Dominik vs. The NFC Champions: Defense

General Manager Mark Dominik has stayed the path of building with youth and only adding the occasional free agent.  Let's see if this philosophy lines up with the NFC Champion New York Giants defense.

NY Giants Defense

The Defensive two-deep for the New York Giants:

DE Justin Tuck - Drafted (3rd Round, 2005); has only been a Giant

DE Dave Tollefson - Free Agent (Green Bay, 2007)

DE Osi Umenyiora - Drafted (2nd Round, 2003); has only been a Giant

DE Jason Pierre-Paul - Drafted (1st Round, 2010); has only been a Giant

DT Linval Joseph - Drafted (2nd Round, 2010); has only been a Giant

DT Rocky Bernard - Free Agent (Seattle, 2009)

DT Chris Canty - Free Agent (Dallas, 2009)

DT Jimmy Kennedy - Free Agent (Minnesota, 2011)

LB Michael Boley - Free Agent (Atlanta, 2009)

LB Jacquain Williams - Drafted (6th Round, 2011); has only been a Giant

LB Mathias Kiwanuka - Drafted (1st Round, 2006); has only been a Giant

LB Greg Jones - Drafted (6th Round, 2011); has only been a Giant

S Antrel Rolle - Free Agent (Arizona, 2010)

S Deon Grant - Free Agent (Seattle, 2010)

S Kenny Phillips - Drafted (1st Round, 2008); has only been a Giant

S Tyler Sash - Drafted (6th Round, 2011); has only been a Giant

CB Aaron Ross - Drafted (1st Round, 2007); has only been a Giant

CB Micheal Coe - Free Agent (Jacksonville, 2010)

CB Corey Webster - Drafted (2nd Round, 2005)

CB Brian Williams - Free Agent (Atlanta, 2011)

That is:

1 Undrafted Free Agent

9 Free Agents

11 Drafted

The drafted players breakdown like this:

4 First Rounders

2 Second Rounders

1 Third Rounder

3 Sixth Rounders

Again, there is more drafted talent than free agent talent in this group, but much closer to half and half.  There are more high-round draft picks on this side of the ball as well.  Two members of this unit were drafted in 2005, meaning it took seven years to get the right group together.

Clearly the New York Giants have leaned heavily on the draft to reach the SuperBowl in 2012.  Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik shares this philosophy, and it is a philosophy which should (accounting for coaching, retention, team chemistry, etc) allow the Buccaneers to compete with playoff teams in the near future.

Dominik vs. The NFC Champions: Offense

Congratulations to the New York Giants, NFC Champions for the 2011-2012 season!  I am very jealous, and want the George Halas Trophy in Tampa so badly.  Are the Buccaneers on track?

General Manager Mark Dominik has stayed the path of building with youth and only adding the occasional free agent.  Many fans have "Fantasy Football Syndrome", where free agents cost a few dollars, there is no salary cap, and statistics strictly determine the worth of a player.  This season, all Tampa Bay Buccaneer fans got a good look at another factor which Fantasy Football does not consider: team chemistry.

So, does real life NFL success match the philosophy of the Buccaneers GM?  Time to dissect the 2012 NFC Champion New York Giants and see what we can learn.

NY Giants Offense

The Offensive two-deep for the New York Giants:

QB Eli Manning - Draft Day Trade (2004); has only been a Giant

QB David Carr - Free Agent (from 49ers, 2010; 2nd stint with the Giants)

RB Brandon Jacobs - Drafted (4th Round, 2005); has only been a Giant

RB DJ Ware - Undrafted, 2010; has only been a Giant

FB Henry Hynoski - Undrafted, 2011; has only been a Giant

WR Mario Manningham - Drafted (3rd Round, 2008); has only been a Giant

WR Hakeem Nicks - Drafted (1st Round, 2009); has only been a Giant

WR Victor Cruz - Undrafted, 2010; has only been a Giant

WR Jerrel Jernigan - Drafted (3rd Round, 2011); has only been a Giant

TE Jake Ballard - Undrafted, 2010; has only been a Giant

TE Travis Beckum - Drafted (3rd Round, 2009); has only been a Giant

T Will Beatty - Drafted (2nd Round, 2009); has only been a Giant

T James Brewer - Drafted (4th Round, 2011); has only been a Giant

T Kareem McKenzie - Free Agent (from Jets, 2005)

T Stacy Andrews - Free Agent (from Seattle, 2010)

G Chris Snee - Drafted (2nd Round, 2004); has only been a Giant

G Mitch Petrus - Drafted (5th Round, 2010); has only been a Giant

G David Diehl - Drafted (5th Round, 2003); has only been a Giant

G Kevin Boothe - Free Agent (from Oakland, 2006)

C David Baas - Free Agent (from 49ers, 2010)

That is:

1 Trade

4 Undrafted (College) Free Agents

5 Free Agents

10 Drafted

Of the half the players on the New York Giants offensive 2-deep who were drafted, only Hakeem Nicks was a first round draft choice.  The draft choice breakdown is:

1 First Rounder

2 Second Rounders

3 Third Rounders

2 Fourth Rounders

2 Fifth Rounders

This is a unit built through the draft.  With only five free agents and one traded player out of 20 players.  Four of the five free agents are on the offensive line, while the fifth is the backup quarterback.

Half the drafted players were "middle round" picks, and all of the draft picks were selected in the fifth round or earlier.  None of the draft picks have more than eight years in the NFL; that is, this unit was eight years in the making.

The composition of this group does follow the philosophy of General Manager Mark Dominik, starting with drafting a quarterback to build around in Josh Freeman:  Eli Manning is the oldest draft pick on the Giant's two deep.  Building through the draft and going light on free agents can (and does) produce a championship squad. Clearly, the Buccaneers are on the correct path.  Sometimes this produces lightning in a bottle:  In 2007, the New York Giants won the SuperBowl with the lowest payroll in the NFL.

But this is only half the story.  Next up is a look at the defense.