While attending the NFL Scouting Combine last month, Joe was humbled that cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-ignorant, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, beer-chugging Peter King of Sports Illustrated gave Joe a few minutes of his very busy day to talk Bucs football.

JoeBucsFan: What if anything surprised you about the Bucs this past season? Obviously their pass defense was horrendous and they didn’t play well down the stretch, but for a while there, they were a puncher’s chance from a wild card berth.

Peter King: I think what surprised me about the Bucs is how quick Greg Schiano got his message across. I think he was very, very good at mobilizing the troops very quickly. I remember going to training camp and Aqib Talib basically – one of the reasons why I was surprised it blew up with Aqib Talib was Talib was [Schiano’s] biggest cheerleader in training camp. At least with me the day I was there. He did a good job of getting people to believe he was going to give them a chance to win early on.

Joe: On the Bucs’ defensive line, Mark Dominik has made a point that he has never had Da’Quan Bowers, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn all playing together healthy at the same time. Does he have a point, that the Bucs may have something special if they can all stay on the field at the same time?

King: I think the important thing is, assuming Bowers is going to be all right with his legal thing up in New York, and Clayborn healthy, I think there are a lot of teams that shied away from Bowers early on [in the 2011 draft] because of his health. Because of the belief he is not going to have a long NFL career. Well, you know that issue just doesn’t go away. That is a continuing issue. To me, it is important that they get their core in tact and healthy and playing all at once and then I think it is important – I think this draft is important because I think what you want to do is, you have some key guys, young guys at key positions, especially on defense, I think you need more. You will need a corner. You will need a long-term replacement for [Ronde] Barber at safety. And you will need depth, in particular, big-time depth along the defensive line. So, I think the one thing about Schiano that I thought he did so well at Rutgers is he took guys who weren’t the blue chip, A-No. 1 prospects, the kids he was losing to Florida to Georgia to Penn State and those places, he would take the guys who were the B-plus recruits and somehow and someway would be in a bowl game every year. It would be a lesser bowl, but he would figure out a way to be the 20th or so best team in the country. That’s one of the reasons why I loved the hire at the beginning because I think in this day and age of football, you have to make your sixth round picks work, you just do. The teams that do, you look at the Seattle Seahawks last year. They had two prime candidates for rookie of the year, one of them was picked in the second round and one was picked in the third round. Those are the teams that will eventually have the best players and have a chance to win.

Joe: Like Lavonte David, who was a late-second round pick.

King: Lavonte David was an incredible draft choice. He is a great modern linebacker. To me, if you look at this draft, everybody loves Alec Ogletree, who is a sideline-to-sideline player, speed, makes a lot of plays, is noticeable every game. That’s what Lavonte David was. So to me, I look at the way they have drafted and say, consistently, if they get guys beyond the first and second round who can play, those are the teams that will eventually win.

Joe: Schiano said recently he was going to pull back on some of his rigid rules; he has so many of them. I don’t know how to buy that. From Bobby Bowden all the way down to the better high school coaches, if you ask them the key to success, they always say, “Be yourself.” Schiano not being a rigid coach, that’s not being himself. That’s now how he got to where he is. Being a tough coach, that’s who he is. I don’t buy that he will pull back that much.

King: I think the one thing with Greg is, if you ask his players at Rutgers, he had some static rules like how they traveled and eating and things like that, but, I don’t think if you ask Ray Rice how he was treated by Greg Schiano over the long haul, even if you gave him sodium pentothal and he was telling the absolute truth, he would say Greg Schiano was a dictator and had the whip out on him. The thing about Greg is, he learned how to trust people and over time, it is a classic case of Bill Parcells, “I don’t treat all my players the same, but I treat them fairly.” And fair is different for Aqib Talib then it is for Ronde Barber or for Mike Williams lets say. So, I think he is not going to be a guy who will keep the same rules forever.

Joe: Your reaction to something Tim Ryan of SiriusXM NFL Radio told me at the Super Bowl. Look, the Bucs were just a handful of yards from setting a 97-year record for worst pass defense in NFL history. Most people would say the Bucs needed to get more heat on the quarterback and that’s really not disputable. But Ryan believes the Bucs corners were so awful that the Bucs could have had Hall of Fame players straight across the front line and if quarterbacks on a three-step drop only needed 2.5 seconds to find an open receiver because receivers were open from the moment the ball was snapped, then the Bucs need an upgrade in the secondary far more than they needed pass rushers. Is he on to something?

