Joe sort of touched upon this yesterday, but if there was a rock among the Bucs, it was Ronde Barber.

The name of the franchise for so many years let loose yesterday he was retiring. He makes it official this afternoon.

Barber was simply a class act. Even Tampa Tribune columnist Martin Fennelly was moved.

Barber was the last connection to the Super Bowl Bucs, and he just kept on lasting and lasting.

His career was his job, his business, and he approached it that way — he was feeding Claudia and the girls. Here was one of the great professionals in Bucs or any franchise’s history.

“I’ll be as proud of my last game as I was of my first,” he once said. “My mom tells me the same thing every time I play: Play proud.”

That’s the thing that impressed Joe. Whether he was pushing 30 or pushing 40, Barber was Barber. Durng the last two seasons of Derrick Brooks’ tremendous career, Brooks signs of age. Same with Warren Sapp. Same with Simeon Rice. Even Father Time was dishing out injuries to John Lynch in his final NFL days.

Not Ronde Barber. Even with a move to safety, Barber was still among the NFL’s elite and could have easily been named to a Pro Bowl his final season, playing not corner, but safety.

Selfishly, would it have been cool to see Barber for one more season? Yes. But now, Barber goes out on top. Never missing a step, never missing a beat.

Leave it to No. 99 to imply that Ronde Barber retired because he wasn’t offered enough money for 2013.

Warren Sapp does just that in this NFL Network “Total Access” video.

But Sapp also talked about Barber’s role and work in the glory years.

“He was our criminal. He made sure everything was right where it was supposed to be, and then he was such a film guy,” Sapp said of Barber. “And he’d look so deep in the game plan and he’d know exactly that opportunity when he could go snatch one.”

Yes, Barber will be missed spiritually and literally. There’s no doubt the Bucs could have used Barber this season.

Joe doesn’t know where to start when writing about Ronde Barber. Intelligent, classy, professional, consummate teammate. All apply to Barber and may be understated.

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com has a better description for Barber. He refers to Barber as “the rock” of the Bucs’ franchise.

Tony Dungy’s “Tampa 2” defense was one of the most dominant trends of the last decade. In many ways, Barber was the defining Tampa 2 cornerback. He could tackle, cover, blitz, and had great instincts to make big plays. He could play inside and out.

Barber will be an interesting case for the Hall of Fame Committee someday, and we believe he’ll have a shot at enshrinement. But that’s a debate for another day. There is no debating Barber’s place as the rock of Tampa’s franchise over the last two decades, a player that outlasted his talented twin brother by six full NFL seasons.

Well-stated. Joe will never forget being at Ferg’s Sports Bar during the 2002 NFC Championship game. When Barber picked off Donovan McNabb for a 92-yard pick six, dudes were running down the length of the bar on the patio — a good 30-yards long — as if they were blocking for Barber, pushing him themselves down the field and across the goal line.

With the possible exception of Derrick Brooks, who was beginning to show his age his last two years with the Bucs, Joe cannot think of a Bucs player who was just as good in his final season as he was his rookie year. Barber never appeared to be aging.

A rock? Indeed.

It appears that the greatest cornerback to wear a Bucs uniform is hanging up his jersey for good.

Per NFL insider Jay Glazer, a confidant of Ronde Barber, the long-time Bucs corner is done with playing football and will retire.

@JayGlazer: Just got off the phone w Ronde Barber who told me he is officially retiring. “I’ve had a better run than I ever could’ve dreamed of having.” … Ronde has been mulling his decision for a while. The last man standing of that great Bucs defense

And yes, Glazer nails it, in more than one way. The last link to one of the greatest defenses in NFL history is now hanging it up.

Joe assumes Barber didn’t want to play a lesser role in the Bucs’ defense. He would have been at best a backup safety and at worst a backup corner, who probably would have been asked to play special teams.

Now the next steps for Barber are the Bucs’ Ring of Honor and, eventually, the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bucs beat writer Woody Cummings penned a nice update on Da’Quan Bowers today, and all kinds of good quotes from Bowers are in the TBO.com video below.

