Joe would have been very satisfied if the Bucs drafted four offensive linemen last week.

That’s how bad the O-line play was last year, and that’s how critical it is to protect Jameis Winston. [read more]

Jason Licht Opens Up

You’ve heard it; Joe’s heard it: That Jameis Winston, on a greaseboard, is some sort of rare football savant.

It was the talk of NFL scouts at Shrine Game practices, and Joe heard much more at the NFL Scouting Combine. Word also trickled out that Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter was so blown away by Winston’s football retention that Winston is Koetter’s new standard for football IQ. [read more]

Bucs GM Jason Licht refuses to do cartwheels, no matter how much he likes his recent draft.

Yesterday, when appearing on “The Blitz,” co-hosted by Bruce Murray and Rich Gannon heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Bucs general manager Jason Licht was peppered with all sorts of questions about the draft. [read more]

Usually, an undrafted quarterback or two heads to rookie minicamp with an NFL team.

They’re typically guys right out of college with recognizable names, but they’re rarely more than future Arena league stars or CFL meat. [read more]

How pumped up is Joe?

Joe already is counting the hours until the start of Bucs rookie minicamp. [read more]

Dirk Koetter has completed his film review of the Muscle Hamster. [read more]

Yes, Bucs general manager Jason Licht has long been on the Jameis Winston bandwagon. For good reason.

The way the guy played in college was legendary — the way he rallied his Seminoles from what seemed to be sure losses (yes, some graves Winston dug himself) week after week after week, including the 2013 national championship game. [read more]

Jason Licht said his dad’s influence was felt in the Bucs’ draft room for fifth-round pick Kenny Bell. So Joe just had to pick up the phone and call dad.

At heart, Joe’s an old school journalist, so how could Joe not pick up the phone and call Ron Licht, the now famous father of Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht. [read more]

The Buccaneers’ seventh-round draft pick, Joey Iosefa, will compete to be the Bucs fullback, general manager Jason Licht said on Saturday.

But did the Bucs get a potential steal because of Iosefa’s past? [read more]

When Jameis Winston throws out the first pitch at a Rays game soon, that might be the last time he throws a baseball for 20 years. [read more]

New Bucs guard Ali Marpet, a second-round pick out of Division III Hobart, is a tremendous underdog story. The guy’s the highest ever draft pick out of the lowest ranks of college football, where scholarships don’t exist.

Marpet also represents Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht putting a hefty set of balls on the table. [read more]

It seems Doug Martin may be entering his last Tampa Bay season. Martin has learned it is show me time.

Per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, the Bucs have elected to not pick up his fifth-year option, essentially turning this season into Martin’s contract year. [read more]

Regular readers know how much Joe detests BSPN, the TV outfit. It’s not sports, it’s schlock.

Good people work there. This is not a shot at those folks, like Ed Werder, John Clayton, Dickie V, Mike Wilbon and others. This is about the mentality of the suits at the four-letter. [read more]

We must give thanks to Josh McCown for this gift.

Well, the Bucs finally have a quarterback. Finally.

Joe has harped on this for years. The Bucs simply were going nowhere without a quarterback. Since leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman went mental, this team was doomed and the record reflected that. [read more]

Browsing the Interwebs you will find all sorts of things, both good and bad, about new Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith out of Penn State.

The second round pick seems to generate a wide range of reviews. One label Smith has been stuck with is “lazy” — but both NFL Network’s Mike Mayock and Charles Davis are not in this group. [read more]