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.)

Much like Joel Glazer, who recently proclaimed his primary goal is Super Bowl hardware and stated “money will never be an issue when it comes to building [the Bucs],” Joe only cares about winning championships.

Therefore, Joe remains baffled that Bucs personnel czar Mark Dominik is seemingly choosing to go young with his team at every position except running back.

What’s the point?

Cadillac Williams is hardly part of the Bucs’ championship future when he’s playing on two damaged knees and needs help getting through a season.

So how does Joe know Caddy needs help to get through the upcoming season? Why Greg Olson said so to eye-RAH! Kaufman, NFL writer for The Tampa Tribune.  

“I’ve got a lot of respect for both Derrick and Earnest,” said Olson. “Part of the reason Derrick was signed was our concerns about Cadillac Williams coming back from two devastating knee injuries. I didn’t think he’d play last year, but Caddy played well for us. We will play Derrick more this season so we can get Cadillac through another year. We’re going to utilize all of them, but there’s no doubt spreading the football among three backs is difficult.”

Joe loves and respects Cadillac as much as the next guy, but he doesn’t fit Dominik’s alleged script. And if the offensive coordinator admits now that Cadillac’s got durability issues, then Cadillac has no business on a rebuilding roster. Plus, Derrick Ward turns 30 before the season starts. He hardly fits the rebuilding mold, as well. And both he and Cadillac on the 2010 roster is ridiculous.

One of the Bucs’ many problems last year was an unwillingness to come clean with the fan base — and themselves — to just admit they were in a rebuilding year and acknowledge the growing pains ahead.

For Joe, carrying a stable of old running backs stinks of the Bucs making that same mistake again.

Per the USA Today salary database and John Clayton, of Kremlin-based BSPN.com, Ward signed with the Bucs for $6 million guaranteed and already has taken home $5 million. Surely, the Bucs can’t be keeping him because of money.  

There’s no reason to have Ward and Cadillac both on the roster. One is enough. All those carries should go to someone who might actually help the Bucs in years to come.

If Joe were GM, he’d be looking for running backs of the future to add to the team immediately — in the draft and on the rosters of other teams.

A lot of Joe’s readers are sick of Joe writing that one reason the Bucs — and other NFL teams — aren’t doing a whole lot in the offseason is the looming lockout of 2011.

Joe is convinced teams, granted, not all, are preparing to go to the mattresses and as a result are counting their nickels.

Seems as though former Bucs beat writer and current SI.com NFL columnist Don Banks is on the same wavelength as Joe. Banks cites Raheem the Dream, among a handful of other coaches, who are still employed thanks to the CBA dispute with the NFLPA.

Coaching trend —What have Carolina’s John Fox, Oakland’s Cable, Chicago’s Lovie Smith, Cleveland’s Eric Mangini, Houston’s Gary Kubiak, Jacksonville’s Jack Del Rio and Tampa Bay’s Raheem Morris all accomplished so far this offseason? They’ve held on to their jobs despite things looking a little bleak on that front at times late in 2009.

Some folks around the NFL believe it’s hardly a coincidence that so many head coaches survived to work another season. With the looming uncertainty of 2011’s labor situation, team owners came to the incredibly shrewd decision to stand pat rather than risk the chance of having to pay two entire coaching staffs for not working next year.

Joe believes this was not a trivial factor when the Bill Cowher rumors heated up last year.

Friday night, Joe was fortunate to speak with one of the very few college football offensive linemen who played against Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy multiple times but never gave up a sack to either one, Texas Tech guard Brandon Carter.

The Bucs flew Carter in for a workout last week. Carter discussed with Joe his chances to play for the Bucs, what makes Suh or McCoy so good, the virtues of face paint, and a secret conversation he had with Bucs general manager Mark Dominik.

Nebraska defensive tackle manbeast Ndamukong Suh and Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy are widely regarded as the two best players in the 2010 draft.

Bucs fans have been drooling at the thought the Bucs may just land one of the two later this month.

There’s also a possibility the Bucs could draft a guy who owned both of them: Texas Tech offensive guard Brandon Carter.

The former first-team All-Big XII offensive lineman, Carter never allowed a sack against either Suh or McCoy. Carter, who was flown in last Thursday to meet with the Bucs, last gave up a sack when he was a sophomore in 2007 to Missouri defensive end Ziggy Hood, who is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Clearly, the Bucs like Carter, or they wouldn’t have coughed up the cash to fly him in. Each NFL team is allowed to bring in 30 prospects who do not reside locally.

“The offensive line coach [Pete Mangurian], he said there were three things they like in an offensive lineman: tough, smart and love to play football,” Carter told Joe from his home in Texas Friday night. “They said they can tell from the film I fit all three. They said they loved the way I played so physical and they are looking for a physical lineman.

“It was nerve-wracking [at One Buc Palace] but it was fun.”

Joe was geeked to hear this, but Joe wanted to know the lowdown: Exactly what makes Suh and McCoy so good? Carter helped inform Joe.

