An endangered species, aka a Raheem Morris-era holdover, was jettisoned today by the Buccaneers.

Cornerback Anthony Gaitor, who drew very loud on-field rage from Greg Schiano, was ousted. (more…)

A reporter asked Bucs starting quarterback Josh McCown yesterday whether it was “too simplistic” to say the Bucs could now throw a bunch of high passes to their gargantuan receivers and doing that is simple and easy.

McCown said it was just fine to make that simple characterization. (more…)

Click on through below to visit Joe’s friends at Ed Morse Autoplaza in Port Richey. Joe bought his pre-owned Ford there 27 months ago. Not a problem since!

Lost a bit in the NFL Draft frenzy was the point-guard-sized receiver drafted for the best basketball team in the NFC South: “The Dunkaneers,” as general manager Jason Licht called them.

The little guy Joe is referring to is speedy slot-receiver candidate Robert Herron, who stands 5-9 and was a star at Wyoming. (more…)

The result was no surprise but the timing was. The Bucs’ famous “Captain of the Inactive List,” running back Michael Smith, was honorably discharged from Bucs forces Tuesday.

Smith, heralded for his speed and return abilities in 2012, always seemed on the cusp of big things, so his coaches at the time (led by former Bucs commander Greg Schiano) often said. Yet each week when the inactive list was released 90 minutes prior to kickoff, despite hours earlier coaches offering high hopes for him to have an impact, Smith found himself inactive. (more…)

Bucs GM Jason Licht talks about Mike Glennon non-trade talks.

A representative of a Bucs media outlet went on local radio and “guaranteed” backup quarterback Mike Glennon would be dealt during the weekend of the draft. National media types were abuzz about where Glennon may end up and what the Bucs could get in return.

Even Joe thought it was a good bet Glennon would be traded for a coveted draft pick.

That didn’t happen, as the Bucs seemingly believe they have something in Glennon. (more…)

Here’s every last word from the media session today at One Buc Palace with Buccaneers starting quarterback Josh McCown. (more…)

“Follow Josh McCown, my son.”

Josh McCown is one giant fan of Mike Glennon, so he detailed today at One Buc Palace.

McCown is certain Glennon is destined for greatness. But, surprisingly, McCown told reporters he hasn’t watched any of Glennon’s game tape. (more…)

No waiting around until the start of the Bucs’ rookie minicamp on Friday for the new drafted rookie Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The draft picks are in the house and on the field, minus tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. (more…)

McCown talked to Joe today about building chemistry in the passing game

The Bucs just drafted a running back with incredible hands in the third round of the NFL Draft, Charles Sims out of West Virginia.

And moments ago Josh McCown just raved about how Doug Martin is “really embracing” the fine points of catching passes out of the backfield. Hmmm. (more…)

Bucs GM Jason Licht discussed fifth round pick Purdue OT Kevin Pamphile.

Now Joe always hears about a rotation for defensive linemen and how it is important for the Bucs because the early weeks of the season are played under the brutal west-central Florida sun. Guys are just zapped from the heat.

But the term “rotation” is in the vernacular of Bucs general manager Jason Licht when referring to offensive tackles, as well. (more…)

Bucs GM Jason Licht explained his pick of West Virginia RB Charles Sims.

Many Bucs fans put down their beers and stared at the TV (if you frequented an Original Hooters location, you may have stared at something else), mouth agape, struggling for words when the Bucs drafted Charles Sims out of West Virginia.

The Bucs seemed to have been loaded with running backs, backs Bucs coach Lovie Smith talked highly about, Bobby Rainey, Mike James and,of course, Doug Martin, who has returned from an injury-shortened season. (more…)

All the new Tampa Bay receivers better not give up on their routes a half-second early or have tender hands during spring practices and training camp. Why? Because the Bucs’ quarterback of the future has a “cannon” for an arm, even better than Josh McCown’s.

That’s how Bucs general manager Jason Licht described Mike Glennon’s prized appendage yesterday to the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620. (more…)

Is Gators speedster and leading 2013 receiver Solomon Patton on Lovie’s secret list?

This weekend’s Buccaneers rookie minicamp (Friday through Sunday) just got a lot more interesting.

Head coach Lovie Smith has said he expects “three or four” of the 11 newly signed undrafted free agents to make the final roster. (more…)

Lovie Smith doesn’t have a problem with the late start for rookies, as long as all teams are under the same schedule.

No, Joe cannot find a single solitary person that liked the draft being moved back to May. It was loathsome and it fostered and deepened Joe’s hatred of the mock draft industrial complex. This stain upon society should worry all red-blooded Americans.

But the May draft is here to stay. The ratings blew away any non-basketball association or NHL playoff game and dwarfed baseball this past weekend. We are a football society, the rest of the sports just hang around. (more…)

Lovie Smith explains his big-receivers philosophy, how the Bucs’ talent stacks up, his QB philosophy, and more.

Lovie went deep into his draft-day mindset and decisions this morning on WDAE-AM 620. Of course, the subject of quarterback came up, and it spelled doom for the burgeoning Brett Smith cheerleading section, and reinforced the Mike Glennon Mob euphoria.

“I just don’t think you need three good quarterbacks on the roster,” Lovie said. (more…)

The Texas A&M man who caught balls from Johnny Football and chased him in practice — and one of the few who could catch him — is now a Tampa Bay Buccaneeer.

That would be linebacker Nate Askew, the freakish converted wide receiver. (more…)

Stat nerds are quite high on Bucs CB Alterraun Verner.

From now until the end of July, all sorts of NFL media will roll out filler material to pass the time until training camps open, in between news from various team minicamps and OTAs.

So, get ready for a whole bunch of episodes of Top-100s, America’s Game, A Football Life and the 8,653rd rerun of “Top 10” on NFL Network, not to mention the dozens of daily assaults from that damned ice cream company and its friggin’ waffle cones. Joe is so absolutely sick of those commercials, you don’t know how badly he wants to drop a No. 2 in that woman’s waffle cone. (more…)

Not long ago, the Mike Glennon Mob was driven underground in shame, after the man who bears the group’s name led the Bucs to the 32nd-ranked offense and Lovie Smith signed and declared Josh McCown the starting quarterback. It was as if the MGM had run off into the woods.

But last weekend, emboldened by Lovie, they returned more vocal than ever when Lovie declared Glennon the “quarterback of the future.” (more…)

Bucs TE Luke Stocker’s job security took a hit when the Bucs drafted Washington TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round Friday.

Joe had thought that entering the draft, tight end was a deep position for the Bucs. No need for an upgrade.

In fact, Bucs general manager Jason Licht said as much after he drafted Austin Seferian-Jenkins out of Washington. But it was what Licht didn’t say that had Joe’s antennae perked up. (more…)

It’s official: Wyoming gunslinger speedster quarterback Brett Smith is a Buccaneer, fighting for a backup job.

The Bucs are now down to five tight ends after cutting Steve Maneri and Josh Baker today.

And the Bucs announced their 2014 undrafted free agent signings: (more…)