For those adamantly opposed to trading up...hear me out

[blind melon]

Good point - even as an advocate for Richardson - fixation on a player is a very bad thing more often than not...

If I'm the GM (and I'm not obviously) I better be damn sure if I'm going to spend that penny, that I'm all in on the selection.

Even though I've griped about the amount of discussion about this specific topic (minus the flaming, name calling crap) I think the discussion has been good...

and I'm on board with this regime doing whatever it takes to get the guy they see as their guy.

Now all we got to do it wait...    I'm tired of waiting.   really tired (and I used to think I was a patient dude... not so much anymore.)

Go Bucs!

[acacius]

You know the Bucs are a bottom feeder team, right?

Well,I think that last year at least we were technically what the bottom-feeder teams were feeding upon.

[JasonOfthetower]

"Some of our previous draft picks didn't work out as well as we hoped they would. Based on this evidence, draft picks are worthless and we may as well trade them away."

Logic sure does take a beating around this place.

LOL, I never said it was logical - it was just a fact. The thing that we can't control - that no one but Dom can control - is his desire for self preservation.

Perhaps he thinks with TR in the fold, the offense will be good enough to win games like the Patriots and Packers did last season and we can just get by on defense...

Perhaps he thinks that the Bucs have better chance to win games THIS SEASON with TR rather than Mo Clay and a 3rd round defender.

Not defending the logic - just saying I understand it.

Then why take Richardson?  Take Blackmon.  Blackmon is a better option to help your offense.  You have a RB who averaged 4.6 ypc behind a line you just upgraded.  How much better is Richardson going to do?

Because the head coach says he wants to pound the football and play keep away and the "greatest thing since sliced bread" for running backs is available.

Believe me dude, I'm not for it at all.

[Chief Joseph]

Counter points


2. This pick needs to be a 10-15 year starter. RBs have short shelf lives.

Me thinks this expectation is WAY to high.   

5 yrs from now this is a totally different league.

Guys from the 2003 draft are going into their 10th year. They include...
Palmer
Andre Johnson
Gross
Kevin Williams
Suggs
Polamalu
Asomugha
Charles Tillman
Rashean Mathis
Boldin
Umenyiora
Briggs
Witten
Redding
Jarrett Johnson
Diehl

There is no excuse for not getting a 10+ year starter with this pick. NONE.

Out of 220+ picks?

[blind melon]

x 10 years = 2200 picks.

[JC5100]

Counter points


2. This pick needs to be a 10-15 year starter. RBs have short shelf lives.

Me thinks this expectation is WAY to high.   

5 yrs from now this is a totally different league.

Guys from the 2003 draft are going into their 10th year. They include...
Palmer
Andre Johnson
Gross
Kevin Williams
Suggs
Polamalu
Asomugha
Charles Tillman
Rashean Mathis
Boldin
Umenyiora
Briggs
Witten
Redding
Jarrett Johnson
Diehl

There is no excuse for not getting a 10+ year starter with this pick. NONE.

Out of 220+ picks?

Yea... we're picking 5th. The standards for this team have gone down the toilet. There are people who actually think Dominik has done a good job thus far. Hope you aren't one of them.

[TBayXXXVII]

"Some of our previous draft picks didn't work out as well as we hoped they would. Based on this evidence, draft picks are worthless and we may as well trade them away."

Logic sure does take a beating around this place.

LOL, I never said it was logical - it was just a fact. The thing that we can't control - that no one but Dom can control - is his desire for self preservation.

Perhaps he thinks with TR in the fold, the offense will be good enough to win games like the Patriots and Packers did last season and we can just get by on defense...

Perhaps he thinks that the Bucs have better chance to win games THIS SEASON with TR rather than Mo Clay and a 3rd round defender.

Not defending the logic - just saying I understand it.

Then why take Richardson?  Take Blackmon.  Blackmon is a better option to help your offense.  You have a RB who averaged 4.6 ypc behind a line you just upgraded.  How much better is Richardson going to do?

Because the head coach says he wants to pound the football and play keep away and the "greatest thing since sliced bread" for running backs is available.

Believe me dude, I'm not for it at all.

This is just more depressing.    We have a terrible GM and he's going to allow a coach who spent more than the last 10 years in college DICTATE who we pick... I mean really, is there a silver lining anywhere?   

[bucfan33]

"Some of our previous draft picks didn't work out as well as we hoped they would. Based on this evidence, draft picks are worthless and we may as well trade them away."

Logic sure does take a beating around this place.

LOL, I never said it was logical - it was just a fact. The thing that we can't control - that no one but Dom can control - is his desire for self preservation.

Perhaps he thinks with TR in the fold, the offense will be good enough to win games like the Patriots and Packers did last season and we can just get by on defense...

Perhaps he thinks that the Bucs have better chance to win games THIS SEASON with TR rather than Mo Clay and a 3rd round defender.

Not defending the logic - just saying I understand it.

