Joe thought he’d give Bucs fans a chuckle this afternoon.

As anyone football fan not living under a rock knows, the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb to their NFC East rivals, the Redskins, on Easter Sunday. For many Eagles fans, this was the Easter Egg they had long hoped to find.

Despite leading the Eagles to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl, Eaglefan generally loathes McNabb for not being able to bring home a ring.

Since the trade was consummated, docile creatures that they are, Eaglefan has virtually taken over Sirius NFL Radio, either rejoicing in the fact McNabb is now in their rear view mirror, or they are beside themselves that McNabb was traded to a division foe.

One fan earlier this week called “The Blitz,” co-hosted by Adam Schein and Solomon Wilcots, to lay the blame of the Bucs win at Philadelphia in the 2002 NFC championship at the feet of McNabb.

“That beat down the Bucs gave us was embarrassing, it was appalling,” an outraged Eaglefan shouted.

Joe just couldn’t help but snicker. Good to know the Bucs and Ronde Barber are still in the forefront of the minds of Eaglefan.

Joe proudly told you manbeast Ndamukong Suh has a scheduled visit with the Bucs, and Joe will also tell you of the breaking news that his defensive tackle shadow, Gerald McCoy, also will sit down with the Bucs’ brass.

McCoy will be in town on Sunday and Monday, reports good guy Anwar Richardson, of TBO.com.

Joe admits he’s still a little troubled by reading McCoy’s NFL.com live chat yesterday. McCoy told readers his favorite movie is Little Mermaid (the Disney kids film, not an rated-X offering shot on the beach).

Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

Little Mermaid. I grew up watching the movie with my sister, because I was the only boy. Most of the time I was playing with action figures, but I like music and little mermaid had a lot of music, so it became my favorite.

Somehow, Joe just can’t imagine McCoy being the next Warren Sapp with that kind of taste in video.

Raheem the Dream can thank Herm Edwards for his job.

Now, the man responsible for Raheem the Dream has his back in maybe his greatest time of need.

It was Herm, a former Bucs secondary coach and then the coach of the Jets, who gave Raheem the Dream his first taste of the NFL, inviting him to participate in a minority internship program with Gang Green in 2001.

Later when looking for an assistant, Herm recommended Raheem the Dream to Monte Kiffin, then the patriarch of the Bucs’ defense.

The rest is history.

So it’s no surprise that Herm, with many vultures (Bucs fans) swirling around Raheem the Dream, ready to pounce and pick apart the carcass should Raheem the Dream ever fall, has come to Raheem the Dream’s defense, per Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune.

“It’s really tough because you have him in his first year doing it and then you have (general manager) Mark Dominik’s first time doing it,” said Edwards, now an NFL analyst for ESPN. “You have two young guys, and I think they will be successful given some time, but it’s hard.

“The thing Raheem learned the first year is ‘who is our staff?’ That first staff you hire is probably not going to be your only staff. It takes awhile to get your staff, and the problem for him is he gets hired kind of late, it’s kind of shocking how he gets hired, and a lot of guys already had contracts.”

Herm went on to state that as much of a mess that things were last year, that had the Bucs won five games he would have considered the season a success for Raheem the Dream.

Also, Edwards noted something that eye-RAH! Kaufman, of the Tampa Tribune, brought up months ago: That the Bucs were in such a hole offensively due to the number of points given up by the Bucs’ defense in the first quarter, that any team would have had difficulty.

The always exciting announcement of preseason dates and times came down today.

No surprises.

The Bucs don’t have any nationally televised games and, per TBO.com, all games will be televised on WFLA-TV, Ch. 8. No word on whether John Lynch will return to tell fans how great all the Bucs players are.

Here’s the schedule: And Joe is fired up for some football, even if it is four months away.

Saturday, 8/14 at Miami at 7 p.m.
Saturday, 8/21 KANSAS CITY at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8/28 JACKSONVILLE at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday,  9/2 at Houston at 8 p.m.

For some strange reason the Mad Twitterer, aka Rick Stroud of the St. Pete Times, finds it storyworthy to tell Bucs fans that Kyle Moore is 16 pounds lighter than he was four months ago.

