Different Year, Same Holes

March 9th, 2015

LovieRefereeThe Custodian of Canton, eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune, hit the national radio airwaves this afternoon with Mike Florio and highlighted the frustration of many Bucs fans. [read more]

Top 30 Buccaneers Mysteries Of 2014 — No. 10

March 9th, 2015

derek anderson 1211In many ways, Tampa Bay’s 2014 season was more bizarre than the MRSA-infected, quarterback-gone-mental, Fire-Schiano-billboards campaign of 2013.

There were plenty of real Bucs mysteries last year, and Joe’s revisiting the most interesting of the bunch. [read more]

Bucs May Bring LB Home

March 9th, 2015
jacquian williams

Giants free agent linebacker Jacquian Williams, a Tampa native, is on the Bucs’ radar.

A Bucs area needing help outside of offensive line is linebacker (sans Lavonte David).

Incumbent MLB Mason Foster is a free agent, and all signs point to the Bucs letting him walk. Danny Lansanah, an outside linebacker, could play in the middle, but lukewarm reviews from both Bucs coach Lovie Smith and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier last season mean that is probably a last resort. [read more]

Derrick Morgan Would Fit Young Free Agent Goal

March 9th, 2015

DerrickMorganTitans free-agent-to-be starting defensive end Derrick Morgan just turned 26 and has 19 sacks over the last three years — three years in which he missed a total of just one game. [read more]

“Struggled?”

March 9th, 2015
The spreadsheeters are really down on Bucs CB Johnthan Banks.

The spreadsheeters are really down on Bucs CB Johnthan Banks.

This is Joe’s take on analytics: It’s a piece of the puzzle. It’s information. But by no means should analytics dictate decisions by an NFL team.

Joe learned way back in high school one can twist numbers to reinforce any given premise. [read more]

Mason Foster And The Saints

March 9th, 2015
FosterMason

Target for NFC South rival?

Updated 2:29 p.m.: As Joe has written for months, the days of Mason Foster playing linebacker for the Bucs are numbered. Joe does not write this with any glee.

Joe likes Foster. One of the best guys in the locker room. And who doesn’t like his devotion to Ric Flair? [read more]

Are Bucs Selling The Cutting Of Michael Johnson?

March 9th, 2015

michael johnson 0805Joe reads the buzz this morning, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports, that Tampa Bay is bidding with the Seahawks, Bengals, Seahawks and Patriots for the services of defensive end Jabaal Sheard. [read more]

Ted Ginn Will Play Against The Bucs

March 9th, 2015
Who will return kicks for Bucs special teams guru Kevin O'Dea?

Who will return kicks and punts for Bucs special teams guru Kevin O’Dea?

Joe would have a had a warm feeling if Ted Ginn, Jr. signed to play for the Bucs this year.

Tampa Bay needs a legitimate returner and could use receiver depth. [read more]

Jameis Watch: The Shutdown

March 9th, 2015

jameis 0108Crab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, former national champion Jameis Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback ever to wear No. 5 in the state of Florida. [read more]

Killed Kaepernick Trade Talk, Hughes Re-Signs

March 9th, 2015
lovie and licht

Would the Bucs have pounced?

Despite a case of Jameis fever, Joe admits to being intrigued by chatter out of Houston last night that claimed the 49ers put franchise quarterback Colin Kaepernick on the trading block. [read more]

Speed Bumps To Signing Free Agents

March 9th, 2015
Given the Bucs' lowly record and uncertainty at quarterback, it's going to take one helluva sales pitch by Bucs GM Jason Light to land any free agents.

Given the Bucs’ lowly record and uncertainty at quarterback, it could take one helluva sales pitch by Bucs GM Jason Light to land any free agents.

The Bucs signed a lot of their own Saturday, four in fact. Still, as Sunday grew dark, later thanks to the glory of Daylight Saving Time, some Bucs fans began to grow irritated the team had not come to an agreement with any free agents. [read more]

Can’t Beat ‘Em? Sign ‘Em.

March 9th, 2015
Scrub Rams QB Shaun HIll, who beat the Bucs in Week Two of the 2014 season, is being courted by the Bucs.

Scrub Rams QB Shaun Hill is being courted by the Bucs.

What little hopes Bucs fans had for the 2014 season seemed to be washed away in the gutter during Week 2, when the Rams came into the Den of Depression (soon to be re-named Raymond Jameis Stadium?) and punked the Bucs. [read more]

Suh Deal Reveals Gerald McCoy Bargain

March 8th, 2015

gerald mccoy 0916You can argue who is better, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy, all day long, but there is no arguing on who will get paid a lot more over the next six years. [read more]

Furiously Defending Marcus Mariota

March 8th, 2015

marcus mariota 1229

Damn, they get really defensive in Oregon if you start asking how the Portland Timbers have sold out every game and questioning how Marcus Mariota will be prepared to run an NFL offense. [read more]