Offensive tackle Demar Dotson got a lot of valuable snaps last year and is currently atop the depth chart on the right side.

Joe has written this several times before; the job Bucs offensive line coach Bob Bostad did last year when his offensive line was pilloried by injuries and shuffled like a deck of cards trying to place backups in a proper position was stunning.

First, Davin Joseph went down. Then Jeremy Trueblood was benched. Then Carl Nicks had a toe injury. Most offenses would have folded down three starters.

That didn’t happen because Bostad is that good and was able to plug leaks as best he could, though towards the end of the season, it became apparent those injuries/demotions/guys playing out of position caught up with the team.

Aside from Bryan Cox, no Bucs assistant did a better job.

Last week when Bucs assistants had a media day of sorts, Joe asked Bostad, who came from the University of Wisconsin, what the biggest adjustment was coming from college to the NFL.

“Depth,” Bostad quickly quipped.

It makes sense. At Wisconsin, Bostad could load up with recruits up front. If someone went down, it’s likely a four- or five-star underclassman was ready to take over.

Not too many top shelf players are sitting on the bench in the NFL.

While last year was trying for Bostad and his players, he believes the trials of last year will pay off this season, with better depth, so he told the pride of Northwestern, intrepid Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.

“Hopefully with those reps we dumped into them, they’re going to be able to either be there for us right off the bat or step into that same situation that happened,” said Bostad. “It was a really good investment. Last year was a good investment that way.”

It all makes sense. A lot of players who were not expected to play many snaps logged quite a few games. Players don’t often get better just watching tape.

With the addition of one of Bostad’s prized pupils, Gabe Carimi, the Bucs offensive line this season, barring injuries, should be strong as ever.

Joe isn’t sure anyone expected what Doug Martin did at running back last year. Once he got used to the rigors of the NFL, Martin became one of the NFL’s best backs and was eating pineapple.

But the way Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman and Bucs coach Greg Schiano are singing the praises of Martin, the two sound as if Martin’s rookie season of 1,454 rushing yards is just a taste of what is to come, by way of the Associated Press.

“Absolutely,” Schiano said. “If you look at him, I think he looks better now than he did this time last year — physically, understanding-wise, all those things. I think there’s another level for him for sure.”

“Every day he comes in and gives it his best,” quarterback Josh Freeman said. “Having Carl and Davin back and healthy, that’s going to make a huge difference. I’m not saying you’re expecting a drop-off or anything, but those are two All Pro-caliber guys coming back, and I know they’re really hungry, really eager to get back on the field.”

That’s just it. Martin racked up his yards behind an offensive line put together with twist ties and duct tape; Hats off to Bucs offensive line coach Bob Bostad for playing chess due to so many injuries. Joe isn’t sure what was more impressive: Bostad getting solid play from a patchwork line or Martin rolling up so many yards behind said line.

Either way, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Martin could push 2,000 yards next year. If he does that, it’s a good bet the Bucs have a winning record and are pushing for a playoff berth.

The tight end competition is easily the most wide open on the Bucs. So Joe finds it worth noting any clues that come out of the New Schiano Order.

This week, Greg Schiano gave a take on two hopefuls: Nate Byham, who caught a touchdown pass against Carolina last season, and newcomer, free-agent pickup Tom Crabtree.

“We went out and got Crabtree and I think he’s really been a good addition,” Schiano said. “Byham is more healthy than he was anytime last year, and I think you can see a little more pop in his step.”

Still in the mix at One Buc Palace is second-year man Danny Noble, who was a surprise rookie to make the roster out of training camp last season. Noble played half the season before hitting injured reserve.

And here’s a trivia question: What Bucs tight end has the most receptions?

Answer: Zach Miller. He caught 45 receptions for 470 yards and five touchdowns with Jacksonville from 2009-2011. But a shoulder injury sent him to injured reserve early in the 2011 season, and hamstring and chest muscle injuries got him waived before the start of 2012.

Miller’s an interesting dude. He’s a former starting college quarterback (Division II, Nebraska-Omaha) who successfully made the transition to “athletic” tight end (his words) after being a project sixth-round pick by the Jags. The Bucs pounced on Miller immediately following last season. Miller told Joe he had a workout with the Bucs and inked a contract in early January, before Crabtree was signed in March.

