Yes, Bucs fans are banging on that F4 key virtually by the minute wanting information. What’s up with Michael Bennett? What’s up with Brent Grimes?

More importantly, Bucs fans are panting over Jets whiney stud cornerback Darrelle Revis.

As Joe has documented a few times the past couple of days, the Jets are stonewalling the Bucs on a trade proposal that would bring Revis to Tampa Bay.

Trying to gather insider information, Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski, of WHFS-FM 98.7, asked NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport today to dish info on the Revis situation.

“The latest is that both sides at the least are discussing it. It is such a complex issue. So many different moving parts. Both sides are open to [a trade] yet, but there may never be a resolution.

“I hear there is another ream interested but I don’t know if there is another team involved. Not a lot of teams can withstand this: Accept star system or a coach who can handle it. Schiano handles it a lot better than most. You have to be comfortable with the injury, have to be able to pay him and give up the draft picks.

“The Bucs are pretty smart. The way they do things are very savvy. The longer they wait, the better it is for the Bucs. If the Bucs trade for Revis today I won’t be surprised and if the Bucs don’t trade for Revis today I won’t be surprised.”

Rapoport later noted free agent cornerback Sean Smith is still available and a signing of Smith by any team “could happen today but I’m not sure where.”

As Joe has stated many times already, coughing up the No. 13 pick for an expensive diva who may not return 100 from his ACL injury is just too much to ask.

Joe is on top of all things Rays on JoeRaysFan.com, aka RaysIndex.com. Call it what you want, but you should be there daily.

Opening day is in a mere 19 days!!!

The Bucs’ new tough guy in the secondary, All-Pro safety Dashon Golsdon, won’t be tight pals with Josh Freeman.

In this NFL Network interview with Goldson, host Rich Eisen advises Goldson of the exotic snake zoo at Freeman’s house, and Goldson quickly replied, “I won’t be going over there.”

Goldson also gushes over the “Air Glazer” private plane ride to Tampa and dives into football topics in the interview. Enjoy the link above.

Joe loved the story of Leonard Johnson living at home in Clearwater on a twin bed to save money, but now Joe’s starting to think Johnson needs to spread his wings.

ESPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas got hold of a pile of salary data on the bonus structure for low-paid NFL players who outperform their pay grade. And Johnson cashed in to the tune of $227,000 in bonus pay, tops on the Bucs for 2012.

Lavonte David, Demar Dotson and other Bucs also cashed in. The full list is available via the link above.

Joe wonders whether Johnson will buy the Adderrall Twins a thank-you dinner.

Greg Schiano added not only linebacker depth yesterday but a kid from his old Rutgers neighborhood.

The Bucs signed free agent linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who had hoped to return for his fifth season with the Saints. Casillas is from New Brunswick, New Jersey, which just happens to be home to the main campus of Rutgers.

Joe suspects it will come out soon that Schiano knew Casillas as a teenager and lost out recruiting him when Casillas left Jersey to play college ball at the University of Wisconsin.

Casillas was an undrafted rookie snagged by the Saints in 2009. Last season, he had 31 total tackles in 14 games while making $1.26 million, per the NOLA.com.

Joe hopes Dakoda Watson can build on his breakthrough season at special teams and win the strong side linebacker job, which surely will be vacated soon by injured Quincy Black. But Casillas seems like a good fit to fight for that gig, along with Adam Hayward.

Joe has to think right now that the odds of the Bucs drafting an outside linebacker have been cut.

Late last night, cornerbacks started flying off the free agent market, but a few good ones (Sean Smith, Brent Grimes, included) are still available.

Defensive ends, not so much. Cliff Avril, one of the better defensive ends, agreed to terms with the Seahawks for two years at $6.5 million year.

Mind you, Avril turned down a three-year contract extension from the Lions for $10 million a year earlier in 2012.

So perhaps defensive ends may have overvalued themselves?

This leads Joe to Michael Bennett. He and his agent, oily Drew Rosenhaus, have never closed the door on the Bucs. Before free agency, if Joe was told Bennett could be had for less than $7 million a year, Joe would have considered that a fair bargain.

Now it seems Bennett would be lucky to get that much.

Given the fact Bennett has not told the Bucs, “Sorry man, I’m gone, don’t call me,” it seems there is still a good chance for Bennett to come back. He has professed his desire to stay in Tampa Bay publicly the past week.

