Yes, Joe wrote earlier today that there are all sorts of questions along the Bucs defensive line.

Sure, on paper, in a perfect world, the Bucs should put pressure on quarterbacks. Da’Quan Bowers is healthy, as is Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy. And Adrian Clayborn is returning from an ugly knee injury.

Of course, this depends on Bowers staying healthy, GMC staying healthy and Clayborn being able to bounce back from surgery.

This week on his Instagram account, Clayborn posted a picture that seems to suggest he is well on his way back. He posted the picture above with the caption, “Progress is real. #living”

It sure is comforting to see Clayborn doing agility drills at One Buc Palace. Now if he can play at 100 percent, it sure would help GMC out and draw traffic away from him.

Danny Gorrer choked away the Eagles game but his overall play ”impressed” the Bucs

Yes, the Bucs’ secondary was ugly last season.

Yes, the Bucs fixed it on paper.

But there’s still love for the returning men who, hopefully, will assume their suited roles as backups this season: Danny Gorrer and Leonard Johnson.

They’ve been praised before, but rockstar general manager Mark Dominik elaborated this week during an NFL.com podcast.

“Leonard Johnson did step up and stepped through and got better as the season went on. Danny Gorrer is a guy that we had to rely on that I was impressed with how he did,” Dominik said. “But that’s not where we want to be at the NFL level, specifically, as you guys know, in the NFC South, where it’s dangerous in the passing game.”

It’s somewhat interesting that Dominik makes it clear that Gorrer and Johnson playing starting and prominent roles are “not where we want to be at the NFL level.” Joe agrees, and that calls into question the Bucs’ depth at cornerback.

The Bucs had the cash to upgrade the cornerback position even more this offseason but passed. Hopefully, Darrelle Revis, Eric Wright, and Johnthan Banks will stay healthy and behave themselves.

The Bucs have placed a lot of pressure on Da’Quan Bowers to drop opposing quarterbacks this season.

There are lots of “ifs” this season, if the Bucs are going to turn around their fortunes.

IF Josh Freeman plays well…

IF the offensive line can be dominant and injury-free…

IF the Bucs can pressure the quarterback…

Those are just three “ifs” off the top of Joe’s head. And the third “if” also is of concern to the Football Outsiders crowd. In a series called “Red Flags,” they list the Bucs’ pass rush as a red flag, per BSPN.

“(Previously), we said Tampa Bay’s biggest hole was at pass-rusher, and they’ve since gotten weaker there, not stronger. Michael Bennett, who led Tampa Bay with 9.0 sacks last season (the only Bucs player to crack the top 50 in sacks) signed with Seattle in free agency.’’

Granted, the Bucs will sing a different song, but the reality is the Bucs are placing their their hopes on just that, hope.

The Bucs hope Adrian Clayborn can bounce back from knee surgery.

The Bucs hope Da’Quan Bowers can shine with a full season free of injuries.

The Bucs hope Gerald McCoy stays in one piece and stays a Pro Bowler.

Hey, Bowers, Clayborn and GMC could prove to be a lethal troika of defenders. It just seems to Joe that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is placing a lot of projected success based on hope.

Start your day with the Morning Cup of Joe from HootersCalendar.com. And don’t forget to visit HootersCalendar.com for amazing videos, pictures and cool gifts. It’s Joe’s second favorite website.

Bucs news forthcoming.

Indoor football coach levels an opposing player and, predictably, WWE ensues. [TheBigLead]

Charging a wild elephant unarmed doesn’t seem to be very intelligent. [YouTube]

If you are into fantasy football stuff, then Dwayne Bowe claims you will want to draft him. [KC Star]

This is a no-brainer: Bernard Pollard is going to get audited. [Baltimore.CBSLocal]

It seems Joel Peralta likes salsa bands in the clubhouse. Is this how David Price threw out his arm? [RaysIndex]

If rookie Bucs camp meat? wide receiver Jheranie Boyd was at the NFL Scouting Combine, he would have turned heads during the glorified track meet.

But Boyd wasn’t there. He fell off the radar after being stifled by an ankle injury during his senior season at the University of North Carolina last year. The big receiver made up for it at his Pro Day and landed with the Bucs.

Former Ashbrook standout and University of North Carolina senior Jheranie Boyd continues to maintain his dream of playing in the NFL. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound wide receiver has plenty of reason to be optimistic after he impressed scouts and draft-evaluators at UNC’s recent pro day this past week.

Boyd posted a 41.5-inch vertical leap and an 11-foot broad jump. Both of those numbers would have tied him for second-best among all receivers at the NFL combine.

The quote above is from a feature on Boyd in the Gaston Gazette, which references Boyd’s 4.4 second time in the 40-yard dash.

There’s little doubt Boyd arrived in Tampa with a nod from former Tar Heels head coach Butch Davis, Greg Schiano’s somewhat covert advisor. Boyd did have a rare stat in college. Of his 44 career receptions, a whopping 13 were for touchdowns.

