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February 29, 2008

Free Agency Tracker Added

In the top right corner, you'll see a link to the 2008 Free Agency Tracker where I'll try to keep an updated list of what's going on Buc-related in free agency. There's nowhere to put comments, so if you feel like leaving something, either send me an email or post it to the entry about free agency here.

Posted by Scott at 7:18 PM | Comments (1)

Since We Keep Talking About Linebackers...

I've had several separate email discussions regarding linebackers, in addition to the various comments in the previous thread. Here's how I see it...

The Bucs opened the season in 2007 with seven linebackers, which is probably what they'll do in 2008. Here's the list right now:

WLB: Derrick Brooks/Adam Hayward
MLB: Barrett Ruud/Ryan Nece
SLB: Cato June/Quincy Black

Sam Olajubutu is also on the team. To kick off 2007, they had Leon Joe on the roster, so don't read too much into it. I think things are going to change in 2009, which is something they have to prepare for now. Unless Brooks can top what he did last year, he'll probably be nudged into retirement next offseason. I'll also go out on a limb and say this is Ryan Nece's last season if he even makes the team. Then it looks like this:

WLB: Cato June/Adam Hayward
MLB: Barrett Ruud/someone
SLB: Quincy Black/someone

The team will have to bring in some linebackers to compete with Black for the starting strongside spot, a veteran MLB to backup Ruud, and a seventh guy for depth. My point is that things could be all right this year without much movement, especially if the team improves the defensive line. But if they don't start planning for next year, they'll enter 2009 with some serious gaps. So they'll probably sign some second-tier linebacker this year in free agency to a two year deal to make sure they have someone in place. It may not be too crazy to think they take a linebacker with their third or fourth round pick.

Posted by Scott at 2:52 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: adam hayward, barrett ruud, cato june, derrick brooks, quincy black, ryan nece

UPDATED: Quick Free Agency Rumors That May Have No Basis In Reality

(There's a lot of news coming through, so I'll just update this entry when I learn something new instead of creating a new one. New stuff at the top.)

• Speaking of linebackers, it looks like the visit for Demorrio Williams (LB, Atlanta) was not canceled, just postponed until Monday. That doesn't mean it can't be canceled if he signs somewhere else in the meantime, but for now that's the story.
• It looks like Asante Samuel is a done deal in Philly and Jerry Porter seems to have something worked out with Jacksonville.
• Alge Crumpler will not be a Seahawk.
• Very shaky rumor that the Bucs are trying to set up a visit with Randall Gay (CB, New England).
• ESPN just ran a story that said Lance Briggs is visiting the Bucs. What the fuck? I'll need to see this confirmed before I believe it. At this stage, it would be a waste of money.
• In case you hadn't heard, Antoine Cash was not tendered a RFA offer, so he is free to sign with anyone. This puts linebacker depth a little higher up the priority list (but not much.) Also, Jovan Haye was tendered his RFA offer, so the Bucs will be due a first round pick if he signs with someone else.
• Devery Henderson (WR, New Orleans) will visit Tampa. This would be a decent addition.
• Count DeShaun Foster out. He has agreed to terms with the 49ers.
• Just saw that John Gilmore is going to sign with the Bucs.
• Mewelde Moore (RB, Minnesota) and Marquise Douglas (DE, San Francisco) are scheduled to visit today. Moore would be a great pick-up.
• Despite talk to the contrary, Demorrio Williams will not be coming to Tampa.
• Jimmy Wilkerson has scheduled a visit to Tampa. Wilkerson is a DE from Kansas City. Not exactly Justin Smith, but we'll see.
• Aaron Stecker is a possibility for coming back to the Bucs, but the team wants to explore other options first.
• The Bucs are in talks right now to bring San Diego CB Drayton Florence in for a visit. Dollar for dollar, this would be a better value than Asante Samuel.
• The Bucs have also been in contact with Jacques Reeves (CB, Dallas) and Niko Koutouvides (LB, Seattle)
• I have heard mixed reports on D.J. Hackett. The latest is that the Bucs aren't as high on him as everyone once thought.
• The Bucs are interested in John Gilmore (TE, Chicago) to take Anthony Becht's place as a blocking tight end.

Florence or Reeves would probably compete with Phillip Buchanon to start opposite Ronde Barber.

It looks like Bruce Allen is keeping his normal offseason routine of shopping for the best bargains and being smart with his money. It's entirely possible that Jeff Faine will be the biggest name they sign.

Posted by Scott at 9:41 AM | Comments (44)
Tags for this article: alge crumpler, antoine cash, asante samuel, deshaun foster, devery henderson, jerry porter, jimmy wilkerson, jovan haye, lance briggs, mewelde moore, randall gay, rummaging through the scrapheap, rumors and lies

Middle Ground

The Buccaneers have agreed to terms with center Jeff Faine, formerly of the Saints. And it sounds like those terms are pretty sweet. For him.

The Times has learned New Orleans free agent center Jeff Faine has agreed to a multi-year contract that will make him the league's highest-paid player at the position

It's not like the Bucs to make any player the highest-paid at their position, but if the contract is structured right, it would totally be worth it. Center has been a need for at least two years and Faine is a long-term guy. He was the 21st overall pick in 2003, so he's only been in the league for five years. This puts two first rounders and two second rounders with five or fewer years in the league on the offensive line, with only Donald Penn having to scrap his way to the top as an undrafted free agent. The Bucs no longer have to think about drafting a center. Awesome, awesome first free agent signing.

Take a look at what some of the commenters are saying in that article. Most of them are complaining that the team hasn't signed a receiver or a bigger name player yet. Coincidently, most of them are also fucking morons. This was one of the best moves the Bucs could make. We'll see how the contract shakes out, but it's worth a big chunk to provide protection in the middle.

Posted by Scott at 8:50 AM | Comments (3)
Tags for this article: jeff faine

February 28, 2008

Tony Dungy Is Feisty

Tony Dungy usually never has anything bad or snarky to say about anyone (except gays), but he seems to really have a bee in his bonnet about Spygate. Which is fine with me because if Dungy is upset about it, the league will probably take it more seriously than if, say, Al Davis, who is constantly upset all the time over everything in the universe, was upset about it.

PFT's Mike Florio, who must have silently wept because he couldn't find anywhere to shove the word "tampering" into this article, points out the remarks Dungy made regarding EA's updated "Head Coach" game.

Dungy's most intriguing response came when he was asked about the presence in the video game of cheat codes that would permit spying on the opponent. Said Dungy: "They say that's really a big secret around here, it's like Spygate. I don't know if they put that in there or not or what the penalty would be if you entered any cheat codes, but we'll probably only let New England have cheat codes."

Oooh, sassy!

It's actually pretty damn funny coming from Dungy, especially since you know the only video game in his house is Left Behind: Eternal Forces. Oh no, Tony! Watch out for the band member! If you hear him, you'll lose spirit points!

Posted by Scott at 10:37 AM | Comments (2)
Tags for this article: spygate, tony dungy

MacFarland Cut, Promises To Golf Until The Pain Goes Away

It's a new year, so I get to reset my Booger MacFarland joke count, right? Well, the Colts cut him after he sat out the entire season on injured reserve. So, the Bucs got a second round pick for what amounted to half a season of work from Booger. Not a bad deal, especially considering the Bucs drafted Sabby Piscitelli with their pick. I'd gloat more, but when Sabby is letting pictures like these float around the internet...

... I'll back off. Although, to be fair, it's much better than having to look at Booger's belly.

Speaking of ex-Bucs who were recently cut, it didn't take long for Dwight Smith to land with the Lions. Detroit fans are so happy to have some decent help in their secondary that they are honoring Smith's arrival by laying plush pile carpeting in their clubs' stairwells.

Posted by Scott at 10:34 AM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: anthony macfarland, buccaneer history, dwight smith, kinda gay, sabby piscitelli

Crumpler Visited Tampa On Tuesday

And that's about all we know. The Titans are high on him and according to the article, he's supposed to visit Seattle. Two tight end sets with Alge Crumpler and Alex Smith would be pretty sweet. Let's not forget about Ben Troupe, either. If Crumpler signs with someone else, Troupe should be the target.

The article also mentions Rod Coleman's visit but doesn't say much else. I guess I have it in my head that it's a foregone conclusion that Coleman will be a Buccaneer soon. I like Coleman and think he's still a good player who can improve the pass rush, but I hope Bruce Allen isn't going to look to him to be the veteran leader that Kevin Carter was. Carter was a natural leader. Coleman, not so much.

