Thin Roster Doomed Bucs
July 23rd, 2014
Former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon was outraged that Tiquan Underwood was a No. 2 receiver for the Bucs
Why is Lovie Smith the Tampa Bay head coach and Jason Licht their general manager? Simple, said former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon. It was the thin roster last season.
Yesterday, Gannon, co-hosting “The Blitz” with Bruce Murray, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, did a drive-by shooting of a preview of each NFC South team. He went off on the Bucs.
Gannon, who Joe is sure is still a bit irked Chucky was fired five years ago, believed the Bucs had a starting cast last year capable of doing damage, he railed on the lack of depth and blamed it for why the team has had such an upheaval in recent months.
In particular, Gannon was aghast that the Bucs had the nerve to promote former wide receiver Tiquan Underwood to No. 2 receiver.
“I think the Glazers made the moves for two reasons: They didn’t see enough of a return on their recent investments in free agents and [in] the trade for cornerback Darrelle Revis. And finally, Schiano’s team failed to show significant improvement from the starters in the second half of the season,” Gannon said. …
“Lovie Smith is their fourth coach in six years, so I think that tells you something about where this franchise is. Why didn’t they win? There are plenty of reasons why. They had an inexperienced quarterback play for 13 games and they had 16 players on injured reserve. That really hurt. Every team has injuries but if you look at the injuries combined with some bad drafts and bad personnel decisions led to a lack of depth.
“There is no way a guy like Tiquan Underwood should have ever been a No. 2 receiver. He spent the first month of each of the last two seasons on the couch doing nothing. That doesn’t happen unless you miss on guys like Arrelious Benn and Kevin Ogletree, who was released a month into the season. It was one mistake after another.”
That’s a thing Joe has noticed with Lovie. There is depth on this team. For example, Louis Murphy will never be confused with Jerry Rice and likely won’t be anything more than a No. 3 receiver. But he is sure as hell is a better receiver than Underwood.
The secondary and the defensive line has impressive depth, with a former second-round draft pick likely to be the last man on the totem pole on the depth chart. Running backs, shoot, a guy like Jeff Demps may not make the final-53.
If Lovie has done nothing else, he has built depth.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:03 pm
“combined with some bad drafts and bad personnel decisions led to a lack of depth.”
= Mark Dominik #1 on the Bad Buc list.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:18 pm
@ODB – It’s Schiano or the whole list loses credibility.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:18 pm
ODB,
You know it!
Marky D. = #1 worst Buc in the last 10 years.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:19 pm
Patrick,
Schiano was hired by Dominick.
Dominick is the King of Joe’s Top 20 countdown.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:22 pm
Freeman is number one
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:29 pm
@steve – I can’t see that being the case. Dom put a number of people on the roster that Schiano sent packing only to have them succeed that year with another team while our team floundered. That’s talent evaluation. Add to that poor game day coaching, a chaotic locker room, and all of the embarrassing shenanigans surrounding the team last year, I can’t think of anyone that is worse in the last 10 years. Raheem was a bad coach but he shouldn’t have been there in the first place. That’s not his fault. It was the team front office being super thrifty. Schiano was sought out and brought in to be a head coach and he was just miserable at it
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:33 pm
@Patrick
Dominik either hired, drafted, signed or resigned 75% of the list, and as Steve said, he was the one that hired Schiano. Let’s place blame with the guy responsible for so much badness. Mr. 28-52, Mark Dominik.
