One of the little-discussed byproducts of the Buccaneers’ draft was Mason Foster clearly being gifted the starting middle linebacker gig for 2012.

Lavonte David is too small to play middle linebacker, and rookie Najee Goode, a fifth-round pick, is here more to challenge Quincy Black and Dakoda Watson than Foster. So Foster, who led NFL rookies in tackles last season, is coming into his second consecutive season as the Bucs’ main man in the middle.

But it’s still a huge responsibility for Foster, who just turned 23. The Bucs are rolling out a brand new defense, and Foster has said he was too hesitant last year. Also, while Joe believes Raheem Morris’ defensive assessments carry little weight, Raheem often talked about cutting back the defensive playbook to let guys like Foster to play faster.

Interestingly, reports out of Carolina have the Panthers keeping Luke Kuechly at outside linebacker.

Sure, the Panthers have Jon Beason, but he’s coming back from an Achillies tear in September. Kuechly was a top pick, considered the best linebacker prospect in years and a surefire star-in-waiting at middle linebacker, yet the Panthers seem disinterested in having a rookie MLB despite Beason being a 2010 Pro Bowler at outside linebacker.

Joe’s no Panthers insider, but it’s telling that they won’t give Kuechly the keys to the MLB job.

There’s no reason to believe Foster can’t develop and thrive, but in Joe’s mind he’s got an uphill battle in 2012.

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During the grotesque 10-game losing streak to end last season, which resulted in Raheem Morris being jettisoned from the Bucs, the defense had so many holes Joe couldn’t begin to guess where to begin fixing the porous unit.

It seems Matt Williamson does. The former NFL scout now works for BSPN and he put fingers to keyboard and believes the selection of Mark Barron by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik will go a long way to solving many of the ills.

Barron is very NFL-ready, versatile, a big-time leader and a great fit in today’s NFL that is loaded with freak-of-nature tight ends such as the Saints’ Jimmy Graham, who obviously resides in the division.

The Bucs were very light at safety before this draft and there were few elite prospects from which to pick. Tampa Bay will ask Barron to do a lot of different things in terms of his alignment, coverage responsibilities, blitzing and run support. Barron can handle a deep-half assignment as well as doing battle with wide receivers, tight ends and running backs in man coverage. Barron also will spend plenty of time near the line of scrimmage and is an excellent run-support defender and tackler. Barron’s leadership, intellect and feel for the game might be his best qualities. The Bucs’ defense desperately needs a major infusion of all those traits.

There is a common trait about the Bucs defenders drafted last month and a handful of defensive free agents: they are versatile.

This is a smart move by Greg Schiano. There are so many holes to fill that bringing in guys who play multiple positions not only means he can fix the defense quicker, but he can employ multiple formations and sets without having to substitute so often.

Bucs linebacker Quincy Black watches Diana Rose's reaction to being awarded a new car by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As we wind down Mother’s Day 2012 — strangely, a sports bar/watering hole Joe frequents in St. Peterburg was virtually vacant tonight — Joe brings a really cool story about how the Bucs helped out a great mother in need, and perhaps made the family’s year if not decade.

The Bucs early this month completed a search for a mom most in need of a car, and awarded a single-mother of four, Diana Rose of Clearwater, who relies on public transportation to get to work each day, a brand new Ford Focus.

Rose also volunteers at her children’s schools. She is a student mentor at Clearwater High School, and a math tutor at Belleair Elementary School. Rose also has developed a poetry lesson plan at Largo Middle School.

Rose can relate to some of the citizens she helps. Though Rose has a car, she confesses it is unreliable. For four years she took public transportation to work, a job where her supervisor can’t remember Rose ever being late.

Additionally, Rose walks six miles round-trip to Clearwater High School for her mentoring program, in addition to her trips to Largo Middle School and Belleair Elementary.

In the Clearwater Patch article, Rose noted how now she can take her son to soccer practice each day and use her car for additional responsibilities at work. Now with a car, she got a promotion. She works for the State of Florida helping needy families find assistance.

Joe has been holding on to this story for a while because he thought it was a tremendous Mother’s Day story, and Joe gives props to the Bucs for reaching out and helping a good woman, a great mother, making her family’s life just a little bit easier.

