Joe’s not crying about this widely expected move announced by the Buccaneers: center/captain/entrepreneur Jeff Faine has been released.

Faine was scheduled to make gobs of money in 2012, and clearly he was not going to be a starter once manbeast guard Carl Nicks was signed and Jeremy Zuttah was given starter’s money in a longterm deal.

Faine just wasn’t that good, nor was he versatile enough for the Bucs to want to restructure his contract to have him stick around as a reserve.

Joe always appreciated Faine’s candid interviews. He was one of the more interesting and insightful Buccaneers in years. Though Joe thought Faine was a collossal ass for his stances during the lockout: that players would be eating Saltines and anchovies, and that his presence was meaningless at voluntary offseason informal workouts led by Josh Freeman.

Good luck, Faine. Joe suspects there won’t be much demand for his services, if he’s only looking to be a starter.

 Fresh off writing a few fat contracts, Mark Dominik’s rockstar status was back in full swing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today. Dominik was a guest of The Blitz, with co-hosts Adam Schein and Rich Gannon, following the news conference introducing Vincent Jackson, Eric Wright and Carl Nicks. The often-barb-throwing Schein even called Dominik “an outstanding general manager.” Of course, Joe took notes.

Dominik called this year “an opportunity market” given the rare quality of free agents, in part because many players after the lockout signed one-year deals.

Dominik emphasized Jackson’s role in the development of young receivers, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Dezmon Briscoe and Preston Parker. For those who want to read between lines, Dominik did not mention Sammie Stroughter. Is he odd man out?

Dominik said research on free agents encompasses everything from college days to media interviews, plus what you can find on “Tweets” and “blogs.”

Concerned about all the change around Josh Freeman in his short career? Dominik says Josh Freeman’s intelligence will overcome any issues with a new system. Dominik says Freeman already is in meetings with Mike Sullivan going over terminology.

Why Nicks? Dominik says “we got tired of playing against Carl Nicks. He’s a great football player, a two-time Pro Bowler.” Dominik reiterated that a talent like Nicks rarely hits the free agent market. When talking about the 2012 offensive line, Dominik made no mention of Jeff Faine, only Jeremy Trueblood, Donald Penn, Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah.

On Wright, Dominik said “what I like so much about Eric is he’s willing to tackle and he has great ball skills.” 

On Ronde Barber: “He’s earned the right to be on his time,” Dominik said of Barber’s decision-making timetable. Dominik said Barber is welcome and the Bucs are in no hurry for his decision.

Two things struck Joe about the introduction of Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright as new Bucs players Wednesday:

Both rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and Jackson couldn’t stop smiling.

Dominik sat to his far right at the table. Whenever Jackson spoke, Dominik beamed liked a proud father. That could be because it was Jackson’s signing which opened the door for Wright and Nicks.

When Nicks learned of Jackson’s signing, he admitted it meant the Bucs were serious in trying to turn around the recent (mis)fortunes of the team.

Wright, who Dominik courted last offseason as a free agent, also confessed it helped motivate him to sign. A midnight ride to Tampa to sign his contract and meet his new teammates and the Tampa Bay press aboard a private jet, courtesy of Team Glazer, didn’t dissuade him from signing either.

The barrel-chested Nicks stated he had a nice offer to return to the Saints but the Jackson contract made him stop and think.

In short, Dominik’s sale pitch with Nicks and Wright worked. A thick check from Team Glazer helped.

But it was Jackson’s signature on a Bucs contract that indirectly landed Nicks and Wright.

The Bucs landed three huge fish in free agency over the past 24 hours, and rockstar general manager Mark Dominik seemed to imply that the big-game hunting is over.

Asked about what might be next in free agency for the Bucs to close the introductory news conference of Eric Wright, Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks, Dominik said, “as an organization, our eye is toward the NFL Draft.”

Of course, the Bucs will sign more free agents to fill the roster and add depth, and Dominik’s comment could be a bit of a negotiating ploy with other agents in players.

But Dominik could very seriously be closing the vault on landing bigger free agent names, which would make some fans cry. Hell, the Bucs just added about 25 million in payroll for next year. So that wouldn’t be a huge surpise.

Dominik didn’t dismiss that other players could be signed but added, “We are just about at the tail end” of chasing after players.

Dominik said that the new addition to the foundation — Jackson, Nicks and Wright –would likely be it until the draft.

Dominik also stated that the signing of Wright has zero bearing on whether Ronde Barber returns.