Joe has scant interest in little-known roster hopefuls, but there are spots to be won at wide receiver, and at least Boyd has the raw talent to play in the NFL.

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Mark Dominik says Mike Glennon has to play a ton in August

The stage will be there for rookie Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon to implant a quarterback controversy in the minds of Bucs fans.

Per rockstar general manager Mark Dominik, via a recent NFL.com podcast, Glennon will get all kinds of work come August.

“We’re going to put a lot of pressure on [Glennon] and see a lot of reps from him in the preseason. He’s got to play,” Dominik said. “We may not see as much of Dan Orlovsky or even of Josh Freeman somewhat in the preseason as much as you’re going to see Glennon …

“We’re excited about just the little bit we saw from him [during rookie minicamp] in terms of mentally what he could handle. We kept piling more on him and he kept doing a great job digesting it, regurgitating it and running the team.”

This is great to hear, and it will make for an absolutely fascinating preseason.

Marques Colston, Steve Smith, Julio Jones, Roddy White, these are NFC South names that inspired rockstar general manager Mark Dominik this offseason, so he said during an NFL.com podcast this week.

Dominik talked about focusing on winning the division and joining the NFL trend of countering elite receivers with elite, big defensive backs.

“We’re trying to get in line with the movement,” Dominik said.

Dominik talked about limiting the production of the NFC South’s great receivers, and how the Bucs are focused on length of defensive backs because it’s a game of inches. Or as Greg Schiano might say, “a shoe.”

Dominik also went on to talk about how Darrelle Revis will add leadership and free up Greg Schiano to be more flexible with Xs and Os — “open up the defense.”

Interestingly, Dominik also touched on his excitement that Revis will bring a national spotlight to the Bucs. It’s been somewhat rare during the Schiano regime to hear anyone from the Bucs talk about anything other than performance on the field.

The 2013 Buccaneers will hit the practice field for the first time Monday when they run around with shorts and helmets but don’t hit each other, and it’s no surprise they’ll be missing someone.

Per Stephen Holder of TampaBay.com, Darrelle Revis, the Bucs’ $1 million a game cornerback, will sit out offseason practices while he continues to get his surgically-repaired knee ready to play football again.

Essentially, the man who is expected to be the most vital member of the defense won’t join his teammates on the field until the first day of training camp, at the earliest.

It’ll be interesting to see when the Bucs stop being cautious with Revis, whose ACL surgery was performed seven months ago.

Joe’s a little surprised to read, if true, that Revis won’t be a part of the mandatory minicamp in late June. Again, that’s still underwear football, as Raheem Morris used to call it, and one would think Revis would be healthy for limited participation, enough to soak in the defense with his teammates.

Might Revis potentially sit out the entire preseason schedule yet start in the Meadowlands on opening day?

Joe’s fine with that, but it’s rarely a recipe for a superstar season.

Start your day with the Morning Cup of Joe from HootersCalendar.com. And don’t forget to visit HootersCalendar.com for amazing videos, pictures and cool gifts. It’s Joe’s second favorite website.

Bucs news forthcoming.

Why does LeSean McCoy hate women? [TheBigLead]

This is now how to ride a motorcycle. [YouTube]

Notre Dame is “chicken.” Joe just hopes when the Irish don’t play Big Blue, they at least play Florida State and develop a rivalry in the ACC. [MLive]

Vikings new crib. Whattya think? (Yes, they will now get a Super Bowl before Tampa Bay will.) [Vikings]

If Yunel Escobar is not going to run hard to first, not field and, well, not hit, bench his arse! [RaysIndex]

Yesterday, “TKras,” Tom Krasniqi of WDAE-AM 620, lassoed Pro Football Hall of Fame voter Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune for a few words on Ronde Barber and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Kaufman made no secret he is in Barber’s corner, but he also cautioned Bucs fans who are of the belief that Barber will be inducted in his first year of eligibility in 2018.

“Look, [John] Lynch didn’t get in the room [final ballot] last year; he didn’t make it, he made it to the semifinals,” Kaufman said. “Only four defensive backs who retired in the past 25 years have gotten in. I think he eventually gets in. But to say he’s a slam dunk [is irresponsible]. That class of 2018 is shaping up as a tough one. Ray Lewis certainly, Randy Moss if he doesn’t play again, and some other big boys that will be eligible — [Brian] Urlacher if he doesn’t get picked up. There is quality people in that group. I’m just trying to apply a little perspective and I am getting beat up.”

What complicates matters is only five players can be elected each year (and up to two additional players nominated by an old timers committee). As Kaufman pointed out when Krasniqi busted his chops for the Hall of Fame voters not electing Michael Strahan this year, ”Who would you take out then, Jonathan Ogden? Bill Parcells? Cris Carter? Warren Sapp? Larry Allen?”

To hear the full interview, click on the button below.