Lovie Smith loves to talk about undrafted free agents who started games for him in Chicago.

The Tampa Bay head coach admits he has a soft spot for the underdog, and believes the drive within a select few of them reaches a special level born from their battle-from-the-bottom status.

But Joe doesn’t expect fans to get hot in the pants for blade-in-the-back defensive end Chaz Sutton and handpicked Euclid Cummings. [read more]

“Win now” is the philosophy of Bucs GM Jason Licht.

Joe remembers all to well what would happen when someone would tell Lovie Smith in the offsesaon that (name a Bucs player) did a good job, and Lovie would agree with whoever offered their two cents. Then Lovie would always add, “But we were 4-12 last year.”

Just the thought of winning but four games made Lovie cringe. No, Lovie isn’t just worried about being relevant or competing. It’s as if he won’t accept anything less than double-digit wins. [read more]

While fullback has become the NFL’s Tyrannosaurus, and one would think a cutting edge offense like Jeff Tedford’s wouldn’t use one, Joe saw differently during the Buccaneers’ OTA practices.

Monstrous fullback Jorvorskie Lane was busy catching passes with the first team. [read more]

You can bet Bucs coach Lovie Smith won’t have his defensive ends covering scatbacks in pass coverage

If there will be a lasting image of the 2013 Bucs defensive line, it won’t be poor Gerald McCoy getting double- and triple-teamed regularly.

It won’t be linemen running around in bizarre stunts play after play as if they were auditioning to be dancers in a Beyonce show.

No, the image will be of Adrian Clayborn. [read more]

The bean counters at OverTheCap.com hate safety Dashon Goldson’s pact, but totally whiff on the main reason why Goldson’s contract may hurt the Bucs.

Joe has never been a salary cap guy. The subject not only always bored Joe, but in Joe’s eyes, the salary cap was white noise. When someone can prove to Joe that spending X-amount produces Super Bowls, then Joe will listen and begin paying attention.

In fact, recent history showed spending to the max (Danny Snyder, Jerry Jones) often was a precursor for average to below average teams. [read more]

One SI.com NFL analyst has lofty goals for Bucs speedy WR Robert Herron.

Yes, most Bucs fans are fixated on wide receiver Mike Evans as a rookie who will or should make an impact. Then, of course, are the other guys drafted on the second day of the draft, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and running back Charles Sims.

A good, solid draft, however, is finding gems on the third day of the draft. [read more]

So what Buccaneer blew away Ronde Barber in the weight room?

Who turned the Bucs icon’s head? You might be surprised. [read more]

Too many Bucs fans believe Woody Hayes lives, and a team can win a championship without a quarterback to speak of. Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com believes Jeff Tedford will open eyes and right the pirate ship.

Joe gets a kick out of those who somehow embrace the corpse of Woody Hayes and have somehow convinced themselves that a team can win a Super Bowl with a lousy quarterback.

These people believe the Bucs could make the playoffs with the equivalent of Doug Martin starting at quarterback. How do people dream up this gibberish? [read more]

Lance Briggs? Derrick Brooks?

The 18 total Pro Bowls between those guys are nice, but neither is the athlete Lavonte David is, explained former Bears great Brian Urlacher. [read more]

When the Bucs drafted Charles Sims in the third round back in May, it sure did open up a lot of eyes. Joe is guessing Doug Martin’s agent’s antennae really stood up straight, when in the hours after picking Sims Lovie Smith noted the Bucs were really looking for a pass-catching running back, hence the selection of Sims.

Wait a minute? Couldn’t Martin catch the ball? This had Bucs fans scrambling for the hidden agenda (even though, there really wasn’t one). [read more]

Lovie Smith is enjoying quite a honeymoon.

NFL pundits rave about his offseason moves. Bucs fans are fired up. And, per Bucs general manager Jason Licht, it seems every personnel man and coach at One Buc Palace are engaging in daily group hugs, high-fives and Amens. [read more]

Gerald McCoy talks tough

Accused of being too gentle and too soft early in his career, Gerald McCoy is still a Mr. Nice Guy. But McCoy does approach anger and exhibits frustration when he’s asked about NFL rule changes that have removed some violence from the game. [read more]

Veteran columnist Gary Shelton is not sold on QB Josh McCown taking the Bucs to the promised land.

Bucs quarterback Josh McCown “is the epitome of a journeyman.” Joe will never forget those words delivered by he “Custodian of Canton,” eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, when he recently appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

And yes, Joe also finds it hard to believe that a quarterback, in but five games last year, can completely turn his career around at the ripe age of 35, which is what McCown will be when the regular season begins. [read more]

An SI.com scribe believes the additions of Lovie Smith and Josh McCown will propel the Bucs over the Dixie Chicks in the NFC South.

A lot of people talk about the Bucs being able to turn their fortunes around this year. Some point to the Bucs as being this year’s version of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Boy, Joe hopes not.

Yeah, it would be cool if the Bucs made the playoffs. But watch the Chiefs fall back to earth this season. That team lost a lot to free agency. [read more]

An ESPN scribe believes Bucs WR Mike Evans will have a big impact.

It seemed Lovie Smith was determined to overhaul the Bucs passing game when he took over, signing quarterback Josh McCown and jettisoning mattress-in-the-yard, blade-in-the-thigh wide receiver Mike Williams. It wasn’t too obvious the Bucs needed fresh blood in the NFL’s worst offense; that’s for sure.

Then Tampa Bay selected Mike Evans seventh overall and Bucs general manager Jason Licht quickly dubbed the receiving corps the “Dunkaneers,” before comparing Evans to Godzilla in rookie camp. Joe doffed his cap to Licht’s pop culture awareness, as that same week the movie “Godzilla” debuted in theaters. [read more]

Just 10 Sundays from today is the opening real-football show of the Lovie Smith regime, the season-opener at home against the Carolina Panthers.

Joe is salivating, and Joe is also smiling when he thinks of the gutted and revamped Panthers wide receiver corps. [read more]