“I think Suh was one of the greatest college defensive linemen of all time and potentially he could be one of the greatest NFL linemen of all time,” Carter said. “He has the ability that most other human beings are not even close to having. He can move people at will. He is incredibly strong. I don’t know him personally so I don’t know if he understands the game as well as others. But he makes such great plays, smart plays. He is just physical. I think with him, his [best asset] is his strength. He’s able to push linemen into the backfield or shed the block and throw the lineman into the backfield.

“That’s what he did against Texas [in the Big XII championship game]. He made me look good the way he played against Texas.”

Though Carter never gave up a sack against Suh, the first time the two locked horns Carter wasn’t quite prepared for how physical Suh was. That changed in their second meeting.

“The first time I played against him I didn’t know him and didn’t know a lot about him,” Carter said. “This year I prepared well and I only gave up four tackles. To me, that is a huge credit because of how hard I worked. I watched a ton of film on him. I was definitely happy when I played that well against him. “

McCoy is effective, too, just for different reasons.

“They are two totally different guys,” Carter said of any comparisons between Suh and McCoy. “McCoy is quicker and faster. Whenever I watched him on film, I can tell he is such a smart player. If an offensive lineman makes a mistake, he will take advantage of it. He’s one of those kind of players; he’s willing to go around you.

“He has great moves and great mechanics. He is just a great technician.”

Carter found out that he was brought in to One Buc Palace for two different reasons. First, the Bucs are very interested in him playing for them. Second, they wanted to know more about Suh and McCoy.

Bucs general manager “Mark Dominik, the very last question was, he asks me, ‘So, you played against two of the best defensive tackles in the country. If you were drafting, who would you pick, Suh or McCoy?'” Carter said.

Carter answered Dominik’s question, but he wouldn’t tip off Joe what the answer was.

“That’s just between me and him,” Carter said. “I don’t want anyone to have any hurt feelings out there. One of those guys might be a teammate next year.”

Carter was more than impressed with the Bucs and gushed over the facilities at One Buc Palace,

“If you can’t get something done there, you can’t get it done. It’s amazing,” Carter said. “I love the Tampa Bay area. It’s beautiful there. I would love to play there.”

Carter did most of his training and preparation for the combine and pro days in Wellington and has fallen in love with Florida, which is another reason he hopes the Bucs pick him.

“Even though it was kind of chilly for Florida this winter it was still a lot warmer than Texas,” Carter said. “I was running around in shorts and windows rolled down and people thought I was nuts.”

In case Carter doesn’t ring a bell with people, he’s the guy for the Red Raiders that goes all out painting his face, and his hair, for games. It started as a prop to overcome nerves.

“It’s something I always did, it pumps me up, psyche myself out,” Carter said. “I am a huge history buff. All the warriors of the past when going to battle painted their faces. Seeing pictures of them, it was cool-looking in my opinion. I did it for my first start [at UTEP]. I was nervous. I went in there, put on my face paint, the fans started screaming at me and it pumped me up. I thought it was all right, let’s do it again.

“I played well so it took off from there.”

If the Bucs do indeed pick Suh or McCoy and Carter, with former Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman and defensive tackle Roy Miller already on the roster, Carter said they will bring local SEC fans a taste of what Big XII football is all about.

“I still think the Big XII is the best football in the country,” Carter said. “Yeah, the SEC has taken over right now, but we’ll instill some Big XII football into the Bucs.

“I met with Freeman a few minutes. He was there with three other [Bucs]. We talked about our games with K-State, he’s a good guy. It would be so cool to block for him. Seriously, two years ago we were opponents and now I would block for him? That would be pretty cool.”

Oh, Man.

Joe is pouring on the draft coverage.

Later this week, NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski will serve up his analysis of the many defensive ends and defensive tackles you need to know about in the 2010 draft — always with a sharp eye on the Bucs’ needs and options.

Today, the Draft Countdown continues. It’s an in-your-face look at the Atlanta Falcons’ draft-day needs and strategy. …Steelers tomorrow.

Enjoy!  …And subscribe to the draft coverage already! You know you want to. And it’s just half the price of a decent lap dance, and far more satisfying. {+++}

[audio:falconsdraft.mp3]

That Mad Twitterer, he’s so hard to figure out.

Joe is baffled.

Does the Mad Twitterer, aka St. Pete Times beat writer Rick Stroud, really want us to believe his latest Twitter message today about Bruce Allen and Brett Favre? It does, after all, carry great historical significance for Bucs fans.

Or is this just more of the Mad Twitterer’s “agent-driven speculation” that he once shamefully scolded Bucs fans for believing because it wasn’t on his newspaper’s Web site. 

