Joe’s read the buzz out of Chicago that the Bears may cut Devin Hester.

Joe’s also acutely aware that the New Schiano Order couldn’t find a returner last season, doesn’t have an established returner now, and it’s got a wide open competition near the bottom of its wide receiver depth chart. The Bucs also have a pile of available cash to pay Hester, whose contract called for $2 million this season.

Hester wasn’t his lethal-returner self last season, and he’s 30 years old. But the guy is healthy and surely is far better than what the Bucs have to offer now. He also would represent great depth as a No. 4 or No. 5 receiver.

For Joe, the Bears making it public that Hester doesn’t have a roster spot locked up is code for Chicago seeking trade offers.

Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik has a lot of recent history dealing with the Bears (Gaines Adams, Brian Price, Gabe Carimi). Perhaps a move for Hester is just the kind of low-risk, high-reward gamble that could improve the Buccaneers.

Joe’s written quite a bit about new Bucs running back/fullback Brian Leonard because Joe’s confident fans will see a lot of Leonard if he stays healthy. The Bucs haven’t launched a season with a third-down back with this much experience in a long time.

After being a featured back at Rutgers, Leonard backed up Ray Rice during his senior season and was drafted by the Rams in the second round. He spent the past four seasons as the Bengals’ third-down back.

Joe asked Leonard to describe his game to Bucs fans.

“I think I have great hands, great hands out of the backfield. That’s one of my best attributes,” Leonard said. “I’m great at picking up protections, and I feel like I’m a smart player, too. You know, seeing the field and seeing the rotation of the safeties and picking up blitzes. If I get the opportunity to run the ball, I feel like I’m really successful at that, too.”

Joe doesn’t expect Leonard to set the league on fire, but he should be an upgrade over D.J. Ware, another bonus for Josh Freeman.

An interesting Buccaneer Man stat on Leonard, he’s got one fumble in 288 NFL regular season touches.

Killing time and creating content during the current dead period for the NFL until training camps open, NFL Network has begun a weekday series “32 for 32,” a preview of each NFL team in just over five weeks until teams begin the drudgery of training camp late in July.

Monday was the Bucs’ turn, and Joe will highlight elements today and tomorrow.

Analysts LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sharper broke down the Bucs with host Andrew Siciliano. It was noted by Siciliano that on paper it appears the Bucs have a “far better” secondary. But the two analysts somewhat disagreed. Sharper, a former cornerback himself, was skeptical.

Darren Sharper: They can only go up. But it will be the health of Darrelle Revis as he is the answer as to determine how good this defense can be. But it will be guys like Johnthan Banks and Eric Wright, playing second and third corner, to slow down those receivers. They have to go against guys in a division with Drew Brees and Matt Ryan who can air it out.

LaDainian Tomlinson: Look, they went from having no Pro Bowlers to two [Dashon Goldson and Revis]. But I like Mark Barron, too. I think he can be a future Pro Bowler. So I am going to go out on a limb and say this secondary will be top-five in pass defense. I know they play in a tough division but I think this will be a strength for their team.

In case none of Joe’s readers picked up on Tomlinson’s musings, how quickly he forgot Ronde Barber, eh?

Believe it or not, Joe sides with both Tomlinson and Sharper. The key to how great this secondary can be is Revis. If he returns to form from a ACL knee surgery, there is no reason to believe the Bucs cannot have the best secondary in the NFL.

But Tomlinson is also correct. The Bucs, as criminally awful as the pass defense was last year, could have three Pro Bowlers if Barron has a solid season. Barring an epidemic of injuries, there is no way the Bucs should repeat last year’s horror show with the talent on the roster, even if Matty Ice and Brees are slinging footballs against the Bucs over four games.

This time of the year to escape the seemingly incessant non-basketball association and golf talk on radio — man, the MSM would make Josef Goebbels smile the way it tries to indoctrinate the masses, led by the four-letter outfit of course, with the repetitive drumbeat of a once proud sport — Joe has a comfortable sanctuary to turn to: SiriusXM NFL Radio.

This afternoon, the co-hosts of “Movin’ the Chains,” Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan, discussed what the Bucs need to do to make a playoff run.

Kirwan is hesitant to anoint the Bucs a playoff contender.

Yet.

In Kirwan’s eyes, there are two positions on defense the Bucs need to address before he can take the notion of a Bucs postseason berth seriously: a third-down pass rusher and a SAM linebacker.

(Gasp! Cue the “SAM linebacker is not important” chorus, which was non-existent when Quincy Black played.)

Kirwan suggested that the Bucs acquire two players on defense to fill these needs. One player Kirwan has all but been begging Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik to sign in recent months is former Dixie Chicks defensive end John Abraham. After again professing how much Abraham could help the Bucs, Kirwan did some research during a commercial break that may have solved the riddle as to why Dominik (or other teams for that matter) has not pursued Abraham.