Who knows what will shake out at tight end? But Joe can say with confidence that the Bucs absolutely plan to run the ball over and over and over, and they’ll keep the best two blocking tight ends.

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Joe has little respect for the football mind of Greg Olson.

Any guy that would repeatedly inflict the famously heinous Benn’d Around play on Bucs fans because he couldn’t figure out how else to get Arrellious Benn involved in the offense is a flawed football thinker.

One of the absolute lowest points of Joe’s Bucs fandom was Olson calling the damn Benn’d Around on 3rd-and-2 at the Panthers’ 17 yard line late in the 2011 season. It’s damn rare in the NFL when a 12 yard loss surprises nobody in the building. But that was one of those times.

Olson is the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, a baffling fact made only less baffling by Mike Shula now calling plays for the Panthers.

In a recent interview with The Oakland Tribune, Olson busted out the following: “I’ve been exposed to a number of different systems and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s you’d better adapt to the players you have on your team.”

Hmm, Joe wonders if Olson learned about adaptability before or after the Benn’d around and his leading of the NFL’s most predictable offense in 2011.

Olson went on to talk about how he’s learned from greats and how Jon Gruden (of all people) was his chief mentor.

Q: Seeking player input, selling players on the system, was always a big thing with Gruden . . .

Olson: I would consider Jon probably my biggest influence in football because of his passion, his passion as a coach, his preparation, and his presentation, his presentation to the players is what you’re talking about, how to present it to him. He talked about that, ‘let’s find out what these guys can do and when you get in that position, Greg, make sure you’ve identified who are the guys you’ve got to get the ball to and what ways creatively can you do that.’

Ugh, Joe’s already getting re-steamed at Olson typing this up — and at Gruden for not finding a way to get Joey Galloway and Antonio Bryant on the field at the same time in 2008.

Joe’s grateful Mike Sullivan is in the building.

Joe sometimes chuckles when he reads a Bucs fan — or any NFL fan — demand “love” for his team. Joe really has no idea what that means. Does “love” mean “attention?” Or does “love” mean “lying” and just saying good things about a team so said fan can rest easy at night with their arms wrapped warmly around their teddy bear?

A Bucs fan seeking comfort wants to know why [media source unknown] is not fornicating over the Bucs in this NFC South chat.

EastEndBoy (DC)

Hi Pat – I know it’s early but why aren’t the Bucs getting more love in preseason analysis? Looking at what they did – take their weakest part (secondary) from worst to near first – versus what other teams did to their weakest parts, shouldn’t the Bucs be viewed more highly – like a playoff team?

Pat Yasinskas

I agree with you. They fixed their weakest area. And they’re good in a lot of other areas. I see them as a team with a shot at the playoffs.

Oh, there’s no question the Bucs should have a shot at the playoffs, as difficult as it may be in the top-heavy NFC. That doesn’t mean the Bucs are without question marks that give Joe pause, as he told his good friend “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM Tuesday.

Yes, the Bucs, on paper, look to have gone from worst-to-first in the secondary, horrific to strong. But Joe actually thinks the strength of the team in 2012, the front-seven on defense, may be weaker.

Yes, there’s a reason leading sacker Michael Bennett and solid tackle Roy Miller were allowed to walk away for peanuts. They are damaged goods. But are their replacements better?

Da’Quan Bowers has yet to play a full season. Akeem Spence, who Bucs coaches admire, is still a rookie. Can Gerald McCoy stay healthy for only his second-year in his four-year career? Can Adrian Clayborn bounce back from knee surgery?

Also, it remains uncertain who will replace Quincy Black at strongside linebacker.

Yes, yes, yes, Joe understands many believe that position doesn’t matter much. Funny, Joe never heard that excuse when Black was stinking up the league prior to being coached up last season.

The good folks at NFL.com who run the blog “Around the League” gathered recently to discuss all things NFL.

The troika, head honcho Gregg Rosenthal, Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler, hammered out their surprise teams of 2013. Sessler chose the Bucs to play meaningful January games for the first time since 2007.