Here’s today’s Tweet from Stroud, seemingly in response to Donovan McNabb getting traded to the Redskins:

Bruce Alllen would not deal a 2nd rounder to the PACKERS for Favre a few yrs ago Jets did Sorry about that. Point is he did for McNabb 

C’mon, Stroud. Tell us all. Is this fact or fiction? Joe’s never heard this before, that the Bucs wouldn’t give up a second-rounder for Favre back in 2008, when Chucky was aching for him and Favre went to the Jets at the 11th hour.

Hey Stroud, here’s a business tip: If you know something, this is interesting. Put it on your Web site. Your editors will like the traffic.

If true, it’s no wonder Chucky isn’t coaching in Washington for Bruce Almighty. Chucky probably called Allen every expletive in the book for not getting the Favre deal done for a second rounder, let alone one Chucky never got to use.

Sadly, Joe doesn’t know whether to believe Stroud. Frankly, because Stroud told the whole world not to believe his Twittering.

Joe can only surmise that Stroud maintains his “NFLStroud” Twitter account to satisfy an inner need he has to lie, tease and torture.

"Look kid, if Dan Fouts could throw downfield all the time, so can you."

Joe has already written today about how a coach can create an explosive situation by trying force feed a team a specific type of scheme when said team doesn’t have the horses to run that particular race.

After being a first-hand witness from the sidelines at the trainwreck that was the Jim Bates debacle, one would think Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olson would have leanred something.

In an article typed by eye-RAH! Kaufman, of the Tampa Tribune today, it appears Olson may have been oblivious to the Bates disaster last season.

Olson, per Kaufman, wants to install a pass happy offense.

Greg Olson wants the Bucs to move into the passing lane of a quarterback-driven league.

Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator said he won’t abandon the run this fall, but he can’t help noticing how the NFL is increasingly turning into a showcase for elite quarterbacks. And with second-year pro Josh Freeman on the rise, Olson believes he has the triggerman to fling the ball downfield with positive results.

“I’m still a believer in running the football, but I can tell you this—you’d better be able to throw it if you want to get deep into the playoffs,’’ Olson said. “The last five or six years, teams in the playoffs have had to have a pretty strong passing game. We’re going to find ways to run, but to stick to it wholeheartedly and say we’re going to be a run-run-run football team … if you look at the teams that do that, we’re going to have to be darned good on the other side of the ball, too.’‘

Olson went on to say he won’t be stubborn about his offense.

Look, wanting to pass the ball is fine. Joe’s not sure Olson has glanced at the Bucs roster in recent days, but who the hell is going to catch the ball?

Tight end Kellen Winslow, who had more than double the number of receptions than any wide receiver currently on the Bucs roster, will very likely see double if not triple coverage. Just the fact a tight end has twice as many catches as a receiver is a frightening concept to Joe.

Now that teams are aware of Sammie Stroughter, defenses likely won’t let him run free.

Has blocking icon Michael Clayton done anything the past four years to warrant a modicum of confidence? Mo Stovall?

And let’s be honest, Freeman has great intangibles. But if memory serves, aside from brief glimpses, when Olson tried to open the offense up for Freeman, he turned into an interception machine and Olson had to dial down the offense. The kid is still learning.

Yo, Greg! You have a number of good — not great — running backs and your offensive line seems to be OK with run blocking. Use them!

You have arguably the worst set of receivers in the NFL. Don’t get stupid and think you can pull off an Air Coryell stunt here. Not now. Not yet.

Oh, and burn that Chucky playbook, will ya?

The dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, has been pounding this drum since last fall when we all watched the horror film “Nightmare on Dale Mabry,” starring Jim Bates’ defense.

Now, Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber has confirmed what “The Big Dog” has said for months: The Bucs defenders didn’t buy into Bates’ defense, partially because it was getting slashed so bad that Freddie Krueger nodded approvingly.

That was the word from one of the greatest Bucs players in franchise history as he appeared with J.P. Peterson last week on WQYK-AM 1010.

Petersen jokingly asked Barber if he wanted to see Bates come back and force a defense onto a unit that wasn’t equipped to play said defense and Barber spilled the beans about why Bates was let go (other than the fact his defense set a franchise record for coughing up 25 or more points in five consecutive games).

“I was a fan of [Bates’ defense],” Barber said. “It had some intricacies I liked but we didn’t handle it very well. I didn’t mind it; we just needed to buy into it. By the third or fourth week, guys weren’t buying it, they weren’t used to those results, they were used to seeing the same results we were used to in the past 12 years with Monte [Kiffin].

“The general consensus outside the building [among NFL types] was, ‘This is Tampa. How could you not play at Tampa-2?’ I think originally, what Jim wanted [to employ] was a hybrid of sorts but when the bullets started to fly, the defense was what Jim wanted [as a final result] and we just weren’t very good with it.

“We were excited when we turned [the defense] back over [to a Tampa-2]. We kept some of Jim’s stuff but we went back to what we do well and the last few games of the season showed it.”

This is what Joe has always said about Bates’ defense. You just cannot shove a square peg into a round hole and expect it to be smooth. Even two-bit high school coaches know this. Good coaches adjust their schemes to best fit their personnel and get the most out of them.