And the Mad Twitterer informs us that Moore really wants to get sacks next year and play the entire season.

Joe finds it stunning that the Mad Twitterer thinks Moore’s weight deserves of a few hundred words on TampaBay.com, yet explaining how he knows Bruce Allen wouldn’t give up a second round pick for Brett Favre is only worthy of one sentence on Twitter.

Fascinating.

Joe’s happy that Moore is feeling fit. But Joe really isn’t impressed when a 23-year-old, near 300-pound defensive end drops a few pounds he put on after college.

Joe hereby stands tall to say he was wrong in stating in a Wednesday column that Trent Dilfer was collecting a check from Colt McCoy.

While Dilfer and McCoy share business representation, there is no sure evidence that Dilfer is benefiting or will benefit financially from using his platform as an ESPN analyst to tout McCoy as a top quarterback prospect in the 2010 draft while at the same time being very critical of Sam Bradford. And surely Joe didn’t spend time with McCoy and Dilfer to see if anyone passed a brown envelope recently.

However, Joe knows from personal experience that palms are greased all the time by agents when their clients are assisted. Sometimes that greasing comes in the form of a future favor. It could even come in a reduced agent’s fee. There are many forms of compensation. And it’s a common, well documented practice that those in the agent’s “family” help their own.

The point of the Wednesday column was to shine light on ESPN’s practice of non-disclosure when it comes to its analysts’ business relationships with players.

Much like financial networks require their analysts disclose relevant personal and firm stock holdings on-air, ESPN should require such disclosure and the NFL should demand it. Especially considering there is international gambling on the NFL Draft, among many other gambling interests.

Joe will have more to say later about inconsistencies in Trent Dilfer’s response last night to Mike Florio, of ProFootballTalk.com.

For now, Joe just wants to apologize and set the record straight. And Joe has made efforts to reach Dilfer to offer him an open forum, as Joe offers anyone who feels wronged by the writing here.

Vacation Man, of BSPN.com, seemingly not a share-the-wealth communist like his co-workers, thinks the Bucs wouldn’t be better off with 2009 Saints Pro Bowler Jonathan Vilma on their roster — this year or last year.

And this is coming from a guy who covers the NFL South for a living.

Joe didn’t realize the Bucs were so awash with talent that Vilma wouldn’t have helped a team whose braintrust had a goal of starting Jermaine Phillips and one-legged Angelo Crowell at their outside linebacker positions in 2009.

But the reflective part of me started thinking, “What if the Bucs had signed Vilma?’’ My first thought was the Saints probably wouldn’t have won the Super Bowl without their defensive leader. My second thought was the Bucs probably still would have gone 3-13, maybe 4-12. We never really knew what their true intent in the Vilma situation was because they already had a pretty good middle linebacker in Barrett Ruud. Presumably, they were thinking about playing Vilma on the outside. Yeah, Vilma might have been an upgrade on Tampa Bay’s outside linebackers last year. But the problems ran much deeper than that, and Vilma wouldn’t have made a big difference, but he would have eaten up some of that salary-cap space.

Call Joe a moron, but Vilma would have helped. Especially if his signing prompted a trade of Barrett Ruud for a good pick in the 2010 draft.

With two first-round picks, the 49ers are an extremely interesting team to watch come the start of the NFL Draft on April 22.

San Francisco has big-time needs but could lean toward a luxury pick, explains NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski.

“The Commish” is very much on his game in this detailed breakdown exclusively for JoeBucsFan.com.

It’s the daily Draft Countdown.

This one is free for everyone, but Joe really advises you get with the program and subscribe to Joe’s draft coverage. Pawlowski’s work is outstanding. The body of work is a virtual orgasm for draft lovers.

Enjoy.

[audio:49ersdraft.mp3]

Joe is aware that Bucs fans seem to have a keen interest in Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall. So Joe thought he’d pass this along.

A Broncos fan called “The Opening Drive” on Sirius NFL Radio this morning which was co-hosted by Peter King and Howard David asking what the chances are that Marshall will remain with the Broncos.

Peter King flat out said, “He won’t be.”

