New Bucs linebacker Angelo Crowell sat out all of last season with a knee injury.

The guy is young but experienced, big but banged up.

Linebacker Angelo Crowell was an interesting Bucs signing today, and one that surely can’t hurt given how linebackers Quincy Black, Adam Hayward and Geno Hayes have less experience combined than, well, frankly anybody the Bucs might have signed in free agency.

Crowell also is 27, under the magic 30 number that seems to be a prerequisite set by Raheem The Dream.

In a recent story, the Buffalo News reported Crowell can play weak- and strong-side linebacker.

His Bucs salary is a one-year $3.5 million deal, says the St. Pete Times.

Now the catch is Crowell missed all of last season with a knee injury. Nothing like that to give fans confidence.

Right now Joe is counting on Crowell about as much as he expects Cadillac Williams to contribute in 2009.

Let’s see what he looks like in August.

So desperate are the Bucs for linebackers (thanks to kicking Derrick Brooks and Cato June to the curb) the Bucs are considering moving safety Jermaine Phillips to linebacker.

While Joe isn’t about to throw Bucs general manager Mark Dominik under the bus only a few weeks into his new gig as general manager, it’s becoming more and more obvious that Dominik made a terrible mistake in letting go linebackers Derrick Brooks and Cato June.

Granted, linebacker wasn’t a strength for the Bucs last season. But it wasn’t a gaping weakness either. It sure is now.

Since getting rid of Brooks and June, the Bucs have done nothing in free agency to plug those holes and haven’t made any trades to add depth to the position (as Dominik did at tight end and nearly pulled off at quarterback). So thin are the Bucs at linebacker that the Bucs are talking about moving oft-injured safety Jermaine Phillips to weakside linebacker.

Oddly enough, this information comes from Buccaneers.com.

The Buccaneers are not putting all of their eggs in one basket, of course. The team is still interested in seeing what it has in such in-house linebacker candidates as Quincy Black, Geno Hayes and Adam Hayward, and there remains the possibility of an addition at the position through free agency and the draft. Still, the team-oriented Phillips, who is called “Flip” by most of his fellow Buccaneers, didn’t hesitate to take on this new challenge.

As can be expected since this article is on the Bucs’ website, the story is so full of wildly crazy spin it would make Sean Hannity blush. The article compares Phillips’ moving to linebacker with Shelton Quarles moving from strongside linebacker to middle linebacker.

puh-LEEZE!

Moving from safety to linebacker is another world compared to switching positions at linebacker. Besides, one of the critical elements of playing linebacker is to tackle. Phillips likes to tackle with his arms more than his body which is why he’s always breaking an arm.

Hey Dominik, just do yourself and the team a major favor, swallow your pride, and get Derrick Brooks back to One Buc Palace.

Jay Cutler is practically Superman yet inexplicably some Bucs fans can't see it, writes THE PESSIMIST.

Bucs fans finding fault with a 25-year-old Pro Bowl quaterback who has all the necessary tools to be a champion is like turning away Carmella Garcia because she didn’t shave her legs.

All together now, RIDICULOUS.

Those nitpicking Jay Cutler should be ashamed. How does one become so clueless?

THE PESSIMIST has resurfaced in disbelief that there are Bucs fans who would rather start Luke McCown under center and keep our draft picks, versus giving up a first, second (in 2010) and possibly a third round pick for Cutler. In case you’ve been vacationing on Mars, Cutler is the 25-year-old Pro Bowl stud QB in question.

McCown is an athletic, nice kid with little experience. If he was a good starter in 2009, it would be a nice little story. It might even help Chucky’s legacy. But if McCown was among the bottom two of NFC quarterbacks, absolutely nobody would be surprised. Nobody.

Cutler on the other hand would put on the Bucs jersey and instantly make them playoff contenders, crappy defense or not. And bring an exciting offense to Tampa that has NEVER been here before.

Cutler is a first round pick (2006). So THE PESSIMIST sees no problem giving up one to get him, as well as a No. 2 and No. 3, if that’s what it takes for a young Pro Bowl QB.

