Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

Buccaneers agree to terms with veteran safety Sean Jones
Comment
March 17
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Bucs' quest to find free-agent help at safety ended Tuesday. Tampa Bay agreed to terms on a contract with Eagles free agent Sean Jones, a veteran who has 16 interceptions in the past four seasons and might compete for a starting job this fall. The value and length of the deal weren't immediately known. Jones, 6-1 and 220 pounds, is entering his seventh season and has started 53 of his past 59 games. He likely will get a long look at strong safety, where the Bucs are expected to make Sabby Piscitelli defend his starting job after his struggles last season. Bucs coach Raheem Morris, a former defensive backs coach, recalls scouting Jones when he was coming out of the University of Georgia ..."
Bucs' Faine spreading interests to troubled youth
Comment
March 17
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Jeff Faine woke up one day thinking about how financially successful he had become and it bothered him. Faine's financial portfolio would impress most millionaires. He owns three businesses in Cleveland - a restaurant, bar and nightclub - and a clothing store in Orlando. He is part-owner of steakhouses in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, a peanut company, a real estate company, a production company, and is also a successful oil investor. The fact he signed a six-year deal with Tampa Bay worth $37.5 million in 2008 is just icing on his financial cake. "But I'm doing all this for myself - I'm making all this money, doing well, my family is well, my friends and people ..."
Bucs sign Jones to bolster secondary
Comment
March 17
Tampa Tribune
 
"So much for sitting out free agency. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dipped into the free agent talent pool for the second time in four days Tuesday, this time pulling out Sean Jones, a starting-caliber safety who is expected to push Sabby Piscitelli for his starter's job. Jones, 28, agreed to terms on a deal after spending the 2009 season with Philadelphia, where the Eagles got nine starts out of the one-time University of Georgia standout and former second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns. A starter in 53 of the 59 games he's played since first breaking into the Browns starting lineup in 2006, Jones recorded 61 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions for the Eagles last year. He had ..."
First Tiger, now the Bucs: Ari Fleischer lends a hand
Comment
March 16
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Bucs have enlisted the help of former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer in their search for a new director of communications. "I am helping spread the word for the Bucs about their opening and am holding preliminary talks with some candidates," Fleischer said in an e-mail to the Sports Business Journal. "The rest of the interview process and the decision about who to hire are determined by the Bucs.""
Ruud won't be skipping voluntary workouts like year ago
Comment
March 16
Tampa Tribune
 
"Although he's frustrated by his status as a restricted free agent, middle linebacker Barrett Ruud said he plans to attend every organized team activity for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this spring, one year after skipping the team's voluntary workouts. Ruud spoke shortly before teeing off at the Celebrity Pro-Am for the Transitions Championships at Innisbrook Resort, where Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris and General Manager Mark Dominik were joined by former Buccaneers Mike Alstott, Shelton Quarles, Anthony McFarland and Mark Royals for today's charity event. Ruud, a second-round pick in 2005, has led the club in tackles for the past three years. He was unable to test the 2010 market as an ..."
Brown could prove to still have value for Bucs
Comment
March 14
Tampa Tribune
 
"The list is a 'long one. It's a rather impressive one as well. Antonio Bryant is on it, after all. So are Ike Hilliard, Chris Hovan and Phillip Buchanon, just to name a few. Their connection? All were acquired by the Bucs with the idea that, given one more chance, they just might prove themselves worthy of not only a roster spot but also a regular role in Tampa Bay's lineup. That's how the Bucs have gone about adding veterans, be it through free agency or trades, in recent years, and they continued the trend last week when they sent a 2011 sixth-round draft pick to the Eagles for receiver Reggie Brown. Brown today is no different than Bryant, Hilliard and Hovan were a few years ago. He's a ..."
Newly acquired receiver Reggie Brown an instant help for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Comment
March 14
St. Petersburg Times
 
