The Bradley McDougald Mystery
December 11th, 2018
Story behind departure.
Actually, it is no mystery why the Bucs let safety Bradley McDougald walk in the spring of 2017.
Bucs fans are used to defensive players leaving and becoming starters impacting other teams. Former Bucs coach Lovie Smith may have been the absolute worst guy in the NFL at gauging talent. He was (is?) positively brutal at player evaluation and Joe is convinced the Bucs are still trying to climb out of the hole he dug.
How’s this for a list of names who made their bones on the defensive side of the ball:
Darrelle Revis (ring with the Belicheats), Mark Barron (starts for the Rams), Mason Foster (starts for the Redskins, including 2015 playoffs, 6th in the NFL in tackles), D.J. Swearinger (starts for the Redskins, top-10 in the NFL in passed defensed and interceptions), Rashaan Melvin (starts for the Raiders) and Jonathan Casillas (ring with the Belicheats, and later captained the 2016 playoffs-bound Giants).
Sure, after getting a ring with the Belicheats and banking one more monster contract with the Jets, Revis has retired and now works for a digital sportsbook outfit. Casillas, it appears, is out of football as well.
The rest of those guys in that group? Well, the Bucs have had to spend valuable draft capital and Team Glazer loot at their positions, which is a big reason why the Bucs are the Browns of the NFC.
Just think: Instead of drafting safety Justin Evans, if Swearinger were here, the Bucs could have drafted running back Alvin Kamara. If the Bucs still had Foster, a middle linebacker, instead of drafting Kwon Alexander the Bucs could have drafted center Shaq Mason (yes, Joe knows Mason was moved to guard) and the cash later spent on Ryan Jensen could have been used to buy guard Andrew Norwell… you see how this works?
Last night, most of America watched the Seahawks absolutely shut down the Vikings on Monday Night Football. Naturally, Joe got questions about why the Bucs didn’t keep safety Bradley McDougald, who starts for Seattle.
The way Joe hears it, McDougald and his agent tried to shake down NFL teams, including Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, for way more than he was worth after the 2016 season.
The fact McDougald stayed on the free agent market for 13 days suggests teams either didn’t like his price or just didn’t like McDougald. Of course, Seattle signed him to a one-year prove-it contract at $2 million and he proved it and hit the lottery last spring, a three-year deal for some $14 million.
Joe can’t pin McDougald on Lovie since he wasn’t coaching the Bucs when McDougald left. But it seems the vast majority of NFL teams didn’t think McDougald was worth the asking price and they turned their noses up at him and walked away like a puppy sniffing a pizza with pineapple on it.
It happens.
December 11th, 2018 at 10:40 am
No that was a Blow out. They won by 2 TD’s. Just as the Saints Beat the Bucs by 2 TD’s.
December 11th, 2018 at 10:51 am
This happens all of the time to other teams also……sometimes players simply play better with a change of coaching and scenery….
How about Adams, for example for us…..maybe Minter…..Nassib?
We have our share of players from other teams who are performing well for us.
December 11th, 2018 at 10:56 am
Don’t think it is a pattern that so many left here and got better?
You know:
A) The dumbarse coach at the time couldn’t evaluate talent.
B) The dumbarse coach at the time was too lazy to coach up the players?
C) The dumbarse coach at the time couldn’t coach up the players?
D) All of the above.
December 11th, 2018 at 11:12 am
Finally someone else says whom the Bucs missed by drafting Justin Evans. Alvin Kamara.
Just more on the scale of fan justice leading to Koetter and Licht walking the plank slowly in over-sized leg irons.
Have a nice swim!
December 11th, 2018 at 11:14 am
why bring lovie in this?….as you stated, he didnt let bradley walk….lovie gave bradley a chance to play in the league after the chief waived him….obviously lovie saw his talent and was in the process of coaching him up before he got the short hook…..
you should talk about sweezy…..you know, the guy who dirk and licht signed…..the guy who dirk couldnt coach up…..the guy who is now being coached up by competent coaches and succeeding….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2018 at 11:23 am
Swearinger was here but played like he had no interest in being here. . . I can remember watching him halfass it in practice.