Per Kirwan, in the last eight games the Bucs and Dixie Chicks faced each other, spanning four seasons, Abraham has a grand total of one sack.

This was surprising to Joe, as well, and it led Kirwan to wonder aloud.

“Usually, teams love to pick [players] from teams in their own division,” Kirwan said. “They obviously have Abraham on their own tapes. I wonder if they noticed something?”

Of course, there are but few people who could answer this question and they all have offices at One Buc Palace.

Maybe Dominik, who generally doesn’t like to toss cash at aging free agents after getting burned (badly) in his rookie year as general manager, noticed how the Bucs were able to take Abraham out of games the past four years and, thus, doesn’t value his skillset?

Former offensive lineman Mark Schlereth discusses the Bucs’ defensive acquisitions this offseason and works in a comment about Josh Freeman in this BSPN video.

After just one interview, Joe has learned that Bucs cornerbacks coach Tony Oden is adept at coaching non-speak. He had all the empty coaching cliches down pat, such as, “We made a decision this offseason to not look back but to look forward,” which flies in the face of Coaching 101; you learn from mistakes through film study.

Though Oden was not the Bucs secondary coach last year, the Bucs’ pass defense was sinfully awful last season, just a handful of yards (14 to be precise) away from setting a 92-year record for NFL worst pass defense. Oden was absolutely tight-lipped when asked what he learned from last year’s film and how he would correct mistakes. Not even the IRS would be able to get any information out of him.

But when the subject of rookie cornerback Johnthan Banks came up, Oden sang like a bird, praising Banks, effusively.

“He will be up against a lot,” Oden said. “What he is learning is everyone is good here, everyone is fast. You have to play with that sense of urgency down in and down out. Things are going to go wrong and that the most important play for a cornerback is the next one. I think he will be just fine.

“He has confirmed some things we learned about him: He is a very passionate person, very prideful. He wants to do it right. Wants to do it the right way. He is smart and knows how to adjust.”

Banks seems to be, based mostly on Oden’s information, an extension of Leonard Johnson, who Oden highly praised for his exceptional work ethic. While Banks bragged how NFL receivers are no faster than SEC receivers, he will soon find out the NFL is not the SEC. It’s grown man football.

How quickly the Bucs’ secondary improves from last year may depend on how quickly Banks adjusts to the NFL. The strength of a secondary is tied to its weakest link. To date, no one suggested Banks is on Darrelle Revis’ level quite yet.

Ex-communicated last spring from the New Schiano Order, Tanard Jackson got another chance in D.C., and he promptly filled his blood with banned substances again and landed on the street for the season and more.

Over and over Jackson has proven he can’t stay away from alcohol-free party materials, or Adderrall, or whatever he ingests that’s cost him millions of dollars. But amazingly, Jackson keeps getting more chances.

Now the Redskins are on record ready to embrace Jackson’s return for this season– if Roger Goodell gives his blessing.

Asked about Jackson last week, [Skins defensive coordinator] Haslett said, “Obviously if we got Tanard back, you know that’s another bonus because he’s a heck of a football player. I don’t know where that stands with the NFL, but we’d welcome back with open arms.”

Jimminy Christmas! Was Jackson really that good? So impressive during the heinous collapse of 2011, when the Bucs’ secondary was carved up like a Christmas ham?

What’s next? Will Monte Kiffin bring Jackson to Dallas if the Redskins pass?

Joe wishes Jackson well.

Joe always gets a laugh when he hears Bucs fans blubber about how the strongside linebacker in the Bucs’ 4-3 defense — Raheem/Gruden/Dungy or New Schiano Order regimes — isn’t a big deal.

Well, it is considered a big deal by the organization.

If you need evidence, just look to rockstar general manager Mark Dominik guaranteeing Quincy Black $11 million or so before the 2011 season (not the GM’s finest hour), or take how aggressively the Bucs pursued Cato June in 2007, and then quickly signed him away from the Super Bowl champs to a $12 million contract.

This season, the Bucs are issuing clear signs they hope fourth-year pro Dekoda Watson emerges into a strongside linebacker beast. And if so, Watson will walk into a massive payday.

Watson only just turned 25. And last week Greg Schiano called him an “elite” special teams player.

That adjective surely had Watson’s agent foaming at the wallet.

If Watson only has a decent season in 2013, his special teams prowess — and age — will put him in demand around the NFL.

Again, while many fans don’t believe the Bucs value the position, Joe disagrees. And Joe believes the Bucs will invest in Watson if he proves to be a solid starter. But first Watson has to win the job, something he couldn’t wrestle away from Adam Hayward last season.

Update: Joe is extending this offer to a third and final company.

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Email Joe today with any questions, [email protected].

