Offseason 2008 Wish List: Part 1

Wide Receiver: Last year I thought it was a good idea to push off getting Joey Galloway's replacement until this offseason because there were so many other needs. After seeing what happens when Galloway is even a little hurt, it's obvious that now is the time. And not in the draft; the Bucs need to take the plunge in free agency and get a wide receiver that is ready to contribute now.

Chad Johnson would be nice and he is talking like he wants to get out of Cincinnati. Also, Larry Fitzgerald is going to be due $14+ million in salary for 2008 and I don't think the Cardinals can justify it. Either of those guys could be ripe for a trade and would quickly provide a deep receiving threat. The trouble is, what will either of those teams want for those players in terms of draft picks? The "Randy Moss for a fourth rounder" deal came about because that's specifically where Moss wanted to go and his reputation was damaged in Oakland (surprise!). Both Johnson and Fitzgerald have been productive, and outside of Johnson's usually-for-fun smack talk, neither of them have character issues.

Another possibility is Javon Walker, who has indicated that he's not real happy in Denver anymore. Walker is another guy who can stretch the field, but this is the second team he has grown tired of and requested a trade from. Is he a locker room distraction waiting to happen or does he just need a different environment? He was worth a second rounder to Denver a couple years ago but he has been consistently injured since then.

Jerry Porter of Oakland is set to be a free agent in 2008, is a talented receiver and a real douche. Maybe Jon Gruden, Bruce Allen and possibly Bill Callahan, who were all with him in Oakland when he was drafted in 2000, can bring out the best in him and his ridiculous belt. Or maybe he's just a lost cause who Al Davis should put a hit out on.

Those are about the only possibilities I can think of for "big name" wide receiver acquisitions this season. Some receivers will make it to free agency after their contracts are up this year (David Patten and Jabar Gaffney, for example) and there are some that are available right now (Doug Gabriel, maybe?) but no one that will make an opposing defense think any differently about the Buccaneer offense. Since Arizona's in a difficult position with Fitzgerald, I would probably concentrate on working a trade for him and re-structuring his contract to make it more reasonable.