The Countdown: 20 Worst Buccaneers Personnel Moves Of The Past 10 Years — No. 2
July 29th, 2015
It’s the countdown feature you’ve all been waiting for. Not really, but on the heels of last year’s award-winning “20 Worst Buccaneers Of The Past 10 years” feature, Joe had to deliver.
A list like this is highly subjective and toxic. Fits of rage were common during production meetings at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters. Scared interns soiled their pants. Full beer bottles were smashed, and a treasured Rachel Watson poster was accidently destroyed. But order was restored.
Current and former general managers and head coaches might not like what’s coming, but it had to be done. This is what happens when your team is 30-70 in its last 100 games.
No. 2 — Michael Bennett
Let’s think about this logically.
Michael Bennett proved to be a perfect fit for Greg Schiano in 2012. He was a monster defensive end against the run in the NFL’s No. 1-ranked run defense, and Bennett led the Bucs with nine sacks. He also was versatile rushing inside and on the left edge.
Yet at just 27-years-old, the Bucs let him walk away in free agency, despite Bennett wanting to stay and play with his good friend Gerald McCoy, and despite the Bucs spending huge in free agency that year.
It was revealed after that ’12 season that Bennett played through a shoulder tear, and the Seahawks signed him to a one-year deal for less than $5 million. In 2013, Bennett rewarded Seattle by leading them in sacks and wore a Super Bowl ring after that season.
So what the hell really happened in Tampa?
How could the Bucs let a talent like Bennett walk away, a guy that was developed in Tampa, after former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik signed Bennett off waivers midway through the 2009 season?
This remains one hell of a mystery.
Joe’s heard a wild range of explanations from stellar sources, and Joe doesn’t know what to believe, other than the move didn’t make a lick of sense.
Make no mistake. Bennett wanted to return to the Bucs. But he was unwanted.
The company line from Greg Schiano was that it was Da’Quan Bowers’ time to be a double-digit sackmaster. It was degrading chatter. Like Bucs fans were supposed to believe that the Bucs didn’t have room for more pass-rush talent.
The Bucs are still recovering. Three seasons later, the Bucs don’t have a defensive end of Bennett’s caliber.
No. 5 — Cutting Darrelle Revis
No. 8 — Da’Quan Bowers (2011 and 2013)
No. 9 — Re-Signing Blocking Icon Michael Clayton
No. 11 — Michael “Ghost” Johnson
No. 13 — Free Agent Inactivity After 10-6, 2010 Season
No. 14 — Scaredy Cat Dexter Jackson
No. 16 — Choosing — And Drafting For — The Jim Bates Defense
No. 17 — Drafting Cadillac Williams Over DeMarcus Ware
July 29th, 2015 at 1:55 pm
8 spots for Dominik related moves. Now to just put the hiring of Dom and Rah as the #1 mistake…
July 29th, 2015 at 1:58 pm
Pewter Report has consistently stated that the decision to let Bennett walk was made by the Glazers. Not much mystery to it, really.
July 29th, 2015 at 2:06 pm
Just remember Joe, Josh Mc Cown lead us to Famous Jameis…
“The Savior”
July 29th, 2015 at 2:11 pm
It’s really simple but the media can’t talk about it for fear of
their jobs (e.g. Sileo): The Glazers siphon money from the
Buccaneers to fund ManU. They don’t even like American
football, but they do like our money.
Great job, Joe. Don’t let this parade of lunacy/idiocy continue
unchallenged. L&L had better do a better job than their predecessors
and the owners need to get their collective heads out their arses.
Go Bucs!
Re-sign Bennett!
# No More! Together we can end Buccaneer fan abuse!
July 29th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
Go get junior gallette for vet minimum he is available….but he will go to dallas or some other team that is serious about winning
July 29th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
And why would a guy (Jr. Gallette) who played for 16 mill last year play for 500K?
July 29th, 2015 at 2:49 pm
Well, it sure looks like the “Rockstar” is a lock for number one now.
July 29th, 2015 at 2:54 pm
Your boy the rockstar dropped the ball on this one Joe, that shoulder excuse and Bowers hope was a pisspoor cop out for a irreversible mistake, idk if Bennett would’ve even wanted to stay with Schiano as HC and our pursuit of Revis in the same offseason. Bennett hasn’t missed a game since if I’m not mistaken, we’ve since held onto a 2nd round bust, signed a FA bust and are now employing a collective of unknown DEs to set the edge and rush the QB.
