Joe isn’t a big mock draft guy in that Joe’s not big on the mock draft types –who grow to an insane level in the final days leading to the draft — talking about guys “rising” and guys “falling.”

Bulls(p)it! This isn’t the New York Stock Exchange. If a team doesn’t have its draft board set by the end of March, there is something seriously wrong. Guys don’t rise and slide in late April much less the middle of February, barring getting pinched for a felony.

And putting together a mock draft before free agency — March 12 boys and girls — is akin to having a few beers and playing darts. Fun, but slightly more productive than useless.

For example, Joe pays about two percent attention to Mel Kiper’s mock draft. Currently, he has the Bucs selecting Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te’o. Come ‘on Mel, at least put a little thought behind your weak attempts, huh?

Another BSPNer, Todd McShay, another dubious source, has the Bucs selecting Texas A&M defensive end Damontre Moore. At least McShay put some thought behind this.

Now none of the draft gurus at NFL.com have Moore slipping below No. 6, and the Bucs pick at No. 13. That’s within range of a less-than-painful trade up by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik if so inclined.

Bucs insiders have hinted that if the Bucs believe there is a pass rusher sitting at No. 13, one the team believes could give the Bucs an immediate impact, the Bucs would pull the trigger on said player. Also, given Dominik’s history of drafting defensive linemen, Moore somehow winding up with the Bucs isn’t an absurd thought.

Look, do the Bucs need cornerbacks? No question. Sadly, there are no elite corners this season but corners are three rounds deep Joe is told, meaning there is very good value at corner later in the draft than at No. 13.

Yes, some would suggest Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner is worthy of a high pick, but Joe heard former Bucs quarterback Shaun King (you know, one of only three Bucs quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to an NFL Championship game?) say that if Milliner was in last year’s draft, he may have been the third or fourth cornerback selected and the only reason Milliner is considered a high first round pick is because NFL teams are irrationally desperate for cornerbacks.

So the more Joe thinks about Moore coming to the Bucs, it really isn’t that far-fetched.

“Relax everyone. We’ve got another Rutgers man in the house.”

The Bucs made their 2013 coaching staff official today and, while various changes were widely publicized weeks ago, there were a couple of new moves revealed.

Linebackers coach Bob Fraser, a Schiano man from Rutgers, was promoted to assistant defensive coordinator and another Rutgers man, Robb Smith, is the new linebackers coach, his first time in the NFL.

Smith will enter his first NFL season, having spent the previous 14 seasons in the college ranks. He previously served at Rutgers as defensive coordinator/secondary coach (2012), special teams coordinator and linebackers coach (2011), special teams coordinator/cornerbacks coach (2010), and special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach (2009); at Maine as assistant head coach/outside linebackers coach (2006-08), assistant special teams/linebackers coach (2005), and defensive backs coach (2002-04) at Maine; and at Iowa as a quality control/defensive graduate assistant (1999-2001).

In his only year as the defensive coordinator, Smith helped make Rutgers one of the best defenses in college football, ranking fourth in the nation in points allowed per game (14.2), sixth in rush yards allowed per game (95.2) and 10th in total defense (311.6 YPG). Smith also helped Rutgers LB Khaseem Greene become an All-American.

Under Smith’s guidance, Rutgers routinely had one of the best special teams units in college football. In 2012, the team led all FBS schools with eight blocked punts. They ranked second in 2011 and first in 2010 in blocked punts, with nine each year. While Smith was at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights led the nation with 31 blocked punts.

A Pittsburgh native, Smith was a three-year letterman at Allegheny College, where he graduated in 1997. During his time with Maine, Smith helped oversee one of the Top FCS defenses in 2006, ranking in the top five in rush defense (first), total defense (second), sacks (third) and scoring defense (fourth).

After Fraser’s success with the linebackers — what an improvement!! — with a big assist from Bryan Cox, Joe’s not surprised by his promotion. As for Smith, clearly he will do exactly as Greg Schiano tells him with the Bucs linebackers. Just the way Schiano likes it.