King, a long-time NFL columnist for Sports Illustrated, went on to say that the Broncos will not get a first round draft pick for Marshall. Instead, the Broncos are hoping to get a second round draft pick for Marshall, preferably before this month’s draft.

King went on to state that Denver hopes to land a high second round draft pick for Marshall.

The good folks at TBO.com posted a Manchester United wire story on their Bucs page today. It explains that Team Glazer’s soccer people have no plans to spend big money on players in the immediate future.

Hmmm, wonder why TBO thought that would be of interest to Bucs fans?

Anyway,  Joe, being the soccer fan he is, wanted to add a little perspective to the story that was absent. Near the end of the piece, the Associated Press author explains that Team Glazer also is being questioned for relying on four veteran players in England.

Doubts have also been raised about the reliance on midfielder Ryan Giggs, 36, and the 35-year-old duo Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

While goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has signed a new deal keeping him at Old Trafford until the end of next season, Ferguson has yet to identify a long-term replacement for the 39-year-old Dutchman.

These four guys are the Manchester United equivalent of Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Ronde Barber.

If Team Glazer thinks they have major heat on them now from the radical, growing Glazer-hating contingent over there, the pressure now would be nothing in comparison to what would happen if they went with a Tampa-style veteran purge. The masses might lose their minds.

These are tough times for Team Glazer. Thankfully, Bucs fans can rest easy because Joel Glazer told us that “money will never be an issue when it comes to building [the Bucs].”

Grab a cold beverage and savor NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski’s in-depth look at the many defensive ends Bucs fans need to know about when the draft begins in a mere 15 days.

“The Commish” identifies a couple of strong options for the Bucs in the late rounds, among others.

Interesting stuff.

It’s all part of the most intense Bucs-focused draft coverage available anywhere. Joe is proud to have Pawlowski on his team. Check out all his dynamite work here. 

Defensive Ends
By JUSTIN PAWLOWSKI

1. Derrick Morgan– DE – Georgia Tech
6’3’’ –266 lbs – 4.72
Top 15 pick

Why I’m taking him: There’s no more balanced defensive end in this draft.  Morgan is fierce in stopping the run and holding his ground against double teams.  He also has a nice mix of moves that helps him rush the passer.  Morgan is durable, reliable, a team leader, and a hard worker with a great work ethic. 

Why I’m staying away: Morgan might be a balanced defensive end, but I have questions whether he ever becomes an elite pass rusher in the NFL.  His athleticism is limited, and, if he’s to transition to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, I’d be concerned with him in coverage.  While Morgan might be a solid pick, I’d also be wary that he has already reached his potential and that he’ll see minimal improvement in his NFL career.

Impact on the Bucs: With the Bucs having a need at defensive end, it makes sense that they are bringing Morgan in for a pre-draft visit.  What doesn’t make sense is the Bucs considering him with the 3rd overall pick.  If the Bucs are entertaining trade offers and eyeing Morgan as a possibility after trading down, that would make much more sense.  Another possibility is the Bucs and Broncos swapping 1st round picks which would send Brandon Marshall to Tampa.  With the 11th pick, the Bucs would definitely consider Morgan.

NFL Comparison:   Kyle Vanden Bosch – Detroit Lions

 2. Jason Pierre-Paul – DE – USF
6’5’’ – 270 lbs – 4.69
Top 15 pick

Why I’m taking him: I’m intrigued by Pierre-Paul’s potential.  I know that the word potential is a dirty word, but it’s a legitimate gripe here.  Pierre-Paul’s combination of size and speed is freakish.  He is an excellent pass rusher with great athleticism.  At times in 2009, I felt Pierre-Paul was more dangerous as a pass rusher when he was standing up as opposed to being in a 3-point stance.

Why I’m staying away: As much as I’m intrigued by Pierre-Paul’s potential, I hate that word so much.  He only played one year of competitive Division 1A football.  He can be a liability against the run.  Pierre-Paul is just so raw that he will need good coaching and time to develop into the type of defensive end people think he will be.

