Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:25am
Mark Dominik apparently has a little evil genius in him. Either that or he simply made an incredibly accurate guess on the future of Darrelle Revis.
In any case, during reporter Andrea Kremer’s latest behind-the-scenes report on Revis’ rehab for NFL Network, Dominik, the Bucs' general manager, revealed the very first time he thought about acquiring Revis from his former team, the Jets.
It was, interestingly, Week 3 of last season – the same day Revis suffered what turned out to be a torn ACL, ending his 2012 season. It seems like a strange thought to occur to Dominik on a day when Revis’ ability to return to his elite level was at least somewhat in doubt.
“Quite frankly, it started when he blew out his knee,” Dominik said of his thought process. “I actually went into (personnel director) Dennis Hickey’s office and I said, ‘That could be a reason why he leaves the Jets.’ Because I knew what his contract situation was. So, when he hurt his knee, I thought, ‘That’s going to be an ‘out’ possibility.’”
Obviously, Dominik nailed it. …
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Monday, May 20, 2013 4:32pm
Darrelle Revis was on the field at One Buc Place today – well, sort of.
The All-Pro cornerback, traded to the Bucs last month but still recovering from knee surgery last year, finished a punishing session on an exercise bike then embarked on a series of carefully-planned exercises on the field with trainer Todd Toriscelli.
With his new teammates two fields away conducting their first full-team practice of the offseason, Revis instead worked to get his mobility back in his left knee with some running work and some limited change of direction.
Once he finished his rehab work, Revis joined his teammates to get an up-close look at the full-team portion of practice. You could say he was taking the proverbial mental reps.
Uneventful as this might be, it's all in accordance with the plan the Bucs set forth when they acquired Revis. He was never expected to participate in OTAs and even the preseason seems like a long shot for him.
It’s always been and continues to be about getting Revis ready for the season opener on September 8. The Bucs maintain, publicly and privately, that he’s right on schedule. …
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Monday, May 20, 2013 12:46pm
The Bucs kicked off OTAs today with their first full-squad practice of the offseason, and there was no shortage of news to report.
Much of that news was off the field, where coach Greg Schiano proclaimed – again – that Josh Freeman is the team’s unquestioned starting quarterback. This became necessary after he was quoted in recent days saying he would be fine if rookie Mike Glennon won the job over Freeman.
Today, Schiano was strong in his wording, saying, “We have a starting quarterback, and it’s Josh Freeman.” Schiano said he is merely trying to be honest when asked about his quarterback situation, saying his comments are never meant as a slight to Freeman. But as a practical matter, several of his comments in recent months have raised questions, particularly from national media, that Freeman could be vulnerable.
“I guess nationally, they don’t sit here with me every day like you guys (local media) do,” Schiano said. “From the day we arrived, our whole program has (been based on) competition. . . That’s what we believe in. It’s the most competitive sports league in the world. It’s competition, and I love it. …
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Friday, May 17, 2013 11:21am
When the Bucs made a procedural move last December, shifting the 2013 salaries of receiver Vincent Jackson and guard Carl Nicks onto the ledger for the 2012 league year, it did more than help the team’s current salary cap situation (enabling it to acquire cornerback Darrelle Revis).
The moves also put huge lump sums in the players’ pockets, with Jackson receiving his $13 million and Nicks getting his $12.5 million nearly a year in advance. That put the pair in rare air when it comes to total compensation in the past year, landing them on Sports Illustrated’s “Fortunate Fifty” list of the highest-paid athletes.
Jackson, with total salary and endorsements bringing him to $25.36 million in compensation in the past year, ranks 15th on the list. Nicks, with $24.285 million, ranks 21st.
Because of the structure of their deals, Jackson and Nicks won’t bring home much of anything for the 2013 season and likely won’t sniff next year’s list. Meanwhile, Revis, while the Bucs’ highest-paid player, is not on the list because his $16 million salary for 2013 is not reflected in this year’s calculations; he doesn’t begin receiving that money until the regular season begins in the fall. …
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Thursday, May 16, 2013 9:36am
The Bucs’ regular-season opener could be notable for more than just the return of Darrelle Revis to the Meadowlands.
