Bucs MLB Mason Foster talks about the main trait of the 2014 Bucs.

Consider Mason Foster a survivor. The Bucs’ middle linebacker was overwhelmed as a rookie, thrown into the fire with no help on either side of him and playing a new position. It showed.

Foster survived the Raheem Morris mess and improve greatly under then-commander Greg Schiano. With his third coach in four years, Lovie Smith, the new Bucs leader thought so much of him he handed him the playcalling duties. [read more]

Video surfaces of Bucs WR Mike Evans in a hassle outside a nightclub.

[UPDATE: Per Greg Auman ot the Tampa Bay Times, this incident happened in March. The TMZ story incorrectly dates the incident Saturday night in Miami. The Bucs played the Dolphins Saturday night in Tampa.]

Video has surfaced of Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans getting into a throwdown outside a Miami nightclub in March. The incident happened before he was drafted.

Evans is seen arguing with a group of people outside a nightclub when chaos erupts. The video, obtained by TMZ.com, shows Evans jumping over a car and swinging. It looked more like a baseball “brawl” than anything else. There is more shoving and yelling than punches landed.

[read more]

Former NFL scout and NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah has crafted his list of NFL offensive rookie of the year candidates.

It’s a good list for Bucs fans because Mike Evans made the cut, but it’s also bad for two reasons. [read more]

Boom or bust for Doug Martin in 2014?

Right now the Bucs are starting to look like a waiting room at a hospital emergency room with all their injuries. And the team hasn’t even played its third preseason game.

Just in the backfield is scary enough. Charles Sims is out at least 12 weeks after ankle surgery. Mike James has a bum shoulder and won’t play tomorrow night. That’s two key players the Bucs had high hopes for in the running game (and passing game for Sims). [read more]

“Playing time will come.” Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.

While Bucs fans are understandably excited and giddy for the play of their rookie tight end, the monster that is Austin Seferian-Jenkins, right now he is not the No. 1 tight end. Read what you wish into it, but fan favorite Luke Stocker started last week.

As a pass-catcher, ASJ is an absolute freaking mismatch nightmare for both linebackers and cornerbacks. Even so, ASJ won’t start until he grasps elements he is learning on the NFL level. And he is fine with that. [read more]

When the Chiefs arrived to start the 2014 season this spring, Kansas City boss Andy Reid blessed new Bucs guard Rishaw Johnson as the man who would get first crack at starting right guard.

That’s what happens after you play well as a starter in the 2013 finale, and perform in a playoff game. [read more]

Bucs DL Da’Quan Bowers talks about his job status.

Wednesday, Bucs coach Lovie Smith discussed the status of oft-injured defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers. Lovie did not mince words: Bowers needs to get out of the cold tub and onto the practice field or he could be unemployed, soon.

Lovie noted when bubble players miss reps, others take advantage. In short, Bowers had better his hurt groin healthy enough to get on the practice field and play through the pain. [read more]

Michael Johnson explains one of his technical adjustments that needs work

Big money free agent Michael Johnson is adjusting to his new role in a new defense.

Yes, it seems odd that an athletic defensive end like Johnson is finding it challenging to start wide at the line of scrimmage and get up the field, but that’s what’s happening. [read more]

“Our rush? On the defensive line? What rush?” — Adrian Clayborn, when asked to “rank” last year’s pass rush. [read more]

Bucs coach Lovie Smith, days after publicly scolding Bucs TE Tim Wright, today lauded the second-year NFLer.

The ups and downs and twists and turns of Bucs preseason, the inaugural season of the Lovie Smith regime, took another hard left turn in the straightaway today. In a slightly surprising move during his post-practice presser, Lovie sang the song of satisfaction when discussing Bucs tight end Tim Wright.

Mind you, this is the same Tim Wright who found himself in Lovie’s doghouse when Lovie called out Wright for suddenly displaying inconsistent hands and not being the most crisp blocker. [read more]

Bucs coach Lovie Smith wants to beat the Bills Saturday, but it is not his priority.

Joe delivered the ugly words yesterday about how the Bucs are on the verge of repeating a franchise watermark set by the notorious sourpuss Ray Perkins, one of three Bucs coaches who personified losing and helped lead the Bucs into a 13-year period of frustration, desperation and despair.

That would be losing the first three preseason games of a year. That feat was made in 1988, when Perkins (mis)guided the Bucs and the team finished 5-11. [read more]

The Bucs traded for Chiefs guard Rishaw Johnson today.

Hold on to your seats ladies and gentlemen. Joe has stunning trade news that will knock your socks off. Ready? OK, here goes.

The Bucs traded a safety for a guard. Yes, a trade in the NFL involving real players with a real beating pulse, per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. [read more]

Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn has been fined by the NFL $5,500 for wearing an untucked jersey during a preseason game this summer. Clayborn Twittered out a vague detail about this yesterday. [read more]

Jonathan Casillas explains

The ramped up crackdown on NFL defenders is a clear attempt to drive more offense and keep the league marketing its quarterbacks via inflated stats, as well as a move to prevent head injury lawsuits.

Flags have been flying left and right this preseason, especially in NFL defensive backfields where hands-on equals a quick yellow flag. [read more]

Lovie Smith, Jason Licht, Bucs scouts and Bucs fans are on high alert for any offensive linemen that can help Tampa Bay. Yes, that holds true for any position, but keeping it real, the Bucs have a serious need up front. [read more]