Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times isn’t exactly buying what the Bucs are selling on G Carl Nicks.

There are all sorts of ways for the Bucs to go with their No. 7 pick, or for that matter, their first two picks in the draft. Many Bucs fans, who love shiny objects, are stomping their feet for a wide receiver, even if it is a Vincent Jackson clone (Texas A&M WR Mike Evans).

Joe is of the belief if the Bucs don’t draft Johnny Football at No. 7, while it may not be sexy, drafting a tackle would sure be a smart move. (more…)

For those who can’t stand gameday lines in the sweltering heat and having their most tantalizing food option being a giant turkey leg, great news has arrived. (more…)

Man, Joe wonders whether Greg Schiano took a bunch of locker room grief from Warren Sapp in the NFL Network makeup room last night.

“Hey, Schiano, did you apply for a job with Dancing With The Stars? You’re good at that.”

“You here to diagram the victory formation for our viewers?” (more…)

Former Bucs DT Booger McFarland said the Bucs better not draft Pitt DT Aaron Donald.

Lots of Bucs fans, maybe in a borderline panic mode because they think the Bucs may draft Johnny Football, are reaching into the wayback machine. They look to the early 2000s and see Warren Sapp and Booger McFarland manning the starting tackle spots on one of the game’s greatest defenses.

They see that Team Glazer reached into the wayback machine as well to hire Lovie Smith to build a defense that will have fans wrapping themselves in their favorite blanky at night with feel good memories. (more…)

Draft week is an ideal time for a contract squeeze play, explains former Jets personnel executive Pat Kirwan.

And the Bucs have a critical cog in his contract year. (more…)

Send the mockers to Jack Bauer. He will rid this nation of this mock draft industrial complex.

Joe has interesting news to share. Joe just knows Bucs fans are weary of the delayed draft this year. Way too much time for mindless mock drafts, smokescreens and unfounded rumors.

Joe understands why the NFL pushed the draft back to May. Big bucks are to be hand with television programming during a sweeps month (and yes, the NFL draft in primetime is major ratings). It is a smart, yet tedious move.

Well, Joe learned something tonight that could end the drought between the combine and the draft. (more…)

Bucs OC Jeff Tedford has dealt the cards

The drama of Joe’s countdown has been intense. And now the end has come.

Here are the top two things you can take to the bank regarding the Bucs’ 2014 draft: (more…)

Bucs GM Jason Licht learned plenty alongside Bill Belicheat and others

Raise your hand if you think the Bucs are going to play some patsy game of wait-and-see with the most important position the roster.

That’s right. Put your hand in the air if you believe 2014 is the year the Bucs experiment to see whether 35-year-old Josh McCown plays his first good full season or whether Mike Glennon can pull an offense out of the NFL cellar — without another viable option on the roster. (more…)

The NFL is a copycat league. Look at a few years ago when the Dolphins broke out a Wildcat offense against the Patriots and embarrassed Bill Belicheat in a Miami win.

Soon after, just about every team toyed with the Wildcat, thinking it was the rage of future, even drafting quarterbacks to run the Wildcat like Pat White (who was a miserable bust). It didn’t take long for the Wildcat fad to fade because defenses figured it out. (more…)

History is telling

Joe continues with his educational series.

No. 3 will surprise some fans. (more…)

Joe won’t offer up a full mock draft, but Joe will tell you what to bank on from Tampa Bay when the draft bell finally rings Thursday:

Here are Nos. 4 & 5 on the list. Come back later for the top-3.

(more…)

Versatile USC OL Marcus Martin might be a nice pick-up in the third round.

The weakest link on the Bucs is the offensive line. Yeah, really. Joe knows others will argue wide receiver, and that is a fair point. But at least the Bucs have a Pro Bowler at wide receiver. Can’t say that about the O-line.

Shoot, the best player on the offensive line, left tackle Anthony Collins, has never started a half season in any given year. That doesn’t help Joe rest at night. (more…)

Everybody has an opinion on who the Bucs should select at No. 7 Thursday night. The mayor of Tampa, the local church minister, your favorite Hooters waitress, Little League coaches.

