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Most Recent Entries
- NFL did the dirty work for Bucs
- Bucs Hit Rock Bottom For SI Writer
- SI's Peter King predicts two-win season for Bucs
- Bucs CB Talib suspended 1 game by NFL
- Bucs cut RB Ward
- Ronde's Not Going Anywhere
- Former Buccaneers QB Jeff Garcia Signed To UFL Team
- Bucs Pass on Veteran QB
- Ward Running Out of Time
- Price, Talib, Winslow Held Out Of Opener
- Sapp Knew Brooks' Greatness
- Deal Or No Deal, Penn Didn't Intend To Sit Out For Very Long
- Bucs Looking For Their Haynesworth
- Disgruntled Penn Not Being Singled Out By Bucs
- Football Thinktank Says Bucs Will Play .500 Ball This Year
Monthly Archives
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By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—Aqib Talib skated past the Bucs, but he couldn’t work his way around Roger Goodell.
Tampa Bay’s talented third-year cornerback has been suspended for the season opener by the NFL commissioner, who ruled Talib violated the league’s personal conduct policy. Talib’s series of off-field incidents finally caught up with him at NFL headquarters and Tampa Bay will face Cleveland Sept. 12 at a disadvantage without their starting left corner.
But let’s remember the Bucs could have punished Talib last fall after the Florida Highway Patrol said he punched a cab driver in the neck with a closed fist during the preseason. Combined with Talib’s other indiscretions, which included an ugly scene with head coach Raheem Morris during the trip to London, Tampa Bay had every right to bench Talib at some point in 2009.
Instead, the only start Talib missed was a December matchup at Carolina when he was inactive due to a hamstring injury.
Goodell’s sanction means Talib will pay a hefty price for his past immaturity, but the Bucs weren’t pro-active. The NFL doled out the punishment instead of the franchise that pays Talib big bucks to represent them with pride in the community as well as on the field.
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib has been suspensed for one game by the league for his involvement in an incident with a cab driver last year, the team announced Tuesday.
To read the full story, click here
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – The Bucs on Tuesday cut running back Derrick Ward. Ward was one of three players released along with linebacker John Alston and wide receiver Terrence Nunn.
To read the full story, click here
By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—In picking the Buccaneers to go 2-14 this fall, Peter King is essentially predicting GM Mark Dominik and Coach Raheem Morris will be fired.
The chief NFL writer for Sports Illustrated doesn’t forecast any progress for Tampa Bay in Year 2 of the Dominik/Morris regime. Coming off a 3-13 season, the Bucs are relying on one of the league’s youngest rosters for improvement, led by second-year QB Josh Freeman and a talented draft class.
King acknowledges that Tampa Bay’s early schedule—Cleveland at home, at Carolina and Pittsburgh at home without QB Ben Roethlisberger—offers an opportunity for a fast start. Ultltimately, King believes the Bucs will go backwards in 2010 and post their worst record since a 2-14 mark in 1986 that led to the dismissal of Coach Leeman Bennett.
With home games against the Browns, Lions and Rams, the Bucs should have a realistic chance to improve. If King proves prophetic and Tampa Bay finishes 2-14, it will be difficult for the Glazers to retain Dominik and Morris while telling a dwindling fan base that the franchise is going in the right direction.
Sports Illustrated’s NFL Preview issue is out tomorrow, and senior writer Peter King predicts the Bucs will be 2-14 this season after going 3-13 last year.
King writes in the team scouting report, “Five words you never want to say to your team or to your fans: ‘This is a rebuilding year.’ Realistically, though, there’s no other way the Bucs can present their 2010 season to the faithful.”
Two wins seems like a pretty low expectation for a team with the lowly Browns, Rams, Lions and Seahawks on its schedule, but is it fair?
No doubt fans in Seattle, St. Louis, Detroit and Seattle have their games with the Bucs circled as winnable, too.
By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—Ronde Barber says he’s not interested.
Tampa Bay’s veteran cornerback could help Baltimore’s depleted secondary, but Barber hasn’t changed his mind—he wants to end his career in a Buccaneer jersey.
The Ravens are poised to contend for an AFC title, but a flurry of injuries in the secondary has Baltimore officials on the prowl for help. Barber, 35, hasn’t played in a 3-4 defense, but his savvy and big-play ability could bolster Ray Lewis and the rest of Baltimore’s formidable unit.
Even if the Ravens become desperate and offer a third-round pick, it’s unlikely Barber would depart Tampa.