July 29th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Jeff jadoninsky hire or whatever his name is could be one of the remaining losers! That could have been worst than Raheem
July 29th, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Just waiting for ‘The firing of ‘Rockstar’ Mark Dominik’ to be named the worst personnel move of the past 10 years. It’s like a trainwreck, you want to look away, but you just can’t.
I mean, GM’s that lose 65% of their games over 5 years and leave their team a total mess afterward don’t grow on trees you know.
July 29th, 2015 at 3:13 pm
I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again…
Rah was the last person to lead us to a winning record…all on a budget.
Hiring him wasn’t the mistake; not spending money to get him more talent after that winning record was.
July 29th, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Smh..Remember something I said in the back in day on JBF
February 14th, 2013
With the interest being somewhat high on DE Michael Bennett. Wouldn’t it be better to use the Franchise Tag designation on Bennett during (Feb. 18th-March 4th) period and trade him to a proposed buyer.
DE: Franchise: $10.984
I like Michael Bennett don’t get me wrong. But we’ve been burned so many times in the past by signing ONE year WONDERS. Just because they put up a few decent numbers. A truly elite player, who has played at an elite level for multiple seasons, no doubt deserves to be paid like a (Top five player) at his prospective position. Because his consistent productions warrants it.
(98-Tkls) & (15-Sks) over 4 yrs is not elite. Like I said his numbers are comparable to Oaklands 6-6 285lbs (26yrs old) DE Matt Shaughnessy. Except Matt has 123 Tkls & 15.5 Sks over 4yrs.
Back 2009 the New England Patriots placed the franchise tag on Matt Cassel Giving the Patriots the option of matching any offer made by another team or allow him to sign with that team in exchange for two first-round draft picks.
They had visions of maybe a first round pick, multiple firsts. But ended up sending Cassel and Vrabel to KC for a second round pick (Hommie Discount)
Remember the Patriots also did this with defensive back Tebucky Jones in 2003 and cornerback Asante Samuel in 2007.
38 days ago defensive end Chris Clemons tore his ACL. And at 31 there are serious concerns about his future. Seattle is setting there at the 25th slot. Hey, maybe we can get a 1st & a 3rd or 4th. Who knows, but history has shown you dont have to give up two 1st rounders for a franchised player
July 29th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
*Remembering something I said on JBF, back in the day. (damn edit button)
July 29th, 2015 at 3:33 pm
A 10 win season sandwiched by a 3 win and 4 win season isn’t anything to puff out your chest about. Rah was also the last coach who lost 12 games in a row…
July 29th, 2015 at 3:51 pm
I can’t argue with letting Bennett go being this high on the worst move countdown list. I really don’t have a clue who will be number one.
July 29th, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Please note that Bennett is on a Super Bowl contender/favorite, and is already whining that he is underpaid and is threatening a holdout, and this ONE year into a four year deal.
He’s good, but, is he good enough to do that? Not even close. I wouldn’t want that kind of headache.
And, there’s no way the Joes will put Dom at one. I think he’s worthy, but, apparently they do not. At least in the way he’s been defended on here. I don’t see it happening.
July 29th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
Letting Bennett walk when he wanted to stay was a major mistake that we are still paying for.
Which leads to the #1 personnel mistake of the last 10 years.
HIRING MARK DOMINIK TO RUN THIS TEAM (into the ground).
July 29th, 2015 at 4:25 pm
#1 glazers
July 29th, 2015 at 4:30 pm
U know Joe’s, gonna express his undying LUV for Donald Penn at #1
July 29th, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Not only did Bennett want to comeback to Tampa, but his father told us (while at a tailgate before the season ending game in N.O.) that his brother Martellus Bennett, who would be a FA, also seemed to want to join the Buccaneers that offseason.
July 29th, 2015 at 4:43 pm
The failing of Josh Freeman will be #1. Spending a first round pick on a “franchise” QB and then having it blow up like it did…that sets a franchise back more than anything else on this list.
July 29th, 2015 at 5:22 pm
^^^^^^^
Hard to argue with you on this.
July 29th, 2015 at 5:39 pm
I with you Sean it’s either Dominick or Freeman. I’m going with Free wee.
July 29th, 2015 at 5:55 pm
#1 on the worst Bucs countdown lists over the last 10 years – this list by Joe!
July 29th, 2015 at 6:07 pm
trade of Michael Bennett……….And now Dominik’s failure is com-plete…….
