Mark Dominik’s One Fault, Hopefully Not Enough To Get Him Canned

Apr 22, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik talks as cornerback Darrelle Revis (not pictured) is introduced at the press conference at One Buccaneer Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik’s seat has been growing hotter and hotter. I’m here to try to cool it off, because he has one shortcoming, and it’s not worth letting him go for.

Throughout his years as general manager of the Buccaneers, Mark Dominik has worked tirelessly to pile more and more talent on the roster. Just in the past two years he’s brought in Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Doug Martin, Mark Barron, Lavonte David, Darrelle Revis, and Dashon Goldson. He’s also drafted or signed players like Mike Williams, Mason Foster, Davin Joseph, Dekoda Watson, Donald Penn as well as many others that have made a significant impact on the field.

When its come to player personnel he’s had some misses. Aqib Talib, Kellen Winslow, and I guess you can add Josh Freeman  to the mix now. But he seems to always sever ties at the right time, and tends to wind up getting something out of these guys. The Freeman situation should be seen as yet another good decision by Dominik rather than a mark on him for drafting him years ago. He didn’t re-sign the guy in the off season, and then got him out of there swiftly in order to help the franchise move on as quickly as possible.

But Mark Dominik does have one issue, that is, he struggles with coaches. And then Dominik lets these bad coaches make important decisions about the direction of the franchise. He let Raheem (who he did not choose) pick the quarterback, and he let his guy Schiano bring in his own coaching staff. A coaching staff that includes an offensive coordinator that’s system doesn’t really work for the QB he has, and a defensive coordinator who gets gifted the best DB in the NFL and he uses him in a zone.

Dominik is clearly at fault for letting all of this happen. But as a fan, I want players more than coaches. Give me talent, and then we’ll find someone to get them going in the right direction. Dominik has built a solid roster of talented NFL players, but he has yet to land a coach who can coach them.

So when the season ends, and the team decides who to keep and who to get rid of, they need to take into account the whole picture. Sure, Dominik’s ability to pick a coach is awful, but his knack for getting good players on the field is close to incredible.

His hand is in all of it. But they need to consider what the future will be like with him vs. without him. He’s proven he can get great players to dawn the pewter and red and lace em up for the Buccaneers. If he’s let go, you can’t guarantee that continues. If you keep him, you might need to assist him in getting a new coach, but you know, the 53 on the field will be good enough to win, and at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.