There was a Barrett Ruud sighting! And it had nothing to do with tackles four yards downfield.

Ruud made the play of the game, and one that was likely unnoticed, in the second quarter of the Bucs loss to the Jags Saturday.

Joe was sitting in the stands in the 200 level and let’s just say Ruud is not a fan favorite. Fans sitting around Joe were hounding him, heckling him, mocking him. “Hey, where’s Barrett Ruud? He’s four yards downfield!” Joe heard one fan cry.

Ruud shut the haters up when he stepped in front of a Jags receiver in what would otherwise have been a Jags touchdown. Ruud took the ball down the left sideline to set up a Josh Johnson-to-Earnest Graham touchdown.

“It was a standard go route,” Ruud said on the Buccaneers Radio Network after the game. “I ran well for 60 yards.”

Ruud had  a convoy in front of him but the piano on his back caught up with him.

“I ran out of gas. I thought I was going to take it to the house. My front guy [blocker] got bulldozed and after I had to jump over him my legs ran out.”

But it was a simple yet needed play by a middle linebacker that opened Joe’s eyes. On that same drive, Jacksonville had second down and 10 yards to go when the Jags called for a run to the right side. There was a hole but Ruud came from his left, plugged the hole, and got a tackle for no gain – at the line of scrimmage no less!

It is simple, yet basic plays like that, not so much interceptions, that will keep fans off of Ruud’s back.

He was juking Jacksonville defenders. He was cutting. He was breaking tackles.

His name is Derrick Ward.

Why some might say Ward looked like he was chasing down a scantily clad Kardashian through a crowded Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Barring a shocker of a trade, Joe’s quite certain Ward will be on the Buccaneers come opening day. They need him, assuming there’s more left in his 30-year-old tank.

Ward, playing against the Jaguars’ starters, ripped off 19 yards on four carries, including runs of nine and 12 yards. During the latter he broke three tackles, made three cuts and finished off the run hard.

If Ward were Kareem Huggins, Bucs fans would be out of their minds excited right now.

Huggins, again, didn’t get a shot to line up behind the Bucs’ starting offensive line. As Joe has written through the week, Joe’s just not seeing how the Bucs are that serious about Huggins.

He’s a great kid, but that hasn’t gotten him much of a shot.

Preseason Week 3
Jaguars at Bucs
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
TV: Blacked out. The game will be broadcast in its entirety Sunday morning on WFLA Ch. 8 at 11 a.m.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 127.
Weather: Per AccuWeather.com, bring the rain gear. The game is supposed to kick off amid thunderstorms and end amid thunderstorms with temperatures falling from the mid-80s to 80 near the end.
Odds: Per Bodog.com, Jags -3.
Outlook: Yes, the game is blacked out. This has been well-documented. Joe will be at the game, in the stands, cold $8 beer at his side, hoping to dodge raindrops while developing blisters on his thumbs from Twittering on his trusty blackberry. Sorry, no live chat for this game. … Joe is hoping to see continued development from quarterback Josh Johnson since Josh Freeman is on the shelf with a bum thumb. Let’s just say Joe isn’t overly optimistic he will be back by Week 1 of the season. No inside information, just Joe being his paranoid self. Last week Johnson played perhaps his best game as an NFL player. Sure, it was a preseason game but Joe still liked what he saw. Johnson needs to continue to play well and show that last week was not a fluke. … With a strong game, Kareem Huggins could cement a roster position, and with a(nother) weak game, Derrick Ward could cement a position on a couch watching NFL games with a Kardashian. Joe would love to see the defensive line play well. Knock… knock… knock… are you home Stylez White… Brian Price… Gerald McCoy? Joe’s not knocking those guys –two are rookies and the third is more of a regular season kinda guy — but it would warm Joe’s heart to see one of if not all three blow up tonight. … Since the game is blacked out, follow Joe on Twitter (no need to sign up; it’s free) and enjoy gawking at Jaguars cheerleader Kelli above.

Fear not Bucs fans, Stylez White is making progress.

That’s the message the Bucs are pushing in light of recent criticism of the Bucs favorite movie character defensive end Stylez G. White.

Bucs coach Raheem Morris likes to needle White for being the Bucs answer to Allen Iverson, noted non-basketball association point guard who disdained practice. But it seems some have begun pointing fingers at White for not showing up in preseason games either.