The week’s overarching theme, with former Jet Revis set to take on his old mates on Sept. 8, might also be combined with another interesting subplot: The debut of Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith.
The reported decision by Jets veteran quarterback David Garrard to retire on Wednesday has left the Jets without many good options, especially with the team seemingly bent on replacing incumbent starter Mark Sanchez.
Garrard was, perhaps, the best option for the short term. He was atop the Dolphins’ depth chart in the 2012 preseason when he suffered the knee injury that now is forcing him to step away from the game entirely. He reportedly said the knee is not responding well to workouts and won’t allow him to continue playing.
With Garrard out of the picture, the Jets are much more likely to turn to second-round draft pick Smith, the former West Virginia star. Sanchez committed 26 turnovers last season and it’s widely believed he would have been cut if not for the substantial financial guarantees in his contract. …
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013 3:59pm
The Bucs continue making headway in signing their recent draft class, with fourth-round selection Akeem Spence the latest to sign his contract.
Spence signed a four-year deal, the Bucs announced, a standard contract under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.
The Bucs have now signed four of their six picks from last month’s NFL draft, with second-round pick Johnthan Banks and third-round choice Mike Glennon the only picks remaining unsigned.
Spence could be an important member of the defense this season as he is a strong candidate to assume the starting nose tackle job left vacant by the departure of free agent Roy Miller. The Bucs traded up 12 spots to select Spence with the 100th overall choice from the University of Illinois.
Exact details off Spence's deal aren't known, but you can expect it to be a slight increase over last year's selection in the same slot. The 100th selection in 2012, Travis Benjamin of Miami, received a $2.57 million contract and $477,000 signing bonus from the Browns.
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013 12:47pm
As the Bucs’ offseason program continues, it’s a key time for development both on the field and in the meeting room.
But there are some players in particular who stand to benefit from good efforts this offseason. While all players can make improvements during this period, there are some players for whom it’s an absolutely critical time.
Here are five players we think can make major improvements with a strong offseason:
* TE Luke Stocker: It remains to be seen how much the Bucs intend to use Stocker in their passing game. But unless newcomer Tom Crabtree, a free agent signing from the Packers is a quick study with a new offense and outperforms Stocker, the starting tight end duties likely will belong to this 2011 fourth-round pick.
Stocker’s resume’ is not impressive; he’s caught just 28 passes in two seasons (Crabtree has just 18 catches in three seasons). But two things have primarily held Stocker back: injuries and opportunity. …
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Tuesday, May 14, 2013 4:25pm
The Bucs have moved a step closer to getting their entire six-man draft class under contract, signing fourth-round pick William Gholston to a four-year contract today.
Gholston, a defensive end from Michigan State, was the 126th overall choice after recording 142 tackles, 13 passes defensed and 10 sacks and 30 tackles for losses in his career with the Spartans.
Gholston is expected to compete for a spot in the defensive-line rotation, with his versatility (he can play on either side of the line and has some potential as an interior pass rusher) being one of his key attributes.
Gholston’s signing leaves three draftees unsigned – second-round pick Johnthan Banks, third-round pick Mike Glennon and fourth-rounder Akeem Spence.
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Tuesday, May 14, 2013 12:03pm
This likely comes as no shocker, but when the Bucs ramp up their offseason next week with the start of offseason team activities, you will not see this offseason’s most widely-discussed NFL player.
Cornerback Darrelle Revis, who arrived via that blockbuster trade with the Jets last month, won’t participate in OTA practices. He’ll instead continue to work with Tampa Bay rehab personnel, working to get his surgically-repaired left knee back to 100 percent.
Considering how heavily the Bucs are expected to lean on Revis this season, his absence during offseason practices raises questions about how seamlessly he can be integrated with his new team. Essentially, the man who is expected to be the most vital member of the defense won’t join his teammates on the field until the first day of training camp, at the earliest.
But this isn’t as much of a problem as you might think. …
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Monday, May 13, 2013 4:36pm
The Bucs took care of a little business today, signing fifth-round draft pick Steven Means and sixth-round choice Mike James to rookie contracts.