Crap, the Bucs traded two first round picks, two second rounders and $8 million for Chucky. And THE PESSIMIST would say now and forever that it was a good move.

We’re talking quarterback here. The most important position on the field.

Cutler’s also is a proven commodity who has battled through Diabetes, and the extreme pressure of playing quarterback in Denver in the post-Elway era. His numbers are nothing less than fantastic.

The Bucs could search another 30 years to land a QB as good as Cutler and still fail to get one. 

Now THE PESSIMIST loves Joe. But to compare Cutler to Jeff George is apples and oranges. George came into a crappy Indianapolis team and didn’t make them better, and threw a ton of interceptions along the way. Cutler has performed in his three seasons. Period.

So Cutler hasn’t handled the Broncos coaching change and the organization-wide poor communication going on in Denver lately (which has been acknowledged by nearly everyone associated with the team.) Big freakin’ deal. He’s 25.

So he wants out. The guy is hardly a cancer.

Google Cutler and search real hard and you’ll find this story of the guy’s generosity to charities. The kind of giving without him looking for any media coverage of the altruism.

But all that really should  matter is that he’s a great quarterback. And the Bucs desperately need one.

 You get what you pay for.

Mike Florio, the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com takes a moment to discuss the steps that led to Denver quarterback Jay Cutler becoming available for a trade.

Though Florio doesn’t mention it, Joe’s convinced part of the reason for Cutler’s erratic behavior is that he didn’t replace the batteries in his blood glucose meter.

Joe just wanted to take a moment to remind you to enjoy the Courtside Grille whenever you can. You’ll get top notch food, awesome TV screens and viewing angles, all the good pay-per-view events and more.

Free $10 gift cards are still available for anyone who subscribes to the exclusive JoeBucsFan.com NFL Draft coverage,  now through May 9.

As Joe posted earlier, SI.com’s Peter King is reporting that the Broncos are not trading disgruntled (and almost-Bucs) quarterback Jay Cutler — “for now,” King has a column this afternoon that documents how the Bucs are one of two teams that “make sense” for Cutler to find a new home.

The Bucs are veterans in the chase for Cutler, having pursued him the day before free-agency began, dangling their first-round pick plus something in a package for Cutler. They also have an offensive scheme under new coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski that resembles the system Mike Shanahan ran in Denver, and a defensive coordinator, Jim Bates, who’s the father of Cutler’s offensive coordinator last year in Denver, Jeremy Bates. Cutler and Jeremy Bates were close, and those close to Cutler believe the Broncos’ decision to not retain Bates is a part of his dissatisfaction.

As the clock ticks, Joe becomes less and less infatuated with Cutler. First, it will take a king’s ransom to secure Cutler, since the Bucs don’t have that many players to offer for Cutler, including no quarterback to speak of (can you imagine the outright guffaws in Denver if Mark Dominik invoked the name “Son of Bob?”).

And if Cutler gets his panties wadded up this bad, *after* he requested a trade, who knows if he would be remotely happy here? There are cheaper and less dangerous alternatives for the Bucs to obtain a quarterback.

[UPDATE: In a podcast today, BSPN’s “The Professor,” John Clayton, claims Cutler can be lured away from the Broncos for a first, second and a third round pick.]

Solomon Wilcots of Sirius NFL Radio suggests the only Bucs player of merit that could be used to lure quarterback Jay Cutler to Tampa Bay would be linebacker Barrett Ruud.

The famous Rolling Stones song serving as the title of this post accurately describes the Bucs in the case of trying to land Denver quarterback Jay Cutler.

That’s because, in the words of a pair of co-hosts on Sirius NFL Radio, the Bucs have nothing to offer Denver.

Fielding a call from a Bucs fan in Tampa, Adam Schein and Solomon Wilcots, co-hosts of “The Blitz,” (Justin, you really have to call Roger Goodell about this) didn’t think disgruntled Broncos quarterback and (a few days ago) almost-Bucs quarterback Cutler would ever be traded to Tampa Bay.

When asked if the Bucs were still interested in Cutler, Schein had no reservations.

“Tampa has interest. They should have interest,” Schein said. “But if [Denver] wants picks-plus… are there players that could interest Denver?

