On Friday, four days before the NFL trade deadline, the Bears traded their 2010 second-round pick to the Buccaneers for defensive end Gaines Adams.
The good and bad of the Gaines Adams trade
The fourth pick in the 2007 draft, Adams has largely been considered a disappointment. Buccaneers head coach Rahemm Morris called Adams out earlier this season for a lack of production
In 37 career games, including 29 starts, Adams has 13.5 sacks. Many expected more out Adams, 26, but his desire and he doesn’t have the physicality to play end in the NFL.
In Adams' defense, he is clearly athletic and was maybe playing out of place for Tampa Bay. At Clemson, where he had 28 career sacks, Adams was at his best when he could line up wide outside and just get after the passer. He still has a good burst, but has basically had one good quarter this season, and that came against a Redskins team that is below-average in pass protection.
The good for Chicago is that connects Adams with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. Considered one of the best line coaches in football, Marinelli almost drafted Adams second overall in 2007 when he coached the Lions. Also for the Bears, end Adewale Ogunleye is a free agent after this season and the team can save some money by not re-signing him.
Adams is set to make $1.08 million in 2010, $1.1 million in ‘11 and $1.15 million in ‘12. That’s a relative bargain since Tampa paid his rookie signing bonus.
On one end, the Buccaneers aren’t at a complete loss for jettisoning Adams. The team, and its fans, no longer have to worry about the failing expectations of a high draft choice. And although no one will probably admit it, Morris was clearly not a fan of Adams’.
But at some point, you have to question the workings of Tampa Bay's front office. General Manager Mark Dominik might be trying to make his mark in his first season, but it's just another Tampa Bay draft failure. Some recent Bucs draftees include Josh Freeman (considered a reach), Aqib Talib (decent corner prospect with character flaws), Dexter Jackson ('08 second rounder now on Carolina's practice squad) and Arron Sears (frequently hurt).
So even with another pick in next year’s draft, does Tampa Bay have the front office acumen to make a sound selection? Also, what kind of security could a Buccaneers players feel after the fourth pick in the draft was given up on after 29 starts?
For the Bears, if Adams fails, the team is left without a pick in the first two rounds of the draft for the second consecutive season. At some point, that could catch up to the Bears. After all, just ask the Redskins how well trading draft picks has gone.
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