Mark Dominik Holds All The Cards
April 8th, 2013
Joe hasn’t seen Bucs fans this outraged since Raheem Morris was a Bucs head coach.
As days have flown off the calendar since the free agency dinner bell ran a month ago, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik has been playing a formidable game of poker. He hasn’t succumbed to the wails of Bucs fans who are beating very loud drums for him to sign anyone with a pulse not named “Myron,” no matter how much this player is a cripple, to help fill the Bucs’ historically rotten cornerback position.
It’s almost as if, in Bucs fans’ eyes, Dominik never signed Dashon Goldson.
The fervor has reached a point where Bucs fans have resorted to throwing rocks at postmen who deliver any sort of mail from One Buc Palace until Dominik signs at least a human lawn chair to play corner.
In many regards, this is a ploy to keep the price down on acquiring Jets corner Darrelle Revis. Rich Cimini of BSPN New York believes Dominik has played this game of high stakes poker beautifully, having boxed in Jets general manager John Idzik.
Quiet before the storm: Things are eerily quiet on the Darrelle Revis trade front, but don’t take that to mean a potential trade is dead. The draft is 18 days away, meaning John Idzik has two weeks to make perhaps the biggest decision he’ll ever render from the GM chair — keep him or trade him. If it’s the latter, the wheels will have to be put into motion a day or two before the draft, giving the other team a chance to examine his surgically repaired knee. But here’s the problem for the Jets: Only one serious suitor (the Bucs) has emerged. The 49ers, rumored as a possible suitor, signed CB Nnamdi Asomugha last week, albeit a modest deal.
Without a bidding war, the Jets will be hard-pressed to extract anything close to equal-value compensation. Why would the Bucs bid against themselves? Idzik could walk away, wait until Revis is healthy and try again before the Week 8 trading deadline, but that’s risky. By then, the Bucs probably will have addressed their cornerback need, perhaps with a first-round pick. From all indications, Idzik’s rebuilding plan is centered on acquiring as many draft picks as possible. His best and only bargaining chip is Revis. Would he sell off a pre-owned Cadillac for the price of a Chevy? The clock is ticking. All eyes are on the new GM, whose tenure in New York could be defined by this moment.
This is what Joe has been writing for days: First, Dominik has a backup plan; two actually. One is Eric Wright. No, he may not be a hobbled Revis but he certainly isn’t Myron Lewis, either.
Second, Dominik can pull a Bill Walsh, who drafted three defensive backs in the Niners’ first four picks of the 1981 draft, started all three and won a Super Bowl. Yeah, it helped one cornerback was named Ronnie Lott (coincidentally, the other starting rookie corner for the Niners that year was a cat named, wait for it, Eric Wright.)
Or, there is actually a third option: Keep Wright and draft a corner in the first round.
Joe listened recently to Gil Brandt and Alex Marvez, co-hosts of “Late Hits,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, and Brandt was of the belief that the Bucs could wrangle Revis from the Jets for a pair of second round picks. This seems to reinforce what Cimini wrote in the article linked above, in that Idzik, Cimini writes, is trying to stockpile draft picks.
Either way, Idzik has zero leverage on Dominik.
April 8th, 2013 at 9:38 am
I find all this speculation funny. From my perspective, Idzik has all the cards. He has Revis under contract for next year, and can always try to trade him as the season approaches, or just keep him and play him. Dumbinik has he worst CBs in the NFL and starting our season with them would mean an end to our playoff hopes.
April 8th, 2013 at 9:47 am
The Jets leverage is knowing the Bucs current CB’s are devoid of any Pro talent and they are desperate for Revis. Or they risk drafting a unproven Rookie. Bucs wouldn’t be in such a horrible spot if Dom signed a Vet CB.
April 8th, 2013 at 9:48 am
There are still a few CB’s in FA and we have the ability to grab Milliner I’m not big on getting Revis anymore, I’d rather have cap room to do what we have to do to make the TEAM better.( more than one position)
April 8th, 2013 at 9:48 am
1st, 3rd, and 6th round pick is the rumored price for the trade. We’d be nuts to make that deal. I get that Revis is (was?) a great player, but that is just too much to give up. Draft the best corner available, keep Wright and re-sign Barber.