But very few hold the weight of Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp. (more…)

Apparently, cutting DeSean Jackson and another lost season by Arrelious Benn have left the Eagles eager and hungry to trade up in the NFL Draft for a blue chip wide receiver.

That’s the word from fight-instigating, barista-training, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball box score-reading Peter King of SI.com fame. (more…)

Joe thinks drafting Aaron Murray on Day 3 would be smart for the Bucs. History says that’s a waste, says one NFL GM.

Joe has written the following so many times, regular readers could quote it verbatim: The Bucs will draft a quarterback at some point this weekend, whether it is Johnny Football at No. 7, Derek Carr in the second round, Jimmy Garoppolo in the third round or Aaron Murray on the third day.

But if Bears general manager Phil Emery had any sway with Jason Licht, he would advise him to forget drafting a signal-caller on Day 3. Why? Emery, per his research, said drafting QBs after the third round is a waste of a pick, documented Jeff Dickerson of BSPN Chicago. (more…)

“You have friends in high places, my son.”

Most regular readers of Joe know that “MGM” stands for the Mike Glennon Mob, the vocal, outspoken gang of cheerleaders that love and enjoy everything about the Bucs’ backup quarterback.

So infatuated with Glennon as a rookie third round pick who had yet to take a snap in a presesaon game, they demanded he replace a veteran who had just come off a season throwing for a franchise-record 4,065-yards. Can you imagine?

Well, the MGM’s dreams came true when leaky, sleepy Rip Van Freeman went mental and was eventually benched and jettisoned. (more…)

Joe has stated before he would be very surprised if at some point this weekend the Bucs do not draft a quarterback. First round, second round, third round, third day. It really would be a stunner if the Bucs meet for rookie minicamp next week and there is no drafted quarterback on the roster with his last name taped to the front of his helmet. (more…)

So Joe’s sunning himself on a lounge chair drinking Beck’s Dark and reading BSPN The Magazine’s NFL Draft issue today. And what does Joe come across? Analysis by some noted stats geek explaining how Blake Bortles’ hometown zip code is part of the equation of why he’ll be successful in the NFL. (more…)

The next O-line upgrade?

The Bucs walking away from this week’s NFL Draft with a guy the team believes can be a stud offensive lineman is among the surest prognostications you could make.

A name Joe has seen pop up many times as a potential Buccaneer is known tough guy Joel Bitonio. (more…)

One reason why anticipation of the upcoming draft is both annoyingly long and fun, is that there is no telling what the Bucs will do just five days from the first round.

The Bucs could go quarterback at No. 7 (Johnny, please!) or wide receiver or offensive line or, hell, maybe defense only, because Bucs coach Lovie Smith is a defensive guy. As Joe has stated before, argument could be made for a dozen different guys to be drafted at No. 7. (more…)

A look at Lovie Smith’s drafts with the Bears.

Yes, most believe there is no closer disciple in football principle to Father Dungy than Lovie Smith.

Just recently, when asked (again) if his philosophy of ground-and-pound football with a stingy defense was the way to win after sitting out of football for a year, Lovie shook his head, smiled and emphatically stated he’s convinced his way is the way to win. (more…)

The former Colts GM sees Lovie Smith through his many years with Tony Dungy

The man who labeled the Bucs’ trade for Darrelle Revis the worst in NFL history, former Colts general manager Bill Polian, has made a confident call of the Bucs’ selection with the No. 7 overall pick next week.

Polian sees Lovie Smith and remembers working closely with Father Dungy on the great Colts teams of the last decade. Polian believes he knows where Lovie’s heart and mind lie. (more…)

Former Bucs G Ian Beckles was rated as one of the franchise’s best value picks.

When Bucs general manager Jason Licht was hired, he talked a great deal about value during his introductory news conference. When asked about free agents, he said he wasn’t opposed to shopping for unwanted players (remember the old saying, if a team wants you, they will find a way to keep you) so long as they merit “value.”

In other words, Licht wasn’t going to break the bank.

Licht spoke of value so much, Joe has a hunch this plays into how he will draft. This is why Joe is so convinced the Bucs won’t pick a receiver at No. 7. (more…)