The Complete 2013 Bucs Coaching Staff

Greg Schiano                       Head Coach
Brian Angelichio                  Tight Ends Coach
Bob Bostad                           Offensive Line Coach
Jay Butler                              Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
Earnest Byner                      Running Backs Coach
Bryan Cox                             Pass Rush Specialist
Bob Fraser                            Assistant Defensive Coordinator
Phil Galiano                          Assistant Special Teams Coach
John Garrett                          Wide Receivers Coach
Bob Gilmartin                        Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
Jeff Hafley                             Secondary-Safeties Coach
Steve Loney                          Assistant Offensive Line Coach
Tem Lukabu                          Defensive Assistant
Kevin MacConnell               Director of Football Operations
Ben McDaniels                    Offensive Assistant
John McNulty                       Quarterbacks Coach
Randy Melvin                       Defensive Line Coach
Tony Oden                            Secondary-Cornerbacks Coach
Jimmy Raye                          Senior Offensive Assistant
Bill Sheridan                         Defensive Coordinator
Robb Smith                           Linebackers Coach
Mike Sullivan                        Offensive Coordinator
Joe Vaughn                          Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
Dave Wannstedt                  Special Teams Coordinator

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It’s pretty darn clear that beleaguered former Bucs secondary coach Ron Cooper, now the University of South Florida assistant head coach, wasn’t a big fan of his first NFL experience and is ecstatic to back in the college ranks.

Cooper sat down yesterday with “Gary and The Commish, on 98.7 FM, and when asked about his Buccaneers experience, Cooper never once thanked the organization, mentioned Greg Schiano or any other coaches, and remarked about limited time to teach in OTAs.

Asked about coaching the Bucs secondary, Cooper talked a lot about injuries and absences, and praised opposing quarterbacks.

“That’s league’s what I call different,” Cooper said of the NFL. “It isn’t as much coach-driven as it is player-driven. You know, the players are the ones that have to execute. The players are the ones that have to do it all. You know, a lot of times that people put it and say, ‘It’s coaching. It’s coaching. It’s coaching.’ But, you know, there are good quarterbacks, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan. I mean they’re good quarterbacks. The difference probably in professional football is that every week, not every week, but out of the 16 games you’re going to have 12 guys, including the guy at Oakland, that can make every throw.”

Cooper went on to say it was a challenge to have new players coming on the roster during the season.

Weeks ago, Joe reported that privately Cooper was frustrated by Schiano demanding the secondary be coached Schiano’s way when it came to drills and other methods.

Regardless, it’s clear Cooper wasn’t a good fit for the Bucs or the NFL. Joe wishes Cooper well. (You can listen to the complete interview below.)

“The Godfather,” Gil Brandt, kindly gave Joe time to talk Bucs football last week during Media Day in New Orleans. Brandt was the architect of the Dallas Cowboys dynasties from the early days of the Tom Landry administration through Jimmy Johnson’s first few seasons. In his heyday, Brandt was uncanny about eyeing football talent, and his current regular spots on SiriusXM NFL Radio are must-listen for Joe. Brandt works for the NFL in organizing draft activities each spring. In no uncertain terms, when Brandt talks, Joe listens.

JoeBucsFan: You made noise in the Tampa Bay area when you ranked Josh Freeman near the bottom of quarterbacks under 30. What do you think has gone wrong with Freeman?

Gil Brandt: I don’t know. As you know, I thought he was a coming star. I brought him to the draft [in New York] as you remember, I thought so highly of him. If you watched him in 2010 and you watched him beat Green Bay [in his debut as a starter in 2009], he looked pretty good. Then I thought last year [in 2011], well, the whole team was a disaster. Then you watched him this past season, he was an up-and-down guy. He was great one week and down the next week. I still think the guy has a lot of talent. I think he is athletic. I think he is smart. You know, with a quarterback, you are either in the outhouse or the penthouse. There is no in-between. I think he has the physical tools to play the position. And I think mentally, he is good enough to play the position.