Dominik also drafted Freeman. Whether by choice, or by listening to Raheem. Not sure which way is worse.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:35 pm
No. 2 — Eric Wright – Signed by Dominik
No. 3 — Jeff Jagodzinski – Hired by Morris/Dominik
No. 4 — Albert Haynesworth – Signed by Dominik (he also outbid $ the Skins initially)
No. 5 — Sabby Piscitelli
No. 6 — Myron Lewis – Drafted by Dominik
No. 7 — Byron Leftwich – Signed by Dominik
No. 8 — Edell Shepherd
No. 9 — Jerramy Stevens – resigned by Dominik
No. 10 — Jim Bates – Hired by Morris/Dominik
No. 11 — Gaines Adams
No. 12 — Keydrick Vincent – Signed by Dominik
No. 13 — Dre Moore
No. 14 —Kevin Ogletree – Signed by Dominik
No. 15 – Sean Mahan
No. 16 — Da’Quan Bowers – Drafted by Dominik
No. 17 — Daniel Te’o-Nesheim – Signed by Dominik
No. 18 — Kyle Moore – Drafted by Dominik
No. 19 – Jeremy Trueblood – resigned by Dominik
No. 20 – Michael Clayton – resigned by Dominik
If credibility is lost, it would be by not naming Dominik. It’s right there in black and white.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Dat hair!
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:38 pm
@ODB – You can’t blame Dom for Freeman losing his mind. In fact, you might even say that Schiano contributed to Freeman losing it. He was a promising QB this time last year and after he was drafted there’s really little that the GM can do to develop the QB.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:42 pm
This is why there is so much optimism surrounding the nice this year. In every year prior we had a few really good/great players then there was a huge drop-off in talent. We now have a few really good/great players mixed with a bunch of good/really good. I’d even say we have a bunch of average to above average players all across the bored acting as depth . This equals success.
Go Bucs
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:44 pm
@ODB – how many of those on the list were either signed or resigned by Dominick when the Glazers maintained the lowest payroll in the NFL? It’s hard to convince FAs to come to town when we gave up a ton of draft picks to get Gruden and then he proceeded to tank our drafting the rest of the time he was here. The team wasn’t good and Dom had no money to offer. He was going to have to settle for whoever would agree. Granted, there are a couple on there, Wright specifically, that it doesn’t apply to but that hardly makes him the worst Buc in the last 10 years
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:44 pm
It was a bad pick before he lost his mind. Even Joe, of all people(s) will admit to that.
He was always all physical tools and no accuracy or brain. This was a guy who struggled with accuracy in the big12, where passing defense goes to die. Look at the passing numbers for all QBs his years starting at K State.
Did Freeman ever flash signs? Sure. But, his stats AND record prove that he was always more bad than good, even before Schiano got there.
It’s weird, I saw at least 50-60 grown men on that roster in Schianos time, and one lost it. It’s amazing how resilient all those other guys were in the face of Schiano. Were they all robots? Or maybe it was always on Freeman?…….
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Off topic but Boone is not reporting to the 49ers camp. It’s a pipe dream. But it would be so sick if we scooped him up. I’m pretty sure we have the available cap space for him.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:47 pm
@Patrick
Did it stop him from offering MORE $$ than the Redskins for Haynesworth?
Schiano will work for an NFL team before Dominik will. I’m not saying Schiano was a good head coach. But, he knows way more about football than Dominik does. And it showed.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:49 pm
Freeman completely melted down the first game of the season. His mic in the helmet went out and instead of just calling a play, or kneeing the ball or SOMETHING….he freaked out looking over at the sideline and got one delay of game penalty after the other. This is a five year QB who just finished an entire offseason healthy and can’t even keep his composure when his helmet mic goes out??? I was a huge supporter of Freeman until last season. He blew it bad. Schiano did as well along with dominik but Freeman obviously didn’t have his head screwed on straight. Meanwhile guys like Ryan Fitzpatrick and Chad Henne having shots at starting….he doesn’t even have a prayer. That’s why I’m happy to have McCown here. He’s obviously not the long term solution but it could be fun to see him finish his career in Tampa as the starter and winning games. GO BUCS!!!
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Patrick,
Take away Freeman’s demise as a player and just look at what HE (and his Agent Erik Burkhardt) did to get his release from the Bucs.
The NFLPA still has it’s tail between their legs because they know one of the players (and agent) is the rat.
Dominick is #1, Schiano was hired by #1.
