“The Glazer Family Decided To Spend A Lot Of Cash”
July 19th, 2021
Team Glazer
Joe often references the Team Glazer vault.
This time, it’s a man who knows the inner workings of Team Glazer talking about their cash-spending habits.
Joe is referring to former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, a Team Glazer employee for nearly 20 years.
Dominik dove into the construction of the 2021 Bucs on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week and served up a few keys to the stunning retention of talent.
“The main thing … the Glazer family decided to spend a lot of cash. They just did,” Dominik said. “And typically when I was there as the GM or in the organization, we spent. But this year they spent a lot of money. And I think they looked at and said, ‘That was a lot of fun. Like we spent almost 20 years without a Super Bowl. That was great. Let’s do that again.'”
Dominik explained that Team Glazer likely looked at Tom Brady and embraced the limited years they have with him, as well as how well he’s playing, and moved all-in when it came to up front layout of cash.
“So it starts there with the commitment,” he said.
After Team Glazer, Dominik said the biggest keys were reducing the combined salary cap hit of Tom Brady and Donovan Smith, from more than $42 million this season to $14 million via restructured deals and kicking cap hits down the road.
From there, Dominik dove into his belief that Lavonte David took a fair deal but a hometown discount, and Leonard Fournette found the predictably unpredictable running backs market and the Bucs were fortunate to retain back.
As for the many voidable contracts the Bucs signed — meaning big cash bonuses now and dead cap later — Dominik said it was impressive and bold how the Bucs gambled on key free agents returning and had a willingness to spread significant dead cap over three seasons.
On the ominous front, Dominik said he’s confident that Chris Godwin wants (and did want) north of $20 million per season. He added the Bucs surely have a firm number on how much they will spend on the receiver position.
July 19th, 2021 at 5:14 pm
its amazing Godwin could ask for 20+ a year compared to the #1 WR on the team being compensated around 14 million per season.
July 19th, 2021 at 5:32 pm
Let’s start looking for our first round LT. I wanna see a legit battle for RG between Stinnie (27) and Cappa (26) in OTA.
July 19th, 2021 at 5:43 pm
I love Godwin but 20 mil? I think not. Plus, I don’t think any team would give him that.
July 19th, 2021 at 5:45 pm
Huh – Evans restructured twice to get upfront cash bonus and lower average annual salary. He’s actually closer to 18 million.
July 19th, 2021 at 6:12 pm
I like Godwin too. But I’m still not sold on him being a number one receiver. Without Evans or AB on the field defenses would be able to focus on Godwin. As we saw in the playoffs when defenses get better coverage on Godwin he struggles. Can you imagine a scenario in the future where Godwin is the number one wide receiver and he’s seeing double up coverage.
July 19th, 2021 at 6:24 pm
Very insightful analysis by Dom. Hadn’t thought in terms of us ‘kicking the cap hits down the road’ by a full 3 years with ‘big cash bonuses now and dead cap later’. But that’s really the classic definition of ‘going all-in now’ in my book. Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead.
July 19th, 2021 at 6:29 pm
Stinnie no doubt was a serviceable back up but that’s it. He managed to not make too many mistakes. Cappa is more than serviceable he is a positive upper level pro. They can battle it out in training camp but I don’t see Stinnie winning the job at all. I don’t think it will be close to be honest.
July 19th, 2021 at 6:29 pm
The Glazer Kids didn’t wanna spend a penny when Mark Dominik was here. Was an impossible situation. I’m letting Godwin walk or getting rid of Evans bcuz we’re gonna need $40mil to sign Aaron Rodgers
July 19th, 2021 at 6:33 pm
SOEbuc … Both Cappa & Stinnie are making peanuts (compared to Smith, Marpet & Jensen). Stinnie will be under contract for 2022, but Cappa will be a FA looking for his 2nd contract after this season. I’m sure that it’ll be a battle to see who starts from Day 1 of training camp.
BoJim … I can’t see any scenario in which Godwin gets even close to $20 mil. Actually I don’t even think they’ll re-sign him (too costly). We’ve got some big-time producers who’ll have to be re-signed next year, and the Bucs have several excellent WRs (ME13 & AB among them) who’ll still be under contract.
July 19th, 2021 at 6:35 pm
@Medicated Pete … “I’m letting Godwin walk or getting rid of Evans bcuz we’re gonna need $40mil to sign Aaron Rodgers”.
You’re slacking off on the medication Pete. Up the dosage.
July 19th, 2021 at 6:41 pm
^^^^^^^What DR said^^^^^^^
July 19th, 2021 at 6:46 pm
Medicated pete i guess you were asleep when dom and schiano was spending
July 19th, 2021 at 6:54 pm
I am suprized Shaq Barrett and his team friendly deal was not brought up. But i guess thats too old of news.
I think where team Glazer got this Championship ball rolling was when they signed Bruce Arians in free agency. If yall can remember when Bruce was first interviewed he told us how instrumental the Glazers were in his decision……Im betting during that time the Glazers assured him that they were willing to invest a crapton of money into the personal and get Bruce the pieces that he needed. We already knew from the start they spent big to give Bruce the coaching staff he needed.
I have had my fair share of critism of the Glazers over the years but now its time to give credit where its due. The Glazers certainly earned it.