Joe is not saying Bates is a bad coach. Hardly! Joe had high hopes when Bates was hired based on his body of work with the Dolphins and later, the Packers (paging Green Bay Bob). 

What Bates essentially tried to do with the Bucs was the defensive equivalent of running a wishbone offense with players groomed to play a run-and-shoot. Even Pat Kirwan of Sirius NFL Radio and CBSSports.com said time and again this wouldn’t work. There’s YouTube.com video as evidence.

Of course, Kirwan was correct.

Look, Bill Parcells was throwing the ball 40 times a game with Drew Bledsoe at New England because he had the personnel to do that and didn’t have the players pound the ball which is what the Tuna prefers.

Joe always remembers Lou Tepper taking over for John Mackovic at Illinois. At the time, the Illini were one of the top teams in the nation, built for throwing the ball. Mackovic stocked his roster specifically with offensive players to run a pass happy offense, lineman more skilled at pass blocking than run blocking, running backs more adept at catching the ball out of the backfield, not blocking and running between the tackles.

Tepper brags at his introductory news conference, “We’re going to run the ball!” Well that’s fine and good if you have the players to run the ball. Tepper didn’t and the Illini offense blew up in Tepper’s face as a result. That program has yet to recover.

Good coaches adjust to the personnel they have, not the other way around.

Had Bates slowly incorporated his schemes over time, well, that’s a totally different story. Whether Bates tried to force feed the Bucs’ defense was a directive from Mark Dominik or Raheem the Dream, or whether he was freelancing or just PO’d because Dominik didn’t stock the defense with the players Bates wanted, no one really knows for sure outside the walls of One Buc Palace.

No, the players apparently didn’t buy in to Bates’ defense. Joe will counter that Bates didn’t buy in to the Bucs defenders to begin with.

(Hat tip to Big Papi!)

Congratulations to Don Thompson of St. Petersburg (owner of Big D’s Kayaking)!

He’s the proud winner of a Reebok replica Cato June jersey from JoeBucsFan.com.

Don was a wise man this weekend and subscribed to the popular draft coverage on JoeBucsFan.com. As part the weekend contest, Don’s name was pulled for the jersey.

Check out all the draft coverage right now. NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski will continue to pour it on for the homestretch.

"I should go play the lottery today."

Last year Mark Dominik, just weeks into his new gig as Bucs general manager, nearly made the splash of the NFL offseason when he came “this close” to landing then-free agent defensive tackle Facestomper Haynesworth.

Despite offering more cash to Facestomper than any other team — a fact confirmed by Facestomper himself on Sirius NFL Radio — Facestomper turned down the Bucs because he didn’t want to be part of a rebuilding team.

Whoops!

By any measure, Facestomper has been a disappointment in Washington (a fact Joe predicted), especially if you factor in his bloated contract. Now comes word via Gregg Rosenthal of ProFootballTalk.com that the Redskins actually offered Facestomper to the Eagles as part of the Donovan McNabb trade.

The Eagles’ response?

“Thank you, no.”

We heard some big name veterans mentioned in rumors Saturday like Albert Haynesworth and LaRon Landry.

Right now Joe suspects Dominik is giggling between quering college offensive linemen who is better, manbeast Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy? — Joe will have more on that later this afternoon. (Tease!)

General rule of thumb for NFL front office types: Stay far away from defensive tackles who are 30-years old or older unless it’s a bargain basement type of deal. It seems 30 is the magic number for defensive tackles to begin falling apart.

OK, so you may never have heard of Bernie Miklasz, the primary sports columnist of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Joe understands.

Miklasz is one of the premiere football writers in the country and quite possibly the ultimate multimedia journalist in the nation.

The man has his own column, his own PM drivetime radio show, his own sports forum where he regularly interacts with posters, his own blog, and if that isn’t enough, he is a regular co-host of both an hour-long pregame and postgame show for every St. Louis Cardinals game, “Cardinals Live,” seen on Fox Sports Midwest.

In between his many duties, Miklasz enjoys sounding off on Twitter.

In many respects, he is the pulse of the St. Louis sports scene, no matter the sport, no matter the time of year. Football, however, is Miklasz’s first love and is his strength.

Miklasz covered the old Baltimore Colts when the Mayflower vans moved the team out of town. He then covered the old putrid St. Louis Cardinals and penned one of the greatest series of sports exposes Joe has ever read, “A Futile Franchise.” 

When that team moved to Phoenix, Miklasz covered the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News before returning to St. Louis for his current gig as a columnist. Though football is his wheelhouse, he’s not afraid to go nose-to-nose with a future Hall of Fame manager to stick up for his co-workers, or discuss the NHL, college football or college basketball at length.

Joe first met Miklasz when Joe covered his first NFL training camp of the old Cardinals and Joe was still a young pup. Joe learned quite a bit, and got a lot of solid advice from Miklasz in those weeks, none more important than when Miklasz told Joe, “Always be aggressive.”