“The Jets, the Browns, the Panthers all have players to offer. If you are the Bucs, do you offer Gaines Adams? If you are Denver, you are on the losing end of the deal.”

Wilcots agreed that the Bucs have few if any players to offer Denver for Cutler unless the Broncos want strictly draft picks.

“I’m trying to find out what the Bucs have to offer and I’m still looking,” Wilcots said. “They’re not going to trade Barrett Ruud.”

This week Wes Bunting of NationalFootballPost.com has the Bucs selecting Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry in the first round.

Wes Bunting’s weekly mock draft is up at NationalFootballPost.com, and this week he has the Bucs selecting Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry with the 19th pick.

Jerry is an explosive, penetrating tackle who would be an ideal fit in the Buccaneers’ one-gap scheme. He plays with a motor that runs non-stop and should be an instant upgrade inside.

Joe has found video of Jerry that can be seen by clicking here.

Georgia Tech defensive end Michael Johnson looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane, says NFL Draft guru Justin Pawlowski. Enjoy Pawlowski's daily draft coverage exclusively here at JoeBucsFan.com

Hey, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Grab some ice cold refreshment and kick back for Justin Pawlowski’s daily podcast.

Today it’s on the house.

Subscribers to NFL Draft coverage at JoeBucsFan.com are treated to daily audio from Pawlowski and the best written breakdowns on the planet.

Check them out here and subscribe today.

Reports have the Broncos seeking a viable replacement for Cutler

If Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post truly has the pulse of the Broncos’ front office, the Bucs can forget about trading for disgruntled Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.

Despite nearly getting Cutler in a three-way deal from the Broncos at the end of February, Jones suggests indirectly the Bucs won’t be able to get Cutler now that he has asked for a trade.

Speaking on Sirius NFL Radio’s “The Opening Drive” with Bob Papa, Randy Cross and Peter King Tuesday morning, Jones admitted “it doesn’t look like there will be a happy ending” to the hurt feelings between the Broncos and Cutler.

But Jones noted that if the Broncos do deal Cutler, ‘they’ll want more than draft picks. They’ll want a viable alternative at quarterback,” Jones said.

Let’s see: Joe is looking at the Bucs stable of quarterbacks, and unless the Broncos consider Luke McCown a “viable alternative,” the Bucs don’t have anything to offer Denver. Son of Bob clearly isn’t a viable alternative. Hell, he’s not even a viable alternative as a beer vendor. Josh Johnson is still considered a project.

So unless the Bucs pull a three-way trade (with Cleveland or Arizona possibly?), provided Jones is to be believed, Cutler doesn’t look like he will be buying any real estate in the Tampa Bay area in the immediate future.

[UPDATE, 10:57 a.m.: King claims emphatically that the Broncos are not entertaining any offers for Cutler.]

Joe would love for the Bucs to pick up a defensive tackle at No. 19 who turns out to be as productive as Casey Hampton.

Joe has already heard many people suggest the Bucs are not in an enviable position in the draft picking at No. 19 in the first round. But as Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times points out, recent history suggests otherwise.

In the past nine drafts Stroud documents, only two players selected at No. 19 have turned out to be stiffs.

•2008: Carolina T Jeff Otah, started at right tackle as a rookie.

•2007: Tennessee S Michael Griffin, seven interceptions last season, tied for second in the league.

•2006: San Diego CB Antonio Cromartie, named to the Pro Bowl in ’07.

•2005: St. Louis T Alex Barron, four-year starter.

•2004: Miami G Vernon Carey, five-year starter at left and right tackles.

•2003: Baltimore QB Kyle Boller, 42 career starts; spent ’08 on injured reserve.

•2002: Denver WR Ashley Lelie, bounced around to four teams.

•2001: Pittsburgh DT Casey Hampton, four Pro Bowls.

•2000: Seattle RB Shaun Alexander, three Pro Bowls, league MVP in ’05.

The only two dogs Joe sees in that list are Boller and Lelie. If this is a trend, Joe very much is looking forward to what lies ahead for the Bucs’ first round pick.