April 8th, 2013 at 9:59 am
What are the Bucs glaring weaknesses? CB & DL, I wouldn’t be shocked if we forego Revis and draft 2-3 DL and 2-3 CBs and call it a day. We have Wright under contract and one of the best to ever play the position in Ronde, if he comes back or not, he is there for the Bucs to use as a coach/teacher.
April 8th, 2013 at 9:59 am
I never believed the trade would happen…and I never wanted it to happen. Think about it…if the Jets really wanted a higher price they would allow the Bucs to check into Revis’ health and negotiate a contract with him. If he were healing well, letting the bucs confirm it would help them decide to offer more.
Not letting them do so says there is something wrong there. Buyer beware.
I do like the Walsh idea though…but I would drafta CB in the 1st, 3rd & 4th…and us the 2nd on a DT. Use the later 4th on Landry Jones. Keep Wright…his salary doesn’t come close to hurting the cap.
If, in mini camps we end up with two good rookie CBs, cut Wright just before training camp or work out a new deal.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:03 am
@ AmbushBuc
“Idzik has all the cards”
I disagree with that, unless there’s another team out there that no one is reporting. If Idzik doesn’t deal Revis, and doesn’t re-sign Revis, and the fact that the Jets are insisting Revis workout with the team, there is no good outcome for the Jets. Possibilities if not traded:
– Revis injures himself during Team workouts. Revis can’t play in 2013, no one will want to trade him, and he will never play for the Jets again.
– Revis plays like a mortal coming off an ACL injury, doesn’t significantly help the Jets, and becomes a Free Agent in 2014 (not likely to get $15 mil a year).
– Revis plays phenomenal in 2013, and signs with another team after 2013, with the money he’s looking for.
* In any of these scenarios, Revis could sign with the Pats, Dolphins, Bills or Giants, and be a constant reminder of failure of this deal getting done.
The Jets may have an ok year next year, but unless they at least make the AFC Championship game with Revis playing well, not doing this deal will look like a failure on Idzik’s part.
The Bucs on the other hand, without this trade, can still sign a Veteran like Quentin Jammer or Sheldon Brown and draft 2 or 3 CBs. While having Revis would likely provide a better pass defense, unless we actually set the record for futility in Pass Defense, the defensive backfield will be improved.
Would getting Revis be a better outcome for the Bucs, absolutely, but in the event they don’t, the Bucs are in a better position to look good without the trade than the Jets are.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:12 am
Don’t blink Dominik. Don’t blink. There’s enough talent at CB in this draft to at least improve the roster at the position. The talent isn’t great, but it’s adequate. It isn’t worth giving up too many premium draft picks and a huge contract for one player. Whatever happens, I hope Dominik doesn’t let the idea of seeing Revis in a Bucs uniform cloud his judgment.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:35 am
@ T in O.
My exact thought. If Revis goes down or even makes a poor showing and the Jets are sunk.
I’d rather trade up for Milner or down for Rhodes than blow the picks and cap space on Bevis.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:40 am
On the field Revis is an obvious upgrade, off the field Revis not so much.. the 2 sides to this guy balance each other out and when you add in what we have to give up to get him… He’s just not worth it. I say keep our draft pics and wait for him to hit Free Agency next year if we want him that badly. The Jets are a joke of a franchise no doubt. But Revis is just as much of a joke. We dont need him… Screw what the fans want. The off season is about getting your team better however they see fit. Not however the big mouth fans see fit.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:41 am
@Bird Doggers
I may be one of the few giving credit to Dom for not blinking. We signed a top flight safety and brought in some decent depth.
Better to be diven crazy waiting for the draft than lamenting us selling out for one player.
April 8th, 2013 at 10:53 am
Every morning when I check Joe’s sight, I hope to read that the Bucs have come to their senses and pulled out of the Revis Sweepstakes. Still hoping………..
April 8th, 2013 at 10:57 am
Seriously some of the things i hear on here make no sense….sign quenton jammer or sheldon brown? really!!! its ignorant to sign someone for the sake of signing someone especially old and washed up players who cant beat out cb’s on our roster. We did win 7 games playing with UNDRAFTED cornerbacks. we lost most of our games with the adderall twins starting, you only draft 2-3 dt’s and cb’s if you dont have faith your drafting starters people and who does that, 2-3 dt’s like someone is taking gerald mccoys spot.
