Following the footsteps of Darrelle Revis.

Yes, most Bucs fans will have their starting quarterback, Josh McCown, under the microscope when he takes snaps this summer. And for good reason. An offense can only go as far as a quarterback can lead it. If a quarterback struggles, then so too will the offense.

So Joe totally gets why Bucs fans will hawk McCown. Joe also believes another player will be scrutinized, new cornerback Alterraun Verner. Good bad or indifferent, he is the guy replacing all-world cornerback Darrelle Revis. [read more]

Was he held back previously?

The New Schiano Order loved to have its defensive linemen rumba, salsa, and line dance when the ball was snapped. Greg Schiano said he had no choice; he claimed to be without the horses to send only four d-linemen directly after quarterbacks regularly.

This is not how Lovie Smith does business. [read more]

Last Wednesday when Bucs general manager Jason Licht stepped away from the podium where four new Bucs were introduced, Licht noted head coach Lovie Smith was perhaps his biggest magnet for free agents and his best salesman. This seemed to reinforce the notion that players love Lovie, when almost to a man, the new Bucs said Lovie was a factor in their signing. [read more]

Mike Jenkins visits

Joe is very excited to learn, via Yahoo! Sports, that veteran free agent cornerback and former Pro Bowler Mike Jenkins is visiting the new Bucs regime today.

It just scares Joe too much to know half of the 2012 fearsome foursome, “E.J., Leonard, Danny and LeQuan” still lurks among the Bucs’ defensive backfield. [read more]

Yes, the Bucs have raised some eyebrows. First, the Bucs signed — through last night — a grand total of nine new players since the free agency bell rang. Nine! An incredible flurry of activity.

Possibly the most interesting signing was Bears quarterback Josh McCown, a guy who once was cut by then-Bears coach Lovie Smith himself. Then, after landing in Tampa , Lovie proclaimed McCown the Bucs’ starting QB. [read more]

Would be nice if the Bucs had an offense as good as the Seahawks’.

Hiring Lovie Smith was a reach-back to the Father Dungy era for Team Glazer. No problem with that. But as Bucs fans seem to forget, Father Dungy didn’t get the job done here. Yes, if a coach’s goal is not to win a Super Bowl, then he shouldn’t be coaching.

In his only other head coaching job, Lovie got his team to the Super Bowl, something Father Dungy couldn’t and didn’t do here. Clearly, Team Glazer is hoping that same magic will re-appear in the not-too distant future. NFL insider Jeffri Chahida of BSPN believes Lovie has taken the initial steps. [read more]

For a couple of reasons, Joe often brings you the Bucs-related takes of fight-instigating, barista-training, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading Peter King, of NBC Sports and Sports Illustrated fame.

First, they’re often interesting. Second, King is plugged into so many NFL general managers, executives and players, that King’s takes are often reflective of more than just his own brain. [read more]

The Bucs appear in no hurry to sign a fullback. And Joe wouldn’t be surprised to see them enter 2014 without one.

While Saints bountymaster Sean Payton is sniffing free agent Erik Lorig these days, the Bucs only have former FSU star Lonnie Pryor on the roster. He’s listed as RB/FB and is under 230 pounds with no NFL game experience. [read more]

Bucs DT Clinton McDonald could be the steal of the team’s 2014 free agent class.

Joe has lost count how many guys the Bucs have signed since the free agent dinner bell rang Tuesday. The way the Bucs have shuffled their roster, a revolving door needs to be installed at One Buc Palace.

The overhaul continued yesterday with another offensive lineman being signed, Oniel Cousins, and a linebacker, Dane Fletcher. Of all the players signed, the hidden jewel may be defensive tackle Clinton McDonald. [read more]

This really isn’t nor shouldn’t be a surprise. It seems Bucs general manager Jason Licht is not resting whatsoever after a fruitful week of wheeling and dealing. As nice as it was today, Joe can picture Licht poolside on his cell phone.

Per NFL insider Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Licht is dangling Bucs offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah as trade bait. Of course, we all know that in recent days, shopping a guy during the free agent recruiting season is usually a precursor to an outright release.

[read more]

Growing buzz places a top QB prospect at the Bucs’ feet

This isn’t Joe’s quote, it’s from one of the three big cheese NFL Network draft gurus, Daniel Jeremiah, the former NFL scout.

Jeremiah spoke on the recent “Path to the Draft” show Thursday. [read more]

Now here’s a switch, the Bucs signed a standout free agent from the Patriots. [read more]

Oniel Cousins played for Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop in Cleveland.

The remaking of the Bucs continues as general manager Jason Licht and coach Lovie Smith are not taking the weekend off. After getting used by Emmanuel Sanders, the Bucs went the safe route and grabbed veteran guard Oniel Cousins, late of the Cleveland Browns, per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. [read more]

Did the Bucs’ new center provoke Suh?

Centers and guards rarely make headlines, unless they’re making ludicrous claims of poverty among active NFL players, contracting MRSA, or getting viciously stomped by angry defensive linemen. [read more]

Yes, Joe understands why Bucs fans are giddy about the way Bucs coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jason Licht went shopping last week. It’s not like they didn’t warn Bucs fans when they said over and over again that the roster was filled with players who went 4-12 last season.

It’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of an upgrade at quarterback, and an upgrade at defensive end (yes, Joe is still sore about a downgrade at cornerback, but Joe’s trying to be patient). [read more]

Were the Bucs used by Emmanuel Sanders?

Joe knows a lot of Bucs fans were pining for the services of free agent wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. How so? Because Joe was getting pounded on Twitter about the status of Sanders’ negotiations.

Sanders made the rounds it seemed with just about every NFL team. And Saturday, he finally decided to sign with the Broncos.

But not without controversy. [read more]

Joe’s sure hoping it’s all about No. 5 in Oakland. That can only help the Bucs’ chances at landing everybody’s favorite No. 2.

NFL Network insider/reporter Albert Breer is Twittering tonight that the mighty Raiders are considering signing sleepy, leaky Josh Freeman. [read more]

A bunker buster was dropped on the Bucs’ offensive trenches, tight end and fullback included.

Joe’s been around football long enough to have heard offensive linemen and coaches talk a thousand times about how critical it is — and how long it can take — for an offensive line to perform well together.

Continuity is everything. [read more]