Impact on the Bucs: It wasn’t long ago that Todd McShay had the Bucs taking Pierre-Paul with the No. 3 overall pick.  There is just way too much risk with Pierre-Paul to take him that high.  The Bucs are a team that is putting all its eggs into the draft basket.  Teams that do this usually aren’t the teams that draft such risky players and hope it pans out.

NFL Comparison:   Demarcus Ware – Dallas Cowboys

3. Carlos Dunlap – DE – Florida
6’6’’ – 277 lbs – 4.61
1st – 2nd Round

Why I’m taking him: Dunlap is a unique talent with a beautiful blend of size, athleticism, and speed.  When he wants to, Dunlap can completely dominate and take over a game.  Listen, there isn’t much more to say on Dunlap.  The guy has all the talent in the world on the field.  As a defensive end, Dunlap was the MVP of the BCS Championship game.

Why I’m staying away: There’s no question that the biggest worry with Dunlap is {+++} his dedication, character, and drive to be great.  Those are some pretty harsh negatives, which is why Dunlap’s stock is falling.

Impact on the Bucs: Depending on how far Dunlap falls, I would not mind one bit if the Bucs grabbed him with one of their 2nd round picks.  Despite his flaws, Dunlap would already be the best defensive end the Bucs have.  Be sure to listen to my interview with Carlos Dunlap at 620wdae.com Keyword: Draft.

NFL Comparison:   Calais Campbell – Arizona Cardinals

4. Everson Griffen – DE – USC
6’3’’ – 273 lbs – 4.66
1st – 2nd Round

Why I’m taking him: Griffen has great strength and bulk to go with his outstanding athleticism.  He has performed extremely well in pre draft workouts including the combine.  Griffen has a nice mix of pass rushing moves in getting to the quarterback.  He’s also a reliable tackler with plenty of upside.

Why I’m staying away: With all the talent Griffen has, his production just doesn’t match his ability.  In another word, Griffen was an underachiever.  Griffen has short arms which hurt him in getting good leverage against bigger offensive tackles.  He also has very questionable instincts and struggles to find the ball at times.

Impact on the Bucs: Well, the Bucs drafted Griffen’s teammate last year when they selected Kyle Moore in the 4th round.  We know that the Bucs have seen plenty of game tape on Griffen.  That could either help or hurt Griffen because of his lack of production.  Some people have Griffen ahead of Dunlap, but I’d be more willing to roll the dice with Dunlap than draft Griffen.  The earliest I’d take Griffen is with the Bucs 2nd 2nd round pick.

NFL Comparison:   Will Smith – New Orleans Saints

5. Alex Carrington – DE – Arkansas St.
6’5’’ – 285 lbs – 4.93
2nd – 3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: Carrington’s game revolves around power.  Carrington’s frame, long arms, and big hands make him a perfect fit as an end in a 3-4 defense.  He also has surprising athleticism to go with his power.  Carrington’s motor never stops and he is great in pursuit.  Carrington can also take on multiple blockers which helps as an end in a 3-4 defense.

Why I’m staying away: My main concern is that Carrington is limited to being an end in a 3-4 defense.  He also did not play against elite competition while at Arkansas St.  While Carrington can take on multiple blockers, he tends to struggle to shed those blockers.

Impact on the Bucs: Carrington is not a fit for the Bucs in their “Tampa 2” defense.

NFL Comparison:   Jarvis Green – Denver Broncos

6. Corey Wootton – DE – Northwestern
6’6’’ – 270 lbs – DNP
2nd – 3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: The first thing I like about Wootton is his 4 years of starting in the Big 10.  He is a big, physical, and powerful player who is an excellent bull rusher.  Wootton is a smart player with excellent instincts and a great knowledge of the game.  He has great leadership skills, work ethic, and a motor that never stops.  Wootton seems like an ideal fit as an end in a 3-4 defense.

Why I’m staying away: There are a couple of major concerns with Wootton.  The first is his durability.  Wootton had a season ending neck injury to end his 2005 season, and then tore his ACL at the end of the 2008 season.  He dealt with that injured knee for most of 2009.  Wootton is also limited as a pass rusher.  He does not have many moves and lacks explosiveness and quickness.