Posted by Scott at 9:55 AM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: alge crumpler, ben troupe, kevin carter, rod coleman, rummaging through the scrapheap, rumors and lies

Guess Who Just Got In The Market For A Defensive End

The Buccaneers released both Greg Spires and Kevin Carter yesterday, adding about $9 million in cap space for 2008 while simultaneously lowering the average age on the team by about five years.

Spires I get. Although he is still a servicable end, his time had really passed at the end of 2006. He missed a good chunk of time with an injury and doesn't have the same motor he did in 2002-2003. But Carter surprises me. With guys like Gaines Adams and Greg White and Jovan Haye, you really need an older, experienced player in there. His leadership on the line was said to be outstanding. Who do those guys turn to now? Chris Hovan? He's a fantastic player and a team-first guy, but he's also kind of the lead-by-example type and not the wise, old veteran that the situation calls for.

When I first heard the story, there wasn't much information about it. The linked story does have this bit, though:

Carter, 34, is expected to sign a new contract and return.

As usual, they don't say if that's the team's expectation or the reporter's expectation. I suspect the latter. Which would make this sentence a little more ominous:

Carter, a 13-year veteran out of Florida, declined comment.

No "I appreciate them releasing me before free agency started." No "I expect to be back." No "It was a good season." Nothing? Carter isn't the kind of guy to tell a team to go fuck themselves if he's mad at them, so his intentional silence could be a bad sign.

The good news behind all this is that the Bucs have over $44 million of cap room now. The team already had enough cap room to pull in as many second-tier guys as they wanted, so I'm pretty sure this extra room was made to bring in a superstar. Now they could make a play for Justin Smith or Asante Samuel or both if they really wanted to. I'll rule Lance Briggs out since Derrick Brooks is still on the team. Are there any offensive free agents that warrant that kind of money? Randy Moss, of course, but there's no reason to think he'd leave New England. Alan Faneca? To be a center? And if they were to keep him at guard, do they try to move Arron Sears to center? That seems like a waste either way. And with Michael Bennett and Earnest Graham on the roster, I don't see them blowing their wad on Michael Turner, who I'm still not convinced is an every down back. No, it seems like the big splash is going to be made on defense. And since they just released two defensive ends and have a real need to improve their pass rush, I'll say they snag Smith.

Posted by Scott at 9:44 AM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: alan faneca, arron sears, asante samuel, greg spires, justin smith, kevin carter, lance briggs, michael turner, you're cut too shushie

February 27, 2008

Proof That The Bears Hate Their Fans

If I ever start bitching about the Buccaneers' depth at quarterback, someone just point me to this post so I can feel better.

The newly re-signed Rex Grossman and the constantly drunk and occasionally gay Kyle Orton will battle in training camp for the starting quarterback spot in Chicago, making it possibly the most pathetic quarterback controversy in the history of professional football. And I'm including that Chris Chandler/Vinny Testaverde thing in the 90s. The increasingly-hated-in-Chicago Jerry Angelo speaks:

"Obviously, we want to get the best player under center. Kyle did some good things at the end. I think he deserves the right to compete at the position. I don't see this dragging out into the season. We will have a pretty good feel as we already do about the guys and what the tiebreaker is, and that has to be determined by the coaches."

They'd be better off putting Devin Hester in as the offback in a Wing-T and having ten blockers on the field. Or just letting the defense play both ways. You know who suffers the most here, though? Brian Griese. There's no way they're going to keep him, so he's going to get cut in favor of Gimpy and the Lush (coming soon to ABC.) No one deserves that.

It's a contest so spectacular in its awfulness that it needs a name. You know how Ali/Frazier and Ali/Foreman got cool names like "The Thrilla in Manilla" and "The Rumble in the Jungle"? It needs one of those. Like "The Midway Meltdown" or "The Great Chicago Suck-Off". I'm just thinking out loud here.

Posted by Scott at 1:39 PM | Comments (2)
Tags for this article: bears, kyle orton, people who suck, rex grossman

Keith McCants Is Cracktacular

Sometimes I'll do a short piece about a retired Bucs player who has found some success in business or is doing notable charity work or is just enjoying the nest egg he saved up. And then there are some who have completely pissed away their savings and talents and embraced a life of Amy Winehouse-like crime and despair.

Guess which one this is.

Since leaving the National Football League in 1993, [Keith] McCants has been arrested on charges ranging from first-degree theft of property to possession of a controlled substance.

Keith McCants was the fourth overall pick by the Buccaneers in 1990. He played linebacker, the same position played by the fifth overall pick of that draft: Junior Seau. That was also the same draft where Emmitt Smith was taken 17th overall. But this isn't about how Ray Perkins fucked up everything he touched in Tampa. This is about McCants. He's been keeping busy.

Officer Eric Gallichant, a Mobile police spokesman, said a complaint led officers to the vacant home in the 900 block of State Street.

"Upon arrival, the officers found McCants inside," the spokesman said.

Gallichant said their investigation revealed that McCants was in possession of a glass tube and a small piece of steel wool, items commonly used to smoke crack cocaine or other drugs.

Smoking crack in an abandoned house, check.

In December 2004, McCants was arrested in Mobile after he took a used Lincoln Navigator with a $17,000 price tag for a test ride and did not return it.

To be fair, they do just hand you the keys and let you take it out. You've got to be some kind of iron-willed angel to not just leave with it. Besides, showing up to your crack deal in a Celica is just embarrassing. Still, grand theft auto is grand theft auto... check. Hey, he is a lot like Amy Winehouse. All we need now is his refusal to pay restitution.

Billy McGill, the dealership's general manager, said Monday that McCants had not fully repaid the dealership.

And check. Lucky for him he is a former Alabama football star still living in Alabama or he could have gotten in some real trouble.

Posted by Scott at 11:20 AM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: buccaneer history, hello officer, keith mccants

Lehr To Re-Sign Soon?

It's so hard to tell what's got a grain of truth to it and what's 100% bullshit during this time of the year. For example, The Times has a quick blurb about Matt Lehr coming back to the Bucs.

Tampa Bay has spoken several times with Bob Lattinville, Lehr's agent, and it is only a matter of time before a deal is done. Lattinville said Lehr wants to remain in Tampa Bay and the Bucs are ready to make a offer to retain the seven-year veteran.

"Ready to make an offer"? This sounds more like wishful thinking by an agent than an actual negotiation. I can definitely see Lehr coming back for 2008, but if it was truly "only a matter of time", I would think the Bucs would have done something a little more substantial by now. If the Bucs don't re-sign Lehr sometime in the next two days, they're letting him go into free agency and risking having Dan Buenning as the only center and going into a desperation mode where they'll sign anyone not named John Wade. I'm pretty sure they've had enough of him getting handed his lunch by more athletic defensive tackles.

Posted by Scott at 9:05 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: dan buenning, john wade, matt lehr

February 26, 2008

DeShaun Foster Begging Bucs For Work

I don't know how true this is, but I'm just glad I didn't say it first. Here's the whole story:

DeShaun Foster is begging the Bucs for work at $2 million a season...

Oh, well I guess the headline said it all. I somehow doubt Foster is begging. He's still a talent and plenty of teams need a second-tier running back to provide depth or a change of pace. But probably not at $2 million per year. Do you know who is worth $2 million per year? Me. I won't tell you what kind of service I provide, but you'd totally write the check for it.

Posted by Scott at 6:47 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: deshaun foster, rummaging through the scrapheap

Pearson To Bucs: "Take Your 80% Pay Raise And Shove It"

I should probably stop putting quotations around those kinds of headlines. Of course he didn't really say that. What Kalvin Pearson really said, though his agent, was:

"We have a contract offer, but we're not going to sign it."

The RFA offer was $927,000. Last year he earned $516,360. Pearson is essentially a special teams player to this point, so $900K+ isn't such a bad deal to cover kicks and be the emergency safety. His agent says they're getting some interest from other teams, so maybe there's a team out there that is desperately shallow at safety and saw some potential in Pearson. Or maybe it's all a smokescreen to get the Bucs to up their offer before free agency hits at the end of the week. Safety, however, is not a position of concern for the team, so they'll be happy to let the market determine his value. It will be interesting to compare the $927,000 to whatever he eventually signs.