For some reason, “The Professor,” John Clayton of BSPN, believes Doug Martin is tougher than LeGarrette Blount and the Bucs’ lead running back job is Martin’s to lose. Clayton explains in this BSPN video. Joe dove into the ongoing Blount-Martin debate yesterday.

Joe definitely was a fan of “The King of Hustle,” but when he was cut from the Bucs in March, Joe figured The King of Hustle was about as far off the Bucs’ radar as a player could be.

(For those confused and/or link-challenged, The King of Hustle is Tim Crowder, who caught the nickname from Raheem Morris in 2010.)

When you’re a defensive end, a premium position, and you get the boot in March, that’s quite a strong signal that your team has no use for you. But hold on, says Tampa Bay Times Bucs beat writer Stephen Holder.

The Bucs now need serious help at defensive end and, according to Holder, Crowder is likely “very high on that list” of potential DE signings for rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and company. Speaking to Tom Krasniqi of WHBO-AM 1040 last week, Holder claimed teams like the Bucs prefer a familiar face when they’re looking to fill roster spots, so Crowder might be the top choice to replace injured Da’Quan Bowers on the depth chart.

Now Joe finds this a somewhat ridiculous premise that Crowder is on the Bucs’ radar. The guy had a sackless season in 10 games last year before going on injured reserve for a concussion. He was cut by the New Schiano World Order seven weeks ago and remains unemployed.

While Crowder has 10.5 career sacks and was known around here as a high-motor guy and a good special teams player, the Bucs need more than just a serviceable body to replace Bowers.

Joe still feels the pain of the Bucs finishing the 2011 season with only 23 sacks — dead last in the NFL. Joe prefers the Bucs go after one of the older veteran defensive ends on the market, or sit back ready to pounce on the one or two talents that will hit the waiver wire this summer.

Shoot, the Bucs hadn’t even had an OTA post NFL draft and already the team took a nasty loss when second-year defensive tackle Da’Quan Bowers tore an Achilles tendon working out at One Buc Palace and is likely lost for the season.

The subject of Bowers came up with “The Godfather,” Gil Brandt, Friday night on SiriusXM NFL Radio. Brandt, the architect of the Cowboys for three decades, drafting players from Bob Lilly to Michael Irvin, thought Bowers is a talented player but hinted he may never realize his ability. Brandt stopped just short of calling Bowers “injury prone.”

“Bowers has had the worst luck,” Brandt said. “When he was a junior he had about as good of a year at Clemson that a player could have and then he suffered a knee injury in a bowl game and he tried to come back too soon. He wasn’t quite the same. Now he has a torn Achilles.

“Some players just seem to be injury prone and there is really no rhyme or reason for it.”

This really depressed Joe to hear because there simply are too many key Bucs defensive players that always seem to be losing playing time with injuries. Joe can count four projected starters that are always hobbled or out for the season.

For the Bucs to do anything on defense, these players must remain healthy so they can stay on the field.

The buzz out of New York Giants rookie minicamp today interestingly centers around former Rutgers running back and fullback Joe Martinek. The guy was Greg Schiano’s bell cow as a sophomore, racking up 206 carries for 967 yards.

Joe’s read various reports, and even Tom Coughlin raved about the guy. 

Interestingly, per the Star-Ledger, Martinek apparently spurned a job offer from Greg Schiano and signed with the Giants right after last month’s draft.

After going undrafted, former Rutgers fullback Joe Martinek said he was in contact with Buccaneers – and former Rutgers – head coach Greg Schiano, but chose the Giants because it “was the better fit for me.”

What made this stand out for Joe was a quote Joe read from Martinek saying how Schiano was a key figure in his development personally and professionally, combined with the lack of depth in the Bucs backfield. Sure, the Bucs drafted Doug Martin and have LeGarrette Blount. But Martinek didn’t want to follow his beloved college coach who has unproven Michael Smith and Mossis Madu sitting behind them on the depth chart?

Yeah, the Giants are the Super Bowl champs and Martinek was a Jersey high school legend, but it still felt odd that he passed on joining the New Schiano World Order.

Definitely keep an eye on Martinek as a guy that could land on the Bucs practice squad if the Giants cut him loose.