“All [Wright’s signing] means is that Ronde will have a new teammate if he decides to come back,” Dominik said.

Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano opened the news conference at One Buc Palace today and emphasized that all three new free-agent signings, Vincent Jackson, Eric Wright and Carl Nicks, were “desperately” wanted by their previous teams.

Dominik said last year was not the time to strike big in free agency, largely because proven, highly desired guys like Wright, Nicks and Jackson were not available. Dominik later said the Bucs negotiated with Wright last year as a free agent but lost him to Detroit.

Vincent Jackson spoke first and slapped Greg Schiano on the back (Schiano was alongside him) and said coach was there to pick him up at the airport at 4 a.m. and that says a lot. Jackson said the “family” atmosphere at the Bucs is obvious. Asked why he came to Tampa, Jackson never mentioned money, only excitement about playing for Schiano. Jackson said the Bucs were “very aggressive” about getting him and he had other offers.

Jackson said the Bucs’ 4-12 record is ancient history and the 2012 team will be different and the rebuilding mentality is all perspective that he doesn’t share. Jackson said he’ll work hard on being a complete receiver and he can do it all, not just the deep ball.

Eric Wright also talked about family and seemed impressed by Team Glazer flying him to Tampa on a private jet. Wright said he got great endorsements from fellow NFL players about playing for the Bucs. Wright emphasized his versatility as a cornerback that can play all positions. (Gasp!) Wright even talked about winning a Super Bowl, and he took a roundabout playful shot at the “yungry” term saying this Bucs team really is hungry and added he meant no disrespect to Raheem Morris.

Wright said last year was a real solid season for him, “and I think I was able to put together both” getting the ball and good tackling. He said he thought he responded well to a new style of defense in Detroit. Wright said 2009, in Cleveland, might have been his best season.

Carl Nicks said Schiano got him “really fired up” when they spoke and Nicks emphasized how much he loves to run the football. Nicks said he saw on his cell phone that the Bucs signed Vincent Jackson and that let him know the Bucs were serious and crafting something special. Nicks said he looks forward to doing to the Saints what he used to do to the Bucs. Nicks said BountyGate was no factor in his decision.

Nicks said coming to a real running team in the Bucs is exciting and a lure. “Here it’s a little different,” Nicks said, after calling the Saints a total pass-happy team. Nicks talked about his joy in “mauling people.”

‘That’s how I live,” Nicks said.

Schiano said “we’re going to punish” people in the running game. Schiano also said he’s not afraid to stick to an offensive gameplan and punting is OK sometimes when you’re going to throw a tough defense on the field.

Dominik called landing all three players a tremendous team effort from his staff and the preparation required to successfully be ready to court and sign top talent to “three big deals.” Illustrating the growing presence of social media, Dominik referenced the uncertainty running through him when Nicks recently Tweeted that he had an offer from the Saints.

Did the Bucs overpay?

SiriusXM NFL Radio just spit out contract terms for new Bucs cornerback Eric Wright signed this morning. He locked up a five-year deal worth $37.5 million, with $15.5 million guaranteed.

Not too shabby for a guy that never made a Pro Bowl. That’s some damn good incentive for Aqib Talib to stay out of trouble — if he can stay out of jail. Is Wright even better than Talib, or Ronde Barber?

Remember, the Lions tried to retain Wright but couldn’t afford it. So Joe’s not saying the Bucs didn’t grab a strong cornerback here.

Damn the Bucs are throwing around cash.

The spending spree for Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik continues with the Carl Nicks signing and Joe has heard rumblings about yet another signing that could be announced soon.

This latest signing should get a reaction out of Bucs fans.

Stephen Tulloch? Not yet.

Curtis Lofton? Um, not now.

Try Dan Orlovsky.

The journeyman backup quarterback is rumored to be in talks with the Bucs and Joe’s source has confirmed Dominik and Orlovsky’s people are in discussions, but nothing is imminent.

In his quest to upgrade the roster of the Bucs, one position apparently targeted by Dominik is backup quarterback. Now Joe thinks Josh Johnson is a cool guy, a smart guy, but he too is a free agent. And let’s be honest, Johnson, in his five career starts, is still looking for his first win. In none of the his starts did Johnson strike confidence that he could rack up a victory.

Even if Orlovsky found the back goal line tricky once upon a time, he has at least won a couple of games as a starter.

Joe wonders how cheap David Carr can be had?

If the Bucs don’t have the best offensive line next year, Tampa Bay should have the most expensive.

