Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

Bucs sign seventh-round pick Grimm to 4-year deal
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July 29
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers reduced their list of unsigned 2010 draftees to one Thursday when they agreed to terms on a four-year contract with seventh-round pick Cody Grimm, according to Grimm's agent, Eric Metz. Grimm's signing leaves only first-round draft pick Gerald McCoy unsigned, but the chances of McCoy signing before Friday's training camp reporting deadline were starting to look slim as of Thursday afternoon."
Winslow's knee is ready to go but Bucs plan to limit his workload
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July 29
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Kellen Winslow's sixth knee surgery will not prevent him from practicing with his teammates when training camp begins Saturday. But the Bucs plan to watch Winslow closely and may limit his workload, especially during two-a-days. Winslow led the Bucs in receptions (77), receiving yards (884) and touchdown catches (5) in his first season in Tampa Bay. He has spent the past month working out with quarterback Josh Freeman. Winslow was not able to fully participate in the Bucs' Organized Team Acitivities and mandatory minicamp."
Buccaneers sign receiver Arrelious Benn
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July 28
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Mark Dominik crossed off another item from his pre-training camp checklist as the Bucs attempt to get every rookie under contract before Friday's report date. The Bucs general manager said he also is making progress on a five- or six-year deal for Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, the third overall pick. On Tuesday, the Bucs signed receiver Arrelious Benn, one of two second-round picks for the Bucs in April, to a four-year deal. Benn, who got a $2.1 million signing bonus, was picked 39th overall out of Illinois and is positioned to see extensive playing time. Only McCoy and Virginia Tech defensive back Cody Grimm, a seventh-round pick, are unsigned. McCoy dined Monday night in Tampa"
Second-rounder Benn signs 4-year deal
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July 28
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Bucs continued their effort to get all rookies signed before training camp by signing receiver Arrelious Benn to a four-year contract Tuesday. The deal includes a $2.1 million signing bonus plus other guaranteed money, according to Benn's agent, Gary Wichard. Tampa Bay has signed both of its second-round picks — defensive tackle Brian Price signed last week — and only defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (first round) and safety Cody Grimm (seventh round) remain unsigned. McCoy previously said he would not sign a contract until St. Louis signed quarterback Sam Bradford, the No.1 overall pick in April's draft. Both players are represented by Ben Dogra. However, FoxSports is reporting"
Buccaneers plan no contract talks with Donald Penn
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July 27
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Bucs don't plan on having any meaningful discussions with Donald Penn about a contract extension before training camp. The prolonged impasse means the starting left tackle isn't expected to report with players on Friday. Penn, 27, missed all voluntary offseason workouts and mandatory minicamp after refusing to sign a one-year, $3.168 million tender as a restricted free agent. The Bucs reduced the offer to 110 percent of his 2009 salary, a loss of about $100,000. Penn, who has started 44 games at left tackle, attended the team's Fanfest last month in Tampa and met briefly with general manager Mark Dominik and coach Raheem Morris. He has been working out near his home in southern"
Bucs ready to get down to business
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July 26
Tampa Tribune
 
"Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris' first training camp last season was more like "Camp Chaos" than "Hard Knocks." As players report for training camp Friday, Morris will lead a team with less turmoil and confusion than last year. "As a head coach, it's all on you, it's your team and the quarterback is not far behind you," Morris said. "It's your fingerprint. It's your mold. It's the people that you drafted. There are two draft classes (so far). It's all the guys you liked as a position coach here and all the people that you want to be here will be here now giving their best efforts." Tampa Bay will need to give a better effort than last year. Many of the Bucs' difficulties began in training"
Buccaneers find budding leaders heading into 2010 season
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July 25
St. Petersburg Times
 
