With Marcus Mariota officially in the 2015 NFL Draft, nitpicking season ramps up.

Joe heard an NFL scout ask a sweaty offensive lineman coming off the East-West Shrine Game practice field this week to describe how he feels about his family.

Talk about nitpicking out of the blue! (more…)

The chorus of people who believe the Bucs have a clear decision with the No. 1 overall pick added another singer last night. And it just so happens to be a man who used to run the football operations of the Bucs.

That man would be former rock star general manager Mark Dominik.

Last night, co-hosting “Late Hits” with Alex Marvez, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, a Bucs fan called in to discuss the draft — after he told Dominik how much he missed him in the front office. (more…)

Cardinals GM Steve Keim, a Jason Licht confidante, talks to Joe about spread-option quarterbacks.

Again yesterday, Joe was walking his legs off, pacing the sidelines of the Shrine Game practices in St. Petersburg talking to coaches, general managers and scouts to try to gain info and learn about what plans the Bucs may have for their 2015 draft.

One guy Joe buttonholed was Cardinals general manager Steve Keim. Aside from Bill Belicheat, Keim may be Bucs general manager Jason Licht’s closest NFL mentor. The two were tight when Licht served as Keim’s right-hand man in Arizona. (more…)

Joe wrote three weeks ago about how Bucs fans should be on “Tony Sparano Watch.”

That is taking center stage for Joe today. (more…)

“I loved those players,” Tedford said.

Yes, Joe was one of two reporters who collared former Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford today at East-West Shrine Game practice in St. Petersburg this morning.

Obviously, Tedford discussed his exit from the Bucs, but Tedford also went into great detail about what exactly went wrong healthwise, and how medications and other physical complications prevented him from jumping back into the pool again full-time. (more…)

Marcus Arroyo, the former (thankfully) Bucs playcaller.

That mess of a Buccaneers offense through most of the 2014 season, don’t think Jeff Tedford was meddling and trying to fix it.

First, per Tedford’s revelation today, Lovie Smith wasn’t interested in him playing a role. And Tedford told Joe he wasn’t serving up advice to Marcus Arroyo. (more…)

Many Bucs fans have vilified departed offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford for leaving the team and quickly landing a head coaching job in the CFL.

Joe finally caught up with Tedford today as Tedford was scouting players at the Shrine Game practices this morning in St. Petersburg, and Tedford shared a very different perspective. (more…)

A former college quarterback and scout for the Eagles, Browns and Ravens, Joe’s friend Daniel Jeremiah has transitioned very well into his role as a draft guru for NFL.com and NFL Network.

And the more Jeremiah dives into the pool of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota’s work, the cloudier the water gets. (more…)

Playing for the Bucs would fulfill a lifelong dream for Georgia Tech LB Quayshawn Nealy.

Joe has been prowling the sidelines of Shrine Game practices over in St. Petersburg this week, with an eye for middle linebackers and offensive linemen, specifically.

Granted, the vast majority of Shrine Game participants are third day draft picks, if they’re drafted at all. Maybe a couple could find themselves selected in the third round. That’s about the ceiling for these guys. (more…)

Later this week, Joe will compare results here to those from the same poll last week.

Joe asked some NFL scouts at East-West Shrine Game practice yesterday about their quarterback preference — Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston.

Not all wanted to go there, a couple preferred to talk about champion Ohio State QB Cardale Jones. (more…)

As Joe spelled out last week, new Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter sure appears to be a guy who would jump at a head coaching job.

He’s had plenty of interviews the past couple of years. (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…)

Former 49ers coach Mike Singletary, right, watched first-hand how former college spread-option QB Alex Smith, left, struggled terribly trying to get a handle on NFL offenses.

NFL Hall of Fame linebacker, Super Bowl-winner and former 49ers head coach Mike Singletary is in town coaching the East Squad in the East-West Shrine Game. His team practices in the mornings this week at Shorecrest Prep in St. Petersburg (practices are open to the public).

Joe thought it would be interesting to have Singletary shed light on how difficult it often is for college spread option quarterbacks to transition to the NFL. (more…)

It was time again for the popular JoeBucsFan Hour, when Joe joins the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620

Of course, there was plenty to talk about. (more…)

Joe will be dissecting plenty of new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s chat with media this afternoon. But for now, Joe’s got the complete audio to share.

Sometimes, context and tone are really important. (more…)

New Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter weighs in.

It’s champagne time for the Mike Glennon Mob! (more…)

New Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter

New Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter was introduced to media today via a conference call. Heck, it’s 3:20 p.m. and he’s still talking.

Joe was able to ask Koetter about his last go-round with a rookie quarterback coming out of a spread offense. (more…)

Contrary to an NFL.com report, Joe has learned Lovie Smith was in attendance last night to watch Marcus Mariota and friends get thumped by Ohio State University. (more…)