Maybe, just maybe, the Bucs will luck out and get Bennett back.

The New York Post tossed cold water on a Revis-to-Bucs trade this morning

The gamesmanship on the Darrelle Revis front continued into the wee hours, as the New York media is all over the potential turning of Revis Island into a tropical key in Tampa Bay.

The New York Post busted out a story at 2:31 a.m. (updated at 4:26 a.m.) that says their sources are telling them the Jets have turned their nose at moving Revis, whose only legitimate suitor seems to be the Bucs.

A source told The Post that no trade is imminent with Revis and the team is not actively shopping him. … …

On NFL Network, Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano said of Revis, “Everything’s a possibility. We’re trying to get better and anybody that can help us do that, they’re definitely on our radar.”

Fans by now know where Joe stands on Revis.

Revis would be an amazing difference-maker with the Bucs’ defense, if he’s healthy. But nobody knows whether Revis is healthy coming of ACL surgery. And a first-round pick price tag is just too high for Revis with only one season remaining on his contract and no guarantee of him staying with the Bucs.

First round picks — if drafted properly — should become cornerstone starters for any franchise for at least five years, hopefully 10. You don’t just throw them around lightly for injured players.

Joe gets what Revis could mean for the Bucs and the Schiano and Dave Wannstedt (Revis’ college coach) desire the guy, and Joe would cheer heartily for the Revis, but Joe still wouldn’t cough up the premium pick. The Jets have no leverage here.

After two very busy days, Joe decided to take a bit of a break on breaking Bucs news by watching some “24” off his DVR followed by “The Americans,” and when Joe comes up for air, Darrelle Revis news is all over the place!

Damn, Jack Bauer! Damn, Nina!

First, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports claims that Team Glazer is all aboard the Revis-to-Bucs bandwagon and has given Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik the green light to grab Revis.

While the trade price for a star player was set this week with the Seattle Seahawks giving up a first- and a seventh-round this year and a third-round pick in 2014, the Bucs aren’t willing to match that deal exactly, a team source said. The big difference is that Seattle’s first-round pick this year was No. 25 overall, far less valuable than Tampa Bay’s first selection.

The same Bucs source indicated Tampa Bay might be more willing to surrender its 2014 first-rounder, gambling that next year’s selection won’t be as high if the team improves. The Buccaneers have already made a significant play in free agency to improve by signing safety Dashon Goldson to a reported five-year, $41.25 million deal.

As for why the Jets, who declined to comment, might be better off with a first-round pick next year, it’s highly possible the team may have to make a change at quarterback and perhaps head coach after the 2013 season. More draft picks in 2014 might give the Jets the ammunition to make a trade, if necessary, for a higher pick depending on how many quarterbacks are available in the 2014 draft. For instance, Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville is projected by many analysts to be a first-round pick next year and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M could also declare for the draft.

As Joe mentioned earlier today, the Jets — for reasons not very clear — are stonewalling the Bucs.

But the rumors get better. The creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, has typed that compensation and a salary have already been worked out as Dominik has gone through back channels to get this done, sidestepping the Jets and their general manager, John Idzik.

Food for thought: Vincent Jackson’s agent also represents Revis. Feel free to do the math.

Though some continue to insist that the deal still has too many moving parts, there’s a growing belief that the only remaining issue is whether the Jets will take what the Bucs are offering. As to the compensation for Revis, the suspicion is that the Bucs and the player’s agents have worked out the terms discreetly.

Sure, it’s tampering. But it happens more often than anyone admits, league office memos be damned. And if the Jets want to get this trade accomplished, it’s necessary.

Though Joe won’t exactly stand outside the gates of One Buc Palace with a lit torch if this goes through, Joe hopes Dominik passes.

Raise your hand if you know Revis, coming off ACL surgery, is healthy. Has anyone watched Revis cover anyone yet since his injury knocked him out of last season? This is not to mention the guy is always whining. How many times has he threatened to hold out or actually did hold out?

There is just no way Joe would trade a first round pick for Revis with his salary and injury. Dominik should tell Idzik if he doesn’t want a second round pick to go pound sand and try to find another team who will cough up a first round pick.