April 8th, 2013 at 11:01 am
If we can rid the Jets of their problem without losing a 1st round pick, then by all means let’s help the poor guys out. If not, let’s pass. Let’s build through the draft and sign whatever corner is left in free agency. Remember the game last year in ATL? I’m pretty sure it was the only game all year we kept safety help the majority of the game. Our corners looked much better. Maybe we don’t need Revis.
April 8th, 2013 at 11:02 am
Team defense and system corners got the job done here for years. The more the D pursues shutdown corners the more the D gets torched.
April 8th, 2013 at 11:03 am
we didnt draft cornerbacks in the 1st or 2nd round last year and the panic wasnt this bad, no tight ends drafted high, no dt drafted high but we can do all that this year people and maybe even a right tackle with ronde playing the slot instead of out of position at safety…believe it or not were all ready better than last years team…players that will be backups this year got valuable playing time
April 8th, 2013 at 11:05 am
What some do not realize the disfunction at the CB position was due to the fact of lack of pass rush and bad scheme. The CB’s on the team isn’t as bad as they seem (minus Myron Lewis.).
If Schiano wanted CB’s in free agency someone would have been signed by now. Like Schiano said they did an end of the year evaluation of all the positions so I’m pretty sure there is a plan.
April 8th, 2013 at 11:22 am
build thru the draft,
Believe it or not the EXPECTATION is for the Bucs to be playoff bound in 2013.
Bottom of the barrell for long enough now, time to become relevant.
April 8th, 2013 at 11:24 am
Sneedy16,
our pass D is a beatiful disaster. Combine: crap sack totals, crap CBs holding down the fort.
Our Pass D was almost the crapiest ever last year.
Is Dom going to do a “good job” at fixing the secondary, or will it be another “crap season” (no playoffs in 2013?)?
April 8th, 2013 at 11:33 am
Mr. Patrick and many other thoughtful posters here are right, imo. The trade costs being bandied about are crazy. And too much emphasis on one man. Keep that No. 1 pick for a DT. Improved pass rush will greatly improve our CB stats. No Revis!
April 8th, 2013 at 11:54 am
@stevek
I do not understand your post.
April 8th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Almost any CB would improve our secondary. When they were discussing Tampa’s secondary on the NFL network, they nailed it.
” if you listed the 6 worst CBs in the NFL, they would all play for Tampa Bay.”
I realize some of you don’t understand just how horrible our CBs are, but we will not win many games, unless we replace most of them.
Revis is too expensive for this team. If we were a playoff team- it would be a great trade.
But we aren’t. After this off seasons loses, we are rebuilding. Again.
Better to draft some great rookie CBs. Next year, we draft DT, TE, RT, and LB. Backup De,QB, and RB.
April 8th, 2013 at 1:30 pm
Screw Revis. Draft 3 CBs. Let them play… We weren’t gonna in the SB this year anyway. This team still has too many holes to fork over a boatload of draft picks for one guy who is mostly a pain in the a$$.
April 8th, 2013 at 3:00 pm
“Would he sell off a pre-owned Cadillac for the price of a Chevy?”
If this were the beginning of a new Revis contract, I’d say he’s worth this years #1, ….but….
As it is right now, this is Revis’s last year and the Jets will get nothing for their pre-owned Cadillac next year if they don’t try to trade him for the price of a Chevy now.
I can’t believe they want so much for a player they are going to lose anyway. It’s BS and I think Dominik should stick to his guns. In fact, the more Idzik postures and delays, would give me more reasons to back-out on some of the compensation. Hell if Idzik keeps it up he will be lucky to get the price of a Pinto.
Here’s my New York’s ultimatum….. “Take it, or leave it now”…
April 8th, 2013 at 3:30 pm
@ T in Orlando
“Would getting Revis be a better outcome for the Bucs, absolutely, but in the event they don’t, the Bucs are in a better position to look good without the trade than the Jets are.”
you nailed it man. I couldnt have said it better myself.
April 8th, 2013 at 6:32 pm
Sounds to me that Domonic looked at his cards and folded. Time to rethink next hand!