Impact on the Bucs: The best place for the Bucs to get Wootton would be in the 3rd round.  Wootton could step in an play left defensive end.

NFL Comparison:   Aaron Smith – Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Brandon Lang – DE – Troy
6’4’’ – 266 lbs – 4.85
3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: Lang is a very good athlete with long arms and the ability to get around the corner on the pass rush.  Despite his times, Lang plays very fast on film.  He moves around extremely well and has a great motor that goes to the whistle.

Why I’m staying away: Where Lang excels in athleticism, he lacks in strength.  Lang can get dominated by bigger offensive tackles or tackles with superior technique.  Also, with that lack of strength, Lang struggle to get off blocks.  After a season ending knee injury in 2007, durability is a worry as well.

Impact on the Bucs: I’m not overly big on Lang.  For the Bucs, if Lang were to fall to the top of round 4, I’d consider him, but no sooner than that.  There are too many question marks to take him any sooner.

NFL Comparison:   Osi Umenyiora – New York Giants

8. Jermaine Cunningham – DE – Florida
6’3’’ – 266 lbs – DNP
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: As a middle round pick, I feel Cunningham can give me some good depth and versatility to play either defensive end or outside linebacker.  He has a great motor and can also play special teams.  Cunningham has also shown durability and toughness.

Why I’m staying away: Cunningham lacks instincts and knowledge to be a great player.  He also doesn’t show much speed on the field.

Impact on the Bucs: I’d pass on Cunningham unless he fell to the 5th round.  Cunningham would struggle to crack the starting lineup for the Bucs.  That’s saying something with how bad the Bucs defensive line is.

NFL Comparison:   Cliff Avril – Detroit Lions

9. CJ Wilson – DE – East Carolina
6’3’’ – 290 lbs – 4.82
4th Round

Why I’m taking him: As a mid-round pick, Wilson has tremendous value for his versatility to play either end position and also shift inside and play tackle.  Wilson plays with a great motor and a mean streak.  He also has good instincts.

Why I’m staying away: Wilson is not an elite pass rusher from the end position.  Against the run, Wilson can get caught out of position at times.

Impact on the Bucs: Wilson would be a nice mid-round pick for the Bucs.  His versatility is something the Bucs like for their “Tampa 2” defense.

NFL Comparison:   Philip Merling – Miami Dolphins

10. Greg Hardy – DE – Ole Miss
6’4’’ – 277 lbs – 4.79
4th Round

Why I’m taking him: I really like Hardy as a pass rusher.  He has very nice size and athleticism.  Has a nice arsenal of pass rushing moves.  Hardy also has great instincts and awareness.  The potential is still there for Hardy.

Why I’m staying away: Inconsistency and work ethic are my main concerns.  Hardy was benched in 2008 for lack of effort against South Carolina.  Durability is a huge concern as well.  He dealt with numerous injuries through his career at Ole Miss.

Impact on the Bucs: Hardy was considered one of the top defensive ends in college before the 2009 season.  His stock has dropped, but he is still a heck of a pass rusher.  Hardy would be a great pick for the Bucs in the 4th or 5th round.

NFL Comparison:   Ray Edwards – Minnesota Vikings

The tale is out there prominently in Bucs folklore: Mark Dominik made a play last March to give Albert Haynesworth a gargantuan contract to join the Bucs, allegedly more money than Haynesworth was offered anywhere else.

Then, just days later, Bryan Glazer explained to the media that he and his brothers had no interest in the “dark path” of free agency.

And then a few weeks later, Joe documented Haynesworth on NFL Radio getting squirrely in an interview when asked whether the Bucs really offered him more cash than any NFL team.

History can be so much fun.

Now Mike Florio, curator, creator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, is reporting that the disappointing and disruptive Haynesworth received a $21 million bonus from the Redskins last week  and only has $9 million remaining guaranteed to him for the final three years of his contract.

Obviously, the Redskins consider him a collossal waste of money at this point.

So Joe, being a history lover, has to wonder how Dominik should be judged for allegedly making an aggressive effort to sign Haynesworth last year? Tough call, especially if you’re not really sure the Bucs really had any intention to sign him.

