Signing Davin Joseph A Priority
March 4th, 2011
Mark Dominik, the Bucs rock star general manager, tries to pattern himself after two of the best general managers in the NFL: Pittsburgh’s Kevin Colbert and Green Bay’s Ted Thompson. Both of those front office executives believe signing a big-named free agent will result in an outbreak of the ebola virus.
Yet the two teams are two of the best organizations in football. Colbert and his Steelers have the hardware to prove it. It doesn’t hurt that Danny Snyder and Jerry Jones, a pair of owners who throw cash at players like Joe would roses at Rachel Watson, own two of the more dismal organizations in the NFL.
But when it comes to signing a big-named free agent, Dan Parr of ProFootballWeekly.com believes Dominik would be wise to keep one of their own: right guard Davin Joseph.
Protecting the new face of the franchise, QB Josh Freeman, is a top concern for GM Mark Dominik, and having Joseph back in the fold is a priority. Joseph, the starting right guard who was selected to the Pro Bowl at the end of the 2008 season, is coming off a broken foot, but it’s expected that he’ll get an offer from Tampa Bay if he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Joe has long heard that with the Bucs, “it’s all about No. 5,” quarterback Josh Freeman. So Parr makes a whole lot of sense. And Joe has a hunch Joseph will be signed, whenever football returns. Dominik will play his cards much like he did last year with left tackle Donald Penn.
As for shopping for a name replacement for Joseph, Joe sort of had an epiphany while flying to Dallas Super Bowl week reading a long feature about Thompson who even in his days with Seattle, scoffed at signing other team’s free agents. In short, he claimed if said players were good they wouldn’t be turned loose and that the vast majority of free agents are overpriced for their age.
Then Joe looks at Colbert and who is a better general manager than him? Seeing these two men, and seeing what Dominik did in last year’s draft and what Chucky did and didn’t do — he was a frequent shopper for free agents — Joe has come to the realization that breaking the bank for free agents is fool’s gold.
March 4th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Shelton Quarles arrested for DUI .. What a joke
March 4th, 2011 at 10:05 am
It doesn’t help Joseph that he’s had to play along side Trueblood his whole career. It does help to have a better player next to you along the line and I think James Lee or possibly an early draft pick this year could help Joseph reach his full potential. I really see no negative in signing him unless they deem his foot injuries as chronic, in that case he will probably never be 100% throughout his career.
March 4th, 2011 at 10:37 am
Joe, how does the extension effect Free Ageny?
March 4th, 2011 at 10:39 am
On joseph, if they don’t sign him or he walks…we will go Oline with our first pick.
A couple months ago Raheem stated on the radio that their number one priority this off season is protecting the quarterback. Maybe they were already planning to target Oline in the draft, but in later rounds. Davin leaving would make it a must earlier.
March 4th, 2011 at 10:53 am
Pete Dutcher:
It doesn’t. The league year ended last night. No player movements until new CBA is set in stone.
Only “transactions” that can take place are trading draft picks for other draft picks.
March 4th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Pete Dutcher ..
You take that out of context .. He said its all about 5 .. And also said an Impact Defensive player that can force turnovers and get the ball back to 5 is the same theory.
March 4th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
There are thousands more draft busts, hundreds more first round busts than free agent busts. Often free agents feel like bad deals bc of the money paid, but that also happens with a team’s own free agents. Look at the mike clayton and dom deal.
The only factor is the player irrespective of how acquired: read dimitrioff’s quote: i.e. You shouldnt have a philosophy of draft or free agency, you evaluate the player and make a decision – that is the patriot and now falcon way. It works. Teams walling off fa are trying to fool the fan base bc you must draft fa is elective.
March 4th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
I will agree with the above statement that people have a more vivid memory of free agent failures than draft failures due in part to the money involved (and previous exposure the player had). You rarely see people lament a failed 4th-7th round pick but you’ll hear people mention Angelo Crowell, Todd Steussie and Mike Nugent who were free agent equivalents based on relative cost.
I will take issue with Parr noting that Joseph was ‘selected’ to the Pro Bowl in 08. He was an alternate who got in due to injury. I do think Joseph will get a bid from a team that is more than he’s worth or the Bucs are willing to pay because of his draft status, alternate pro bowl bid and relative youth. I imagine a shade under a Faine-type deal is on the horizon for him.