Then why take Richardson?  Take Blackmon.  Blackmon is a better option to help your offense.  You have a RB who averaged 4.6 ypc behind a line you just upgraded.  How much better is Richardson going to do?

Because the head coach says he wants to pound the football and play keep away and the "greatest thing since sliced bread" for running backs is available.

Believe me dude, I'm not for it at all.

All the anti- Richardson guys love to point out that we had a RB who averaged 4.6 ypc, but we also have a running back that fumbles, doesn't run to the hole, doesn't block well, doesn't catch well, doesn't run short yardage effectively and reportably had trouble picking up the offense.
Also the "importance" of a running back arguement-  Football is about Matchups. Having a balanced offensive attack is Still the best option. With a strong running game, improved o-line and a new # 1 receiver Freeman will have all the weapons he needs and the Bucs could dictate matchups to the opponent. Football is also cyclical. Its now called a "Passing League" , but there are only so many excellent QB's and passing offenses in the league and even the best QB's, Manning, Brady, Brees... struggle against great pass rushes. Defenses make adjustments and before you know it running the ball more may become the "Flavor of the Month"
again.
Yes, I favor drafting Richardson because I think he is the Best player in the draft (I still would not trade a 2nd or multiple picks to move up) and I think he would have the greatest impact on the Buc's. I will , however, be happy if we get Claiborne, Kalil or trade back. I just hope the haters don't get too crazy if we end up with,argueably, the Best player in the draft.

[TBayXXXVII]

All the anti- Richardson guys love to point out that we had a RB who averaged 4.6 ypc, but we also have a running back that fumbles, doesn't run to the hole, doesn't block well, doesn't catch well, doesn't run short yardage effectively and reportably had trouble picking up the offense.
Also the "importance" of a running back arguement-  Football is about Matchups. Having a balanced offensive attack is Still the best option. With a strong running game, improved o-line and a new # 1 receiver Freeman will have all the weapons he needs and the Bucs could dictate matchups to the opponent. Football is also cyclical. Its now called a "Passing League" , but there are only so many excellent QB's and passing offenses in the league and even the best QB's, Manning, Brady, Brees... struggle against great pass rushes. Defenses make adjustments and before you know it running the ball more may become the "Flavor of the Month"
again.
Yes, I favor drafting Richardson because I think he is the Best player in the draft (I still would not trade a 2nd or multiple picks to move up) and I think he would have the greatest impact on the Buc's. I will , however, be happy if we get Claiborne, Kalil or trade back. I just hope the haters don't get too crazy if we end up with,argueably, the Best player in the draft.

We also had coaches who were terrible at gameplanning and teaching.  If we're supposed to put so much trust in Schiano and Sullivan, why can't we expect them to coach up a RB?  Tiki Barber learned how to not fumble.  Reggie Bush never blocked well or hit a hole well and the Saints still won a Super Bowl because they had other RB's (late round and undrafted RB's), fill those needs.  A one-back do-it-all kind of guy isn't needed.  The Giants nor Patriots had one... where'd it get them?  Two years ago... what do-it-all back did the Packers have?  Go back through the last 5 Super Bowls and look over the 10 teams that played... count how many do-it-all backs played.  When you come back with the answer ZERO, you'll see why Blount is fine... for now.  He'll need help, but that can be addressed in the following rounds.  People here get on me because I doubt our coaching staff... well, here's your chance to stand by those type of convictions.  Stand by your new staff and expect them to coach up our players.  Take note, look at all the top RB's in the league, you'll find that most of them were NOT drafted in the first round.  You'll also find that none of them have a Super Bowl ring.

[Madman]

Most of those guys were 2nd rounders. I'd list all the RBs drafted after Round 1 that failed to do a damn thing in the NFL but that would take about 20 pages.

Congratulations. You're now the third guy in this thread who wanted to debate me but ended up proving my point.

Says the guy who listed a dozen players with 10+ year careers out of 2,200 as if it's the norm. Brilliant.

[JC5100]

Most of those guys were 2nd rounders. I'd list all the RBs drafted after Round 1 that failed to do a damn thing in the NFL but that would take about 20 pages.

Congratulations. You're now the third guy in this thread who wanted to debate me but ended up proving my point.

Says the guy who listed a dozen players with 10+ year careers out of 2,200 as if it's the norm. Brilliant.

I was just listing guys from 2003 draft, because they're going into their 10th season. If you would read you would have known that. And add another to the list becauseI left off Asante Samuel.

[Madman]

Most of those guys were 2nd rounders. I'd list all the RBs drafted after Round 1 that failed to do a damn thing in the NFL but that would take about 20 pages.

Congratulations. You're now the third guy in this thread who wanted to debate me but ended up proving my point.

Says the guy who listed a dozen players with 10+ year careers out of 2,200 as if it's the norm. Brilliant.

I was just listing guys from 2003 draft, because they're going into their 10th season. If you would read you would have known that. And add another to the list becauseI left off Asante Samuel.

My bad. So that makes 17 out of 224 picks that year.