Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik Gets Defensive About Spending

In a classic case of "yes I did" versus "no you didn't," Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik is trying to battle back after this week's revelations that his team has spent less money over the past five seasons than any club in the NFL.

He has pointed out the Bucs opening the purse strings to pay center Jeff Faine, new tight end Kellen Winslow, Michael Clayton and so on and so forth. Dominik went on the record with the Tampa Tribune to say the Bucs have spent $60 to $80 million on players this year.

Key word here is "spent."

Watchdog Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, now a part of NBC's on-line sports parade, begs to differ.

Florio maintains the Bucs are still $37 million under the salary cap.

"They've spent far less than $60 million," he points out.

The only real money spent recently was $5 million in bonus payments. New running back Derrick Ward claimed half and the other half went to Luke McCown.

There was no bonus payment to new tight end Kellen Winslow. Receiver Antonio Bryant was franchised, thus no bonus payment to him. No bonus payment to Byron Leftwich.

There will have to be some sort of bonus payment to first round pick Josh Freeman.

Still, the Buccaneers have been a bit thrifty the past five years to say the least.

But in the end, as Florio pointed out, none of this matters if the Buccaneers go out this season and win football games.