"As he commonly does, Bucs coach Raheem Morris dropped by one of his team's quarterback meetings during offseason workouts several weeks ago just to observe and, perhaps, chart the progress of his signal callers. What he walked away with had little to do with completing passes but everything to do with building a football team. Starter Josh Freeman, backup Josh Johnson, offensive coordinator Greg Olson and others were in the room analyzing film. A clip was cued up of a play in which Freeman threw a bit too high for a receiver to corral the football. Then some interesting banter followed. "I hear Josh Johnson say to Freeman: 'Hey, Free, that was a great throw. (The receiver) has to go up and"
Mangurian, Bucs blindsided early in '09
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July 24
Tampa Tribune
 
"The first priority for Tampa Bay's maligned offensive line this past offseason was to block out the memory of Jeff Jagodzinski. Jagodzinski's abrupt dismissal as offensive coordinator of the Buccaneers on the brink of the 2009 season opener left a young line dazed and confused. The results were predictably disastrous as the Bucs went 3-13, failing to establish an offensive identity under Greg Olson, hastily promoted from quarterbacks coach to replace Jagodzinski. With Tampa Bay players due to report to training camp Friday, the offensive line has new focus. "We've got our offense in now," line coach Pete Mangurian said. "It's our offense ... it's not this guy's or that guy's. It's our"
Bucs sign second-round pick Brian Price to 4-year contract
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July 21
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have at least one of their two new defensive tackles on the field when they begin training camp next week. Rather than wait for other signings to set the benchmark on contracts for top draft picks, the Bucs signed defensive tackle Brian Price, the 35th overall pick, to a four-year deal Tuesday. Price became the highest 2010 draft pick to sign with an NFL team so far. Previously, the highest drafted player to sign was offensive tackle Vladimir Ducasse, who was taken 61st overall by the New York Jets. Ducasse signed a four-year deal believed to be worth $3.22 million. "I'm glad my agent got the deal done so I can concentrate on having a great training camp,""
Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign second-round pick Brian Price to four-year deal
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July 21
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Against a backdrop of particularly slow rookie negotiations around the NFL, Bucs second-round pick Brian Price broke from the pack and signed a four-year contract Tuesday, making him by far the highest-drafted player to sign. It was an encouraging development as many clubs brace for intense negotiations and, perhaps, rookie holdouts. Teams begin training camps in the next week, yet Price is only the second second-round selection to sign. No first-round picks have signed. Before Tampa Bay's 35th overall pick signed, the Jets' Vladimir Ducasse (61st) was the highest draft choice under contract. "I'm glad my agent got the deal done, so now I can concentrate on having a great training camp,""
McCoy hopes to reach Bucs camp on time
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July 18
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"It's not just because they're longtime buddies that Gerald McCoy is watching with interest as No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford negotiates his first contract with the St. Louis Rams. McCoy's desire to get to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' training camp on time in two weeks also hinges heavily on how long it takes his former college teammate to sign. McCoy was selected two picks after Bradford in the draft and he doesn't think his contract talks with the Bucs will heat up until Bradford's deal is done. He said Saturday night that he's "waiting on King Sam." "I would love to be there on time. But it's also one of those situations where while an opportunity presents itself for you to get paid,"
Josh Freeman depends on Tampa Bay Buccaneer WRs to develop quickly
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July 18
St. Petersburg Times
 columnist Stephen F. Holder
"So, you think you're curious to see how the Buccaneers' hodgepodge at receiver shakes out? Imagine the angst of QB Josh Freeman. His development and improvement this season quite literally lie in the hands of the men he'll be throwing to, many of whom remain unproven or inexperienced. So, yeah, Freeman's a bit anxious to see what the Bucs have at receiver. "One of the reasons I'm really excited about this training camp is because I'm going to get a chance to see (guys like) Mike Williams when it's hot, when his legs are tired, when the stakes are high, when everybody's pushing," Freeman said. There were some promising moments from this young group during offseason workouts, with"
Bucs exercise option on QB Freeman
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July 18
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided back in March to exercise an option in Josh Freeman's contract that will keep the quarterback in a Bucs uniform through the 2013 season. Freeman would have been eligible for free agency following the 2012 season had the Bucs not exercised the option, but the team made the call on the fifth year less than a year after drafting Freeman, according to his agent, Tom Condon. The Bucs traded up two spots toFreeman with the 17th overall pick in the 2009 draft. He is slated to begin his first full season as the Bucs' starting quarterback this year. Freeman's contract called for him to receive $10.245 million guaranteed and offers him a chance to earn another $10"
Sam Bradford talks could kickstart McCoy negotiations
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July 18
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Word is Sam Bradford's representatives are meeting with the Rams today, presumably to begin contract talks for the No. 1 overall draft pick. And that's good news for Tampa Bay Bucs fans. The Bucs' Gerald McCoy, the third overall pick, remains unsigned. But it's important to remember he is represented by the same firm as Bradford. Why should that matter? Because draft pick negotiations have, in part, become a waiting game as agents wait around for players drafted in the same vicinity to sign their deals, giving the agents a better sense of whether their own clients' contracts are competitive. In the case of Bradford and McCoy, the agents will be privy to the parameters of the contract"
Bucs pass on supplemental draft; two players picked
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July 16
Tampa Tribune
 
