The soap opera with Bucs running back LeGarrette Blount is over. He’s now a soap opera for Bill Belicheat, as Blount joins Aqib Talib and the Patriots.

In return, the Bucs get track star Jeff Demps and a seventh-round pick this year.

Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik emphasized the trade was specifically for the Patriots’ seventh round pick today.

Dominik noted that the Bucs, almost as an aside, asked for the rights to Demps. It is unclear whether Demps wants to be a full-time football player, as Dominik noted Demps is interested in continuing his track pursuits.

“We are just taking [Demps’] rights to see what happens,” Dominik said. He also added the Bucs and Demps have been in communcation about a possible contract.

“He practiced with us down here last summer [as a member of the Patriots in intersquad scrimmages at One Buc Palace] and he had a good [preseason] game against us.

“Jeff Demps was part of [the trade] but not the reason for it. We want to investigate that future.”

Dominik noted that with two picks left today in the seventh round as a result of the trade, running back, the void left by Blount’s trade could well be addressed, as could free agents between now and the beginning of training camp.

“LeGarrette has been a good football player for us but as an organization, we felt this was best for our football team,” Dominik said, noting Blount was entering the final year of his contract.

Demps, who played football at the Unversity of Florida, is a speedster who saw limited action with the Patriots before turning his full attention to his track career.

“We understand he wants to run track and play football,” Dominik said.

Joe’s intrigued that the New Schiano Order put its defensive foot down during the NFL Draft and didn’t bestow more quality toys on Josh Freeman.

Joe’s written many times that the Bucs already have a win-now offense, complete with all the key ingredients for a young quarterback’s success: an elite running back, a very beastly offensive line, and an elite receiver with a strong and dangerous No. 2.

Yes, the Bucs are weak at tight end and don’t have a top slot receiver, but there are playoff offenses with less to work with than what Freeman has. Focusing on defense was a wise and telling move.

Not only did Freeman fail to get any real toys, he was gifted a rookie QB over his shoulder.

There couldn’t be any more pressure on Freeman as he enters his fifth season.

Click on through below to schedule a test drive. Joe gives a superior grade to Ed Morse Auto Plaza. Test drive today, or shop online now.

Bucs new outside linebacker Steven Means can do a lot of things. He can play defensive end in both a 43 defense and a 34 defense. He can play defensive end as well as outside linebacker.

Oh, and he can rush the passer too, with 18.5 sacks in four years. Means credits his ability to get to the passer to a unique motivational tool:

Means doesn’t like to be touched.

“I credit my father for that, I credit my mom,” Means said. “But at the same time, I just don’t like to be touched. I came up in an environment that is really not easy. So I don’t like nobody touching me. That is probably why I am a decent pass rusher. I don’t like offensive linemen touching me so I want to get them off me as quick as possible.”

Means also admitted he has a burning anger when he takes the field.

“Nasty attitude? Most definitely,” Means said. “I get mad just at someone lining up across from me. I like hitting. I love hitting the quarterback.

“I am willing to do whatever I have to do, even if that means just snapping the ball. It’s a tribute.”

Means’ issue with touching reminds Joe of a quality AC/DC song.

Here are some highlights and thoughts from new Bucs outside linebacker Steven Means.

The Bucs, with their fifth round pick, have selected an outside linebacker from the football factory of the University of Buffalo, Steven Means.

Means is certainly camp meat and may mean linebacker depth, which Joe knows Bucs coach Greg Schiano wanted to add.

Means does have some speed, running a 4.6 40-yard dash. He was a defensive en,d but his size and speed better translate as an outside linebacker in the NFL. One breakdown of Means suggests he’s a special teams guy.

Means is third in Buffalo history in sacks.

If there is anything to be said about the talents of Williams Gholston, it is that he is versatile.

The Michigan State defensive end played both left and right end. It didn’t matter who his opponent was, Gholston split time on both sides of the line. He wasn’t pigeonholed.

“I was never classified as a left or a right end,” Gholston told the Tampa Bay pen and mic club this afternoon. “I was a boundary end. What that means is if the ball was closer to the right boundary, I was there. If the ball was on the left boundary, I was on the left side.”

Gholston was also adept at penetration, racking up 30 tackles for loss in three years with the Spartans. Last year, Gholston led all BCS conference players with most batted down passes, 10, a lost art with Bucs linemen.

“Some of the techniques we were taught in practice was to put the same hand up as the hand the quarterback uses to release the ball,” Gholston said. “We have so much repetition in practices, it just happened.”

Gholston tried to shrug off the criticism that he is inconsistent or takes plays off.

“Now that I have the opportunistic to play in the NFL, I am going to take advantage of it.

