Going Daft For The NFL Draft Well thank God for the Ascension Island that is the NFL Draft, which keeps us going during the barren land of the off-season. I vowed this year not to get too hung up on all the spin and BS that surrounds the final weeks before the draft, but as usual have failed miserably and am totally caught up in it once again. Inevitably the key debate centres around the Bucs top selection, 4th overall, and what we will be doing with it – the selection would have been even higher but our GM couldn’t be a winner even if he walked into a Paris brothel with a stack of greenbacks hanging out of his back pocket. The trendy rumour de jour has the Bucs brass falling in love with Georgia Tech Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson, and involves us trading one of our prized second rounders to move up to snag him. In a word, NO NO NO NO NO and NO! I am sure Calvin Johnson is a good guy, and no doubt has plenty of talent to boot but we have holes all over the place which require multiple players and young blood, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so giving up a second rounder would be total folly of the highest over in chasing the quick fix that isn’t possible with a lone wide receiver. Acquiring Johnson would be like putting Crystal Chandelier in the outhouse – it might make you feel better initially, but it wouldn’t enhance the overall appeal and value of the property in any great way. The Bucs must draft for need and not glamour and hence a defensive player (Gaines Adams?) or Offensive Tackle (Joe Thomas – same college as Paul Gruber and same draft position) should be the call if we stand pat. Otherwise trading down if the offer is there should be the way to go, as with the 4th pick there is bound to be a team or two salivating over some of the supposed seven blue-chip players in this draft – those seven namely being Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Brady Quinn, Jamarcus Russell, Adrian Peterson, Gaines Adams and Laron Landry. A few things I think 1) I think Id almost guarantee Jeff Garcia is our starter come Week 3 of the season. Gruden has had his tongue out for Garcia for the past 3 years and finally having got his prized veteran signal-caller, he isn’t likely to leave him sat on his arse for too long. Even if Chris Simms gets the early call, he will be on one of the shortest leashes of all time and unless he lights it up early doors you can expect the hook very quickly in the proceedings. 2) I think I’m glad NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodall finally took a stand against serial malcontents like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry. Their suspensions were both just and overdue, and I certainly hope Tank Johnson also gets a tap on the shoulder too – why does a 6-3, 350 man named Tank need a posse of minders and a cache of weapons that could bring about a coup anyway? Personally I would have given Chris Henry the full season too on the grounds of blatant stupidity, as it emerged this past month that he was arrested in Orlando in January 2006 on gun possession charges whilst wearing his Bengals game jersey – now there’s a bright spark. 3) I think our schedule this year stands out for the lack of cold weather games, which surely must be a plus for us. Now if we can just inject some fountain of youth juice into many of our defensive players, we might just be on the way to a winning season. 4) I think I would go no lower than a third rounder for Lance Briggs should we be sniffing round him. Linebacker is the one area we have pretty well covered on defense, even allowing for Shelton Quarles departure so giving up a higher pick than 68th overall would not represent value to us. 5) You heard it here first – Brady Quinn will be a major bust in the NFL. Notre Dame players are over hyped anyway, but this guys will have Rex Grossman feet when faced with the speed of an NFL Defense. 6) Kudos to The Editor for the work he put into the Top 100 Buc players of all-time which inspired many a debate, and the odd totally ridiculous comment on the Bucs own messageboard. I know every sports team has its share of nutball followers but some of the guys on there need medication and fast as well. How about a worst 20 players of all time Paul, with the qualifier than they must have player in at least 16 games? Ill start the ball rolling with Alvin Harper and Chris Chandler, who could both start a fight in an empty room. I read a quote recently by an NFL GM, who confirmed that despite the analysis, over-analysis, wonderlic test and anything statto’s like Mel Kiper come up with, the NFL Draft is a total crap shoot. As this is a given it goes without saying that the more shots/picks at it you have, the better you are placed to be successful with some of them. I’m also firmly of the opinion that 2nd round picks are at worst a 50-50 shot to outperform the feted first rounder anyway, as recently displayed by Demeco Ryans and Mario (what the hell were they thinking) Williams in Houston last year – therefore if we can trade down for even more picks Id be as much in favour of this as a Bucs UK Club trip to Banana Joe’s. Free agency The Free Agency Period certainly brought some new players in for us, though most of them put the Vet into Veteran. As the Editor of this fine club is partially stuck in a 1980’s timewarp, lets rate our free agent class in the style of an 80’s Saturday morning chart show … Hit, Miss or Maybe! • Jeff Garcia QB – Maybe. An improvement on Gradkowski but not one for the future is he? • Jake Plummer QB – Miss. Bo Jackson award winner for non-appearance at his position; at least we don’t have to waste any time clearing a locker space for him. • BJ Askew FB – Miss. What the hell is it with our addiction to the Jets back-up fullback. Are we signing these guys just to piss Rick Razzano off even more? • Luke Pettigout OT – Maybe. Needs to stay fit, which over the past 7 years have proved a tad difficult for him. Serviceable player though all the same. • Kevin Carter DE – Miss. 34 year old defensive end who must have been signed to keep Simeon company and talk about High School back in the 80’s. • Cato June LB – Hit. Prototype Tampa-2 linebacker and an excellent signing who is just at the right age. • Sammy Davis CB – Hit (as a crooner), but sadly Miss as a defensive back. Will be surprised if he makes it out of camp. As you can tell I’m hardly overwhelmed by these acquisitions. That said I am glad we didn’t throw daft money at Dewayne White who somehow trousered $20m plus from the Lions, despite his maximum ability as a marginal NFL pass rusher. Dewayne was only beaten in the “I can’t believe that” Free Agent Signing category by Daniel Graham's $31m from the Broncos - $31m for a back-up blocking tight end; the NFL worlds gone mad. Only a few hours to go anyway until the draft bonanza so lets sit back and see where the chips fall. Bruce Allen has his finger on the pulse for us, and that I’m afraid is why I’m so bloody concerned. Enjoy. Nod of Acknowledgement to - Shelton Quarles Good man, team man and the quiet assassin on one of the greatest NFL defenses of all time. Shelton walked quietly but carries the proverbial big stick. He left his mark and a legacy that will be missed long after his departure. Get in the Real World Award - Kansas City Chiefs who apparently want a 2nd round pick for a 37 year old quarterback, coming off a serious head injury who in his last game appearance displayed the courage of an Italian Infantryman, and the arm strength of Olive Oil. Get real guys – if you get a 5th rounder it would have been good business for you. Sports News Story I No Longer Give a Toss About – The Cowboys Draft value Chart . Something designed by Jimmy Johnson whilst he had too much time sat on the john on his fishing boat has apparently become the value guideline for every pick in the NFL Draft, if you believe what’s written in the sports press. What absolute garbage – a trade or pick is worth whay somebody else is willing to pay for it, rather than what a set chart says. Different draft classes are supposedly deeper than others so how can one bloody chart, devised back when Bill Clinton was shagging his interns (sorry not “shagging”, just having oral nookie with), be then utilised for years to come.