Entering his 14th pro season, Barber and Coach Raheem Morris have formed a powerful bond. Morris leans on Barber for advice and No. 20 is regarded as a positive role model for Tampa Bay’s young defensive backs, especially fellow corner Aqib Talib, a potential Pro Bowler.
Unless Barber changes his mind and decides to chase a second Super Bowl ring in Baltimore, he’ll finish his NFL career where it all began.
Move over Brett Favre. There is another quarterback in his 40s who was recently convinced to come out of retirement.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia has signed with the Omaha Nighthawks, an expansion team in the United Football League. Garcia will have a press conference on Thursday with head coach Jeff Jagodzinski, Tampa Bay’s former offensive coordinator.
“I am so ready and excited to be heading to the great city of Omaha to represent the Nighthawks of the United Football League,” Garcia said on the team’s website. “I know that the state of Nebraska has a great passion for football and I can already see that the people of Omaha have fully embraced the Nighthawks. I still have the drive, commitment, and ability to play this game at the highest level and one thing that I definitely share with the people of Omaha is a passion for the game. I look forward to sharing these future experiences with the Nighthawks’ great fans.”
Garcia, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, hasn’t played in the NFL since the Philadelphia Eagles released him in September.
The 40-year-old Garcia spent five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and also played for Cleveland, Detroit and Tampa Bay during his 11-year career. He had his best season in 2000 with the 49ers, throwing for 4,278 yards and 31 touchdowns.
To read the entire press release, click here Jeff Garcia Signs With UFL Team
By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—The Buccaneers like to say it’s all about No. 5.
A glance at the depth chart appears to reinforce that claim.
Tampa Bay had chances to add a veteran quarterback behind Josh Freeman during the offseason, but the Bucs stayed pat with Josh Johnson at No. 2. Rudy Carpenter is here in camp competing for a spot on the final 53-man roster, but there’s a good chance the Bucs will keep only two quarterbacks when the regular season begins.
Coach Raheem Morris offered strong support for Johnson Tuesday, saying he was very comfortable with the former San Diego standout as Freeman’s backup. Johnson struggled in his four pro starts in 2009 and he encountered some ball security issues Saturday night at Miami, throwing an interception and fumbling twice.
If Freeman suffers a substantial injury, the Bucs will turn to Johnson and hope for the best. It’s a calculated risk and Tampa Bay is far from the only NFL club without an established No. 2.
But by going with inexperienced backups, the Bucs may be hurting Freeman’s development. A veteran quarterback could offer Freeman first-hand knowledge of the intricacies of NFL defenses, slowing the game down for the second-year pro.
The Bucs believe new quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt will fill that role and Freeman seems happy with the current arrangement.
Johnson needs to step up his efficiency in the next three preseason games. He needs to do his best to look like a veteran.
By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—The next three weeks could define Derrick Ward’s NFL future.
It was only a year ago that Ward entered the preseason as a targeted free agent pickup from the Giants, coming off a 1,025-yard season. With Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham rebounding from serious injuries, the Bucs spent big bucks bringing Ward in with hopes he would provide steady production in the backfield.
It hasn’t happened.
Ward became an afterthought in 2009 after Williams proved he had overcome two torn patellars and his effort Saturday night at Miami has Ward clearly in the spotlight before the games count, starting with the Sept. 12 opener against Cleveland.
GM Mark Dominik has a lot invested in Ward, besides the big contract. Releasing or trading Ward would be an acknowledgement that Tampa Bay made a mistake, but the Bucs have vowed to go with their best 53 players coming out of camp.
Right now, Kareem Huggins looks like the better running back and Caddy is 100 percent healthy.
Ward has a lot of ground to make up and little time to do it.
By ROY CUMMINGS
rcummings@tampatrib,com
TAMPA – It will be at least another week before Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive tackle Brian Price makes his NFL debut.
Price, who missed almost all of last week’s workouts with a hamstring strain, was one of six Bucs players left behind Friday when the team traveled to Miami for Saturday’s preseason opener against the Dolphins.
Others who did not make the trip include rookie cornerback Myron Lewis (hamstring), rookie safety De’von Hall, veteran cornerback Aqib Talib (groin), tight end Kellen Winslow and running back/return man Clifton Smith.
Lewis, Talib, Hall and Smith have missed several workouts over the last week while nursing minor injuries. Winslow has been practicing regularly, but he is coming off off-season knee surgery.
By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—How great a player was Derrick Brooks?
Brooks was so great, even Warren Sapp knew he wasn’t as good as Tampa Bay’s perennial pro Bowl linebacker.
