Will the Olympian be gifted a coveted roster spot?

Joe sees various media types issuing 53-man, final-roster predictions for your beloved Buccaneers. And they all include speedster running back Jeff Demps.

Even former Bucs DE Steve White, who was a coaching assistant on Lovie Smith’s staff this spring, says he believes the Bucs will keep Demps and work him into the offense consistently. [read more]

Josh McCown stated on SiriusXM Radio he doesn’t know who will start at either guard position come Sept. 7.

Every day at Bucs practice, Joe and other members of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club are looking for and asking seemingly the same things: “What guards are starting with the first team?” and “Is Da’Quan Bowers practicing today?”

(Column intermission: Bowers missed his second consecutive day Tuesday with what Bucs coach Lovie Smith considered an upper leg/groin issue). [read more]

Twice this evening, and during previous news conferences, Lovie Smith has emphasized that safety Dashon “Hawk” Goldson is a smart football player.

He’s also called Goldson the type of guy who’s an extra coach on the staff. [read more]

RT Demar Dotson was anything but smiles when he spoke of the level of Bucs offensive line play Friday

Joe is confident many Bucs fans share in Demar Dotson’s disgust. Bucs fans watched the offensive line last Friday and wanted to hurl.

Dotson, the lone member of the Bucs’ offensive line who played reasonably well, watched the film more than any Tampa Bay fan and left that experience searching for Scope because he had such a bad taste in his mouth. [read more]

Ahh, the spirit of liberation, aka Greg Schiano leaving One Buc Palace and holing up in his South Tampa home.

It’s a such a freeing feeling it even evokes new words for the English language. [read more]

Good not good enough for Bucs DE Adrian Clayborn.

Bucs fans have actually consulted professionals while trying to cope with their depression after seeing the Bucs’ offensive line act like matadors, waving a red flag and having defenders chase quarterback Josh McCown around like Joe does Rachel Watson in his dreams.

The difference is, the opposing defenders catch their prey. [read more]

Joe apologizes about the quality of this photo as he took it with his phone camera. S Mark Barron, right, is about to level RB Doug Martin in perhaps the hardest hit of training camp.

It was an eventful day at training camp. First, Bucs “Legends” were here; dozens of Bucs alumni were invited for VIP treatment by Team Glazer and the Bucs. The list included such notables as Shaun King, Ian Beckles, Michael Clayton, Reidel Anthony, Stylez White, Chidi Ahanotou and Steve Young (not the quarterback, but the offensive tackle).

Below are interesting happenings on the field for the final padded practice of training camp 2014: [read more]

Nothing quite like a sweet Bucs Vine in the evening.

Don’t know what a Vine is? Well, Joe can help. [read more]

This week’s shift on the Buccaneers’ work-in-progress offensive line — Jamon Meredith to the bench, Oneil Cousins from right guard to left, and Jace Daniels into the starting RG role — is hardly anything that resembles a firm change. [read more]

Austin Seferian-Jenkins

As a former 21-year-old, and a guy who’s been around all kinds of young adults through the years, Joe can safely say Bucs rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins is one of the most polished 21-year-old speakers he’s encountered.

The kid really has a gift. Since his arrival after the draft, Seferian-Jenkins has been extraordinarily poised around media. The man is ready for a political career. [read more]

Lovie Smith applauded the news of a 2014 season free of home TV blackouts.

Not long ago during the Chucky regime, when the Bucs had more trouble selling a ticket than warm beer on a hot Sunday afternoon, fans not buying Bucs tickets was a growing trend. Empty seats at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway were common.

The Tampa Bay blackout era began during the Raheem Morris days and, in retrospect, that was a blessing for Bucs fans. [read more]

Bucs brass is hoping no-name guard Jace Daniels can be the next Donald Penn

Once upon a time, when the free agency bell rang in 2007, Tampa Bay shelled out big cash for a left tackle named Luke Petitgout, three years, $15.5 million.

Petitgout was coming off a broken leg with the Giants and had chronic back problems, but Chucky didn’t care. Petitgout was going to save his freakin’ O-line and keep Jeff Garcia from an early retirement into the comforting bosom of his renowned wife. [read more]

Bucs WR Louis Murphy goes up for a catch against the Jags on Friday

Yes, the Bucs are loaded with wide receivers. Joe can’t believe he has typed that previous sentence. Stunner, isn’t it?

With Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans leading the way, the Bucs have the best set of wide receivers since they won the Super Bowl with Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius (only Keyshawn was a “Father Dungy player”). The backups seem to be good, too. [read more]

Bucs D-line coach Joe Cullen

Yes, the Tampa Bay defensive line dominated Jacksonville and has owned its competition in practice.

Even the Bucs on their official website seem to be taking a defense-is-winning stance. [read more]

The Bucs have a weakness, and a renowned NFL analyst thinks it could sink the 2014 team to ugly depths. [read more]

No.

Yesterday, Bucs coach Lovie Smith responded to questions about the possiblity of pursuing the notorious Richie Incognito. Only Lovie did so indirectly. Sort of.

Members of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club, apparently bombarded by Incognito questions, especially since Friday’s offensive line debacle at Jacksonville, hit Lovie with two Incognito questions. [read more]

So what if Josh McCown’s ball security was poor Friday and he tossed a senseless pick-6, that’s no reason to throw the guy off the St. Petersburg Pier with a football helmet tied to his shoe.

Even a Mike Glennon Mob boss likely would agree. [read more]

Are the Bucs really after 49ers G Alex Boone, or are the 49ers trying to start a bidding war?

So what are we to make of the news Ian Rapoport of NFL.com broke last night, that the Bucs are sniffing the oranges in the basket known as holdout guard Alex Boone? In Joe’s eyes, it’s NFL poker playing at its finest.

Yes, the Bucs — as of August’s second week — have an issue with their guards. This is nothing new, not remotely a surprise to Bucs general manager Jason Licht and coach Lovie Smith. [read more]

Lovie Smith told media and, indirectly, fans to not overreact after a few ugly series by Tampa Bay’s first-team offensive line on Friday.

But now it seems the Bucs are pondering an overreaction. [read more]