2007 MVN Writers’ Mock Draft-Buccaneer Preview

JD and I are putting together our draft board, which will be revealed once it’s our time to select.  Unlike the real NFL teams, you’ll be able to see the players taken out from under our feet.

Instead of a long drawn out posting at selection time, here are my pre-draft thoughts.  JD’s opinion will be forthcoming in an individual post or in the selection post. 

Head Coaches must devise plans for winning now, their jobs depend on it.  General Mangers must be equally attentive to the future as well as the current season.  Joel and Bryan Glazer are more hands-on owners than Malcom Glazer ever was.  The Glazer sons now run the Buccaneers.  At the recent owners meeting when Joel Glazer granted an interview, he left only Malcom’s health and Manchester United off base subjects.  This points in the direction that Joel and Bryan are in charge. Bruce Allen has his work cut out for himself over the next 3 weeks.  This draft must have his signature on it or his fate as a NFL Executive lies in the hands of Jon Gruden and a playoff birth in 2007. 

The free agent acquisitions the Buccaneers have made in 2007 are primarily “quick fix” signings when you look at the style or length of the contracts or the age of the players.  However, with the exception of safety, the primary needs for 2007 did get addressed.  The long-term need for improvement in the QB position, the offensive line, the defensive line, linebacker corps, and defensive backfield still requires attention.  This draft provides some relief if handled properly.

As written earlier, I believe Quinn has been on Gruden’s radar screen since the start of the collegiate season.  Gruden’s is recently quoted on the Bucs “Inside Slant” published at major media websites stating,  “You’re on a new team every year when you change quarterbacks,” he said.  “It’s no fun, really. You’re not going to reach the real promise land in terms of all your efforts until you’re two or three or four years into the relationship.”.  The Bucs have started seven different quarterbacks since 2002, it’s time for stability.

The Bucs have not had stability at the LT position since Paul Gruber broke his leg in 1999.  Additionally the Bucs cannot seem to determine from one year to the next if they want the Broncos style OL, small and agile, or the Steelers style OL, big, physical and aggressive offensive line.  Joe Thomas gives the Bucs a chance at a long-term LT starter that open holes in the run and pass protect.

Calvin Johnson is the “can’t miss” pick of the draft.  The one aspect of Johnson, or any other player for that matter, I have not seen is his Wonderlic score.  If Johnson cannot comprehend Gruden’s extensive playbook each week that contains over 200 different plays in every game plan, what good is all that talent standing on the sidelines? 

In 2002, Gruden used a one WR with two TEs set quite frequently.  Keenan McCardell, Keyshawn Johnson and Joe Jurevcius each had plays design for them specifically.  No single WR had all one WR set plays.  To be effective, the new Johnson has to convince Gruden he deserves to be on the field all the time by mastering those 200+ plays every week, something few rookies have ever done.  Both Clayton and Williams gained early success as rookies, but the NFL is a long season and it took a toll on both.

Despite the rhetoric given to Adrian Peterson, even on the Buccaneer’s website, I highly doubt that the Bucs are giving Peterson more than a smoke-screen look.

Simeon Rice is on the downside of his career and the recent quick fix FA signings indicate more of a change to a “specialist” type of defender.  This totally contradicts Kiffin’s style of defensive play that refuses to allow the offense to dictate what defenders are on the field.

The Bucs signed Cato June who is weak against the run and strong in pass defense. Kevin Carter is brought in to anchor the left side, but also projected to play some DT in passing situations to pressure the QB from the inside.  Then you have the ex-Bronco backup LB, Patrick Chukwurah, who will play some situational DE to add speed to the pass rush.  All three signings fail to give consistency to the base Tampa 2 defense when on the field.  Offensives will look to exploit the weakness of the Bucs defense based on the situational players the Bucs put on the field.  Monte Kiffin is lobbying hard to select a defensive lineman that plays both the run and the pass.  Better yet, Kiffin would prefer trading down to a value spot for his top ranked safety or linebacker and let the offense take a gained draft selection.

Unlike this upcoming mock draft, I suspect there will be extensive phone calls with trade talk at the number 2-4 selections. It will be interesting to see which General Manager pulls off the trading coup of the draft.