Joe: Freeman has had so many different coaches, different quarterback coaches and/or offensive coordinators each season since he been in the NFL. Can that mess with a quarterback’s head?

Brandt: Of course. With something new, instead of doing things spontaneously at times, you are thinking. And if you are thinking, you may delay a throw a tenth of a second and that can result in an interception. I think he has a chance and it helps that he has very good receivers now.

Joe: Bucs general manager Mark Dominik had previously always talked about getting No. 5 toys. There are not too many other quarterbacks out there now that has as many toys as Freeman now enjoys.

Brandt: You are right.

Joe: Gerald McCoy, he finally had a healthy season, finally played a full season. Is he finally showing what he can do on the NFL level.

Brandt: (laughs) As you know, I always loved Gerald McCoy. Not only do I love him…

Joe: You just love those Big XII guys, Gil.

Brandt: (laughs)… yeah, well, not so much that, but I love Gerald McCoy as a person. I just think what a great, great person this guy is. And I would imagine he is delight for you to do business with.

Joe: Oh, he’s a treat!

Brandt: So it is great to have players that understand the media is a pretty important part of the business.

Joe: Lavonte David…

Brandt: He’s an unbelievable player.

Joe: Well, I watch Nebraska games and when the Cornhuskers were on defense when David played, he was always in the picture no matter where the play was. He was truly a sideline-to-sideline guy. I thought he would be a good third round player. Obviously, the Bucs traded up to get him late in the second round. But who expected him to blow up like he has his rookie year?

Brandt: We’ve had some good rookie linebackers this year. Bobby Wagner up on Seattle and Luke Kuechly with the Panthers who has really exceeded expectations. But I don’t think anyone was surprised [at David’s success] but he is so small. So everybody was wondering how a guy his size was going to make it in the National Football League, but he has held up pretty well.

The sweet, early smells of the NFL Draft are in the air, and that means it’s Justin “The Commish” Pawlowski’s time of year.

Have you lost track of the The Commish, Joe’s go-to local draft guru? Well, as of Monday, he’s been getting after all things Bucs and NFL and more from 9 a.m. to noon on 98.7 FM, flanked by Tampa Bay Times columnist Gary Shelton.

Yesterday, The Commish interviewed former Bucs secondary coach Ron Cooper, something Joe will bring you a take from later. You can click the link above to listen to The Commish live.

The 2012 NFL season wrapped up just a couple of days ago, so of course it is time to look ahead to 2013, something Joe has been doing for a few weeks now.

Sure, San Francisco is a favorite to contend for the Super Bowl they nearly won Sunday. But when Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com decided to put fingers to keyboard, he thought of other teams fans should watch outside of the Niners, the Dixie Chicks and a few other obvious teams.

Schrager believes the Bucs are a top sleeper fans will overlook for 2013.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Baby Bucs showed real signs in 2012 and should be better in 2013. Quarterback Josh Freeman is entering his crucial fifth year and he has real weapons in Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. The defense is rich with young talent and should improve next year. The NFC South is loaded with good teams, but the Bucs could shake things up.

Yes, the defense should improve. The Bucs, barring an unforeseen injury, should be healthy up front for the first time in years. It is the secondary that needs a major upgrade and there is nothing to suggest Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik will not address that.

In Joe’s eyes, the Bucs’ playoff chances come down to two areas: Josh Freeman’s consistency and significant improvement in the secondary.

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Joe’s among the legions of Bucs fans on edge hoping Ronde Barber will return for the 2013 season. But Joe was a bit surprised recently to hear Barber say he’s unsure whether he’s in the Bucs’ plans.

One would think the New Schiano Order already would have expressed to Barber a desire for his return, even if they were waiting a while to get into details.

Barber opened up during an interview on WFAN-AM before the Super Bowl.

