Tampa Bay Buccaneers Waste $35 Million

Please don't call the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheap.

These guys can waste money like they are an arm of the federal government.

Well, maybe that's a stretch, but your Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to throw close to $35 million down the football crapper last season.

The biggest failure was shown the door this week.

Mark Dominik, the Wizard of Waste, has sent Antonio Bryant packing. Yes, No. 89, he of the franchise tag, he of the $9.88 million salary last season.

For close to $10 million, Dominik, the Dumper of Dollars, paid AB a tad more than $256,000 per catch. Nice work if you can get it.

But there are more.

Dominik, the Mangler of Money, paid damaged-goods linebacker Angelo Crowell $2.5 million to do nothing more than sit on the injured reserve list.

Oh, there's more.

How about the nifty Derrick Ward. Sir Dominik, the Destroyer of Dead Presidents, forked out $5 million for the part-time back ($3 million base, $2 million signing bonus). For all those dead simoleons, Ward gave us 409 yards rushing in 2009.  Wow!

Seen enough yet?  It gets better.

Twinkle toes Byron Leftwich was paid $2 million to look like the washed-up veteran that he is.

Kicker Mike Nugent was paid $2.4 million and was cut. Nice gig.

Luke McCown was paid a $2.5 million signing bonus and sent to Jacksonville.

Then there is the Emperor of the End Zone, his majesty Michael Clayton. He did manage to catch this pass: $3 million base and $3 million bonus complete from Dominik to Clayton.

If you count that reception, No. 80 gave you 17 catches last season. Oh, and don't forget THE touchdown.

It's not as bad as the rest but Dominik, the Count of Currency, paid $2 million to Raheem's failed test-tube linebacker, Jermaine Phillips.

It really starts to add up.

So please, by all means, let's BEG the Buccaneers to stay away from free agency.

It should be mandatory.