Miklasz was kind enough to give Joe some insight into what the Rams will do with the No. 1 pick overall. We all know that the Rams’ decision will directly affect what the Bucs will do at No. 3.

JoeBucsFan.com: Joe knows you recently wrote it appears the proverbial train rolling down the tracks is that the Rams will draft Sam Bradford, but how much of a lock it is? Gil Brandt said this past week on Sirius NFL Radio that he thought there was a 49 percent chance Bradford will be a Redskins quarterback. Is Brandt, who has many NFL connections, onto something? (Joe did read your various scenarios on how Bradford could wind up in Washington).

Bernie Miklasz: I think the Rams will choose Bradford. And if they do, he’ll sign. His agent has given the Rams no reason to believe that the kid wants to play elsewhere and will try and force a trade. I think the world of Gil Brandt. He is a good friend. But he’s heard the same rumors that we’ve all heard: the Redskins want Bradford and will try to trade up. It remains to be seen. And the Rams will ask for a lot in exchange for the pick. I think, frankly, the Redskins are floating this “Bradford doesn’t want to play for the Rams” junk to try and make the Rams’ execs nervous. But it isn’t working.

Joe: How involved is Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo in this decision? The common rule of thumb is that head coaches with defensive backgrounds would always choose defense over offense. Like the Bucs, the Rams have lots of holes. If the decision was Spagnuolo’s alone, would he still pick Bradford?

Bernie: GM Billy Devaney and coach Spagnuolo have an excellent relationship. They work closely together on all of these decisions, though Devaney has the final say. I talked to Spagnuolo about this a few weeks ago, and he assured me that if taking a QB makes the most sense, he’s on board with it. And I believe him. He’s been enthusiastic in his dealings and meetings with Bradford. He likes the kid a lot. He thinks Bradford is a character guy.

Joe: What is the general consensus in St. Louis with the fans? Are they pining for Bradford or do they want one of the two beastly Big XII defensive tackles, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy?

Bernie: The early momentum was behind Suh, no question. But that was before anyone really knew what to make of Bradford, who at that time was rehabbing from the shoulder surgery. Bradford was off the radar because no one had a handle on his medicals, and his shoulder strength. So once Bradford reemerged — bigger and stronger — with positive medical evaluations and a clear demonstration that he can still zing the football, Rams fans began buzzing about him. I think the town is behind him if the Rams choose him. Even some of the Suh supporters have made it clear that they’d rather have Suh but would pull for the kid QB if the Rams go that way. This team needs so much help that you can make a strong case for just about any position.

Joe: A couple of months ago there was a wild rumor that the Bucs and Rams would flip picks, with the Rams also acquiring backup quarterback Josh Johnson, which at the time Rams general manager Billy Devaney shot down but didn’t rule out talking with Bucs general manager Mark Dominik at some point. The Bucs clearly covet either Suh or McCoy as Dominik has even brought in Big XII offensive guards for interviews, quizzing them about Suh and McCoy. Did you hear any whispers about the Rams and Bucs swapping picks as Bradford very likely would still be on the board at No. 3?

Bernie: That was a crazy one. I have no idea where it started. The Rams insist there’s nothing to it. But as a general principle, they are keeping the door wide open to any trade proposals. They need a bunch of players. They have to consider all options, no matter who calls or what’s being offered. They have to listen. But that particular trade, nada.

Joe: Not sure if you remember some wet-behind-the-ears reporter on a hot and muggy Charleston, Ill. summer you befriended at Mean Gene Stallings’ Cardinals camp? You remember the name of the watering hole where you pitied me and bought me shots of tequila? This scribe learned a lot those weeks and the experience and knowledge gleamed from you still pays off today. Thank you.

Bernie: Sure I remember. You had a lot of energy then and you have a lot of energy now. You were a good kid back then and you are a good guy now. I’m an old man of 51. Where did the years go? I’m thinking we probably had some beverages at Marty’s. But at times I’d do my sipping at the Holiday Inn. Or there was another place I liked, in the downtown part of Charleston. I can’t remember the name. It’s been 25 years. But I do remember making sure that you explored the wonders of tequila. Are you still experiencing a hangover? Congratulations on the Web site, Lee. You do a terrific job with it.

[Clarification: The name of the downtown Charleston, Ill. watering hole in question is “Uptown/Cellar.”]

Editor’s note: This story was written before the Donovan McNabb-Redskins trade was announced. Joe thinks it’s still relevant. McNabb’s contract expires after 2010 season. No quarterback coming out next year will be as coveted as Bradford and Washington surely won’t have the No. 4 pick next year to use as bait.

All things Bengals here in today’s Draft Countdown, the daily team-by-team look at all things NFL Draft.

Of course, the Bengals’ draft focus has changed now that they’ve signed that former Buccaneer to be their No. 2 receiver.