But all is good. Both Raheem and defensive line coach Todd Wash are saying White is coming around, so writes Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune.

If White does not make any big plays tonight against Jacksonville in Tampa Bay’s third preseason game, you can bet Morris will talk about practice.

“Stylez is my Allen Iverson, and he’s not going to change,” Morris said. “He’s gotten better. He’s gotten better the last couple of days and practiced (better) throughout training camp than he has in the past, but he is Allen Iverson.”

Morris gave White that label last season because of his practice habits. White, 31, has been known to pace himself during practices, to the frustration of his coaches. While they have worked hard to push his buttons, White does not always leave everything out on the practice field.

Later in the same story, White defends himself claiming that the criticism is “overblown,” and Wash also defends White for not “cruising.’

Joe sides with Stylez on this but also understands why Raheem may be using the fourth estate in an effort to motivate White.

Interesting that in the past week, a man thought to be such a player’s coach is suddenly chatty about players not performing up to their reputations. Perhaps Raheem is trying to channel his inner Tuna?

Derek “Old School” Fournier, of WhatTheBuc.net, has a few things Bucs fans should look for in tonight’s game. Or watch for on tomorrow’s WFLA-TV broadcast.

Joe can’t help but wonder how the Bucs’ braintrust might adjust its decision making for Josh Freeman if Josh Johnson looks spectacular tonight and in limited time next week against Houston.

Obviously, the goal is to get Freeman on the field for opening day against Cleveland, but Joe can surely envision a scenario that has the Bucs going with Johnson simply to give Freeman more time to heal. Joe’s no doctor, but it’s reasonable to assume that more healing time for Freeman’s broken thumb would be beneficial.

But on the flip side, the organization is absolutely desperate to win on opening day. And Freeman, like every player, has to learn to play with pain.

Joe thinks this could be a tough call on, say, Sept. 8, four days before opening day, if Johnson lit it up during the final preseason games, and Freeman is still adjusting to gripping the football.

For now, Joe’s hoping Johnson lights it up tonight and breaks off a couple of big runs, just to give the Browns a helluva lot to think about.

There’s a blacked out preseason home game tonight, which means Joe will be at the game and will start pounding out relentless coverage right here shortly after the final whistle.

You can also get quick takes from Joe during the game on Twitter. Click here to follow Joe. It’s free and easy, and you don’t have to sign up for anything.

Joe knows most readers will be listening on the radio, on WDAE-AM 620, or waiting to watch the Sunday rebroadcast on WFLA-TV, Ch. 8 at 11 a.m. However, Joe treats a blackout like any other game.

Last week, following the preseason home opener (also blacked out) Joe was hammering out loads of information and takes for you into the wee hours. And you should expect nothing less tonight.

You’ve all read THE PESSIMIST, who spews his Bucs-related anger like no other. But Joe also wants you to get to know THE OPTIMIST. 

THE OPTIMIST is Nick Houllis, a Bucs fan and an accomplished writer whose steadfast allegiance to the team goes back to the 1970s. Houllis is the founder, creator and guru of BucStop.com, a place Joe goes to get lost in time via Houllis’ stunning video collection.

THE OPTIMIST will shine that positive light in your eyes. Some will love it. Some won’t.

In a shocker to no one, the offensive Line must have an improved look over last season. It was by far a disappointment to everyone involved with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

We can offer up excuses because we are not on the team, and not subject to the “No Excuses, No Explanations” creed that paints the walls at One Buc Place since the Dungy era. Linemen were told to lose weight then gain weight, learn a zone-blocking scheme, then deal with a new offensive coordinators.

One common theme you hear from One Buc so far this season is that the mood is so much more positive and less hectic than it was a year ago. More organized.

Well, now that the third preseason game is upon us, the starters have been named, and Keydrick Vincent has added himself as the new left guard of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that alone should do wonders for the running game in 2010.

Vincent was a member of the Panthers teams in Carolina that walked all over our Bucs (and other teams to to be fair) over the past two seasons. Before that, he started 16 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they had their best record in franchise history, 15-1 in 2004. A 10-year veteran, Vincent is not a long-term answer for the Bucs to be sure. A left guard will need to either come out of the Jonathan Compases or the Demar Dotsons on the team, or from another source entirely. At the same time, Vincent is no Luke Petitgout either, and he indirectly gives the Buccaneers something else they have not had atoffensive line position in a while.