King: Oh, if you look at any team in the league, and I have been studying this at the combine here, what are the really important positions now in the NFL when you play these multiple set offenses with quarterbacks who can run and get out of the pocket? Almost everyone says, “You better have corners who can cover and cover not for a split second, but a premium on guys who can knock guys at the line of scrimmage, knock them out of their route but they better be fast enough to run with these 4.4 receivers.” Look, you saw them play every snap. Whenever I saw the Bucs, I said, “If I was Greg Schiano, if I am Mark Dominik, I don’t mind taking corners in the first two rounds.” Because that to me, you will never know how good your defensive line is, you will never give Da’Quan Bowers a chance to be the guy who you thought would have 14 sacks in a season, you are never going to give them a fair chance unless you can cover the backside and also get linebackers like Lavonte David who can cover well. That to me is added importance now and I think it is vital for them to fill the need at corner through either free agency or the draft.

It appears the Bucs are not sitting on their hands waiting for Ronde Barber’s answer to an invite for one more final year with the Bucs.

Per NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Bucs are making a serious push on stud 49ers safety Dashon Goldson, and with hours left before the free agent siren sounds at 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Bucs are considered a finalist for Goldson’s services.

‏@AdamSchefter: Four teams – SF, PHIL, DET, TB – in play on Dashon Goldson – but DET, TB considered favorites. TB also in on CBs Sean Smith, B. Grimes, DRC.

It sure seems like Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is not fooling around. He knows the secondary needs serious, serious, serious upgrades.

To be honest, if Dominik lands Goldson, which would be a coup on the level of signing Vincent Jackson, Joe’s pretty sure we have seen the last of Ronde Barber on an NFL field.

Joe’s definitely somewhat surprised by the silence from the Ronde Barber camp.

The free agency bell rings at 4 p.m. tomorrow. It’s almost unfair to the New Schiano Order if Barber doesn’t tell the team his 2013 intentions before that time.

Where are you, Ronde? And why do you need more time?

After the Bucs beat up the Falcons in Atlanta to close 2012, Barber had nine weeks to consider whether or not he wanted to return to the Bucs for his 17th season. His annual sit-down with rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano was Thursday, and the Bucs told the world they wanted Barber back, but Barber asked for more time.

Joe wonders what the hold up really is?

Did the Bucs lowball Barber? In 2011, he earned $4 million. In 2012, he earned $3 million. Are the Bucs trying to kick his salary down again?

Was Barber not guaranteed a starting job, like he was last year at free safety? If so, Barber has such a competitor’s mentality, and has said in the past he thrives on the doubt of others, Joe would be shocked if a win-your-job role would deter Barber.

Is Ronde feeling out broadcasting offers before deciding on his playing future? Tiki Barber implied last week that Ronde was considering other job opportunities.

Joe has to believe an answer on Barber is coming tomorrow. Joe knows Barber loves his team, and it’s in the Bucs’ best interest to know where Barber stands ASAP.

If there was every a player Joe felt badly about, aside from Brian Price, it is Arrelious Benn.

A second round pick from Illinois, Benn was going from a spread-option offense to a normal NFL offense, which is like learning a new language, and just when it appeared Benn had turned the corner as a rookie and proved to be playing at the level of a second-round pick, he blew out his knee.

Benn has never been the same.

Well, Benn may have played his last game as a Buccaneer. Per all-around good guy Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is shopping Benn around the NFL.

@JasonLaCanfora: On a day in which we’ve seen two WRs dealt-Percy Harvin and Anquan Boldin – the Bucs are shopping another, 2010 2nd rnd pick Arrelious Benn.

The sad thing about this is most Bucs fans, unfortunately, think of that godawful Benn’d-Around play when his name comes up.

Benn is truly one of the good guys on the Bucs. If he’s not with the team this season, Joe hopes he has success. Joe always roots for the good guys.

Frankly, if this is the only way to rip that friggin’ Benn’d-Around play out of the Bucs’ playbook, so be it.

