After four seasons playing linebacker in New England, newcomer Dane Fletcher has experienced excellent coaching, winning and an elite organization.

They liked him up there, too, where Fletcher was a special teams star and even had playcalling duties for Bill Belicheat in certain games. [read more]

It’s easy to forget Page was the NFL’s 13th-ranked punt returner last year, despite being one year removed from ACL surgery.

Lovie Smith nearly always talks like he’s on a honeymoon. His Bucs life is good. All his ingredients are coming together to hopefully make a beautiful, winning cake.

However, there have been rare moments when Lovie expressed dissatisfaction, and one was a May moment that got lost in the shuffle. [read more]

Bucs CB Leonard Johnson hopes his physical nature lands him a starting gig.

Yes, the Bucs have broken out the pads in training camp. Started on Sunday. It was what Bucs fans were waiting for.

Wednesday, the first day back for the Bucs from a day off, it seems the players weren’t interesting in keeping their teammates healthy. The hitting finally showed up.

But Bucs coach Lovie Smith doesn’t want guys getting hammered so much in training camp. [read more]

For Joe, there were two things that jumped out about yesterday’s fifth practice of Bucs training camp 2014, and no, neither was the October -like weather that took over One Buc Palace halfway through evening.

There was hitting and fighting. Leonard Johnson nearly knocked Skye Dawson to Bradenton he clobbered him so hard along the right sideline just before the goal line. I mean Dawson went flying backward and the crack of the pads could have been heard from Jesuit High School. [read more]

It was a cool day (literally) at Bucs training camp, Day 5 today at One Buc Palace. Towards the end of practice as the sun began to set, the humidity dropped and there was a cool breeze. It felt more like October than July.

The practice was cool too, and not because of the temperatures. In fact, it got heated with a couple of fights. But there were also some sick catches made by receivers and there was some hittin’ going on. Guys were laying the wood on ballcarriers. [read more]

Joe’s got video

Bucs fans jumped with glee this spring when, in his first practice as a Bucs player, rookie wide receiver “Godzilla” Evans went all Michael Jordan, skying high and grabbing a pass with one hand as if he was picking an apple off of a tree.

It was a sensational catch. Extraordinary. But Chris Owusu one-upped Evans today. [read more]

For the first time this season, the Bucs seemed were pretty intense at practice. Perhaps it was the players getting tired of beating on each other, or after a day off they were a little more fired up than usual.

Within about a five-minute period, there were two scuffles. More scrums than fisticuffs. But the fans in attendance sure liked it. To hear them talk, it showed the Bucs were intense. [read more]

Lovie Smith’s staff is a group of rather calm teachers. But there are exceptions.

And it was one of those days today for offensive line coach George Warhop and rookie left guard Kadeem Edwards. [read more]

As always, Joe is your eyes and ears at training camp. Today featured some hot tempers, but plenty of other action, too. [read more]

Man, it got good — and nasty and tense — about an hour into training camp practice today at One Buc Palace when 11-on-11 play resumed and was sparked by starting center Evan Dietrich-Smith coming after backup defensive tackle Matthew Masifilo.

Dietrich-Smith was holding on and fired up in the defensive backfield when a crowd had to be broken up. But the action didn’t start and end there. [read more]

It was an interesting few hours for Bucs general manager Jason Licht last week. On Wednesday, Licht threw down the gauntlet on underperforming defensive end Da’Quan Bowers, saying he has to “prove” he wants to be with the Bucs.

A few hours later, he was told Bowers (who defensive line coach Joe Cullen called out for being out of shape — in June!) was in the best shape of his life. [read more]

Bucs training camp practice (Day 3 in pads) kicks off at 4:30 p.m. and Joe is fired up for another day in the swelter, pounding the One Buc Palace grass to bring you all kinds of news, notes and nuggets from your favorite Tampa Bay team.

Make sure you follow Joe on Twitter, @JoeBucsFan, and Instagram for info and for a heads up to all the stories and notes Joe will post here at JoeBucsFan.com through the evening.

Josh McCown has become WR Mike Evans’ big brother

A lot has been made of Vincent Jackson helping out rookie teammate Mike Evans learn the ropes in the NFL. It always helps when a vet tries to make things smoother for a rookie’s transition.

However, it may be another veteran, who isn’t even a wide receiver, playing as big of a role as Jackson in Evans’ development. And it wouldn’t surprise Bucs coach Lovie Smith one bit. [read more]

Pro Bowl cornerback Alterraun Verner has a tweaked hamstring, and rising Tampa Bay corner Rashan Melvin has been walking around practice in street clothes with a bad wheel.

So the Bucs signed back Anthony Gaitor on Monday, and there’s another addition today. [read more]

The Bucs posted a great practice video snippet online celebrating a catch by rookie wide receiver Robert Herron. However, more interesting to Joe than Herron juggling a ball he should have caught smoothly is Gerald McCoy’s experience at the line of scrimmage. [read more]

Vincent Jackson speaks on the progress of Jeff Tedford’s offense

The mysterious Jeff Tedford offense is no mystery to the Buccaneers. Not anymore. The learning curve is in the rearview mirror, says Vincent Jackson.

V-Jax was peppered with questions from Rich Gannon about the brand new Tampa Bay offense on SiriuxXM NFL Radio this week. [read more]

Sometimes, former NFL types who work networks let their passion and relationships get in the way of clear, reasoned, objective analysis. It’s understandable. These guys are not trained journalists, they are football talking heads. Joe gets that.

As much as Joe likes former Bucs assistant coach Herm Edwards, one must wonder if his friendship with fellow ex-Bucs coaching comrade Lovie Smith may be getting in the way of clear thinking. It’s nice that Herm thinks Tampa Bay is a Super Bowl team, but it makes Joe wonder if that is coming from the head or the heart. [read more]

Bradenton native cornerback Mike Jenkins is hoping to revive his career with Lovie Smith.

You are not supposed to go home again, so author Thomas Wolfe once sugggested (yes, Joe knows that is not the exact quote).

Bucs cornerback Mike Jenkins is hoping to prove Wolfe wrong.

The Bradenton native has seen better days in his NFL career, which began with a wildly up-and-down, flag-happy five years with Dallas. Highlights included a rift with Jerry Jones, a Pro Bowl selection, gutless plays where he pulled on potential touchdown-saving tackles against Derrick Ward and James Jones (which won him permanent ire from Cowboys fans), and getting fried like a Sunday chicken dinner by none other than the immortal Vince Young. [read more]

If there is one thing that lights up Lovie Smith’s eyes — aside from watching big ol’ double-D Demar Dotson high-step with the football into the end zone — it’s the topic of speed. Lovie loves speed.

Who doesn’t?

Speed is a game-changing trait that cannot be coached. That’s why Lovie is smitten with Jeff Demps, despite his rash of the dropsies. The plays Demps makes in wheel routes on linebackers are intoxicating. But when Demps puts the ball on the ground, it ignites indigestion. [read more]