Depth.

Now Jeremy Zuttah becomes the primary backup at both left and right guard positions, not to mention Center. Zuttah can even play tackle in a pinch, as he did several times at Rutgers.  And he has double digit starts in the NFL for experience, too.

If the rest of the starters can stay healthy, and get a full 16 games out of center Jeff Faine, and more maturity from right tackle Jeremy Trueblood, we could really finally see the Tampa Bay Buccaneers emerge as a running team with a solid offensive line.

Most Bucs fans are aware that Clifton Smith sat out the first two preseason games with problems stemming from gout-like inflammation.

But now Joe has learned, via a Woody Cummings feature on TBO.com, that Smith struggled for almost two months.

That’s why Smith didn’t think much of it the first time he nearly collapsed in pain while trying to roll out of bed a couple of months ago.

“I figured it just came with the territory of playing football,” said Smith, the Buccaneers’ return man.

“You know, you’re just real sore and everything. But then it wouldn’t go away. That’s when I knew something was wrong.”

That’s a long time to be hurting, and it’s now clear the Bucs didn’t get any kind of real look at Smith in training camp, on the heels of ugly concussions that shortened his 2009 campaign.

The Bucs are really in a tough spot with Smith. He’s a great returner with a fragile melon, but he’s never proven to be a legitimate running back and the Bucs are loaded with talent in the return game in Sammie Stroughter and Micheal Spurlock.

So many combinations at play here for the Bucs’ final decision on Smith, as well as with Spurlock and Kareem Huggins.

If Smith shows he’s still got it as a returner on Saturday, and he runs the ball well in the second half, where does that leave Kareem Huggins? Suppose Huggins takes a half-step backwards Saturday? If Derrick Ward looks sharp on Saturday, where does that leave Huggins  and/or Smith? How does Spurlock factor in if he makes more plays in his limited time?

Sadly, Smith probably makes everything very easy for the Bucs if he has a crappy game Saturday.

Joe’s hoping everyone plays well Saturday, which would probably signal the end of the line for Spurlock.

There’s an esteemed Bucs beat writer who emphatically states that Mark Dominik would be worthy of leaguewide accolades if he traded Maurice Stovall for any draft pick.

Joe is dumbfounded.

Stovall is a dynamite special teams player on a dynamite special teams unit. And Joe knows that Stovall caught more balls (21) from Josh Freeman than any other Bucs wide receiver in 2009, meaning the two have some chemistry.

Yet Pat Yasinskas, of BSPN, thinks the Bucs would be pulling off a coup if they got next to nothing for the 25-year-old. Yasinskas explained in his Thursday mailbag.

Michael in St. Petersburg, Fla., writes: There is constant talk of receiver competition with the Bucs and trade talks. With Minnesota hurting a receiver could we send one there for a late-round pick?

Pat Yasinskas: Minnesota traded cornerback Benny Sapp to Miami for receiver Greg Camarillo on Wednesday. For the Bucs, Mike Williams, Sammie Stroughter, Arrelious Benn and Reggie Brown are pretty much guaranteed roster spots, and there’s no way the Bucs are shopping any of them. That basically leaves Michael Clayton or Maurice Stovall. If the Bucs could swing a draft pick (and I mean any draft pick) for either of those two guys, Mark Dominik instantly gets my vote for NFL Executive of the Year.

Joe just doesn’t get it. Dominik would be nuts to dump Stovall for a throwaway draft pick. As for Clayton, as Yasinskas mentioned, that would work just fine.

Joe loves Game 3 of the preseason because starters get to play quite a bit.

The Bucs’ defensive mastermind/head coach has already said the Bucs’ A-teams will play the complete first half tomorrow against Jacksonville in their blacked out 7:30 p.m. game, and he said whatever unit is on the field to start the third quarter will be the starting unit, too.

Then the subs, led by Sabby Piscitelli, will hit the field.

Now Joe’s not about to get into some deep breakdown of the preseason oppponent, (and Joe still doubts we’ll see much of Cadillac Williams on Saturday) but here’s a bit about the Jaguars from their website.

Del Rio said he’ll play his healthy starters into the third quarter. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew has missed practice this week, which likely means he won’t play against the Bucs. Others who haven’t practiced this week include: middle linebacker Kirk Morrison, strongside linebacker Daryl Smith and rookie kickoff-returner Deji Karim. Right tackle Eben Britton has been out of action with a calf injury but is expected to play in Tampa.

