What would you do?

The Bucs clearly need help after last season's disappointing 4-12 finish, their third losing season in the past four. And in your heart you know you're just the person to provide it. Here's your chance. Tampa Bay owns the fourth overall pick in this weekend's draft, behind the Raiders, Lions and Browns. You're playing the role of general manager Bruce Allen or coach Jon Gruden. Do you:

1. Trade up for Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson (left)? 

2. Select Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas (right)?

3. Take quarterback JaMarcus Russell of LSU or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame?

4. Select Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson (left)?

5. Draft a defensive lineman such as Clemson's Gaines Adams or Louisville's Amobi Okoye?

6. Trade your picks to the Bears for linebacker Lance Briggs (right)?

7. Do something else?

You're on the clock. What move do you make, and why? We'll run a selection of responses on page 2C of Saturday's Times, so please leave your full name and hometown along with your comments.

And be careful. We remember all too well draft day busts such as Keith McCants, Charles McRae and Bo Jackson, the top overall pick in 1986 who never played a down for the Bucs.

(AP photos. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Tom]

Hey Brent. Do you remember that Gruden didn't have any draft picks? Two were given to get Keyshawn (by the great Rich McKay that everyone is so in love with) and FOUR were given for Gruden himself. Therefore, we tried to build a team of old free agents, which, unfortunately failed.

Look, I am not saying Gruden is the best. But winning the Super Bowl still feels good today. We should at least give him one more year. If it stinks like last year, I will be in front of the lynch mob.

[Sharon]

Tom wants to have us remember that Gruden won the Super Bowl and Dungy didn't. Gruden didn't build the team that won the Super Bowl. Dungy did, and Dungy did again. You don't have to listen to me Tom. Study their stats. Dungy should get a call from the Hall of Fame. Gruden is no where near.

[elpri54]

Gruden is D.O.N.E..,stick a fork in him..,HELLO.o.o!!! get a new coach.., rebill, why wait another year, for this mercy killing thats taking place.., get it over with now, it would be less painful that way, down the road

[AL]

Gruden hasnt had much to work with over the past 4 years. Everybody is talking about "dungy's team" well, think about it, How many times did dungy get to the playoffs and lose. Of coarse he actually made it to the super bowl this past year but, dont you think Gruden would have too if he had peyton and harrison. The bucs need 3 key positions, a WR to help with galloway, who by the way is 35, a DE to help rice who is 33, or a OT to help our very young o-line give our QB's some time to throw. Gruden is a coach who can take a team to the superbowl, we all know that, however, he just needs to get good talent in key positions. I would choose Calvin Johnson first, if available, if not, Joe Thomas, if available, if not, Gaines Adams. Either way i would not trade out of the 4th spot.

[Tom]

Sharon, do you think Dungy would have won a super bowl here in Tampa? I think the consensus is a definative NO! Although, we had a great defense, we had no identity on offense. We wanted a power run game style offense. Yet we ran Dunn up the middle and had tiny WRs on the outside the could not block. How frustrating was it for Bucs fans to watch that pathetic offense? I am not saying Gruden is better than Dungy. Just that he was the PERFECT solution that we needed to win the super bowl. Look at the great acquisitions of that year...McCardell, Jurevicious, Pittman (125 yards in the SB).

Up until last year, Dungy was considered a partial failure because of his inability to win in the post-season. However, I still think he is a great coach.

[Tom]

You Gruden bashers and Dungy lovers are thinking from your heart and not your brain. I love Dungy also, but he failed to take us to the next level and the window of opportunity was closing. Of course, after taking the team from 5-11 to 11-5, Gruden got no credit. He gets all the blame for the 4-12 season last year, as he should.

[bob ryan]

don't go for the home run player in Johnson and sacrifice the rest of the first day. trading both twos is a mistake... Either sit and see if Cj falls to 4, or trade down and get Okoye or Landry, then get either another D lineman or safety with one of the second rounders, in addition to a center. We have traded too many picks over the years, we have too many needs....west coast offense relies on short passing game, there also good receivers like smith or gonzalez who will available in 2nd round...

[Dave]

Is there any chance that the Bucs would take Stephen Nicholas from USF in the 3rd or 4th? I know the Pats are considering in those rounds, as are other teams. I think he would be a natural to help replace Quarles. He's tough and strong.

[James]

Alot of inaccurate crap on here, why do people place blame when a team loses players to free agency and has to rebuild? If you want the true culprit I would point at Rich McKay. His ridiculous backloading of contracts got us in alot of cap trouble, then we got raped by the Raiders for 4 top picks, therefore we couldn't pay the guys we had, then we couldn't get new ones. Period.