“I don’t know how many I could play. I honestly don’t know how many I will play,” Barber said. “I’ve been in a very fortunate situation here in Tampa that I have a GM now, and really a coach going all the way back to Raheem and now with Greg, that’s I think going to let me make the decision. You know, we’ll sit down here in another month or so after they decide what they want to do and we’ll have a pretty frank discussion about my future, and whether or not I fit in. And if I do, if I’m willing to continue to go. And it’s been that way for three years so I imagine it will be the same when we sit down and try to hammer out my future with the team.”

Joe hopes it’s a smooth situation that leads to Barber’s return at the end of the month, per Barber’s stated timeline.

Forgetting about everything the Bucs icon represents, Barber’s still a good, durable football player who’s important in the locker room.

You can listen to the entire interview below.

In the eyes of some Bucs fans, the second coming of Dick “Night Train” Lane, helmet-wielding, cabbie-punching, Adderall-popping cornerback Aqib Talib, is still a sore spot.

They mock Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik for only getting a fourth round pick in a swap with Bill Belicheat. Joe, meanwhile, considers that a borderline robbery of Belicheat as the Bucs were going to wash their hands of Talib anyway. So why not get a good draft pick for him?

(Remember how Dominik wheeled and dealed last spring using lesser draft picks to trade up for the likes of Doug Martin and Lavonte David?)

Well, it seems word is coming out of New England (or is it a negotiating plant by Belicheat?) says the Patriots don’t trust Talib to sign him to a long-term deal and may let him walk?

That’s what Comcast New England reported.

A source with knowledge of the situation told Comcast SportsNet’s Mike Giardi that, while Aqib Talib displayed no behavioral problems during his time with the Patriots, the team has enough concerns over his work ethic to be somewhat reluctant to offer the star cornerback a multiyear contract.

According to the source, Talib passed on the chance to do extra work at times this year and there are questions as to how he’d handle a long-term deal. The Pats, said the source, would prefer to sign Talib to a one-year, make-good contract.

Why, Joe cannot imagine how any team could not trust this modern day Mel Blount? Just like with the Bucs, Talib was not available when the Patriots needed him most.

It is also very odd to Joe to hear that Talib was such a treasure — by listening to some Bucs fans —  even though the Bucs had a winning record without his services the past three years. How could that be?

No, this move to let Talib go for a middle-round pick was a very wise move by Dominik.

First ballot Hall of Famer Warren Sapp was humble during many interviews immediately after earning the necessary votes for the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame class on Saturday. But it seems that Sapp is now back to his true, trash-talking self.

This morning on WDAE-AM 620, Sapp responded to a question about whether it was ever a doubt he would be a first-ballot selection.

Sapp answered, “Absolutely.” But he went on to explain that it was never a question between him and another first-time finalist, Giants DE Michael Strahan, who didn’t get elected.

“Say if I rewind this to Saturday at 12 o’clock me and you are sitting and I say, ‘It breaks down whatever and whatever and then you have Michael Strahan and me. C’mon, the menace and the media darling,'” Sapp said. “C’mon. Madness, or Good Morning America? I mean, c’mon.”

Joe really enjoyed Sapp beating out Strahan. Stories out of New York leading up to Saturday’s vote were calling Strahan a “shoo-in.” Not quite.

Sapp also went on to say Simeon Rice deserves to be enshrined in Canton, and Sapp got choked up sharing the irony of his “momma’s house” in Florida being 999 miles from George Halas Drive in Canton.

Business owners need to open their eyes now to the powerful punch that awaits them in QR codes.

Scan this image with your smartphone, or click it and call Dave at Quick Reach Media today. Joe knows these guys personally and highly recommends their professionalism and service. Just do it now!

One of the biggest movers and shakers in the NFL media business, Vic Carucci, gave Joe a few moments at Media Day lasts week to talk Bucs. You know Carucci from his days as the senior editor and columnist at NFL.com and his weekend (and sometimes weeknights) shows on SiriusXM NFL Radio. Currently, Carucci is senior editor for ClevelandBrowns.com, writing columns, features and hosting a daily podcast/webcast show during the season from the site.