If there’s an importance that can be attached to this game for the starting units, it would be for Garrard to continue his strong play for a second straight week and keep his critics hushed, and for the Jaguars’ pass-defense to show they can stop a backup quarterback from racking up yards. The Jaguars defense has allowed 406 yards passing in the first halves of the first two preseason games.

“We just need to play better on our back end,” Del Rio said, referring to the two safety positions. “Our back end needs to sharpen up and avoid some of these silly plays that don’t get leveraged properly and end up looking explosive. We’d like to see marked improvement in that area.”

So there you have it. The Bucs have a chance to smash heads with an average football team on their home turf.

Joe’s will be depressed if they can’t win the first half, and doubly depressed if they can’t get to the quarterback.

The saga of the demotion of Sabby and his lashing out at the Bucs and his coach, Raheem Morris, continues to grow.

This time the source is none other than former Bucs defensive end Steve White.

It’s one thing for Sabby to be criticized by someone like Joe or a Twittering scribe from a MSM outlet who is too sensitive when an ombudsman points out his warts.

But this criticism is coming from a man who logged seven years in the NFL, had an interception in an NFC Championship game and started on one of the greatest defensive teams in NFL history, things Sabby has yet to do.  

Before I go any further I will acknowledge that Sabby said he was informed of his demotion via text message from his position coach, Jimmy Lake. If true that’s kind of bogus for sure. But having been demoted before I can tell you that having someone tell you face to face really doesn’t lessen the blow. The end result is the same, you’re still 2nd string.

So ok I can give him a pass about having a gripe as far as how the team let him know he was no longer starting. But I can’t really give him a pass on the stuff he said about it not being a “fair competition.” Nope not at all. And I started to leave it alone after Coach Morris roasted him pretty good. But then it kept bothering me so I felt like I just HAD to say something.

Well last year at times it was especially hard not to blast Sabby after games. He was such a weak link on our defense that it was amazing to me that he was a starter in the NFL. I’ve said this before but its worth repeating. With strong safeties in the NFL you covet the guys who can both cover AND be a physical presence in the box. But failing that combination you want a guy who at least can do one or the other. Sabby, for most of the season, could do neither.

White went on to write in great lengths how he strives not to take personal shots at any player, but that Sabby’s reaction to the Bucs coaching staff so unnerved the former Bucs defense end, he could stay silent no longer. White found it grossly disrespectful how Sabby tried to point a finger at Raheem Morris for his benching.

White also invoked a quote from former Miami Hurricanes defensive tackle Dwayne Johnson, better known as WWE personality “The Rock.”

“Know your role, and shut your mouth!”

Raheem Morris says he likes to talk fast when it comes to his favorite subject. That would be defense.

That makes sense. The guy’s a defensive mastermind who catapulted to head coach at 32. He’s young. He’s passionate. He’s intense. That’s why his players (minus one) seemingly want to run through a wall to get him a winning season.

But his fast-talking, comes-naturally manner of speaking is something the Bucs’ media relations chief wants him to curtail when talking to the media, so the head coach said yesterday during his news conference at One Buc Place.

Joe’s not sure why. It’s not like Morris is a Senator on the campaign trail. He’s a football coach. What’s important is the message, not the delivery.

Here’s how Coach explained it:

Reporter at news conference: Switching to defense, how anxious are to see this first unit out there for than just a couple of series to see that they can do?

Morris: You know I can’t really express that. That’s hard to do, to be honest with you, because I get anxious to watch these guys go out there and practice. You know, I get anxious to watch these guys practice together. And I get anxious to watch different units go out there and practice together. You know we got all these packages that we have. You know whether our 3-4 looks we talked about yesterday. Whether it’s our redskin looks, or whether it’s our nickel looks, or whether our, you know, just 1st down and 10, go line up, you know, and split a double team and make a play. So I really get excited to watch all these guys go through all the phases of the game together.

You know we’ve got a couple of phases of coming out with our first team defense. We actually got one last week, kind of   like a sudden changeup to the big kickoff return, and we didn’t stand up. But now we get an opportunity to go out there for a half, so you get a chance to see some more of those situations like events happen. And that just fires me up and really makes me excited. You know, I know [Bucs media chief Jonathan] Grella is always telling me about slowing down and talking, you know, even keel to the press. But when you talk about defense, you kind of get me. I kind of get off my Grella path. And I’ll go down that road of speed-talking you guys and really enjoying the moment.

