One Buc. He's a tower of strength, but these days doesn't feel as if he's set in stone. Numb is how he feels. One of the NFL's top cornerbacks is in the final year of his contract. And nobody seems in a rush to make him a new one. Two of the faces on Gruden's Rushmore, Warren Sapp and John Lynch, are long gone.
What about Ronde?
"I'm not a huge Bush fan," Barber said, "but I'm feeling pretty lame duckish right now."
Let's Get It Done
The deal the Bucs need to make, the deal to lock up Ronde Barber and throw away the key, keeps not getting done. It didn't happen under Rich McKay. It has yet to happen under Bruce Allen.
All the other defensive cornerstones got the monster contract. Sapp. Lynch. Brooks. Rice. Heck, Booger McFarland cashed in.
What about Ronde?
Signing him makes sense to almost anyone. Do you think Derrick Brooks restructured so someone like Ronde Barber couldn't be brought back?
You heard Gruden. "He's everything you want in a player and a person," Allen said. So what's the problem?
What about Ronde?
For a guy with a supernatural knack for being in the right place at the right time, Barber suffers from bad timing. Five years ago, when his marketability was zilch, he signed a six-year, $18-million deal. He instantly began outplaying it, with 10 interceptions, a Pro Bowl, a championship ring and the signature play in team history, that pick and run at Philly.
The timing isn't good now, either. The Bucs have young offensive players like Chris Simms reaching for the stars. And Barber turns 32 after next season, whatever that means.
"Nothing," teammate Simeon Rice said. "The man performs."
The Bucs could wait and see how Barber plays, which is what they always do. Enough of that. And the mind-set that if you pay Barber, you'll have to pay everyone else. Well, Ronde Barber isn't everyone else. He's been a bargain for years. No, he didn't first pave the way, like Sapp, Lynch and Brooks, but he's laid down a righteous legacy. And each day a deal doesn't get done is one day closer to the day he leaves.
"I have a pretty strong feeling it's going to come to that," Barber said.
It would be stunning.
Barber forced a smile.
"Prepare to be stunned."
It's Time For Action
This isn't a guy who likes to talk about contract stuff. It takes a lot for his jaws to unlock. Even when they do, he includes fellow corner Brian Kelly, whose worth only seems palpable when he goes down with an injury, like the one that jolted the Bucs defense the season after the Super Bowl.
"When B.K. went down, remember what happened?" Barber asked.
Bad things.
Imagine what would happen if Barber and Kelly held out of training camp next month? They'd look a lot more valuable in an awful hurry. Oh, and Gruden's head would explode.
But Barber grimaces at the idea of holding out.
"That's not my nature. I'm an honorable guy and expect others to be honorable, too."
Everyone knows the honorable thing to do. And the right thing. No more wonderful Gruden and Allen words about Barber. Time to walk the walk. That's how a lot of people feel.
Barber may be in the last year of his deal but the Bucs have paid him well. His contract had a alot of clauses-- the bozo who wrote this article which I assume is likely a Stroud piece like to throw out that 6yrs 18 mil but they leave out the fact that Barber was a FA and on the market did not get one look from another team and was dubbed by the pro writers at that time as a mere system guy-- which does hold some truth. But Barber the last 2 seasons has been paid quite well--- His base last year was 3.75mil- now add in the 1/2 mil roster bonus and then the 1/2 mil PB bonus and he was making 4.75mil. Now take this years base of 4.0mil and add in his PB bonus and RB and he is at or over 5 mil-- ( God forbid these players earn their raises ). Now he has earned his contract big time and he has had raises each year for doing so. As for next season we will see- he deserves a very good contract but then again he is almost 32 as well. But it's not the front offices fault for what his contract was when he signed it-- his market value wasn't much and he had waited to get on the field for a while-- Call it bad timing or whatever-- but it sure isn't Allen or Gruden's fault-- they were no where around when he signed the deal-- and have been in cap hell ever since they got here. Just how McKay didn't overpay him back then is amazing in itself. Next year we will be 20mil under by recent reports-- he should get his then-- the only viable option behind him is Kelly and Zemaitis and he is a rookie--Not any other corner on this team in the past 4 season has shown remotely the ability to step up and take over. So i have a feeling Barber will get his due-- it's just been a long time coming. But it surely is not the fault of the front office who has been cap strapped for every year they have been here and finally just were able to clear a minute amount of room this year.
I hope Barber retires a Buc and I hope they get him done soon-- because with the Tampa 2 being played by several teams now-- you sure dont want to let him hit the FA bin a bidding war.
BTW if any corner is underpaid on this team it is Brian Kelly who is hands down the much better cover corner. Barber is just more versatile.
I don't give a **** about anything related to Barber. The man can flat out produce and he's still playing at as high as level as ever. Give this ****er a nice contract to finish out his career, and let him retire in Tampa.
If he doesn't get re-signed this year, he's going to NY to play with Tiki.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tregrimmd @ Jun 24th ) [snapback]1595265[/snapback]</div>
Quote:
I don't give a **** about anything related to Barber. The man can flat out produce and he's still playing at as high as level as ever. Give this ****er a nice contract to finish out his career, and let him retire in Tampa.
If he doesn't get re-signed this year, he's going to NY to play with Tiki.
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idk, the Giants had their shot at getting Ronde in his prime and didnt make much of a run, and I'm pretty sure that was around the time our corners were Dave Thomas and Jason Sehorn. We drafted the wills instead of getting Ronde, and it was a great move!
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When Sean Avery was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Brooklyn @ May 20th ) [snapback]2006104[/snapback]</div>
The Barber brothers will always be my favorite non-Steelers because of being from my hometown.I hope Ronde continues to play at a high level for many more years.
End Of The Line For Ronde Barber?
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