As much excitement as there is surrounding players such as quarterback Josh Freeman, wide receiver Mike Williams and running back Legarrette Blount going into the 2011 season for they Bucs, many can forget why and how those players got here.
When you look at the Buccaneers roster, there is talent galore, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Some one must of brought those players in, and that person is Buccaeers General Manager, Mark Dominik.
Dominik is one of those guys that when he talks, you just want to eat up every word he says. Ive been a big admirer of Dominik’s ever since he was hired two seasons ago. When he traded for Kellen Winslow and made him the highest paid Tight End in the NFL at the time, I knew that we had a general manager that was capable of putting together a super bowl caliber roster.
Trading for Winslow was only the beginning. A couple months later, in the 2009 NFL draft, Dominik may have made the biggest draft pick in Buccaneer history by trading up a few spots and selecting Josh Freeman. When your able to give a franchise quarterback to the fans, that is something special and must be taken into account when talking about Dominik.
It hasnt just been Freeman that Dominik deserves credit for bringing in. He has also brought in several players that have made a significant impact on the team such as rookie sensations Mike Williams and Legarrette Blount. Both players played well above their rookie tags and were considered as “troubled” players going into the draft. While Williams was drafted by Tampa in the fourth round and Blount was a practice squad pick up, both show a lot of promise going into the 2011 season and beyond.
Mark has shown that he has an eye for talent and surprisingly, that is very rare. His ability to draft well in the later rounds of the draft and his attention to detail on the waiver wire, is a quality that GMs that have been in the league for 15 years don’t have.
Dominik is just as important to this teams success as Freeman or any other player and his contract should be extended for the next 5-8 years. He’s savvy, and isn’t afraid to go after players that he wants. Losing him would be a major blow to this Buccaneer franchise and Tampa shouldn’t even flirt with it, Resign him, and lets keep what we have going, going, not just now, but for the future.
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