So nearly four months ago at the NFL Owners Meetings, Joe talked to superagent oily Drew Rosenhaus about Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett.

Would the Bucs icon continue his career this season? [read more]

Taking the next step.

You may have heard, the Bucs put the pads on this morning. [read more]

Update.

David Walker didn’t even make it to a padded practice.

The Bucs’ fourth-round draft pick who had his position coach Larry Foote hollering “that’s how you win a Super Bowl” will have ACL surgery, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

So Walker’s rookie season is over before it began.

Walker was hurt very late in practice on Day 3 of training camp. So already, the weak Bucs edge rush got thinner.

Breakout year?

Bucs coach Todd Bowles said something yesterday that is still buzzing around Joe’s noggin. [read more]

Ready for “real” football.

The big thing Joe noticed about training camp is the Bucs defense may be improving. [read more]

Todd Bowles

If Todd Bowles wins at least 11 games this season, he’ll join a list of 13 head coaches that reached a consistent standard of improvement since 1969.

Joe’s exhaustive research is complete. [read more]

Finally! The day has come. Today the Bucs will practice in pads for the first time in 2025. And offensive linemen will clash with defensive linemen for real — with the urgency of grown men fighting for jobs and respect. [read more]

“Ira, guess where I’m working?”

One unsung foundational player of the Bucs’ resurgence this decade was defensive lineman Will Gholston. [read more]

Todd Bowles with Gerald McCoy at practice on Sunday.

The Bucs’ biggest cheerleader, NFL Network analyst Gerald McCoy, had a message for the nation while broadcasting from One Buc Palace today. [read more]

Bucs CB Jamel Dean.

In recent months, many Bucs fans have simply gotten fed up. They want new blood. [read more]

Joe almost feels badly for edge rusher YaYa Diaby.

A lot has been swirling through his head this year. [read more]

Tristan Wirfs

Joe’s not buying this, but gambling against All-World, All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs typically feels like a questionable move. [read more]

The Bucs finally got a real-feel, Florida-like training camp practice. [read more]

In a word, Joe would describe the competition in the Bucs secondary as “ridiculous.” [read more]

The mystery surrounding Chris Godwin’s surgeries and rehab continues, but Joe can at least report something today. [read more]

Bucs CB Jacob Parrish wipes his brow after a steamy practice today, highlighted by his strong pick.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles, since his team came up short against the Commandos last year in the playoffs, has been irked about the lack of picks by his defensive backs.

He wants more. [read more]

Michael Jordan is in the building — straight from the zoo. [read more]

Update.

So what’s up with Bucs rookie outside linebacker David Walker? And third-string quarterback Michael Pratt? Todd Bowles shed some light on the subjects this morning. [read more]

The Bucs love talking about the amazing culture of their locker room: a bunch of team-first dudes that love the grind and don’t freak out under adversity. [read more]

“C’mon Todd, unleash this Payne Durham. You got somethin’ here!”

Last year, just a little, Joe noticed that Bucs backup tight end Payne Durham start to spread his wings. [read more]

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BY IRA KAUFMAN

In keeping with the 50th anniversary of Buccaneer football, I’m counting down the 20 most notable players in franchise history.

No. 50 – Mark Cotney
No. 49 – Mike Washington
No. 48 – Richard “Batman” Wood
No. 47 – Aqib Talib
No. 46 – Ricky Reynolds
No. 45 – Keyshawn Johnson
No. 44 – Ricky Bell</span

Mike Evans shares a moment with the late Vincent Jackson.

No. 43 – Vincent Jackson
No. 42 – Mark Carrier
No. 41 – Donnie Abraham
No. 40 – Cadillac Williams
No. 39 – Joey Galloway
No. 38 – Kevin House
No. 37 – Davin Joseph
No. 36 – Shelton Quarles
No. 35 – Michael Pittman
No. 34 – Leonard Fournette
No. 33 – Donovan Smith
No. 32 – Rob Gronkowski
No. 31 – Doug Martin
No. 30 – Baker Mayfield
No. 29 – Ndamukong Suh
No. 28 – Hugh Green
No. 27 – Jason Pierre-Paul
No. 26 – Shaq Barrett
No. 25 – Donald Penn
No. 24 – Brad Johnson
No. 23 – Gerald McCoy
No. 22 – Ali Marpet
No. 21 – Vita Vea
No. 20. Tony Mayberry
No. 19. Antoine Winfield Jr.
No. 18. Warrick Dunn
No. 17. Chris Godwin
No. 16. James Wilder

15. Jimmie Giles
The third member selected for the Buccaneer Ring of Honor was a tight end with rare downfield speed. He still ranks 10th in career receptions, sixth in receiving yards and third in TD catches for Tampa Bay — although his final season with the Bucs was 1986. Giles caught four TD passes against the Dolphins in a 1985 game, prompting Hall of Fame coach Don Shula to remark, “I can’t remember any tight end dominating us that way.” From 1980-82, Giles averaged 18 yards per catch and made three Pro Bowls. [read more]

Defensive energy.

Since about halfway through the first Bucs training camp practice on Wednesday, Joe thinks the defense has been flying around. [read more]