Joe doesn't believe having depth at receiver like Maurice Stovall is an asset.

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune writes that the Bucs consider their wide receiver corps to be an asset, not a liability, because of what they perceive to be a deep position.

Joe believes this to be nonsense.

Are the Bucs deep at receiver? Sure. But if the receivers are a bunch of underperformers, over-the-hill graybeards or guys who seem to be more hurt than healthy. What good are they?

In blunt terms, the Bucs are rich with garbage at receiver.

Look, Joe loves Joey Galloway. But let’s be honest here: The guy is nearly 37 and has a bum groin (so Joe is told). When healthy, he is clearly the Bucs best receiver, but he’s one instant away from going down with another muscle pull, which, sadly, he has a bad habit of doing.

Antonio Bryant could be a stud, but he’s a head case. Do you really want to bank a playoff run on a guy that has proven over the years to be less than stable?

Ike Hilliard (32) is OK. At best he’s average.

Michael Clayton has tried his best over the years to play himself out of a job. Sure he runs great routes and is a good blocker. But if you can’t haul the ball in, what good is the route? And you can pull a guy off the street that can be a good blocking receiver.

Maurice Stovall, given Clayton’s continued struggles, can’t unseat Clayton. What does that tell you?

Sure the Bucs may be deep at receiver. Deep in ca-ca. Sort of like what continues to come out of Chucky’s mouth.

Meanwhile, enjoy some of Galloway’s top plays from last year, courtesy of the NFL Network.

Joe thinks Dexter Jackson locked up a roster spot last night.

Earlier, Joe had predicted that Micheal Spurlock was to be a victim of The Turk. After watching Dexter Jackson run back an 83-yard punt return last night, Joe is convinced Spurlock is gone, despite making Bucs history last year by running back the team’s first kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Bucs have too much money invested in Jackson, this year’s second round pick. Picked that high in the draft, unless you really stink up the joint, you are going to get a pass for at least a season.

That’s why Spurlock has played his last game in Pewter and Red.

Hurricane Gustav Is Forcing The Saints To Leave Town To Prepare For Opening Day

[UPDATED 8/29, 3:33 p.m.]

If Tropical Storm Gustav continues its current course, heading for New Orleans, the Saints announced they will relocate the organization to Indianapolis. The Saints are expected to make that decision sometime before Sunday noon.

The Saints’ goal is to get the team settled there so it can begin its regular game-week routine starting Monday morning. The team will practice in the Colts’ new Lucas Oil Stadium.

Joe has been in touch with Saints insiders all week, and this was a last-minute announcement that came from organization Thursday night.

No word yet on possible alternate plans for the Saints home opener against the Bucs on Sept. 7.

Gruden wants to keep Griese fresh and pretty so he can "make things interesting" this season.

Favre’s wearing green. Garcia is your No. 1 quarterback. It’s time to deal with it, Chucky.

Why rest Brian Griese for the final preseason game, as was done Thursday night against Houston? Shouldn’t a healthy Griese be in there getting reps, since he might not see action in months?

On the Buccaneers Radio Network, Gruden said Griese sat out “because he’s already made this team. He’s going to make things interesting around here this season?”

What the heck does that mean? If Griese “makes it interesting,” then the season is in pretty bad shape.

Garcia is a better quarterback and a better leader. There is no doubt. There is no maybe. It’s pathetic when the Coach can’t see the value in supporting his No. 1 quarterback.

Simms Prepares To Clean Out His Locker

In a classy post-game radio interview after the Bucs beat the Texans on Thursday, Chris Simms said he expected to leave the team this week and he took the high road when talking about his Tampa Bay experience.

“I’d enjoy coming back to Tampa to play one day,” Simms said. “It’s been a great experience here for my family. … and I’ve learned from so many great coaches and great people.”

Joe wishes Simms well. Edell Shephard did you and me wrong, my friend.

Buccaneers at Texans
Preseason Game No. 4

Kickoff: Thursday, 8 p.m.
TV: WFLA Channel 8 (Game will be rebroadcast on the NFL Network at 9 a.m. Friday).
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 158.
Weather: The game is played in a godless dome with a constant temperature of 72. If Bucs fans travel to Houston, AccuWeather.com predicts temperatures outside the sterile Reliant Stadium to be in the mid-80s under partly cloudy skies.
Odds: From Bodog.com, Pick ’em.

