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Bucs midseason report

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 15, 2009

MIAMI - The Bucs have reached the midway point in their 2009 season. That doesn't mean they've reached the midway point in their rebuilding project.

Even if all goes as planned, it likely will be late next season before they reach the final phase. Like it or not, those are the facts.

Still, this is as good a time as any for an accounting of where the Bucs are in their renewed quest for relevance and respectability. For this exercise - and with the Bucs at a woeful 1-7 - we'll forego the naming of MVPs and such and focus on the job the framers have done.

That means critiquing the work of General Manager Mark Dominik and Coach Raheem Morris, the two men most responsible for leading the Bucs out of the abyss.

All the right moves

As much as everyone hated it, the decision to release Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard was the right call. That none is currently working in the NFL is proof.

It was a humbling moment for them, but give Morris and Dominik credit for realizing they had to correct the mistake they made in hiring Jeff Jagodzinski as their offensive coordinator.

It raised quite a few eyebrows at the time, but who can possibly argue with the decision to trade two draft picks for tight end Kellen Winslow? Winslow has arguably been the Bucs' best offensive player.

Speaking of trades, give Dominik credit for getting a second-round draft pick from the Bears for Gaines Adams. Not sure anyone has noticed, but Adams is playing a backup role and special teams in Chicago.

Few will agree, but the Bucs did the right thing starting with Byron Leftwich at quarterback. You have to take a shot at winning it all, and that's primarily what that move was about.

Furthermore, give the Bucs credit for turning to Josh Johnson after benching Leftwich in Week 4. Josh Freeman wasn't quite ready, and at the end of the year the Bucs have to know what they have in their reserves, too.

Give the Bucs credit for taking advantage of their cruddy start and turning the bottom of the roster. Adding the likes of Tim Crowder, Michael Bennett and Corey Lynch just may save this team a draft pick next year.

Finally, give the Bucs credit for being patient with Freeman. Anyone who saw him make that start against Houston in the preseason knew then he wasn't ready. He looks much more comfortable now.

Second guesses

You have to wonder what kind of spell Jagodzinski cast over Dominik and Morris during the interview process. Both should have realized sooner this guy was in over his head.

The Bucs did the right thing in signing kicker Mike Nugent but were a little too quick to let him go. Nugent was struggling, but he has more upside than any kicker the Bucs have had before or since.

It may all work out in the end, but the decision to limit Freeman's work during the preseason and early in the regular season is a sign the Bucs really didn't have a good plan for their quarterbacks.

Same goes for the linebackers. If Brooks and Cato June were let go to give kids like Quincy Black, Adam Hayward and Geno Hayes a look, why was Jermaine Phillips moved to that spot?

It's still hard to know what the Bucs are doing with Derrick Ward, who is at least as good a running back as Cadillac Williams. But Ward has become a spare part in what was supposed to be a power-rush offense.

There wasn't much else out there at the time, but the re-signing of Michael Clayton to a five-year, $26 million contract is proof the Bucs had a little more faith in Clayton than they should have.

There's talk in the locker room Morris has some favorites. That's fine. Every coach does. The key to success is making sure everyone in the locker room feels like a favorite. Morris hasn't done that yet.

Finally, the whole approach to the London trip was fouled up from the start. From the decision to leave Friday and stay on an Eastern time schedule to the useless curfew following the game, the week was handled poorly.

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