Bowers dives into how his knee wasn’t physically ready for the 2011 season (hopefully Darrelle Revis won’t sing the same song) and how the Bucs trusted him to have a near miraculous rehab of a torn Achilles and return quickly last year. Now, Bowers says, “They’re trusting in me again.”

They sure are, Da’Quan.

No. 5 is feeling and liking the new vibe around the Bucs locker room, and he explained as such to TampaBay.com author Stephen Holder yesterday.

Josh Freeman didn’t detail the vibe, though it’s got him jacked up and it’s coming from former outsiders.

“I’m definitely fired up about this team, top to bottom, all the way around,” Freeman said. “I haven’t had a chance to meet all the rookies and free agents, but the addition of (Darrelle) Revis and (Dashon) Goldson, you can see (something) in those guys just in the way they carry themselves around the locker room. I’m fired up.”

Forget about the All-Pro skills of Revis and Goldson for a moment, the Bucs bought themselves some big-time leadership. Joe’s glad to see they’re already having an effect.

The only true swagger coming from the field on Dale Mabry Highway in recent years has been from the Bucs cheerleaders. Joe sincerely hopes that’s going to change immediately.

It’s back!

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Joe must admit he’s intrigued by defensive end Steven Means, the surprising Bucs’ fifth-round pick last month out of the mighty State University of New York at Buffalo.

Means had 6.5 sacks in the MAC last year, hardly impressive, and he wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. But at an undersized 257 pounds, he managed to be a fifth-round pick and is looking to score sacks for the Bucs and play special teams.

This Buccaneers.com video reveals Means sitting down with Bucs video guru Scott Smith to talk about life and football. Means explained that he wanted to be a professional football player when he was a toddler and his father promised to help him. Dad would work him out hard after high school football practices.

“Later that night I’d put the parachute on, I’d run, and you know, it kind of like grew on me so after a while I was doing it on my own and I’d let [my dad] know how many I did when I came in,” Means said. “He’d let me know whether or not to go outside and do some more. He kept me definitely focused on that aspect and my mom kept me focused on the books, which was why I was able to get through college.”

Means and fourth-round pick, defensive end Williams Gholston, clearly are project players, both in their own unique ways.

Can Bryan Cox and Randy Melvin develop these guys? Means already mentioned the fiery Cox’s teachings in the video.

Joe must keep a close eye on Means and Gholston, given that rockstar general manager Mark Dominik seems content relying on DaQuan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn with little depth behind them. One of these kids is likely to get a primetime shot.

“Look, Bill, just give us something for Talib and I’ll teach you the kneel-down buster and how to block punts.”

The question in the headline may seem absurd. But NFL Network insider and former Patriots beat writer Ian Rapoport says the Greg Schiano-Bill Belicheat relationship may cut both ways.

Perhaps Belicheat is obsessed with Schiano’s player development methods, leading to him again collect Rutgers players this offseason (three in the draft)?

In this NFL Network video, Rapoport references the relationship between the two coaches and their plans for more joint practices and consultation.

“Don’t be surprised if Belichick is doing this so he can be a little bit better, too,” Rapoport said.

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Former NFL QB and Michigan State game analyst Jim Miller implies that William Gholston is a better pass rusher than Adrian Clayborn.

Last week, SiriusXM NFL Radio host and former NFL quarterback Jim Miller popped on the local airwaves to talk to Joe’s good friend “The Commish,” Justin Pawlowski of WHFS-FM.

Just why was Miller talking football with Pawlowski? Because Miller is also the color analyst for Michigan State football games and Miller was talking about fellow Michigan State product, defensive end William Gholston, who the Bucs drafted in the fourth round.

In short, Miller said as long as Gholston is coached up and motivated, he will be on the field for the Bucs this fall.

“I don’t think he will be waiting on the sidelines very long. That is just my opinion on William Gholston because he can be tremendous. I know, because I cover the Big Ten, I have seen Adrian Clayborn. I have seen other defensive ends. They don’t compare to William Gholston. I can tell you that right now. That kid, it is up to him how good he wants to be. That’s all it is. He has all the talent in the world, all the God-given ability. The long arms, the explosion, the speed, it is up to him how good he wants to be. If the correct coaching is given, he will not be on the sidelines very long. At minimum, he will be in there on third down passing situations. And that kid can get to the quarterback when he puts his mind to it.”