This team has a losing culture and FA and draft picks dont feel like they have to play at 100%. Zero team leadership helps insure there is little to no accountability.
December 11th, 2018 at 11:26 am
Alvin Kamara wouldn’t have the same impact here as he does in N.O. He’s featured heavily in thier passing attack, which we don’t do with our RBs and the Bucs can’t run a stretch play to save their life. Koetter only uses RBs as checkdowns in his passing game, Payton uses them as weapons.
December 11th, 2018 at 11:28 am
guys go to winning cultures with great coaches and the become rejuvinated, work harder and enjoy it more.
December 11th, 2018 at 11:37 am
Guys that can playthat get out of Tampa to a good team with good coaches wake up every morning like They are George Bailey for a wonderful life coming home to his family after jumping in the river. Hopefuly one day, we will have a great coach with great position coaches. Gotta draft or pick up a few great players that are leaders too like Hardy was.
December 11th, 2018 at 11:40 am
Forgot Talib, Spence, Bennett……….. Probably a few more too……………. UGH #itsabucslife
December 11th, 2018 at 11:44 am
bucnole and 75
i agree…..
dirk wouldnt know how to use AK…..and DJ never made an impact….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2018 at 11:54 am
You really must have an axe to grind with Lovie. The thing is, Jason Licht was here for every single player that was brought in during those two years and you cannot separate the two. Every good decision, along with the bad, made in 2014 and 2015 belongs to Lovie as it did to Jason Licht.
Yet, it was Jason Licht that wrested control from Lovie Smith by firing him. How has the team done since then? Not very well. It was Licht that hired a low tier coaching staff. It was Licht that whiffed on the 2016 draft. It was Licht that’s drafted players in 2018 that have not been impact players. Not one! It was Licht that drafted a kicker in the 2nd round. It was Licht that signed Chris Baker, JR Sweezy, extended Drug Shamster…I could continue but I won’t. Unless the Bucs win out (which they won’t), Lovie’s last season as head coach was better than Dirk’s last two seasons as head coach and he had far more talent to work with.
If there is anyone solely responsible for the disaster that has been the Buccaneers over the past five years, it’s Jason Licht. His record is worse than Mark Dominick’s. Look at how many teams have turned it around during Licht’s tenure. Heck, look at the Bears this year. Bring in the right coach and a couple of key players and now they are serious Super Bowl contenders with a QB that is not very good IMO (but somehow he’s having a better year than our QB with lesser targets). Even if you choose to be blinded and believe Lovie is to blame for everything, three drafts and three free agency seasons are long enough to turn a team around!
December 11th, 2018 at 12:04 pm
hahah Coaches
Nope.
Losing attitude in the lockerroom PERIOD
NEW ENGLAND DOESNT PUT UP WITH IT
WINNING TEAMS DONT PUT UP WITH “Oh well we lost played flat”
They fire even good players
Look at the lockerroom
This team will not change until the LOCKERROOM CHANGES
December 11th, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Coaches and General Managers need to be on the same page about what players they select to fit their system. General Managers just pick players because they’re good.
Just because a player is good doesn’t mean he will be good in Tampa. General Managers just see a good player and draft them just because they are a good player.
What they need to do is figure out what subtle things players need to do well at in their position, and what their playing style is in order to fit into the offense or defensive system.
This is why Bill Belichick is so good, he understands this, and is the GM and the head coach. Bill Belichick does not draft good players, he drafts players good players for his scheme, which is why most of them suck when they go to different teams.
Can’t wait for Bucs GM and Head Coach to connect the dots
December 11th, 2018 at 12:06 pm
Bet the Bucs wished they had Mc Dougald and Tandy both back about right now!!! But both are probably glad they aren’t with the disfunk Bucs Fiasco!!!