And there isn’t another team that foolish. It’s one helluva expensive gamble to trade a coveted first round pick for a guy who, unless he signs a contract, may bolt after one season and not one person, not even Revis himself, knows if he can play anywhere close to what he has in the past.

The three of them marched to the dais. Newly signed safety Dashon Goldson, Bucs coach Greg Schiano and rock star general manager Mark Dominik.

For Dominik, getting Goldson in the Bucs fold was the end of a year-long battle. Dominik admitted he had tried to trade for Goldson a year ago, to no avail.

When Goldson was not franchised by the NFC champion 49ers after the Super Bowl, Dominik pounced. And the Goldson signing may not be the last acquisition the Bucs make.

“I will say this: We don’t stop. We will look for any way to improve our football team,” Dominik said. “We will continue to look and the Glazer family will continue to provide resources.”

Dominik said he likes to “strike and attack” when there is a talented player like Goldson, like Carl Nicks, like Vincent Jackson, like Kellen Winslow available.

For all the nervous Nellies who wanted Goldson signed last night, Dominik cautioned those with the patience of a housefly.

“It’s not as simple as, ‘Do you want it? Yeah, I’ll take it,” Dominik said of contract negotiations. “I was encouraged we got [Goldson] on the first flight [out last night]. I was excited we got a chance to recruit him. Yeah, I was nervous.”

Dominik was hesitant to discuss any future transactions, partly because, in his own words, “This is Dashon’s day.”

So how does Ronde Barber feel today, with his football career in limbo and after the Bucs signed All-Pro safety Dashon Goldson to replace Barber at free safety?

(Yes, Joe knows Greg Schiano said Goldson will play both safety positions based on situations.)

It seems Ronde isn’t talking. Barber played the Pro-Am golf tournament at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor today, and various reports say Barber wasn’t commenting.

As for the leader of the New Schiano Order, Schiano said today at One Buc Palace that today is about Goldson and not Barber.

“We’re going to wait and see what Ronde feels,” Schiano said.

Joe’s glad the Bucs still want Barber, obviously at cornerback, where he surely would be the nickel back and compete for a starting corner job.

But what does Barber feel about all this? Only he knows — and the clock ticks.

The newest Buccaneer signed moments ago, All-Pro safety Dashon Goldson, said a fellow University of Washington football player helped sell him on coming to the Bucs for megabucks.

That would be Mason Foster.

“I pulled him aside a little bit,” Goldson said of Foster today. And Goldson described Foster as excited to be in Tampa Bay.

Goldson said numerous times that he believes his game a great fit with the Bucs’ scheme, and he was adamant that Mark Barron is a stud who he can mold and mentor.

It’s official. The Bucs have signed a true Pro Bowl veteran stud in his prime and parked him in the middle of their woeful secondary, a guy who played in the Super Bowl nine weeks ago and the last two NFC Championship games.

Former 49ers safety Dashon Goldson is the newest “Buccaneer Man.”

The New Schiano Order obviously is not messing around in its quest to improve the NFL’s worst secondary. And in Goldson, the Bucs also have added a little nasty edge and swagger to their emerging defense.

Jimminy Christmas! If the Bucs pull off the rumored trade for Darrelle Revis, and he’s healthy, and Ronde Barber returns, and they sign another cornerback and draft one, the Bucs’ secondary could go from worst to first.

Dreaming aside, a team can’t go wrong — shouldn’t go wrong — signing a proven Pro Bowler in his prime. Joe also likes that Goldson played for tough guys Jim Harbaugh and Mike Singletary. Goldson should not be phased by “Toes on the line.”

Update: Per ProFootballTalk.com, Goldson’s deal will have a total value of $41.25 million with $22 million guaranteed.

Joe’s done a load of studying on stud free agent safety Dashon Goldson, who is in Tampa now waiting for Team Glazer to break out their fancy pen to write him an eight-figure check that will make him proud.

The bottom line on Goldson is he’s a guy that’s proven for years he can hit, play the run, be instinctive, and is effective in a centerfield role. The ProFootballFocus stats crowd claims Goldson is a shoddy tackler, but Joe takes their analysis with a grain of salt. (Exactly what are the film-analysis credentials of those guys?) One would think the New Schiano Order would get creative with him and Mark Barron, who likely will be more effective playing closer to the line of scrimmage.