Now this is some high praise. Even better than Adrian Clayborn? Wow.

Joe found what Miller said about how Gholston will be on the defensive line for passing situations very interesting. Just after Gholston was drafted, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik said Gholston could play in the middle on passing situations, not just at end.

Given the fact that projected defensive tackle starter Akeem Spence is not known for rushing the quarterback, perhaps Gholson will spell Spence on third-and-long situations.

Even with all the new toys Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik landed in the offseason, expecting a playoff berth in 2013 is a helluva tough task in the loaded NFC.

Now Joe has heard in recent days from excited Bucs fans that if the Bucs don’t make the playoffs, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik should be jettisoned, Josh Freeman should find a job elsewhere and even some fans think a playoff-less 2013 should have Team Glazer thinking twice about bringing back coach Greg Schiano.

Joe thinks this is borderline outrageous.

Joe was just thinking last night about the NFC. Folks, in case you haven’t looked, the NFC is absolutely stacked.

There are two Wild Card berths per conference each year. Here are some of the teams that the Bucs will have to battle:

NFC West
Likely the strongest division in the NFL. Seattle, which is loaded, will battle San Francisco, which is loaded. It doesn’t seem unreasonable that the bridesmaid to the division winner will secure a Wild Card berth.

NFC North
The perennial playoff bound Packers will fight for the division title against Chicago, a 10-win team last year with a very good quarterback who now has a quarterback guru as a coach. This is not to mention a retooled Vikings team that also made the playoffs last year.

NFC East
The always-tough Giants, two Super Bowl titles in five years, will fight against the Washington Redskins, a playoff team last year, and dark horse Dallass.

NFC South
A quarterback-driven division, the Bucs will, of course, face the dangerous Saints and the loaded Dixie Chicks.

If the Bucs finish with a winning record and don’t make the playoffs, Joe isn’t sure how blame can be placed on Dominik or Schiano, or for that matter even Freeman. The conference is as loaded as Joe has ever seen.

Now if the Bucs finish, say, 4-12 with limited injuries, then that is a different issue entirely.

The best way for the Bucs to make the playoffs is by winning the division. That’s how strong the NFC is this season.

Joe just thinks it is unreasonable, if not unfair, to demand heads to roll if a playoff appearance is not achieved, given how stocked the NFC is.

There seems to be no end to the debate on whether or not Josh Freeman can lead the Bucs to the playoffs. This discussion ran wild for weeks on local airwaves and on interweb sites after the 2012 season, partially fueled by comments from Bucs coach Greg Schiano.

After dying down, this issue was whipped up again when the Bucs drafted quarterback Mike Glennon.Even Joe has admitted he is leaning skeptical about Freeman but is of the mind that Freeman still is the Bucs’ best bet.

A reader recently asked Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune if Freeman is Schiano’s guy in a TBO Bucs Q&A.

Q. Any truth to the rumor that coach (Greg) Schiano is “not sold” on Josh Freeman? All the coach’s public statements support Freeman as the Bucs’ guy. Despite some inconsistency – and a couple of really bad games down the stretch – Josh performed well last year, not to mention that spectacular midseason streak when he was awesome. At least three or four losses were due, not to poor play by Freeman, but to the collapse of the pass defense late in the games.

How about some comparison of Josh’s performance to today’s “elite” QBs at a similar stage of their careers?

– Carl Weekley, Lake Placid

A. I’ve heard the unsourced reports suggesting Schiano does not support Freeman, but I have a hard time buying them, especially after he’s gone out of his way this offseason – several times – to say Freeman is his quarterback and that he believes No. 5 can lead the Bucs to where they want to go (which I assume is the Super Bowl).

Schiano is right to want more out of Freeman, but I also know from talking to Schiano that after he looked back at last season he felt a lot better about Freeman’s play than he suggested at season’s end. He realizes that Freeman only had a couple of bad games. Now, those bad games need to be turned into good ones, but Freeman, at age 25, isn’t so set in his ways that he can’t make the necessary adjustments.

