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Sure, the Bucs’ linebacker play was atrocious last year, headlined by a rookie in the middle who didn’t have an offseason, one of the biggest free agent busts of the 2011 season, and a linebacker (Geno Hayes) who got benched for a while and is currently unemployed at 24 years old.

That’s why Bucs fans are quivering knowing the Bucs haven’t addressed the position in free agency and might not add a new LB until Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

So what does Ronde Barber think of all that?

“I think that shows they believe in our talent,” Barber said during an exclusive interview with J.P. Peterson of WQYK-AM 1010 yesterday. “They believe they can coach these guys up.”

Perhaps giving a glimpse into what will happen in 2012, Barber said, “I think Mason will be better in the middle.”

None of this suprises Joe. As a former linebacker, Greg Schiano might very much believe he, Bryan Cox, and the rest of his staff can realize the talents of Foster, Quincy Black, Adam Hayward and Dakoda Watson. As for Watson, Joe has heard credible rumblings that the organization is very eager to develop him.

Joe’s always amazed by people that work for the same company for a majority of their lives. Joe just can’t imagine.

The Bucs have one such employee, Jill Hobbs, who took a temporary gig with the Bucs processing season ticket orders on a manual cash register in 1976, per a story honoring her on Buccaneers.com.

The following spring, on April 15, 1977, Hobbs accepted a full-time position on the Buccaneers’ staff…and that means that, remarkably, this Sunday marks her 35th year with the team. 

In a surprise company ceremony this week, Team Glazer dropped a $35,000 check on Hobbs to commemorate her service. Click on through the story above. Joe thinks it’s pretty cool. Hobbs was the right hand for Rich McKay at one point in her career. The woman is a walking Bucs historian.

Perhaps Ronde Barber tipped the Bucs’ draft hand a bit this afternoon. Or perhaps not.

Surely it wouldn’t surprise anyone to learn the Bucs think highly of cornerback Morris Claiborne for their fifth-overall pick later this month. But it’s another thing to hear Barber talk about Claiborne’s recent visit to One Buc Palace and say “everybody’s high on him” and the Bucs probably will draft him.

Barber sat down for an exclusive interview with J.P. Peterson of WQYK-AM 1010 today.

Ronde Barber: When I was deciding to come back, I had plenty of meetings with Mark [Dominik], and phone conversations with Mark, they told me they were bringing a guy in [cornerback Eric Wright]. I was like, ‘That’s good. We need it.’

J.P. Peterson: You might bring in another [cornerback], Mo Claiborne.

Barber: We probably will.

Peterson: What do you think of him?

Barber: I don’t know. I haven’t watched any film of him. I don’t know how he plays or anything. He was actually in our [secondary] room. They did those little unofficial [predraft] visits or whatever. He’s a good kid. He looks good. He looks the part. Everybody’s high on him.

Not in the Trent Richardson camp, Joe will sleep that much more soundly tonight.

Apparently disinterested in serial loafer Sean Jones to bolster their secondary, the Redskins have latched on to troubled former Bucs cornerback Tanard Jackson to help them win a Super Bowl.

Jackson has signed with Washington, where he will attempt to be his best self again with Skins secondary coach Raheem Morris. The move was announced today.

The Bucs’ preseason and regular season games against the Skins just got more interesting.

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It’s officially the silly season, when NFL Draft lovers and rabid fans of teams meld into one twitching mess and start spewing all kinds of crazy talk.

It’s healthy. It’s good. It’s fun. Much of it is pie-in-the-sky nonsense, but it’s glorious.

Nobody around these parts covers the draft like CommishOnline.com. It’s where draft guru Justin “The Commish” Pawlowski has moved the written portion of his award-winning draft analysis. The rest comes on the radio from noon to 3 p.m. daily on WQYK-AM 1010.

The Commish has his eye on the cluster of a situation in Chicago with all-around stud running back Matt Forte. He’s that second round star running back the Bears snagged in 2008. Speculating with the rest of us, The Commish says the Bucs potentially could swap No. 1 picks with Chicago for Forte and pick up an extra third-round pick. It’s a fun read. Click on through above.

The Buccaneers could then focus on a number of possibilities with the 19th pick while already acquiring Matt Forte and an extra 3rd round selection.  Luke Kuechly, Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, or a defensive lineman could all make sense for the Buccaneers with the 19th selection, while also not having to worry about drafting a running back with their 2nd or 3rd round selections.