William Gholston, defensive end, Michigan State, is your newest Buccaneer.

Problem with Gholston, other than his cousin is Vernon Gholston, is he is way too inconsistent. At times he looked like Simeon Rice. Other times, he played like Sackless Kyle Moore.

Gholston, physically, is everything you would want from a defensive end, and is a bit of a freakish athlete at 6-7, 273 pounds, but too often he takes off plays.

Joe is convinced Bucs coach Greg Schiano will not tolerate such nonsense, a guy not getting the most of his talent.

Mike Mayock made the same point on NFL Network, while Les Miles, sitting next to Mayock on the NFL Network set, said he was stunned a guy of Gholston’s talent went so late in the draft. Miles said he was after Gholston in high school.

Here’s an interesting Detroit Free Press feature on Gholston, which makes a case he probably should have stayed in school since he has so much upside.

Click on through below to schedule a test drive. Joe gives a superior grade to Ed Morse Auto Plaza. Test drive today, or shop online now.

If you’re wondering how the Bucs landed Illinois defensive tackle Akeem Spence so early this afternoon in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, it’s because the Bucs traded up with the Raiders.

Rockstar general manager Mark Dominik gave up the Bucs’ slotted fourth-round pick and one of the Bucs’ two sixth-round picks (No. 181 overall) in order to move up 12 spots in the fourth round.

The Bucs still have another fourth-round pick, the one they fleeced from the Patriots in the Aqib Talib trade.

New Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence spoke with the Bucs pen and mic club shortly after he was drafted this afternoon. Of course, Joe took notes.

“I play with a lot of power, real strong, great first step,” Spence said. “I make a lot of plays chasing receivers down from behind, knocking the ball out and playing from sideline to sideline. I play hard.

“I knew the [Bucs] coaches liked me at the combine, but I couldn’t really tell. I was thinking [from talking to Bucs scouts] it would be yesterday [when drafted].

“I heard [I would be drafted in the] third and my heart was set on third and maybe I could get into the second. Yesterday, I was bummed out. I was thinking ‘What now?’ Getting that call this morning, it was a sigh of relief.

“I can be a plus, taking pressure off of [Gerald McCoy] and taking double-teams off of him. Take pressure off of him and make plays.

“Followed the Bucs back in the day with Warren Sapp and Mike Alstott. With my old teammate, Arrelious Benn on the Bucs, I would watch Bucs games.

“When Coach Schiano called, I almost had a heart attack. I didn’t know they were going to trade for me. To be the second guy drafted today, my dad, he jumped out of his chair and my step-mom, she rolled on the floor. To see that happen was a great moment.”

Former Illinois defensive tackle Akeem Spence, the first of the Bucs’ fourth-round picks today, had a strong senior season, is known as a run stuffer, and he doesn’t miss games.

This News-Gazette feature gives a little insight into Spence personally. Here’s an excerpt:

What’s the diet like for a defensive tackle? I try to eat good. I live with a cornerback, so he’s got me eating salads and whatnot. I like Chipotle, so I eat a lot of that when I can.

What do you like to do when you’re not focused on football or school? I’m pretty laid-back. I like to play video games, watch college football and the NFL and just go out around here and have a good time.

Who’s your favorite defensive lineman? Right now, my favorite guy to watch on Sundays is (Ndamukong) Suh. I like the way he plays.

Do you think he gets a bad rap? At times, yeah. To play defensive tackle, you have to be a meaner guy. Ultimately, he’s a great player; I like what he does.

Do you have that nastiness in you? Yeah, you’ve got to have that mean streak in you. I can turn it on.

This recent Chicago Tribune feature also gets into Spence’s background, he’s a native Jamaican, and talks about how Spence is not a pass rusher, and more.

Joe’s not going to pretend he knows whether 6-1, 307-pound Spence is a good or bad pick, but the Bucs needed a defensive tackle body, and hopefully he’s got the strength and skills to develop.

Here are some highlights of new Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence.

So the Bucs finally got their defensive tackle, Akeem Spence from Illinois.

Spence is a big dude with good hands and has a quick first step, which usually gives him a quick advantage over offensive linemen.

Spence also has good movement along the line and rarely gets worn out.

Seems to Joe this is guy will be a backup right away. Not sure how much pass rushing ability he provides the Bucs.

OK boys and girls, the third and final day of the NFL draft is upon us.

The Bucs need some players at positions not including quarterback, safety, offensive guard and running back.

How about a defensive tackle?

How about a defensive end?

The Bucs could sure use a pass rusher of some sort.

Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs need a punter.

Let’s hear what you have to say, and as always, do behave.