At Least Two Homers
April 14th, 2014
Gerald McCoy is labeled one of only two strong draft picks from the first three years of Mark Dominik’s regime
No, Joe makes no apologies for being in the corner of former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik. Joe knew what his vision was for the Bucs and it made all the sense in the world.
But no matter how your vision goes, at the end of the day it boils down to wins and losses and there were far more losses with Dominik at the helm than there were wins. In retrospect, the only winning season the Bucs had under Dominik was fluky, beating a bunch of lousy teams in 2010.
Had Dominik’s draft picks worked out better, maybe he would have survived. That didn’t happen often. In a detailed review of Buccaneers draft picks from 2009-2011, Khaled Elsayed of Pro Football Focus claims Dominik nailed only two draft picks: Gerald McCoy and Mike Williams.
Gerald McCoy, DT (3rd overall pick in 2010): The top-ranked defensive tackle in the PFF 2013 rankings, McCoy has been everything he was supposed to be and more. A disruptive influence on every down, he has the kind of speed, explosion, and power that very few do.
Mike Williams, WR (102nd overall pick in 2010): The team may have traded him away for a sixth-round pick but let’s not rewrite history to say the team didn’t get excellent production out of the former fourth-round pick. He lasted 3,246 snaps for the team and was largely impressive in picking up 2,944 yards and 24 touchdowns. A great return.
So this is the task on the front burner for current Bucs general manager Jason Licht: Get a better return on draft picks than his predecessor. And Licht has a good chance to do just that with two selections (currently) in the first 38 (and a better head coach in place.)
If Licht hits two homers right away with those picks, then that will go a long way toward getting the Bucs out of their playoff-less rut and to securing his job long-term.
April 14th, 2014 at 7:24 am
And GMAC was a no brainer. The arguments leading up to draft day were which DT was best? Suh or GMAC? But there was an OVERWHELMING consensus that BOTH of these players were going to be impact players in the NFL. And guess what? The consensus was right. There are arguments to this day about who is better..Suh or GMAC. On draft day I leaned towards Suh. But I have not been disappointed by GMAC at all and in fact an argument could be made that aside from the injuries we got the better selection.
Now shift to QB. Do you see any players as can’t miss as GMAC and Suh? It’s the 7th pick. Can’t pull a Gaines Adams may he RIP. Nice guy that simply wasn’t 1st round talent. What is it about Clemson and overrated DL’s.
Somebody pointed out that Bowers had taken a long time to get through high school and college. His senior year he was playing against kids 4 years younger than him. There is a big difference physically and mentally between 24 and 20.
The 7th Pick!!!! I don’t care who it is just don’t miss!!!!!
April 14th, 2014 at 7:34 am
Dominick was very close of being the worst GM of all time. I think he would have ran away with the title if he did not get overbid on guaranteed money for Albert Haynsworth. I know a lot of the rockstar fans conveniently forget how much money he wasted on free-agents when he first took the job. Most of those bust did not even play for the team.
April 14th, 2014 at 7:43 am
I will give credit to Dom for being savvy at moving around on the draft. Didn’t produce much lasting talent for the team when Rah+Dom where picking but stocked us with good young draft talent once Schiano+Dom teamed up.
April 14th, 2014 at 7:52 am
@St.PeteBucsfan- I agree with your last statement-
don’t care who it is just don’t screw it up. There are just SOO many different scenarios as to who will be there when we pick I just hope we get who we really want WHATEVER position it is and that he turns out to be a fixture for many years as we try and rebuild this team.
April 14th, 2014 at 7:55 am
Lavonte?
April 14th, 2014 at 7:58 am
We got Williams in the 4th because of some of his off-field problems at Syracuse…..and guess what?…..the chickens finally came home to roost with MW19.
As it’s been said, GMC was an automatic success….so until 2012 with Martin & David….not much….perhaps Foster will turn out OK..
There are so many bad picks that I’ll just name one…..MYRON!