It is the time of speculation, and as long as we see issues with Matt Forte in Chicago, I think it would be safe to assume that the Bears would be interested in moving him for the right price.  I don’t think there are many scenarios that would make a trade down by the Buccaneers seem like a good move, but something like this would make a ton of sense.

This is a good one to kick around the water cooler, especially remembering how rockstar general manager absolutely fleeced the Bears in 2009, trading them the late Gaines Adams for a second-round pick. (Yeah, Joe knows Jerry Angelo has left the building.)

Would Joe make this hypothetical deal? Tough call.

Essentially giving up on LeGarrette Blount plus passing on Morris Claiborne would make Joe queasy. There’s not another Claiborne-like cornerback in this draft.

Former Bucs stud Warren Sapp was great for making headlines as a player. In recent weeks, he’s been good at making headlines as an ex-player.

For a guy that made by his estimates roughly $60 million gross in his career, it’s nearly gone as he filed for bankruptcy recently.

Sapp phoned veteran sports columnist Gary Shelton of the Tampa Bay Times to explain how he got in this mess, a combination of business deals gone bad and a lavish lifestyle replete with naked women paintings and wild animal-skin rugs.

“I’m not an interior decorator,” Sapp said. “Some designer put [the naked woman painting] on the wall, and I liked it. It’s in my bedroom. By the time a woman gets there, she might be naked, too.”

He laughs, then the conversation turns to the lion-skin rug at the foot of his bed.

“It isn’t as if I shot him,” Sapp said, laughing. “I didn’t go and get him. I just like the rug. I have a zebra skin rug, too, but I shot that one.”

Well, maybe the reason Joe is not married, aside from his beer-swilling, NFL Network-watching, 24/7 football-obsessed lifestyle, is that Joe never had the urge, inclination, desire or need to hire an interior decorator. His poster of Rachel Watson suffices for fine art.

(Column aside: What has happened to the Bucs cheerleaders?)

Maybe not hiring an interior decorator is a way of Joe living within his modest means? Once upon a time Sapp could afford such luxury. But when your lone income is a precarious NFL Network gig and even a chunk of that is garnished, such a lifestyle isn’t within one’s means.

Earlier this week, the Bucs made some roster news by cutting Tanard Jackson.

To be frank, the Bucs probably stuck by Jackson much longer than they should have, and finally washed their hands of a talented but thoroughly unreliable safety.

After blowing off the first week the team could meet with its new coaching staff to get a head start on learning the nuances of a new defensive coordinator, the oft-suspended Jackson paid for it, and is now walking the streets as a man without a team.

Initially, former Bucs defensive lineman Steve White didn’t lose sleep over the transaction by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, which White wrote about on “School of the Legends.”

Evidently T Jax decided to ditch the first week of meetings in order to rehab in New Orleans. Quite honestly that was a stunningly dumb move on his part in my opinion. He is one of those guys who probably should’ve been in Coach Schiano’s office the day after he was hired, trying to make a good impression. With his baggage and after the terrible year he had somebody close to him (agent, family member, real friend) should’ve made it clear to him that he was already on thin ice and needed to prove himself all the way over with a new regime if he didn’t pick up on that himself. That he didn’t “get it” gave the Bucs the perfect opportunity to both “make a statement” as well as start fresh with getting new blood in. From that standpoint I really don’t have a problem with the move.

But… here is where White had a problem with the move, and it is legitimate: The Bucs have virtually no one left at safety.

Sure, there is free agent Cody Lynch and a few guys that have scant playing time in the league, Larry Asante, Devin Holland and Ahmad Black. Oh, and Corey Grimm who is coming off his second season-ending injury to his legs in as many years.

Yes, one could say the Bucs are thin there at safety.

Joe’s going to guess that new Bucs coach Greg Schiano wanted no part of Jackson’s lack of credibility and dedication further rubbing off on younger players.

So it was, adios!

Now the Bucs have to go dumpster diving for a safety. This is what happens when you put faith in a guy who has demonstrated time and again to be unreliable.

Beer-swilling, multimedia good guy Rock Riley takes command of the WDAE-AM 620 airwaves this morning from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Of course, Rock will serve up all kinds of Bucs chatter, and strong nuggets from his many hours down at Rays Spring Training in Port Charlotte. So don’t forget to tune him in as you stumble around this morning still dreaming of the Bucs being a contender with their new players.

Those chained to a computer can listen live at 620wdae.com.