Florio goes on to report that the Redskins can’t wait to trade Haynesworth, who is still just 28 years old.

So should the Bucs deal for him and put him alongside manbeast Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy? For an intelligent answer, Joe turned to former Bucs defensive end Steve White.

White tells Joe that Haynesworth wouldn’t play nose tackle, and Suh and McCoy aren’t nose tackles, either. So that scenario is just a fairy tale.

There’s no question the Bucs need to beef up their receiver corps this season, if for no other reason than to help out second-year quarterback Josh Freeman.

Lots of Bucs fans have pined for Brandon Marshall, a troubled wide receiver with Denver, so much they just might give up their left… um, well… pinkie for the Bucs to trade for Marshall.

Per NFL insider Chris Mortensen of the thought police state BSPN, Mort Twittered last night, implying the Bucs just might do that. Just not with “that pick.”

@Atrainliner Do you think the Bucs trade for Marshall or go with McCoy or Berry?

@mortreport They’re not trading that pick for BM.

Hhhhmmm? What exactly did Mort mean by using the words “that pick?” What pick would Mort be referring to, one of the Bucs’ second round picks?

Could Mort be implying that Bucs general manager Mark Dominik is actually in negotiations with Denver to acquire Marshall?

Joe wonders?

(Hat tip to Steve White.)

Joe is proud that he has a journalism degree and also actually had classes in ethics (shockingly, not an oxymoron). To Joe, ethics in journalism is something not to just follow, but to treasure.

As one of Joe’s former editors told him when he first covered a Major League Baseball beat, “Your credibility is like your virginity. Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.”

So whenever someone pretends to play with the news or go behind a microphone of any sort, Joe expects a modicum of respect and standards from said person.

This is why Joe just cannot stomach BSPN. He quit watching SportsCenter, the alleged signature outlet for propaganda by the KGB-influenced lot back in 2004. It just galled Joe to no end the daily amount of feces that outfit produced, assaulting the senses of any thinking sports fan with an IQ above 83.

Foghorn Leghorn cartoons are more credible than BSPN!

If the Soviets of sports aren’t trying to shove their unhidden agendas down people’s throats, they are too busy thieving other people’s work, copulating with young, vulnerable employees or worse, sexting women .

But the level that BSPN NFL analyst Trent Dilfer recently stooped to would be grounds for firing from any company that remotely reveres ethics and prides itself on its reputation.

Recently, Dilfer, one of the most hideous NFL quarterbacks to ever snap on a chin strap, specifically when he set the standard for throwing asinine and mind-blowing ignorant interceptions, went on the offensive to tell anyone who would listen that Sam Bradford is the most overrated quarterback since, well, a slug was drafted in the first round by the Bucs out of Fresno State.

Just about anyone with any legitimate football knowledge whether it’s Mike Mayock or Pat Kirwan or Gil Brandt or even someone like helmet hair Mel Kiper has noted that Sam Bradford is the best quarterback of the 2010 draft class. There has been little debate on this.

That is, everyone aside from Trent Dilfer. Consider some of the comments Dilfer had about Bradford in recent days on WXOX-FM 101.1 in St. Louis, per Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

“In my opinion he’s not even close to the best player in this draft,” Dilfer said. “I like Sam. I think he will be a good player one day. But I think he has major, major challenges ahead of him. I think if you look at the quarterbacks who have gone in the top five over the last few years, Bradford is not Mark Sanchez, he’s not Matthew Stafford, he’s not Matt Ryan. And I would even say he’s not Joe Flacco. Sam is a talented kid. But very, very raw. A good passer, but major challenges ahead.”

Dilfer went on to say that he doesn’t like Bradford’s footwork. Dilfer said Bradford operated in a system where he could play pitch and catch and make quick throws, without going through progressions (surveying receivers and his options as a play unfolds.) Dilfer said that Bradford’s accuracy really suffers when he has to make the reads and go through the progressions.

And the best QB in the draft? Dilfer said he’s repeatedly studied tapes of all the top QB prospects. He believes Colt McCoy will be the best NFL quarterback, but that it will take two or three years for McCoy to develop.