Warren Sapp seems to believe quarterbacks should be judged by playoff victories

Kurt Warner recently busted out a take on the NFL’s 10 best quarterbacks on NFL Network, and Josh Freeman was nowhere to be found on the list. Neither were playoff quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Andy Dalton, Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin, III, or even bratty Jay Cutler and his 51-42 career record.

“It’s all about Super Bowls, and it’s all about consistency,” Warner said of the reasoning driving his picks.

As expected, Warner’s top-10 list drew boos from some of his colleagues, and Warren Sapp took particular offense to Warner selecting Matt Ryan as his seventh best QB, one spot behind Eli Manning and one ahead of Joe Flacco.

“Matt Ryan’s got as many wins as Shaun King in the playoffs. I can’t see him on anybody’s list,” Sapp screamed in disbelief of Warner.

This chatter reminded Joe of the horrendous ranking godfather NFL personnel man Gil Brandt gave Freeman in January, when he ranked Freeman as the 14th best NFL QB under 30 years old on NFL.com.

So where does Freeman rank among his fellow starters? Joe believes the answer is only relevant as it relates to how the Bucs’ decision-makers rank Freeman.

If after this season, Freeman’s fifth, Greg Schiano and Mark Dominik don’t think they have a QB among the top half of starters in the NFL, perhaps they opt to move on to a guy with more potential upside?

There is no controversy now, though, as Joe’s written previously. Freeman has every tool/weapon he needs and will paint a clear picture of what kind of QB he his during the 2013 season.

YAC is a wonderful term. And, no, it has nothing to do with the time Joe once got a hold of some rotten scotch.

For those unknowing of the acronym, it stands for “Yards After Catch.” It is often used in offensive terms to judge how much of a home run hitter a wide receiver or a tight end may be.

But defenses use it, too. And in the case of one Bucs cornerback, it’s a stat he will certainly want to reverse.

Recently, Joe shared that the numbers crunchers at Pro Football Focus believed Leonard Johnson may be a secret superstar. Well, the crowd at Football Outsiders, which is a kindred spirit of Pro Football Focus, broke out their calculators and determined that Johnson was the worst corner in the NFL for giving up YAC, so types Rivers McCown.

Johnson, per McCown, was targeted for big gains by opposing offensive coordinators. Receivers who Johnson were guarding were able to get downfield after the catch for an average of 7.3 yards per reception.

The interesting thing about McCown’s story is it also lays out who the worst cornerbacks overall were using a variety of data, and none of the Bucs corners came in the bottom 10, though helmet-wielding, cabbie-slugging, Adderrall-popping, coach-cussing, referee-charging, pistol-friendly, granny-hassling Aqib Talib was third-worst, just behind Nnamdi Asomugha.

And to think there are still Bucs fans sore that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was able to thieve a fourth-round pick from Bill Belicheat for Talib.

When Joe hears of football coaches wanting a player to play with more “urgency,” Joe thinks that’s code for coaches believing a player takes plays off.

After all, every snap is critical in the NFL. Every snap can turn a game. Every snap is urgent. And when a quarterback is playing without urgency, that’s a terrible sign.

So Joe is troubled by Rick Stroud writing today that the Bucs want Freeman to up his urgency, so Stroud penned for TampaBay.com.

But coaches would like to see him demonstrate a greater sense of urgency in games from start to finish. What does that mean for the laid-back Freeman? Showing more fire while keeping his cool.

Stroud includes quotes from Bucs QB coach John McNulty praising Freeman’s authoritative demeanor and urgency during spring practices.

Joe’s not sure exactly where Stroud learned the Bucs want Freeman to “demonstrate a greater sense of urgency from start to finish.” That’s unclear in the story. So Joe hopes Stroud is mistaken.

If Freeman does have urgency issues, that would be awful. Frankly, Joe’s never heard anything like that out of One Buc Palace, players or coaches.

In fact, coaches and Freeman himself said pressing and forcing plays that aren’t there — essentially showing too much urgency — have hurt Freeman most.

Joe actually believes that Freeman’s serious but generally calm demeanor isn’t a bad thing. Joe very well remembers that incredible cool helping Freeman to some incredible fourth-quarter wins early in his career.

Earlier this week, NASCAR driver Casey Kahne dropped by Bucs minicamp to toss around a football with Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman. No, comedians, Kahne didn’t have to turn left to catch a low-throw from Freeman.

Tampa Bay electronic media czar J.P. Peterson has all sorts of NASCAR references and Freeman-Kahne footage in this video report from that practice on TampaBaySportsCentral.com. He also dives into how Freeman having success this season will not just have a major impact on the Bucs, but upon Freeman’s bank account.

“It’s the most critical turn of Josh Freeman’s NFL race to stardom and riches,” Peterson says.