The Bucs exited the Raheem Morris era drenched in chaos, but Schiano arrived with a plan. Tampa’s coaching staff and front office are in sync, and general manager Mark Dominik isn’t afraid to swing for the fences. The Revis trade made it clear: The Bucs are going for the throat.

Sessler admits that one cannot buy the premise unless one believes Josh Freeman can lead the team to the playoffs. If you are a Freeman detractor, Sessler writes, then it is difficult to put the pieces of the puzzle together for a Bucs postseason berth.

If the Bucs make it to the playoffs in a very top-heavy NFC, probably the best the NFC has been since Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells and Mike Ditka prowled the sidelines, Joe would not be shocked but pleasantly surprised.

And Joe likes surprises.

Beat writer Rick Stroud has harsh grades for Glennon

Veteran Tampa Bay Times beat writer Rick Stroud — using a variety of voices/impressions — went off on rookie quarterback Mike Glennon during his Sports Page radio show on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday.

Stroud documented Glennon’s lousy day on Wednesday, including the fumbled snap that drew Greg Schiano’s ire, and Stroud talked about how down he his on the Bucs’ third-round pick.

“It’s a joke to think that this guy’s going to compete with anybody this year,” Stroud said. “Maybe at some point he becomes your No. 2, but I would think that if something happens Week 1, that Dan Orlovsky better be the guy in the game.”

Yes, Stroud’s being a little harsh, especially considering Glennon might look a lot better during live August action, and, you know, after he’s had more than seven weeks with the playbook.

But Glennon’s lack of readiness is no big surprise. This week, Joe asked rockstar general manager Mark Dominik about carrying three QBs this season, and Dominik was very clear the Bucs are “leaning” in that direction. (You can catch Stroud’s complete audio below.)

No, Joe does not know why Bucs fans have such a burning hatred for Shaun King, one of but three quarterbacks in Bucs history to lead the squad to an NFC Championship game.

He’s a local guy who grew up loving the Bucs — and still does. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. Yes, he’s been critical of Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, but it’s not like King is a lone wolf howling in the woods.

And this just in: NFL analysts that work for one of the top media organizations in the world, NBC Universal, are supposed to have strong takes. Name Joe an NFL analyst that just shrugs his shoulders and offers little to no insight and Joe will show you a man who will be calling your house shortly trying to sell aluminum siding.

That doesn’t mean King has blinders on. Just this week while appearing on “Ron and Ian” on WDAE-AM 620, King lauded Dominik for picking up embattled offensive lineman Gabe Carimi.

“Actually thought this was a good pick-up by Mark Dominik,” King said. “Simply because Carimi coming out of college was highly regarded. For whatever reasons, it didn’t work in Chicago. He got injured and the organization didn’t have a lot of faith in him and he didn’t play really well.

“But [Bucs assistant] coach [Bob] Bostad was his coach in college. So you take a chance on a guy that had that kind of talent when you can reunite him with his college coach. It will be interesting. I don’t know where Gabe Carimi is mentally. When you put the film on from last year he was terrible. But maybe reuniting him with his [old] coach will jump-start him to help reach his potential.”

This is what Joe has written. Likely no person short of Carimi’s mother knows him as well as Bostad. And to get him for a measly sixth-round pick could work out to be a steal.

For the full interview with King, click the button below.

Joe knows he’s got young readers who don’t realize that Bucs pass rush coach Bryan Cox was a ferocious beast of a player in his day.

Not only was Cox a phenomenal three-time Pro Bowl linebacker for Don Shula in Miami, he went on to be a key cog for Bill Parcells with the Jets’ run to the AFC title game in 1998, and he made plays for Bill Belicheat in 2001, including in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win that season.

Cox has soaked up plenty from legendary coaches, and Joe thinks Cox brings a world of credibility and real experience to the Bucs’ defensive front-7. Cox also is a straight shooter, so Joe was pleased to hear him say Greg Schiano will be among the improved pieces of the Bucs in 2013.

“He’s matured as a coach,” Cox said this week. “Some things that if you were to ask him, some things that he did last year, he’d say, ‘ok, we’d like to make these changes to make things a little bit better.’ So you see growth and you see maturity. And it’s a little easier the second time around once you gained a little experience.