"Harvey Unga will not be playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season. Neither will Joshua Price-Brent. Unga, the BYU running back and all-time BYU rushing leader, went to the Bears and Price-Brent, the Illinois defensive tackle, went to the Cowboys, both in the seventh round of the NFL's supplemental draft on Thursday. Two players were not selected at all, which means they become unrestricted free agents capable of signing with any team. They were Truman State fullback Vaness Emokpae and Northwestern State running back Quentin Castille."
Don't sweat Josh Freeman's interceptions - at least not yet
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July 11
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Roll back the tape. Run the play again. Study the images as they flash across your screen. Finally, after a couple of hours of review, you will conclude this about all of those interceptions thrown by Josh Freeman last season: Man, they still look ugly. True, Freeman had a lot of promising flashes last season. At his worst, however, there were bad throws and bad decisions, bad reads and bad routes. There were overthrown balls, underthrown balls and shouldn't-have-been-thrown balls. There were deep passes that went to cornerbacks, quick slants that went to safeties and play-action passes that went to linebackers. In all, Freeman threw 18 interceptions in nine starts. In eight of those, he"
Bucs sign veteran G Keydrick Vincent to two-year contract
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July 10
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers filled the hole left by the recent release of Arron Sears on Friday when they signed free agent guard Keydrick Vincent to a two-year contract. The signing of Vincent, 32, also figures to increase the competition for the starting left guard's job, which last year fell to Jeremy Zuttah following Sears' spring-time departure from the team for personal reasons. Vincent comes to the Bucs having spent each of the last two seasons as a starter for the Carolina Panthers, who ranked third in the league in rushing in both 2008 and 2009. With Vincent helping to lead the way, Panthers backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart became just the fifth backfield tandem in NFL"
Bucs' Trueblood denies involvement in Indiana incident
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July 8
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Jeremy Trueblood said Wednesday he was not involved in the incident that sparked a traffic stop that led to him being held for 13 hours in an Indiana jail Tuesday night. "Oddly enough, I never stepped in a gas station, or out of my passenger seat till they made me,'' Trueblood said in a text message sent to The Tampa Tribune this afternoon. Trueblood, who has started 61 consecutive games for the Bucs, was held in the Hancock County Jail after Greenfield, Ind., police said he and another man riding in a car driven by Trueblood's mother became belligerent during a traffic stop. "They were locked up for failing to cooperate and for public intoxication,'' Maj."
Bucs' Trueblood released from Indiana jail; no charges filed
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July 7
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Jeremy Trueblood was released after spending the night in a Hancock County (Ind.) jail Wednesday morning with no charges filed against him, a Greenfield Police Department official said. Trueblood was arrested late Tuesday following a traffic stop in Greenfield, a suburb of Indianapolis, after police suspected he and another passenger were drunk and disorderly, Maj. Derek Towell said. "Mr. Trueblood has been released and the prosecutor has decided not to file any charges against him,'' Towell told TBO.com. Trueblood, an Indianapolis native, was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Towell said his department received a"
Bucs' Trueblood charged with public intoxication
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July 7
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Jeremy Trueblood was charged with public intoxication at an Indiana gas station late Tuesday, according to the Hancock County Sheriff's Office. Trueblood was arrested about 10:30 p.m. by the Greenfield Police Department, sheriff's office Maj. Joe Hunt said. Hunt said this morning that Trueblood's blood-alcohol level was 0.01 at 8:20 a.m. today, "so he's probably got another hour here.'' "He's still here and it's our policy that they have to test all zeros before we release them,'' Hunt said. "When that occurs he'll be eligible to bond out." Trueblood was a passenger in a car that stopped for directions at a gas station in Greenville, authorities told"
Five players hold key to Tampa Bay Buccaneers' improvement
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July 4
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Bucs are hardly a finished product, and it's impossible to know what this season will yield. But this is a team that has every reason to believe it will be an improved ball club. The once-rookie coach will be better, and the once-rookie quarterback will be, too. The defense was bolstered by what looks to be a successful draft, and as far as we know, the Bucs don't plan on changing coordinators after last year's double switch. But - there's always a "but" - there is justification for concern. The Bucs unquestionably have some emerging stars on this club. What is striking, though, is how many of them come with red flags attached. Tampa Bay is a team that is relying very heavily on"
Bucs reduce access to training camp practices
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July 1
Tampa Tribune
 
