Jeff Tedford’s offense isn’t the only mystery surrounding the offensive coordinator.

Tedford remains out of action for health reasons and Lovie Smith wasn’t talking about a speedy return today. [read more]

Today’s Bucs-Pats trade sending Logan Mankins to the Bucs is a stunner in Boston

There is no dancing this afternoon in Copley Square, no celebrating at the Cape. Patriots Nation is stunned by the trade of Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins to the Buccaneers for Tim Wright and a fourth-round draft pick.

NESN.com Pats beat writer Doug Kyed pulls no punches in his report. [read more]

New Bucs G Logan Mankins.

This move is so big, it even has the talking heads at the four-letter yapping. That’s how big this is.

It can be expected when the Bucs acquired All Pro guard Logan Mankins from Bill Belicheat today. We all know how much BSPN loves anything Boston-based. [read more]

When needed, Bucs G Logan Mankins can make a grown-arse NFL defender cry.

One sad aspect of Bucs fans rejoicing like they won the Lotto after learning Lovie Smith was dancing with sleazy Richie Incognito was many claimed the team needed Incognito’s attitude in the locker room.

Yeah, just like the Bucs needed someone to set off a canister of mustard gas in the locker room. [read more]

After acquiring All-Pro guard Logan Mankins today, GM Jason Licht didn’t rule out anything more.

Read into it what you will. Less than 24 hours after Bucs general manager Jason Licht and coach Lovie Smith danced with sleazy guard Richie Incognito, Licht pulled the trigger on a trade he has been working on for a month with Bill Belicheat to acquire All-Pro guard Logan Mankins. [read more]

GM Jason Licht lauded new Bucs guard Logan Mankins for his locker room leadership.

Wow, Joe knew something was up this afternoon when Bucs media relations staff said general manager Jason Licht would have an impromptu press conference outside under the Florida sun.

While Licht is media friendly, he has kept arm’s length away from media for a while outside of the Carl Nicks news, which also was revealed under the Florida sun. But it was clear this was big news when the impromptu press conference was relocated inside One Buc Palace. [read more]

Jason Licht isn’t a patient man

This Tim Wright + fourth round draft pick trade with the Patriots for Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins has Joe fired up.

What a move! What a win-now statement on top of plenty of other win-now moves by the Lovie Smith-Jason Licht regime. [read more]

New Bucs guard Logan Mankins.

The Bucs’ void at guard has been solved! The hole has been filled!

Today, Tampa Bay traded for Patriots All-Pro guard Logan Mankins, per the uber-NFL insider Jay Glazer. Mankins, 32, was a Pro Bowler last year and started every regular season game. [read more]

Mason Foster weighs in on potential new Bucs guard Richie Incognito

Mason Foster is a big Richie Incognito fan.

This afternoon at One Buc Palace, Foster talked about studying sleazy Incognito’s game in previous years and walking away impressed. [read more]

Noted film guru and ex-NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski is pounding the table for Richie Incognito.

Jaworski took to the BSPN airwaves to explain. [read more]

Former Richie Incognito teammate Anthony Becht, an analyst on the Buccaneers Radio Network, is against adding Incognito to the Tampa Bay roster.

Incognito is a good football player, Becht said on WDAE-AM 620, but “it’s Tuesday to Saturday that’s the problem.” [read more]

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune believes guard Oneil Cousins and the rest of his starting offensive line mates could use snaps Thursday.

So the dress rehearsal is behind us. The third week of the preseason has come and gone. Now lies the last game Thursday night at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway as the Redskins come into town.

This is usually a game featuring future Motel 6 managers, insurance claims adjusters, bread truck drivers and front men for haberdasheries. [read more]

Not since the day Derrick Brooks was cut has there been so much Bucs fan buzzing — both good and bad buzz — like there was yesterday, when Tampa Bay faithful were ignited with the news sleazy Richie Incognito was in town for an interview at One Buc Palace.

Everything else — including startling news that offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford has a medical issue and his return is uncertain — was completely buried by the avalanche of Incognito chatter. [read more]

Richie Incognito is being scouted and probed right now by the Bucs, and if signed, legions of Tampa Bay fans will feel at peace, assuming Incognito doesn’t reside on their street.

But why?

Lovie Smith and Jason Licht and their scouting team studied the guard position this offseason and determined that the best fits for Tampa Bay were Jamon Meredith and Oneil Cousins (prized unrestricted free agent signings) wounded Carl Nicks, fifth-round rookie Kadeem Edwards, plus no-NFL-snap candidates Jace Daniels and Patrick Omameh. [read more]

Former Bucs DE and coaching intern Steve White believes Bucs fans are so desperate for wins, they would accept Charles Manson if it meant a victory.

The vote yesterday was eye-opening and depressing. Bucs fans just don’t care.

Joe has long believed that Bucs fans, if they recognize a name no matter his background or worth, no matter what type of defense or offense he played in, think a recognizable name would better the Bucs. [read more]

It seems the sitdown between sleazy Richie Incognito and Bucs coach Lovie Smith went down yesterday, and while both sides are putting on a happy face, nothing is about to go down.

Those are the words coming from former Dolphins beat writer and current NFL.com insider and Seminole High grad Jeff Darlington. The NFL Network star used his contacts, both old and new, to get the latest on Incognito and the Bucs. [read more]

“All players that are available, we look to see if they fit into our program. All players. I will leave it at that. If we are really interested in someone, we will bring them in. Again, we are looking at everyone constantly, not just now. Every position.

“We consider everything. The total player and what he brings. Off the field; on the field, the total package comes into play. Every player we draft; every player we sign. It is very important that a player fits in the locker room. If a player doesn’t fit in the locker room, we have to go into another direction, it is as simple as that. You have to be accepted in there.” Bucs coach Lovie Smith, Aug. 11, 2014, when asked if he would consider sleazy guard Richie Incognito. [read more]

(For those annoyed already by sleazy Richie Incognito, Joe presents a football take)

Tampa Bay drafted Charles Sims to catch balls out of the backfield. He was going to be their all-around threat. But now Sims cruises around the Bucs locker room on a scooter to protect his surgically-repaired ankle.

After the Bucs’ battering of the Bills on Saturday, Josh McCown explained one reason the Bucs need a running back with hands. [read more]

Tampa Bay fans who love names they recognize are jumping with glee and racing down St. Pete’s Central Ave. with drinks in hand because the Bucs have brought in sleazy Richie Incognito for an interview.

And while Incognito brings a ton of baggage both in his private life as well as his professional life, Incognito isn’t just a loser off the field. [read more]

A report says a physical is scheduled

Today, Lovie Smith, in maybe one of the more testy press conferences a Bucs head coach has had in recent memory, was on the defensive about the team’s decision to bring in shady offensive guard Richie Incognito.

Lovie, over and over, stated bringing in Incognito is just an interview to gather information, despite CBSSports.com’s Jason LaCanfora’s report that a physical is scheduled. [read more]

Bper CBSSports.com, Bucs have been “thoroughly” investigating troubled Richie Incognito.

It seems, per the fingers of CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, who was roaming One Buc Palace today, the Bucs’ decision to bring in sleazy Richie Incognito for an interview hardly came on a whim.

La Canfora suggests the Bucs have been researching Incognito, who has a long dark personal history and a sordid stint in Miami, for some time. [read more]