Joe sure hopes that the head coach keeps showing his fired up nature to the press. It’s his best, honest self. 

The Buccaneers deliver his news conferences to all fans via their website, and Joe really thinks when Coach is in the midst of what he calls “speed-talking,” firing out passion and Xs and Os in the same breath, he’s showing fans how much he loves, lives and breathes Buccaneer football.

It’s a good thing.

Good guy Stephen Holder explains in this St. Pete Times video how Bucs coach Raheem Morris is getting fed up with a couple of all-talk, no-do players, running back Derrick Ward and strong safety Sabby.

Joe can’t believe what he’s hearing from Tampa Tribune Bucs beat scribes Woody Cummings and Anwar Richardson in the latest TBO.com Bucs Beat v-log.

Both explain why the Bucs may be on the cusp of cutting Stylez G. White. Interesting stuff.

Joe absolutely can’t fathom the Bucs cutting their only proven pass rusher. Maybe he gets demoted, if the Bucs’ brass doesn’t like him anymore. But cut?

Richardson and Cummings targeted another big name on the “bubble.” Joe won’t spoil it for you. You’ll have to watch the video.

As Bucs fans wait patiently to hear word of injured Josh Freeman gripping a football successfully and throwing it like an NFL quarterback, the Bucs’ brass is afraid Freeman might do something dangerous to his precious thumb.

The Bucs’ defensive mastermind/head coach won’t even allow Freeman to stand on the practice field, so reports Stephen Holder, of the St. Pete Times.

“Free is a very conscientious young man,” Morris said. “He wants to come out to practice and I kick him out because I know he can’t be on the practice field without picking up a football and throwing it. Kellen (Winslow) might talk him into going over and running routes against air with a broken thumb. And I don’t want that.

“You want those types of guys in your building. But at the same time, as the guy in charge, and the guy whose got to be responsible for these guys . . . you have to protect themselves a little bit. So, to protect them from themselves, you keep them occupied with other things.”

Joe finds it a bit odd that Freeman isn’t on the practice field sidelines with his teammates. Shouldn’t that be where a leader stands? And couldn’t he make some important observations there, in addition to watching practice film?

Joe gets being protective, but this seems just a little bit much.

Joe can’t make a big deal out of Tampa Tribune NFL writer eye-RAH! Kaufman uncovering that Raheem Morris thinks Derrick Ward was too heavy when he arrived at training camp.

Kaufman broke the news in an exclusive today.

According to his head coach, Ward is out of shape.

Ward, who turns 30 on Monday, hasn’t run effectively since the Bucs signed the ex-Giant to a lucrative free agent deal March 3, 2009.

“When you get a bit older in this league, especially as a running back, you have to realize that you need to come into camp at a lighter weight, not heavier,” Coach Raheem Morris said. “I still have a lot of confidence in Derrick Ward that he’ll be ready and in shape to help us this season.”

Perhaps Ward picked up poor eating habits from the Kardashians? Maybe he got hooked on the incredible wings at Mugs Grill & Bar?

The fact that none of the beat scribes, and Joe, didn’t pick up on Ward looking pudgy during training camp leads Joe to believe his weight gain was insignificant.

Of course, players go through body fat analysis when they arrive, so likely that number on Ward saw a good percentage increase, even if his weight was up only slightly.

Joe really couldn’t care less. The Bucs need Ward to be successful, and for him to start by snapping out of his funk on Saturday night. Relying on Cadillac Williams and Kareem Huggins feels like a disaster-in-waiting.

With all sorts of NFL chatter surrounding Jets super cornerback Darrelle Revis holding out for a new contract, Joe can’t stop himself from wondering what Bucs rookie receiver Mike Williams might do next year.

Now Joe knows Williams hasn’t played a down of real NFL football. But Joe knows the Bucs have talked openly about his first-round talent and have very high hopes for him as a starter this year.

Williams was selected in the fourth round back in April, and his salary reflects that. It was widely reported that over four years, including incentives, Williams could earn a maximum of just over $3 million.

If Williams catches 50 balls this season, would he just quietly come to camp in 2011 to continue playing out his contract?

That would surprise Joe.

How Team Glazer might react to a strong-arm tactic is anyone’s guess.

