It didn’t shock Joe at all that the Bucs let go of center Jeff Faine this offseason. Though he was able to show up for games in 2011, the two previous seasons he struggled to stay in the lineup due to injuries.

Faine, who pulled a pretty hefty salary, wasn’t getting any younger (who the hell is?). Add up his age and his contract and his health, it was a logical move and even former Bucs defensive end Steve White smelled the transaction coming a year ago.

Despite the moves to wave goodbye to Faine and to sign bruising guard Carl Nicks, there are some doubters as to how Jeremy Zuttah, who was moved from left guard to center, can play the position.

New Bucs coach Greg Schiano, who Zuttah played for at Rutgers, has offered nothing but accolades about Zuttah, yet the Zuttah doubters still creep up from time to time, like in a recent ESPN NFC South chat.

Maen (Orlando): Hey Pat, two questions: I am hearing a lot of talk about how Jeremy Zutah may be a flexible OL but not a even a decent Center. Any truth to that?Are the Bucs looking to make any free agency pick ups, especially at DE?

Pat Yasinskas: I’ve seen some websites (including ours) where the scout types are skeptical of Zuttah. I don’t claim to be a scout. But Bucs obviously are high on him and think he can be starting center. They paid him like one and cleared the opening for him. Schiano had him in college and knows him pretty well.

Well, Joe’s not a scout either and Joe’s comfortable with Zuttah at center.

Bucs fans all like to remember the near-playoff 2010 season. One reason why is that last season was akin to (Joe imagines) watching a Rosie O’Donnell sex tape it was so revolting.

People may forget that Faine went down with a season-ending injury and Zuttah took over at center, and the Bucs’ offensive line significantly improved in the latter half of the season, partially because Zuttah was snapping the ball.

Until proven otherwise, Joe is not losing any sleep with Zuttah as the starting center.

Mike Williams caught 65 balls in 2010 and another 65 balls in 2011, and he played in every game during both seasons. This is inconsistent?

ESPN NFC South blogger/beat writer Pat Yasinskas thinks so, so he advised during a live chat yesterday.

Alex (IA) [via mobile] : What can Bucs fans expect from the wide receivers besides Vincent Jackson? He’s a solid number 1, but do we really think that Mike Williams can get back on track after last year?

Pat Yasinskas: I really don’t know what to expect after Jackson. But I think there’s a bunch of young guys there and all of them have some talent, but haven’t been real consistent. I think whoever steps up and is consistent in training camp and preseason will earn playing time.

Joe’s written how about the perception by many in the media, and subsequently the belief of many Bucs fans, is that Mike Williams isn’t a top quality NFL receiver. This routinely flabbergasts Joe. Go back and look in NFL history, and it’s not so easy to find guys that have caught 130 balls over their first two seasons like Williams has.

Vincent Jackson caught 30 balls over his first two years. Steve Smith snared 64. Roddy White pucked 59 during his first two campaigns. Keyshawn Johnson had 134. The big name receiver in Williams’ draft class, Dez Bryant, has 108.

Receivers usually need a little time to mature, especially if they’re not in a pass-happy offense and they’re playing with a young quarterback, and have to contend with Greg Olson as their offensive coordinator. 

Yasinskas went on in the chat to say he believes the No. 2 receiver gig on the Bucs is wide open.

It might very well be. But Joe knows Greg Schiano has said many times that he wants the best football players on the field. So Joe would be quite surprised if Mike Williams isn’t starting and playing nearly every snap. He is that good, even if his play dropped a notch last year along with the rest of the team.

Ronde Barber called the leader of the New Schiano Order “very demanding” on the Man Channel today and said many of his young teammates “became discouraged” last season and “it got a good friend of mine fired.”

The Bucs icon was candid and upbeat during the interview with Andrew Siciliano. You can watch and listen here.

Barber also brought to light a Greg Schiano refrain that his pounding the eardrums of Buccaneers.

“He has a saying, ‘the quicker we buy in, the quicker we win,’ and it feels like we’re doing that right now,” Barber said.

As Joe’s written before, it’s critical for the veteran Bucs like Barber to be completely sold on the New Schiano Order. There are two many “discouraged” young Bucs still around that need strong, positive role models. Joe suspects Schiano & company will only be dialing up the pressure from now through training came, so they can identify the true “Buccaneer Men.”

