Tampa
One Buc Place
January 5 1999
Tony Dungy was looking at his boss General Manager Rich McKay and was not happy with the man. After a surprising 1997 season with a 10-6 record and reaching the Divisional Round of the playoffs after winning the Wild Card Round, the Bucs badly underperformed in 1998 season. A lot of the problems could be penned on the offensive. The Bucs were carried to their 7-9 record by the defense alone. It was getting to the point the Bucs offensive couldn’t score on a hooker. If not for the defense scoring touchdowns in two games it would had been a 5-11 season. It was this that had cost Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula and the bulk of the offensive staff their jobs.
Only Clyde Christensen had been retained. Yet he was too young and green to take over for Mike Shula as the Bucs OC. Clyde had promised and was being promoted to being the Quarterback Coach, which they needed a lot of work at the position. It was clear that Trent Dilfer wasn’t going to be the franchise quarterback the team badly needed. Yet the upcoming draft had a deep class of quarterbacks. McKay had his eye on either Donovan McNabb or Dante Culpepper, but that was being kept close to the vest at the moment. It was something of gamble that either of them would fall to them at the 12th pick, but it was viewed as possible.
Yet the task of rebuilding the offensive coaching staff lay ahead of them. They were holding the first meeting with a possible replacement today with the current Washington Redskins Running Back Coach Bobby Jackson. Even through the Redskins had an even worse season than the Bucs, Bobby was able to get the most out of his running backs and that was something Tony wanted in his offensive, a run first.
Tampa
One Buc Place
April 17 1999
Eyes were glued to the TV as Commissioner Paul Tagliabue walked to the podium in the war room of the Bucs. It was currently the eleventh pick of the 1999 NFL Draft, and one of the two players they really wanted was on the board at moment. If Vikings picked any other than Dante Culpepper the Bucs could possibly find a franchise quarterback that has been missing since the founding of the team in 1976. Then Tagliabue started to speak, “With the eleventh pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings draft Daunte Culpepper, quarterback from Central Florida.”
“Damn.” Came from Bobby Jackson the new OC of the Bucs. Jackson had been hired after his interview as they didn’t want to wait on their rebuild of the offensive coaching staff. The longer they waited the better talent will had been plucked if they waited for a Mike Heimerdinger.
Culpepper had been the fourth QB drafted already. A lot of teams were high on Cade McNown, but Tampa wasn’t. That however was a carefully guarded secret at the moment and Tampa had spoken highly of McNown to high who they really wanted. The next highest QB on the Bucs’ board was Shaun King who was projecting in the mid Second Round by almost everyone. “Who, is the best player left Rich?” Tony asked.
After flipping a page or two in front of him, “Jevon Kearse, the defensive end from Florida.” Rich answered.
“What about Damien Woody the center from Boston College?” Bobby asked about. Tony Mayberry the current center was good but he was getting old as was the bulk of the offensive line. He was looking at building up the line depth and having a good line as part of the rebuild of the offensive he was doing.
Before Tony could rebut what Bobby had said the phone started to ring. Jason Light picked up the phone and answered it. After a moment, “Rich, its Mark Hatley, he wants to trade up with us.”
It was known the Bears were really high on Cade McNown. Jason handed the phone over to Rich who spoke, “Mark why should we give up a chance to get our franchise quarterback to a division foe?” Buffing seeing what he can get out of this deal. It was only moving down two slots but draft capital was always a nice thing to have.
“Because we can make it worth your while. We will give you are 2nd and 4th this year along with changing thirds.”
“You call that a deal?” Rich said sounding insulted by the offer. “You want us to give up our franchise quarterback for a 2nd and 4th? With switching thirds?” Rich let the words sink in for a moment. “My people are ready to turn the card in now to claim McNown and our future. You want to talk trade better make it worth my time now.”
Rich could almost hear the sweat rolling down his own neck. Finally after what seemed like an hour but was at most 30 seconds Mark spoke again, “Ok same deal but we throw in next year’s first as well.”
After that Rich paused as he thought it over making Mark think he was thinking about rejecting it. But that was massive haul of picks and worth it. Yet it seem Rich thought for too long and Mark cracked, “Ok damn it, take our third instead of swapping them and drop the fourth and replace it with a fourth next year.”
“Done.” Rich said.
New York City
Madison Square Garden
Mel Kiper Jr and his team was sitting around talking about how McNown made logical sense for the Bucs to draft here. Everyone knew Trent Dilfer wasn’t the future even though he had been selected sixth overall a few years ago. Then the sound of a trade being made stated to be played. Then they had flash on their computer screen informing them of the trade.
“Wow,” Mel Kiper Jr said seeing the trade and who the trade was. “This make me wonder what they are thinking in Tampa right now. I will admit this is a nice haul of draft picks but why pass over McNown and to a team that is clearly going to take him.” Kiper said.
“I have watched the tapes from last year, and Dilfer clearly isn’t the QB to take Tampa to the promise land. It’s clear they have the defense to reach the playoffs yet Dilfer isn’t the QB to take your team there.” Chris said.
“I will admit the Bears have just mortgage their future for McNown, but Bucs are just one piece away from a deep playoff run and McNown could been that piece. Now the Bucs gave that piece to a division rival.” Mel took back over. “This gives them three first round draft picks next year but they just screwed themselves where they aren’t going to be a playoff team this year. Its stunts like this why the playoff run by the Bucs a few years ago was a fluke.”
Tampa
One Buc Place
April 18 1999
The last call had been made to New York for their final pick in the 1999 Draft. “That’s one damn good looking draft board.” Rich said.
1st 14th Javon Kearse, DE, Florida, via Chicago
2nd 48th Shaun King, QB, Tulane
2nd 50th Randy Thomas, OT, Mississippi State, via Chicago
3rd 78th Marty Booker, WR, Louisiana-Monroe
3rd 80th Martin Gramática, K Kansas State, via Chicago
4th 111th Dexter Jackson, S, Florida State
5th 147th Rod Coleman, DT, East Carolina
6th 191st J.P. Machado, C, Illinois
7th 221st Autry Denson, RB, Notre Dame
7th 240th Kelvin Garmon, G, Baylor