December 11th, 2018 at 12:21 pm
It’s not a mystery- poor evaluation and judgement. I was so angry that day. Fire Licht now.
December 11th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
I always thought McDougald was good and wanted him to stay. I think he had some behavioral issues if I recall correctly though? They are not happy with Norvell up here in JAX btw.
December 11th, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Signing Derrel Revis is up there with the Booker Reese and drafting Roberto Aguayo moves, the revis moved cost the bucs a legit defensive lineman for years to come
mcdougal was ok here in tampa but a huge upgrade over anything on the roster now and you put back swearinger and baron and have a competent GM and coach then the bucs may have been int he playoffs by now but moves like revis and penn moves and ughh the bucs leadership is dog crap
December 11th, 2018 at 12:40 pm
bad coaching
December 11th, 2018 at 12:43 pm
D-ROME
thats exactly what im thinking….lol…for some strange reason, whenever this current staff embarrasses itself, joe(s) loves to bring up the lovie…..as if lovie had 4 former 1st rounders on defense, PB LBers and a secondary full of 1st/ 2nd round picks…..
lovie must’ve nailed the joes daughters at the same time….and they loved it…lol….
i hope joe brings up how horrible this staff is once the new staff arrives….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2018 at 12:54 pm
There’s only one player that remains from the “Legend of Boom” days that currently start for the Seahawks n that player is Bobby Wagner. McDougal is a product of the system n great coaching. Seahawks brass has officially started the “Legend of Boom II”. Meanwhile in Bucland…who’s on first, etc,etc,etc.
December 11th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Joe still thinks that the Darelle Revis trade debacle was a good move just like he believes Mark Dominik is a “rock star” and Jason Licht should blame all of his failures including his 27-50 record on Lovie Smith.
Joe, I know you have trouble with this but let me remind you: Aquib Talib, Brent Grimes, DRC and Sean Smith were ALL free agents that year. All of them signed contracts for 6 million a year or less. They have ALL performed better since then (more INT’s and PD’s) since Dominik traded the 13th overall pick which became Sheldon Richardson and a 4th round pick for the right to give Revis 16 million for a year.
The trade was horrific given the available options. Why would you trade the 13th overall pick and a 4th rounder for the worst available player of the five coming off an ACL tear and pay him over 2 times the amounts the others received?
Only Joe would approve of such a deal. Hail to the Rockstar and 50 Loss Licht!
December 11th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Still Jabbin at ole Lovie Dovie aye there Joe? Coulda’s/Woulda’s/Shoulda’s make great script. Like 813bucboi says, How bout Easy Money Sweezy? and quite a few others. And how bout dumpin Koetter and Co in the Bay? Throw in Licht right along with him..make it a..double dutch delight! Get some Football operational and coaching know how for the Bucs lest they go down in history as being one of the worse NFl teams Of All Time.
December 11th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
We let him go because he can actually defend a pass…. In Tampa you gotta be able to give 10 yards of off coverage and never touch the ball as CB / S to start. Hence the reason Licht likes conte grimes combo of doom. #lichtmyballs
December 11th, 2018 at 1:21 pm
@Joe … “Don’t think it is a pattern that so many left here and got better? You know:
A) The dumbarse coach at the time couldn’t evaluate talent.
B) The dumbarse coach at the time was too lazy to coach up the players?
C) The dumbarse coach at the time couldn’t coach up the players?
D) All of the above.
Kudos Joe, that looks like a really FUN game. Is ‘D’ right, huh? But before I go the ‘All of the Above’ route, which ‘dumbarse coach’ are we talking about? Bucs have had far more than one dumbarse coaches since ’76, so I need more specifics. Oh and could we add dumbarse GMs to this game, huh? It’d make it more interesting (and probably easier). Come to think of it, I want to add dumbarse owners to your game also (that’d make it a LOT more fun and even easier IMO). After all, all of our owners have either been named Culverhouse or Glazer, and both families have enjoyed spectacular success with this team. Oh wait, I was thinking of the Rooney & Kraft families. My bad.
