Updated: 3:31 p.m. – Tampa Bay’s new-to-the-NFL offensive coordinator wasn’t on the practice field today, at least not during the 30-minute window open to media at One Buc Palace. [read more]

Bucs cornerback Alterraun Verner talks about his healing hammy

Pro Bowl cornerback Alterraun Verner said today he’s eager to see how his recovered/recovering hamstring feels after a complete football game, “full live action” on opening day.

That sounded ominous, but Verner balanced that with good news. [read more]

Gerald McCoy walked into the locker room this afternoon as loose as Joe is after a few beers during the first quarter of a football game.

McCoy was balancing a 16 ounce water bottle on his head and joked that he needs good balance to chase down Cam Newton. [read more]

The fun folks at BSPN are at it again with their spread sheets and brilliant analysis in ESPN The Magazine.

Joe actually gets and reads this publication sometimes (for some reason it arrives at Joe’s house free). It’s amazing the data these people pump out. Joe was amazed months ago by a detailed look at why Blake Bortles would be a successful NFL quarterback because of his hometown zip code. [read more]

Joe lives in the 21st Century. This may come as a shock to some but, in fact, there is a sect of Bucs fans who seem to struggle with calendars.

Joe calls this sect the “Flat Earth Society.” You know the ones: those who believe quarterbacks are meaningless and that defense rules all. [read more]

There’s no fear in Lovie Smith, and that’s evident by his numerous dice rolls on special teams.

Where should Joe start? [read more]

Josh McCown has big shoes to fill for Logan Mankins

The newest Buccaneers guard, All-Pro Logan Mankins, was still desired by Patriots management before his trade to Tampa. The Pats just wanted to pay him less.

That nugget and more comes from 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, NPR-listening, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame, who talked to Mankins for his Monday column. [read more]

It’s the NFL version of finals week for Bucs guard Logan Mankins

A week or so ago, Joe had a really interesting, cool chat with Bucs center Evan Dietrich-Smith about how an offensive line develops. Joe always hears about “gelling” with an offensive line and why innate knowledge of each other may be more important than in any unit on a football team.

EDS noted that when he was with the Packers, he and his linemates eventually knew each other’s tendencies so well that they didn’t need to make line calls. They developed a body language that took its place. [read more]

A Bucs great weighs in

Opening day is less than a week away, and the Bucs don’t have a new contract for Gerald McCoy.

Barring an unlikely 11th-hour deal, McCoy will enter the final season of his rookie contract without a promise for more. [read more]

Names are rolling in

Updated 8:05 p.m. – There’s nothing quite like the magical practice squad (kidding), guys who are allowed to practice a limited amount of time each week with a team’s 53-man roster in exchange for earning roughly $6,000 to $12,000 per week, depending on terms they work out.

These players can be signed away by another team at any time. But if they are, the thieving club must put their new man on the active roster and pay him at least the NFL minimum for three weeks. [read more]

Feel free to elaborate in the comments section, a great place for regular readers to get their predictions on the record.

Back on Aug. 12, when Lovie Smith was in anyone-but-Eric-Page mode, the head coach joked at a news conference that he had a chat with Bobby Rainey, who was imploring him that he could be a successful NFL punt returner.

So, Lovie said, Rainey would get a shot against Miami in preseason. [read more]

Former Bucs DT Booger McFarland is no fan of sleazy Richie Incognito.

Yes, Bucs fans were some kind of outraged last week when Joe asserted what a pathetic, panic move it would be to bring sleazy Richie Incognito into the Bucs locker room. The ire of Bucs fans towards Joe abated, somewhat, when Bucs general manager Jason Licht lifted All-Pro guard Logan Mankins from the clutches of Patriots strongman Bill Belicheat.

Still, even with Mankins, most Bucs fans want Incognito for reasons Joe just can’t fathom. Neither can Booger McFarland. [read more]

In what would have been a surprising thought in January, Tampa Bay’s initial 53-man roster only includes 24 bodies new to the organization.

Andy Reid, by comparison, had 30 fresh faces to start last season in Kansas City, the year he was hired to overhaul a two-win club. [read more]

Da’Quan Bowers will enter his fourth Tampa Bay regular season as a Buccaneer.

Announcing your Buccaneers 53-man roster for 2014 — for now.

Veteran safety Major Wright, who was battling a back ailment, was a surprise cut, along with wide receiver Solomon Patton. The rookie appeared to win the returner job in preseason, and he had a nifty touchdown catch-and-run on Thursday, a play Lovie Smith recognized as one of the true highlights. Joe suspects Lovie saw enough from Bobby Rainey to turn the returner duties over to him — for now. [read more]

Currently, Bucs fans are fixated on the look of the final 53-man roster. The deadline is 4 p.m. today and fans are all worked up about what moves Bucs general manager Jason Licht may make.

(And, no, Joe doesn’t give a whip who will be on the Bucs’ 10-man practice squad. Yes, Joe knows there is a practice squad cult out there, for reasons Joe cannot quite comprehend. Only a sorry team led by Raheem Morris sweats over who will be on the practice squad.) [read more]

Final cuts are coming by 4 p.m., and the Bucs officially have eight to go. However, reports leaking out via various sources claim track star/former Gators running back Jeff Demps has gotten the boot. [read more]

Officially, the Bucs have eight more bodies to clear from the roster by 4 p.m.

Here’s Joe’s morning call on the final eight, and some surprise keepers. [read more]

 Gerald McCoy talks about how good Lovie Smith’s defense is for him

During his tour of NFL training camps, NPR-listening, filthy-hotel-staying, 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 theMMQB.com and NBC Sports fame decided to give specific players on each team a one-question interview.

In this theMMQB.com video, King hits up Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. [read more]

Da’Quan Bowers offers his thoughts on recently released teammates

The Bucs, thus far today, have cut 12 players in their quest to get to the league-mandated 53-man roster by tomorrow at 4 p.m.. It looks like 10 more will meet the Grim Reaper in the coming hours.

As as the sun begins to set on the Gulf of Mexico, turning the western horizon brillant shades of red, orange and pink, one playe is giving his thanks to a higher authority for such beauty, and for his own good fortunes. [read more]

Connor Barth is a darn good kicker, but he’ll be kicking for another team in 2014.

Per WDAE-AM 620, the Buccaneers’ flagship station, Barth has gotten the boot from the roster.

It seems undrafted, inexperienced Patrick Murray won the job — or Jason Licht has a move in store. [read more]