July 29th, 2015 at 6:21 pm
TDTB…meh at least it helps us pass the time away.
July 29th, 2015 at 6:22 pm
No trade Buc Trooper…lol Bennett was let go!
July 29th, 2015 at 6:31 pm
BS CoverDeice. I read PR and have never seen that. Please site a link.
Glazes never have made personnel decisions for this club. They do not intercede in the roster and never have.
July 29th, 2015 at 7:38 pm
How letting a guy go that has never had 10 sack season ranks above failing on Brett Favre and Firing Chucky is beyond me but Hey, it’s not my site.
July 29th, 2015 at 7:57 pm
Buc-A-New
Ssh, that type of insight is frowned upon in this establishment
The Joe’s are masters at stirring the Pot.
July 29th, 2015 at 8:05 pm
There was rancor at JoeBucsFan headquarters about the Farve issue. One of the Joes didn’t believe Farve should be on the list because Ted Thompson was not going to trade Farve within the conference. Can’t blame Chucky for that.
As for Bennett, no he’s not a Hall of Famer, but he was the best end the Bucs have had since Simeon Rice and ever since they let him walk for no good reason, all you hear from the Bucs is whining about not having an edge rush and GMC cannot be effective without an edge rush.
Only thing Bennett did was lead the Super Bowl champs in sacks. So, yeah, Bennett very much so deserves to be this high.
July 29th, 2015 at 8:09 pm
drdneast:
No idea if PR ever wrote that but Joe has heard those whispers, too. Good luck getting anyone on record to admit that.
July 29th, 2015 at 8:32 pm
I know who #1 will be, lol.
I completely agree with the Bennett one.
July 29th, 2015 at 8:40 pm
@Celly – Agree with you about Raheem, who did so much, with so little.
We treated him like a red haired stepchild, after his winning year.
July 29th, 2015 at 10:48 pm
#1 will be Freeman
July 29th, 2015 at 10:50 pm
Freeman led us to 7 wins and franchise record passing yards in his final full season on a team that featured a pass defense that was 20 or so yards from being the worst OF ALL TIME! Drafting him was far from the worst personnel move of the past decade.
July 29th, 2015 at 10:51 pm
Good comments here today. As far as #1:
Freebee never occurred to me but it makes perfect sense when you
think about it. He went from a viable franchise QB to a pariah.
It can’t be RockStar GM Mark Dominick. Joe loves him too much
to put his hiring as #1. Now Joe may put his firing as #1, but I
don’t think he will.
I think #1 personal-move cluster-**** goes to the devolution
of Josh Freeman.
But who knows, Joe is unpredictable like Lovie.
July 29th, 2015 at 10:57 pm
Joe…damn yoou are a broken record man!
Since Bennett has left his been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Nothing about him in the national news being an absolute beast or stud…Instead, it involved him signing a really good contract last year with Seattle, and yet that wasn’t good enough this year, he wants to renegotiate in year 2 of a 4 year contract. He’s even threaten to hold out and/or the desire to be traded. Really? He’s starting to sound like a d!ck. Dude’s starting to believe in his own celebrity.
But I’m sure Joe, he would have been an absolute gentlemen if we would have signed and kept him.
One small note, for all his greatness, he still has yet to have a double digit sack season playing in one of the best NFL defenses.
July 29th, 2015 at 11:30 pm
Zoocomics:
So winning a Super Bowl and two NFC title games are wrong?
In the immortal words of Raheem Morris, “I will tolerate you until I can replace you.” This just in: The Bucs are now in their third season trying to replace him.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:21 pm
It was way back, and tbh I’m way too lazy to dig for it, but PR reported it in a Fab 5 column…the decision to let Benett walk was a Glazer Bros call. At the time I read it I remember thinking it deserved way more attention than it ever received. It was basically one or two sentences stating that Dominik and Schiano wanted Bennett back and Bennett wanted to do a deal, but ownership pulled the plug. That is undisputed in my book.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:54 pm
@ Joe
Quick question sir. Do you think the contract he signed with Seattle deserves to be re-negotiated?
You’re right Joe, I’m mistaken… Bennett would have taken a modest contract to stay in Tampa Bay, and would have been a complete gentlemen and model player. I’m sure we wouldn’t be hearing in the offseason of talks of being traded, or re-negotiating in year 2 of a 4 or 5 year deal would have never happened. Sure.