Former Buccaneers offensive lineman Ian Beckles (1990-1996) gave a thunderous weigh-in on Sabby Piscitelli speaking out yesterday against his head coach, during the Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620 this morning.

Beckles said the Bucs have a serious problem on their hands because “If you allow it … you’re not running the show,” adding that Tony Dungy wouldn’t tolerate such insubordination.  

Of Sabby, Beckles said, “It sounds like he quit already,” and “If you didn’t think it was a competition than you can’t win.”

Not one to spread rumors, Beckles went on to say he talked to some people and he “heard for sure that [Piscitelli and Raheem Morris] don’t get along,” dating back a while.

Regarding Sabby being upset by learning of his demotion via text message, Beckles, who retired in 2000 after his final stop with the Jets, said players typically learn of their demotion by viewing a depth chart in the locker room. So he wasn’t sure why Piscitelli would be offended by a text.

Beckles didn’t think Piscitelli would be cut by the Bucs because of their lack of depth at the position and because Piscitelli doesn’t earn much money.

For those obsessed with contract data, ProFootballTalk.com creator and curator Mike Florio has published terms of Donald Penn’s new contract.

Florio, now part of the NBC Sports family, has excellent sources.

What’s interesting is that Penn truly only has one season guaranteed, per Florio, and that would be his $2 million signing bonus and 2010 salary of $4.5 million. Penn could be cut after this season and that would end the Bucs’ commitment, Florio reports.

So essentially, Penn squeezed Team Glazer for $3.5 million over his restricted free agent tender offer, and got himself a good contract moving forward if he remains a Buccaneer. He’s set to bank $7.2 million in 2011, per Florio, if there is a 2011, and if he’s not cut.

So those worried about Penn getting soft now that he got a contract shouldn’t fear. Penn, essentially, is playing now in a contract year.

And those pounding their chests because Team Glazer invested nearly $50 million in Penn might want to pound a little softer.

In football of another age, seemingly around the time Bobby Lee dragged his troops out of Gettysburg on a rainy Fourth of July, players had to work a second job.

Because of this, training camp was meant for players to get into shape, not necessarily to install offenses.

In the NFL of recent decades, thanks to better salaries, players are often expected to arrive to training camp in shape, partially because of all the OTAs and minicamps, partially because players are afforded access to state-of-the-art team training facilities throughout the year.

So Joe was chagrined to read that Bucs coach Raheem Morris single out struggling running back Derrick Ward for being overweight, as documented by eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.

“When you get a bit older in this league, especially as a running back, you have to realize that you need to come into camp at a lighter weight, not heavier,” Coach Raheem Morris said. “I still have a lot of confidence in Derrick Ward that he’ll be ready and in shape to help us this season.”

Later in the same article, Ward disputes he is out of shape.

Now Joe knows Raheem is a standup guy and it’s hard for Joe to believe Raheem would go after a player unless there was a valid reason. Given the fact that Ward has yet to set the world on fire since he signed as a free agent with the Bucs last year, Joe believes Raheem isn’t just blowing smoke.

It saddens Joe to read this. The Bucs, as a team, were once married to a weight room. Warren Sapp spoke about this in the great NFL Network’s America’s Game. It seems Josh Freeman is trying to steer the Bucs back to  those days of rigid work ethic.

Joe’s of the mind to try to coin a verb. If an NFL player shows up to training camp out of shape, Joe’s inclined to say said player “Kardashianed” his summer away.

Yesterday delivered a mini bombshell from One Buc Palace when Bucs strong safety Sabby decried his demotion as a starter and claimed he was set up to fail.

But also there was an intriguing quote from Sabby that seems to suggest he’s either preparing to leave the Bucs or an exit has crossed his mind.

Speaking to Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, Sabby explained his mindset.

“I’ll still just keep coming to work,” Piscitelli said. “I’ll still have the same goal in mind, which is to keep on improving. I know my ability. I know what I can do. I can help teams win. I can help this team win, so I’ll keep coming out and trying to make plays.”

Why would Sabby state he “can help teams win?” It seems Sabby is under the impression he may be cut or the thought of leaving the Bucs has crossed his mind. Otherwise, why even bring that up?

Of course, lashing out at your team, suggesting you were the victim of some preordained conspiracy is not really the best way to cement one’s job security. Just ask Matt Bryant.