The Raheem Morris and Greg Olson era made many decisions and assessments over the years, and some of the standouts include the following:

• Don’t question the greatness of Michael Clayton.
• Jermaine Phillips is the linebacker to take over for Derrick Brooks.
• Quincy Black is a pass rusher and a legend of the dangerous “Redskin package.”
• A three-headed monster at running back, (Ward-Williams-Graham) should rotate having a bizarre 2-2-1 rotation by offensive series.
• Sackless Kyle Moore was gifted a starting LDE job ahead of two better ends on the roster.
• Sabby the Goat was gifted a starting job.
• The ludicrous Benn’d around play was a good idea after watching it fail on film multiple times.
• Rushing three men on the D-line worked with the Bucs’ personnel.
• The slant pass was a bad idea.
• LeGarrette Blount is worthless on passing downs.

Loyal readers of Joe know Joe will now zero in on that last one: the alleged one-dimensional play of Blount. Sorry, but Joe has no faith in the previous regime’s assessments, from claiming lost OTAs negatively and critically affected the Bucs’ season after it started 4-2, to failing repeatedly to stop slow starts, and more.

But ESPN’s Matt Williamson, in an analysis of NFC South rookies, buys into the Raheem-Olson gospel that Blount is a liability in the passing game.

Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay: As I noted earlier in my blog post about the NFC South running backs, I fully expect Martin to take over the lead back spot in Tampa Bay before very long. Martin is exactly what Greg Schiano is looking for at the position. 

The Buccaneers will be a run-first team and have invested quite a bit in their offensive line to pave the way. A great interior runner who also is very effective outside the tackles and as a receiver, Martin is in line for a lot of touches. The Buccaneers did not trade back into the first round to select a running back to not use him. And because LeGarrette Blount is a liability in the passing game, the door is wide open for Martin to thrive. 

Joe reads and hears this stuff from many national and local media, and Joe can only think it comes from buying into the Raheem-Olson take on Blount. Funny how Joe never hears anyone say, ‘Remember when Blount blew all those blocking assignments and got Freeman killed,’ or ‘Damn, Blount can’t do squat when you throw him the ball.’

Because Raheem and Olson said so is just not enough of a reason for Joe to lose faith in Blount, a young running back with extraordinary talent.

It’s becoming clear to Joe that new Bucs coach Greg Schiano had little use for the Bucs’ play at safety last year, or the safeties on the 2011 roster.

First, Sean Jones was waved good-bye as a free agent and (allegedly) left-handed cigarette smoking Tanard Jackson was turned loose after he failed to show up at One Buc Palace for the first team gathering under the New Schiano Order.

Then there is Cody Grimm, a good guy and a good player who has been bitten by the injury bug each season.

First Schiano drops strong hints, later reinforced by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik (in Joe’s eyes), that future Hall of Famer Ronde Barber will be playing safety this season, and of course the Bucs drafted Alabama safety Mark Barron seventh overall in last month’s draft.

And there is word from none other than Schiano himself that sixth round pick Keith Tandy, a cornerback at West Virginia, could be moved to safety, per good guy Scott Purks of CBSSports.com.

Coach Greg Schiano on CB Keith Tandy (sixth-round pick out of West Virginia) possibly switching to S: “(Tandy) has zone skills, man skills, press skills, so we just need to see where he fits best right now. He does have the kind of versatility that’s going to (allow us) to mix and match where he’s needed.”

Now there are all sorts of ways to read into this, but Joe won’t ascribe a motive. It could just be that Schiano wants to build as much competition as he can at safety, where play was woeful after Grimm sadly went down with (another) season-ending injury.

Or, this could mean that Tandy is so talented, Schiano wants to get him on the field as often as possible.

Yeah, the Bucs have Michael Bennett at left defensive end, who was probably better than hobbled DaQuan Bowers anyway, but the devastating news of Bowers’ injury is most troubling because the Bucs have such little proven depth at the position.

Third-year Buccaneer George Johnson out of (all together now) Rutgers is coming off an injury; the rest of the DEs on the roster outside of Adrian Clayborn have little-to-no experience, and the Bucs didn’t draft any.

The Bucs were last in the NFL in sacks last year. They need another defensive end that can definitely produce.

The subject was addresssed by the cerebral Ross Tucker on SiriusXM NFL Radio this morning. Tucker says there are “slim pickin’s” on the free agent market now for defensive ends. Tucker said maybe Matt Roth could give the Bucs some snaps. Roth, 29, had 3.5 sacks in nine games for Jacksonville last year before being lost for the season with a concussion.