Joe wouldn’t mind seeing advertisements all around the Bucs’ home turf and website pushing fans to head to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for an evening of blackjack, cocktails and the debauchery that usually follows.

Of course, Joe far prefers the more laid-back, smoke-free and friendly poker and simulcast wagering confines at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg, not to mention the unmatched feast at the Derby Club and live greyhound racing. 

The point here is Joe is a pro-gambling guy and doesn’t think adult wagering corrupts society. 

This is on Joe’s mind after the Sports Business Journal, via ProFootballTalk.com, broke word today that the NFL will now allow teams to take in casino gambling ads for the next two years.

Despite significant restrictions (including placement of the ads high enough in the stadium to keep them out of the range of TV cameras), Kaplan estimates that each team can raise “millions” via such efforts. Only casinos without a sports book are eligible, and each casino must contribute five percent of the value of the ad to the NFL’s anti-gambling program for its employees.

Joe has no clue how Team Glazer feels about gambling. But Joe suspects they might be in favor of bringing in a new seven-figure check. The Seminole Tribe running the Hard Rock spends a load of dough on marketing. 

Perhaps there’s a way to get the Indians to gobble up Bucs tickets and brand some Buccaneers slot machines that spit out pairs of game tickets when a spin nets three Rachel Watsons in a row.

Joe’s just thinking/hoping that creative minds find a way to knock out a blackout or two.

Bucs rockstar general manager got caught in the crossfire of former Bucs Ian Beckles and Shaun King as the two talked all things Bucs on WDAE-AM 620 this morning.

Beckles shared that he’s bothered by the Bucs’ lack of premier free agent acquisitions on defense. Ascribing motives to the Bucs’ front office, Beckles thinks Dominik stayed away from landing a blue chip linebacker and/or defensive lineman to avoid admitting past failures.

“They didn’t do anything for the front 7 of the defense. I was thinking about it, I’m thinking, ‘How the hell can they not improve up front?’ When you think about it, it’s really Mark Dominik not telling on himself,” Beckles said. “Because we have all these first-rounders on the defensive line, so if you bring in a high free agent then you’re saying you were wrong. And then we have Quincy Black we paid money to. Mason Foster. But you watched them last year, they couldn’t stop anybody.”

King agreed with Beckles and said, “I think some of that is Mark Dominik trying to prove he was right on some of these guys.”

Theories aside, King was most concerned by the Bucs’ draft shaping up as drafting Morris Claiborne in the first round and then being forced to draft a running back in the second round. That, King noted, gets the Bucs to the third round, “still not having addressed linebacker or safety.”

Of course, there’s plenty of time and salary cap room for the Bucs to sift through the loads of remaining free agents, and those who will appear after the NFL Draft, in order to fill holes.

As for Dominik allegedly considering concerns about the perception of his job performance ahead of the Bucs’ best interests, that’s a tough charge. Joe can’t say that take makes any sense, but Joe can’t call it an outlandish charge either. General managers and coaches across the league do that all across the league on a regular basis.

Joe loved the Carl Nicks signing and couldn’t say with certainty that he’d rather have, say, Stephen Tulloch, instead. So Joe sees no evidence that Dominik is worried more about his own job than improving the Bucs. Ultimately, Dominik will be judged by the records of his teams. Scoring well in drafts or paying a popular free agent doesn’t mean a GM built a successful team.

Of the many explosive Bucs takes former Bucs QB Shaun King let loose today on WDAE-AM 620, the man who led the Bucs to their second NFC Championship game made it clear that he believes LeGarrette Blount has not developed at an acceptable rate because he doesn’t “love football” enough.

King made a point that Blount’s deficiencies — alleged deficiencies in Joe’s mind — are still around because Blount’s work ethic hasn’t been there to make him a better blocker, pass catcher, and student of the playbook.

King is of the mind that 2012 is a big contract year for Blount — he’ll enter restricted free agency after the season — and that could be a motivating factor that pushes Blount to be his best self, as Raheem Morris might say.

While Blount may not have been considered a hard worker, Joe’s sure Blount was nowhere close to being a slacker.

It still amazes Joe that it’s so easy for so many, not just King, to be negative about Blount, a third-year undrafted guy who has a phenomenal season under his belt, never had a full offseason with a team, and has not been given a legitimate opportunity to show he can be a complete player.

The man charged with presenting Warren Sapp’s case for entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a matter months is unhappy about the high-profile negativity surrounding Sapp in recent days.

