Yo, this Revis thing has me all fired up. We about to let go of the best CB in the league and one we gave up a first round pick for. But not because dude cant play no more. Its cuz of the contract Marky Mark Dominick gave him. But you aint gonna hear the Pewter Report criticize Dom for this or anything else dude did. We hear nothing but praise and excuses for what can now be considered to be one of the worst GM's in the NFL history.Damn dawg. I been piling on Dom here cuz hardly anybody in the media, including Pewter Report, been calling this dude out for the series of gaffes he made as our GM. Not only they not been calling him out, PR been praising Dom and having us believe he been GM of the Year in the NFL for the past 5 seasons. Sorry man, but PR's credibility went in the toilet this past year especially with write ups like Give Mark Dominick and Josh Freeman contract extensions, Ronde Barber will be back and the Greg Schiano lynch mobbing. And the Donale Penn weight clause issue, although I don't hold that against Mark Cook cuz he manned up and took the heat for that one. Shoot, Beam Me Up Scotty Reynolds wrote how Dom looked like a genius for his deal and contract for Revis. But I'd say he be looking like a fool man. Dom would be lucky to get another job in the NFL at this point. But I aint gonna hold my breath for PR to write something like that. They be too busy playing bosom buddies with their homeboy Dom. Shoot, check out this article by Reynolds in April 2013. https://www.pewterreport.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=8868:srs-fab-5-4-26 Here you gotta read the first two sections from this masterpiece of a article man. Yo, PR. Get it together and ditch the agendas bro. I hate JBF with a passion but if this keeps up that's where I'll be posting cuz I aint gonna tolerate this prejudiced and wrong reporting for much longer. SR's Fab 5 is a collection of inside scoop, analysis and insight from yours truly, Pewter Report publisher and Bucs beat writer Scott Reynolds. Here are a few things that caught my attention this week at One Buc Place:FAB 1. Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik has presided over three losing seasons out of the four years he has been in charge of running the team. A 3-13 record in 2009 was followed by a surprise 10-6 campaign that was actually built on smoke and mirrors with four fourth quarter, come-from-behind wins against lesser teams like Cleveland, Cincinnati, Arizona and St. Louis when realistically evaluating that season.A disappointing 4-12 season followed in 2011 and resulted in the firing of head coach Raheem Morris, who was promoted to be the team’s head coach on January 17, 2009, which was the same day Dominik was promoted from the director of pro personnel position to general manager. Dominik hand-picked Morris’ successor, Greg Schiano, and a promising 6-4 start in 2012 turned into a slightly disappointing 7-9 record. It was a three-win improvement over the 2011 season, but the Bucs were poised to make a playoff run with just six games remaining.With a 24-40 record in four seasons, and plenty of blunders along the way, including overpaying for the likes of wide receiver Michael Clayton, running back Derrick Ward and cornerback Eric Wright, some Bucs fans want Dominik fired. Maybe those fans are still bitter over Dominik cutting some Tampa Bay legends like linebacker Derrick Brooks, running back Warrick Dunn and wide receiver Joey Galloway. Or maybe those fans are sick and tired of the Bucs losing, noting that the team hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2007 and hasn’t won a playoff game since winning Super Bowl XXXVII to culminate the 2002 season.The reality is that Dominik shouldn’t be fired. He shouldn’t even have to even ride out his existing contract. Dominik deserved to have his contract extended right now. I’m advocating that the Glazers lock him up for the next four years through 2017, which is the same year Schiano’s contract is up. What Dominik has done in transforming the Buccaneers from pretenders to contenders over the past two years is staggering when you think about it. It takes two things to win in the NFL – talent and coaching. The primary job of every general manager in the NFL is to acquire talent. While he had some personnel stumbles with Clayton, Ward and Wright, every general manager in the league has their share of gaffes. But Dominik’s hits have far outweighed his misses. Here is a review some of Dominik’s best personnel acquisitions:2009 – QB Josh FreemanDominik’s first-ever draft pick in 2009, Freeman is perhaps more favorably viewed outside of Tampa Bay than by Buccaneers fans, who are frustrated by his inconsistency. Yet Freeman, who is in a contract year, has all the tools to develop into an elite, franchise quarterback and Dominik wants to extend his contract in 2014 if he has a great year in 2013. He made strides last year by becoming the first Bucs QB to throw for over 4,000 yards and Freeman threw for a record 27 touchdowns.2009 – K Connor BarthAcquired by Dominik as a street free agent in 2009, Barth has become arguably the best kicker in franchise history. Not only did Barth develop in Tampa Bay, Dominik kept him in red and pewter by wisely and effectively using the franchise tag on his prior to doing a long-term contract extension with the North Carolina product.2010 – DT Gerald McCoyMcCoy, who was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in 2010 and the third overall pick that year, became a Pro Bowl player last season and had a career-high five sacks. McCoy has become a force in the middle of the Bucs defense and one