"The moment the question is delivered, Luke McCown's eyes light up as though he couldn't wait to address the subject.

The Buccaneers quarterback was asked if he ever finds himself admiring the ability of newly acquired tight end Kellen Winslow. McCown responds with a story told with the giddiness of a youth leaguer fresh off his first touchdown.

"Absolutely! He made a catch two weeks ago where I threw a back-shoulder throw on a fade (route). I threw it short because it was good coverage, and (Winslow) reaches back with one hand and makes the grab. It was unbelievable."

But for another version of the story, ask the man who had the best vantage point: safety Sabby Piscitelli, the defender on the play.

"I was like, 'He caught that?' " Piscitelli recalled. "I went back to the film room and, as competitive as I am, I was mad for six hours after that. But I went back to the film, and there was really nothing else I could have done. … A catch like that, you just have to go back and say, 'That was a heck of a catch.' "

So, you want to know how Winslow is fitting in with his new team? The men he will play alongside will tell you he seems right at home after his trade in late February.

About the only disagreement is whether he's more receiver than tight end or vice versa. Really, the answer is whatever the Bucs want it to be.

But on this there is total agreement: Winslow, 25, will be used extensively. Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said he believes in widespread use of his tight ends, and, being a former tight ends coach with the Packers and Falcons, he is intimately familiar with the position.

"I've been very, very fortunate with the guys that I've had," Jagodzinski said. "I had Bubba Franks as a rookie (in Green Bay). I had Alge Crumpler (in Atlanta), who was as good a tight end as I've been around. Now Jerramy (Stevens) and Kellen.

"I use those guys a lot. Quite a bit."

For his part, Winslow isn't ready to make proclamations. Ask him about his potential to loom large in the offense and you'll likely get vanilla answers.

"We (tight ends) just have to make plays," he said. "We're just a piece to the puzzle."

Albeit a big piece.

Winslow's cautious approach isn't surprising given the tumults of his career. Injuries have taken a toll. Just two of his five seasons have been uninterrupted, but he averaged 86 receptions in those two campaigns with the Browns. The Bucs are banking on Winslow's ability to stay healthy given their decision to sign him to the league's biggest tight end contract, a $36 million deal that includes incentives that give him the potential to earn $42 million.

The Bucs are reluctant to admit it publicly, but there's no hiding the fact their receiving corps is thin and inexperienced. Enter Winslow, who the Bucs believe can help fill that gap by essentially functioning as a third receiver."