Outlook: This will be the last dress rehearsal for several players as all NFL teams have to whittle their rosters down to 53 players. This is part of the reason why the Bucs starters will see limited playing time. The other reason is no team can afford to have starters hurt in such a worthless game.

Of particular interest will be the play of defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson either has locked up a roster spot or is teetering on the brink of being released. Given the Bucs moves yesterday wheeling and dealing defensive ends, it may be the latter.

Jeremy Green of ESPN previews the Bucs season. Unlike Joe who thinks Joey Galloway is the most important offensive player, Green suggests Jeff Garcia is the most valuable Bucs offensive commodity.

Have a look:

Joe is more impressed with Warren Sapp working for the NFL Network than he is competing on a terribly lame dancing show.

Joe is not much of a Warren Sapp fan. In fact, Joe is not a Warren Sapp fan. So when Joe learned that the former Bucs great defensive tackle is going to compete on Dancing with the Stars, Joe shrugged his shoulders.

Why? Because Joe hates that tripe of a television show much more than Sapp. Can there be a more worthless reality show on broadcast television (Joe apologizes for the redundancy of the phrase “worthless reality show.”)

In short, any guy who watches that really needs to take a peek and see that his mantools haven’t been surgically removed while he was sleeping. A Sam Kinison skit springs to mind. The fact that a jerk like Sapp is appearing on arguably the worst TV show this side of “Mama’s Family” didn’t mean much to Joe. Eh.

But now Joe has learned Sapp has another new gig on the NFL Network. Seems as though the NFL Network is going to do battle with BSPN on Sunday mornings with a three-hour pregame show and Sapp with be one of the analysts. Anything, and I do mean anything, the NFL Network does blows the four-letter network away. Anyone who has ever watched the NFL Network’s draft coverage knows what Joe means.

(Memo to alleged sports fans in the Tampa Bay area that have Out House Networks: There are five ways to get television piped into your home. Four of those five have NFL Network. Only Out House Networks doesn’t. So what’s your excuse? Let me guess, you enjoy watching the eighth update of the day of the Brandon city park getting a new swing set on Bay Sludge 9?)

The funny thing about this new NFL Network show is that it begins at 10 a.m. What is BSPN broadcasting at 10 a.m.? The Mike Lupica Show.

Joe might actually watch this NFL Network show, even though he long ago quit watching pregame blather. Sleeping off a long day of college football and adult beverage consumption is more valuable than learning about Kyle Boller playing hopscotch with his cousins on his day off. Even if the lovely Bonnie Bernstein is reporting.

Perhaps in 2008, Patrick Chukwurah can stomach playing with pain?

Maybe Jimmy Wilkerson’s position isn’t so safe?

No sooner did the Bucs trade Marques Douglas did they sign defensive end Patrick Chukwurah, so reports Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times.

Chukwurah played in Tampa Bay last season but was limited by knee and shoulder injuries. That led to his release on June 19. But the Bucs are definitely looking to upgrade their pass rush, and that is considered Chukwurah’s strength.

Does this suggest the Bucs will trade Greg White? Release Jimmy Wilkerson?

Strange happenings indeed.

Douglas thought he was playing for a possible playoff team this year. Imagine his surprise this afternoon?

No, sadly, Brian Griese is still with the Bucs. So is Chris Simms, thankfully.

The Bucs have one less difficult decision after tomorrow night’s game after trading defensive end Marques Douglas to the Baltimore Crows. In return, the Crows, per Adam Schefter of the NFL Network, will give Tampa Bay a late-round 2009 draft choice.

Oddly enough, the Bucs signed Douglas to a four-year deal as a free agent in March. Ironically, Douglas, in March, thought he was joining a playoff team. Now he’s probably going to a team as bad as the 49ers. Maybe worse.

Joe thinks this move may have locked up a position for Jimmy Wilkerson.

Corner Phillip Buchanon has been quite the catch since he was signed as a free agent.

Not that long ago Bucs cornerback Phillip Buchanon, a former first round pick by Oakland, was considered a bust. Now, he has developed into such a strong corner, Buchanon isn’t concerned at all that the Bucs drafted Aqib Talib in the first round.