The Bucs didn’t let Carl Nicks out of their grasp once he touched down at Tampa International Airport late last night and got their new left guard.

Nicks, per SiriusXM NFL Radio and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, will sign his contract with the Bucs today, once doctors give the thumbs-up on his physical this morning.

Beware the rubber glove, man.

On one hand Joe is sort of excited because the Bucs, barring injuries, should have zero excuse for not using their running backs. On the other hand, Nicks is a luxury. It wasn’t like the Bucs had a terrible offensive line last year.

The Bucs sorely need linebacker help, specifically in the middle. Now that Jeremy Zuttah will move to center and Jeff Faine’s contract will go bye-bye, could that money be used to lure a Curtis Lofton or a Stephen Tulloch to One Buc Place?

Surely, unless he restructures his contract, Faine has played his last snap for the Bucs.

SiriusXM NFL Radio is reporting Nicks will be the highest paid guard in the NFL in both guaranteed money and average cash per year. BSPN says it’s a five-year, $47.5 million deal. Co-host of The Opening Drive, former NFL defensive back Solomon Wilcots, believes the Bucs have evaluated their team and detertmined they can best help their porous defense by crafting a dominating running game.

Wilcots and Ross Tucker believe the table is now set to draft Trent Richardson.

For those unfamiliar with Nicks’ measurements, he checks in at 6-5, 343 pounds, complete with “sweet feet,” as the NFL Radio analysts have been raving about all month.

When Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik landed a top-flight wide receiver seconds after the gun sounded opening the free agent frenzy, Bucs fans were almost giddy in unison over the first solid wide receiver aquisition since Chucky’s days.

But the signing of Vincent Jackson brought to mind not a celebration for Joey Johnston of the Tampa Tribune, but perhaps the worst moment in Bucs history.

@JJohnstonTrib: For 2nd time, Bucs acquired guy named Vincent Jackson. First time was 1986. 1st overall pick. Went by his nickname – “Bo”

Yup. That would be Bo Jackson. The worst moment in Bucs history was when then miserly owner Hugh Culverhouse (and Bucs fans call Team Glazer “cheap,” ha!) wouldn’t re-sign Doug Williams; the freefall was quick and swift.

Four years later Jackson, a true beast of a running back, stood up Culverhouse, as if Jackson was Tuna Parcells himself.

It took the Bucs a full decade to recover from that debacle.

So please, for Joe’s sake, don’t call Vincent Jackson “Bo.” Please.

It’s inevitable that blubbering media types soon will float the ridiculous notion that Raheem Morris got screwed by the Bucs because they didn’t buy him Grade A free agents last year while Greg Schiano now has his bosses waving fists of cash around like an old man with a fat money clip at a strip joint.  

Yeah, Raheem really took it on the chin. Give Joe a break.

Raheem’s beloved players tuned him out and hung him out to dry. He proved to be a historically lousy defensive coordinator on top of that. The man also was consistently outcoached last season.

Sure, Raheem could have used free agent help. But Raheem didn’t need that to win six or seven games and save his job.

Just like his predecessor, Greg Schiano surely will be shown the door if he can’t compile respectable results after three seasons. This year’s free agent signings are meaningless without the Ws, and those need to come quickly. Yes, Joe falls into the camp that believes Raheem Morris had talent to work with, at least enough to win a few more games last year and not get seal-clubbed repeatedly to end the 2011 season.

Schiano, too, will have plenty of talented players. Now all he has to do is coach.

Joe hasn’t even swallowed his massive cup of java yet this morning and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is already at it and the sun hasn’t risen yet!

Per Adam Schefter of BSPN, the Bucs got their cornerback, Lions defensive back Eric Wright.

@AdamSchefter: First deal of day is in: CB Eric Wright reached agreement with Tampa Bay, signing deal today.

Joe stands up and offers a standing ovation. The Bucs have a cornerback, which along with linebacker was sorely needed. For those wondering, yes, the Lions tried to re-sign Wright. He wasn’t a castoff.

Now if the Bucs grab Morris Claiborne in the draft, a responsible pick, the Bucs will have a stout secondary.

Sometimes, myths take on a life of their own.

Joe always found it amusing if not bewildering when Bucs fans would claim Team Glazer was cheap.

First, Joe knows cheap. He watched Bill Bidwill work his penny-pinching up close and very personal. Team Glazer is not Bidwill.