Posted by Scott at 3:06 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: kalvin pearson

The Bucs Are On Asante Samuel's Short List Of 32 Teams

Asante Samuel's agent, Alonzo Shavers, a man whose name means nothing to me, told a reporter from the Tampa Bay area that - surprise! - the Buccaneers are on Samuel's short list of preferred teams.

"We're not having a large pool of teams to choose from," Shavers said. "Not everybody will need him or want to pay that kind of money. It's going to be a select group and Tampa Bay is high on our short list."

A quick search shows that the Saints and the Eagles think they are the leaders to get him. I'm guessing that anyone who calls Shavers is going to be the leader to get Samuel.

I had a paragraph written about how the Bucs shouldn't sign Samuel despite his talents because it would put a serious dent in the salary cap for years to come and may cause some kind of friction in the locker room for one guy to be getting that much money. But I talked myself out of it. Cornerback is one of the primary needs on the team now and Bruce Allen is smart enough to structure the contract so it doesn't totally McKay the cap (yes, "McKay" is a verb now) down the road. A reasonable contract would give him between $8 - $9 million per year with about $20 - $25 million guaranteed on a practical five year deal. I don't know if he'd go for that because he will probably be able to command more, but I wouldn't advocate the Bucs setting a new standard for overpaying players.

Don't get me wrong. I think Samuel is twice the cornerback Nate Clements is and his contract set a new benchmark for corners. And he's better than DeAngelo Hall, who not only comes with huge contract demands but also trade requirements from the Falcons. But I think it would set a bad precedent for the team to give out a blockbuster deal when they have worked so hard to earn a reputation as a club that lives and dies by the team concept. The locker room is in pretty good shape now because they have strong leaders and a common bond of many of them taking less than they could have gotten elsewhere for the sake of the team. I don't think being the latest team to break the bank on one player would be good for that dynamic. But if Samuel's demands aren't unreasonable, I'd love to see him sign in Tampa.

Posted by Scott at 9:46 AM | Comments (2)
Tags for this article: asante samuel, deangelo hall, nate clements, rumors and lies

February 25, 2008

Update On Potential Free Agent Signings

The St. Pete Times is reporting that the Bucs are interested in DeShaun Foster. That said, it should be common knowledge that the Bucs are "interested" in every player that's available and many that are not.

General manager Bruce Allen said Saturday at the NFL combine he has spoken with Foster's agent, Joby Branion. A visit is likely to occur early next week.

Is Joby a dude's name? Anyway, I was kind of hoping for a higher-profile running back to compete with Earnest Graham. I've liked Foster since their Super Bowl season, but he's always banged up. The reason the Bucs are looking at him at all is because their superstar running back left his kneecap somewhere on the Raymond James sideline. Of course, it's still early and free agency doesn't officially begin until Saturday at midnight (which is also the name of a terrible Cheap Trick song.)

More definitively, we know Rod Coleman will be visiting Tampa this week. Anything to improve the pass rush is welcome, but I hope if the Bucs sign Coleman that they don't get lazy about drafting a good defensive tackle for the long haul. I can almost guarantee that Coleman will miss some time in 2008 due to injury, regardless of who he plays for.

The pass rush will probably not benefit from Justin Smith, who is said to be close to a deal with the 49ers. I didn't expect Smith to come to the Bucs, but it was nice thinking about it for a while. His contract is going to be outrageous and if the team is going to give out that kind of cash to one player, I'm pretty sure he'll be on the offense.

The guy who was most connected with the Buccaneers so far hasn't done much to pursue that deal. Alge Crumpler will visit Tennessee, but nothing yet on when or if he's coming to Tampa.

The whole thing about the Broncos Javon Walker was apparently never going to happen. Denver was shopping him around to anyone who would listen, but everyone knows they'll release him anyway, so they'll all just let him decide which city is best for him to play half a year in and then go in injured reserve. Tampa could be that city. If Walker can prove to Bruce Allen that he's not a brittle asshole and he won't start bitching about his playing time or contract by this time next year, he may have a shot. I can only think of a couple other big name wide receivers that will be on the market this season, and the Bucs are in pretty serious need of one of them.

Finally, Brian Kelly is drawing some interest from the Lions.

The free agency market opens this weekend and the Lions are hoping to sign two of their own free agents -- Travis Fisher and Keith Smith -- and then add another veteran with experience in the "Tampa Two" defensive system.

It all depends on how much Detroit offers him. Kelly is looking to get paid, so if another team comes along with a contract with more guaranteed money, he'll forget Rod Marinelli's phone number pretty fast.

You know something that's always funny? When Matt Millen throws around football knowledge like he has some.

Since entering the league eight years ago, Lions president Matt Millen has said that "you can't have enough cornerbacks."

You how you know you suck? I had never been there before or even verified that it existed, but I knew that if I typed in "firemillen.com" into a browser, I would get a legitimate anti-Millen site that gets regular updates. And what do you know... I did. That's a nice dedication to hate, and I commend them for it. Unlike "firegruden.com", which has been abandoned. The anti-Gruden army are such quitters.

Posted by Scott at 12:43 PM | Comments (2)
Tags for this article: alge crumpler, brian kelly, deshaun foster, javon walker, justin smith, matt millen, rod coleman, rummaging through the scrapheap, rumors and lies

February 22, 2008

DeSean Jackson Requires A Booster Seat

DeSean Jackson (California), one of the guys I thought the Bucs had a legitimate shot at taking in the first round, weighed in a 169 pounds and measured a cool 5 foot 9 inches at the combine today. He is listed on the Cal roster as 5-11/172 and at one point was listed at 6-0. Jackson actually has roughly the same height and weight as Martin Gramatica, the player that John Madden once speculated got his uniforms from a Halloween costume store.

I watched Cal destroy Tennessee last season and followed what Jackson was doing for the rest of the season. He's impressive. The question is, is he another Steve Smith who can overcome his height to become a dominating player in the NFL? Or is he one of those short receivers who everyone praises for being tough and quick, but never really amounts to much? If Jackson runs a fast 40, this won't cause him to fall out of the first round. But if he even runs an average 40, teams won't see him as anything more than a slot receiver and a punt returner, and that's not worth a first round pick.

The good news for Jackson is that he'll be eating free at Applebee's on Tuesdays for a long time.

Posted by Scott at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: desean jackson

The Falcons Won Something

The Atlanta Falcons finally found a game that they can win. Yesterday at the draft, Tim Dimitroff (the new general manager for the Falcons, in case you have a life and didn't take the time to learn his name) was successful in shouting out the correct side of the coin that was flipped to determine draft picks 3-5. It was tails. It was also tails when Bruce Allen called heads this time last year. Cleveland picked Joe Thomas and the Bucs got Gaines Adams. Thomas went to the Pro Bowl, but Adams had 6 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. I'll leave it to you to decide who got the better deal.

There is probably no team more desperate for a quarterback than the Falcons. They have NO ONE. They could start Michael Vick knowing that he wouldn't show up and still not be any worse off than if they started Joey Harrington. Maybe they'd even be a little better because Vick couldn't throw an interception while sitting in prison. Despite all the talk about Matt Ryan being a potential first overall pick, I don't see it happening. The Dolphins spent a second rounder on John Beck last year and just dismissed a bunch of players that they'll need to replace, and the Rams just gave Marc Bulger some huge contract extension and have many more glaring needs on their offensive line than at quarterback (although I do expect the Rams to take a quarterback somewhere in the draft or get a young free agent.) This will leave the #3 spot for the Falcons to use on Matt Ryan, which will instantly rejuvenate the fans in Atlanta and give them something to look forward to.

But since the Falcons hate their fans, expect them to take a punter with the #3 pick.

Posted by Scott at 10:10 AM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: falcons, gaines adams, joe thomas, joey harrington, matt ryan, michael vick, nfc south

February 21, 2008

Positions Thought I'd Never Do Proper: Offensive Line

Luke Petitgout: Petitgout had ACL surgery in October that is supposed to take about five months to heal, so he should be getting back up to full strength pretty soon. He was doing all right for the games he played in, but that was barely four. He was also injured off and on during training camp last season. Jon Gruden likes Petitgout, but he won't be guaranteed anything in 2008, including a roster spot. He won't get cut before camp, but I would expect Donald Penn to push him hard and give Gruden something to think about, especially considering their respective salaries.