Tampa Tribune NFL writer Ira Kaufman, the Tampa Bay area’s only representative on the Hall induction panel, joined Tom Krasniqi of WHBO-AM 1040 yesterday and painted a grim picture of Sapp becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer with the class of 2013.

“He’s killin’ me. He’s killin’ me,” Kaufman said of Sapp. “And by that I mean that in nine months it’s going to be my pleasure, my privilege to present the case for No. 99 in front of the Hall of Fame panel. Forty-four people are going to be looking at him. I have very powerful ammo to get this man in [to the Hall of Fame,] I believe, based on the merits of what he did on the football field.

“But you’re right. Some of those people in that room are looking for a reason to vote, ‘No’, on this guy based on the way he treated them. We don’t need anymore ammo. We don’t need him getting fired from NFL Network, which could happen. We don’t need the bankruptcy. We don’t need him getting him in trouble with Jeremy Shockey; Whether it’s true or not, he shouldn’t have said it. All these ancillary things are not helping my case. So from a very selfish and personal point of view, he’s killin’ me.”

Kaufman said he doesn’t want to accept the consensus that Sapp won’t get into the Hall of Fame on his first try. Kaufman said he’ll feel like he failed if that’s what plays out. Thought Kaufman added that if Sapp were to be inducted into the Hall the following season with Tony Dungy and Derrick Brooks, that wouldn’t feel so bad.

For Joe, it’s just beyond weak that scribes who elect members of the Hall would make the whole process personal and keep Sapp — or anyone — out because they think he’s a jerk. There’s not much point to the whole thing without an objective, intelligent process.

In four months (minus one day) the Bucs will take the field — and hopefully stop the run for a change and not get mauled in the first quarter.

Preseason game dates and times were announced today and there are no big surprises. John Lynch will remain as color analyst alongside Chris Myers, and the first three preseason games will be on Friday nights. No games are set to air nationally. All games not blacked out locally will be broadcast on WTSP-TV, Ch. 10 live.

Friday, Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m., at Miami
Friday, Aug. 17, 7:30 p.m., TENNESSEE
Friday, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m. NEW ENGLAND
Wednesday, Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m. at Washington

Clear your calendars for the first real look at the 2012 Bucs.

As Joe suggested yesterday, oft-suspended Bucs safety Tanard Jackson was let go not just because of a physical, but other elements were involved.

Jackson, who is rebabbing his shoulder in New Orleans, did not attend the Bucs first voluntary workouts last week at One Buc Palace.

Given the fact that was a first opportunity for players to learn their new coaches and get marching orders on how the offense/defense will be played, Joe thought that was borderline insubordinate to new coach Greg Schiano for Jackson to blow off the gathering.

Read between the lines for yourself on what Bucs rock star Mark Dominik told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on the release of Jackson.

“What’s important to us as an organization is the growth of our football players and how they handle (things) on and off the field to become the best Buccaneer possible,” Dominik said Tuesday. “And that’s what we’re looking for.”

Now Joe has noticed that a lot of Bucs fans are wringing their hands over the loss of Jackson. But think this through.

Outside of one game last year, Jackson was one of the worst players on the NFL’s worst defense and a franchise record-setting horrible defense.

Is that really a loss?

Simply put, the Bucs couldn’t trust the guy.

Greg Schiano prides himself on being a teacher and having a staff of teachers, and he speaks lovingly of developing players and building through the draft. So Joe’s wondering whether Schiano, rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and secondary coach Ron Cooper are relatively content with the safeties on the roster right now.

Perhaps cutting Tanard Jackson, a guy that was hurt and couldn’t be counted on anyway, feels like a huge relief and a huge opportunity to Schiano and friends.

The current safties are:

Larry Asante: a Dominik practice squad pickup entering his third season who at least flashed some good things with the Bucs
Ahmad Black: a Dominik draftee who was hurt through his 2011 rookie preseason and landed on the practice squad
Devin Holland: undrafted free agent coming off injured reserve after making the Bucs roster as a special teams ace last year
Cody Grimm: The man’s a wolf — and talented. Who wouldn’t be excited to have him, even if he can’t stay healthy?

Of course, Joe knows the Bucs will add bodies at safety, but Joe’s not expecting anyone too exciting in 2012. At some point, the Bucs are going to have to prove they can develop defensive players, and as an organization they’re probably damn eager to do it.

The safety position is scary, but at least Ronde Barber’s around and potentially could move into that role. At linebacker, things are just as scary, if not more, and there is no such potential savior on the roster.