If the Ravens can only get a sixth round pick for a stud like Anquan Boldin, Joe’s not sure what Dominik thinks he can get for Benn.

Joe isn’t surprised about the following. Hell, Joe was tipped off to it in January.

Bucs rock star general manager seems serious about washing his hands of cornerback Eric Wright. Why? Because, as the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio reports, Wright’s agent has filed a grievance against the Bucs for preparing to unload his client.

Per a league source, Wright has filed a grievance challenging the voiding of the guaranteed salary. A ruling is expected Tuesday.

While the 2011 labor deal allows guaranteed money to be voided, there’s a dispute over whether the specific language in Wright’s contract accomplishes that goal. If the Bucs win, Wright can be cut at any time before Week One of the regular season. If Wright wins, the Bucs owe him $7.75 million.

Joe remembers being told by a suit at One Buc Palace in January that, in so many words, if Dominik cut Wright, then Wright’s agent would freak out and challenge Dominik’s move to void guaranteed money in Wright’s contract.

Joe’s source proved pretty prophetic, huh?

“Hey, Michael, turn your phone off until I tell you otherwise. Stop undercutting me.”

It looks like oily Drew Rosenhaus, agent of Michael Bennett — and E.J. Biggers in case anyone cares — was perturbed by Joe reporting Bennett told 98.7 FM today that the Bucs would have a chance to match any offer that came Bennett’s way in free agency.

ProFootballTalk.com picked up Joe’s original story of Bennett’s desire to return to the Bucs and give them every opportunity to re-sign him. But now ProFootballTalk.com is back quickly with a new story claiming a source close to Bennett’s situation claims Bennett spoke out of turn.

Joe’s quite confident Rosenhaus is the “source.” A perception of Bennett likely running back to the Bucs for a final offer makes it less likely he’d be a priority signing for other teams.

But make no mistake, Joe believes Bennett’s claim of wanting to play for the Bucs and to let the Bucs match an offer. The only question is whether rockstar general manager Mark Dominik will pay what it takes to have his best defensive end return.

Photo by Michael Hamm

Former Bucs running back and Florida Gators great Earnest Graham is a huge LeGarrette Blount supporter but understands why the Bucs would want to trade him, as has been rumored.

In Graham’s mind, the Bucs and the rest of the NFL know Blount is a true No. 1 running back capable of a Pro Bowl-caliber season, so the Bucs know Blount could return strong value in a trade.

Graham explained that Blount is not an ideal complementary back to Doug Martin during an interview with host Steve Isbitts on 98.7 FM yesterday.

“LeGarrette’s talent is undeniable. I think LeGarrette in the right system is a 1,500-yard back, I just really do,” Graham said. “I think the guy is impressive. I played alongside him. I played fullback for him. I saw him day in and day out. I think he just needs to be part of a system. You know, LeGarrette’s a back that needs to be heavily involved. He’s not a back that’s, ‘Hey, you get here and you play a couple of spurts.’ He’s a guy that feeds on getting carry after carry and the game becomes really simple for him. You know, I think definitely the Bucs understand his value. They understand his value might be greater to another team. If you turn on that film [from 2010], it’s undeniable the level of football LeGarrette is capable of playing.”

Graham went on to say if he were rockstar general manager Mark Dominik, he would not be interested in any veteran free agent running backs to replace Blount if he is traded. Graham said he’s confident the Bucs could find a true No. 2 running back late in the 2013 draft or an undrafted player.

Joe gets that Blount could return a third or fourth-round pick on the trade market, which would be too juicy to pass up. But Joe also knows the Bucs have been constructed to run the football — a lot.

Blount may be second-rate in spot duty, as Graham suggested, but Blount remains fantastic insurance if Doug Martin were to be out injured for a full game or more.

Joe has to give Bucs defensive end Michael Bennett some props. While perhaps not a professional negotiator, he either has a keen instinct about jockeying for a new contract, or he has been coached well..

Just after he spoke on the “Gary and The Commish Show” heard on WHFS-FM 98.7 this morning, Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune got a hold of Bennett for follow up questions.

Specifically, will he sign when the gun to start free agency is shot off tomorrow at 4 p.m?