With the current collective bargaining agreement simplifying the process of signing rookies by reducing the negotiating parameters, more teams are moving to sign draft picks earlier than in past years.
Means and James are the first Tampa Bay picks to sign deals in 2013.
Means, selected from the University of Buffalo, joins the Bucs with high hopes after his pass-rush success in college. Means had 18.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for losses in his career.
The Bucs also are high on James, who arrives from the University of Miami where he rushed for 1,386 yards and 17 touchdowns and was productive as a receiver out of the backfield.
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Monday, May 13, 2013 2:36pm
The Bucs have been ramping up their offseason workouts in recent weeks, with players now permitted to work on the field with coaches and their position groups.
But a week from today, things move to the most important stage when offseason team activities, or OTAs, begin.
The Bucs and all NFL teams are permitted 10 such practices plus a three-day minicamp. These practices aren’t going to make the difference between a losing season and winning the Super Bowl, but they’re important nonetheless. They give coaches opportunities to experiment with personnel combinations and to assess where things stand in position battles.
It’s that latter issue we want to take a look at today. A majority of the Bucs’ starting jobs are practically locked in. But there are a handful of starting spots and key backup jobs that will be open for competition.
And that competition starts this month, not in late July when players report for camp. Here are the positions to watch when OTAs begin:
No. 3/slot receiver: We know Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams are going to be the Nos. 1 and 2 receivers. Who can quibble with that? …
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Saturday, May 11, 2013 11:47am
The Bucs selected a cornerback, defensive tackle and a pair of defensive ends in the NFL draft.
They did not, however, pick a single linebacker, a decision that speaks volumes.
The Bucs – and the rest of the NFL – think weak-side starter Lavonte David is an emerging star in the league. And everything he’s shown indicates they’re right.
Mason Foster has been adequate at middle linebacker, although you could still argue he’s better suited to play outside. But his production can’t be questioned, and David’s ability to handle defensive play-calling duties (and the wear the helmet transmitter) has lightened the load on Foster.
But the questions emerge when we get to strong-side linebacker. We don’t know who the starter is going to be now that Quincy Black has been released because of his career-threatening neck injury.
But the Bucs didn’t feel it necessary to address the position in the draft because they like the current candidates to step in. …
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Thursday, May 9, 2013 3:51pm
A tearful Ronde Barber said what he will miss about not playing football is not the games on Sundays or the fame or adulation from fans.
It's coming to work every single day, one day after another, earning his pay for an honest day of labor for 16 NFL seasons.
"I think the best way to end it is to say, "I had fun,'' Barber said during a press conference at One Buc to announce his retirement. "I loved coming to work every day. Even last year when you (coach Greg Schiano) beat us up. I love football, I'll always love football. But football is just what I did, it's not who I am and I'm ready to move on. I'm ready to do what's next. You turn enough chapters in one book, you finally get to the end, you shut it, put it on the bookshelf and you pick up another book. That's what I'm going to do right now.''
Barber, 38, said he made the decision to walk away from the game a month ago but only began letting family and friends know earlier this week.
"I'd be lying if I said I made it today. I didn't,'' Barber said. "I made it about a month ago. I was pretty certain that it was the right decision.'' …
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Thursday, May 9, 2013 1:53pm
Ronde Barber scheduled a 2 p.m. news conference at One Buc Place to formally announce his retirement. Watch it here.
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Thursday, May 9, 2013 10:18am
There is no real disagreement that Ronde Barber is one of the greatest players in Buccaneers history. He redefined his position and made more splash plays than even some of the game’s most revered defensive players.
But his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame isn’t considered a slam dunk. There are only 15 players in the Hall who spent the majority of their careers playing cornerback, as Barber did. It’s a tall order to make it into Canton for any player.
Still, talking to those closest to Barber, the people who watched him work for the past 16 seasons, you get a sense that there’s a particularly strong case to be made for Barber to earn the highest honor in the game.
His former teammates and coaches might not be the most objective, but their cases for Barber are compelling.
Here are a few.
Former Bucs coach Tony Dungy …
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