Donald Penn: He came and filled in for Petitgout better than anyone thought he would. Penn wasn't even on my radar during the 2007 training camp. He quietly had good days against guys like John Abraham, Will Smith, Charles Grant and Bertrand Berry. Penn's biggest flaw seems to be against a speed rush, but he consistently played at a high level all season. The Bucs have yet to tender Penn a restricted free agent offer, and I have no idea why they wouldn't. I don't see any reason why Penn shouldn't go into camp as the starter.

Arron Sears: Sears's obvious talent is in pulling for the run. He paved the way for several key Earnest Graham runs and showed impressive speed for a man his size. Sears was inconsistent in pass blocking, though. Some games were great, some were awful. He ended the season on a bad note since he was playing injured and a poor game against the Giants, but that shouldn't diminish the fact that he had an impressive rookie season. Unless the team signs some superstud guard in free agency, Sears should easily be the starter at left guard in 2008.

Anthony Davis: Davis went from being the starting left tackle in 2006 to only being active for nine games in 2007. He couldn't beat Donald Penn out for the backup left tackle spot. He has experience at both tackle and guard, but hasn't really excelled at either, and it looks like the competition is closing in on him. He may be a backup again next season, but that's about it.

John Wade: Wade is a free agent at the end of the month and won't be back with the Bucs. There's just too much room for improvement. He's great at line adjustments, but just isn't physical enough anymore.

Matt Lehr: Lehr is also done with his contract and the Bucs will let him test the market. If he doesn't get signed by anyone else, there's a chance he comes back because of his ability to be a swing man between center and guard. But as a center, he needs to work on defense recognition and line adjustments. Is it possible to put both Wade and Lehr in a microwave and melt the two of them together? Because that would be a really good center.

Dan Buenning: Buenning will probably be given the chance to compete at center, especially since the two guys above him are going to be on the market. He was inactive for every game in 2007 because of his knee, but coaches said he could have played in an emergency. Bill Muir has a lot of confidence in him, so that will get him in the door. But Jon Gruden doesn't tolerate bad snaps, so if his lack of experience at the position causes him to misfire a couple times, I have no doubt Gruden will move on to the next guy.

Davin Joseph: Joseph improved last season and is part of what Jon Gruden considers his offensive line's strength for years to come.

Jeremy Trueblood: The other half. Trueblood sometimes gets inexplicably beat around the edge or makes an infuriating penalty, but he is exactly what the team needs in their offensive tackles. He will only get better.

Chris Denman: He was on injured reserve for the entire year. He made no noise in training camp last year, but may stick around for this year's camp just because he's been through it once. I don't see him lasting too long, though.

Dennis Roland: I honestly thought this guy was cut in January, but he's still on the roster today. I'm a little scared because he may be a ghost.

Brian Johnson: Signed to a future contract and will be used as a tackling dummy for Chris Hovan to run over. Has the same name as the lead singer of AC/DC, so maybe he can parlay that into something.

Last year I thought Sean Mahan would still be around because Bill Muir wouldn't have the heart to let him go. And I've never been happier to be wrong.

There are a couple linemen due to hit free agency that could be pretty good. Max Starks (Pittsburgh) is a right tackle that could make the transition to the left side and give Penn something to think about. Starks will generate a lot of interest and his price may be too high, but if he's still lingering around free agency at the end of March, he may be willing to take less money. A lot of people are also talking about Alan Faneca (Pittsburgh) being a Buccaneer target. Guards make a shitload of money; centers don't. The Bucs have their starting guards in place but need a center, so unless they're willing to completely re-define the market value of all centers everywhere, I don't expect the team to go after him. I really like Jeff Faine (New Orleans) as a center and think he's probably got the most value in terms of what the team could get him for and the stability he would provide at the position. Jeremy Newberry is still set to hit free agency, but buzz about him has dropped to almost nothing. I'm not sure what happened, but I'll stick to my original opinion that he would be a good fit.

Cody Wallace (Texas A&M) should still be available in the middle to late rounds and would be a good project at center in that spot. If the Bucs are looking to add their franchise left tackle and use their first round pick for that spot, Chris Williams (Vanderbilt) might still be available at #20. He excels in pass protection which seems to be where everyone else is falling short. He's got the intangibles you need for that position and can be coached in the techniques where he is lacking. If they're looking for a project and want to wait until the middle rounds for a tackle, they could take a look at Barry Richardson (Clemson) who is a terrific athlete and a good pass blocker, but is prone to mistakes. He's also been known to give up on a play after he's been overpowered. He has a lot of potential, though, with the right coaching.

Posted by Scott at 1:09 PM | Comments (2)
Tags for this article: alan faneca, anthony davis, arron sears, barry richardson, brian johnson, chris denman, chris williams, cody wallace, dan buenning, davin joseph, dennis roland, donald penn, jeff faine, jeremy newberry, jeremy trueblood, john wade, luke petitgout, max starks

Minnesota Cuts Dwight Smith

The Vikings released Dwight Smith yesterday, and the first thing Bucs fans are going to do is lobby to bring him in as a nickel corner since Brian Kelly is done in Tampa. Smith was good as a corner when he was with the Bucs, but it's not the way to go now.

If it was September and the team suddenly found itself short on cornerbacks, that would be one thing. But since it's so early in the year, the smarter way to go at corner is to draft someone high this season and work them into the rotation at nickel in preparation to take over a starting spot in 2009. Smith has been playing safety for the last several seasons and has been pretty productive there. I wouldn't mind seeing the Bucs bring him in to take the fifth safety spot in place of Donte Nicholson. With Kalvin Pearson set to leave, Smith could fill the role of kick coverage ax man (Smith can be a devastating hitter), provide real depth at safety, and act as an emergency backup corner. But with Smith being only 29, he probably wants a higher profile position on a team than role player.

Keep in mind that Minnesota had one of the worst passing defenses in the league last year. They need help in the secondary pretty desperately, yet they released Smith without hesitation. There's got to be a reason. It could be his off-the-field stuff, but his violations in that regard have been relatively minor compared to what Minnesota went through a couple years ago. Come on... pot possession outside a strip club and getting caught banging some whore in a stairwell? Who among us hasn't been guilty of both those "crimes" on multiple occasions? Compared to the Love Boat drug and dildo orgy, Smith looks positively chaste. On a completely different note, I'm excited by the traffic I'm going to draw to this site with the words "drug and dildo orgy".

If he's willing to work cheap and take a back seat to Tanard Jackson, I wouldn't mind bringing him in. But this isn't the signing fans should be clamoring for.

Posted by Scott at 9:03 AM | Comments (3)
Tags for this article: dwight smith, rummaging through the scrapheap, vikings

February 20, 2008

Bucs Have A Quarterback Quandry, ESPN Has Alliteration

ESPN.com focused their attention on the Buccaneers when they did an article about teams with issues at quarterback. It started out nice, though.

In terms of numbers and experience, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have the NFL's best quarterback situation, with access to five guys who have started at one point during their pro careers.

Hey, not bad.

But look more closely at the situation before you finish the math.

Whoa! Didn't see that coming. See how they switched it up on us? It's like they hit me in the face with a bat (note: please do not hit me in the face with a bat to test this comparison.)

They go on to say that despite the experience on the roster, the backup positions behind Jeff Garcia are unstable to say the least. And they're right, of course. What's their answer?

The answer probably is not on the current roster, which is why the Bucs must look long and hard for a more youthful alternative in a free-agency class that is slim and a draft class that is led by Boston College's Matt Ryan, Louisville's Brian Brohm, Delaware's Joe Flacco, Michigan's Chad Henne and Kentucky's Andre' Woodson.

Way to go out on a limb there. It's pretty easy to recommend that the solution to a depth problem is to draft one of the top players at the position that year. The truth is that this is not the year to draft a quarterback high, and I'm not sure that year will ever come with Jon Gruden at the helm, although the arrival of Greg Olson might change my mind on that as the season progresses. There are more pressing needs to use that first pick on than quarterback. Wide receiver, cornerback and defensive tackle come to mind immediately.