"While sharply reducing the number of practices open to the public, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are promising their fans an enhanced training camp experience. According to the public schedule released Wednesday, fans will be allowed to attend only seven practices once camp opens the morning of July 31. In 2009, when the Bucs returned to Tampa after seven years of staging training camp in Orlando, the club announced all 23 practices would be open to fans. "Incorporating fan feedback and an organizational review of last year's inaugural training camp at One Buc Place, we have designed a more streamlined public schedule with more entertaining views, action and access,'' club spokesman Jonathan"
Black: Starting for Bucs isn't enough
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June 30
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Quincy Black was not thrown into a bad situation last season. He was seemingly pushed - and expected to land safely. Black was asked to replace former Pro Bowl linebacker Cato June, who was released prior to 2009. Black went from learning defensive coordinator Jim Bates' system to relearning the Tampa 2 after Bates was relieved of his duties. Coaches admit they did not utilize Black's strengths enough in 2009. Despite those obstacles, Black finished with 84 tackles (15 assisted) and 1.5 sacks during his first season as a starter. "Sometimes I go back and look at the first preseason game I played in and I've come leaps and bounds as a football player and a"
Raheem Morris setting a better tone in second year as Tampa Bay Bucs coach
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June 27
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The music blared and the bass thumped and you tried hard to avoid doing what anyone in earshot would feel compelled to do: dance. Of course, that would be okay if this were a description of your average Sunday night at the Blue Martini nightclub. But, no, this was your typical Bucs practice last summer and throughout the first quarter of the 2009 season, when then-rookie coach Raheem Morris thought it a good idea to lighten the mood by opening each workout with a hip-hop playlist. Contrast this with Morris' fiery outburst in the middle of last week's minicamp, during which he demanded his players take the workout more seriously, and the difference is striking. This is not to suggest that"
Florida State to retire ex-Buc Derrick Brooks' jersey
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June 26
Tampa Tribune
 
"Former Florida State and Tampa Bay Bucs star linebacker Derrick Brooks will soon have his collegiate jersey retired. Florida State officials said Friday that Brooks' jersey would be retired in a ceremony at its Nov. 13 home game against Clemson. Brooks becomes the eighth Florida State player to be similarly honored. The others include Heisman Trophy quarterbacks Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke, receivers Fred Biletnikoff and Ron Sellers, cornerback Deion Sanders, noseguard Ron Simmons and tailback Warrick Dunn"
Bucs' Morris says he knows 'exactly' what to do in second season
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June 24
Tampa Tribune
 