April 14th, 2014 at 8:03 am
Ira Kaufman @IKaufmanTBO Apr 12
Heading into their 20th year as Buc owners, the Glazers are 146-158 in the regular season. No wonder TB has been so active in the off season
Collapse
There are a lotta hands in this pot. Dom made his contribution!
April 14th, 2014 at 8:05 am
He was so good at moving in the draft that we didn’t get 1st pick last year and only 5 this year.. 2 picks out of how many? Dominik was an ok dude but terrible drafter.
If watkins or robinson aren’t there at #7, i hope we go defense: clowney, mack or donald.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:20 am
He’s a contract specialist. Nothing more.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:30 am
ODB, I think the Bucs contract guru’s name is Mike Greenburg. It was not Dom.
The villain IMO is Dom’s longtime scouting director and pal Dennis Hickey. He now swims with the fishes in Miami.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:33 am
Licht should do well in the draft. Dominick set the bar very low.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:36 am
Will see if coaching scheme can make players look bad. ie., Clayborn
April 14th, 2014 at 8:37 am
Alright, he’s a spiffy dresser. Nothing more.
😉
April 14th, 2014 at 8:39 am
The only ” 2 homers ” that the pop-star got is Joe and the little puppy!
April 14th, 2014 at 8:40 am
I don’t know how anyone can find anything good to say about Dom’s work in Tampa. He is not a contract specialist, child please. If you mean overpaying for free agents he’s special. Dom has pissed away more free agents, draft picks, money and time than any GM on record.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:41 am
Lavonte David? I’m a huge Dominik critic, but you have to give him huge credit for that pick.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:52 am
lavonte David???????????????
April 14th, 2014 at 8:53 am
Hilarious thee put GMC, the most obvious choice to be made, as a homerun, and not Lavonte David, easily Dominik’s best draft choice.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:53 am
Meh,
You’re right, he should be given credit for Lavonte David, but I think the article and the evaluation is for Dom’s first 3 years as a GM, 2009 -20011.
April 14th, 2014 at 8:54 am
correction: 2011
April 14th, 2014 at 8:59 am
How do we know if Dominick wanted LVD or it was Schiano…?
April 14th, 2014 at 9:00 am
Once again Lavonte David gets no respect from national media
April 14th, 2014 at 9:05 am
Once again, like a dozen people can’t understand the words they read.
And it only has to be 1 home run, if that home run is a grand slam. qb and de is the only way to get a grand slam in the draft.
bring on JF.
April 14th, 2014 at 9:09 am
The past is just that. It’s a new day in Tampa Bay. Out with the old, in with the new. Lovie’s in charge, I am enthusiastic about our Bucs future.
April 14th, 2014 at 9:09 am
I agree
April 14th, 2014 at 9:12 am
Wasn’t it a new day last year? I think the Bucs are really hoping for some old days in Tampa Bay; days where they win with familiar coaches and dominant defense.
April 14th, 2014 at 9:18 am
They are talking about 2009-11.Martin,David and Barron are all after that.
April 14th, 2014 at 9:25 am
LVD and Doug Martin…
April 14th, 2014 at 9:55 am
1-3 Gerald McCoy DT
2- Rob Gronkowski TE
2 -trade for 3, 4, 5, 6
3- trade for low 3 and 4
3- Navorro Bowman LB
3- Jimmy Graham TE
4- Mike Williams WR
4- Alterraun Verner CB
4- Geno Atkins DT
5- Kam Chancellor SS
5- Reshad Jones FS
6- Greg Hardy DE
6- Antonio Brown KR/WR
7- Victor Cruz WR
7- Sam Shields CB
In hindsight, everyone can be a draft genius.
April 14th, 2014 at 10:01 am
The Dave Kingman of GM’s.
