As The Clock Ticks, Bucs Gain More Leverage

April 9th, 2013

OK, before Joe gets going here, there is a new angle to what Joe has been banging on his keyboard for weeks now:

For every tick of the clock, the tighter the vice squeezes on Jets general manager’s John Idzik’s jewels. He has no leverage. He has but one team to trade cornerback Darrelle Revis. And if Revis walks away from the Jets after next year (he has an out in his contract with the Jets after the 2013 season), the Jets might get a third round pick in compensation.

As the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, said yesterday on Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network, the way the NFL factors compensation is a complex maze of calculations that aren’t exactly predictable. As Florio pointed out, the Chargers got zero compensation for losing Vincent Jackson to the Bucs.

As Joe’s dad used to day, “It’s one thing to be stubborn and quite another to be stubborn and dumb.” If Idzik wants to be stubborn and dumb and roll the dice, Revis could leave the Jets high and dry.

If you were a thinking front office type, wouldn’t you be motivated to try to get any draft picks from Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, not stomping your feet and saying, “I want the No. 13 pick or you can take a long walk on a short pier,” which Idzik is reported to have told Dominik.

Now many speculate the trade of Revis to the Bucs will happen the week of the draft or on draft day, which homeless-mistaken, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munchingcoffee-slurpingfried-chicken-eatingoatmeal-lovingcircle-jerkingbeer-chugging, cricket-watchingscone-loathingcollege football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading Peter King of SI.com wrote is 16 “interminable days” away. That very well could happen but it’s hardly a rock solid deadline.

Surely, if the Bucs don’t trade for Revis before the draft, Dominik will draft a cornerback, maybe two, perhaps three. If Dominik were to make a trade for Revis after the draft, not that he may need to, Dominik would likely use one of those corners as a cog in such a swap.

Joe finds all the Revis news that popped yesterday to be interesting. There was virtually zero news for days if not weeks. Part of that is because Dominik, fingered by one as a mole, and all football personnel are in lockdown mode preparing for the draft. So busy are they, Joe learned the Bucs ordered meals to be delivered to One Buc Palace.

It sure smells to Joe like Revis’ agents are getting antsy as hell, which is why so many people had Revis news yesterday.

In certain circles, this is called a “plant.”

32 Responses to “As The Clock Ticks, Bucs Gain More Leverage”

  1. SilenceTheCritics Says:

    Can we please move on. This guy is already a distraction before he even gets here. Not a good sign. To much compensation plus he wants to be paid more than he’s worth. MOVE ON DOM!!

  2. Jacko101 Says:

    There are only a few ways Dom screws this up, I really hope he doesn’t find a way to do that. Go Bucs

  3. Clintro Says:

    He is worth it. It sure would be nice to have this guy in the defensive backfield. You can trade a 1 and another lower round maybe a 3 and still end up ahead. The chances of you drafting someone with Revis’ talent is very low.

  4. Meh Says:

    Joe, I think you’re right that this is mostly driven by Revis’ agent rather than team sources from either side.

  5. stevek Says:

    We will see, Joe.

    We will see….

    Dominick is yet to prove anything as our GM. 24 measely wins in 4 years at the helm. That is an average of a 6-10 season.

    Playoffs or be gone, Dom.

  6. NJBucsFan Says:

    I love how I have seen the adjectives used to describe Peter King grow throughout the years.

  7. Walter Says:

    Revis news is getting annoying, and he isn’t even a Buc yet.

  8. Mr. Patrick Says:

    The problem with the whole situation seems to be that the Jets aren’t smart enough to realize that they have no leverage. They will end up screwing this up, as usual, and screw the Bucs up too. Bucs need to just pull out now and go about their own business.

  9. Bucs4life Says:

    @ Joe

    Seriously, how much are the Bucs paying you?

    “So busy are they, Joe learned the Bucs ordered meals to be delivered to One Buc Palace.”

    REALLY? They’re ordering meals to the building?? WOW. MARK ATE LUNCH AT HIS DESK, HE’S WORKING SOOO HARD.

  10. Camby Says:

    I have to agree with Stevek.. And this thing is, the Bucs have gained NO leverage, because they have seemingly stopped everything they are doing to focus on this trade, including signing NOBODY and letting every available corner sign elsewhere (for a fraction of what they are willing to pay a player who’s still injured and hasnt played at his peak in 3 years)

    This will gut the franchise, and eventually be the final nail in Joe’s manlove Marky Mark’s coffin.