"When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gather in five weeks for the start of training camp, they'll be greeted by a more assured head coach eager to see how his young roster responds to pressure. Raheem Morris, coming off a 3-13 debut season on the sidelines, said he has a sharper vision for the kind of team he wants to forge out of camp. "In Year 2, you have a better sense of direction and where you should be,'' Morris said Thursday. "Before you become a head coach, you just think you know what you should do and hope it's right. Now, I'm at a different stage. I'm like (second-year quarterback) Josh Freeman as a head coach. I've got a direction and we know exactly what we want to do. Now it's up to"
Bucs pin hopes on a green bunch
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June 24
St. Petersburg Times
 columnist Gary Shelton
"There are times, when the day has been too long and the sun has been too hot and a Bucs receiver leaps and snatches a football from the sky, you think "maybe." And then you remember their youth. There are times, quick seconds filled by fleeting thoughts, when a defensive back flashes across the field and makes a play, that you believe maybe the Bucs can be more than a little bit better than they were last year. And again, you remember their youth. There are times as they practice — and let's face it, the Bucs have been running one continual pass pattern since the draft — that you notice the potential has been upgraded, and the temptation is to think that maybe they can win six games. Maybe"
Gerald McCoy heading home to gear up for training camp
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June 24
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Bucs first-round pick Gerald McCoy has big plans now that Tampa Bay's offseason program has ended with the conclusion of mini-camp. And those plans don't involve weeks spent on sandy beaches. Rather, McCoy said he will head home to join his college teammates in their preseason preparation at the University of Oklahoma. There, McCoy said, he will engage in what he described as incredibly intense workouts, for which Oklahoma is renowned. "A lot of people have heard how intense our summer workouts are," McCoy said. "I'm going to go back and get involved with those to get me in shape so when I come back I'll be in shape in camp. "Our workouts are so intense. Our strength coach, Jimmy Smith,"
Bucs sign C Raiola, release C Tow-Arnett
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June 24
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed center Donovan Raiola and released center Jeff Tow-Arnett, the team announced Wednesday. Raiola (6-foot-2, 293 pounds) joins the Buccaneers after spending time with Arizona and Chicago in 2009. He entered the league with St. Louis as an undrafted free agent and also spent time with Pittsburgh and Seattle."
Bucs' Smith focused on future
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June 23
Tampa Tribune
 
"Bucs running back Clifton Smith does not want anybody's sympathy. Smith would rather focus on his golden opportunity to become a part of Tampa Bay's running game. Earnest Graham was moved to fullback, meaning the Bucs need a third person to carry the ball after Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward. Smith is the likely candidate for that role. He also has a chance to regain his position as Tampa Bay's return man. Only one subject is sensitive for Smith: the two concussions he received last year. "I really don't like talking about it because I'm past it," Smith said. "I put it in the rearview mirror and threw the mirror out the window already." Smith is trying to go forward, but understands"
Bucs center Faine hopes holdout tackle Penn back for training camp
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June 23
St. Petersburg Times
 
"C Jeff Faine said Tuesday that the contract impasse between the Bucs and starting LT Donald Penn could become a distraction if there's no accord by training camp. "I think that each side of the field needs to even out. Let's meet in the middle and get this going," Faine said after the final minicamp workout. "As an offensive line, you like to have continuity. You like to have guys working together all the time. We've changed quite a bit this offseason, and that's something (Penn is) going to have to catch up on." Penn has missed all the voluntary offseason workouts and this week's mandatory minicamp while seeking a long-term extension. He refused to sign a $3.168 million tender as a"
Bucs waiting for No. 1 receiver to emerge
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June 23
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Bucs receivers coach Eric Yarber was asked if he could put together a depth chart of his unit right now, and he said he couldn't. Asked who his starters might be, he said he didn't know. Asked whether a true No. 1 would eventually emerge, he couldn't guarantee it. But if you think he or his colleagues are stressing one iota over this litany of unanswered questions, think again. It was never the Bucs' intention to have a hard-and-fast pecking order at receiver coming out of this week's minicamp. Though the offseason is in the books — Tampa Bay put the finishing touches on it Tuesday when it completed its mandatory minicamp at One Buc Place — the heavy lifting at receiver lies ahead. For"
Bucs TE Stevens working to earn QB Freeman's trust in red zone
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June 22
Tampa Tribune
 
