MVN - Most Valuable Network

Shockey A Buccaneer?

There is news that the Bucs have expressed interest in Jeremy Shockey. As if the Bucs don’t already have enough troubled tight ends. They are starting to corner the market on tight ends like they have on quarterbacks. Since this is still a rumor, let’s hope the Bucs show absolutely no interest in him at all from this point on.

In his 7 years in the league, Shockey has 371 receptions for 4,228 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has long been considered a cornerstone for the Giants team, an irreplaceable leader, if you must. Whether the quarterback is Eli Manning or Kerry Collins, Shockey seems to be the go-to favorite. He was a 4-time Pro Bowler, and the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year in 2002. In 2005, he was rewarded with a contract extension, making him the highest paid tight end in the league, at $26 million for 6 years.

The biggest testament to me, about a player, is their character. We all know what happens when a player has a Michael Vick character, or a Pacman Jones character. While Jeremy Shockey isn’t killing people or dogs, he is becoming notorious for being self-absorbed. At the end of the 2007 season, Shockey insisted on more playing time or a trade. Neither happened. What did happen was several injuries and vastly reduced playing time. Even though he did play, his selfishness kept him grounded, giving rookie tight end Kevin Boss the opportunity to make a name for himself.

To me, the most telling moment about Shockey’s character came during Super Bowl XLII. He was injured, and could not play. In fact, he didn’t even dress. But instead of sitting on the sideline with his team, he was up in the owner’s box, sipping on champaign, becoming inebriated by the fourth quarter. His selfishness is what kept him in the owner’s box, as did GM Jerrey Reese. He made Shockey sit in the owner’s box. If Shockey weren’t so selfish, sitting down with the team wouldn’t have been a problem. But because of the way he was acting, Reese decided it was better that Shockey stay away from the team. Months after the Giants had won, Shockey skipped the team’s ring ceremony. Even if he was mad at the team, he should have been there to receive his Super Bowl Ring. His most recent dispute was a shouting match with Reese, proving that he does have character issues.

The Bucs would be at a loss if they took Shockey. He has been battling injuries for the past few years, and his character issues and high maintenance could cause a plethora of problems for the Bucs. Jerrramy Stevens keeps his mouth shut. So far, Aqib Talib has kept his mouth shut. But if that’s something the Bucs want Shockey to do, then they will be sorry.