Second, Joe has yet to meet or learn of anyone who literally pays a couple of fellows (Chucky and Bruce Almighty, specifically) a lump sum of $20 million total to fish and play golf for a living.

Friends, that is not cheap. Not what Joe calls cheap.

So now, after fans all but stated they would storm One Buc Palace and “riot” for Team Glazer not playing Danny Snyder and run after free agents with an open checkbook, Team Glazer spoke before the local pen and mic club on the day Raheem Morris was jettisoned that money would not be an object when rebuilding the Bucs. These same Bucs fans, along with a couple of radio folks, stood by the same tired line that Team Glazer was cheap and Bucs rock star general manager was nothing more than a bag man for Team Glazer.

Well, Joe asks these same folks, now that Dominik coughed up the most cash for one player Wednesday, and seems to be on the verge of landing Carl Nicks among other players, how do you like Team Glazer and Dominik now that he has deviated from his goal of relying on the draft for building the team like the Packers and Steelers?

Yesterday, media outlets all across the country reported the professional demise of Dan Sileo, the former morning drive host on WDAE-AM 620 for many years.

Sileo, who briefly played for the Buccaneers, was fired from WDAE after referring on Monday to three potential Bucs free agents as “monkeys.”  The players in question are black.

Nobody who listened to Sileo should have been surprised by the comment, which is widely considered a racist insult. Sileo often said stupid things and often danced on a line of ethnic and racial commentary that many considered offensive.

Frankly, as a Bucs fan, Joe’s glad Sileo got canned swiftly. Joe can only imagine how a potential Bucs free agent might have reacted seeing headlines of Sileo’s “monkey” remarks and knowing that Sileo was still employed by the Bucs’ flagship radio station. Joe has to think, for some free agents, that could have been a red flag for coming to Tampa Bay.

Joe never had anything personal against Dan Sileo and off the air he seemed like a likeable fellow. That stated, no one for so many years has tortured local sports fans via a blowtorch’s airwaves like Sileo did in the mornings.

His inaccurate boasts were as legendary as they were pathetic. His obvious boredom talking about local teams as opposed to teams he grew up with in the northeast was more than irritating. His disdain for listeners was appalling. Whether it was his lies about his resume, both on and off the field, his penchant for not watching games, or brazenly manufacturing complete and utter fiction, most notably two years ago concerning Team Glazer – a significant business partner with Sileo’s ex-employer Clear Channel Radio, no less – Sileo had long, long ago overstayed his welcome.

Joe must confess: Years ago, the vapid morning wasteland on sports radio in the Tampa Bay market chased Joe to SiriusXM. Now hooked on the wide variety and number of options of top tier talent on satellite, Joe knows just from the feedback he gets from readers he is hardly the only one who threw in the towel on local morning drive time sports radio in recent years for SiriusXM.

Clear Channel now has an opportunity, and available talent, to regain that lost audience, whether it be Bobby Fenton or Steve White, or even Joe, to give local sports fans a fresh, welcome voice to wake up to, and tune in to weekday mornings.

Joe trusts that the powers that be at Clear Channel will make the most of this long-awaited window of opportunity. After all, it was the public’s airwaves Sileo abused to a pulp, not Clear Channel’s. Let’s hope Clear Channel regains the public’s trust.

It’s past midnight Tuesday night as Joe is typing this post. And wow, what a wrong day for Joe to upgrade from an obsolete Blackberry to a brand, spanking new Droid Razr Maxx (Joe wanted an iPhone but Verizon offered a much better deal on 4G phones).

When the gun sounded marking the opening of free agency, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik wasn’t wasting time, locking up wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

Now Joe knows from Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, via Saints offensive guard Carl Nicks’ agent, that Nicks landed in Tampa just moments ago. Imagine Dominik and new coach Greg Sciano sitting down to a table full of wings at Hooters to talk football and (hopefully) sign a pact, the same kind of sales pitch Chucky used to land Ken Dilger in what seems like a lifetime ago.

The way players are being signed in the wee hours of the morning, Joe wouldn’t be surprised if Nicks is a Bucs player before the sun rises this morning.

Now is the time to worry about the defense. There are still good linebackers are there for the taking. There are scant corners.

If the Bucs offense struggles next year provided Nicks joins the team, there will be no excuses with so many Benjamins invested in the line and a clear No. 1 wideout to stretch the field.

Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network suggested the Bucs may have to settle for Eric Wright if Mark Dominik plans on beefing up the Bucs cornerback position.