Joe has obtained classified video of the scene at One Buc Palace yesterday when Bucs officials learned Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler asked for a trade. The mood was so giddy, Mark Dominik called for an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration and even lured in a Bucs cheerleader.

Hope everyone gets to enjoy some corned beef and an adult beverage today.

As WQYK-AM 1010's Mike Pepper suggested Monday, Joe is concerned Jay Cutler may be the reincarnation of Jeff George.

As Joe is wont to do, he will bounce around local sports radio stations in the afternoon. Yesterday, Joe heard Mike Pepper — who was substituting for the vacationing J.P. Peterson on WQYK-AM 1010 — make the comparison between almost-Bucs quarterback and currently disgruntled Denver Broncos QB Jay Cutler and notorious headcase Jeff George.

George was a gifted quarterback but something less than a leader who always seemed to wear out his welcome wherever he played.

As one NFL scout famously said of George, “from the shoulders down he was a great quarterback.”

Joe looked up the stats:

In George’s first three years after being the first overall draft pick by Indianapolis in 1990, George had 7,025 yards passing, completing 640 passes on 1,125 attempts with 33 touchdowns and 40 interceptions.

In Cutler’s first three seasons with Denver, he has racked up 9,024 yards, completing 762 passes on 1,220 attempts with 54 touchdowns against 37 interceptions.

Would Joe like to have Cutler as the Bucs quarterback? Sure. But Joe has  reservations.

Joe is concerned Cutler is creating a reputation for himself as a crybaby if not someone who has a short fuse. If the Bucs give up a pricey sum, which Denver likely wants for him, who is to say Cutler will be happy with Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski?

Rather than take such a gamble on Cutler, Joe is still of the mind it would be a much lesser risk to trade a third round pick to Arizona for Matt Leinart. It’s also a suggestion the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig floated in previous weeks.

Sure, Leinart has his drawbacks too. Some suggest his heart isn’t in the game (as opposed to Cutler whose head may not be in the game).

For Cutler’s sake, Joe hopes he doesn’t turn into the next George, who Norman Chad, while mocking fantansy football, once wrote, “Only in fantasy football would you actually want Jeff George.”

As Joe will point out in a post a bit later this morning in slightly more detail, though he would like to see Jay Cutler in a Bucs uniform, Joe is developing some reservations.

Joe isn’t the only Joe starting to think twice about the prospect of Cutler barking signals for the Bucs. So too is Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune.

In short, Henderson is beginning to think of Cutler as a child who is in dire need of a nap.

Cutler is a young, seriously talented quarterback with big-game experience, but he hasn’t exactly distinguished himself in the last few weeks. You can be initially upset that your team tried to trade you, but at some point you have to take your thumb out of your mouth and get over it.

Repeat after me: The NFL is a business!

If Cutler is acting like this now, who can say for sure how’d he be here?

As Peter King of SI.com has pointed out, Cutler initially asked for a trade when Broncos owner Pat Bowlen had a housecleaning of the coaching staff. Then Cutler gets mad because he was damned near traded to the Bucs.

What gives? Either you wanted a trade or not Cutler. Don’t blame the Broncos for trying to swap you when you asked for a move.

Looks like Jim Bates will need to work miracles in 2009

Joe ponders what’s going through the mind of defensive coordinator Jim Bates.

The poor old guy must be wondering if he’s been set up. Perhaps a victim of one of those senior citizen scams that circulates through Florida every year.

Bates took over a Bucs defense that saw an epic collapse in the final month of the 2008 season. Since then he’s lost starters Jovan Haye, Derrick Brooks, Cato June and Phillip Buchanon. The lone addition was Broncos free agent linebacker Niko Koutouvides, uh, a quality special teams player.

The Bucs also ditched their 2009 second round pick for tight end Sgt. 3rd Class Kellen Winslow. And now surely the Bucs will try to trade their first round pick and more to land Jay Cutler from Denver. 

Joe feels for you, Jim.

If the Cutler deal goes through, Bates will be left with a defensive line absent the run-stuffing tackle he covets (and apparently needs for his scheme) and little chance to get him in the draft. Maybe, if he’s lucky, Auburn’s Sen’Derrick Marks is there in the third round.