As for comparisons, the Bucs offered one late last season, just before Freeman had the two meltdown games that soured everyone on him. It showed his passer rating to that point ahead of several notable Pro Bowl quarterbacks.

– Woody Cummings

This is what Joe will say about Freeman: Joe is sometimes called a “Freeman hater,” which is absurd. Joe hates Freeman’s inconsistency.

There is no question Freeman is the answer for the Bucs, if the team is to make the playoffs this season. Anyone who thinks Glennon can lead the Bucs this season to January games, well, the bartender needs to cut them off before they hurt themselves.

As far as quarterback ratings that Cummings cites, don’t get Joe started. Stats, damned stats and USA Today. Quarterback rating may be one of the worst made-up stats in recent years. It’s bogus.

What is Joe supposed to say about a stat that is purported to measure the value of a signal-caller when slugs like Jeff George, Marc Bulger and Neil Lomax have higher quarterback ratings than Johnny Unitas and Phil Simms?

To quote the great Normal Chad, only in fantasy football would you actually want Jeff George. As Joe has stated countless times, aside from Rachel Watson, Joe doesn’t live in a fantasy world.

First it was Buccaneers Radio Network analyst and former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht saying the Bucs are at least a 10-win team in 2013.

Now it’s veteran Tampa Tribune beat scribe eye-RAH! Kaufman checking in with a double-digit prediction. “It’s a 10-win football team,” Kaufman said on 98.7 FM yesterday.

Joe fully expects many more pundits to weigh in with lofty expectations for the Bucs. Rightfully so.

And this is why Joe just loves this season. Greg Schiano is entering Year 2 of his regime with nine former Pro Bowlers on his roster, including roster hopeful WR Steve Smith. Plus, Schiano has a massive coaching staff, veteran players at key positions and, well, no excuses.

Joe is often asked, “who is on a bigger hot seat entering the 2013 season, Schiano or rockstar general manager Mark Dominik?” It’s a tough answer.

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Dallas Clark

Yesterday, Joe brought the interview of Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik conducted by “Movin’ the Chains” co-hosts Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Immediately following the interview, both Kirwan and Ryan had a few things to say about the Bucs, specifically about the Bucs’ tight end situation.

Both seem to be concerned that the Bucs have not addressed the tight end position, aside from acquiring Packers backup Tom Crabtree, who left Ryan rather flat.

Tim Ryan: Pat at one point the Bucs were 6-5 and I did the Carolina game where [Josh] Freeman led them down the end with some great drives and terrific dimes, throws to Vincent Jackson and Dallas Clark for the win. Then they lose four of their next five games. I still think – it sounds like Dallas Clark is ready to hang it up and go into retirement – I guess Tom Crabtree has the skill sets. I guess, but to me he is more of a blocker than a receiving tight end. I don’t believe they have that guy on the roster as I see it.

Pat Kirwan: I don’t either. That is why I asked if they were still in the hunt for somebody. I mean, they are not going to show their hand to us which is totally understandable but I agree with you. I think you have to go get a tight tend. Maybe in the back of their minds they think Clark may come back and you can get him late for the short term. For Bucs fans, go look at who drafted tight ends. Is there a veteran one of those teams who may be threatened and therefore, expendable? Go at it that way and see if you can come up with a name no one is thinking about now.

Kirwan brings up a good point. Who drafted tight ends? That is likely where you will see a tight end cut.

Now Joe is told the Bucs have high hopes for Crabtree. No, he didn’t show a lot of offense, but the Bucs believe he has the skills to go down the middle to haul in passes. It’s just that he had little opportunity stuck behind Jermichael Finley on the depth chart.

Now Joe also spoke with someone who was with Josh Freeman out in public a week or so ago. One fan went up to Freeman and asked if the Bucs were going to draft a tight end. Freeman shrugged and said, in so many words, don’t bank on it because in Mike Sullivan’s offense, the tight end is not utilized often.

This would explain why Dominik has not made a splash in getting a tight end. What’s the point of getting a stud tight end if he isn’t used in the Bucs offense?

So go ahead and take the Kirwan test. What tight end is vulnerable to getting cut because his team drafted a tight end? And could said tight end be in play for the Bucs?