of the team’s most outspoken leaders.2010 – WR Mike WilliamsDominik grabbed one of the best mid-round picks in Bucs history with Williams in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. He’s had two seasons that were a few yards shy of 1,000 yards, and has 193 catches for 2,731 yards and 23 touchdowns in three years, including a franchise-record 11 TD receptions in 2010 as a rookie.2010 – LT Donald PennPenn was signed off Minnesota’s practice squad in 2006 by former general manager Bruce Allen at Dominik’s urging, and then was re-signed by Dominik to avoid a holdout in the summer of 2010. The Bucs general manager signed Penn to a very fair deal that included weight clause incentives for the left tackle to meet (or not meet) in an effort to improve Penn’s on-field performance.2011 – DE Adrian ClaybornThe team’s first-round pick in 2011, Clayborn was one of the most productive rookies in the NFL that year. He led the Bucs with 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, and also brought a physical, intimidating presence to Tampa Bay’s defensive line. Although he suffered a knee injury in Week 3 that caused him to miss the rest of the 2012 campaign, Clayborn is expected to be 100 percent by training camp.2011 – DE Da’Quan BowersBowers, who was once viewed as the potential first overall draft pick in 2011, was acquired in the second round after Dominik took a chance on the talented Clemson pass rusher. Bowers was coming off off-season knee surgery, which caused his stock to drop, but the knee hasn’t presented a problem at all. Bowers has 4.5 sacks in two seasons as a reserve, but big things are expected of him as he becomes a first-year starter in 2013.2011 – P Michael KoenenDominik raised eyebrows by signing the former Atlanta punter to a six-year deal worth $19.5 million. But the move turned out to be a stroke of genius as the Bucs have not had a kickoff or punt returned for a touchdown since acquiring Koenen. Not only has Koenen been a great punter, his kickoff prowess has enabled Barth to focus strictly on field goals and he has become one of the NFL’s elite kickers as a result.2012 – WR Vincent JacksonDominik was able to land arguably the best free agent on the market in Jackson, a Pro Bowl wide receiver, and signing him to a five-year deal, $55.5 million deal. Jackson returned the favor by living up to the contract and earning a Pro Bowl berth as a Buccaneer after catching 72 passes for 1,384 yards and eight touchdowns.2012 – LG Carl NicksAlong with Jackson, Nicks was a major get for Dominik in free agency a year ago. A two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro, Nicks was playing at a very high level for the first half of the season before a toe injury prompted the team to put him on injured reserve. Having available cap room is one thing, but it took some real recruiting by Dominik to lure a Pro Bowler to a team coming off a 4-12 season. 2012 – SS Mark BarronBarron didn’t make a huge splash as a rookie starter last year with 88 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble, but big things lie ahead for Tampa Bay’s first-round pick from a year ago. With a year’s worth of experience under his belt and playing alongside Pro Bowlers in Goldson and Revis, Barron should live up to his vast potential in 2013.2012 – RB Doug MartinMartin had a sensational year in 2012, rushing for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns in what was the best rookie year by a Buccaneer running back. Throw in 49 catches for 472 yards and a touchdown and Martin was nearly a 2,000-yard man last year and made the Pro Bowl.2012 – LB Lavonte DavidDespite having Pro Bowlers in McCoy, Jackson and Martin last year, David was Pewter Report’s pick for the Bucs 2012 MVP. David led the Bucs with 139 tackles and 19 tackles for loss last year, in addition to two sacks and an interception. He had a better rookie season than Derrick Brooks and has Pro Bowl potential.2012 – FS Dashon GoldsonDominik struck quickly in free agency and landed a two-time Pro Bowler that will help shore up Tampa Bay's secondary. Goldson is a leader and a perfect role model for Barron to learn from. He's a ballhawk against the pass and a striker against the run.2012 – CB Darrelle Revis Dominik was able to orchestrate a blockbuster trade to acquire the NFL’s best cornerback in Revis, a four-time Pro Bowler. After only surrendering a first-round pick in 2013 and a likely third-rounder in 2014 to get Revis, Dominik looked like a genius. Then after signing Revis to a six-year, $96-million deal that contains no guaranteed money, which heavily safeguards the Bucs, Dominik’s genius status was verified. That’s 15 exceptional players. In fact, Dominik notes the Bucs have eight Pro Bowl-caliber players in Tampa Bay in Nicks, Joseph, Penn, Martin, Jackson, McCoy, Revis and Goldson that have actually gone to Hawaii to represent either the NFC or the AFC. There are other two Pro Bowl-caliber players that the Bucs have in Dominik’s mind – Freeman and David. That would make a total of 10.Dominik has had a hand in either drafting those 10, signing them or re-signing those Pro Bowl-caliber players so they stay in Tampa Bay. His primary job is to acquire talent, and Dominik has done just that.And let’s not forget that Dominik hired Schiano, who has a very high favorability rating among the players, fans and the media. Schiano improved the Bucs’ record by three wins in 2012 and a playoff berth is expected in 2013.Dominik has done exactly what the Glazers wanted, which was to lay the foundation for the team with good drafting and saving precious salary cap space so that the team