  11. Biff Barker Says:

    Well at least the Bucs are getting some press. Too bad the attention whore Jets are better at play the media better than football games.

  12. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    “I’m sure [Dominik] had a phone call to Jason Cole,” Reynolds said this morning. Dominik is “very good at using the media.”

    Reynolds is only guessing, yet his theory is being given credence?

    Stevek, not to call you out, which I’m not, but I see 12 starters drafted in 4 years, Nicks, Jackson, etc. I see Gaines Adams traded for a good pick. I see last year Dominick trading down a couple spots to gain an extra pick, which he then used to trade back into the first round so we got 2 1sts…and both ended up being great picks. I see a GM who has honored the commitment to our HoF CB Ronde Barber, allowing him to chose when to retire. And finally, I see a young team built thru the draft mostly that is almost ready to dominate.
    So, clearly, I don’t see why anyone would judge him as a bad GM. Yes there have been some misses but that is the case with even the most successful GMs. I think he is doing great considering his worse year was his rookie year and he has improved steadily since. McCay wasn’t as good as Dom. Neither was Allen.

  13. SilenceTheCritics Says:

    You all who think Dom has no leverage arent using your heads for anything other than to spew hate for Dom. The jets HAVE to trade Revis or they will lose him for nothing. They know this. Dom does NOT have to trade for Revis. We can draft and sign other players. Will they be good as Revis? most likely not but we dont need an elite CB…. I fail to see how in the world some of you think Dom has no leverage. Lol its laughable.

  14. tampabaybucfan Says:

    Revis should want this deal to happen….big bucks (bucs) and no state income tax….a chance to shine in the sunshine.
    For those who say we have no leverage….you have no idea what you are talking about…its all about supply and demand and there is no demand for Revis except the Bucs…..we have all the leverage.
    We aren’t screwed…plan B is a cheaper Eric Wright and a couple of young/cheap CBs and a ton of cap space to restructure contracts with existing players or sign others as they get jettisoned before the season.
    And…we will still have all of our picks this year and next year!!!

  15. Nick P Says:

    The Jets will need to trade Revis just as badly after the draft as they do now. No reason to give up #13. The Jets have botched this. We will continue to be only suitors April-October. Price goes down every day. Idzik is racing the tale-tale clock. Tick..tick..tick.

  16. lightningbuc Says:

    BucBonzai said:

    “McCay wasn’t as good as Dom.”

    Yeah, the Falcons have stunk for some time now, haven’t they?

  17. Vic66 Says:

    While I believe some posters have been too hard on Domonic, I am afraid he has now shown his hand to Idzik and has lost his advantage. That would mean that all he has to do is bend over a grab his ankles. Please show me where I am wrong!

  18. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    Camby Says: April 9th, 2013 at 10:56 am

    “This will gut the franchise, and eventually be the final nail in Joe’s manlove Marky Mark’s coffin.”

    I would love to hear how you justify coming to that conclusion. Say, for instance, we do not get Revis. Instead we trade down a couple picks, pick up an extra 2nd round and end up with 3 CBs and a DT in the first 3 rounds.

    We keep Wright and cut him next year, giving time to devep the secondary. We have 2 great safeties, good LBs, good DEs, a good DT and the best offense in franchise history.

    With Wright, all guarantees are cancelled. So the Bucs can now cut him anytime. Yes, if he remains payments will come due, but only as long as he is here.

    12 starters drafted in 4 years, 11 of which are still starting for the team. Think about it.

  19. Buc Fan #238 Says:

    McKay got stripped of his GM duties from the Falcons.

  20. Nick P Says:

    Vic66:

    Dominik can show his hand. In fact he can rent a billboard on I95 in New Jersey stating exactly what the Bucs will give them. We are not the ones trying to get 60¢ on the $1 for driving a blue chipper like Revis out of town. The pressure is entirely on Idzik. Personally, I’m glad Dom didn’t overpay for Smith, Cox, etc. The only available DB that is in his prime that is playing at an All Pro level, is new Buc Dashon Goldson.

  21. Joe Says:

    lightningbuc:

    After the Bobby Petrino fiasco, Arthur Blank moved Rich McKay out of football operations and into administration.

