“We Saw Davin In A Little Bit Of Different Light”

August 9th, 2010

When it comes to locking up talented young players to long term contracts, Mark Dominik doesn’t look at Davin Joseph like he did Donald Penn.

Joseph apparently has more to prove than Penn and his position isn’t as important, per Dominik’s comments Saturday night to Justin Pawlowski, of WDAE-AM 620.

Justin Pawlowski: How does the CBA come into effect in giving Penn an extension and maybe not giving extensions to other guys that have one year left on their deals, like Davin Joseph or Jeremy Trueblood or Barrett Ruud?

Mark Dominik: We saw Davin in a little bit of different light. You know, obviously, he’s been tendered two years in a row. He’s kind of been on a one-year deal for his last three or four years. For us, obviously, the blind side of the quarterback, as Sandra Bullock decided to make so popular, is that important. And Josh Freeman is that important to this organization. And we felt like that Donald Penn did play well last year. An important thing for us was to meet with Donald the entire offseason. We sent coaches out there. We had him come to Tampa. We met with him in Tampa. We’re making sure that he’s doing the right things going the right direction. We felt very comfortable about that. The CBA does play a big part of it, in terms of how you want to structure a contract, how the payouts going to be, because there is the unknown coming into March of next year. I’m a big believer that at the end of the day we love this game, the fans love the game, the players love the game, so I think it’s going to be just fine. But you had to take that into account. And I think Donald looked at that, as well, and thought, ‘I want to be with this team. I want to have a long term career with this football team.’ …And we were able to consummate a deal that was a good deal for both sides that we both feel comfortable about. And we got him in here, and very happy about that. And we’ve got other guys on this football team that Coach Morris and I are very fond of and that we like a lot, and we’re ready to see some of those guys play some football and we’ll see what goes going forward.

Joe gets that left tackle (Penn) is a higher priority position than right guard (Joseph).

But after a 3-13 season in which the Bucs didn’t have much of a running game, wouldn’t that be the ideal time to get a good deal on Joseph, who clearly should be a cornerstone of the Bucs’ line of years to come?

8 Responses to ““We Saw Davin In A Little Bit Of Different Light””

  1. CharlieB Says:

    You’d think the Bucs have the most leverage right now, but last year he also regressed significantly from Pro Bowl form. I can understand the hesitation. Honestly, I’m just looking forward to the start of preseason games so we can stop talking about contracts.

  2. Capt.Tim Says:

    ” but, after a 3-13 season . .”. After a 3-13 season, every member of the Bucs, from management on down, should be a little Job scared! Obviously, there weren’t too many superstars anywhere on the field( or the sidelines!) wearing Red and Pewter! Of course, there were a lot of mitigating factors, but after a year like that- everyone needs to be re- evaluated. And re-evaluate themselves! I believe Joseph is a great young Guard, and will be proving it this season! If I was the players, I wouldn’t want last year to be the year I used to discuss my new contract! We have some stability this year- let’s see who shines this year, and let the Money flow to the keepers!

  3. Matt Says:

    If they were smart, they’d sign Ruud, Joseph, and Jackson to extensions right now, and construct the deals so that a majority of the money hits 2010s non-existent cap.

  4. Matt Says:

    You just wait, at least one of those three players is going to leave next year because of the cap hit against the 2011 cap required to sign them all that year.

  5. Greg Says:

    Joseph may have regressed from his Pro Bowl year, but how much of that was due to the Bucs failed attempt to install a zone blocking scheme? Outside of Penn, no one on the line played that well last year, especially the clusterf#$k we had playing center when Faine went down. I agree with Capt Tim, I think the line will have a lot to prove this year, and will be improved as they go back to their old blocking schemes.

  6. Jdouble Says:

    I think with Tjax and Ruud they want to see more before they offer them a new contract. TJax needs to show he can stay drug free and Ruud needs to show he can get back to his old form.

    Joseph…yeah. I wish we’d sign him long term at some point this season.

  7. thomas Says:

    Matt – I agree with you. Penn, Ruud, Trueblood and Joseph all need to be locked up ASAP. I think that when healthy D.J. is a top right guard.

    Dom’s just negotiating and trying to create leverage publicly which he should stop doing b/c he isn’t good at it.

    Capt Dim did comment credibly when he said:

    “After a 3-13 season, every member of the Bucs, from management on down, should be a little Job scared! Obviously, there weren’t too many superstars anywhere on the field( or the sidelines!) wearing Red and Pewter!”

    That is precisely what us “haters” have been saying and that it applies to not just the players and the Asst. Coaches, but the H.C., GM and ownership!

  8. Capt.Tim Says:

    No Thom ass, that’s not what you sniveling bunch of crybabies say. You whiners cry about every move the team makes, bitch about every player they have, and actually hope the team fails – just to prove that you were right about something once in your pathetic lifes. Not to mention your nauseating mancrushes on Gruden. I hope the team wins! I am not motivated to see the team lose, to somehow justify my on failed existence! Nor do I cry for the past, due to a mancrush. And Thomas, as I have told you before, you are a lying, honorless little weasel! Don’t try and upgrade your social standings by trying to find common ground with me. You don’t have any! I don’t deal with cowards without any honor