Various reports show the Goldson was darn happy with the Niners and he said this month that he wanted to return with a long term contract. He was the 49ers franchise player last year, tagged at $6.2 million in 2012 at the safety position.

The San Francisco Chronicle popped an interview with Goldson after the Super Bowl. Here’s an excerpt below:

Q: You’ve been here a while. Feel like there’s some good faith to work something out?

Yeah, hopefully, I’m just staying positive. I’m where I want to be. I was in this position before and I got my hopes up and it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to. And it happens. But for me to come back, I feel like they wanted me to prove myself — again. And I think I did just that. So if I was able to be in this situation again with the franchise tag, I’d be very surprised.

Q: Risk in franchise tag?

There’s no security in it. I’ve been in this league now six years, going on seven. I think I’ve done what I’ve had to do to deserve a second contract, period. The franchise tag, it’s cool. It’s not that bad with the money, but everybody wants security. In the job that I do, and the position I play, there’s a lot that comes with the territory. Security is something that you want at my position, for sure.

Q: Individually, was this your best season?

No, I think I have plenty of seasons that were good. I don’t know if this was my best season. I just think I was comfortable this year. I was healthy. I think I did some good things.

(You can read the entire interview by clicking the link above.)

It’ll be a surprise if the Bucs don’t have a deal with Goldson in a matter of hours. Joe really can’t wait to see the attitude and swagger he brings to the Bucs’ defense. If Ronde Barber sucks it up and returns in a nickel-back role, and the Bucs score a good free agent cornerback and draft one, Tampa Bay should have secondary that doesn’t suck the life out of the team next season.

There are many — not all — Bucs fans slamming fists on their desks at work and scaring yenta co-workers surfing Facebook because said Bucs fans are not seeing updates on the Bucs trying to lure Darrelle Revis to Tampa Bay.

The reason why there are no updates is you cannot update something that doesn’t exist. There is nothing seeping out of Floral Park, headquarters of Gang Green. In fact, Jets general manager John Idzik isn’t even in the greater New York metropolitan area. He’s in Tuscaloosa monitoring a Pro Day at the University of Alabama.

Does that sound like the actions of a man who is intent on trading his best player?

Now, NFL Network — which has gone to Floral Park for a live update from Kimberly Jones virtually every hour, even though she has said she’s the only person in the building and the team’s movers and shakers are in Alabama — has confirmed the Bucs and Jets talked trade last night, but the talks went nowhere. No specifics as to why or what was discussed were released.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports claims there is no movement with Revis because the Jets are stonewalling. The Jets have yet to grant approval for any team to talk to the Revis camp.

However, new Jets general manager John Idzik, who has declined two requests by Yahoo! Sports to discuss the situation, has yet to give Schwartz and Feinsod permission to talk to other teams. In fact, the sides haven’t talked for weeks. Aside from a couple of brief exchanges between Idzik and Revis, there has been almost no contact between the sides.

“What the Jets are creating is a situation where [the agents] have to beat them. Teams are saying, ‘OK, we’re trading picks for you, what kind of discount are we getting on the contract?’ ” a source said. “Well, why should [Revis] give somebody a discount when he can just wait it out and get his money? It makes no sense.”

The Jets must give permission for other teams to talk to Revis’ agent first, otherwise, that falls under the category of tampering, which the NFL frowns upon greatly.

And clearly, teams are going to want an update on Revis’ physical condition or to sign him to a contract extension before they seriously talk trade with the Jets. Unless Idzik grants teams permission to talk to Revis and his people, no one is going to give the Jets much of anything outside of perhaps a sixth round pick to acquire Revis.

Given the fact Idzik has his concentration focused on something other than trading Revis, don’t expect a Revis deal to the Bucs anytime soon, if at all.

Just like Dominik is doing with Ronde Barber in trying to land Dashon Goldson, Dominik cannot wait like a lovesick school girl on Idzik to make a decision if Dominik is going to upgrade that wretched defensive backs roster of his. Time to turn the page.

Bucs fans angry at the lack of progress in the Bucs getting Revis? Direct your anger northward.

It seems that the hard sell of Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik and Bucs coach Greg Schiano on coveted free agent safety Dashon Goldson has worked. So far.