could add unique talent when it became available to help take the Bucs to the next level. When the likes of Jackson, Nicks and Revis became available, Dominik was able to land them because of the excess cap room that was created by years of not foolishly wasting money in free agency. Dominik has also become a forward-thinker when it comes to doing contracts, and favors high paragraph five base salaries in favor of a year or two of guaranteed money and no signing bonus money. Signing bonus money is prorated over the life of the deal and accelerates in the form of dead salary cap money when a player leaves the team with years left on his deal.As a result of Dominik’s style when it comes to negotiating player contracts, the Bucs might have the fewest amount of dead salary cap space of any team in the league at just around $1 million. Dominik is becoming quite the trailblazer when it comes to structuring contracts that way and other teams are beginning to follow his lead, including St. Louis.Some might want the Bucs to wait on Dominik and not think about re-signing him until after the 2013 season. But he should be rewarded for his good work in restocking the roster with talent. Dominik has done his job. Now it’s up to Schiano to win with the players he has acquired.FAB 2. Now that the Buccaneers have acquired Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis, expect legendary defensive back Ronde Barber to return to Tampa Bay for one more year. A source close to Barber told PewterReport.com that while he felt fine physically after the 2012 season and that his body is ready for one more year of NFL football, he wanted to sit back and see what types of players the Bucs acquired this offseason.Barber has grown tired of losing and Tampa Bay has posted just one winning record in the past four seasons. Barber and the Bucs haven’t played in a playoff game since 2007, and haven’t tasted victory in the postseason since the team won its first and only Super Bowl title in 2002.While Barber likes the young talent in defensive backs room and has spent time imparting wisdom and helping to groom all of the Bucs’ young cornerbacks and safeties in some form or fashion. But for a prideful, 38-year old player that wants to taste a playoff victory one more time before he ends his illustrious NFL career the thought of him lining up next to Leonard Johnson, Danny Gorrer and Anthony Gaitor again wasn’t overly appealing. Barber knows that those players aren’t ready for prime time just yet, and that the Bucs wouldn’t be legitimate playoff contenders without upgrading the talent in the secondary. Acquiring Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis in a trade with New York and signing two-time Pro Bowl free safety Dashon Goldson makes all the difference in the world, and instantly upgrades Tampa Bay’s secondary. That’s what Barber wanted to see.“I’ve only seen him when we’ve played him, but he’s a heck of a football player,” Barber said of Goldson during an interview with J.P. Peterson of TampaBaySportsCentral.com. “You don’t make the type of impact he had on that secondary in San Fran by chance. He’s a Pro Bowler, and he deserved to be this year. He’s a big signing. We’ve been active, and I think that’s a big thing. “For years [everybody says] we haven’t been. The NFL is a fickle thing and there is a reason why we have such room under our [salary] cap. We’ve managed it and tried to grow the team the way we’ve done it in the past, and that’s through the draft with young players and build from the bottom up. But I think everybody is going to embrace going out and getting some premier players. The area deserves that. It’s been a while since we’ve had a winner.”Even before the Buccaneers’ blockbuster trade, Barber admitted that he liked the idea of lining up next to the player called “Revis Island.” “Revis would fit in any scheme,” Barber said. “When you have superior athletes they fit no matter where you put them. He would be a great guy to play with. I played with some really good corners all the way back to Donnie Abraham and Brian Kelly. I still assert that Aqib [Talib] is still one of the most athletically gifted football players that I’ve ever been around. But the things that Revis does on film – I’ve actually never seen him play in person – not a lot of guys can do. Maybe a handful.”So where would Barber fit into Tampa Bay’s secondary? The Bucs have two starting cornerbacks in Revis and Eric Wright, who recently restructured his contract, and is on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Tampa Bay has two stud safeties in Goldson and Mark Barron, last year’s first-round pick.Barber made a career playing in the slot as the team’s nickel cornerback on third downs and obvious passing downs, and he would likely resume that role. Even though he led the team with four interceptions while playing free safety in 2012, Barber played in an astonishingly high 99 percent of the snaps at age 37. In fact, Tampa Bay’s all-time leading interceptor missed only seven plays on defense the entire season. An older Barber would likely be even more effective playing strictly in nickel and dime situations, which would probably shave off 20 snaps or so that he would have normally played in per game. While Barber is the ultimate competitor, the idea of keeping his legs and body fresher throughout the course of the season and playing around 70 percent of the snaps as opposed to 99 percent has to be appealing to the 38-year old. That, coupled with the addition of Revis and Goldson will likely have Barber re-signing with the Bucs for one last hurrah after the draft.Just ridiculous man.
