By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, April 30, 2011
TAMPA
Today, they are more talented. Today, they are more interesting. Today, they have the ability to make more quarterbacks more nervous.
Ah, but what you really want to know about the Tampa Bay Bucs is simple, isn't it?
Are they better?
And more to the point, are they better enough?
Once again, you would have to say that Bucs general manager Mark Dominik had another productive weekend. It is hard not to be impressed with the way the Bucs have pieced together a promising young front four. Mason Foster will end up as the starting middle linebacker for years to come. The Bucs liked tight end Luke Stocker enough to spend two fourth-round picks on him.
"I think we're better," Dominik said.
"We're better at getting after the quarterback. We're more physical, and we're better off of the field."
All in all, it was a nice draft, a productive draft. It was the kind of draft — and the Bucs have become the kind of team — that left Bucs fans wanting more.
More, such as a cornerback to replace Aqib Talib.
More, such as an offensive lineman to fill in for Davin Joseph.
More, such as a linebacker to replace Barrett Ruud or Quincy Black.
This is asking for the moon, granted. Even a team that has drafted as well as the Bucs have for the past three seasons cannot plug every potential hole with a draft choice.
That said, the Bucs are a team on the verge of becoming something special. The task isn't just to improve. It's to crack through the playoff barrier and grow into a contender.
Which brings us to this: When, exactly, is the NFL going to stop its work stoppage and get around to its free agency period? And for crying out loud, can we expect the Bucs to finally play a part?
For years now, we have listened as the Bucs explained that, around here, free agency was a push-it-over-the-top concept. For years, we have heard the low payroll would change when it was time to re-sign its own young players such as Ruud and Joseph.
Finally, we are here. And it is up to the Bucs to either re-sign their free agents or to sign someone who can take their place. No, this isn't saying the Bucs will — or should — be one of the top spending teams in free agency. By now, however, the team is good enough to make a smart purchase or two.
Give the Bucs credit for this much. They didn't draft as if they were afraid of potential holes. It might have been easy to force a corner with the second pick or a guard with the third.
Such is the calm, methodical way Dominik (and his staff) works the draft. It seems as smart and as organized as any front office the Bucs have had.
It is asking a lot for this draft to turn out to be as good as last year's.
For one thing, it's harder to make an impact at No. 20 than it is at No. 3. For another thing, there wasn't a player such as Mike Williams who slid from the first round to the fourth.
Still, how can you not like the bookends of Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers? There is something about the draft that turns Dominik into Noah, collecting his prospects two at a time. Last year, it was defensive tackles and wide receivers. This year, it was defensive ends and tight ends.
Think about the future with Clayborn and Bowers at ends and Gerald McCoy and either Brian Price or Roy Miller at tackles, and you're thinking of a line with, perhaps, as much natural talent as the 2002 bunch with Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Greg Spires and Booger McFarland. It won't happen overnight, but the Bucs have as much potential on their defensive line as they have had in a decade.
Of course, you can say the same about quarterback, and about wide receiver, and maybe running back.
Yeah, these Bucs look as if they are on their way.
Also, they could use another passenger or two along the way.