Tucker also tossed out the rather uninspiring names of former Buccaneer Jimmy Wilkerson, old man James Hall, Raheem Brock, Jarvis Moss, William Hayes and others. Hall, 35, intrigues Joe a bit as a stopgap. He had six sacks in 15 starts for the Rams last year.

Tucker predicts one of two things will happen:

1) Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik quickly will turn to his “ready list” of best available free agents at the position. In this scenario, Dominik would bring in four or five for a workout and sign the one in the best shape.

2) Dominik sits tight and gets a long look at the current bodies in camp while keeping a keen eye on the waiver wire. Tucker is certain the Eagles will cut one of their talented ends, “Jason Babin, Brandon Graham, Trent Cole, Darryl Tapp, and they drafted Vinny Curry in the second round,” Tucker said. “They can’t possibly all make the roster.”

So the Bucs, which are loading up on Rutgers players like Joe does with cold beers on a steamy west-central Florida weekend afternoon, have already had a major hit to their defensive-line depth when second-year defensive end Da’Quan Bowers tore an Achilles tendon working out yesterday.

Bowers is scheduled to have surgery today. It is very likely Bowers is done for the season, though there is a small chance he could rejoin the team in December — provided the Bucs don’t put him on the injured reserve list.

Depth was a key goal along the defensive front for new Bucs coach Greg Schiano and already that goal has been hijacked by Bowers’ injury. The Bucs already are counting on oft-injured Gerald McCoy and previously hobbled Brian Price to stay healthy, which neither has done in their NFL careers.

It almost makes Joe wonder if the Bucs will be looking to perhaps make a trade?

Rumor had it, via Jason LaCanfora, in his last days working for the NFL Network, that Giants stud defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora can be had for a third round pick.

The trick here is that after this seaosn, Umenyiora will be a free agent (unless he re-ups a contract) and isn’t exactly injury-free as well.

Oh, and his contract likely will be steep.

So perhaps the Bucs, with their Giants connections on the coaching staff on defense, may be interested in Umenyiora? Look, Joe likes GMC a lot and Price seems to be a good guy but to bank on both playing 16 games without an injury is a gamble until and/or unless they prove they can stay healthy.

Until the Bucs linebacker unit and secondary is settled, and both areas were beyond porous last season, the Bucs simply must put heat on the quarterback and stop the run up front.

Perhaps Umenyiora can help with that goal. Bowers is out, and now with a bum knee on his left leg and a blown Achilles on his right leg, one wonders how effective he will be whenever he recovers.

Being carted off the field has been too common of a sight for Cody Grimm in his first two seasons in the NFL.

The way new Bucs coach Greg Schiano has put a clamp down on information about what his defense will entail this fall, it’s easier for Joe to acquire a cell phone number for Rachel Watson.

Earlier this week on an NFL.com podcast, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik let some information slip when he all but stated Ronde Barber will be starting the season at safety.

Without trying to ascribe a motive, surely Schiano plans to start No. 7 overall draft pick Mark Barron as well.

This leaves Cody Grimm out in the cold.

Could it be that the Bucs have doubts about Grimm’s ability to bounce back from his second season-ending leg injury in as many years? Joe’s of the mind the Bucs should be.

Look, Joe has nothing at all against Grimm, a really good guy with good genes. He’s what everyone likes in a football player: gritty, fundamentally sound and not afraid to stick his nose in a pile. But to have a defensive back suffer two serious leg injuries; two years ago breaking an ankle and last year tearing the meniscus and MCL in his right knee.

Joe finds it strange that so many Bucs fans have piled on Gerald McCoy for not being able to stay on the field. Like Grimm, GMC himself has suffered two season-ending injuries in his first two seasons yet these same fans are willing to give Grimm a pass.

Per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, Bucs second-year defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has torn an Achilles tendon and is expected to be lost for the 2012 season.

Bowers is scheduled to have surgery Friday.

Bowers suffered the injury while participating in the Bucs’ offseason conditioning program.

Though it is possible Bowers could return late in the year, that’s more pipe-dream than a realistic expectation. If Bowers were to return, no one knows if he would be 100 percent or how he could play after such a short time after the surgery.

Now one wonders about Bowers’ future. He already has a bum knee and add to that a surgically-repaired Achilles tendon. Not good for a defensive end to have such bad injuries to his wheels.