Flacco looked good at the Senior Bowl and could be a bargain if he falls to the Bucs' in the second round. He reminds me of Brett Favre with his quick throwing motion and nice deep ball and the way he bounces up regardless of how hard he's hit. Third round is a no-brainer for him, but I'm pretty sure he'll be gone by then. But what can Gruden and Olson do with him if they get him? Gruden didn't get real far with Chris Simms or Bruce Gradkowski with Paul Hackett as the quarterbacks coach. Deep down, I'd still like to see the Bucs have a real franchise quarterback that they draft and keep for twelve years or so. The problem is that if he gives one a chance to be the starter and he has some growing pains, Buccaneer fans start calling for Gruden's job because they're losing games. Then he has to put a veteran Band-Aid on the problem to patch things up long enough for him to feel better about his job security again -- and then he's right back where he started. Maybe the problem isn't Gruden's teaching abilities at all. Maybe the fans' impatience is what keeps putting old guys behind center.

Posted by Scott at 2:13 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: draft talk, greg olson, jeff garcia, joe flacco

Rod Coleman Would Like To Play In Tampa, Anywhere Else

Roy Cummings is saying that he thinks Rod Coleman is leaning toward playing with the Buccaneers. That may be the case, but I didn't get that impression, and we listened to the same interview.

He spoke glowingly about Coach Jon Gruden and said the Bucs appear to be a team that is just a player or two away from contending for a Super Bowl.

Well, yeah, but he also said good things about everyone else in the NFC South. He said he owns a home in Carolina and he has friends in New Orleans that he would like to play with. He's not about to piss anyone off and reduce his list of potential new teams. He also said he'd like to stay in the NFC South, but not because of any vendetta he wants to take out on the Falcons. Then everybody stopped to laugh for a few minutes because of course he wants to take any possible opportunity to beat the shit out of the Falcons. Who doesn't? It's challenging baseball for the title of "America's pasttime". But, to be fair, so is voting on reality shows and sportsblogging.

Posted by Scott at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: rod coleman, rumors and lies, tampa media

February 19, 2008

Bengals Cannot Franchise Justin Smith

The Bengals used their franchise tag on Stacy Andrews, a guard whom I have never heard of, which will probably still be cheaper to them than one of these huge contracts that guards seem to be getting these days. But what this means to the Buccaneers is that Cincinnati cannot franchise Justin Smith. The Bengals can either sign him to a new contract within the next ten days, tag him with the transition tag giving them the right of first refusal to any offer, or just let him mozy into free agency.

With the Bucs having a good year defensively last year, glaring needs in other areas, and Jon Gruden being who he is, I would be surprised if they make a strong push for Smith, who will undoubtedly force some team into poverty with his contract demands. I'd love to have him on the team, but the money can probably be used more wisely. Like on hooker and coke parties after every victory. No, Luke, attendance won't be mandatory.

Posted by Scott at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: bengals, justin smith, stacy andrews

Bucs Sign Receiver

It's Paris Warren! Oh, come on. Don't you think I would have come up with a better headline for a bigger signing? Stop acting like it was such a teaser.

The Bucs need all the help at receiver that they can get, and Warren really had nowhere else to go, so this was bound to happen. Warren was looking pretty good in the 2007 preseason until he scored his last touchdown and foot was pointing the wrong direction. Then he stopped looking pretty good and started looking creepy and weird. It would be nice if he could come back and push the competition along in training camp because it sure looks like every receiver spot except for Joey Galloway's is up for grabs. Warren has completed his rehab so there shouldn't be any further problems from his injury.

In the same article, the Times also says that they don't expect Kalvin Pearson to return because the Buccaneers aren't offering him a long enough contract. Pearson is a good special teams guy and a solid safety backup, so I'm sorry to see him go. His agent Michael Hawthorne, makes nice with the Bucs, but doesn't sound optimistic about Pearson returning to the team for 2008.

"I think he will test the waters," Hawthorne said. "He wants to be a Buccaneer. He loves the organization. He just wants more years. ... He is getting up there in age and wants to be taken care of."

Holy shit, Kalvin Pearson is 29. I forgot his first year in the league was 2002. He really is good enough to start for some team, so I don't blame him for wanting to advance his career. This leaves the starters as Jermaine Phillips and Tanard Jackson with Will Allen and Sabby Piscitelli backing them up and Donte Nicholson as a fifth safety. When the Bucs cut to 53 in September last year, they had five safeties also, so expect the team to bring in one or two more even if they're just scrubs. Safeties are fun to bring into camp because they hit everything at about 1,000 miles per hour to try and impress the coaches when really all they want to see is solid tackling and good ball skills.

Posted by Scott at 9:59 AM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: kalvin pearson, paris warren

February 18, 2008

Kelly Emancipates Himself

Brian Kelly followed through with his plans to buy himself out of his contract and paid the Bucs $453,000 to push himself into free agency. I'll bet he lands a decent signing bonus with someone, but doesn't have the same success he had in Tampa. The expectations will be too high. I'm putting my money on seeing him in Houston.

It's been apparent that Kelly hasn't been happy with his position on the team for quite a while. Ronde Barber's contract extension was probably what pushed him over the edge. He's been a good cornerback for a long time, but has lately not been reliable due to injuries. Phillip Buchanon has been strong in his place, though he could be more consistent. I don't think this move was unexpected, so I'm looking for the team to draft a cornerback in the first day and sign at least one more from free agency.

Posted by Scott at 3:01 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: brian kelly

February 15, 2008

The Falcons Hate Winning

Remember last year when the Dolphins traded Chris Chambers to the Chargers and everyone said, "Why the fuck would you trade away your one remaining good offensive player?!" It turns out Mike Smith was actually saying, "I hope when I finally get in a position to run a team that I have the opportunity to piss away my one remaining offensive talent, too!" And look... dreams do come true.

The Atlanta Falcons continued their franchise makeover in earnest on Friday, releasing tight end Alge Crumpler...

There were other players listed there, too, but really the team will not notice their absence. I suppose Wayne Gandy might be missed here and there, much like I miss an umbrella when it's raining. Once in a while I could use it, but really, I rarely ever need an umbrella. But Crumpler... man, that's just dumb. Gruce, you've called his agent already, right? I realize I just advocated keeping Jerramy Stevens on the team, but if you can have all his big play ability with better hands and none of the rape, I say take it.

Posted by Scott at 2:55 PM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: alge crumpler, falcons, rummaging through the scrapheap

Coleman Kicks Off The Falcon Culling

Rumor has it that the Falcons are about to have a bloodletting by cutting least ten players. Rod Coleman was just cut today and more are to follow soon.

I've always liked Coleman's game and I'd like to see the Bucs bring him in for a workout to see what he's got left in the tank. Despite a #2 overall defensive ranking, the Bucs need to get a lot better up front. I just don't know that that means bringing in a ten-year veteran. There's a lot to be said for experience, but the team already has Kevin Carter and Greg Spires as the crusty old veterans on the line. Youth is probably the smarter way to go, especially considering Coleman's injuries last year. Still, if he has a good workout and is willing to play for considerably less than he needed from Atlanta, it couldn't hurt to see how training camp goes for him. The fact that he was drafted by Jon Gruden in Oakland and everyone knows how Gruden likes a reclamation project makes Tampa Bay at least a good possibility.

Posted by Scott at 1:45 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: falcons, rod coleman, rummaging through the scrapheap

Raiders Fan: "Jon Gruden Is The Reason We Suck."

Some Raiders fan, who was apparently taking the day off from stabbing tourists and beating his wife, took the time to pen an article explaining why Jon Gruden is the source of all their misery.

...the soft focus of hindsight combined with Gruden's charisma and Chuckie persona make it easy to miss that the seeds for the recent disasters were planted during his tenure as head coach.

Gruden was traded after the 2001 season. Six full seasons, four head coaches, and a huge cache of high draft picks have passed since Gruden roamed the home sidelines of that hideous stadium. And yet, somehow, it's still all his fault. Any chance it could have been Monty Burns Al Davis, the man who demands total control over all personnel decisions for the Raiders?

The easy cop out is to blame Al, as he is the one who is most responsible for player acquisition. Jon Gruden also was big on that philosophy, as was Bruce Allen. (more on him in a moment.) To show that it was not just Al, but Gruden's inability to develop younger players, just take a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Gruden. It took him bringing in Jeff Garcia to fill the role of Rich Gannon and get the Bucs back in the playoffs.

I'll be the first one to tell you that Gruden's track record for developing young quarterbacks isn't the best. But don't act like he doesn't try. Chris Simms was the guy who led the Bucs to the playoffs in 2005. And when Simms went down in 2006, he turned to a rookie to start 11 games before he finally realized he sucked and turned to another veteran, Tim Rattay. Gruden just works better with veteran quarterbacks. You all loved it when Gannon was winning games.

