Cadillac Needs Help Getting Through 2010
April 6th, 2010
Much like Joel Glazer, who recently proclaimed his primary goal is Super Bowl hardware and stated “money will never be an issue when it comes to building [the Bucs],” Joe only cares about winning championships.
Therefore, Joe remains baffled that Bucs personnel czar Mark Dominik is seemingly choosing to go young with his team at every position except running back.
What’s the point?
Cadillac Williams is hardly part of the Bucs’ championship future when he’s playing on two damaged knees and needs help getting through a season.
So how does Joe know Caddy needs help to get through the upcoming season? Why Greg Olson said so to eye-RAH! Kaufman, NFL writer for The Tampa Tribune.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for both Derrick and Earnest,” said Olson. “Part of the reason Derrick was signed was our concerns about Cadillac Williams coming back from two devastating knee injuries. I didn’t think he’d play last year, but Caddy played well for us. We will play Derrick more this season so we can get Cadillac through another year. We’re going to utilize all of them, but there’s no doubt spreading the football among three backs is difficult.”
Joe loves and respects Cadillac as much as the next guy, but he doesn’t fit Dominik’s alleged script. And if the offensive coordinator admits now that Cadillac’s got durability issues, then Cadillac has no business on a rebuilding roster. Plus, Derrick Ward turns 30 before the season starts. He hardly fits the rebuilding mold, as well. And both he and Cadillac on the 2010 roster is ridiculous.
One of the Bucs’ many problems last year was an unwillingness to come clean with the fan base — and themselves — to just admit they were in a rebuilding year and acknowledge the growing pains ahead.
For Joe, carrying a stable of old running backs stinks of the Bucs making that same mistake again.
Per the USA Today salary database and John Clayton, of Kremlin-based BSPN.com, Ward signed with the Bucs for $6 million guaranteed and already has taken home $5 million. Surely, the Bucs can’t be keeping him because of money.
There’s no reason to have Ward and Cadillac both on the roster. One is enough. All those carries should go to someone who might actually help the Bucs in years to come.
If Joe were GM, he’d be looking for running backs of the future to add to the team immediately — in the draft and on the rosters of other teams.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Does our Caddy come with an OnStar button?
[operator] Hello, OnStar here
[Caddy] Help, I’ve blown out my knee again.
[operator] Help is on the way, I’d stay on the line but I’ve gotta watch Derrick Ward run the ball now.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:21 am
They signed Ward last year, and tried to go after fat albert, before they got their asses handed to them for an entire season, then pivoted and started this “rebuilding plan” nonsense.
The Dream has already stated that the only reason to go see the bucs is to “watch the growth”.
Can anyone imagine Parcells, Bellichick, Shula, or any other good coach saying such a thing?
April 6th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I like to see the bucs get ryan matthews from fresno state if spillers not available!
April 6th, 2010 at 10:44 am
I like Matthews quite a bit, the only problem is he really raised his draft stock with a great combine. He looks like a late first rounder now though. I can’t see this team going RB with their early 2nd, but if Ben Tate is on the board with our late 2nd pick, we should probably pull the trigger.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:44 am
if we get a young rb now he will have plenty of mileage once rebuilding is done..
best choice is to stay with the current ones and get a fresh one when we are *there* imo
April 6th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Don’t be so quick to count out Caddy. I’m sure you all watched as many Buccaneer games as I did last year and saw the flashes of brilliance that we all know Cadillac is capable of. This was coming off of a major knee rehabilitation! Now, maybe this off season is just what he needs to make his knees even healthier. Look at Willis McGahee(check spelling), he had major ACL surgery in his career and look at him now, he was the number one red zone scoring RB in the NFL last season! It’s not unfathomable that Cadillac could get a few more good NFL seasons in, especially considering his well known work ethic!
April 6th, 2010 at 11:32 am
I say the Bucs go for Lagerrette Blount in the 4th round, he as some fight in him and I think he would be great on the O
April 6th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Williams will probably be gone after this year, but neither Graham or Ward have seen the normal wear and tear that most runningbacks at thier age have seen. They still have a couple of good years left in the tank due to thier under use, especially last year by the pass happy Olsen.
April 6th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Why does Cadi need help? Either the knees are healed or they aren’t. They may be fragile and subject to re-injury, but help is not the need. Cadi ran his ass off last season. Olson is an idiot and please kick him to the curb with Clayton. I would rather see Hovan play WR and Roy Miller call the Offense. The team is on an upswing, but it’s time to take out the trash. It’s rotten and it stinks, bad.