Cox said Schiano’s discipline and focus has clearly penetrated the Buccaneers. As examples, Cox cited getting the most out of Vincent Jackson and Gerald McCoy (interesting) to players putting in time with community service.

Joe considers Schiano’s development as a major yet unspoken X factor of 2013. Can he outcoach Mike Smith and Sean Peyton? Can he be a great game manager? Those are big questions.

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Joe has gathered all sorts of info. from Bucs players and coaches this week that will be pumped out on these here pages in the coming days. One thing Joe got from some young defensive backs is how much it helps them going up against Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams each and every day.

Soon it will be the receivers who will be tested.

Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, freshly sheared, claims star cornerback Darrelle Revis will be in pads on the first day of training camp late next month. But being in pads is one thing, as Joe told his good friend, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, on WDAE-AM 620 this week. It’s quite another to be in contact. If Revis is able to go full speed with no restrictions, Bucs receivers are all but saying, “‘Bring it on, Revis!'” so writes eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune.

“I keep telling him I’m not one of those receivers he’s been checking,” Williams said with a smile following Wednesday’s practice. “Darrelle said he’s been going against the best, and I told him, ‘If the ball’s in the air, I’m going to get it.’ We keep arguing every day.

“I can’t wait to go against a guy of that caliber. He can get me better.”

It’s not so much an ego thing with Jackson. Rather, he believes Revis and Goldson will make him better for an upcoming opponent.

“Darrelle and (safety) Dashon Goldson are going to shore up our secondary,” Jackson said. “When Darrelle lines up against me, I know he’s going to give me his best and he knows I’m going to give him my best. When you’re going against looks on Wednesday through Friday that are harder than what you face on Sundays, that’s an advantage.”

Joe knows talk is cheap, especially in June. Still, from what Joe has seen and heard, he loves the attitude of this Bucs team.

It makes sense that going against the best in the NFL (Jackson/Freeman vs. Revis, for example) can only help the team, just like Schiano’s now famous cry for competition.

There’s no way of putting a specific value on how much this competition helps, but Joe would hope it could lead to two extra wins.

Joe’s used his share of Internet space criticizing Adam Hayward for shoving assistant coach Bryan Cox on the Bucs sidelines last December, a move that was picked up by TV cameras and the case was publicly dismissed by Greg Schiano.

For Joe, Hayward’s actions were thoroughly unacceptable. Hayward clearly was angered by Cox and shoved him. Imagine if he had shoved Schiano?

Early this week, Joe finally got a chance to ask Cox to explain what happened and what fans should know about the incident. Cox said it was blown out of proportion and is ancient history.

“Nobody really knows what happened,” Cox said of the heated sideline exchange with Hayward. “Adam and I have a really good relationship. That’s in the past. We moved on from it. He’s a really good guy and I think he unfairly got criticized for it.”

Cox is as straight a shooter as one could hope for in a coach, and Joe believes Cox. Joe still thinks it was a heinous act by Hayward, but Joe’s pleased to hear Cox is more mature than Joe and has moved on.

Joe realizes only the hardest of the hardcore Buccaneers junkies care about wide receiver coaching methods, but Joe couldn’t resist sharing this.

Last year, Joe spent a lot of time watching animated former Bucs receivers coach P.J. Fleck seem to put a lot of emphasis on footwork while he wasn’t screaming, sprinting after players to strip them, or celebrating seemingly everything positive.

New Bucs wide receivers coach John Garrett, who transferred from the Cowboys organization, also is a fiery guy, though not as crazy as Fleck. But it has seemed to Joe that Garrett is more dialed in to receivers’ work with their hands at the line of scrimmage.

Joe asked wide receiver Chris Owusu about the change in coaches and the teaching focus, and he confirmed that Garrett is a big hands guy.

“His philosophy of just being technical and just, you know, his philosophy of getting after it is something that we’ve all benefitted from. He’s all about hand placement,” Owusu said. “You know, you win the battle at the line with your hands. Yes, your feet, but your hands as well. And that’s something I’m able to learn from him.”