"At 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, Jerramy Stevens pulled off a heck of a vanishing act last year. The veteran tight end of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became an afterthought in the passing game as the Bucs went 3-13, catching only 15 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown. In his first two years in Tampa, Stevens averaged 27 receptions and three scoring catches, but his production dropped dramatically once the Bucs traded for tight end Kellen Winslow after the 2008 season. "The plan was to have both Kellen and I on the field for us to have our greatest advantage, but we got away from that for whatever reason and it was definitely frustrating,'' Stevens said Tuesday after the morning practice of"
Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris angered by lack of focus
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June 22
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Coach Raheem Morris stopped practice, called his players to midfield and proceeded to rip into them with a harshly worded rant. Better now than in September. Morris implored his players Monday to take a serious, gamelike approach to this week's mandatory minicamp, and Bucs coaches have conducted it in frantic, gamelike fashion - as opposed to more routine offseason practices. But Morris wasn't getting the desired response, so he did something about it, using a few R-rated words for emphasis. "It's easy to get caught up with the fans in a game, and it's easy to get caught up in the mode of a regular practice, walking off, talking to your (position) coach, being coached on every play," he"
Josh Freeman is steadily improving
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June 22
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The word most associated these days with quarterback Josh Freeman is control — of the huddle, of the offense and his passes. Freeman won't take another snap after today until he reports to training camp late next month. That means a big percentage of his development from unpolished rookie to second-year starter has already occurred. On Monday, Freeman went 11-of-16 (unofficially) with one touchdown and one dropped pass during seven-on-seven drills during the morning workout at the Bucs' mandatory minicamp. One pass was nearly intercepted by cornerback Aqib Talib. In the afternoon session, Freeman moved the offense effectively for a field goal during a two-minute team period. "I feel I'm a"
Bucs QB Freeman sports new confidence entering second season
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June 21
Tampa Tribune
 
"Josh Freeman is still wearing a No. 5 jersey as he stands under center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So much for the similarities. The second-year quarterback looks like a different player to teammates and coaches who can't help but notice Freeman's emerging confidence. "Josh Freeman looks like a guy who knows what he wants to do,'' middle linebacker Barrett Ruud said after Monday's opening practice at mandatory minicamp "He's not just going through the motions out here. He's trying things out like pump fakes. He's been watching other quarterbacks in this league, seeing how they play against the Cover 2. I think he knows how to prepare now. He knows what he needs to do to get better.''"
Bucs OT Dotson not sure he's ready to start for absent Penn
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June 21
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive line coach Pete Mangurian spent at least 15 minutes Monday morning working individually with left tackle Demar Dotson. Dotson has received all the first-team reps this offseason because Donald Penn, a restricted free agent, refuses to sign a one-year tender worth more than $3 million. The extra work for Dotson is necessary because he has limited football experience and even Dotson isn't sure he's ready to protect the blind side of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman. "I'm not saying I'm a good left tackle. I don't even know if I'm a starting left tackle or not at this moment. If you ask me, I'm not," Dotson said Monday, after the first practice of mandatory"
Bucs' Penn, Dominik remain at odds
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June 20
Tampa Tribune
 