Of course, Dilfer would say that McCoy is the best quarterback in the draft. Why? Dilfer works hand-in-hand with McCoy, per a source with a little more credibility than Dilfer or Dilfer’s four-letter network employer, Peter King of Sports Illustrated via King’s Twitter account.

@FootballFan9216 Trent Dilfer says Bradford overrated. Says McCoy is better

@SI_PeterKing  Have heard this. Respect Trent, but he works with Colt.

Conveniently, the gutless fraud that is Trent Dilfer didn’t mention this in his diatribe against Bradford.

Before anyone gets wise with Joe, he has absolutely nothing against McCoy. Joe likes him a great deal and is impressed with his choice of women; his fiancé is a hot blonde TV reporter. Well done, Colt, well done!

This shameless fraud Dilfer has added another wrinkle to a disturbing trend, in which NFL analysts and former coaches are hired by college football players, then the same NFL analysts and former coaches seemingly seek out anyone with a microphone or a notebook, gushing about how great said client is, despite the fact they are collecting a check from the very same player they are talking about.

Another example is Marc Trestman and Sam Wyche waxing poetic about Tim Tebow with just about every media outlet in Florida, not mentioning the fact both were hired by Tebow for tutoring services; hardly objective sources.

In fact, they are sources with hidden agendas.

Whether Dilfer will benefit financially from his commentary is unknown, but his ties should be disclosed.

These people like Dilfer, Trestman and Wyche have financial incentives or potential incentives to see that “their guys” are drafted as high as possible. The difference between the three is that Dilfer is also paid handsomely to provide honest analysis for a living.

If BSPN has any scruples, whenever Dilfer shoots off his mouth on BSPN about any player, college or NFL, a crawl would appear on the bottom of the screen documenting who Dilfer collects money from.

Joe has a better chance of finding a scantily-clad Rachel Watson waiting in his bedroom for him when he returns home from the office this afternoon.

Yeah, right!

In short, why the hell would Joe believe another word that comes out of this Dilfer’s mouth without wondering what other kind of under-the-table deal he has cooked?

Hey Trent, next time you shoot off your mouth about a college football player, or any NFL player, why don’t you do everyone a favor and wear that stupidass one-bar Terry Bradshaw facemask again so viewers can be reminded about what a drip you really are?

Anyone that tries to undercut someone’s seven-figure earning potential by Pearl Harboring the man’s talents in a very public, crude manner at the same time building up the street cred of his client, all done under a cloak of secrecy, should never represent a reputable news gathering organization.

Then again we’re back to square-one with BSPN, aren’t we?

Update: This post was edited to reflect a published correction.

"Hey, this isn't funny. I've seen Clayton knock down passes. He's good."

Perhaps the best take from the last session of the JoeBucsFan.com Radio Network came from former Bucs defensive end Steve White, who pens the popular Bull Rush column on this very Web site.

White made the case that the Bucs have seen enough from Michael Clayton and shouldn’t allow themselves to be duped by him performing well in OTAs and preseason — again.

“If you can’t tell that that guy is not an NFL receiver at this point, you need new eyes. Not glasses. You need something more than Lasik,” White said.

Joe couldn’t agree more.

So Joe has been searching for reasons Bucs personnel czar Mark Dominik would keep the blocking icon on the roster.

Now, Joe believes he has finally found a plausible reason to retain a receiver that can’t catch anymore: Clayton can play safety.

Why Nick Saban, Clayton’s college head coach at Louisiana State, said so himself recently to AL.com.

“Michael Clayton was our best receiver and the 16th guy picked in the draft, and that’s what we did with him one year,” Saban said. “He ended up playing over 25 plays on defense, mostly against Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

Now we’re talking. Clayton can be physical at safety and he doesn’t have to catch the ball, just knock it down, which he’s really good at.

Raheem The Dream’s a defensive backs coach …

First the Sean Jones signing, and now this. Things sure are looking grim for Sabby The Goat.

This afternoon, Twitter was all aflutter from Bucs fans over the fact Adam Schefter of the Kremlin’s favorite network, BSPN, reported on his Twitter account that former Bears defensive end Alex Brown would be kicking the tires of the Bucs Thursday for a visit.

