You've undoubtedly been hearing some buzz this week about free agent DE Jason Taylor in connection with the Buccaneers. And you would be right to not totally ignore the local speculation, which probably began on this very blog.

We continue to maintain that Taylor will not be in a Buccaneers uniform. Multiple, reliable sources indicate there is nothing substantive going on between the parties.

So, where did all this come from? Because someone who works for the Buccaneers has been talking to Jason Taylor -- a lot. We can't name names or be any more specific since much of this material comes from off-the-record conversations. Let's just say that Jason Taylor has good reason to believe the Buccaneers are interested, even though it seems far more likely he'll wind up in New England.

Again, at this point, there are many more signs pointing to Taylor playing somewhere other than Tampa Bay. In fact, it's more likely the Bucs bring back Taylor's close friend, Kevin Carter. He visited the Lions this week and, we're told, had some productive meetings with the staff and management. And, remember, Carter played for current Lions head coach Jim Schwartz when he was with the Tennessee Titans. The Bucs haven't completely closed the door on Carter and have kept the lines of communication open as they attempt to solidify their front line.

Hope this explains why this Taylor rumor has been kept alive this week. Trust me when I say it hasn't been just for kicks.