JoeBucsFan: Your impressions of Greg Schiano’s first year with the Bucs?

Vic Carucci: I think he had, really, an impressive first year for a guy coming from the collegiate ranks where, you know, in regard to the transition to the NFL it is really more of a challenge because you are operating – and even though he had some previous NFL exposure – you operate at a whole different level for dealing with players and the day to day challenges an NFL coach faces. I think after than initial sense of, “OK, what is this college guy going to do?” he found his comfort level, and once the players got to know him better, and he got to know them, I think the whole thing turned into a positive direction. He looks like after one year, you have that sense he can build upon that.

Joe: You think Mark Dominik was a trendsetter in a sense? It seems now, the floodgates to hiring college coaches is wide open.

Carucci: That was interesting, wasn’t it? Mark is such a bright and brilliant general manager and I think he has always seen the big picture pretty well in the league. Yeah, there might be a bit of a sense that he is ahead of the curve. But I think you are judging — there is no magic in saying, “former college coach is going to be a great NFL coach.” What it is, is identifying the right man for the job, the qualities and I think that is what Mark focused on. What was Greg made of as a person and as a leader, as a guy who commands respect? What is his vision for the football team, understanding the things he is bringing to the table applies to the talent he has or to what they need to build going forward?

Joe: Tim Brown came out with some very provocative statements about how Bill Callahan sabotaged the Super Bowl 10 years ago to help out his friend Jon Gruden. Are you surprised that given it (was) Sup9er Bowl week, with the time off just after the championship games, that the image-conscious NFL didn’t stomp this out and come out with a statement saying it was BS? If Brown is accurate – which sure appears to be preposterous from all angles – this is a terrible scandal.

Carucci: First off, I truly have no sense of [Brown’s statements’] merits. I don’t put anything into it. These guys are competitors and you lose a game, sometimes it can linger a long time. As another NFL player told me in regards to Brown’s comments, he said, that is what happens. Guys get very bitter about these losses and carry it with them in their gut for a long time. I don’t presume to know what prompted [Brown] to make those comments and accusations. I don’t put any credence it in and as far as the timing, I have no idea.

Joe: The craziest thing about the statements is that Brown got a lot of play with them over a year after Al Davis passes. As hands on as Davis was, changing a gameplan two days before the Super Bowl would have to pass his desk first.

Carucci: Yeah, that just doesn’t wash.

It was interesting that just hours after the 2012 season ended, Bucs coach Greg Schiano made such a fuss about competition, that every Bucs position must have some competition.

On face value, who can argue? Often, to get the best out of someone, said worker has to be pushed a little or have the fear of God put in them a lot.

With the hiring of Dave Wannstedt as special teams coach, Joe wonders if this same philosophy of competition extends to Schiano’s coaching staff?

As Joe pointed out yesterday, surely Schiano didn’t hire Wannstedt to just be a special teams coach; Schiano will lean at least a little bit on all the experience Wannstedt has at coaching defense.

Now Joe knows that some fans were — and are — outraged at defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan for the sieve that was the Bucs secondary. Yes, while Sheridan is responsible for the defense, one cannot nor should not overlook at how solid the rush defense was under Sheridan, as well.

If Sheridan is to be dinged for the bad, then he should also be patted on the back and lauded for the good in the spirit of fairness, and that rush defense was damned good. So Joe was not among the loud voices screaming for Sheridan’s demise.

Let’s say, heaven forbid, the Bucs secondary, even with an upgrade in talent sure to come this offseason, is still at the very bottom of the NFL in passing yards allowed, then would Schiano decide to plug in his old mentor Wannstedt at defensive coordinator and let Sheridan walk away?

It is just interesting that Schiano is all about competition at every level and he just hired a coach with decades of experience on the defensive side of the ball to be a lowly special teams coach.

If competition is good for players, is it also good for assistant coaches?

It seems former Bucs defensive tackle Booger McFarland is troubled by a Bucs starting quarterback posing as former pop icon Michael Jackson.