December 11th, 2018 at 1:27 pm
“@BuccanEric75
great post and so true
the JBF offensive guru Klueless not only is a terrible playcaller but he cant judge talemt and use skillsets/players correctly”
Kobe Faker
December 11th, 2018 at 1:32 pm
Meh… I’d take Kwon. Plus Foster simply wasn’t a good fit for this defense, he was just too slow. I said at the time he’d start for a 3-4 defense and probably look good there, where he could be an inside run stuffer, but as the middle in a cover 2/Tampa 2/even base 4-3, he just wasn’t a good fit. Kwon was an excellent pick, there’s no way I’m taking that off the board.
As for McDougald it was a flat out stupid move. You dump him, one of the guys with promise, but keep that piece of trash Conte around? Are you kidding me?
December 11th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
like a puppy sniffing a pizza with pineapple on it.
Nice!
December 11th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
FIRE the GM!
December 11th, 2018 at 2:42 pm
Jimmy Johnson cut Emmit Smith’s backup Curvis Richards after Richards fumbled twice in the 4th quarter of a game. When asked why Johnson said he didn’t trust him in the playoffs.
Fast forward to Isiah Johnson holding on a punt return 40 yards from the action and what does Dirk Koetter do? He makes him a starting safety.
And there boys and girls is why you have winners and losers.
December 11th, 2018 at 3:09 pm
Ya but he wasn’t on the practice field of multiple years for those other teams that passed on him..
December 11th, 2018 at 3:36 pm
Lovie had final say on every player on the roster. If Lovie didn’t want a player, he was gone. Period.
December 11th, 2018 at 4:47 pm
you do have an axe to grind joe….either that or your just a hater….lol….
why do you keep bringing up these players?….outside of revis, none of those clowns you listed ever sniffed a PRO BOWL….
you acting like lovie cut revis in his prime or traded barron after he made all pro 2 straight years….lol….
dirk has ran this team into the ground…..look at players like VHG, spence, rojo……1st and 2nd round picks that have yet to develop under dirk….not developing 1st and 2nd round picks will set this team back years….
grind the right axe joe!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2018 at 6:15 pm
It’s all on Licht. Any coach is going to have thwarted success with this team’s personnel.
December 11th, 2018 at 8:57 pm
More reasons to Fireeee Licht!
December 11th, 2018 at 9:04 pm
We need new Owners, Owners that care about Football and Nothing Else!!! Then everything else will fall into place……Bucs4Life! Go BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2018 at 10:21 pm
om S. Says:
December 11th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Joe still thinks that the Darelle Revis trade debacle was a good move just like he believes Mark Dominik is a “rock star” and Jason Licht should blame all of his failures including his 27-50 record on Lovie Smith.
Joe, I know you have trouble with this but let me remind you: Aquib Talib, Brent Grimes, DRC and Sean Smith were ALL free agents that year. All of them signed contracts for 6 million a year or less. They have ALL performed better since then (more INT’s and PD’s) since Dominik traded the 13th overall pick which became Sheldon Richardson and a 4th round pick for the right to give Revis 16 million for a year
___^^__^^________^^^^^
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one of the worst trades in NFL history.
December 12th, 2018 at 3:33 am
One of the worst trades? LOL! Does your memory only go back like 4 weeks or something?
This is a team that gave up the #2 pick in the draft for Chris Chandler.
This is a team that gave up the #1 pick in the draft for Jack Thompson.
That’s just off the top of my head.
Also that draft with Revis could have been much worse since all the rumors had the Bucs trying to trade up to get Dee Milliner. Revis, if you don’t remember, went on to play more productive years – so all the Bucs had to do was to not cut him. It was an idiot move to cut him, but compared to probably giving up a 1st and a 3rd or maybe a 2nd to get Dee Milliner, it wasn’t a bad move at all.