Being with Sapp in the locker room over the years, you could tell he revered No. 55. Each time he spoke about Brooks in public, you could tell Sapp knew in his heart that Brooks was the better player.
That’s not an easy admission for someone with the pride of Sapp, who defined the undertackle position in the Tampa 2 defense.
Listening to Sapp talk up Brooks, I was always reminded of the way Phil Esposito talked about Bobby Orr. Esposito was one of the most decorated players in NHL history, but when the Lightning founder discussed Mr. Orr, you got the distinct impression he knew he wasn’t as good as No. 4.
Even among the immortals, there’s a pecking order.
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA - Donald Penn’s holdout from Bucs training camp lasted only a few hours. Deal or no deal, Penn didn’t intend to sit out much longer than that.
“If it hadn’t come through I wasn’t going to hold out that long,’’ Penn said shortly after agreeing to terms Saturday on a six-year, $48 million deal. “ I mean, I had to get into football shape.
“And I got a lot of pride. I didn’t want to come in and be behind and then it takes me two or three games to get adjusted. I talk too much trash to let that happen, so I have to be able to back it up.’’
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – Is there an Albert Haynesworth among the Bucs? We’ll soon find out. One of the first things the Bucs are being asked to do today is go through a conditioning test. We’ll let you know what the results were as we find out.
As for no-shows, LT Donald Penn does appear to be an absentee so far and word here is that it will probably be sometime tomorrow before rookie DT Gerald McCoy shows up for his first workout.
That means it could be sometime tomorrow before McCoy signs a contract, but with fourth overall pick Trent Williams signed a set of parameters for McCoy’s deal may finally be in place.
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – Lest you get the idea that disgruntled left tackle Donald Penn is being singled out in some way, the Bucs have made it cleat that they have not entered into long-term contract negotiations with any of their restricted free agents.
Nor, it seems, do they intend to anytime soon.
With training camp reporting day now just a day away, the Bucs appear poised to wait possibly until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached before opening long-term contract talks with their RFAs.
Penn, who is expected to skip several days (if not weeks) of workouts to further display his displeasure with that stance, has become the poster child for a group that also includes running back Cadillac Williams, linebacker Barrett Ruud and right tackle Jeremy Trueblood.
He has already made it clear through his absence from offseason workouts that he is unhappy with the Bucs decision to tender him nothing more than the one-year, $3.168 million contract offer that the current CBA binds them to offer to retain his rights.
Penn has so far refused to sign that tender, but all of the Bucs other restricted free agents, including wide receiver Maurice Stovall, have signed their tenders and are expected to be in camp on time.
Uncertainty over the contract rules they will be working under when a new collective bargaining is finally in place is one reason the Bucs have been slow to negotiate new deals for their restricted free agents, but it’s not the only one.
The Bucs are also trying to avoid the flood of demands from other restricted free agents for new contracts that is sure to come should they decide to sign one restricted free agent such as Penn to a new deal now.
And, in some cases, the Bucs are trying to determine if the player they currently have on their roster is indeed the player they want to move forward with as they continue a rebuilding project that is aimed at retruning the team to respectability and Super Bowl contention.
Bucs general manager Mark Dominik, who was the Bucs director of pro personnel when he signed Penn off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad in 2006, said he’s hopeful Penn will come to grips with his situation and report to camp.
“I hope (he doesn’t stay away) but I can’t say I’m certain in either direction,’’ Dominik said. “My whole goal is to lessen the drama around Donald and we’ll see where that takes us.’’
By ROY CUMMINGS
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TAMPA – It came in an indirect manner, but some encouraging news came down nonetheless on the Gerald McCoy signing front Monday.
Rams GM Bill Devaney told Alex Marves of FOXSports.com that there is a “really good chance’’ he’ll get first overall pick Sam Bradford signed before Rams rookies report to training camp on Wednesday.
What’s encouraging about that is the general belief that McCoy, the third overall pick, plans on waiting until Bradford signs before signing a deal with the Bucs.
If Bradford signs before Rams rookie workouts begin on Thursday morning it will give the Bucs 48 hours to work a deal for McCoy, whose first workout with the Bucs is scheduled for Saturday morning.
One reason fans may want to keep an eye on the Bradford talks is the fact that both Bradford and McCoy are represented by the same agency and that agent Ben Dogra is believed to be involved in both negotiations.
As of late Monday only one first-round draft pick (Dez Bryant of Dallas) had been signed. That and concern about the new labor agreement have some agents fearing that first-round holdouts may be plentiful this year.
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