The Bucs' many moves lead to a turnover vs. consistency debate.
By ROGER MILLS
Published April 2, 2004
PALM BEACH - Through the first 27 days of free agency, the Bucs signed 20 players and traded for a 21st.
The massive turnover, which included four offensive linemen, a running back and a receiver who all have a chance to start, is part of Jon Gruden's effort to raise the level of competition and reshape, in particular, the offense.
The plan has not gone unnoticed across the league, especially by teams in the NFC South that play the Bucs twice yearly.
"It's obvious they tried to retool the offensive line," said Carolina coach John Fox, who lost tackle Todd Steussie to the Bucs. "It'll be interesting to see because that's an area where there is some continuity involved."
"Jon likes turnover, I guess," new Falcons coach Jim Mora said. "I would like to have some level of consistency. It's the way the game is. There's going to be turnover, but you need a baseline of consistency."
Saints coach Jim Haslett said he keeps a board up in his office with the roster of the three division opponents and is well aware of the comings and goings at One Buc Place.
"(Offensive line coach) Bill Muir is going to have his hands full because he's got four new starters, or at least three new starters on the offensive line," Haslett said. "I think it's a great challenge for Jon. ... It's not as easy at it looks."
It may not be easy, but it is not impossible.
The Patriots, winners of two of the past three Super Bowls, have thrived on shaping and reshaping their roster through massive free-agent overhaul.
"(For) some of us, maybe we go out and acquire a few more veteran players that we know can come in and serve a certain role," Gruden said.
"(The Patriots) have done as good a job as anybody in football the last two or three years bringing in (multiple free agents). They've got a number of veteran players who didn't just play well, they played great. They knew how to use them."
Like the Patriots, Tampa Bay brought in a slew of players when Gruden was hired and won the Super Bowl.
Like the Patriots, they had a down year the next season, and began rebuilding.
What could help the Bucs, Fox said, is the age of the new players and the familiarity they have with the system.
"If you look closely, a lot of those people are very veteran players, so they are a little bit more experienced in systems, experienced in how to do it," he said.
"When you have players you have a past with, you have players you trust and the things they bring to the table are the qualities you're looking for. You'll see a lot of coaches bringing in players that they have had because they know them. They don't just know them socially, they know how they react under pressure, how they react in adverse conditions, how they conduct themselves."
Among the seasoned additions are receiver Joey Galloway (32), tackles Derrick Deese (33) and Steussie (33), guard Matt O'Dwyer (31), quarterback Jason Garrett (37), tight ends Dave Moore (34) and Ken Dilger (33), running back Charlie Garner (32) and linebacker Keith Burns (31).
Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the staff is going to have to be up front with all of the additions.
"The main thing is to be honest with the players and tell them what their situation is going to be," Belichick said. "So, if I were to sign a guy, that's what I would tell him, whether he was a three-year player or a 13-year player. This is what we're going to ask you to do, do you think you can do it? Can you do it better than the other people we have doing it?"
Like most teams, Gruden wants his free-agent signees to get significant playing time.
"We need to get the G-men to go off," Gruden said. "The Galloways and Garners. We've got to get some speed, some dynamic playmaking here, where maybe we can get a quick strike. We need that."
Belichick cautioned that relying on multiple free agents is "an unscientific" approach and could affect chemistry.
"It's not like you can predict the chemistry, but you should have some sense of how you think that player will fit into your team," he said. "Once you bring a guy into your family, you've got everything. You've got his speed, his vertical jump, his personality, his work ethic, everything.
"I don't know if you ever know anybody until you spend some time with them, a year with them and see them under pressure and go through a regular season with them. With (veteran free agents), sometimes it's a little easier to know them even though you haven't been with them."
CLEARING SOME SPACE: The Bucs began the process of releasing players to make room for their 2004 draft class.
The team on Thursday waived fullback Cecil Martin and kicker Carlos Martinez.
Martin, who spent his first four seasons with the Eagles, played in just one game last season in two stints with the Bucs.
He was signed on Oct. 14 and released two weeks later without appearing in a game. After fullback Darian Barnes was placed on injured reserve, Martin was re-signed Dec. 16 and played in the season finale at Tennessee on special teams.
Martinez was allocated to NFL Europe after signing in January but failed to earn a spot on any of the six teams.
The release of Martinez means that Martin Gramatica is the only placekicker in camp.
EXTRA POINTS: The Bucs' seventh-round compensatory pick in the 2004 draft is for the loss of safety Dexter Jackson to the Cardinals and Al Singleton to the Cowboys last season. ... Barnes will wear No. 47 next season, safety John Lynch's old number. Running back Charlie Garner will wear Barnes' No. 30. Running back Jamel White has switched from No. 34 to No. 22.
- Times staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report.