“A lot of teams have called already,” Bennett said. “So we’ll see what happens. But I’m not in a hurry. This is a big decision for me. I’ll probably take a couple days to decide.”

This is just downright smart on Bennett’s part. The longer he waits, so long as it isn’t a month, likely the higher the bidding goes for his services as teams start panicking that he will re-sign with the Bucs, or sign elsewhere.

But also, waiting means his chances of coming back to the Bucs is far less than the 40 percent chance he proclaimed this morning.

As for Bennett’s radio interview, here is the full version.

The Bucs’ best defensive end wants to return and will offer the Bucs every chance to re-sign him, so he told the “Gary and The Commish” show on 98.7 FM this morning,

“I’ll give the Bucs the chance to match any offer I get. I love the Bucs and want to finish [my career] here,” Bennett said.

Bennett said at least eight teams have talked to his agent about signing him when the free agency bell rings Tuesday.

As Joe has written multiple times, Bennett confirmed he is personally close to former Bucs defensive line coach Keith Millard, who is now the pass rush specialist for the Tennessee Titans, a team seeking a premier defensive end.

Bennett said he’d love to be around Millard again and that he and Millard were in touch during the Bucs’ regular as Bennett sought Millard’s guidance and breakdowns of Bennett’s film.

One of the greatest quarterbacks to ever take an NFL field Dan Marino, showed up in the Tampa Bay area Saturday and was interviewed by WTSP-TV Channel 10 sportscaster Bobby Lewis (sorry, if there is video, Joe cannot find it on the station’s site).

In the interview, Marino actually used the term “Super Bowl” in the same sentence as Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman and it had nothing to do with buying tickets.

Marino believes Freeman could lead the Bucs to the NFL’s biggest stage.

“I think he has the talent that someday would be in position to get to the playoffs,” said Marino, and NFL analyst for CBS Sports. “If the talent comes around, he could get them to a Super Bowl.”

Here’s the thing from Joe’s perspective: Joe has heard Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik talk about getting Freeman toys — perfectly understandable and logical. But at what point does the Bucs’ braintrust say, “You know, many quarterbacks don’t have all these toys and still get their teams to the playoffs.”

Were the Redskins that loaded on offense this past year? Was Seattle? Cincinnati? Hell, Aaron Rodgers would love to have as many weapons as Freeman has, not to mention the offensive line the Bucs have.

Sooner or later, if Freeman continues to be an up-and-down quarterback, it will be time to stop blaming his offensive and defensive teammates for a subpar record.

In case it’s been forgotten, this season will be a contract year for Freeman. If he wants a massive payday, he better somehow dial it back to his 2010 form, not 2011 or 2012.

So Joe turns on SiriusXM NFL Radio Friday night to catch up on NFL chatter before he headed to his favorite watering hole to throw down a few pints, and lo’ and behold who does Joe hear? None other than former Bucs defensive tackle and current WHFS-FM, 98.7 personality Booger McFarland making his debut as co-host of “Late Hits,” along with Alex Marvez.

(SiriusXM NFL Radio is going through a massive change. The original voice of the station, popular sports radio personality Adam Schein has left NFL Radio to work for the one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on Mad Dog Radio, also heard exclusively on SiriusXM. Joe is chagrin about this move as Joe was and is a big fan of Schein.)

Naturally, Marvez asked McFarland about the Bucs defensive line and Booger didn’t hold back.

In short, Booger said Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik cannot afford to stand pat and should make a big splash in the draft grabbing Ziggy Ansah of BYU.

Alex Marvez: What is the state of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ pass rush. If you were Mark Dominik and had the GM cap on, how would you approach to free agency?

Booger McFarland: Well, the Bucs are an interesting team because they spent a lot of picks on the defensive line. Adrian Clayborn, Da’Quan Bowers, Gerald McCoy, Brian Price who they traded up to Chicago but this is a team that is still searching for pass rushers and still trying to find the next Warren Sapp. I think they are close with Gerald McCoy but they still haven’t gotten that guy who can dominate that one-on-one matchup to create havoc. They need someone that can come off the edge. Michael Bennett led the team in sacks last year with nine-and-a-half, they decided not to franchise him and let him become an unrestricted free agent. Adrian Clayborn is coming off a knee injury. What are you going to get from him? That’s why I fully expect this team to be active in the draft or free agency trying to get a pass rusher.