You know that guy, he’s the dude who allegedly causes interceptions, allegedly causes trouble and actually catches the ball.

NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski breaks it all down for you. You can enjoy all his other fine draft coverage right here. Tomorrow …the hated Falcons.

Enjoy. {+++}

[audio:bengalsdraft.mp3]

Joe suspects this may be the last new Rachel Watson video, so he is a bit chagrin.

The Bucs uploaded recently new video of Bucs cheerleader tryouts and smartly brought back Rachel Watson to host the video. She no longer has the shot girl look she did in the previous video, instead going for the not-so-innocent look to attract Internet lurkers like Joe.

Once again, the Bucs are scheduled to release the new crop, eeerrr, roster of Bucs cheerleaders for the 2010 season on Wednesday.

If Mark Dominik doesn’t do something about the woeful lot of receivers he currently has, the 2010 Bucs cheerleaders will draw more interest than the team.

It doesn't appear the Bucs will trade down to draft offensive tackle Russell Okung.

A lot of Bucs fans have suggested the Bucs should trade down from their current No. 3 slot, specifically if both coveted defensive tackles manbeast Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy are both gone.

Of course, doing that requires a trading partner. Easier said than done. Another risk in trading down is that if the Bucs were to trade down too low, they may risk missing out on the player they may actually target, as eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune points out.

Q: It’s just me thinking here, but what do you think of the scenario of the Bucs trading their first pick #3 overall and a second-rounder to the Broncos for Brandon Marshall and their first-round pick?

Michael Oxley, Collegedale, Tenn.

A: Marshall is a heck of a talent, but I think the Bucs would hesitate sliding back to No. 11 because guys like Berry and Okung would be off the board and they would lose some impact with that first pick. If Denver would accept just a second-rounder for Marshall, with no swap in Round 1, perhaps the Bucs would consider making the deal. Marshall is a head case like most elite receivers, but he can go up and get the football and the Bucs are in dire need of dangerous targets for Josh Freeman.

— eye-RAH! Kaufman

Given the fact it appears the Rams will indeed draft Sam Bradford at No. 1, Joe would be shocked the Bucs would trade down since either Suh or McCoy will be there for the taking.

Longtime JoeBucsFan.com readers know there are two “Joes” who operate this here spot on the Interwebs. Often the Joes discuss editorial policy and direction. Last week , Joe came upon an outrageous comment from a two-bit carnival barker at Lightning and South Florida home football games who tries to pass himself off as a respected member of the local fourth estate. He spouted on a local morning news show that he thought the Bucs indeed would play an annual game in London if not move there.

Based on what exactly? Did the low-rent carnival barker call or e-mail anyone to see how much legs this rumor may have? Did he even bother to call anyone at the Bucs to get feedback? It’s not like said low-rent carnival barker doesn’t know anyone at One Buc Palace.

The low-rent carnival barker — who collects a paycheck from the Bucs no less as a worker in the CITS press box on game days! — said this days after the rumor was shot down by virtually anyone with a piece of common sense. Apparently, the low-rent carnival barker doesn’t read or consult with any other media outlet in the area or do a modicum of research, which is disgraceful for anyone who claims he’s a reporter and an insult to any thinking Bucs fan.

Joe shouldn’t be surprised.

This same low-rent carnival barker has for years hosted one of the most vapid Saturday morning radio shows Joe has ever heard, where the low-rent carnival barker whores out his studio to anyone willing to cut a check, no matter how ill-informed or unsuited they may be to be behind a microphone, and accepts advertising dollars from an auto shop that is hostile to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and all other non-Christian faiths.

The two Joes disagreed about torching this low-rent carnival barker for helping spread these wild rumors — on a news show of all things — because said low-rent carnival barker is a nice guy. This Joe writing this post doesn’t care how nice of a person someone may be if they are that unethical, and to look the other way just because someone is a nice guy is in and of itself, unethical because it is preferential treatment.

The two Joes disagreed about this post, so this Joe writing this post decided not to use the low-rent carnival barker’s name. But this Joe just could not stay silent any longer.

The unmitigated gall that someone who considers himself a reporter and is also in the employ of the Bucs (conflict of interest, anyone?) would go on a news radio show and spread such unfounded rumors is simply beyond the pale on so many levels!  

Joe hopes all his loyal readers are enjoying a Happy Easter no matter where they may be. In the Tampa Bay area, it appears spring has finally sprung. Chamber of Commerce weather.

Joe is still giddy over the traffic numbers from last month and wants to thank each and ever reader. Gracias.

And please check back tomorrow where Joe will have two cool stories that will not be found anywhere else in the Tampa Bay fourth estate concerning the Bucs and the draft.

Yes, Joe will have two exclusives!

Here’s hoping Bucs general manager Mark Dominik finds a wide receiver while he was Easter egg hunting this morning.

It’s an outside shot, the Bucs could have their pick of both Big XII defensive tackles manbeast Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy. This would be the virtual wet dream of Bucs fans.

