Joe knows first-hand how hard Antonio Bryant takes a loss. The Bucs might have to use their franchise tag for Bryant to ensure his return in 2009.

He was the engine of the Bucs offense, the sixth-leading receiver in the NFC, and now Antonio Bryant is ready to cash in his winning Lotto ticket.

Sitting on a 2008 season that saw him catch 83 balls for 1,248 yards, Bryant is a 27-year-old free agent who proved durable, reliable, dangerous and trouble-free, after sitting home unwanted in 2007.

Joe spent a lot of time after Sunday’s miserable loss trying to figure out why Bryant would want to return to Tampa Bay next season. Joe couldn’t come up with many compelling reasons.

First, Bryant is going to want to know who his quarterback will be, as well as his head coach. And the latter will be especially important to Bryant considering the troubles he’s had with coaches at his previous stops in Dallas, San Francisco and Cleveland.

Bryant told Joe he likes Jeff Garcia. If Garcia, also a free agent, parts with the Bucs, will that be a factor for Bryant? If the Glazers replace Gruden, will that turn off Bryant?

Second, Bryant will tell you, “I’m a very sore loser.” After the Bucs loss to the Chargers, he was the last player in the Bucs locker room to take off his uniform. After Sunday’s loss to the Raiders, Bryant sat alone at midfield. The guy wants to win. And Joe questions whether he would want to play for a Bucs team that was rebuilding its offense to compete with the offensive monsters in the NFC South, or jump to a true contender.

The Bucs might have to slap their franchise player tag on Bryant to keep him in Pewter and Red. Given the Bucs’ many other needs to address in the draft and the free agent market – running back and defensive linemen at the top of the list – the expensive option of making Bryant a franchise player could be the wise move, and the only way to keep him in Tampa.