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:51 pm
I’m not saying Freeman was a gem. He certainly had plenty of blemishes and you could see on his face on game day that he was weak minded by the way he always looked like he was flummoxed and in over his head. I’ve never been a Freeman supporter. I just cannot give Dom the nod over Schiano. I feel like Schiano should have to knock on every door in Tampa and apologize to the citizens of the city for the pestilence that he brought to town the last two years
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Come on Patrick are you seriously one of these guys blaming Schiano for Freeman’s mental collapse!? Are you going to blame Frazier or Coughlin too? Josh’s problems start and end with Josh, if he needed to be coddled like he was with Morris then he was never cut out to be an NFL QB. Hopefully the guy can get help and get himself together again, but it’s looking less likely with every opportunity he blows (a point further driven home by the 3 teams that cut him in less than 12months and his current unemployment).
July 23rd, 2014 at 3:57 pm
@ TOTL – Again, there’s nothing Dom could’ve done about it once he was dratfted. Remember, Freeman is the guy that led the team to how many fourth quarter comebacks. That means that, at one time, he had a certain amount of intestinal fortitude. Something happened in his life, whether it was a bad match with Schiano or his personal life or whatever, that was out of Dominick’s control.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:03 pm
O line….the only place lacking depth.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:06 pm
@Patrick
Freeman was having problems way before Schiano came here. Remember Esiason’s comments of what happen to Freeman, that was before Schiano was hired.
Also a couple of 4th quarter comebacks against very bad teams, does not mean “instetinal fortitude” . why did he always disappear in games when he played a team over .500?
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:13 pm
I think Glennon and Schiano will tie for 1st on Joe’s list. I mean, with all the talent Dominik loaded this team with, those two should have had the Bucs in the Super Bowl last year.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:13 pm
@Realist – I think you’re perceiving this as a defense of either Freeman or Dominick. I’m not defending either of them. Merely saying that there are mitigating factors that make them not #1 worthy. Schiano had no redeeming qualities. He had a couple good drafts but a draft is not where a coach makes his money. That would be great if Schiano was one of our scouts. #1 means without a shadow of a doubt and all I’m doing is providing a shadow of a doubt for Dominick and Freeman
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:17 pm
Really people we don’t need to go beyond last year. It was the worst year in the past 10! All commanded by “The General” himself.
Game plans and game adjustments can created loses. I’ll take a bad plays or draft picks over a loses any day.
After the draft is up to the head coach to create the best scenario for the team. This repetitively did not happened. The seem lost in space.
Many times we saw this team unable to do anything offensively on the 2nd half. That damn Dominik was calling the wrong plays! Yes it was Dominik who told Schiano at the SF game, “General you best stop running the no huddle offense. Glennon is getting bored with the simplicity of this scheme! The Cannon needs more difficult scenarios. Don’t worry about winning. Joe from joebucsfan.com will not be upset with you…. I promise General! I Promise! Just keep running the stunts defensively and the game is ours.”
I repeat. There is no need to look beyond last year to find one person who contribute to the most to losing games in the past 10 years.
Schiano had more talented players than Raheem. Yet he masterfully up graded us to LAUGHINGSTOCK II.
It really is simple from my view. I’m sure it is also from yours. But the question is – Who does Joe see clearly as No. 1??? Hmmmm suspense…
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:19 pm
“Again, there’s nothing Dom could’ve done about it once he was dratfted.”
Joe knew enough at the time to call him a bust in waiting. I grimaced at the pick. It’s hard to teach accuracy. He’s never had it. That was Dominik’s fault. Especially as his FIRST 1st round pick. The guy you give the keys to the franchise to. Dominik then went about committing more $$ to help Freeman “It’s all about 5”. It’s ultimately on Dominik. It’s not like Freeman went elsewhere, got better coaching, and lit it up. 5 years, never one with back to back great seasons.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:19 pm
correction- The coach seem lost in space.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:22 pm
How about the Shianomik Demon as #1?
Poor management met poor coaching and it was a complete disaster.
