Will Tampa Bay repeat the Josh Freeman mistake?

Joe has trouble imagining a scenario in which the Bucs don’t land a seasoned veteran to help guide their new rookie QB and compete for a backup job. (more…)

Tampa Bay head coach Lovie Smith was kind enough to give Joe a little time for a one-on-one interview this morning from the NFL Scouting Combine in frozen Indianapolis, just before he went on BSPN Radio and declared he would be comfortable having Jameis Winston lead his Bucs.

Lovie discussed how the Bucs plan to tackle free agency, how they evaluate the team from top to bottom after the season, edge rushers, and if free agent defensive end Adrian Clayborn’s days with the Bucs are over, and more. (more…)

Bucs GM Jason Licht had an oily Drew Rosenhaus imitation for Joe this morning.

In the scrum that was the post-press conference press conference this afternoon in the concourse of Lucas Oil Stadium in frozen Indianapolis, Bucs general manager Jason Licht pulled an oily Drew Rosenhaus.

Well, sort of. (more…)

In his post-press conference press conference, Bucs general manager Jason Licht fielded all sorts of questions. One was about barbecue pitmaster Logan Mankins.

The left guard who sure seemed like he left his heart in New England, and has been pining for a place to hold a barbecue since he came to town, apparently has either had a change of heart, found someone with a grill, or both. (more…)

There’s the chat Lovie had today in front of NFL Network cameras and media this morning. And then there was the chat Lovie had with Joe and other media away from the spotlight.

It was there that Lovie planted a Marcus Mariota flag that many thought couldn’t be done yet. (more…)

A big ol’ grin covered Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht’s face this morning when he was asked about Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston electing to throw at the NFL Scouting Combine when quarterbacks hit the field on Saturday. (more…)

Lovie Smith implied today that his strong belief in the American judicial system is why he and the Bucs are comfortable having Jameis Winston become their quarterback of the future.

Joe’s got Lovie’s full take, live from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. (more…)

Lovie Smith had strong love for Mike Glennon today

Asked about Josh McCown today at the NFL Scouting Combine, Lovie Smith said “it’s a new year.”

And for now, Lovie said, it’s Mike Glennon’s time. (more…)

Cue the Mike Glennon Mob! (more…)

Crab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, former national champion Jameis Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida. (more…)

Joe still has loads and loads of untouched interviews, and a couple he hasn’t finished transcribing, from his days in Phoenix during Super Bowl Week.

Today, Joe is in frigid Indianapolis at the NFL Scuting Combine. For media purposes, the combine begins today and lasts through Saturday. So Joe will have tons more strong content for weeks. (more…)

Lovie Smith, and later Jason Licht, will speak at this here podium this morning.

Welcome to frozen Indianapolis. Joe is plugged in and ready to rock and roll at Lucas Oil Stadium where outside, it is a bone-chilling 10 degrees (Fahrenheit). But it’s sunny.

The first speaker of today’s 24 will be Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert followed by Bucs coach Lovie Smith at 10:15 a.m. Bucs general manager Jason Licht will follow at 11:15 a.m. (more…)

Yesterday, Joe heard this driving to the airport enroute to frozen Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine (yes, Joe knows the Tampa area is bracing for cold, but the next three nights in Indianapolis, the forecast low is expected to be near or below zero). (more…)

Lovie Smith speaks today

It is early and you likely have not had your morning dose of caffeine, so Joe understands nerves are already on edge without this supplement.

Therefore, Joe won’t recount all the ways the Bucs were miserable last year, just sum it up with the infamous Bill Parcells quote, “You are what your record says you are.” (more…)

Lovie Smith raved about the relentless work ethic and drive of defensive end Adrian Clayborn last summer.

Put that in the category: Things you don’t hear about Michael Johnson. (more…)

In many ways, Tampa Bay’s 2014 season was more bizarre than the MRSA-infected, quarterback-gone-mental, Fire-Schiano-billboards campaign of 2013.

There were plenty of real Bucs mysteries last year, and Joe’s revisiting the most interesting of the bunch. (more…)

The drama is building for the decisions. No, not what the Bucs will do with their premium draft picks. (more…)

Why would a wise, accomplished man like Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh attach his name to Jameis Winston?

Jiminy Christmas! Joe’s been led to believe this would mean women’s groups will march angrily in protest within hours on the Michigan campus. (more…)

Just like Josh McCown was freed from his contract earlier than most and can sign now with any NFL team, so is blade-in-the-thigh, mattress-in-the-yard, stripper-pole-friendly Mike Williams, the former Bucs No. 1 receiver. (more…)

Two words could sum up most of the swings and misses the Bucs had last offseason: “Offensive line.”

OK, fine. You want to dismantle an underperforming offensive line and try to get better. However, it got progressively worse. (more…)

Somehow, in a span of just a couple of minutes, Bucs center Evan Dietrich-Smith contradicted himself multiple times when reviewing the Bucs’ 2014 season on SiriusXM NFL radio last night. (more…)