Bowers was drafted by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik with a second round draft pick in 2011. He showed flashes of a player who was once thought to be a high draft pick. Bowers slid to the second round over grave concerns about his bum knee.

Michael Bennett will likely replace Bowers full-time at left defensive end in Bowers’ absence.

The Achilles injury Bowers suffered was to his right leg. The knee problem he has battled is his left knee.

Score one for Joe predicting Carl Nicks would be the Buccaneer honored last night on NFL Network (aka The Man Channel) for being among the Top 100 players in the NFL for 2012.

The NFL players-only voting revealed Nicks grabbed position No. 76. Donald Penn checked in at No. 97 a couple of weeks ago.

The countdown continues next week from No. 70. Will Vincent Jackson get some love? Joe hopes so. The man just signed for gargantuan money. Davin Joseph? Oh, the drama.

Here’s the video of Nicks’ segment, great stuff for the many Bucs fans that don’t know much about him. Ironically, among other highlights, you get an NFL Films look of Nicks absolutely abusing Roy Miller and yet another jailbreak run against the Bucs.

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For the Bucs to turn around their defensive line, it's critical that Gerald McCoy stay healthy.

Anyone whose eyes have finally recovered, after they were singed watching what was disguised as a Bucs defense last year, knows that if the Bucs are to sniff a .500 record the Bucs must somehow stop the run.

The critical element in this is the Bucs’ front line. And eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune explains improvement on the defensive front has been a priority for the Bucs since the ghastly loss to the Dixie Chicks, extending the grotesque losing streak to 10 games last season.

Collectively, the group up front was ravaged on the ground as opposing clubs averaged 5.0 yards per carry. The defensive line failed to occupy blockers and running backs routinely broke through to the second level.

And when opposing running backs got to the second level, it was nothing less than a jailbreak. The way running backs ran through the Bucs’ second and third levesl, it reminded Joe of Steve McQueen on his motorcycle in “The Great Escape.”

The first step towards improved rush defense is for the front line to stay healthy. No matter how talented guys like Gerald McCoy and Brian Price are, if they can’t get on the field or are hobbled, it doesn’t help the team.

The bell cow running back debate is one that will burn within many Bucs fans from now through at least late August.

Who should and will carry the load in the Bucs’ run-first backfield? Will there even be the bell cow that Greg Schiano desires?

Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik was pressed on this yesterday during an NFL.com podcast hosted by Steve Wyche and Jason Smith. Here’s how Dominik responded.

Host (paraphrased): Doug Martin, LeGarrette Blount, what’s your plan?

Mark Dominik: They’re going to complement one another. Let’em play with each other. Let them utilize their traits very well, and really kind of work together. I think most clubs, as we see around the league, have a multiple-back system, where guys can be on first-down or third-down, and short yardage or, you know, first-and-10. And I think that’s what’s so nice about adding a Doug Martin. You know because he has the hands, you know he’s really good catching the ball and real natural coming out [out of the backfield], runs really good routes, he’s under control as a runner but he has some top-end speed so he can get away. And what I like about him is he’s got some strength after contact to be able to break plays and get those hidden yardages, you know those yards after contact that are such hidden yards in the National Football League that are so important to sustain drives and give a chance to let your team win games.

Host (paraphrased): Will their use be situational, like the Giants have done in the past with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw?

Dominik: I think that’s the way the coaches are going to end up playing it out. And certainly the development of how fast, you know, Martin can pick it up. And certainly with LeGarrette now being here. And again, everybody’s got a fresh clean slate. Now with Greg Schiano, a new coaching staff, a new offensive coordinator very excited about the clean slate and really excited about some of the young players that have a chance to continue to step up and step through.

For those who love to read between lines, Dominik’s quotes above might satisfy you for at least a week.

Joe’s been known to examine tea leaves, and Joe finds it interesting that Dominik referenced Martin having to pick up the system — it’s new for Blount, too, and many fans allege Blount is an idiot that can’t figure out a playbook. Also, Dominik referencing the coaches’ excitement about a clean slate in a question about Blount is intriguing.

Regardless, Joe’s not worried about either one of the running backs. Joe’s concern lies in Mike Sullivan’s ability as a first-time offensive coordinator that has never called plays.