Bruce Allen was adept at getting the Raiders under the cap for the current season, but the problem was that it was creating a disaster down the line. The Raiders had dead money from Gannon's contract on the books until last year.

Funny, he's working wonders in Tampa. Maybe he just wanted to stick it to you before he left. The Raiders are pretty easy to hate.

The whole thing reads like the author was given the topic and told to justify it. None of it holds together because it just isn't true. The Raiders in 2001 weren't in a "building for the future" mode. They were in a "we only need one more piece of the puzzle to make it to the Super Bowl" mode. And sure enough, you did make it the next year. Good for you! It worked out exactly as Gruden was planning it when he was with the Raiders. And when he left, you got well-compensated for him. That was his legacy to you. The fact that you pissed away two first rounders and two second rounders in addition to your normal draft allotment isn't his fault. It's your's. Deal.

And fuck you for using a Rush lyric in your article. I think Neil Peart had more in mind when he was penning that song than the sorry state of the Raidaaahhs.

Posted by Scott at 11:19 AM | Comments (3)
Tags for this article: bruce allen, jon gruden, kindly shut your noisehole, raiders

Michael Bennett Re-Signs

Hey, something actually happened!

The Buccaneers re-signed Michael Bennett yesterday, bringing the number of running backs that will definitely be in training camp to two.

On Friday, the Buccaneers announced that Bennett has signed a multi-year deal to remain in Tampa; he was previously due to become an unrestricted free agent in March.

The details of the contract will be revealed soon enough, and I'm curious as to what kind of money he got. It must have been pretty good to keep him from testing free agency.

I honestly don't think the Earnest Graham/Michael Bennett combination in the backfield is too bad. Graham has proven he's a tough runner and has good movement between the tackles, and Bennett has the speed to get to the perimeter and turn it on. And this doesn't preclude the Bucs signing another back in free agency or addressing the position in the draft, although I think this seriously decreases the possibility of them using a first day pick on one. Julius Jones or Mewelde Moore would still be a nice addition depending on their contract demands, and then a younger guy as a backup. I'm assuming here that Cadillac Williams will be out for the entire year. I'm also thinking that this pretty much ends Michael Pittman's run in Tampa.

Posted by Scott at 9:22 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: earnest graham, julius jones, mewelde moore, michael bennett, michael pittman

February 14, 2008

Positions Thought I'd Never Do Proper: Tight End

Alex Smith: There has been talk about the Bucs wanting to trade Smith and upgrade the position in free agency, but I don't believe it. Smith has had some bad games (San Francisco last year comes to mind) but has for the most part been a good receiver and has shown that he wants to improve. He's not a complete tight end and not the best blocker, but I think he is being underutilized with his ability to stretch the field. Smith stays and probably remains the starting tight end.

Anthony Becht: Becht has made it pretty clear that he wants to catch the ball more and wants to test free agency. Becht is smart and an excellent blocking tight end and it would be a shame to lose him. The good news for the Bucs is that Becht's free agency value will be diminished by a lot of tight ends hitting free agency and a relatively deep draft at that position. I don't know if he'll catch many more balls if he stays, though. There are others that are just better at running routes than he is. If Bruce Allen offers him a fair deal, I think he takes it and stays. I hope so.

Jerramy Stevens: No one ask Stevens how his offseason is going. After that article last month, he's hopefully found a comfortable rock to sleep under for a while. Stevens will hit free agency, but I don't see any other team taking a chance on him after that article and his past. He did, though, live up to his promise of not getting into any further trouble since he has been a Buccaneer, so the Bucs are pretty much the only team he has a shot at signing with. Stevens came through in a couple clutch situations and will certainly come cheap. I don't mind having him on the team if he can keep out of trouble.

Keith Heinrich: Saw a couple games on the active roster but ended the season on the practice squad. The Bucs like him as a #4, but he won't move up the ladder of Becht or Stevens doesn't return. If the team loses both of them, he might have a shot, but I'd say even then they give preference to guys they sign in free agency or draft.

Daniel Fells: He was signed in January to a future contract. He spent time with the Falcons and the Raiders and is said to enjoy cheesecake. I have absolutely no football knowledge to impart about Fells.

Last year I was wrong about Doug Jolley staying with the team. He was essentially replaced by Stevens. Everyone else I was pretty close on.

Unlike the receiver position, the Bucs are pretty solid at tight end. Too bad a couple of them are due to hit free agency. As I said above, the free agent market should be booming with good tight ends this season. A good one was taken off the market when the Eagles tagged L.J. Smith, but there are still plenty of others. Dallas Clark, Eric Johnson, Kris Wilson and Ben Troupe are the marquee names. With a bunch of cap room, I expect the Bucs to let Becht and Stevens both test free agency while they try to bring one of these guys on board. I think Indianapolis will tag Clark and take him out of the mix, so my next choice would be Troupe.

They'll probably also pick a tight end in the draft somewhere kind of late, maybe between the fifth and seventh rounds. I expect Brad Cottam (Tennessee) to be available late despite some of the hype he's getting. He missed most of his senior season with an injury but had an outstanding Senior Bowl and has huge upside. He's 6-8 with a big frame , runs 4.75 and is very intelligent. Based on need and assuming they land a free agent tight end, I don't see the Bucs drafting at this position any higher than that.

Posted by Scott at 11:50 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: alex smith, anthony becht, ben troupe, brad cottam, dallas clark, daniel fells, jerramy stevens, keith heinrich, l.j. smith

Jeff Garcia Hedges His Bets

USA Today did a three minute interview with Jeff Garcia (which for some reason is two minutes less than he gave ESPN) during a charity event for the American Cancer Society and other organizations. The last question was whether Garcia would ever be interested in playing for the Raiders or the 49ers.

I had an opportunity before I signed with Tampa Bay to explore the situation in Oakland. It was hard to say no to that opportunity. I think it would be something I would highly consider.

Wrong answer, Jeff. You're supposed to say something like, "My plan is to retire as a Buccaneer" or even the terribly cliched but often useful "I'm not looking beyond this season." At the very least you could have said, "I'd like to introduce you to my wife," and then the reporter would have forgotten his question.

Wait, this is a San Francisco reporter, right? Ok, never mind that last strategy. Still, though, you could have drummed up a little loyalty for the Bucs.

Posted by Scott at 9:47 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: jeff garcia

February 13, 2008

Bisaccia To Wear Two Hats

Pewter Report is reporting today that Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia, whose name sounds like a slang term for an overprivileged heiress, is going to pull double duty as the running backs coach as well.

I am not among the leagues of Bisaccia haters because I think special teams has improved greatly over the last couple years. Special teams coaching makes its mark in coverage where assignments need to be followed. The Bucs have been excellent in that area. I don't necessarily blame him for the poor returns and I think he's a good coach. But why stretch him this thin? There will almost certainly be a couple new running backs in 2008. Why have a coach getting used to a new position at a time of such transition?

It's always puzzled me how assistant coaches can glide in and out of positions and still maintain a level of credibility. Is coaching such a generalized profession that anyone with any knowledge can coach any position? How can someone be a secondary coach one year and a defensive line coach the next? That's weird to me. It seems like the assistant coaching positions should be so specialized that someone needs to be an expert in them. And if that's not the case, why employ so many assistant coaches? And if there's not that much to know, why spend so many hours coaching?

Yeah, sometimes I get inquisitive like that. It's not all bikini models, people.

Posted by Scott at 9:58 AM | Comments (3)
Tags for this article: rich bisaccia

February 12, 2008

Panthers Make Cuts

The Panthers cut Dan Morgan and Mike Wahle yesterday as they try to get a youth movement going in Carolina. The first Buccaneer fan to say that they should sign Morgan gets a thumb in the eye. Dan Morgan has had approximately 15,000 concussions and will soon have trouble remembering which shoe goes on which foot (hint: hold up each hand with your index finger straight up and your thumb outward. Whichever one makes an "L" is your left,) let alone his defensive assignments. A lot of good that hyperbaric chamber did.

Wahle, on the other hand, would be nice to provide some depth to the offensive line. Wahle was a rock when he was with the Packers and has been relatively durable. I'm happy with Arron Sears at left guard and see no need to replace him as he is developing. But as a backup, you could do a lot worse than Wahle.

I don't know if someone at the AP has something against David Carr or if this is just funny to me, but I re-read this bit about five times and laughed each time.