Thanks for this article Joe. Its very easy to overlook how big of a part the owners play in all this and its very easy to give Brady all the credit. We needed a reminder.
July 19th, 2021 at 7:11 pm
Godwin can be signed for less than 20 plus …… if he passed up a three-year deal that a guaranteed 16.5 he would be nuts……. He doesn’t create the separation to be a number one receiver and he’s not 6’ 5 ……… Hell he’s barely an out wide guy at all he continued to excel upward in the slot ….. love the guy but be real ………. Runs 4.4 ,, plays 4.6 , avg seperation at best ,,,, great hands ( but not so great last year) , a contested ball Beast !! 10 mil Rec. boosted by Arians / Slot and top three passing offenses and Brady !!
July 19th, 2021 at 7:15 pm
They spent what the league mandated salary cap said they could spend, nothing more. Dom makes it sound like they went beyond that. Very misleading article.
July 19th, 2021 at 8:15 pm
Godwin will have to be All World to get close to 20 mil. Bucs have plenty of depth at wideout. Possible trade?
July 19th, 2021 at 8:34 pm
If Kenny Golladay can get 18 mil per year in free agency, that would have to be the floor for Godwin I’d imagine.
Anyone can “want” anything in a negotiation. Where it settles is a completely different story.
July 19th, 2021 at 9:00 pm
Glazers were all in & Bucs front office did an amazing job… They also hired alot of great coaches & spent big on medical/ sport science as well with Glazer LOOT!!! Love It… Just Win Another SB BABY!!!
July 19th, 2021 at 9:20 pm
Who saw NFL Total Access tonight?! Siiiiick!!! Check out the part about our Champs! Awesome
July 19th, 2021 at 9:32 pm
Trade Godwin now for a first. The comp pick will be at most a 3rd round 2021 pick
July 19th, 2021 at 10:51 pm
After next season Godwin will have gone 2 ina row without 1000 yards. (Evans will probably get it tho) I can’t see any team paying a receiver $20 mil whose only had a single season with 1k yards
July 19th, 2021 at 11:38 pm
So I ran into Tom at a local bodega, he was picking up a couple of Cuban sandwiches, and he said this year they’re going to run a no-huddle offense, now that his knee is better…
July 20th, 2021 at 5:54 am
“…north of $20 million per season….” !!
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i’m sorry but Chris G numbers don’t add up, for that price. I don’t think we going to be in a better position in offense, that we are this year… so trade him. Save some cap $$, make him happy as well….You can’t have a healthy team while paying $20M+ to a 2nd WR. Simple as that. But, I hope he comes to his senses….
July 20th, 2021 at 7:05 am
Don’t get greedy Chris when the rest of the team is willing to make sacrifices you alone don’t make this team so be sensible
July 20th, 2021 at 8:08 am
For the players, its about guaranteed cash…..the “per year” number is a loose term. I would be interested in what Godwin is seeking in guarantees. I think he gets tagged again, maybe the numbers will eventually work when Trask can play but there will be a year or two to bridge in between.
July 20th, 2021 at 9:32 am
So many projections of Chris G as a team player and WR skills, all off an ex GM’s speculation. I’m not as smart as all of you, but younger, bigger, stronger, and nontoxic, is way more valuable than AB. If Brady goes down or balls don’t fly his way AB becomes a malignant tumor, while Godwin works harder to help the team. You may feel content with the WR lineup now in the glow of a SB, and I always agree that a trade for value is always prudent (not a Licht specialty), but please don’t compare CG to AB, who has only ever played on a loaded Bucs team with the goat, and for only a part of a season while on best behavior pending criminal charges. AB never endured Winston, didn’t play with a broken hand, and was surrounded by gronk, Evans, cg, and (imo) the best o-line. Note how whenever AB was out a rookie/diminutive WR was reasonably successful in his absence. CG got his 1k yds on a team with a Labrador at the helm, a spotty online, perpetually upcoming TE play, and an injured Evans. Apples to Apples, I’d trade AB
July 20th, 2021 at 10:02 am
Too bad they won’t spend cash on Manchester United.
July 20th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
If some idiot team wants to overpay for Godwin, more power to em. No way in hell is Godwin better than Mike and especially not Brown if he regains his old form. 20 million is far too much to pay for an injury prone receiver without a single elite trait or outstanding season. If he blows up this year, I’d think about it, but man, he’d better be Jerry Rice esque before having the balls to ask for that kind of a contract. Licht, please don’t be dumb like Dallas! Overpaying for Amari was almost as dumb as overpaying for Zeke and Dak. What a mess that shlub team is.
July 20th, 2021 at 8:39 pm
CG has better hands and runs better routes than ME. You can cry all you want about dropped passes in 2 playoff games; he had a broken hand. But to say he’s injury prone is laughable. Every player with a hangnail gets labeled injury prone by some of you. But you ignore that title to the actual most injury prone player on the team, Gronk
July 20th, 2021 at 10:03 pm
@Merlin
Even if you shared the same magical abilities as your namesake, you couldn’t change the hardly laughable reality that Godwin in injury prone. Missing six games in two years is injury prone. Godwin being better than Mike at anything is debatable, but there is no debate about Gronk being injury prone, so I agree with you on that one.