Owusu, a Stanford guy, also praised the intelligence of Garrett (Princeton guy) in the film room. Like Fleck, Garrett is a former NFL receiver who had a small-time career.

Joe can’t say what, if anything, this all means. But training camp practice attendees can make a note to watch the hands of Bucs receivers as they try to shake the press coverage of Darrelle Revis and the rest of the Bucs’ cornerbacks.

It’s pretty sad, no matter the player, when said player is atop his game, winning an award given to the best at his position as a senior in college and only two years is given away by the team that drafted him in the first round.

That’s what happened with Bucs offensive lineman Gabe Carimi, who the Bears gave away, figuratively, for a sixth round pick this week.

Former Bears beat writer and current National Football Post columnist Dan Pompei detailed why the Bears washed their hands of Carimi. The reasons were mostly health-related.

•In his second NFL game, Sept. 18, 2011, Carimi suffered an unusual injury. He dislocated his right knee, which previously had been dislocated, and he suffered anterior cruciate damage. Treating it would not be routine.

•Carimi lost weight in an attempt to put less stress on his knee, and in the process he lost strength. He went from about 315 pounds to about 300 pounds last offseason. Even after he started to move well around halfway through the 2012 season, he still was missing the strength that had been one of his defining traits. Early last season, Carimi still wasn’t moving well, and he got off to a poor start.

•Carimi failed to take advantage of a chance to prove himself to a new coaching staff this spring. In his absence, they moved on.

Hopefully, the Bucs’ medical staff, which is believed to be among the best in the NFL, and Carimi’s old position coach at Wisconsin, Bucs’ offensive line coach Bob Bostad, can turn Carimi’s career around.

Carimi’s knee problems are why Joe shakes his head when fans are quick to dismiss knee injuries pointing to Adrian Peterson’s miracle recovery as the new norm.

It’s not. Knee injuries are not as simple as ingrown toenail procedures. They are complex and still tricky operations.

There’s a new wide receiver in the mix for the Bucs. And he’s got experience, and he knows Mike Sullivan’s offense.

The Bucs have signed Derek Hagan, who enters his eighth season in the NFL. He spent part of 2008, and all of 2009 and 2010, with the Giants, where Sullivan was his position coach.

Tom Coughlin once called Hagan an “excellent contributor on special teams.” A Raiders blog this year characterized Hagan as hard-working and reliable, and a guy the Raiders wanted to return. Hagan has 129 career receptions, including 20 with the Raiders last season.

Greg Schiano craves competition, so this move comes as little surprise, and it shakes up the battle at the bottom of the receivers depth chart. After Vincent Jackson, Mike Williams, Kevin Ogletree and Tiquan Underwood, the Bucs have Hagan, David Douglas, Eric Page, and Chris Owusu seemingly slugging it out for one roster spot.

Joe broke word two weeks ago that WFLA-TV, Ch. 8, would be the new home for Bucs preseason TV broadcasts.

Now it’s official, per the station’s website. They’ve locked up the rights for five seasons. There’s also going to be fancy pregame shows and a new Bucs show during the regular season. (Perhaps Joe will be a special guest?)

News Channel 8 will also produce and air pregame specials prior to each preseason game and News Channel 8’s Dan Lucas will host “Bucs Bonus”, a half hour program that will air Saturday night’s at 7pm during the NFL season

There’s been no disclosure of announcers yet. Joe reported Ronde Barber was in talks to replace John Lynch, who tired of flying in from his Colorado home for the preseason schedule and the duties surrounding his game analyst role.

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It seems players at the top and bottom of the Bucs roster, and coaches and suits, are systematically wiping out every molecule of a potential excuse for poor performance in 2013.

This week, Josh Freeman verbally obliterated any chance that first-year miscommunication issues that plagued the Bucs’ passing attack last season would return, as chronicled in a video by electronic media czar J.P. Peterson of TampaBaySportsCentral.com.

“Making sure that the time that we get to the season there’s no more of those plays of indecision,” Freeman said of hard work he and players have put in this offseason. “Everbody’s going to be on the same and page, and we’re not going to hinder ourselves.”

There’s more in the video linked above, with Freeman going on about the readiness of the Bucs offense to be consistent and make strides.

