Dear Bruce Allen: Draft a quarterback in 2008

It's a bit early to start talking about the draft, especially with a playoff run in the making, but hey, it's the bye week.

Jeff Garcia's age is no mystery. Neither is the fact that he was brought in during the offseason as a temporary fix, to save Gruden's job as it were. However, just because the quarterback position has been filled does not mean that the Buccaneers shouldn't invest a high (as in first or second round) draft selection on a quarterback for the future.

Scenario one: the Bucs abstain from selecting a quarterback and instead target a high profile wide receiver that Gruden has always wanted such as DeSean Jackson. Jackson gets to know Garcia very well and becomes a solid number two option behind Galloway and is in the running for offensive rookie of the year. Garcia retires within the next two years, replaced by Luke McCown. McCown struggles, thus Jackson in turn struggles as well, suddenly regressing ala Michael Clayton.

Gruden and Allen then decide to draft a franchise quarterback, seeing that the offense is becoming stagnant once again. The rookie steps in on day one and is fed to the sharks. Joey Galloway gets frustrated and his numbers drop, and Jackson's struggles continue due to the lack of a consistent quarterback. Two first round picks, Jackson and the new quarterback, are either entirely wasted or of minimal value (see Michael Clayton and Chris Simms).

Scenario two: the Bucs heed this advice and select a quarterback in the first round. Jeff Garcia continues to start for the next two or three years while the young gun lurks in the shadows digesting Gruden's massive playbook. Garcia teaches the newcomer some helpful hints and acts as a second coach in practice. Garcia finally calls it a career and the former rookie steps in with three years of experience with the offense and team as a whole. He takes his fair share of lumps, but has established enough of a foundation to struggle through the tough times and develop into the franchise quarterback that the Bucs have always wanted.

Perhaps it may be a bit idealistic, but the premise is sound. Should the Bucs wait until absolutely necessary to take a quarterback, he won't have ample time to prepare before being cast out into the game to fend for himself. Ask Alex Smith how well that works.

Conversely, a quarterback selected this offseason would have time to culminate and grow into his future role as leader of the team behind one of the smartest players at his position.

Of course, it is entirely possible that the Buccaneers never acquire that franchise quarterback, instead settling for scraping veterans off the bottom of the free agent pool and squeezing out a few good years before casting him aside and looking for another. It's not every year that a team can find a Jeff Garcia, so the Bucs need a plan for the future, not Band-Aids to patch up holes.