Clear cut No 01
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:22 pm
if Schiano had stayed, he would have to go 5-11 to TIE Raheems record. nuff said.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:24 pm
The head coach and Ronde Barber, a very well respected player and the only one left over from the glory years when he took the job, both said they wanted him. This after the head coach just spent a ton of time watching Freeman play at K State while they were there together. I don’t fault him for trusting those guys.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Joe I respect your loyalty to your comrades. But C’mon brotha-There’s no way Dom’s not #1. He’s a good dude no doubt-But he was a terrible GM his 1st time out.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:34 pm
Mike Lombardi keeps getting GM gigs, so I’m sure DOM will one day.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:37 pm
The biggest losers historically, and especially even the last ten years, have been the fans. We have had to endure some pretty crappy football while ownership had their hands in our proverbial pockets. Blackouts are no fun but are the result of fans finally saying they have had enough. We need stability, and I think we are finally heading into that direction but who could fault any fan who remains skeptical.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:39 pm
*Lol, but hey some how you tried to defend Derrick Ward-so there’s no way DOM’s #1
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Dunno I preferred last year to the pathetic display of heartless football we witnessed in 2011. That will forever be the lowest point in Bucs history since donning the pewter and red. That was all on Rah
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:42 pm
@Patrick
I 100% fault him for it. Think about it, you’ve been working your way up for over a decade. You finally get your big shot, and you defer to a guy who has never been in personnel, and is a first time head coach. Ronde? What would Ronde know about scouting college QBs in the Big 12? That’s terrible to trust anyone, but, especially unqualified people. He worked in PERSONNEL for crying out loud. So, he trusts NON personnel people? That might actually be WORSE than choosing him on his own.
July 23rd, 2014 at 4:46 pm
@ODB – He was trusting a DB who had been studying QBs his entire career and a DBs coach who had been teaching people to study QBs. Those guys know what they’re looking at when they put on the tape.
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:05 pm
1) They were clearly wrong.
2) They’d never worked on a draft. Raheem is still an assistant coach, NOT drafting QBs to this day.
3) I wouldn’t want Deion Sanders drafting my QB. Great players aren’t automatically talent evaluators. That’s why you hire talent evaluators.
I’m really glad Licht isn’t a Yes Man.
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:11 pm
I think Tanard Jackson should have been on this list, because he obviously isn’t going to be #1. How many suspensions did he have?
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:14 pm
@ODB – All valid points. I’m not saying that you’re wrong. Just saying that those are factors that make me say that Schiano is a much, much better choice for the top spot. I’d be interested to see if there’s a way that we can actually press criminal charges on Schiano for what he exhibited during his time here.
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:19 pm
I will first admit I didn’t read every post here. But seeing all the shiano bashing really confuses me. Do you guys not see how much better our draft classes were with him here? Did you not see he came in and did what the glazers wanted. Well I’m sure they wanted to win as well. But don’t you guys remember Atlanta just destroying us 42-0 at half time. We had a bunch of cry baby quitters on this team. Shiano came in and implemented a no slacking type of atmosphere he helped guys accountable for loafing, taking plays off, not practicing well, and not loving the game.
I’m sorry guys I don’t see why all the hate. I’m not saying he should still be the coach. But I’m saying he left this team in better shape than he got it (selected draft picks wise I mean). And notice alot of the key leftovers Are his picks. Can’t we give the guy some love for that?
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:23 pm
@Eric – I know you said that you didn’t read them all but I did give him credit for his drafts. If he were a scout then I’d give him a gold star. He’s a coach though and he’s responsible for winning or at least exhibiting a proper game plan in a loss. He did neither.
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:27 pm
Schiano was a terrible gameday coach. Awful. Rigid. Uncreative. Deplorable.
But, I think he knows football. I think he knows talent. And, he also was likely tasked (Glazers) with douching out all the malcontents, criminals and lazyarses that Raheem let stick around. He did that.
Ultimately, I think Dominik did more longterm damage to the team.
If we disagree, that’s fine. But, that’s my rationale.