John Lembo of the Bradenton Herald  says Buchanon looks at the acquisition of Talib as both a challenge, and an opportunity to mentor the rookie.

The Fort Myers native is too happy in Tampa Bay to complain. He looks at Talib and doesn’t see a kid waiting to take his spot – he sees a player stuffed with potential who can only make the Buccaneers better. He sees a respectful rookie that Buchanon, a first-round pick himself in 2002, will make himself available to whenever Talib has any questions.

 Joe thinks the Bucs may have the best, if not deepest, defensive backfield in the league.

Bucs free agent defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson is proving to be quite a stud.

Last week Joe was a bit concerned when he learned Greg White was moving back to right end. White was a stud there last year and was penciled in to play left end in the offseason so Gaines Adams could start at right end. But the experiment didn’t work. 

There actually may be a method to Monte Kiffin’s madness here.

Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times writes how free agent Jimmy Wilkerson, signed from the Kansas City Chiefs in the offseason, has more than impressed the Bucs staff.

So far in three preseason games, Wilkerson has a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery.

“We knew he had a chance to be a very good end for us,” Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. “They had two really good ends in Kansas City. Of course, then they lost Jared Allen. I don’t think at the time they thought they were going to lose him, so we snatched (Wilkerson) up and we got us a pretty good football player.”

More important to Joe, Wilkerson can play both left and right end without much of a drop off.

Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune writes that Wilkerson is paranoid he may get cut next week.

“Every year, whether it’s my first year or my fifth year, I’m nervous,” Wilkerson said. “Right now, I’m nervous about cuts. I don’t stop being nervous until I see my name on the final roster.”

 So will Wilkerson’s play move Kevin Carter back inside? And does this potentially set up a trade of White? Joe thinks he knows of a team in Gotham that is desperate for a defensive end about now.

Who knew Galloway is 87?

Yahoo! Sports NFL blog Shutdown Corner previewed all 32 NFL teams. In the previews, there is a capsule on what they love or hate about each team, including the Bucs. One of the reasons the blog loves the Bucs is that Joey Galloway is “87 years old and still as spry as ever.”

Another reason to love the Bucs is that Sabby Piscitelli sounds like an old lady’s cat.

Joe enjoys Y! Sports blogs. But he hopes you the reader enjoy JoeBucsFan.com a bit more.

Wide receiver Chad Lucas will have to fight through an injury to see the field Thursday night at Houston

Generally, players fighting for a coveted roster spot want to get on the field and prove themselves. But that’s not going to be the case for a number of the Bucs’ bubble players.

Jim Flynn of PewterReport.com notes quite quite a few bubble players may miss the final preseason game at Houston Thursday due to some nagging injuries. And as Tuesday’s cuts show, if you are dinged, you are expendable in the eyes of Bruce Almighty and Chucky.

Writes the Pewter Report:

Gruden reiterated what he said after Monday’s practice regarding players’ playing time in the preseason finale. The Bucs are expected to make those announcements and decisions on players, including quarterback Jeff Garcia, once they’ve arrived at Reliant Stadium for Thursday night’s game.

Among the players who may not play include Cornerbacks Marcus Hamilton (hip), Sammy Davis (hip) and tight end Ben Troupe (foot). Also receivers Antonio Bryant (knee), Michael Clayton (chest muscle) and Chad Lucas (knee) could be late scratches. Fullback B.J. Askew (ankle surgery) and safety Donte Nicholson (knee surgery) are out.

Hopefully left tackle Fred Miller will be signing a contract with the Bucs shortly.

The Bucs may have found the replacement for left tackle Luke Petitgout. And the guy has a habit of being able to suit up on Sundays, unlike Petitgout, who the Bucs cut in the midst of allegations of steriod use last week. 

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune reports that 12-year veteran Fred Miller, who spent the last three seasons with the Bears, visited One Buc Palace Tuesday and will either sign with the Bucs, the Bears, or an unidentified team.

Miller has missed just three starts since the 1998 season and he has helped pave the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in seven of his last nine seasons. He was part of a Bears line that allowed just 25 sacks in 2006, and his 164 NFL starts include 12 in the postseason.

Cummings also wrote that Miller was impressed with what the Bucs have to offer.

Joe likes this sound of this. A team can never have enough offensive lineman. And, to have a chance to land a guy who rarely misses a game and has had success recently, that’s just icing on the cake.

