Though Mike Lombardi of the NationalFootballPost.com predicts the Bucs will try to trade for Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel, Joe isn't totally sold on the largely unproven signal-caller.

Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe wrote recently that there is a strong possiblity that the Patriots will trade recently franchised quarterback Matt Cassel. To expand on that suggestion, Mike Lombardi predicts the Bucs will be one of the suitors for Cassel’s services.

After seven years of Jon Gruden moving and changing quarterbacks and getting older at the position, the Bucs are now desperate to fix things. They have a huge need and a ton of cap room. They have a mid-level first-round pick (19th overall), a young head coach and a young defense. The time is right to make a bold move and find a long-term answer at quarterback. Matt Ryan (Atlanta) and Drew Brees (New Orleans) are fixtures in the NFC South. The Bucs need to find a fixture, too, and right now they don’t an answer.

Though Joe wouldn’t lose sleep if the Bucs trade for Cassel, Joe thinks it would be safer if the Bucs trade a third round pick for Matt Leinart. For all Joe knows, Cassel may just be a system quarterback. Remember: Cassel was Leinart’s backup at USC.