But hold up: There is still a chance the Bucs would still trade down, given the fact the draft is allegedly so loaded and given the fact the Bucs have more holes to fill than a screen door.

It seems eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune thinks this is nonsense, that the Bucs will not trade down if Suh and/or McCoy are available at No. 3.

Q: There has been some talk that even if Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy are still available at pick No. 3, the Bucs might pass them up for some other player because they would be very expensive to actually sign. If this were to happen, wouldn’t that put a stake in the heart of the repeated attempts by the Bucs organization and the Glazer family that money will never be an issue in rebuilding?

Brian Everhart, Winter Haven

A: It’s difficult to imagine the Bucs passing up Suh or McCoy at No. 3 in favor of an Eric Berry or an offensive lineman. Moving back from the third overall pick due to financial considerations would be a devastating blow for the franchise if one of those two elite defensive tackles are still on the board. At this point, the Bucs have stockpiled enough draft picks that they don’t need to budge from that No. 3 spot. If Suh and McCoy go 1-2, then I can see the Bucs entertaining offers for the third pick, but even in that scenario, I can’t see them sliding back farther than 10th.

— eye-RAH! Kaufman

Joe’s going to have some insight on who might be available at No. 3 from one of the preeminent football writers in the country tomorrow, so please check in on Monday.

Joe will have some good stuff.

The forgotten man in Houston?

Only one Bucs fan in the Tampa Bay area could get so fired up about the Houston Texans’ approach and needs in the NFL Draft.

He’s The Commish, and he’s the accomplished NFL Draft guru on WDAE-AM 620 and JoeBucsFan.com.

Joe’s in the holiday spirit and will serve up this audio take free for the masses. It’s all part of the absolutely unmatched subscription draft coverage on JoeBucsFan.com.

[audio:texansdraft.mp3]

Check out all the draft coverage right here.

Anyone who signs up between 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 3 and 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 4, will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a Reebok replica Cato June jersey. (Yes, Joe’s going all retro today). The winner will be announced here tomorrow night.

Regular readers of JoeBucsFan.com know that Joe rarely overhypes what you’ll see on this site.

But Joe is pretty pumped about a good interview/story he flushed out last night. So Joe’s going to build some intrigue. Joe was chasing the interview for a while. And it did not disappoint.

Joe advises you check back here on Sunday night and/or Monday. This will be must-read stuff for any Bucs fan who cares about what the Bucs do in the draft.

Now Joe doesn’t get all worked up about what college guy is interviewing with what NFL team and all that type of pre-draft hype.

Teams interview lots of guys. That just doesn’t get Joe all excited like, say, a hot tub encounter with Carmella Garcia or a winning trifecta ticket at Derby Lane (in that order, of course).

But Joe does make some exceptions. One would be Golden Tate, the former Notre Dame wide receiver.

Count Joe as one of the manly men watching the endless combine coverage on the NFL Network. And seeing Tate perform there really caught Joe’s eye. The guy just stood out with his quickness, hands and speed. There’s something very special there. (And no, it had nothing to do with the gold shoes and ridiculously tight pants he was wearing).

Joe would love to see Tate in a Bucs uniform. But as of now, the Bucs haven’t shown much interest, so Tate told NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski on the airwaves on WDAE-AM 620. (You can listen to the entire interview here). Tate said he has yet to visit the Bucs or talk to them since the combine.

Tate told an interesting story about how defrocked Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis told him last summer that he could play in the NFL but would need to prove himself with a benchmark number of touchdowns and yardage in 2009. …Tate hit those lofty goals.

Again, Joe doesn’t get all worked up about visits, but Joe would sleep better knowing Tate is high on the draft board deep in the bowels of One Buc Palace.

When Raheem The Dream first took over for Chucky, he proudly told the media that he was going to “Stay The Course.”

And while Raheem The Dream’s course has changed multiple times, the Bucs continue to collect quarterbacks. So at least they stayed the course in that realm.

So could there be an outside chance the Bucs draft a quarterback in 2010? Extremely doubtful. But, what were the odds firing Jeff Jagodzinski and Jim Bates before the season ended?

All that fun aside, here’s the next position breakdown in the stunning JoeBucsFan.com subscription draft coverage. So sign up already. The great stuff from NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski is piling up!

Enjoy. {+++} 

1. Sam Bradford – QB – Oklahoma
6’4’’ – 236 lbs –(no 40 time at the combine)
Top 5

Why I’m taking him: Bradford is the top quarterback in this class and carries all the essentials of a franchise signal caller.  His arm strength and accuracy are great, but it’s his leadership skills that I like best.  Bradford is competitive and a great teammate.  He’s the type of player you have confidence in to lead your team for a long time.  The money and glamour of being a top 5 quarterback should not affect his play or attitude on the field.  I also feel Bradford has nice footwork and pocket awareness, and although he isn’t the fastest player, he has enough athleticism to avoid the rush and good accuracy when on the run.

