Bucs vs. Raiders

[Hauss]

To acquire Gruden, Bucs may swap Sapp<br />The Orlando Sentinel<br />By Chris Harry | Sentinel Staff Writer <br />Posted February 6, 2002 <br /> <br /> <br />TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have settled on a No. 1 candidate and, according to league sources, will take as long as they deem necessary to land Oakland Coach Jon Gruden.<br /><br />Bucs General Manager Rich McKay and Raiders owner Al Davis had a series of conversations during the last two days in an attempt to reach an agreement that would allow Gruden to escape the final season of his contract with Oakland and become Tampa Bay's next head coach.<br /><br />Despite reports that Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis was the team's top choice to succeed Tony Dungy, the Bucs turned up the heat in their pursuit of Gruden Tuesday, offering a package of draft picks -- including a first-rounder -- spread over the next three seasons, sources said.<br /><br />The Raiders, however, are believed to be seeking five-time Pro-Bowl defensive tackle Warren Sapp as part of the deal, a request that team sources said Tuesday would not necessarily scuttle the conversations. Oakland could have a big hole to fill in its defensive line after its ProBowl tackle, Darrell Russell, was charged last week with 25 felony counts of sexual assault.<br /><br />On Tuesday, ESPN reported that a deadline to reach an agreement by today had been imposed by McKay. Team sources insist, though, that the Bucs will exhaust all possibilities -- and take as much time as needed -- as long as they believe there's a chance to get Gruden, the 38-year-old offensive whiz.<br /><br />Gruden has compiled a 38-26 regular-season record in four seasons with the Raiders and is the only coach in the league to win back-to-back division titles the past two seasons. His offenses have ranked sixth and seventh in the NFL, respectively, during that time.<br /><br />The agent for Gruden, Bob LaMonte, was rebuffed by Davis in efforts to get a contract extension for his client last summer. Instead, Gruden's $1.2 million salary during the '01 season ranked in the bottom-third among the league's coaches.<br /><br />Neither Gruden nor LaMonte were available for comment Tuesday.<br /><br />In the interim, Lewis waits in Maryland to learn if he'll be the team's next head coach.<br /><br />If the Gruden deal does not materialize and Lewis gets the job, McKay is under orders from Joel and Bryan Glazer, the team's executive vice presidents, to help Lewis assemble an offensive staff committed to play a more aggressive style than the conservative approach preferred by Dungy, who was fired Jan. 14.<br /><br />Along that front, the Bucs have a tentative agreement with former New York Jets offensive line coach Bill Muir, whose contract with the Jets expired when the Jets' season ended. Muir was set to come to Tampa Bay last month as part of the Bill Parcells staff before Parcells stunned the organization when he decided to remain retired.<br /><br />Bringing on Lewis would assure the departure of either defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin or defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, both of whom are under contract with Tampa Bay through next season. One of the two would be named Lewis' defensive coordinator, with the other moving on to be reunited with Dungy, now head coach at Indianapolis.<br /><br />Lewis, who during the 2000 season was the mastermind behind arguably the most dominant defense in NFL history, was one of three candidate interviewed by McKay last week.

[Henry]

Is it me or are the Glazers completely nuts. The Parcells fiasco was embarassing enough, but if Gruden falls through and they lose Lewis ... <br /><br />I can't imagine McKay is enjoying his job right about now.

[bulldog]

to me Sapp is a tradeable commmodity. True, he has put up some outstanding numbers. But his play was not as consistent in 2001 as it had been in previous years. He seems to have peaked in 1998 and 1999 when the Bucs defense was #1 in the conference.<br /><br />Gruden is a guy that has star written all over him and at his age already has 4 years experience working under adverse conditions with a control freak like Al Davis.<br /><br />Left on his own, with a good GM to acquire players, Gruden could turn around the Bucs reputation as an underachieving club.

[TennesseeCarl]

It's really going to be nice to have some other team stand up and volunteer to take us off the spot as the most bizzarely managed team in the NFL. <br /><br /> For whatever reason, the Bucs have become the darlings of the media. It'll be fun watching how quick their bandwagon falls apart. <br /><br /> The down side is that Al Davis may come out of this looking shrewd.

[Henry]

If I remember correctly, Sapp had a rather unspectacular year in 1998 as well, getting to the pro-bowl pretty much on reputation alone.<br /><br />I'm not saying getting Gruden would be a bad thing. But keeping so many other candidates on hold isn't good form, either. Why do I think Al Davis is having a bit too much fun with this. <img border="0" title="" alt="[smile]" src="smile.gif" />

[RF4L]

And they say our man Snyder is the king of keeping people "twisting in the wind".<br /><br />Yeah, right.<br /><br />These Bucs people are writing the book. Let's see who's doin' the twist - Marvin Lewis, a couple of Buc coaches - Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli, Bill Muir... Did I leave anyone out? Sheese. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" />

[NavyDave]

Wouldn't be a coup if Danny gave M Lewis 2 mil and co head coach in charge of the Defense and Al Davis said no afterwards to letting Gruden go to Tampon Bay?<br /><br />Oh that would be the smackdown of the year.

[Dr. D]

this may seem slightly facetious but.. how did the glazers come accross the money necessary to buy a team?<br /><br />accident?<br /><br />inheritence?<br /><br />I am puzzled by their seeming inability to run THAT organization.