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You Be the GM: Your Verdict Is In

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According to poll results, Brian Griese and Josh Johnson came in behind Luke McCown.

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A Tribune staff report

Published: February 23, 2009

Updated: 02/23/2009 11:25 pm

If it were up to the fans, the Bucs would turn over the reins of the offense to a quarterback who threw only one pass in 2008, but they would keep the majority of the roster intact from a team that lost its last four games to miss the playoffs.

We asked Bucs fans to play general manager for the team and you jumped at the chance, casting more than 54,200 votes and making more than 250 comments at TBO.com on whether to keep or cut almost every player on the Tampa Bay roster.

If it were up to you, Luke McCown would battle Josh Johnson for the starting quarterback job, along with players brought in via free agency or the draft. You'd cut the QBs who took almost all the snaps last year, Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese.

Other than that, fans seem to hold Jon Gruden - fired as head coach after a 9-7 season that featured a stunning December collapse - more accountable than the players for the Bucs' decline. You voted to cut only 17 other players, most of them reserves or members of the special teams.

A couple of other veterans would get released, but you spared stalwarts like Derrick Brooks, Ronde Barber and Warrick Dunn. The prevailing sentiment seemed to be that these veterans had earned the right to exit on their own terms, even if you thought the time had come.

"I like Derrick Brooks but he looked a step slow toward the end of the season," a reader with the username Yar wrote. "He is among the very best to every play his position. If it's time to retire, he can retire with great pride."

You would cut receiver Joey Galloway, but you were split on Michael Clayton, voting 50-50 to keep or cut him.

In a bit of a surprise, 76 percent of you would keep tight end Jerramy Stevens despite the controversy that surrounded his signing two years ago.

The defensive line took the biggest hit in fan voting. Kevin Carter, Patrick Chukwurah, Greg Peterson and Dre Moore all would be cut if you had your say.

The strongest fan support went to receiver Antonio Bryant. An overwhelming 99 percent of you voted to keep Bryant, who recently was given the franchise player tag by the Bucs after catching 83 passes for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008.

Go to TBO.com, Keyword: Bucs, for complete results and to add your voice to the discussion.

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'You Be The GM' Categories

Tuesday: Quarterback

Wednesday: Defensive line

Thursday: Offensive line

Friday: Linebackers

Saturday: Running backs

Sunday: Defensive backs

Monday: Receivers/Tight ends

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