Receiver Paris Warren was one of four Bucs cut Tuesday.

For anyone who thinks the NFL is not a cutthroat operation, consider the roster moves the Bucs made to get down to the mandatory 75 players on its roster today.

Among four players cut was linebacker Antoine Cash. It was Cash who had a nasty neck injury in Saturday’s 23-17 loss to the Jaguars and had to be carted off the field with his head taped up, as if he were paralyzed.

But once tests came back negative and he was discharged from the hospital, “Hey, thanks pal. See ‘ya ’round.”

If that doesn’t prove the NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me lately outfit, nothing will.

Also cut Tuesday were cornerback Sammy Davis, safety Donte Nicholson, and receiver Paris Warren. Davis and Nicholson were both injured. Running back Cadillac Williams also was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia wasn’t too sharp in the Bucs 23-17 loss to the Jaguars Saturday night. That’s to be expected since Garcia missed nearly two weeks of training camp. Roger Mooney of the Bradenton Herald noted Chucky isn’t too concerned.

“I’m not going to be a basket case here,” Gruden said. “(Heck), he’s played a long time. He threw one interception on a naked bootleg. He tried to jam it in there in the fade. He never does that. But he’ll be fine. It is rust. He hasn’t practiced, he hasn’t played. You’ve got to practice. This is a tough game.”

Joe isn’t too worried about Garcia either. This is a virtual non-story. So why post something about it? Well, Joe hasn’t posted a Carmella DeCesare (Mrs. Garcia) video in a while, that’s why.

You are welcome.

Aqib Talib is your new Bucs nickel back.

It’s official: Aqib Talib is the starting Bucs nickel back.

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune breaks the news that Talib, the Bucs first round pick this April, will begin the season as the team’s nickel back, just as the team had hoped for.  But first Talib had to win the position.

“As of right now, yes, he’s our third corner,” Bucs secondary coach Raheem Morris said Monday. “But who knows if he’s going to stop there. If he keeps playing and fighting and improving, he could be a starter in this league for who knows how long.”

This warms Joe’s heart. Joe really believes the Bucs defensive backfield is quite possibly the team’s strength. Few teams have as deep a secondary as the Bucs.

Chucky claims other teams want Michael Clayton's services.

Michael Clayton is a lightning rod for Bucs fans. Even Joe admits getting frustrated by watching the former first round pick drop balls that are right off his hands.

Well, if you believe Chucky, there are enough teams out there that like him, even like him enough to trade for him. Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times writes that Chucky seems a bit defensive at the criticism leveled at Clayton, who is in the final year of his contract with the Bucs.

“I’m interested in Clayton, too. I don’t care who else is,” coach Jon Gruden said Monday. “We’re going to keep our best players, and I’ll leave it at that. We’ve had a real competitive camp, and Mike has done some good things. People call all the time about all kinds of things.”

Stroud suggests the Bucs might trade Clayton because they have “a surplus of pass catchers.”

Sure, they have a surplus. A surplus of low-rent receivers. Wide receiver is easily the weakest position on the Bucs. Clayton is marginally average. They need him, especially if Joey Galloway continues to nurse his groin all season.

Joe really isn’t much of a fantasy football kind of guy, though he greatly enjoys the X’s and O’s of the game and the chess match between offensive coordinators and defensive coordinators. Joe’s idea of fantasy involves a secluded Caribbean isle, ample amounts of top shelf liquor and one of the Bucs cheerleaders.

But Joe understands fantasy football is popular among fans. So as a public service, Joe found a fantasy football update by NBCSports.com’s Gregg Rosenthal detailing how worthy some Bucs are in your fantasy football draft. Enjoy.

Joe would like to thank J.P. Peterson, host of Happy Hour with J.P. on WQYK-AM 1010 and creator of TampaBaySportsNet.com, for having Joe on his show Friday to discuss the Bucs, specifically John Lynch’s return to Tampa Bay.

Joe encourages JoeBucsFan.com readers to check out J.P.’s TampaBaySportsNet.com webcasts which will include up to four-minute video segments of Tampa Bay area sports news and features that will be otherwise unseen on Tampa Bay area sportscasts.

J.P. hopes to begin webcasting in a few short weeks.