The photo was leaked by — who else? — the four-letter. Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman posed for a photo portraying a former pop star of both questionable character and a background of fighting legal charges of disturbing personal behavior.

Throw in the fact that posing for this photo took place during Freeman’s four-game freefall when the Bucs went from playoff contenders to watching the postseason from the couch, Joe’s not surprised the four-letter leaking the photo got Bucs fans talking.

Among them is McFarland.

A two-time Super Bowl winner, McFarland briefly touched upon this subject during his daily “Five at Five” segment heard locally on the show he co-hosts, “Booger and Rich,” on WHFS-FM 98.7.

“Well, I happen to look and I saw Josh Freeman. At first, I thought it was Michael Jackson. Freeman is posing for ESPN the Magazine in their throwback edition soon to be on newsstands; he is posing as Michael Jackson. And I got to say, at first glance, he sort of looks like a young Michael Jackson. Seems to me Josh Freeman has a lot of time on his hands when you can pose as Michael Jackson on the heels of what Joe Flacco just did. I think everybody today is wondering — think in the back of your mind, come on, work with me — tell me you are not thinking in the back of your mind, ‘Joe Flacco did it. How come Josh Freeman can’t? Why can’t he go from suspect to MVP and champion?’ Mmm… maybe Michael Jackson knows?”

First off, let Joe be clear: Freeman posed for this photo during his four-game December freefall, not in the past few days.

Joe blames this more on BSPN than anyone else. Why the hell were the slick suits trying to get any athlete to pose as this weirdo? What, no one wanted to pose as Roman Polanski?

Yes, Josh is allowed to do whatever he wants on his own free time. But when you are a starting NFL quarterback, there are consequences for your choices that normal Americans do not have, good bad or indifferent.

This sort of reminds Joe of when Tony Romo and his then girlfriend (now wife) Candice Crawford jetted off for a weekend of thrashing between the sheets and sun and fun in Mexico while he and the Cowboys were struggling.

The city of Dallas nearly had an ice storm! And Romo didn’t even pose as an (alleged) pedophile.

Shame on BSPN for trying to set up any athlete like this!

Joe knows every Buccaneer has a right to personal time, especially on his day off, but what Josh Freeman did on Tuesday, Dec. 4, doesn’t smell good to Joe.

As part of a new BSPN The Magazine feature on athletes playing runway models and re-creating classic album covers, Josh Freeman, in the midst of his 2012 freefall, posed for the photo below on that day, per BSPN.

Joe gets that this was done in the name of art and publicity, but do Bucs fans and the New Schiano Order really want the face of the franchise out there honoring controversial Michael Jackson like this during a playoff chase?

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Joe has no doubt Greg Schiano wanted Dave Wannstedt in town to not just coach special teams but to be another defensive voice in game planning.

Wannstedt has yet to talk to Tampa Bay media about his somewhat bizarre — for him — new role in Tampa. But before scoring the Bucs job, Wannstedt spoke to “Miller and Moulton” on 770 AM in Fort Myers and dove deep into interesting Xs and Os relating to his defensive philosophies on rushing the passer and cornerback play, two things the Bucs need desperately.

What made Joe cringe in the audio (hear below) is Wannstedt embracing the three-man rush, which doomed the Bucs against the Saints this season in Tampa, and at other times.

“You cover the great ones and you rush the ones that aren’t as experienced or aren’t as good,” Wannstedt said, referring to his philosophy on stopping quarterbacks.

Wannstedt went to explain how his Bills defense stifled Tom Brady that way but still lost.

However, even Schiano admitted the Bucs underestimated Drew Brees’ ability to be patient against a three-man rush. And frankly, the Bucs in recent years have not had any success with that worthless three-man rush.

Joe’s just no fan of Wannstedt’s defensive brain joining the Bucs.

You can hear the audio below. It’s very interesting stuff, especially for those who crave Xs and Os. Wannstedt delves into how teams will stop the read-option next season, and how he’s got a home base in Naples (likely part of the reason he came to Tampa.)