All this exemplifies what Joe loves most about this coming Bucs season — no excuses.

The numbers-crunching, TV-football-watching crowd at Pro Football Focus resumes a series where they look at each NFL team’s sophomore players and try to figure out which second-year player can have a breakout season.

After pouring over the Bucs’ roster, Peter Damilatis has come to believe that Bucs cornerback Leonard Johnson could have a breakout 2013.

Despite the name of this series, it would be a bit of a stretch to say that Johnson was a true superstar last season. Aside from the large responsibilities he had, he also made mistakes that will cost him in the future if he doesn’t correct them. With 10 missed tackles on defense and special teams, he may need to bulk up his 5-foot-10, 200 pound-frame to avoid slipping off ballcarriers. But as Rahim Moore showed us this season, poor tackling is certainly correctable for young players.

To fully reach his potential this season, Johnson will have to earn back his starting spot first. Newcomer Revis will likely be on one side, but the other starting spot is there for the taking. Wright was nearly released if not for a drastic pay cut, and Johnson’s experience last season gives him a slight edge on fellow youngsters Johnthan Banks and Anthony Gaitor. A year after going undrafted, Johnson’s has shown success as a starter and could have a clear path back to that position. On a roster already brimming with young talent, don’t be surprised if he soon earns the notoriety of his 2012 classmates.

Joe can’t quibble with a lot of what Damilatis types, but here is where the proclamation runs into problem: For Johnson to have a breakout year, a lot must go wrong for the Bucs. For Johnson to shine this much, that tells Joe that either Darrelle Revis can’t come back from his knee injury, or Eric Wright stinks, or Johnthan Banks struggles mightily and/or one of the two gets hurt.

That’s not very reassuring to Joe, as much as he would love to see Johnson develop so well.

Perhaps there is something to word that Greg Schiano is making the transition from tyrant to just plain hard-nosed coach. The Bucs just announced that today’s third and final minicamp practice has been cancelled.

Joe suspects the leader of the New Schiano Order will have players in for meetings and study before dismissing them early with details of the serious conditioning test that awaits them in late July, when they return for training camp.

Never fear. Joe has all kinds of news and nuggets to serve up today.

“The premium groceries have been purchased, sir, and there’s plenty of change left over.”

Respected NFL scribe Albert Breer, now employed by NFL.com and NFL Network, broke down the power structure of every NFL team and rolled out his look at the Buccaneers yesterday.

In what might shock longtime skeptics of Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik, Breer states unequovically that Dominik has “full decision-making power over personnel.”

Who’s really in charge? The Bucs ran a coach-driven system for seven years under Jon Gruden. The end result — an aging roster in need of an overhaul — led the Glazers to make the move to Mark Dominik, who has full decision-making power over personnel and final say on the 53-man roster. Greg Schiano has control over the 46-man game-day roster and oversees his own staff.

In the end, the idea is for the two sides to work together on building the team. Gruden had a reputation in Tampa for getting upset when the club couldn’t or didn’t get a player he wanted, which, some believe, was a big part of the reason that the Glazers built a division of power into the organization. Dennis Hickey, who is considered a prospective GM candidate in league circles, has become a trusted No. 2 for Dominik, while Butch Davis, for whom Schiano worked at the University of Miami, is the second-year coach’s closest confidant.

You an click through above to read more. The article posted about noon yesterday, and to the best of Joe’s knowledge the Bucs and detail-obsessed Greg Schiano haven’t demanded a correction.

Now Joe’s not surprised that Dominik wields this kind of power. Hell, Joe openly scoffed at the wacky TampaBay.com report last year that proclaimed Schiano to be a more powerful head coach than Tom Coughlin and Mike McCarthy. And Joe knows there are many misguided fans who still believe Dominik is little more than a coffee-fetcher for Schiano.

Joe believes Dominik and Schiano work hand in hand daily and have a very healthy GM-coach relationship, which means Schiano drives his share of decisions while Dominik drives the bus.

It’s an important delineation of the team power structure as the Bucs move into a critical season, one in which the Bucs have eight Pro Bowlers on the roster — none over 30 — and no on-paper excuse for a losing record.