Update: The luxury bus is staying for the postgame concert on June 17. We’ve had many sellouts this season, so don’t wait too long.

The sizzling Rays are back home next weekend, which means it’s time to have more fun going to Rays games and save money.

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Yeah, Joe’s a little excited about rookie cornerback Leonard Johnson’s chances with the Bucs. He’s widely regarded as the best cornerback who fell through the cracks of the 2012 draft.

Now many point to Johnson’s high-water mark in college of holding eventual No. 5 overall pick Justin Blackmon to under 100 yards receiving in Iowa State’s upset over then-undefeated Oklahoma State last year as a reason why Johnson is a good cornerback.

But Andy Benoit of the gridiron thinktank FootballOutsiders.com believes the Bucs selected Johnson for his run-stopping ability, not so much his pass defensive skills.

Cornerback Leonard Johnson of Iowa State was one of the best players in the draft pool to make it to free agency. Johnson is short, a half-step slow, and does not have top ball skills, but he loves contact and finds a way to cover bigger receivers. He could have a long career as a slot corner who excels in run support and when buzzing around in underneath zones.

This makes all the sense in the world to Joe, and frankly, Joe didn’t think of this angle.

Look, the Bucs last year stopped opposing rushing attacks about as well as one could stop the Hoover Dam with a shovel. Running backs ran through the Bucs defense like wild boars. It was nauseating to watch.

New Bucs coach Greg Schiano said his No. 1 priority was to improve the rush defense. So signing a free agent cornerback who loves contact and can stop the run adds up.

Warren Sapp explains his issues with Monte Kiffin and breaks down Trent Dilfer's Bucs days

Always a great interview, outspoken Bucs icon Warren Sapp checked for an in-depth interview on WDAE-AM 620 this morning and didn’t disappoint.

Check out the must-listen audio below. Among other topics, Sapp talked about his recent chat with Gerald McCoy and “guaranteed” a much improved McCoy in 2012. Sapp said McCoy will be “hitting with his horns” and not reaching, referring to McCoy’s technique. The Bucs icon added that he’ll be working hands-on with McCoy this offseasn and that it took him until his third season to feel he had a strong grasp his his position.

Sapp told a great story about his first interaction with Paul Gruber as a rookie. Also Sapp interestingly explained, in Xs and Os, why he has a problem with Monte Kiffin, and clarified his blast at Trent Dilfer that will be in his new book.

“Trent Dilfer’s name don’t come up when we talk about great quarterbacks. Trent Dilfer’s name don’t come up when we talk about good quarterbacks,” Sapp said.

In what’s probably the last interesting word about the Kellen Winslow trade, Josh Freeman weighed in on the deal during an interview on WDAE-AM 620 this morning.

Freeman sounded a bit melancholy about the loss of his tight end.

“Kellen, while we were together, man, he was a dear friend,” Freeman said.” A guy that I learned a lot about being a pro, preparation, pushing yourself, trying to be great. I have nothing but tremendous respect for Kellen. It’s part of the business. Things don’t always work out perfect in this league. But I’m still friends with Kellen, still a great guy.”

Freeman went on to say he didn’t buy into that theory that he felt pressured by Winslow to throw to Winslow.

“It’s a deal where sometimes when things aren’t going great, you try to get the ball to your playmakers,” Freeman said. “You know, sometimes that doesn’t work out. [It was] definitely a learning experience.”

Dallas Clark talked about his unfamiliar new role last night on NFL Radio

As Greg Schiano drills discipline and details into the Buccaneers at a frantic pace, it’s almost necessary to have accomplished veterans around to be seen buying in and giving their all so the weaker-minded Bucs are less likely fall out of step.

Speaking last night on SiriusXM NFL Radio, new Bucs tight end Dallas Clark said he thoroughly investigated the New Schiano Order before signing with Tampa Bay. And the opportunity to be one of Schiano’s hard-working lieutenants and lead the young Bucs was an opportunity he craved.

“That’s the part that I recognize and something I haven’t been a part of,” Clark said. “My whole career I’ve been part of a veteran-based team. It kind of excited me to be that leader and that role player on a team, a team that is full of young talent that can flat play ball. It’s been exciting to get out here in practices and learning the system and getting to know these guys. It’s a lot of fun. It’s an exciting and energetic environment.”