April 14th, 2014 at 10:13 am
How were Martin and David left off this list? Garbage. Nothing to see here
April 14th, 2014 at 10:17 am
I come to praise Dom…..he put his heart and soul into the team’s biz. For starters, who knows if some of the young kids he drafted and who Lovie has since sent packing would have developed into stud players. Blount was misused and abused. Talib was a problem kid but evidently a great locker room guy. Mike Clayton…ok…everyone drafting and extending contracts can have one Clayton on their resume… but we’ve sent more talent OUT of the team than retaining….I give you, Darell Revis. Why? I know the explanation but really a future Hall of Famer. And Freeman? I never liked him but he certainly had the physical attributes needed….who knew he was a mental case? I could go on and on. Who annointed Morris and Schiano? Can’t pin that on Dom. So the guy worked as well as he could with what he was dealt. Don’t we all?
I wish the man nothing but success. He was decent hardworking family guy and totally devoted to the whims of the Glazers.
April 14th, 2014 at 10:25 am
Dom made his mistakes, but he’s not the only one. Two bad coaches in a row didn’t help!
April 14th, 2014 at 10:59 am
Haynesworth has stated NUMEROUS TIMES that the Bucs offered him more money, he just chose the Redskins because of the bigger market.
April 14th, 2014 at 11:25 am
Last we forget, Dominik was hired with the unfortunate responsibility to release, trade, and cut the aging players from the previous Super Bowl era. It was not popular with the fans but was why Dominic was brought in. Also let’s not forget (like Joe conveniently does) that the Glazers held a tight purse string during Dominik’s first few years and through Raheem Morris’s regime. It wasn’t until the new collective bargaining agreements rule that all teams will spend 80% of the cap that the Glazers made a new commitment to spend money.
Unlike Licht, Dominik was charged with overhauling an aging team, devoiding it of almost all of it’s veteran presence and having to compete with nothing but newly young drafted or walk on players. Yes, Dominik didn’t hit on every draft pick but along his tenuous reign, he did give us a good foundation of players for Lovie and Co. to work with. In hindsight, Dominik didn’t do that bad with what little money he was allowed to work with.
April 14th, 2014 at 11:36 am
@Celly
wrong, the Bucs did offer the bigger contract, ( it was more funny money on the back of the contract). But the redskins contract had more ” GUARANTEED MONEY” ,in their contract offer, please read again.
April 14th, 2014 at 11:58 am
JOE —
Seriously, what was Dom’s vision? Freeman was supposed to be the franchise QB. The defense never picked up an identity. The O-line was to be a bunch of free agents and re-treads.
What was the plan you saw and liked so?
April 14th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I would disagree, Watson was a great pick. Jacksonville signed him for multiple years. Same goes with lorig, he signed long term with saints. So does that make those two poor picks? Price had the freak injury and Benn never stayed healthy. Not a good class overall but compare to a lot of others and it’s good. The buc realist must have had a bad run in with Dominik. That’s pure hate man, not just mad.
April 14th, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Lou.:
1. Build through the draft. 2. Dominik wanted what all lasting-contender teams had: Strong quarterback, solid running game and a wide receiver that can stretch the field. He thought he had that in Freeman, Blount and Williams in 2010. Then everything went to hell.
April 14th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
I still can’t understand why some of you still want to give Dom all the credit for the two good drafts (which were more likely a case of Dom having Schiano in his ear telling him who he wanted). Look I won’t completely exclude Dom from the mix just like I won’t totally crucify him for having a boob like Raheem in his ear telling him to grab Freeman or any of the other several draft busts from the Morris-Dominick tandem, but do any of you really believe Dom could go from 3 years of flaming out on just about every draft pick to magically having solid drafts the last two years all on his own?
April 14th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Well, I never read that anywhere…..
Here’s my proof. Until you provide some of your own, I’m going to stick with my facts…
Haynesworth: Bucs offered more money than Redskins, but Florida too distracting
April 14th, 2014 at 3:33 pm
@Celly
He went to Washington and not only laid a fat egg but didn’t even try hard to succeed. So him saying that FL was to big of a distraction makes me think he is full of crap. It’s always about the money. Thats just my opinion.
April 14th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
I get it now. Mark would make a better rock star then a GM, right Joe?