  22. Vic66 Says:

    @NickP. You miss to point compleatly. If Dom has already offered a first, he can not offer a two. He can only offer more pics to sweeten the pot. Sounds to me the movement (giving in) has only been on Doms part. How does that register leverage on Bucs side? Seems to me – Advantage Idzik.

    Come on Domonic, show some backbone! Tell Idzik to self fornicate. He’s playing you because the Glazers overlooked him to elevate you to GM. Now it’s payback time. Open your eyes and use your brains.

  23. Buc Fan #238 Says:

    Vic, tey know Idzik from Tampa. They all know this very well.

    What the Bucs are doing is laughing at Idzik. Idzik is stalling because he knows he is in a no-win situation.

  24. JBsk Says:

    Buc fan 238. I may be dense but I don’t understand the reasoning for your statement above.

  25. Piratic Says:

    Vic66 Says:
    “Open your eyes and use your brains.”
    smh
    Seriously, to all of my fellow Bucs fans:
    Please stop thinking that you are more austute than our GM. You’re not. That is simply delusional. I understand your passion, but please make an honest attempt to understand that the Bucs Front Office, as a whole and to a person, is infinitely more qualified than ANY of us. Period. To those whose opinions truly matter, MD is highly respected.
    And don’t give me this “24-40” BS. MD was handed one of the worst Head Coaches in NFL history. If he had been given a GENUINE HC, the Bucs would have a much better W/L record than that.

  26. SilenceTheCritics Says:

    @Vic
    How does that register leverage on Bucs side? Seems to me – Advantage Idzik.

    ————————————————–

    Problem is all of the rumors are nothing more than speculation. It could easily just be Dom trying to even find out if the Jets are interested in trading him which he has said numerous times, he isnt sure about… You should ease off believeing every rumor you hear and just let Dom do his job without your help.

  27. JBsk Says:

    Boy some of you now are gang tackling ! Maybe we aught to repost some of your posts. Ever heard of the conversation between the pot and the kettle ? Take some of your own medicine, lighten up!

  28. stevek Says:

    Bonzai,

    Good points, I am not a “hater” of Dominick, but I have the realistic expectation of a playoff appearance for the Bucs in 2013.

    We, the fans, deserve to see measurable improvement with the Bucs. Mark Dominick needs to show his worth. We are 24-40 under him, and that is just not winnig football.

  29. stevek Says:

    Piratic,

    NO! You are flat out wrong, Buster.. Dominick should own his 24-40 record as Buc GM, afterall he earned it.

    Raheem Morris won Dom 10 games in 2010, and that is 40% of Dominick era wins in 2010 alone.

    So the last 4 seasons under Dominick are given a pass because of EXCUSES! Dominick traded up to get Freeman, spend some money on bad FAs and had a terrible 2009 draft “the deepest ever”.

    The same folks that give Dom excuses, apply the same logic to Freeman, and just continue to see losing as a forgivable fait. No, losing is not ok. It should be time to win, now.

    Why sign Carl Nicks, and Vincent Jackson to MEGA deals, just to continue to except mediocrity?

    Sorry for those that get mad about my posts, but what gives? Do you fans expect a winner, I do. I like to talk about where it is all “going wrong” provided we do not have a “winner” out there on the field. Pardon me for being really real to you all about our situation.

    GO BUCS!

  30. stevek Says:

    Bonzai,

    “I see Gaines Adams traded for a good pick”. You are right! 39th overall. We passed on Rob Gronkowski for Reejus Benn. It gets better too, we took Brian Price at #35 overall.

    Did you know what we also passed on Jimmy Graham in the 3rd round for none other than Myron Lewis?

  31. JBsk Says:

    SteveK>. Best couple posts I’ve read from you.

  32. SilenceTheCritics Says:

    @SteveK

    Come on now. Hindsight is always 20/20. EVERYBODY loved the Price pick when it went down. You cant blame injuries on Dom. The Lewis pick was silly though, I’ll give you that as well as Benn. With that being said, the drafts have been getting better and if Dom doesnt nail this next one… he will most likely be gone… I do know there is a plan. Will it work? We shall see. Regardless this season falls on Freeman. i dont care how much improved our defense is, If free continues to show up for only half of games… NO playoffs.