Clark went on to call Greg Schiano “a special coach,” and interestingly he described Josh Freeman as “good,” referring to his play, but said Freeman “is a great leader of this team.”

The choice of words got Joe thinking how great it is to have Vincent Jackson and Clark, two guys who have played years with exceptional quarterbacks and will no doubt hold Freeman to extraordinarily high standards.

Joe knows there are lots of big dudes in the NFL, but Joe really had to marvel for a moment standing alongside Bucs guard Carl Nicks after practice Tuesday. All Joe could think about was that Nicks is a human armoire.

For those unfamiliar, Nicks lists at 6-5, 343 pounds. And the All-Pro guard is eager to fire up the running game. FoxSportsFlorida.com scribe Dave Scheiber took notes when Nicks was talking running backs Tuesday and penned a feature story. Interestingly, Nicks voiced his opinion that LeGarrette Blount is taking his game to a new level.

His impressions so far of the ballcarriers? “They’re talented, and they all bring something different,” he said. “Blount, he’s going to run you over, and he may hurdle you. And he’s big. The rookies, they’re all fast, hungry and they all work really hard, so that’s really good.”

Nicks says he generally keeps his distance from rookies in camp, so he hasn’t given Martin any advice in particular. “I try to stay away from them until cuts are made,” he said. “I don’t want to get too close and then they leave or go to another team, so I just pretty much stay away from the rookies and let them do their thing. But he works really hard. He works like he’s a free-agent guy, and that’s a good thing. He had Blount stepping his game up, and that’s good.”

Now Joe was alongside Nicks when he made these comments and Nicks’ tone was one of a guy that doesn’t take rookies too seriously until they prove something on the field. So Joe’s not going to speculate that Nicks thinks Blount will be the Bucs’ bellcow back.  

Joe’s just fired up to see the competition between Doug Martin and Blount. It’s going to be a very meaningful preseason for those two.

The only possible certainty about the NFC South is its uncertainty. With the exception of the Saints, teams in this division bounce up and down like the features of a Bucs cheerleader during a midfield routine.

This is why Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network and NFL.com seems to think the idea of a playoff run in the first year of the New Schiano Order isn’t completely far-fetched, so he wrote recently.

If there was ever a time for a young team in the NFC South to strike, this might be it. And given that the Bucs remain only one season removed from what seemed to be very legitimate progress, I’ll give them as good of a shot as any to take advantage of the Saints’ nasty situation ahead.

Tampa has the quarterback and the skill players to excel on offense. If the defense can hold its own against Carolina and Atlanta, the Bucs should be fully capable of getting their squad back on its previous track toward success. It might take a wild-card berth — since I’ll peg the Falcons as the division’s early favorite — but that’s nonetheless a scenario that could most certainly play out.

That’s the critical element for the Bucs: the defense. There is no way of sugarcoating it. The Bucs defense was an abomination last year. When healthy, can the Bucs defense really make that much improvement? Time will tell.

One thing certain is that the Saints are a mess, though a talented mess. If Drew Brees decides to sit out while amping up the volume on his contract hassle with the team, that’s one less team the Bucs will have to worry about leapfrogging to get a wild card.

Darren Woodson breaks down how he feels the NFC South will shake out this season in this BSPN video.

Tampa Bay Times columnist Gary Shelton was granted some together time with Greg Schiano recently and has penned his reaction for TampaBay.com.

As has been touched on previously, Schiano doesn’t invest time thinking about the won-loss column.

Ah, but can the Bucs have a winning season? A playoff season?

“I don’t get into answering those kinds of questions,” Schiano said. “The two guys I learned the most from are Coach Joe Paterno and Coach (John) Wooden. I worked for Paterno for six years, and the word ‘win’ was mentioned … you could count it on both hands. The focus wasn’t ‘winning.’ The focus was doing the best we can.

“People say, ‘Now you’re getting into coaches’ speak. You’re trying to avoid the question.’ But Coach Wooden was the same. Winning wasn’t talked about. It was all the things that added up to winning. It was the process, the process, the process.”

Joe hopes Schiano can stick to the Wooden-Paterno way, which included rarely having to talk about losing, either.

It’s time to enjoy life and make its special moments more memorable.

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Much has been speculated over the years as to the relationship between Father Dungy and Team Glazer following Dungy’s less-than-loving ouster from the Bucs.

