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…)

Lovie Smith stands firm

Tampa Bay was a free-wheeling, big player in free agency last year. They even made several trades, which is uncommon in the NFL.

So what’s going to happen when the free agency dinner bell rings in 19 short days? (more…)

John Harbaugh speaks out on his prized center

Yes, one reason the Bucs were the garbage truck of the NFL last year is they tore apart what the new regime thought was an under-performing offensive line.

No issue in that.

Problem was, in dismantling the offensive line, they made the line worse and matador-like. (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…)

Good morning from frozen Indianapolis, where at 9:16 a.m. it is minus-2 degrees (Fahrenheit) with a wind chill of minus-26.

Folks are beginning to thaw out and stir at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine. There is a buzz as sportswriters are feeling the caffeine, and feeling what today is. It is Jameis Day.

Later, no telling when, Jameis Winston will take the podium for his first press conference as a professional athlete. Yes, Marcus Mariota will do the same.

Joe has tons of stories already, and more to come throughout the day. So keep hitting that F5 button and tell your boss the Bucs are the highest priority.

A prominent Tampa Bay Buccaneers media voice, who had breakfast with Lovie Smith yesterday, says he believes the Lovie regime will make its first defensive draft pick on Day 2 of the 2015 NFL Draft. (more…)

Now it’s time for Leslie Frazier and others to dive in

Few eyeballs have seen the Buccaneers’ 2015 draft board.

Back in December, general manager Jason Licht announced his scouting staff gathered for intense meetings, set their draft board and little change was expected after that. (more…)

Lovie Smith made a “gut decision” on Josh McCown last offseason, and again in November, and they turned into rotted guts for legions of Bucs fans, from the white sands of St. Pete Beach to Plant City and beyond. (more…)

The Josh McCown free agent parade went through the Bears and Browns yesterday, and there are more teams to come.

This is what happens when you’re one of the first QBs into the free agent market, the free agency dinner bell doesn’t ring for another 19 days, and Josh Freeman is your current competition. (more…)

What? You missed last night’s JoeBucsFan Hour with Joe and the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig on WDAE-AM 620?

Well, Joe’s got full audio of all the fireworks. (more…)

What’s with that winter coat, Jason Licht?

The Bucs’ general manager was dressed for frozen Indianapolis, but he warmed up under a media grilling late this morning. And Joe’s got video. (more…)

Bucs coach Lovie Smith made waves this morning when he told Joe and assembled media that Jameis Winston’s off-field antics and issues are something the head coach is comfortable accepting. (more…)

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…)