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The Bucs released the first depth chart of the 2014 preseason, even though kickoff is a few days away. Joe knows depth charts released before the preseason schedule starts have about as much relevance as Punxsutawney Phil, but they are still fun to pick apart.
Here are highlights:
Joe will have Bucs cheerleaders in view, courtside seats for an intense training camp practice and be on the air with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620.
What could be better? Catch the “JoeBucsFan Hour” at 5 p.m. Joe will dive into all the Bucs subjects of the day.
Still coy about the offense.
It is hard not to get excited about the Bucs offense (!) when you see a monster tight end like Austin Seferian-Jenkins toy with a linebacker like a snake would a trapped mouse.
Of course, Vincent Jackson looks to be in mid-season form and Mike Evans makes an elevated catch now and then to remind people he’s in the mix, too. [read more]
More cash to entice Gerald McCoy?
Amicably waving goodbye to former All-Pro guard Carl Nicks last month appears to have saved the Bucs some cash.
Per a FOX report last year, Nicks’ 2014 contract had a $6 million injury guarantee. [read more]
A prominent former Buccaneer doesn’t want to see a repeat of last year
The Bucs had a pretty sad and perplexing preseason last year, and the on-field mess carried into the regular season.
Commander Schiano didn’t want to give starters, especially Josh Freeman, a lot of August reps, after limiting Freeman’s first-team reps in practice so Mike Glennon could get plenty of work. [read more]
So when you’re seriously guard challenged like the Buccaneers are, where do you place a nasty, aggressive rookie who has a lot to learn but has the tools to be successful?
The answer is right guard. [read more]
A thumbs up for former Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was well deserved when it came to using Vincent Jackson.
V-Jax arrived in Tampa from San Diego, where he was used almost exclusively as a deep threat, the over-the-top guy. But Sullivan changed that. [read more]
After serving as a defensive line coaching intern on the sidelines and in the meeting rooms of One Buc Palace this spring, former Bucs defensive end Steve White (1996-2001) surely has unique insight into your Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Yesterday, White shared some of his impressions. [read more]
Bucs TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins has crazy high standards.
Joe is really starting to buy the hype surrounding rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. It’s hard not to when you see the guy on the field.
First, the dude is a monster. Yeah, you recognize Vincent Jackson and yeah, you recognize Mike Evans, two big guys in their own right when they take the field. But when ASJ steps foot on the turf, you do a double-take and your eyes are locked on him. [read more]
Fun times at Bucs practice. The weather cooperated in that it was overcast, which kept the high temperatures more moderate. Didn’t do much about the humidity, though.
There were some neat plays in the passing game made by Bucs wide receivers. A couple are highlighted in these videos below, courtesy of the Bucs’ official Vine account. [read more]
Bucs DE Adrian Clayborn logged reps at tackle today in passing situations.
Joe noticed something both strange and telling today at practice.
While recommitted Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers was found in his familiar spot on the football field — the sideline in street clothes — his teammate and fellow Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn was taking reps at defensive tackle.
That is not one of Joe’s typos. It is true. Clayborn was working at defensive tackle. [read more]
Bucs DE Da’Quan Bowers was sidelined (again) Monday, as was oft-injured TE Luke Stocker.
Joe is not trying to be mean or hurtful in this post, but if there was any sight at Bucs practice that spoke volumes about the status and shaky futures of a pair of Bucs hangers-on, it was seen today.
On one side of the Tampa Bay practice field in a sparkling clean white jersey and red shorts, wearing a Bucs cap and a compression bandage on his right leg, stood fan favorite, tight end Luke Stocker. [read more]
The Bucs’ GM weighs in
A typical training camp day for a Tampa Bay Buccaneer starts at 7 a.m. and wraps up about 10 p.m.
There’s eating and meetings and more meetings, and lifting and eating and study and meetings and practice and meetings. This ritual continues for a few weeks until the team leaves its assigned Tampa hotel and gets into a more typical routine. [read more]
Bucs CB Alterraun Verner (21) watches practice from the sidelines. Again.
It was thankfully an overcast day at One Buc Palace Monday for Bucs training camp 2014 practice No. 9. The cloud cover on this sticky humid day helped keep the temperatures down.
Tempers flared a bit when a Bucs reserve linebacker decided to try to turn a Bucs running back into a projectile one too many times. Oh, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a freak of nature. [read more]
Right now, the question of how second-year cornerback Johnthan Banks will fit into Lovie Smith’s defense has a fantastic answer.
Speaking on WDAE-AM 620 this evening, Bucs general manager Jason Licht told host Steve Duemig that Banks has answered the bell. [read more]
Former Marine Josh Frey, who gave the Bucs one of his two Purple Heart medals, watches the Bucs night practice last week
Last week Joe was about speechless — quite a feat if any of you know Joe — when he learned how a hardcore Bucs fan and honorably discharged Marine gave one of his two Purple Hearts to Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht.
The marine, Clearwater High School graduate Josh Frey, wanted his favorite team to have one of his two Purple Hearts for all the Bucs have done for veterans, and for providing Frey countless hours of action to take his mind off both his experiences and injuries. [read more]
Joe’s friends at the great Ed Morse family of dealerships are proud to congratulate Derrick Brooks on his entrance into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Their full-page ad in The Tampa Tribune over the weekend was very cool.
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah had a sitdown with Joe.
Last week there were several visitors to One Buc Palace to watch Bucs training camp. Warren Sapp and Peter King were a couple of guests. Another was Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network. Before getting a sweet TV gig, Jeremiah logged time in the NFL as a scout with the Eagles, Browns and Crows, where he studied under one of the game’s best football minds, general manager Ozzie Newsome.
Jeremiah was kind enough to give Joe a sitdown to talk all things Bucs. Among the many subjects Jeremiah discussed, was his feeling that Bucs backup quarterback Mike Glennon was hung out to dry last year.
Monstrous second-year defensive end Will Gholston has few peers in the NFL at his position. Joe’s talking sheer size.
Gholston stands 6-foot-6 and he’s a chiseled 280 pounds, and looks more rocked up than last year. He told Joe his fierce workout regimen brought him to training camp at 280 pounds but only 10.1 percent body fat. [read more]