The Panthers did not immediately release quarterback David Carr, who was so ineffective after signing a two-year deal in the offseason that [John] Fox acknowledged he made him the No. 3 QB late in the season so he could shield him from booing home fans.

All I will remember from David Carr with the Panthers is when Will Smith separated him from his spine. And as soon as I learn a new fact, that memory will be neatly disposed of to make room.

Posted by Scott at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: dan morgan, david carr, mike wahle, nfc south, panthers

Buccaneers Cheerleader Gets Into SI Swimsuit Edition

You know it's the offseason when the first post of the day is a cheerleader post. But I also know who my audience is, so here you go.

Buccaneer cheerleader Milly Figuereo, whom you may remember from NFL Network's spanktacular "Making the Squad" in 2006 (available here if you're feeling lonely,) was selected to be in this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. Milly talks about her teammates' reactions when she got the news that she was selected to be in the magazine:

"Everybody on the team was so happy for me," said Figuereo. "Our squad - we're sisters. We go through everything together. After this news came down, I was getting text messages from everybody, somebody was even crying - that just makes you feel really, really good about what you're going up there to do. They selected one person, but anybody could have been selected from our squad. That one person is representing everyone. We're so proud of one another."

My god, I thought she'd never shut up. Crying and texting and emotions and sisterhood. Words words words blah blah blah. Get to the tits, please.

There's a couple dozen more pics of Milly in her SI gallery. And for the purpose of comparison, here is a photo from her Buccaneers photo shoot which took place last summer. Can you tell the difference from the picture above?

If you said it looks like Sports Illustrated is lightening up her natural skin color in their photos to make her look whiter, you are wrong. The answer was that she is holding pom-poms in one picture, and in the other she is not. Thanks for playing.

Posted by Scott at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: cheerleaders, milly figuereo

February 11, 2008

Garcia Wants To Extend Career, Bloodline

Jeff Garcia took a few minutes (five, precisely) to talk to Mike McAllister about the same shit that everyone always asks him. One interesting point was a little more talk about his future with the Buccaneers.

"Well, [Gruden] keeps telling me that he needs me to play another 4-5 years. If that's what he thinks ... I still look at it as one year at a time.

I'm sure Gruden told him that, but Gruden also tells every ambulatory college player that he's definitely going to draft him. Gruden gets a bit overexcited about these things. Another 4-5 years? Unless Garcia plans to take up placekicking, I just can't see him on a roster past 40. George Blanda was the exception because he sat on the bench for about half of his career. Garcia takes too many helmet-to-helmets to last that long and still be able to chew his own food when he's 50.

And I'm about two months late on this one, but apparently Carmella Garcia (or DeCesare or whatever the fuck her name is now) is pregnant. By Jeff, no less. Suck it, T.O.

"You know, your body doesn't respond as well as it did 5-6 years ago. But you know, my life has changed as opposed to 5-6 years ago. I'm married now. We're going to have a child in a couple of months. So many things that have changed in a positive way, I think, makes me more stable in my own life."

Evidently, Jeff's body is responding just fine. I can't believe I missed this story. I mean, I thought Jeff and I had this agreement that he would call me whenever he and Carmella had sex so that I could visualize it while I gently choked myself with a noose I made out of her used nylons that I bought on eBay. I never did get a call, but I just assumed he was saving himself up until after the season Now that I think about it, I guess the restraining order should have been my first clue that he wasn't totally on board. Some friend he turned out to be.

Posted by Scott at 2:22 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: carmella garcia, get off my lawn, jeff garcia

Former Scab Makes Good

Former Buccaneer Jim Zorn (why does it amuse me to say that?) was named the head coach of the Redskins after he was already brought on as the offensive coordinator. Usually Dan Snyder, Redskins owner and aspiring OT VIII, likes to make a big noise when hiring a head coach. In 2002 when he hired Steve Spurrier, that noise was a lot like a loud fart at a small wedding ceremony: inappropriate but still kind of funny. In 2004, the noise was more like the car horns aimed at an elderly driver on a one-lane road: impatient and desperate for him to either speed up or die. This year, Zorn's hire echoes the noise that Snyder enjoys the most: Snyder's own voice.

Both Spurrier and Gibbs had a certain amount of clout that they converted into authority over personnel decisions, regardless of what Vinny Cerrato's title was. Zorn has none of that. He has a last name that begins with Z which is almost always cool because it means you usually get a couple extra days before you have to read your book report to the class, and that's it. He has never been a coordinator of a team that mattered and his only real accomplishment is Matt Hasselbeck. Snyder knows he can work Zorn behind the scenes and not get any heat for meddling. If Zorn somehow turns the Redskins into a winner, Snyder is brilliant for hiring him. If Zorn falls on his ass, he leaves the door wide open for the man he really wants, Bill Cowher.

As always, Paul at Bucpower.com rocks my socks for having photos like this available.

Posted by Scott at 1:58 PM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: buccaneer history, daniel snyder, jim zorn

Jeff Garcia Beyond 2008?

The title of this story, "Even With Garcia Back, Gruden Scans QB Backfield", made me think that someone had talked to Jon Gruden and he said something specific about the quarterback position's future in 2008. Turns out, no. The author just speculates that Gruden will look to make the position better, which is tantamount to predicting a sunrise.

The real meat of the story is that there is talk of a Jeff Garcia contract extension.

Garcia and the Bucs are expected to begin talks shortly on a contract extension that would enable him to finish his career in Tampa Bay.

I'm not opposed to extending Garcia for the sake of having an experienced and good backup on the roster, but by April of next year, we should all be very excited by the prospect of [insert some other quarterback who is at least a decade younger than Garcia here] starting in 2009.

Posted by Scott at 11:33 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: get off my lawn, jeff garcia

February 8, 2008

Roger Goodell Thinks Resting Players Is For Pussies

Commissioner Roger Goodell made his annual "State of the NFL" address last week, most of which I found shallow and pedantic. But one interesting thing that he said was that he was considering re-tooling the playoff seeding rules to give more weight to regular season records. This bit is taken from the Buccaneers web site.

"You qualify if you win your division, then you have the two wild-card teams. I think what we'd like to look at is if a wild-card team has a record better than a division winner, should that give the advantage to the wild-card team that has the better record? That will probably be our short-term focus. But as we look at how we continue to innovate and we continue to make our game more interesting to our fan base, we'll probably look at the broader issues at the same time."

The obvious advantage to this is to minimize situations like the Bucs had this year when they charged full ticket price for what amounted to preseason games in December. If dogging the last game of the season could potentially eliminate your home field advantage and all the filthy lucre that comes from hosting a playoff game, chances are pretty good you'd play all your best players and try to win. And we would be spared the insult of having the coaching staff tell us that they are trying to win when they are starting players that were on the practice squad the previous week.

At least they don't bring in third-string cheerleaders for those games.

Posted by Scott at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: roger goodell

February 7, 2008

Positions Thought I'd Never Do Proper: Wide Receiver

Joey Galloway: Joey just had some surgery on the shoulder that prevented him from giving his full effort during the wildcard game. He will be back in 2008, but that may be it. It's not that he's too old to play, but I have a feeling his heart just isn't in the game anymore.

Ike Hilliard: Ike is under contract for a $1 million salary in 2008 and it's a bargain for the security Hilliard provides. He's intelligent, reliable and a great teammate. Jon Gruden seems to think so as well. He'll also be back in 2008.

Maurice Stovall: I saw a thing on NFL Network the other day where Gruden was just verbally beating the shit out of Stovall during a game, telling him he needs to "Sterling Sharpe" a route by splitting defenders instead of trying to outjuke them. "You're 6-5, but you're gonna be 5-9 when I'm done with you." He didn't sound like a guy with a lot of confidence in his receiver. He's still relatively cheap in 2008 with a $445,000 salary, and his special teams skills may get him a spot, but he's going to be on the bubble when camp starts. If he is retained, I think it will be with even less of a role of the offense than he had in 2007.

Michael Clayton: Clayton started showing some promise toward the end of the year again, but it was another disappointing season. I think Ski said something like, "He's a great receiver when it doesn't matter," and there's a lot of truth in that. At $2 million salary, Clayton may start to become more expensive than he's worth. He'll be given a shot in camp, but he is no longer guaranteed a spot, regardless of where he was drafted.