After flying Goldson to Tampa Bay on a private, swanky jet chartered by Team Glazer last night, and a morning full of recruiting by Dominik and Schiano, the first stage seems to be a success.

Now, it’s time to talk turkey, as in dollars and cents, so Twittered Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.

@RCummingsTBO: FA S Dashon Goldson’s visit with the Bucs has moved into the contract negotiating stage, per agent Ben Dogra. A deal may be next.

This, obviously, is a good sign. Perhaps by the end of business today, the Bucs may have a new starting safety?

Leave it to a former college coach like Schiano to be able to sell his program. Joe is geeked.

Just is getting hammered on Twitter about this subject, so Joe is pretty sure a post about said subject needs to be written.

No, there has been no decision on the grievance Eric Wright filed to stop his contract — and its guaranteed $7 million and change for 2013 — from being voided by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik.

Wright, per Rotoworld.com, last year signed a five-year, $38 million contract with the first two years of his contract, worth $15.5 million, guaranteed. But there was a clause in the contract that if Wright was suspended, the contract could be voided.

Last season Wright violated the NFL drug policy, served a four-game suspension, and thus gave Dominik an out.

There is no timetable on the ruling of Wright’s grievance. It could come today, it could come in July.

When Joe learns of this, he will post the results. If for some reasons Joe’s readers are unaware of the ruling, rest assured, it is because there has been no ruling.

So put away your party favors and kazoos until appropriately alerted.

When Joe learned that stud return specialist and talented running back Leon Washington was let loose by the Seahawks after Seattle acquired headache Percy Harvin, Joe right away thought Washington would be a nice pick up for the Bucs. Tampa Bay is so devoid of return help they turned to ineffective Arrelious Benn and never used Michael Smith past opening day.

It seems Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was reading Joe’s mind.

Appearing on “The Opening Drive” this morning, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, co-hosted by Ross Tucker and Derrick Brooks, Washington said the Bucs tried to swing a trade with Seattle for his services, but instead, Seattle passed and released him.

Washington noted how he likes Tampa Bay and could easily see him on a Bucs roster. Washington averaged 29 yards per kick return last season.

Stay tuned. If Dominik inquired about a trade for Washington, that means there is interest and he’s walking the streets now. Washington would be a nice addition.

Sports radio junkies like Joe will no doubt be intrigued by this free-agency nugget Joe has explored.

It seems the iconic dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, will soon be free to hit the streets and look for a new job, if he so desires.

Joe knows Duemig signed a very public two-year deal back in May 2011. And Joe knows radio contracts for premier talent typically contain a 60-day out clause before the end of the contract, in which the talent is free to talk with other stations within the market to gauge interest.

Now Joe is pretty darn certain that this same clause would exist in Duemig’s contract as well. How does Joe know? He has only 61 bottles of beer on the wall.

After listening to the end of Duemig’s show yesterday, is Duemig about to join the group of free agents that will enter the market?

Joe could not reach Duemig for comment. And there’s been no announcement of Duemig signing a new contract.

Duemig has been a top-rated fixture at WDAE-AM 620 since the mid 1990s and has hosted numerous season-long Bucs player shows over the years with Derrick Brooks, Mike Alstott, Booger McFarland, Davin Joseph, Joey Galloway, Josh Freeman and others. He’s also hosted national shows for ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio.

Joe knows there were Bucs fans up past 1 a.m. pining for news that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik pulled off a trade for Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.

(If Revis comes to Tampa Bay, he will no longer be known as “Revis Island,” but instead, “Mons Revis.”)

This morning, NFL Network is running intelligent programming, doing a non-stop free agency marathon. Located at Floral Park, home of the Jets, Kimberly Jones reporting live, had no updates on the status of Revis. She did say “definitely” the Bucs “were in discussions” with the Jets yesterday, but nothing has come of those discussions, at least not yet, and everything is, in her words, in “a holding pattern.”

Last last night, the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, noted that Revis and/or his agent have not been contacted. Joe would have to guess Dominik won’t pull a trigger on a trade unless a new contract was worked out. Nor should he.

So there you have your Revis non-update/update as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Obviously, if there is anything newsworthy, Joe will post it.

UPDATE: NFL Network reported Jets general manager John Idzik isn’t in his office today. He’s in Tuscaloosa attending Alabama’s Pro Day.

