DEAR Santa: Calvin Johnson

[bradentonian]

Dear Santa,

Please, please, PLEASE don't let Jon Gruden take another friggin (oops! sorry) wide-receiver on day 1 on the NFL draft.

Regards,
Fans who remember what it was like to have a dominant defense.

QFT

[corruptpirate]

The good thing if the Bucs are able to get a top 3 pick and have a chance at CJ, some other team may be willing to part with some draft picks to get him.

[Lord Freesus]

Okay. Someone please tell me how fixing up the defense is going to make this offense any better? Our offense stinks. Period. The defense is average at best. All you defensive-minded people tell me what its going to be like next year with no offense upgrades?

O-Line will be blocking slightly better... thats okay
Caddy will run slightly better... 70 yard average instead of 60? hmm okay
Galloway won't be running as hard anymore and is considering retirement... umm not so great
Alex Smith is alright, Clayton is crying in a corner, Hilliard turns into dust from age, Stovall is unproven... yay F+!!
Gradkowski either continues to be okay or may improve... I'm not sold on this guy nor am I ready to throw him in the bargain bin.

And.... you're ready to field THAT? Uh huh...

[RedAlert]

So you expect another game where our DB's and Kicker win the season for us?...

What gives you that idea?

What I expect is that the Bucs realize this defense is driven by the front 7, namely the DL, and the one we have right now is far from adequate. No pressure on the opposing QB = we make QB's like Romo look like Troy Aikman.

Adding a WR that high is a nice glamour pick, but if other teams can pass on us at will, all a WR does is help us play catch up. Backwards thinking.

And I'm not saying that the offense is by any means sufficient, but we are still growing on the OL and unexpectedly employing a rookie QB who's clearly in over his head. I doubt this is going to be as good as the offense gets.

The defense, however, is in obvious rapid decline..

[naplesbuc]

Gruden stated it today, either we need a front 4 that brings pressure or we need a new defense.  No doubt that d-line should be the top priority this offseason, whether via draft of FA.

[Sweep]

Dear Santa,

Please, please, PLEASE don't let Jon Gruden take another friggin (oops!  sorry) wide-receiver on day 1 on the NFL draft. 

Regards,
Fans who remember what it was like to have a dominant defense.

I think Gaines Adam's is "worthy"
How about Lamar Woodley out of Michigan? Both big-time DE's.

Thnx. I've heard of Adams but not of Woodley. Will have to read up on them.

They're both excellent. My feeling on this though is an UT is essential for the Bucs and there really isn't what you would consider a good UT worth more than a mid 1st. I think the trade down option would be the most beneficial because you could possibly get another 2nd round pick along with a middle 1st for that top 5 pick. That would give the Bucs a shlt load of 2nd round picks. They could clean house. IF the Bucs nab Freeney it would make this scenario much more valid.

I think Dwight Freeney is a bad idea for us, though.  Another hugely paid DE who doesn't play the run.  And he currently has 2 more tackles and 0.5 more sacks than Rice...only he's started every game.  He'll fetch a huge sum that would be better spent elsewhere, IMO.

[RedAlert]

Okay. Someone please tell me how fixing up the defense is going to make this offense any better?...

Let's put it this way. If your boat has a steady leak in the hull, do you put a bigger motor in it?


Fixing the defense doesn't make the offense better, it makes the team better..

[keeponbucn]

I think Gaines Adam's is "worthy"
How about Lamar Woodley out of Michigan? Both big-time DE's.

Thnx. I've heard of Adams but not of Woodley. Will have to read up on them.

They're both excellent. My feeling on this though is an UT is essential for the Bucs and there really isn't what you would consider a good UT worth more than a mid 1st. I think the trade down option would be the most beneficial because you could possibly get another 2nd round pick along with a middle 1st for that top 5 pick. That would give the Bucs a shlt load of 2nd round picks. They could clean house. IF the Bucs nab Freeney it would make this scenario much more valid.

Gaines Adams from clemson is being named a top 10 pick and is comparable to a simeon rice/jason taylor type player and would be worthy if we get a top 5 pick, but i'd rather have a trade down from the bucs and try to cash in one of the top DT's or maybe a safety late first round if we trade down and stock pile picks...

This is what I'm hoping, although I do think we need a DE (and CB as well).

Then again the Offense is still worse than the Defense.  A WR is still a huge need for this team.

[dm4bucs]

Gaines Adams from clemson is being named a top 10 pick and is comparable to a simeon rice/jason taylor type player and would be worthy if we get a top 5 pick, but i'd rather have a trade down from the bucs and try to cash in one of the top DT's or maybe a safety late first round if we trade down and stock pile picks...

I think Gaines Adam's is "worthy"
How about Lamar Woodley out of Michigan? Both big-time DE's.

Thnx. I've heard of Adams but not of Woodley. Will have to read up on them.

[bradentonian]

Please no

[SamoaJoeBucFan]

If CJ is there, we have to take him.  If he falls to us and we pass, I'm going to be pretty pissed.

On that note, I wouldn't mind seeing us trade down so we could get a LB and a DE or DT in the first round.  If we traded down for two first round picks, then that would give us 5 on the first day.  That's plenty to fill the needs on D and maybe even grab an offensive guy.

[naplesbuc]

I agree with trading down if the right opportunity presents itself.  But if the Bucs are left with a top 3 pick they have to take the best player on their board at that point.  It could well be CJ and the Bucs are far from loaded at WR.