What’s true or not is unclear, but Joe found it telling that Father Dungy was in attendance at One Buc Palace yesterday for the news conference introducing Paul Gruber as the next inductee into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.

Father Dungy was so comfortable, in fact, he took time for an interview with Bucs video mogul Scott Smith, now posted on Buccaneers.com. Definitely check it out. Dungy offers some good takes on Gruber, and it seems that Dungy is excited to return to Raymond James Stadium when the Buccaneers honor Gruber and the 1997 Bucs team in October.

Joe is pleased to know if there were any bad feelings between Dungy and Team Glazer, apparently they are ancient history.

Joe also hopes Greg Schiano had a chance to forge a relationship with Dungy and schedule a meeting, if they haven’t already met. Surely Schiano should want to pick Dungy’s brain when it comes to building a program and selecting and developing a coaching staff.

It seems some, for reasons unknown, are unnerved by the New Schiano Order.

Already cricket-watching, scone-loathing Peter King of Sports Illustrated has mocked new Bucs coach Greg Schiano for his thermostat ways and pasta preferences. But not all are on board with King’s scoffing of Schiano.

It seems noted columnist Dan Pompei — who Joe briefly worked with, seemingly in another life — has a different view of Schiano. Pompei, via National Football Post, believes there is method to Schiano’s madness.

Schiano has been the subject of some attention over the last couple weeks. He traded away tight end Kellen Winslow, the Bucs’ most productive receiver a year ago, and then my friend Peter King reported Schiano monitors the temperature in Bucs meeting rooms.

Screw loose? Hardly. Schiano has reasons for doing everything he does, and he is one impressive coach. I don’t say this about many coaches, but I will be surprised if he isn’t very successful in the NFL.

So I asked Schiano what he was looking for in “Buccaneer men.” He said, “Guys you can trust. Guys who believe in what we’re doing. Guys who are accountable to each other–things that are becoming more rare every day in our world.”

Look, Joe believes this attention to Schiano’s attention to detail is a bit silly. First, who among us would not complain to a waiter if we were not served the specific pasta we ordered? Mocking Schiano for allegedly sending a staffer to complain about a pasta order gone wrong nearly smacks Joe of hypocrisy.

Joe seems to remember how Tom Coughlin penalizes players for not arriving to meetings and practices five minutes early.

How has rigid detail worked for Coughlin?

Hopefully news of Brian Price now training in California is nothing more than a way for him to get fit and be close to his family after the tragic, accidental death of his sister recently. 

Beat writer Stephen Holder, of the Tampa Bay Times, brings word that Price is missing some OTA days working with a renowned left coast trainer with approval from the Bucs. And Greg Schiano didn’t close the door on Price having trouble related to his unique pelvis and hamstring injuries.

“It may be related to that,” Schiano said. “I don’t think it’s that specifically, but he’s had some issues. Hopefully that will work itself out.”

You can click through above to read the entire piece.

Again, one can only hope Price skipping practices is not a giant red flag as it relates to his health.

About 10 days ago, Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan took to the SiriusXM NFL Radio airwaves and talked about how Josh Freeman likely could benefit from improved mechanics.

Greg Schiano was asked about that yesterday and didn’t offer much in the way of specifics on Freeman, but did say “sometimes you can see indecision in a guy’s feet.”

Schiano went on to say Freeman has started from scratch in his approach and the suggestion was that attention to the details will lead him back to his 2010 form.

Joe doesn’t doubt former Bucs quarterback Jeff Carlon’s contention that Freeman has easily recognizable flaws in his mechanics. Joe hopes those are addressed and fixed. However, even if they’re not, Joe has to figure that the New Schiano Order’s detailed approach, a big-time runing game, and the addition of an accomplished route runner and talent like Vincent Jackson, should cure a lot of Freeman’s ills.

It’s a blast to go to one of the official Rays watch parties at Hooters, and there’s one tonight at Hooters at 2250 Tyrone Square in St. Petersburg.

Why watch the Rays at home when you can take advantage of the great beer and food specials at Hooters? Plus there are amazing Rays giveaways all night long — gear, tickets, all kinds of stuff.

Nobody can top the great viewing at Hooters. (Yes, Joe’s talking about the multitude of cutting edge TV sets). Visit OriginalHooters.com now to find the location near you.