Aced it.

Jason Licht aced the test. All his labor pulling all-nighters, zig-zagging across the country and interviewing hundreds of players paid off. [read more]

Welcome to your Morning Cup of Joe, an eye-opener to help Joe’s readers ease into their busy workday with a few football links, wacky news and a pleasant distraction. [read more]

Miami edge Rueben Bain.

*IF* new Bucs edge rusher Rueben Bain can overcome the obstacles he will face his rookie season with the Bucs, it will be obvious he is a good football player. [read more]

What a great story told tonight on SiriusXM NFL Radio the moment after the NFL announced the Bucs drafted University of Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain at No. 15 overall. [read more]

Flash poll posted at 11:20 p.m.

Bucs great must be smiling.

First off, new Bucs edge rusher Rueben Bain is not Warren Sapp. He may never be Warren Sapp. [read more]

History and good sense won out.

The Kenyon Sadiq fantasy ended abruptly for some Bucs fans. [read more]

New Bucs edge Rueben Bain.

Newest Bucs edge rusher Rueben Bain traveled to Pittsburgh to be at tonight’s draft. Even though he was far away from his new home Thursday night, Bain already has Bucs connections. [read more]

Bucs GM Jason Licht.

In his pre-draft media availability, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht half-jokingly said if he couldn’t trade down, whomever he and the Bucs ended up with at No. 15 would prompt Licht to stand at the same podium moments after the pick and say, “We got our guy.” [read more]

Happy fanbase.

Joe has been polling fans for weeks on what they wanted in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Two answers always were the most popular. [read more]

Miami edge Rueben Bain.

So normally, “this Joe” would be ecstatic about the Bucs getting an edge rusher at No. 15. [read more]

Raise The Flags!

Sound The Alarm!

The Bucs bagged a talented edge rusher in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. [read more]

Bucs coach Todd Bowles and Bucs GM Jason Licht in the Bucs’ war room Thursday night. (Photo courtesy of Bucs media relations.)

Hear ye, hear ye! The NFL draft is finally here!

After months of guessing, gabbing and grousing about who picks whom and where, Round 1 is upon us. Soon we will find out who the Bucs pick —  when we return to Pittsburgh right after these messages.

Or the Bucs could trade back. Some well-plugged-in reporters get that vibe. Joe feels like that’s the Bucs’ preferred option.

Comment here all night to fight and gnash your teeth about what the Bucs should do — and don’t do. Have fun!

And as always, Joe kindly asks readers, please do behave.

Ready for new defensive blood.

The lines have been moving for days at Florida’s legal sportsbook. [read more]

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So last year, JoeBucsFan.com draft guru Sean Sullivan made his first trip with Joe to the NFL Scouting Combine and talked to all kinds of prospects, coaches, front office types and analysts.

The net result was Sullivan hitting a stunning 11 picks in his 2025 mock draft. [read more]

Our friends in the desert like Kenyon Sadiq to the Bucs.

Joe read something in a VSiN Twitter feed from a gambling “expert” claiming sportsbooks aren’t fond of the NFL draft because it’s based on information, not math. Sportsbooks prefer math.

Heaven forbid! [read more]

SirVocea Dennis is not a starting NFL inside linebacker, what Tampa Bay evaluated him to be one year ago. [read more]

GM Jason Licht

Grab your popcorn! [read more]

After last week’s Monday night special edition of the JoeBucsFan Show on WDAE radio, 95.7 FM and AM 620. Joe returns to the airwaves TONIGHT from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for a pre-draft edition with Ira Kaufman, the Sage of Tampa Bay Sports.

Listen online to Tampa Bay’s all-sports powerhouse, or via the iHeart Radio app, or through the player below. (Joe has been back on the WDAE airwaves every weekend for the past 14 months. Varying times.)

Baylor TE Michael Trigg.

For weeks, Joe hoped the Bucs would draft a non-edge rusher defender in the first round, pick whomever in the second round and in the third, lock up Tampa native and Baylor tight end Michael Trigg. [read more]