And the linebacking corps remains thin and inexperienced. How much can anyone really expect from Geno Hayes and Adam Hayward, both sixth round picks in 2007. Quincy Black?  Maybe. The Bucs also are thin at cornerback.

When Bates took over the Broncos’ defense in 2007, he had a huge hand in their draft, reported the Denver Post, picking three defensive linemen in the first four rounds: Jarvis Moss (first), Tim Crowder (second) and Marcus Thomas (fourth). Moss was a major bust and the other two aren’t quality starters.

That year in Denver he also brought in aging stud tackle Sam Adams, who didn’t pan out. Simeon Rice was a flop. too.

Bottom line: In Denver Bates choked on putting together a defensive line. And this time around with the Bucs he’ll probably only get one or two low round picks to help the Bucs’ failed D-line from last year, a bunch too undersized to pull off Bates’ scheme.

Joe is surely pulling for Jay Cutler to come to Tampa. But if that happens, Bates is going to need a bailout rivaling General Motors.

A good start would be bringing back Derrick Brooks and maybe June. Bates probably would be the first guy to hug them at One Buc Palace.

Steve Wyche of NFL.com expects Bucs wide receiver Antonio Bryant to be a key cog in a "rebound" in 2009.

Joe is of the impression that the Bucs defense, unless it is well-stocked in the draft and the rookies have a fabulous year, will be mediocre at best.

As much spin as Mark Dominik and Raheem the Dream will attempt, the linebacker corps will dearly miss Derrick Brooks.

While the offense may be better, Joe isn’t optimistic the Bucs will have a good year in 2009.
  
But not every football scribe subscribes to this theory. Steve Wyche of NFL.com suggests the Bucs will be one of five teams to have a successful rebound next year.

Wyche believes the Bucs revamped offense will carry the team.

The Bucs’ quarterback situation is a huge question mark, as Luke McCown looks to be the heir to Garcia at quarterback. However, adding free-agent running back Derrick Ward to complement Earnest Graham gives Tampa Bay a nice tandem. The team isn’t counting on Cadillac Williams to come back from another knee surgery anytime soon.

Though Joe would love to see the Bucs “rebound,” Joe has to ask himself how a 9-7 team can “rebound” unless it has a losing season? Merriam-Webster defines rebound as “to recover from setback or frustration.”

So is Wyche hinting at the Bucs in the playoffs?

Almost-Bucs quarterback Jay Cutler isn't the most popular person in the Mile High City.

God forbid Joe ever links to anything about Dan Patrick but Joe’s doing that today.

And Joe sincerely apologizes to his loyal readers for stooping to such a level.

Let Joe be upfront: He thinks Patrick is an egomaniacal empty-head who uses too much mousse. Patrick is a  guy who wants people to pay attention to him but, unlike, say, Bob Costas or Al Michaels, brings nothing to the table to warrant any attention.

Patrick is a guy who was carried for years by Keith Olbermann and Rob Dibble and, best as Joe can tell, has men recite their measurements (followed by a bell ring) on the radio for the highlights of his lame radio show.

Men giving their measurements? Men! Can you imagine?

Boy, with talent and stiff competition like that, Joe can understand why Howard Stern and Chris Russo were chased to satellite radio.

With sincere apologies to Joe’s friends at WQYK-AM 1010, executives at CBS Radio should be embarrassed to have shoved Bobby Fenton off the air to make room for Patrick’s wasteland of a radio show.

At any rate, apparently Patrick had Denver TV analyst Scott Hastings on his show and it appears Hastings and almost-Bucs and current (for now) Denver quarterback Jay Cutler aren’t exactly drinking friends. In fact, Hastings unloaded on Cutler, per quotes listed on Patrick’s page on SI.com.

Jay Cutler lost Hastings’ respect when he claimed his arm is stronger than John Elway’s. This was just a stupid thing to say because Elway is a legend in Denver so saying something like that just angers the fanbase. He calls Cutler an “arrogant little punk” and should wake up to the reality that he’s the QB of an NFL football team and should act like a leader. He also referred to Cutler as a “little bitch.”