You can watch the NFL Draft at home, or you can let loose your inner football fan in a big way at Joe’s opening night draft party at Pete & Shorty’s in Pinellas Park. Here are 7 reasons to be there:

1) Dream atmosphere for the draft-lover – In addition to the smell of beer and beef in the air, NFL Draft guru Justin “The Commish” Pawlowski will be there breaking down the draft live through most of the party via 1010 AM and the Pete & Shorty’s PA system. You’ll also be able to watch the draft on the stunning TV viewing at Pete & Shorty’s — NFL Network and BSPN. They have it all — indoors and outdoors. You can also get all multimedia with their top-shelf WiFi.

Look for Joe and former Bucs defensive end Steve White to be there and pop-in with The Commish on the air through the night. Joe also will be announcing more special guests associated with your beloved Bucs.

2) Cold affordable beer, full liquor and great meat products – Joe can’t say enough about the pork tenderloin sandwiches and Shorty Burgers and more at Pete & Shorty’s. Pork shank anyone? Yeah, they have salads and veggies for the healthy types.

Bud Light is sponsoring the party and there will be great drink specials flowing. Stay tuned for more on those.

3) Bud Light girls – What’s a party without girls? Even if they’re getting paid to be there and wear naughty yet tasteful outfits.

4) Uninhibited draft fun – While Joe doesn’t endorse mayhem and violence, Joe and Pete & Shorty’s fully expect fans to stand up and cheer, boo, belch, etc. A good Trent Richardson-Morris Claiborne argument or two is sure to break out.

5) Jersey giveaways – There’s probably some communist law that says Joe can’t say what jerseys will be given away, but Joe’s got three good ones to dish out, plus the hard to find 2XL Sabby Piscitelli model. (Goat not included).

6) Easy parking. No need to rush. — All kinds of free, legal overflow parking at Pete & Shorty’s. It’s all common parking areas in the CVS parking lot and plaza next door. Also, Pete & Shorty’s will stay open until midnight, or later if the crowd wants to keep the party going.

7) Joe’s going to be doing it all over again on Saturday (Rounds 4-7) on a somewhat smaller scale.

As an analyst on the NFL Network’s popular Playbook show, former 12-year offensive lineman Brian Baldinger has access to every inch and angle of NFL game film. And he doesn’t like what he sees from Gerald McCoy.

This morning on The Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620, co-host Ian Beckles asked Baldinger how many Bucs games he watched in 2011 and what he thought of the Bucs’ defense. Baldinger replied that he watched every Bucs game and he singled out three players: Adrian Clayborn, DaQuan Bowers and Gerald McCoy.

Clayborn was showered with love by Baldinger as the only defensive standout. But Baldinger said he didn’t think Bowers “knew how to play” and he questioned McCoy’s “consistent effort” and blasted his technique, saying he “plays high” and needs to get his pad level down.

Loyal listeners of Beckles know Baldinger found a welcoming audience with those criticisms of McCoy.

Joe wouldn’t give McCoy poor on-field grades for 2011. However, a player always gets an F when he’s not on the field, and McCoy has find a way to stay healthy. In terms of the Bucs’ Super Bowl aspirations, McCoy is worthless if he can only play half a season every year.

While the press release from the Bucs announcing Tanard Jackson’s release specified Jackson’s contract was “terminated” due to a “failed physical,” it seems there may have been at least one other reason that led the Bucs to part ways with Jackson.

Last week when the team gathered to meet their new coaching staff and to start to learn “The Greg Schiano Way,” Jackson was no where to be found at One Buc Palace.

That’s the word from Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, who spoke with Jackson and Twittered out that Jackson was not in Florida last week while his teammates were.

@RCummingsTrib: Jackson says he didn’t make it to first week of offseason workout program. Also says he wasn’t told that played a part in his release.

In Joe’s eyes, for a law-and-order kind of dude that Schiano is, blowing off the first week of offseason workouts — even if they were voluntary — is pretty much a spit in the eye to Schiano.

For a guy like Jackson, one bong hit away from saying bye-bye to the NFL and who, after his first game back, played horribly, not trying to start off on the right foot with your new coach, well, that is pretty close to insubordination.

Yeah, Jackson said that he was rehabbing his shoulder, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times‘ Twitter feed. OK, Joe gets that. But short of some voodoo potion, what exactly was being done to Jackson’s shoulder in New Orleans that couldn’t have been taken care of at One Buc Palace?