Among Bucs unrestricted free agents still unsigned, it seems wide receiver Sammie Stroughter may have the best chance of returning.

So a month from now when the Bucs gather for their first offseason mini-camp, their summer training camp roster will be just about set.

Oh, there will be guys on the fringes available to fill in a spot or two as teams generally will shave some salaries after June 1, but not many.

Four Bucs unrestricted free agents are still out there who — theoretically — could return. The fact they are unsigned in the middle of May suggests the Bucs aren’t enamoured with them. So Joe is going to take a look at what is happening with the fab four.

Dallas Clark: The former starting tight end has yet to sign anywhere. Though past his prime, he is still productive. Recently, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik noted that Clark’s representatives said they “want to go in a different direction.” And it could be that said direction is retirement, if Clark can’t get a dollar figure he has in mind.

Brandon McDonald: A backup corner on one of the worst secondaries in NFL history, McDonald may have just “played” — if that’s what you want to call it — his way out of the NFL. The Bucs were caught combing local nursing homes they were so desperate last year for corners. Given a chance, McDonald often was dreadful beyond words. It’s fair to say McDonald may be working a farm before he’s back on an NFL roster.

Roscoe Parrish: Partially because Michael Smith became captain of the inactive list, the Bucs struggled to find a decent returner all season, pinning hopes on a veteran like Parrish to somehow channel his earlier career. It didn’t happen, and with Johnthan Banks, who could return, as well as the rights to track star Jeff Demps, it sure seems like the Bucs have turned the page on Parrish.

Sammie Stroughter: Once looking like a steal in the late rounds of the 2009 draft, Stroughter, when healthy, was productive. The problem is Stroughter is oft-injured. On face value, the Bucs have loaded up on wide receiver depth signing Kevin Ogletree and Steve Smith, which doesn’t bode well for Stroughter coming back.

Joe is quite sure the Bucs have moved on from Clark, McDonald and Parrish. Still, if any of the four Bucs UFAs could return for training camp, if not mini-camp, it may be Stroughter. What’s to lose? He will come cheap, and if nothing else he provides Bucs coach Greg Schiano with that coveted “competition.”