"Disgruntled Tampa Bay Buccaneers left tackle Donald Penn and General Manager Mark Dominik cleared the air Saturday, but they still haven't cleared their contract hurdles. The 27-year-old restricted free agent confirmed he will not attend Tampa Bay's mandatory mini-camp this week and indicated there has been no progress toward working out a long-term deal for the man who protects the blind side of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman. "Everything I hear is they want to build around Josh Freeman, who's a great quarterback," said Penn, who signed autographs at Saturday's Fan Fest. "Well, where should you start? It isn't like I haven't proven myself. Even when I was so-called overweight last"
Buccaneers left tackle Donald Penn plays the waiting game
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June 20
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The most important player for the Bucs is franchise quarterback Josh Freeman. That means the second-most valuable player might be left tackle Donald Penn, who is paid to protect Freeman's blind side. You don't need Sandra Bullock to explain that one to you. The Bucs might have all the confidence in the world in Demar Dotson, the converted basketball player from Southern Miss with no NFL starts who is taking reps at left tackle while Penn stays away hoping for a long-term deal. But that doesn't mean they want to risk Freeman's career on Dotson. Penn is skipping the team's mandatory minicamp, which starts Monday. Contract demands aside, he has reason to be disappointed. Two weeks ago, Bucs"
Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik apologizes to left tackle Donald Penn
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June 20
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Left tackle Donald Penn arrived at the Bucs' Fanfest on Saturday night and immediately received a long embrace from quarterback Josh Freeman and several teammates. Then he was handed a Sharpie and began an autograph session. But instead of a new contract to put his signature on, Penn got an apology from general manager Mark Dominik for last week's "insensitive" comment about his weight. Dominik said he made a mistake saying during a fan question-and-answer session at One Buc Place that he was disappointed Penn gained 40 pounds in the second half of the 2009 season. The session, the team said, was off the record. "Donald is an important member of this team and a guy I'm extremely fond of,""
Bucs' Joseph glad he fought to raise his son
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June 20
Tampa Tribune
 
"His job is to protect. His job is to show the way. Davin Joseph plays offensive line for the Bucs, too. The big man - 6-3, 300 pounds - told you about his 6-year-old son, whose nickname is Champ. "We're pretty good together," Joseph said. The 26-year-old single father was talking about the son he's raising: Ali Richard Joseph. He's Richard to most everyone but his dad, who calls him Champ - and who fought for custody for two years before gaining it in March 2009. Davin Joseph knows what he wants for Father's Day. "Just his smile," he said. It's not your typical story, in or out of sports, but especially not in sports. "When I told the lawyer I wanted custody, he looked at me like, 'Yeah,"
Bucs faithful visit their team
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June 20
Tampa Tribune
 
"A reeling local economy, a struggling franchise and stifling heat couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of thousands of fans who turned out Saturday to spend a few hours with their beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some supporters arrived more than two hours early, enduring wilting humidity to secure the first vouchers for autographs at the club's annual Fan Fest. When the Raymond James Stadium gates opened at 4:30 p.m., fans were entertained by interactive games, pirate ship tours and photo opportunities with former Buccaneers Michael Pittman and Martin Gramatica. Potential season ticket buyers were encouraged toa stadium seat and see if the view was enticing. "I was very surprised and pleased to"
Rookie WRs preparing to make positive impact
Comment
June 20
Tampa Tribune
 
"There seems to be no question that Bucs rookie receivers Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams will receive significant playing time this season. Antonio Bryant was Tampa Bay's No. 1 receiver last year, but when the Bucs let him sign with Cincinnati this offseason, his spot was up for grabs. With Reggie Brown, Maurice Stovall and Michael Clayton the only veteran candidates for Bryant's job - Sammie Stroughter is a slot receiver - Benn and Williams are instantly in the mix. Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman could achieve major success with Benn and Williams, but there also is huge potential for danger. "In this league, if you're not running crisp routes, you're prone to turnovers and interceptions,""
Bryan Glazer vows Bucs will win more Super Bowls
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June 19
Tampa Tribune
 