Brian Leonard was the Bengals’ third-down back the past four seasons, three of them playoff years. Joe expects a prominent role in Tampa for the Rutgers man.

Joe asked the leader of the New Schiano Order about veteran running back Brian Leonard, a key pickup this offseason, and Greg Schiano gave Leonard the ultimate compliment: He called him “a winner.”

Schiano wouldn’t comment on how Leonard might improve the Bucs versus last year’s third-down back D.J. Ware. But Joe fully expects to see plenty of Leonard during the regular season. Leonard was the Bengals’ third-down back for the past four seasons. They made the playoffs three of the past four years.

“Well I don’t know about anything about upgrade/did not upgrade. We felt Brian could help us win. That’s why we brought him here. But Brian Leonard’s a winner,” Schiano said. “You know, I have a history with him since he was 16 years old and we’ve been through a lot together. This guy will, he’s an unselfish guy who will show up big when we need him. So I hope that he hasn’t changed.”

Leonard’s a Rutgers guy and extremely versatile. Running backs coach Earnest Byner raved to Joe last week about Leonard’s great hands and his “tweener” ability as a fullback and running back.

Joe chatted extensively with Leonard, who also revealed he was a four-phase, first-teamer on special teams in Cincinnati and looks forward to doing the same here. Leonard has worked plenty with the Bucs’ first-team offense to date but said he can’t clarify his role yet.

Wondering how close Leonard and Schiano are? Leonard said he went back to Rutgers every NFL offseason to train with Schiano’s program after being drafted by St. Louis in the second round to backup Steven Jackson in 2007.

Leonard said Schiano called him when free agency opened this year and said, “We’d like you to come here.”

Joe will bring more from Leonard in the coming days. Joe wants Bucs fans to get used to seeing Leonard. Joe suspects he’s going to have a very prominent role as the Bucs look to use Doug Martin more often and more creatively on third down.

Offensive tackle Demar Dotson got a lot of valuable snaps last year and is currently atop the depth chart on the right side.

Joe has written this several times before; the job Bucs offensive line coach Bob Bostad did last year when his offensive line was pilloried by injuries and shuffled like a deck of cards trying to place backups in a proper position was stunning.

First, Davin Joseph went down. Then Jeremy Trueblood was benched. Then Carl Nicks had a toe injury. Most offenses would have folded down three starters.

That didn’t happen because Bostad is that good and was able to plug leaks as best he could, though towards the end of the season, it became apparent those injuries/demotions/guys playing out of position caught up with the team.

Aside from Bryan Cox, no Bucs assistant did a better job.

Last week when Bucs assistants had a media day of sorts, Joe asked Bostad, who came from the University of Wisconsin, what the biggest adjustment was coming from college to the NFL.

“Depth,” Bostad quickly quipped.

It makes sense. At Wisconsin, Bostad could load up with recruits up front. If someone went down, it’s likely a four- or five-star underclassman was ready to take over.

Not too many top shelf players are sitting on the bench in the NFL.

While last year was trying for Bostad and his players, he believes the trials of last year will pay off this season, with better depth, so he told the pride of Northwestern, intrepid Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.

“Hopefully with those reps we dumped into them, they’re going to be able to either be there for us right off the bat or step into that same situation that happened,” said Bostad. “It was a really good investment. Last year was a good investment that way.”

It all makes sense. A lot of players who were not expected to play many snaps logged quite a few games. Players don’t often get better just watching tape.

With the addition of one of Bostad’s prized pupils, Gabe Carimi, the Bucs offensive line this season, barring injuries, should be strong as ever.

Joe isn’t sure anyone expected what Doug Martin did at running back last year. Once he got used to the rigors of the NFL, Martin became one of the NFL’s best backs and was eating pineapple.

But the way Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman and Bucs coach Greg Schiano are singing the praises of Martin, the two sound as if Martin’s rookie season of 1,454 rushing yards is just a taste of what is to come, by way of the Associated Press.

“Absolutely,” Schiano said. “If you look at him, I think he looks better now than he did this time last year — physically, understanding-wise, all those things. I think there’s another level for him for sure.”

“Every day he comes in and gives it his best,” quarterback Josh Freeman said. “Having Carl and Davin back and healthy, that’s going to make a huge difference. I’m not saying you’re expecting a drop-off or anything, but those are two All Pro-caliber guys coming back, and I know they’re really hungry, really eager to get back on the field.”

That’s just it. Martin racked up his yards behind an offensive line put together with twist ties and duct tape; Hats off to Bucs offensive line coach Bob Bostad for playing chess due to so many injuries. Joe isn’t sure what was more impressive: Bostad getting solid play from a patchwork line or Martin rolling up so many yards behind said line.

Either way, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Martin could push 2,000 yards next year. If he does that, it’s a good bet the Bucs have a winning record and are pushing for a playoff berth.