Everybody makes a big deal in Tampa: “We need a corner, a corner, a corner.“ I am always reminded, every coach I ever played for said one thing: Men, it starts up front. You can give me the greatest secondary in the world and if the quarterback has all the time to throw, it doesn’t matter. So the Bucs have to have a guy to go along with Gerald McCoy to turn the corner and force the quarterback to step up [in the pocket] especially playing in the NFC South with Matt Ryan and Drew Brees and Cam Newton. You need athletic guys who can bend and turn the corner and get after the quarterback. The Buccaneers are still looking for the guy to give them double-digit sacks and double-digit pressures and hits on the quarterback. They think they may have one in Da’Quan Bowers if his legal troubles hold up. We will see. Adrian Clayborn has to come back off the knee injury and if he can do that, maybe they have something.

I would not be locked in to these guys if I was Mark Dominik. I would go out and find me a guy in the draft, a Ziggy Ansah, maybe a Paul Kruger from Baltimore in free agency that can turn the corner on a dime every time they needed to.

Now Joe agrees with Booger, but for different reasons. Remember when Joe interviewed former Bears defensive back and current FOX analyst and SiriusXM NFL Radio host Tim Ryan? While researching the Bucs during the season, Ryan told Joe there were some games where the opposing quarterback was getting rid of the ball on average every two-and-a-half seconds against the Bucs.

Why? Because the Bucs corners were so inept, receivers were open virtually when they left the line of scrimmage. Unless totally unblocked, Reggie White would have had a hard time getting pressure on a quarterback in less than three seconds. That’s just out of hand!

Did you ever hear of the Bucs getting a coverage sack last year? Of course you didn’t. The Bucs corners were so miserable, they couldn’t cover their heads in a rainstorm.

Remember those three-step drops Eli Manning killed the Bucs with last year? Joe’s not so sure Bruce Smith would have made a difference.

Yes, Joe agrees wholeheartedly with Booger about needing to get heat on a quarterback and is intrigued by Anash. But if the Bucs cannot upgrade the secondary, Joe just cannot see the pass defense improving that much.

It would also help if the Bucs knocked off using all of those damned stunts upfront on passing downs.

Now if Dominik is able to add a pass rusher — which Joe has had a hunch for months will be the case — in addition to beefing up the secondary, now you are talking.

If Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik talked to nobody but agents for NFL cornerbacks this past weekend, Joe would be content.

It seems there is at least one cornerback Dominik is getting serious about. While there have been reports Dominik has reached out to the representatives of Dolphins free agent Sean Smith, it seems the Bucs are doing their best to land another corner with Florida ties, Derek Cox of the Jags.

Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune Twittered out Sunday night that negotiations between Cox’s camp and the Bucs are heating up.

@RCummingsTBO: Bucs are continuing their pursuit of FA CB Derek Cox. He’s someone Bucs could sign out of the chute on Tuesday

Here’s something else to give Bucs fans a reason not to stay awake, despite people’s body clocks not yet used to Daylight Saving Time (Joe is a huge fan of Daylight Saving Time, and it should be the law of the land 12 months a year):

Appearing on WFLA-TV Channel 8 Sports Extra Sunday night, Cummings noted for every cornerback the Bucs sign in free agency or acquire in the draft, the odds of Eric Wright returning decrease.

In short, Cummings said the Bucs don’t want to come away “shutout” in their quest to land cornerbacks both in free agency and in the draft, and the only reason Wright is still employed by the Bucs is as an insurance policy.

If the Bucs sign two free agent corners, Cummings said, “there’s a real good chance” Bucs fans have seen the last of Wright wearing pewter and red.

Joe predicted this Thursday. The Titans and their “pass rush specialist” coach Keith Millard, the Bucs’ defensive line coach in 2011, are eyeing soon-to-be free agent Michael Bennett, per NFL.com.

Bennett will be set free from the Bucs at 4 p.m. Tuesday, unless rockstar general manager Mark Dominik calls Team Glazer to fire off the fat check it will take to retain Bennett.