Paris Warren: Warren is not technically under contract in 2008, but he's an exclusive rights free agent, meaning he can't go to another team as long as Tampa Bay offers a minimum contract. They will, and he may actually beat out Stovall if he can continue the progress he started last season.

Mark Jones: I'm pretty sure Jones is done. His only real value is as a kick returner, and after the knee injury he suffered, he's not going to be ready for that particular job by camp.

Micheal Spurlock: Spurlock was #11 in the league in kickoff return yardage. Take away the touchdown kick and he drops down to #45. He also has little value as a punt returner or as a receiver, and don't forget that fumble in the playoff game. He's got some wiggle and burst to him, but my point here is that the touchdown hasn't guaranteed him a spot. I think the Bucs can do much better in the kick return department. I would guess he won't be back.

Chad Lucas: Lucas's had a good game at the end of the year against Carolina, but he's not coming back. At least not right away. If the roster starts getting thin during the season, maybe he'd come back again.

Brian Clark, Taye Biddle, Cortez Hankton, Charles Spiller: These guys were signed to future contracts last month. Camp meat.

I had most of it right last year except I thought Jones would be gone.

Wide receiver is perhaps the most significant need on the Buccaneer roster. Galloway is the only real speed on the team and everyone else besides Hilliard is pretty unremarkable. When Bruce Allen said he wanted to go after a big name free agent, I kind of assumed he meant receiver. I won't belabor Chad Johnson anymore, but if Cincinnati is willing to part with him, he should be a top priority. Larry Fitzgerald is another one that could be available for a trade, but it is looking less likely that the Cardinals will let him go. Randy Moss will be a free agent, but the talk is that new England will use their franchise tag on him. Even if they didn't, I'm not sure Gruden's style of coaching would make for a good relationship with Moss, and if he starts getting pissy, it's all over. Patrick Crayton and Drew Carter are both young receivers that are coming off their first contracts that both have potential. Each of them is overshadowed by a top tier receiver on their teams (Terrell Owens and Steve Smith respectively,) but Crayton is the better choice because of his speed. I also still maintain that Jerry Porter can still play ball and would be an excellent addition to the team, even though he may not challenge for the #1.

Keep in mind that Bruce Allen has said on more than one occasion that with the cap space available, the team has the ability to absorb major contracts in a trade. To me, that means just about every starting receiver in the league is at least up for discussion.

DeShaun Jackson (California) is the top-rated receiver in the draft. He doesn't have the God-like hype surrounding him that Calvin Johnson had last year, but I watched him last year and know he's the real deal. The Bucs would have to use their first rounder on him, and even that may not be enough. As I said last year, no one is worth trading up for, so if he's not there, it's fine. I really like Donnie Avery (Houston) who is the fastest pre-combine receiver in the draft. He had a productive Senior Bowl with 54 yards on 3 catches and is also an excellent punt returner. He may be available in the second round, which I think would be a great value. Mario Manningham (Michigan) is also floating around the top of the draft and is easy to like for his talent, but that thing he did where he jogged out of bounds before getting the first down against Michigan State was kind of shitty. He made up for it later in the game, but you have to wonder if there's something going on there.

Notice that everyone I looked at in the draft was in the first couple rounds. The Bucs don't need a project or a "raw talent". They need someone who can produce at a high level right away. To fill in that piece will go a long way towards getting the team over the one-and-done hump in the playoffs.

Posted by Scott at 11:36 AM | Comments (5)
Tags for this article: chad lucas, deshaun jackson, donnie avery, ike hilliard, joey galloway, mario manningham, mark jones, maurice stovall, michael clayton, micheal spurlock, paris warren

February 6, 2008

The New Super Bowl Logo Blows

For the past 20 years or so, Super Bowl logos have usually had something to do with the city in which the game is held. There are lots of examples. When the game is in Pasedena, the logo has a rose in it. The logo for the 1993 Super Bowl in Atlanta was mostly a peach. San Diego had a lighthouse, Houston had an orbit theme, Detroit looked all industrial and steely, and Miami looked like the sign for a disgusting motel where you pay a hairy Cuban hooker to do humiliating things to you as you lay bound and gagged on a soiled mattress. They're supposed to remind you of the city. If that's the case, what the fuck in Tampa is this supposed to remind you of?

"Welcome to Tampa! Come visit our famous five yard line!" "Welcome to Tampa! We know how to use the skew function in Photoshop!" "Welcome to Tampa, home of the Patriots!"

I mean, this is Tampa. Couldn't they have at least made one of the "I"s look like a stripper pole?

And on top of having nothing to do with the region, the logo itself is completely unremarkable and barely worthy of the $50 the artist received on his eBay auction to create it. For example, by using the same color for the Roman numerals as the endzone, the "III" looks like a "W". And speaking of the Roman numerals, why are they sans-serif and all alone? Serif = formal and important, which this game is. If you're not going to use serifs, you should have something around the numerals to make them, you know... interesting. Otherwise it looks incomplete and shitty. And sure enough, it does.

Posted by Scott at 1:44 PM | Comments (1)
Tags for this article: lazy graphic designers

Is Chad Too Lippy To Be A Buc?

As the tumbleweed blows across One Buc and the team selfishly deprives bloggers of anything of any substance to write about, we are resigned to continue to beating the horse that is Chad Johnson. Stephen Holder makes an excellent point about the possibility of bringing Johnson to Tampa.

Tampa Bay has been far more likely to sign players with checkered pasts than players who stay within the law but are apt talk out of turn.

I'm trying to think of any free agent that the Bucs have signed since Jon Gruden has been coach that I would consider a loud mouth or a camera whore. Jeff Garcia is the only one who even comes close, and he's just got a big ego and a confident streak; he's not really the kind of guy I'm talking about. So, yeah, maybe signing Johnson goes against that trend. But I think for talent like his, they would be willing to.

Bruce Allen said they wanted a Tiger Woods-caliber player in free agency. A big name, blue chip guy. And receiver is one of the team's most serious needs. But a big name receiver is almost guaranteed to have a mouth and an attitude. I don't think you can separate the two. Go ahead, name a top tier receiver that isn't kind of a douche. Ok, Marvin Harrison. Fine, I'll give you him. But that dude creeps me out a little. He's so quiet and has that mustache and keeps to himself. I'd wager a couple bucks that he has a basement full of corpses dressed in drag. And no one needs that kind of baggage in their locker room. But name another one. Can't do it, can you?

If they're going to go with a receiver as their big splash, Allen and Gruden are going to have to deal with some mugging for the camera and some distractions. But Johnson has never been mean-spirited about it and for some reason, I can tolerate his brand of showmanship much more than Terrell Owens's or Randy Moss's. If the team can't deal with it, they'll have to make their big purchase for another position. Maybe a lineman. Justin Smith, possibly? Ooh, I just got a little excited.

Posted by Scott at 9:29 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: bengals, chad johnson, justin smith, marvin harrison, rumors and lies

February 5, 2008

Sapp Will Probably Retire As A Raider

Bruce Allen talked a lot but didn't say much at the Super Bowl. The only thing of any real interest he said is that he doesn't think Warren Sapp will sign a one-day contract with the Buccaneers so he can officially retire as a Buc.

On the possibility of signing Warren Sapp to a one-day contract so he could retire as a Buccaneer: "He's a Raider," Allen said. "And I understood he's going to do a Raider retirement."

A "Raider retirement" generally consists of shotgunning a fifth of Wild Turkey and then stabbing a sacrificial Chargers fan.

Posted by Scott at 11:06 AM | Comments (0)
Tags for this article: raiders, warren sapp

February 4, 2008

18-1 Makes For A Much Less Interesting Book

There are a lot of small points I want to make about the Super Bowl last night, but none of them are worth expanding too much on because, after all, it was the Giants and the Patriots. But this probably means a list of some kind.

• I've already read where people are complaining that the game was boring until the fourth quarter. Those people can eat a dick; this was a great game almost the whole way through. Defensive games are usually more physical and less sloppy with a higher probability of injury, which makes the game more exciting. And come on, how cool was it to see Tom Brady on his back without it being in a cologne ad?
• Remember when Brady was offended that Plaxico Burress predicted the Patriots would only score 17 points in a 23-17 Giants win? Turns out Burress overestimated.
• During the two weeks of build up to this game, every football analyst everywhere was asked if Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time. You can mention him in the discussion if you like, but his choking away a Super Bowl doesn't help your argument. I think Brady showed that he has some more work to do before he can c