Initially, Joe wondered aloud if the Bucs would cough up the cash to pay Brown. Cash may not be the only concern.

eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, via the TBO.com Bucs Twitter feed, suggests Brown’s best days are gone.

Don’t see the Bucs signing DE Alex Brown, who will be 31 in June. TB needs help up front, but Brown has been underachieving for years.

Kaufman brings up an interesting point. The Bears, specifically coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo are panicking, signing just about any warm body they can find, both players and assistant coaches, in an effort to keep their jobs.

It’s not like the Bears are stocked at defensive end to begin with, especially after the death of Gaines Adams (yes, Joe knows the Bears signed Julius Peppers). Joe suspects that if the Bears had an inkling Brown has anything left in the tank, he wouldn’t be knocking on doors looking for work.

Might Mike Tomlin be looking to add some big-time talent alongside Troy Polamalu?

Can you believe it?

Just 16 days to the NFL Draft. Where did the time go?

For subscribers to the draft coverage on JoeBucsFan.com, time has surely flown with “The Commish,” NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski counting down the days with team-by-team breakdowns and a variety of written analysis and mock drafts.

Today, it’s all things Steelers.

Enjoy.  {+++}

[audio:steelersdraft.mp3]

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Cadillac Williams decided to put down his Bucs helmet and strap on a racing helmet as he took a few spins around the course of the recent Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Bucs running backs Cadillac Williams and Clifton Smith are used to blazing speed and turning the corner on the football field.

But what about the concrete streets and airport runways of St. Petersburg? That was the task of both Bucs running backs when they each hopped behind the wheel and took a few spins around the course of the recently held Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

This NFL Network video captures the Bucs running backs channeling their inner Danica Patrick, as well as their reactions to the course.

It appears both running backs survived unscathed.

Joe hopes the Bucs don't drag themselves down with fantasy football warrior Marc Bulger.

Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski of WDAE-AM 620 was the first to bring this up well over a month ago:

Glorified fantasy football warrior Marc Bulger could be coming to the Bucs.

Now it’s eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.

Yesterday the Rams let go their former starting quarterback Bulger, who is not much more than Jeff George sans the attitude. Given the fact that Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olson once worked with Bulger — hardly something to highlight on Olson’s resume — people are making the obvious connecting of the dots that Bulger could find his way to Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay could use a veteran mentor for second-year pro Josh Freeman and the Bucs are expected to part company with Byron Leftwich, who struggled during an 0-3 start before he was replaced by Josh Johnson.

Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olson has familiarity with Bulger, who would be well aware that he is expected to fill a reserve role in Tampa behind Freeman. In 2006, with Olson serving as offensive coordinator in St. Louis under Scott Linehan, Bulger turned in a Pro Bowl season, throwing for 4,301 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Let’s think about this for a moment: The Rams, the most horrid of NFL teams, cut him. The Rams. Further, the Rams thought more of Kyle Boller of all people than this Bulger — Kyle Boller!

Look, this Bulger racked up a lot of yards earlier in his career, partially due to the fact that guy had some serious weapons, Issac Bruce and Torry Holt, yet he still couldn’t win games.

This just in: the Bucs, aside from Kellen Winslow, have no weapons in the passing game.

For years Joe called Bulger a fantasy football warrior because he could rack up all sorts of stats but the most critical of stats which is useless to the fantasy football crowd but essential to the real football crowd.

Wins.

If a team like the rancid Rams washed their hands of Bulger, why on God’s green earth would the Bucs want him?

Frankly, Joe, like the Rams braintrust, would prefer a stiff like Boller. At least he has a hot fiance Joe could gawk at.

And yes, Joe would take Byron Leftwich and his delayed baseball pitching motion over Bulger. Joe saw what Leftwich could do with decent receivers when he filled in for horny Big Ben Roethlisberger, winning a game for the Steelers at Washington two years ago.

Joe has absolutely nothing against fantasy football. It’s just not Joe’s cup of tea. Joe’s just more of a real football guy, which is why Joe is not a Bulger kinda guy.

Joe’s idea of a fantasy is something quite different than Bulger.

(Sorry Justin.)