McCown New Face Of NFL QBs?

April 7th, 2015

josh mccown 0913

Joe is as stunned as the next guy that turnover-prone quarterback Josh McCown found yet another team to stick-up hand over $5 million a year for his non-services.

Someone other than an opposing team must consider interceptions a “service.” [read more]

Mariota Today, Winston Tomorrow

April 7th, 2015
Today's happy Lovie Smith photo, courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Today’s happy Lovie Smith photo, courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The head coach is dreaming of Jameis Winston on his way to work out Marcus Mariota in Oregon.

The NFL Draft starts in 23 days — 23 days!

But there is still more work to be done by the scouting gurus at One Buc Palace. [read more]

$28.2 Million On Hold At One Buc Palace

April 7th, 2015

lovie and lichtAlways good for numbers that get Bucs fans worked up, ESPN shared yesterday, via Pat Yasinskas, that Tampa Bay has $28.2 million under the salary cap.

That’s the third most available dough in the league. [read more]

ESPN Timing Confirms Marcus Mariota’s Dead-Fish Personality

April 7th, 2015

Mariota2Whaddya know, the famous Gruden QB Camp makes its 2015 debut on ESPN2 tonight at 7 p.m.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is the opening episode, which lets you know just how uninteresting the session will be. [read more]

Spreadsheeter Souring On Mariota

April 7th, 2015

marcus mariota 0210

To hear some, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is easily a No. 1 overall pick and is fighting with Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston to be selected by the Bucs later this month. [read more]

“Suddenness, Speed, Economy Of Movement”

April 7th, 2015
Josh Keyes

The Bucs were busy with Boston College linebacker Josh Keyes

The rumor is true: Buccaneers scouts and personnel people are busy with something other than searching the globe for viable offensive lineman. [read more]

Keeping Glennon To Push Winston

April 7th, 2015
mike glennon 1001

Pushing Jameis Winston for a starting gig?

Barring Jameis Winston doing something really, really, really stupid in the next three weeks (Joe hopes his family has him locked up at home), it would be a shock beyond words if the Bucs don’t draft Winston No. 1 overall the night of April 30. [read more]

Lawrence Tynes Sues Over MRSA

April 7th, 2015

lawrence tynes

The MRSA saga of commander Greg Schiano’s days won’t go away.

With Schiano relegated to part-time TV work, one of the three Tampa Bay players known to have contacted MRSA in 2013, Lawrence Tynes, has slapped the Bucs with a $35 million lawsuit for lost potential earnings and damages. [read more]

Jameis Winston = “Rock Star”

April 6th, 2015
"I'm the only rock star around these parts, pal."

“I’m the only rock star around these parts, pal.”

Regular readers know Joe coined the phrase “rock star general manager” to describe former Bucs GM Mark Dominik.

He got that moniker for two reasons: When the Bucs were winning and pushing for the playoffs in 2010, virtually every national media outlet wanted to talk to Dominik. And he obliged. It was as if he was the rock star of the NFL the way folks wanted to rub elbows with him. [read more]

“I See Myself As A Double-Digit Sack Guy”

April 6th, 2015

jacquies smithLovie Smith thought ghostly, ghastly Michael Johnson was a double-digit sack guy.

Greg Schiano claimed Da’Quan Bowers was double-digit sackmaster.

Raheem Morris regretted not lobbying for his favorite double-digit sack machine. [read more]

Shock If Bucs Don’t Pick Winston

April 6th, 2015
jameis 0401

“You better be ready.”

The NFL draft will begin in a little over three weeks. Damn, this reminds Joe of the old “Hot for Teacher” video Van Halen put out in the mid-1980s, when David Lee Roth held up an hourglass, stared into the camera and said, “Aw man, I think the clock is slow.”

(These idjits, they book their Tampa show on their 2015 tour on the first Sunday of the NFL season. Son. Of. A. … ) [read more]

“… Developing Him For The Guys Who Have Our Jobs Next.”

April 6th, 2015

MariotaWinstonCombine

Time is ticking on the Lovie Smith regime. That’s just NFL reality. [read more]

Peek Inside Team Workouts

April 6th, 2015
The Bucs worked out Penn State safety Adrian Amos.

The Bucs worked out Penn State safety Adrian Amos.

Joe knows fans read this all the time: So-and-so worked out for (insert team name).

You read this so often this time of the year you get numb to it. Sort of like local meteorologists forecasting a hot Florida summer afternoon, or hearing Josh McCown turned the ball over. [read more]

Bucs Work Out A.J. Cann

April 6th, 2015

CannTampa Bay can’t just make Band-Aid moves on their offensive line, they must groom it for the long term and Jameis Winston’s rise to prominence.

Finding a replacement for Logan Mankins should be a priority. [read more]

Developing “The Core”

April 6th, 2015
Joe talked to Andy Reid, Steve Keim, Jason Licht and others about building an offensive line.

Joe talked to Andy Reid, Steve Keim, Jason Licht and others about building an offensive line.

Developing a sound offensive line is getting harder and harder.

Gimmick college offenses haven’t prepared players. Better athletes are playing defensive line. Teams dump offensive coordinators every couple of years. And leaguewide impatience has taken its toll on a position that demands time on many fronts. [read more]

Marcus Mariota: Sack Happy?

April 6th, 2015

Sacks seem to be an issue.

Since the end of the college football season, the spreadsheeters over at ProFootballFocus.com have updated their Excel programs and tapped away at their keyboards inputing data to determine the best players in the 2015 NFL draft. [read more]