Joe keeps thinking back to the recent take of former Bucs defensive end Steve White. If the Bucs are going to continue to blitz repeatedly and have their D-linemen run a bunch of pass rush games, then it doesn’t make sense to invest big money on the defensive line and resources are better spent on blitzers and cover corners.

The face of the Bucs defense is back again working his body into shape with renowned trainer Todd Durkin in San Diego.

Apparently, playing dress up and the annoying Harlem Shake is part of the deal. McCoy is a big fan of superheroes and plays Batman in this video. Joe watched this video with a young lady who uncomfortably mentioned McCoy’s seemingly enhanced package.

The choice to, for all intents and purposes, let defensive end Michael Bennett walk away by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik makes Joe scratch his head.

No, Bennett was not a first round draft choice, nor a second round draft choice. He was picked up off the rookie free agent scrap heap. Yet this free agent turned into a helluva defensive end.

No, he’s not Reggie White, but he’s the best the Bucs have, consider:

* Da’Quan Bowers has yet to play a full season, is playing on a knee that made him drop from maybe the first overall choice in the 2011 draft to a second round pick. Oh, and there’s that gun hassle in New York he is facing that may cause him to lose unknown playing time in 2014.

* Adrian Clayborn is coming off a nasty knee injury and surgery. There’s no way of knowing if he can bounce back to 100 percent. If someone suggests he will, Joe wants to know who this man is and Joe will hire him and his crystal ball to buy stocks. Anyone who dismisses Clayborn’s return as trivial has been visiting one of the fortune tellers on Madeira Beach.

There has been scuttlebutt that the Bucs are sniffing former Dixie Chicks defensive end John Abraham; one of a few teams rumored to be interested in Abraham. Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com looks at Abraham’s suitors.

Tampa Bay: Defensive end Michael Bennett appears headed for free agency after a nine-sack season in 2012. Tampa Bay has the salary cap room to re-sign Bennett so either the Bucs knows something that interested suitors don’t or have made a poor talent evaluation. Defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers were Tampa Bay’s first- and second-round draft picks in 2011. Clayborn is coming off a season-ending knee injury; Bowers was arrested this offseason in Queens, N.Y. for bringing a loaded gun to the airport. Abraham would provide insurance in case there are issues with either player and serve as a nice complement off the bench in pass-rushing situations.

Interesting that Marvez mentioned the Bucs. He may know something no one else does about Bennett. Frankly, Joe never thought of that angle. What that may be, well, you may have to revisit that Madeira Beach fortune teller.

Joe listened to Bill Polian recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio and Polian believes Abraham has little left in the tank. Polian suggested anything more than 15 plays a game for Abraham and towards the end of the season, Abraham will be on fumes.

Unless the Bucs think they can get a bargain with Abraham, and Bennett would be getting too high of a bid from other teams, this move still puzzles. Joe.

On the surface, it appears Bucs great Ronde Barber is keeping the Bucs in a holding pattern as he weighs his decision to come back for one more year or to hang up his cleats.

Joe is torn. He would love to see Barber return. At the same time, Joe believes Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik and coach Greg Schiano should proceed as if Barber is gone. To do otherwise is painting yourself into a corner.

Enter Tampa Tribune columnist Martin Fennelly. The longtime sports voice of Tampa Bay believes it is best for all parties if Barber would just announce his retirement after a proud NFL career.

The Bucs, looking to avoid another butchered goodbye to one of their icons, have made the smart play. They’ve apparently told Barber they wanted him back, but promised him no starting job. It’s up to him.

That should be Barber’s cue. It’s more than Derrick Brooks ever got. Man, did the Bucs mess that up. We don’t need that to happen to another good man.

It is an interesting angle Fennelly touches. Shoot, just yesterday, Joe got a Twitter from a Bucs fan suggesting Barber’s final offer from the Bucs was more than Brooks got; nerves are still raw from Bucs fans about how Brooks left the team.

This very well could be the best exit for all parties. Barber walks away, his body intact, his memories intact, his play still better than many. No team-hopping for two years in a desperate attempt to hang on to a career when Father Time, who is undefeated, thinks it’s better to turn the page.

Joe would welcome Barber back for one more lap around the NFL. The Bucs, however, should proceed as if he is retired.