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:33 pm
@ODB – I think you’re right. I’d love to have Schiano as a Butch Davis type on the team now where he’s simply in charge of consulting for us. I don’t want him to be responsible for anything that he could have go awry but I’d be happy to have him give his input.
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:37 pm
Demps will be on this roster id like to punch joe the drama queen right in hi man boobs
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:44 pm
In 2011 after the 5 game lost in a roll you knew what was coming. It was obvious the players gave up on Raheem.
In 2013 we had better players making an effort to execute a Rutgers game plan with Rutgers state of the art adjustments.
2011- Bad dream- predictable by the end- disappointment
2013 – Frustration/NIGHTMARE!
IMO
At least I’m awake now…
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:52 pm
@Patrick in VA – I honestly felt bad for season ticket holders. I thought they were owed a refund for their wasted time & money. The Glazers should deduct it from Schiano’s paycheck….
July 23rd, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Schiano for honorary head coach. That’ll work.
July 23rd, 2014 at 6:12 pm
We could give him a couple part time roles. Let him be the food and thermostat quality control manager and also a talent evaluation consultant
July 23rd, 2014 at 6:14 pm
@eric2706- I’m with you about Schiano doing some good things. I agree. But for the “list.” His game plans and adjustments created many loses which are worst than a bad draft pick or bad plays by a player.
BTW in that game against Atlanta he allow the d-line to go after the QB with less stunts…Hmmmm
July 23rd, 2014 at 6:19 pm
@TDTB – Essentially, you can look at every little window of success that we had last year and attribute it to the team going against the Schiano gameplan. Whether it be the no huddle, d-line attacking the QB, or whatever. Once we stopped doing what he wanted them to do then we saw success
July 23rd, 2014 at 6:35 pm
@Patrick in VA- I wouldn’t be surprise… I’m glad is over
July 23rd, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Schiano had a couple of good drafts but some of you guys make it seem like he was just hitting homeruns all over the place when it came to talent evaluation. Levonte David was probably the best pick of his entire time coaching the Bucs and, while he could be great, the rest of the guys he picked don’t blow me away. How many players did Schiano get rid of because they weren’t “Buccaneer Men”, whatever that means, went on to flourish once they left and got on with a real NFL coach? As far as Raheem Morris goes he was destined to fail when ownership insisted on not paying for top notch players to cover their own mistakes with Gruden and his ill-timed contract extension. The only positive about the last 4-5 years is that the team wasn’t stuck with bad contracts with below average players and no way to get rid of them without financial ramifications. Mark Dominic made a lot of mistakes in his early drafts but with below average coaches to bounce his ideas off of I can understand why he had so much trouble. In my opinion the only ones to blame for the current state of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Glazer brothers because ultimately the buck, pun intended, stops with them when it comes to any all decisions regarding the team.
July 23rd, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Joe
No one mentions the good players that Dominick brought to the Bucs, so I don’t think it is him and Schiano was trying to turn the team around, no I think Josh Freeman’s lack of leadership and juvenile behavior deserves the top spot. He was paid the very big bucks and he did not produce not because of talent, but of character and carelessness for the team.
One day and a wake up as we said in Vietnam until the new dawn of an NFL season.
Please give us an update on Rachel.
July 23rd, 2014 at 9:21 pm
“…There is no way a guy like Tiquan Underwood should have ever been a No. 2 receiver…”
Hey Panthers. You hear that?!
July 23rd, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Dexter Jackson (Appalachian State) surely has to be #1. I think he plays in the South American Futbol league now.
July 23rd, 2014 at 11:07 pm
No depth on offensive line. Lovie is treating the OL just like Dungy did, as a red headed step child.
July 24th, 2014 at 8:49 am
Single-best play of Tiquan Underwood’s career came on a drop. 3rd and long against the Panthers in Charlotte (the Doug Martin fumble/not fumble on the goal line game) in the 2012 season and he took a helmet-to-helmet hit by a Panther which drew a 15 yard personal foul penalty.