"Surrounded by all that silverware, Bryan Glazer was focused on hardware. The co-chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spoke at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon Friday, vowing the franchise's massive rebuilding plan would result in more championships. A lot more. "I have nine more fingers that need rings,'' Glazer said, holding up both hands and brandishing the Super Bowl ring earned by the 2002 Bucs. "We're going to get there. We've done it before and we're going to do it again. "We've owned the team for 16 years. When we came in, we wanted to build a team good for the long haul. We sat down with (former coach) Tony Dungy and said, 'Do what you need to do.' After the Super Bowl, for a couple"
Bucs release Crowell, two others, sign Lorig and Watson
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June 19
Tampa Tribune
 
"Angelo Crowell, an injury-plagued linebacker who never played a down for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after signing with them as a free agent in 2009, was released Friday. The Bucs also signed two seventh-round draft picks, defensive end Erik Lorig and linebacker Dekoda Watson, to 4-year contracts and released two other players. Lorig was a 3-year starter at Stanford who finished his college career with 95 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Watson was a team captain at Florida State who posted 184 stops, 11.5 sacks and 32.5 tackles for loss in 47 games with the Seminoles. Along with Crowell, Tampa Bay released safety Emanuel Cook and long snapper Chris Mauriello. Cook"
Bryan Glazer talks about the economy's negative impact on ticket sales
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June 19
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Bucs co-chairman Bryan Glazer on Friday offered a frank assessment of the pace of ticket sales and was surprisingly candid about the economy's significant impact on the club. Glazer said the Bucs have seen an uptick in sales since adding tiers of ticket prices, including $25 youth general admission. Still, sales remain sluggish because of the region's slow economic recovery, he said. "Obviously we're aware of the tough economy out there, and we've lowered ticket prices to try to make something affordable for all those fans," Glazer said after a Tampa Chamber of Commerce luncheon. "We've had increased ticket sales, obviously, but it's a very rough time in the economy for all of us."
Bucs sign seventh-round pick Lorig, release 2 others
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June 18
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed seventh-round draft pick Erik Lorig to a four-year contract and released two players Friday. Lorig, a defensive end out of Stanford, was a three-year starter who finished his college career with 95 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks."
Left tackle Donald Penn won't be at Tampa Bay Buccaneers' mandatory minicamp
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June 18
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Coach Raheem Morris continued to hold out hope Thursday that unsigned LT Donald Penn would show for the Bucs' three-day mandatory minicamp next week, but he won't get his wish. The St. Petersburg Times has learned that Penn, 27, has no intention of attending, maintaining his refusal to sign the club's one-year restricted free agent tender of $3.168 million. Penn, however, plans to fly in from his home in Los Angeles to make an appearance Saturday at Raymond James Stadium for the team's annual FanFest, where it's expected he'll take questions from reporters. For now, Morris' optimism appears nothing more than wishful thinking. "We look forward to seeing him," he said. "I hope he is (here)."
Bucs' Penn would not face fines for skipping camp
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June 17
Tampa Tribune
 
"Contrary to statements made last week by Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik, restricted free agent Donald Penn cannot be fined if he fails to report for next week's mandatory minicamp. The team acknowledged the inaccuracy on Thursday. Penn, a veteran left tackle who protects the blind side of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman, has declined to sign a one-year tender. He is expected to attend FanFest at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, but it remains unclear whether he will participate in next week's mandatory minicamp in Tampa. A week ago Dominik said, "Anybody who does not show up to mandatory minicamp is subject to fines, even Donald Penn if he hasn't signed his"
Buccaneers first coach, John McKay, second to join team's Ring of Honor
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June 17
St. Petersburg Times
 
"For a region that had longed for pro football, Tampa Bay didn't know what it was in for when the Buccaneers first strapped it on in 1976. Neither did the team's first coach, John McKay. Twenty-six consecutive losses later, McKay had drawn the ire of a fan base that got much less than it bargained for, with fans at Tampa Stadium shouting, among other things, "Throw McKay in the bay!" For such reasons, the Bucs' announcement Wednesday of plans to enshrine the late McKay in the club's Ring of Honor was particularly rich in satisfaction for his family and the organization. As history would have it, the man under whom the franchise suffered through some of its darkest days would later lead it"