The only qualm Joe has about Cutler is he acts so much like a big baby about things, and Joe had this opinion of Cutler long before his current problems with the Broncos.

Maybe Cutler needs some new meds for his diabetes to better control his blood sugar which affects his mood swings?

Now Joe needs to take a shower for linking anything to Dull Patrick. Joe might also need a new keyboard too. There’s mousse all over it.

Is Malcolm Jenkins another Tanard Jackson?

In today’s “Rough Draft,” NFL draft maven Justin Pawlowski takes an in-depth look at three Ohio State Buckeyes hoping to go in the first round.

Check out all the exclusive JoeBucsFan.com draft coverage right here. Fresh podcasts, position-by-position breakdowns, mock drafts and more.

Don’t forget to e-mail Justin your draft questions and comments, justinpawlowski@620wdae.com ,  he’ll answer them on Wednesdays.

{+++}

Where else would Luke McCown compete for the starting job?

The Bucs quarterback bailout plan is now in overdrive; Jay Cutler has asked for a trade reports the Denver Post.

Joe has thought a lot about something he heard on sports radio this weekend.

Justin Pawlowski, host of the Blitz on The Sports Animal,  posed the rhetorical question, “On what other team would Luke McCown be a starting quarterback?”

Sadly, that’s a tough question.

Maybe he competes with the Vikings and Jets?  Joe wonders if McCown would be part of a trade for Cutler.

Why is Joe the only local reporting that Boston College run-stuffer Ron Brace will work out for the Bucs?

Joe is throwing up this reminder about Boston College defensive tackle Ron Brace working out for the Bucs on April 2.

Joe reported this on Saturday, but it’s Monday afternoon and the local media has ignored the Associated Press report out of Boston.

Here’s a small nugget on Brace from draft guru Justin Pawlowski, of The Sports Animal, who writes much more about him in his daily draft analysis here at JoeBucsFan.com.

Impact on the Bucs roster:  Jim Bates has always had defensive tackles that are big and take up multiple blockers. Brace fits that mold. Conditioning shouldn’t be a problem if the Bucs are truly going to run a rotation with their defensive tackles in the middle. Brace would finally be a physical presence in the middle of the Bucs defensive line. Do you take Brace with the 19th pick? He won’t last to the Bucs next pick in the 3rd round. By the way, does anyone know who Brace’s head coach was last year at Boston College? Yep, it was new Bucs offensive coordinator, Jeff Jagodzinski. Hmmm.

Learn everything you could possibly want to know about Brace and 10 other potential Bucs defensive linemen in the NFL Draft section of JoeBucsFan.com.

Mike Florio, the curator, creator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com has a recent video segment where he discusses the top free agents still looking for work.

Florio briefly discusses the potential future of former Bucs great Derrick Brooks. Joe doesn’t want to spoil the video for you, but it’s a theory Joe has strongly advocated.

How does Jay Cutler factor in with this latest version of "Bucs Arithmetic?"

Good morning, Bucs fans, it’s time for one of Joe’s favorite games: “Bucs Arithmetic.” You too can play along this morning in today’s segment.

Joe has documented how almost-Bucs quarterback Jay Cutler is doing everything short of taking a dump Josh McDaniels’ computer to get out of Denver. Even before McDaniels arrived in Denver Cutler was irritated, per SI.com’s Peter King, over Broncos owner Pat Bowlen’s coaching moves in the offseason.

McDaniels, per King, was giddy about working with Cutler but something happened at the NFL combine to change his mind.

OK, Bucs fans, get out your pencils and calculators, here comes… Bucs Arithmetic!

McDaniels said he was not considering trading Cutler until he was contacted “by two teams” at the Scouting Combine. They were pie-in-the-sky inquiries, though, and he didn’t consider anything seriously, he said, until the day before the Feb. 27 beginning of free-agency, when he got a serious proposal for Cutler.

Tell Joe, based on your math skills, who might one of those two teams been?

As always, thanks for playing “Bucs Arithmetic.”