As much as I would love to see us get CJ...(and he disappeared during times of his career because he played with an average QB at best),I would really rather we got Thomas or a Stud DT, we need the 2 p's in the worst way, Protection and Pressure, Joe is a supposedly a shoe in for a LT for along time and with the rest of our line being young it would make sense to cap it off with a young talent in a critical position, however a Branch or an Okoye is intriguing here

[Bobby Beathard]

Already too many OLB--need a MLB. Trade down and pick up another 2nd, draft DT Amobi Okoye(1st), LB (2nd),WR (#2 2nd round), Safety (w #3 2nd round), OT/OG/C 3rd Round, best available after that. Defense wins championships. I would also look for a CB in the later rounds and for any other position getting too old. Sounds good, does it not.

Trade the #4 Pick to Chicago for Briggs and the 31st Pick. Get a pro bowl LB provides an immedicate upgrade and still allows you to get best availabe at 31.Chicago will take Johnson or Russell with the Pick.

[pam]

I agree with a lot of people. Gruden and his ego need to go. There was a good team in place and yes they were older but they were dedicated. Yes Dungy was a good coach. he brought pride to Tampa and the players were involved in the community and gave back to them. We now have people who have arrest records and that is okay. I have been a Bucs fan forever and it is a shame what is happening to Tampa Bay Bucs!

[Wags]

You know what really amazes me is that Tony get all the credit here when it was Wyche remember that guy ... you should cuz he is the guy that drafted the core of this team. Another thing Rich yeah Rich Mc Kay is the guy you put us in CAP HELL and has done it again in the ATL ...... and Allen has had to clean that pile of crap that Rich left us with. I really chuckle at these ignorant comments .. LOOK Shelton is 36 to his credit he has been the most consistant player on D the past years but he is 36 and 4 million for him is way too much money for an often injured player. Lynch as good of guy he is did have a neck injury I too would have let him walk. Dunn was overpaid by Atlanta. Rich gave that fat ass and often injured Booger way too much money. And I keep hearing everyone wanting Briggs how many weakside LBs can one team have? I will tell ya this if they did pull the trigger there on Briggs you people would be moaning and complaining because next would be Brooks to either be demoted or cut because RIGHT NOW both CATO & BRIGGS are better then DERRICK on the field!

[Michael]

I would LOVE to have Calvin Johnson suit up for Tampa next year but it looks like the LIONS will draft him (and yes, even though he is a once in long time player, the lack of ownership and management in DETROIT will cause him to be a bust for "them"). Beyond him, I don't really know except to say that I would NEVER draft Gaines Adams (the supposed super D player from Clemson) at any point (if I were Tampa). NFL scouts question his work ethic and commitment and even though it might seem harsh to say it, we don't need any more players like that in this franchise (the risk is not worth the potential reward here). If you doubt me then look back on Broderick Thomas, Keith McCants, and that other shmoe (can't place his name) from Alabama that we wasted picks on (again supposed stud "super" men, who never panned out). I also think that #4 is too high to draft an offensive lineman either (see Robert Gallery, RAIDERS). Those are my thoughts and if they do draft Adams and he turns into something great then I'll be the first to admit I was wrong.

[Rick Ollerman]

Joey Galloway's performances over the past few seasons have been about the only really electric moments the Bucs have shown. In other words, he's demonstrated what a fast and talented receiver can do for an offense. So get another one, especially if he will last longer. Draft Calvin Johnson. Speed at the skill positions cures a lot of ills.

[Tom]

I am really beating a dead horse here but, do you notice that all the really big Gruden bashers and Dungy lovers are women? Because they really think from their heart and not the reality of the situation. Gruden has tried to build a team on character. Just look at Cadillac, Clayton, Ruud, Joseph, Simms, Galloway, Pittman (yes, Pittman. He is the ultimate team player. Just got a bad rap with a run in with his wife who he has a great relationship with), etc.

Dungy and McKay weren't that great here and Gruden and Allen aren't that bad.

[Rob Johnson]

Do not trade up at all. Stay at #4 because the order will most likely go QB Russel/WR Johnson (Lions trade to a team that needs a WR desperately like Atlanta)/QB Quinn. The Bucs should then take DE Gaines Adams or trade down a few spots to number six or seven and take DT Alan Branch. With two of our 2nd Round picks and a 3rd Round pick we should trade those away to get New England's Seattle pick at #24 and take Paul Posluszney. With our last 2nd Round pick we should choose a QB in either Kevin Kolb, John Beck, Trent Edwards, or Troy Smith. That's it for Day One and we have solved the DL and LB problems and fully completed the QB situation with a lot of depth. All that's left is a S and maybe some more WRs and CBs.

[ray]

this is what i would do.1Trade up to detrots #2 PICK then get johnson trade the 35 and 64 picks to move up to the late 1st rd and make a run for qunn or for the top spot in the draft

[Jim S]

If CJ is gone,trade down w/either Miami(9,40)or minnesota(7,41).Take the best guy on the board in the 1st round and really load up in rd 2.One player isn't going to turn this thing around.4 of the top 64 will.