"Mark Dominik is up there looking at people right now"

[michael89156]

Waiver claims less necessary for Bucs this season



Some of the Bucs' best acquisitions under coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik have been made after final cuts.

At this time last year, the Bucs picked up LeGarrette Blount, Kregg Lumpkin, Ted Larsen and Dezmon Briscoe -- all of whom were cut by the teams they spent the 2010 preseason with. Each has settled in nicely in Tampa Bay, carving out a role.

And that's the very reason there likely will be fewer such moves this year.

After final cuts are revealed around the league on Saturday afternoon, eyeballs everywhere will be scanning the waiver for possible pickups. The Bucs will be doing this, too. But they might be less inclined to actually make claims this year, coach Raheem Morris said.

"Obviously we won’t be as active," he said. "Mark Dominik is up there looking at people right now. He’s evaluating everybody’s roster. . . We don’t have as much room to do that as last year, but that’s a sign that we’re getting better as a team as well.

"You might see some claims, but for the most part we don’t have as much room for that as we did last year. . . We feel good about a lot of our football team and that’s good."

Morris' prediction makes sense. The Bucs didn't have many jobs open for competition in training camp because they had a number of proven starters, even among their youngest players. That means players from outside teams won't have as good a shot to make Tampa Bay's roster.

Contrast today's situation with that of a couple of years ago. In 2009,  Dominik was making seemingly weekly waiver claims while raiding other teams' practice squads. That's because the Bucs' roster at the time did not have nearly the talent level it does now. Ironically, it's more likely that other clubs now will be making a play for some of the players the Bucs release.

"If they’re smart," Morris said.




.Posted by Stephen Holder

[BucBalla85]

Just go get some OL and maybe a guy at RB.

[Boid Fink]

Yeah but Larsen and Lumpkin are terrible (at this point).  And Briscoe had to be PAID to stay on the PS.  Which in turn pissed off a head coach( Who cares). 

And Briscoe, who I think is very talented, is an unproven VET. 

I doubt Raheem can pull of a lottery ticket like that again this year.  He should have signed some guys in free agency. 

Wait and see, I suppose.

[nubcake]

The guy he should be looking at is Gurode. You want this team to run the ball? Put him at center and Zuttah at LG and Blount will explode.

[Boid Fink]

I think the BUcs could really really use a guy like Gurode to learn the offense, and bring some real punch up front.

Faine is really awful.  He still is, and he is not going to ge tbetter EVER.  Let us face facts.  Not make excuses.

[The Anti-Java]

The guy he should be looking at is Gurode. You want this team to run the ball? Put him at center and Zuttah at LG and Blount will explode.

I like the sounds of that.  Gurode has a couple inches and 30 pounds on Faine.

[ufojoe]

I think the BUcs could really really use a guy like Gurode to learn the offense, and bring some real punch up front.

Faine is really awful.  He still is, and he is not going to ge tbetter EVER.  Let us face facts.  Not make excuses.

I'd be shocked if we signed the 33 year-old Gurode.

Why not bring him in for a few years? I guess Dom likes what he sees at C.

[BucsFTW]

And Briscoe, who I think is very talented, is an unproven VET.

C'mon Boid...  Thighten up yer game man - I know you're shaper than that...

How can Dez be a "vet" when he was drafted in 2010?

[Feel Real Good]

Yeah but Larsen and Lumpkin are terrible (at this point).  And Briscoe had to be PAID to stay on the PS.  Which in turn pissed off a head coach( Who cares). 

And Briscoe, who I think is very talented, is an unproven VET. 

I doubt Raheem can pull of a lottery ticket like that again this year.  He should have signed some guys in free agency. 

Wait and see, I suppose.

I have to agree. At this point, Blount is the only real player. This is a lot of self-congratulating over not much. Larsen sucks, Lumpkin sucks, and Briscoe may turn out to be ok but hasn't done it yet.

[Beatles123]

Larsen is still a very good young man. I think he can get better..

[Benchwarmer#1]

I think the BUcs could really really use a guy like Gurode to learn the offense, and bring some real punch up front.

Faine is really awful.  He still is, and he is not going to ge tbetter EVER.  Let us face facts.  Not make excuses.

I'd be shocked if we signed the 33 year-old Gurode.

Why not bring him in for a few years? I guess Dom likes what he sees at C.

If that's so, I might have to reevaluate Dom's evaluations.

Seriously, Faine is so bad, I doubt Dom "likes" what he sees.

[ufojoe]

I think the BUcs could really really use a guy like Gurode to learn the offense, and bring some real punch up front.

Faine is really awful.  He still is, and he is not going to ge tbetter EVER.  Let us face facts.  Not make excuses.

I'd be shocked if we signed the 33 year-old Gurode.

Why not bring him in for a few years? I guess Dom likes what he sees at C.

If that's so, I might have to reevaluate Dom's evaluations.

Seriously, Faine is so bad, I doubt Dom "likes" what he sees.

I know. It's weird.

Or, maybe Free likes Faine and has said he wants him under center? If that's the case, Dom needs to overrule Free's youthful loyalty when needed.