Why I’m staying away: I think it’s quite obvious that the biggest concern is the durability of Bradford through a 16 game season.  Showing up to his pro day at a very muscular 236 lbs helped a lot, but there is still the question in the back of the scout’s and coach’s minds.  Bradford is also coming from a spread offense, so taking snaps and reading a defense from under center will be an adjustment. 

Impact on the Bucs: The drafting of Bradford would be an admittance of a mistake in drafting Josh Freeman.  My point, this isn’t happening as the Bucs have tons of faith in their 1st round pick from last year.

NFL Comparison:   Eli Manning – New York Giants

2. Jimmy Clausen – QB – Notre Dame
6’3’’ – 222 lbs – DNP
1st Round

Why I’m taking him: Clausen has been groomed to be an NFL quarterback since he was young.  Charlie Weis only helped that grooming with his pro-style offense.  Clausen has tons of experience under center, reading blitzes, and making progressions in the pass game.  Clausen has played through many injuries showing his toughness and dedication to his team.  His mechanics and footwork are great.

Why I’m staying away: Despite what I’m hearing in recent interviews by Clausen, I’m still slightly cautious about his arrogance and cocky demeanor.  Durability is also a major concern of mine.  He did play through injuries, but those injuries still mounted, and I’d expect he’d have even more injuries in the pros. 

Impact on the Bucs: Even if the Bucs needed a quarterback, I’d still be weary of Clausen.  A lot of homework will be needed to determine if Clausen is worth a high draft pick.  Since the Bucs already have their quarterback, Clausen won’t even be considered.  Clausen could be Jay Cutler without the arm strength.

NFL Comparison:   Jay Cutler – Chicago Bears

3. Tim Tebow – QB – Florida
6’3’’ – 236 lbs – 4.72
2nd Round

Why I’m taking him: This has probably already beaten to death, but it bears repeating.  Tim Tebow is probably the safest pick in the entire draft when it comes to work ethic, leadership, and dedication.  Despite his throwing motion, accuracy, running style, etc…the team that drafts him will always have someone ready to work and that’s great in the locker room. 

Why I’m staying away: As safe as Tebow is in regards to leadership and dedication, he’s as much a risk when it comes to playing quarterback in the NFL.  It will take a great offensive mind and a GM with balls to take Tebow high and make him a great quarterback.  I’m not sure I would have the guts to do that.  Obviously, his motion needs continuous work, but he also needs to keep good arm strength with that new motion, and he needs better accuracy.

Impact on the Bucs: It’s hard to think of Tebow being an average NFL quarterback.  He’s either going to be a great quarterback or a bust.  I just don’t see any in-between. If drafted by the Bucs, Tebow would bring sellouts.  He would sell tickets, merchandise, and make the team popular, but how long would that last with him on the bench.  The Bucs drafted Freeman last year to be their franchise quarterback, and taking reps away from Freeman would be a mistake.  Gator fans, if you want to be really pissed, think about if the Bucs would’ve drafted Percy Harvin last year and Tebow this year.  It could’ve happened.

NFL Comparison:   Steve Young – San Francisco 49ers

4. Colt McCoy – QB – Texas
6’1’’ – 216 lbs – 4.81
2nd – 3rd Round

Why I’m taking him: McCoy is a great fit for a west-coast offense with his excellent accuracy and touch on his passes.  He is athletic and is able to move around and avoid the rush while making passes on the run.  McCoy also has all the intangibles; leadership, work ethic, experience against top competition, and competitiveness. 

Why I’m staying away: You hate to say it, but what’s most glaring about McCoy is his injury in the Nation Championship Game.  That, and other injuries, have me concerned with his durability.  It definitely does not help that he has a smaller stature of the quarterbacks in this draft.  McCoy might only be limited to teams that run a west coast offense because of his lack of arm strength.  He’s also a spread quarterback, so he’ll have to deal with all those issues as well.

Impact on the Bucs: I couldn’t see the logic if the Bucs drafted McCoy.  An ideal fit might be with the Browns as Mike Holmgren’s next Matt Hasselbeck.

NFL Comparison:   Matt Hasselbeck – Seattle Seahawks

5. Dan LeFevour – QB – Central Michigan
6’3’’ – 230 lbs – 4.66
3rd – 4th Round

Why I’m taking him: There might not be a more productive quarterback that was a 4-year starter in this draft.  LeFevour has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in college for the past four years, having more than 2,700 yards passing and 20 TDs in each of those seasons.  He also never threw more than 13 interceptions in a year.  LeFevour carries great intangibles and can be very accurate.

Why I’m staying away: The competition wasn’t great for LeFevour at Central Michigan.  Also, his arm strength is average, so making deep throws might be tough.  He’s another quarterback that will have to adjust to life under center.  Reading defenses and coverages might be a challenge.

Impact on the Bucs: The Bucs should pass.

NFL Comparison:   Chad Pennington – Miami Dolphins