Joe remembers being mildly blasted by an insider at One Buc Palace last summer because Joe repeatedly suggested Arrelious Benn was a candidate to be cut from the Bucs roster. The source told Joe he was out of line and that the New Schiano Order was supportive of Benn and would not hold Benn’s training camp absences against him.

Benn had missed most of 2012 training camp and preseason with a knee injury after colliding with E.J. Biggers and Tiquan Underwood, who was lighting up the practice field. The Bucs kept Benn and cut Underwood. But Benn was quickly phased out of the Bucs offense and Underwood was re-signed and thrived.

Now, multiple, credible reports have Benn being shopped by the Bucs, and rockstar general manager Mark Dominik must know that it would be a near miracle if he could fetch a sixth-round pick for Benn.

The case of the New Schiano Order giving up on Benn is an interesting one.

Benn is only 24 years old and was the 39th overall pick in the 2010 draft, considered one of the deepest in NFL history.

So why are the Bucs eager to part with a young player, who still has a load of potential and one who is solid on various special teams?

Joe’s always been suspicious of Benn’s makeup ever since Josh Freeman talked of Benn losing his mind during a game in September 2011.

“Reg kind of got in a little bit of a funk. He’s a guy that takes his performance to heart,” Freeman said. “You know, he’s a great team guy and I felt like he felt he let the team down. The coach wanted to mix in Dezmon Briscoe, give him some plays. Reg wasn’t being punished. I think that he kind of got in a funk and that’s what he felt like.

“When I came back [from getting an IV] he was looking kind of blue on the sideline. I went over and started talking to him. I was like, ‘Dude, what’s wrong?’ He’s like, ‘I don’t know. I’m just kind of out of it.’ I’m like, ‘Well get ready because we’re about to make a run. And we’re going to need everybody …

Joe has to think that trusted Schiano confidant and former Bucs wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck just didn’t think Benn has what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

It seems the Bucs, as Joe referenced yesterday, are smitten with Lions defensive end Cliff Avril.

But is Avril an upgrade? Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune waded through the numbers for a clearer view.

Though Avril, 26, has recorded 29 sacks the last three years, the ESPN Insiders say he has struggled since 2010 to match the sixth-place pass-rush productivity score he posted that year.

Bennett, meanwhile, is coming off a year when his pass-rush productivity score of 71 – which is the combination of all sacks, hits and hurries – ranked ninth among all defensive players.

Avril finished 15th and 40th in that ranking the last two years respectively, but the insiders believe that may have been a result of Avril working in what they say was a predictable Lions pass rush scheme.

As Joe pointed out yesterday, he too dug through numbers and found that in the last five games of 2012, Bennett recorded but two sacks, and both of those came against the dreadful Beagles and statuesque Nick Foles.

As much as Joe harped on Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman for vanishing during key games, which cost the Bucs a shot at a wild card, Joe must be fair and point a finger at Bennett. Your best pass rusher must have more than two sacks in the final quarter of the season when you need your stud players most.

Cummings also points out another reason why Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik may covet Avril: He is a turnover machine, deft in stripping ball carriers.

Just about every Bucs fan wants defensive end Michael Bennett to stay in Tampa. Even the unrestricted free agent Bennett wants to remain with the Bucs.

NFL economics suggest Bennett will not stay with the Bucs.

Earlier this evening, Bennett appeared on Pro Football Talk on the NBC Sports Network and admitted his return to the Bucs is much less than 50/50, so reports the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio.

Bennett, an unrestricted free agent, pegs his chances of staying with the Bucs at a low number.

“I don’t know, 20-to-40 percent,” Bennett said. “It’s not 100 percent. It’s 20-to-40 percent. I’m not sure how it’s gonna play out but it’s a business and hopefully the best things happen.”

Here is some research Joe did using game-by-game statistics on NFL.com: Joe monitored the last five games last season and Bennett had a grand total of two sacks in those games, both coming against the Eagles.

Now Joe has bagged on quarterback Josh Freeman for not being clutch when the Bucs had a shot to make a postseason run. Well, to be fair, in some of those same games, Bennett was about as clutch as Freeman in getting the opposing quarterback on the ground.

Maybe that is why Dominik decided not to throw the bank at Bennett?