With the prospect of the Bucs starting the season down and/or out their four starters in the secondary from last year — not that last year’s starters reminded people of the Raiders secondary of the early 1980s — on paper what the Bucs could be looking at minus Ronde Barber, Cody Grimm, Aqib Talib and Sean Jones (who is not expected to return), well, Joe has seen chickenwire hold back water better.

Many Bucs fans were hoping Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik would land Cortland Finnegan, but he went to St. Louis.

Then there was the possibility of getting Carlos Rogers, who decided to stay with San Francisco.

Earlier this evening, BSPN reported Dallass, Kansas City and San Francisco were fighting over Brandon Carr. The Bucs were not mentioned.

So, as Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network suggested tonight, the cornerback-poor Bucs are likely left with Detroit’s Eric Wright for a solid starter if Dominik is still going to roll the free agency dice tonight.

Right now the pickings are slim at cornerback. Lombardi likened the rush of certain position players to a run on a position that goes on during the draft.

Joe hopes Dominik is leaving no rocks unturned in coming up with a corner. Soon.

Vincent Jackson can stretch the field with the best of them, and maybe, just maybe, he can get Bucs fans to stretch their entertainment dollars and gobble up Bucs tickets again.

We’re going to find out.

The 29-year-old Jackson — and his 17.5 yards per catch career average and three 1,000-yard seasons — is now a Buccaneer. It’s official.

Yeah, Jackson, has two drunk driving issues in his past, plus two years ago he was cruising around with expired tags and no license. Joe can hardly call these meaningless, but perhaps the Bucs can demand he use a Paradise Worldwide Transportation limo at all times?

So he’s not a model citizen, but he’s no sleazy Jerramy Stevens. Just catch the damn ball and stay healthy.

Joe’s most fired up for this signing because Jackson changes the entire Bucs offense and truly opens it up. Hopefully, first-time offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan knows what the hell he’s doing. The Bucs now have a very strong receiving corps. Put Mike Williams’ first two seasons in the NFL against the backdrop of league history, and they look pretty damn good. The guy is a mad talent who should thrive without defenses rolling coverages his way as a No. 1 receiver — and with an offensive coordinator that understands his strengths.

Joe’s raising an icy cold one for the Vincent Jackson signing.

Update 8:39 p.m.: BSPN authority Adam Schefter is reporting Jackson will get $26 million guaranteed as part of a five-year, $55 million deal.

Joe is wondering how rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and Team Glazer reportedly are ironing out gargantuan contract details with No. 1 wide receiver Vincent Jackson — a guy they haven’t even shook hands with yet at One Buc Palace.

It just seems like an extraordinary leap of faith for a front office that has largely shunned free agency in recent years. Joel Glazer even said a few years ago that relying on free agency can lead a team down a “dark path.” Now the Bucs are considering granting Jackson what’s got to be $30 million of guaranteed money before they really get to know him.

So Joe must consider how the Bucs have been doing their homework/investigation on Jackson over the past few months. And that brings Joe to Marty Schottenheimer interviewing for the Bucs head coaching job.

Did the Bucs really give old man Chokenheimer and the rest of the dead coaches society they interviewed a legitimate shot at the head coaching job? Nobody knows for sure, but it was widely speculated that the Bucs smartly were just bringing these guys in to soak up their vast knowledge of league players and coaches.

Schottenheimer, who Dominik worked with under in Kansas City years ago, drafted Vincent Jackson and was his coach during his first two seasons in San Diego. Surely Schottenheimer could share quite a bit about Jackson and could point the Bucs where they needed to go to find more information.

Joe has to think Schottenheimer helped make the Bucs brass comfortable about Jackson. Yeah, it’s just Joe speculating. But it seems a lot more plausible than the Bucs waving money at a guy they don’t really know, especially given some of the legal troubles in Jackson’s past.

UPDATE 6:22 p.m: Joe has reached out to a trusted source and there is no timetable available on Nicks’ visit. Could be tomorrow. Could be later in the week.

It seems the Bucs have won a small, early victory in the Battle of Carl Nicks.

The former Saints All-Pro guard will visit One Buc Palace, per Stephen Holder of the Tampa Bay Times, via Twitter.

@HolderStephen: Confirmed: Carl Nicks has scheduled a visit to Tampa Bay. Bucs definitely in the thick of it.

Now that we know Nicks will arrive at One Buc Palace, Dominik and his henchmen need to do one thing and one thing only: he does not leave without his John Hancock on a contract.