"If the Bucs played today, Reggie Brown might be their No. 2 receiver. That might say something about the lack of receiving talent on the roster, but it explains why general manager Mark Dominik traded a sixth-round pick in 2011 to the Eagles for Brown. The sixth-year pro out of Georgia had only 27 catches and one touchdown over the past two seasons, though he had some nice moments, including two catches for 64 yards against the Falcons last year. The Bucs think a change of scenery will help Brown, 29, recapture the talents that enabled him to lead the Eagles in receiving yards (816) and touchdowns (nine) in his second season. In fact, the Eagles felt highly enough of Brown to sign him to a ..."
Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris, general manager Mark Dominik incur pity
Comment
March 14
St. Petersburg Times
 columnist Gary Shelton
"At first, there may have been some disappointment. There shouldn't have been surprise because everyone heard what the Bucs said about sitting out free agency. There shouldn't have been shock because everyone could see how little they have been spending. But, yeah, a touch of disappointment was understandable. In the days since, perhaps, there was a hint of anger. Maybe a bit of betrayal. Even a dose of outrage. Lately, I have begun to feel sympathy for Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris. After all, they have to depend on this roster to keep their jobs. Every day, it gets quieter around One Buc Place, and every day, their tasks get tougher. There have been no blockbuster trades. There have been ..."
Bucs' Dominik: Draft matches team's needs
Comment
March 13
Tampa Tribune
 
"The NFL Draft is almost six weeks away and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have already hit the lottery. According to second-year GM Mark Dominik, the 2010 draft matches up very well with the top priorities of a franchise that went 3-13 in the first phase of a massive rebuilding program. "This draft class' strength is defense, especially on the defensive line and the defensive backs," Dominik said in a taped interview posted on the team Web site Friday. "It's a very good draft that way and that, I think, can match up with some of the things we want to do in the draft." The Bucs haven't been active since free agency began March 5, but Tampa Bay sent a 2011 sixth-round draft pick to ..."
Bucs sign free agent LB Alston
Comment
March 13
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have only lost a few players due to free agency, but all were major special teams contributors. Tampa Bay lost safety Will Allen (signed with Pittsburgh), receiver Brian Clark (Detroit) and Jimmy Wilkerson (unsigned) recently, and released cornerback Torrie Cox and punters Josh Bidwell and Dirk Johnson. The Bucs tried to replenish that special teams unit by signing Oakland free agent linebacker Jon Alston on Friday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Alston, 26, plays outside linebacker and will back up Geno Hayes, who will miss the next three to four months after undergoing shoulder surgery in late January to repair an injury sustained in the final game of ..."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, unit by unit, and what changes are necessary
Comment
March 13
St. Petersburg Times
 
"We're more than a week into the busiest portion of the offseason and the Bucs have done, well, very little. But keep in mind free agency isn't just a 72-hour race. The majority of free agents - even if they are second tier players - remain unsigned. And the Bucs have 10 draft picks at their disposal next month, meaning their current roster will likely change drastically in the coming months. With that, let's take a look at the Bucs as they currently exist, unit by unit, and project what modifications are most necessary. Quarterback The one guy whose position is probably the safest is QB Josh Freeman, who will be entering his second season this fall. He's got a lot of growing to do, but ..."
Mock drafts now have Bucs getting McCoy with third pick
Comment
March 12
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have maintained all along that their biggest offseason focus this year would be on the NFL Draft. If draft experts are correct, the Bucs might be staring at a big catch on April 22. ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay recently released their updated mock drafts and both have the Buccaneers selecting Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy with their No. 3 overall pick. Both now believe the St. Louis Rams will take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with their No.1 overall pick. While they originally believed St. Louis wouldNebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, they think the Rams will opt for a franchise quarterback quarterback over a defensive ..."
Buccaneers target help at safety
Comment
March 12
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Bucs continue to look for help at safety, with Eagles free agent Sean Jones scheduled to visit Tampa today. Jones, 28, played in 15 games with nine starts for the Eagles in 2009. He had 44 tackles and two interceptions, giving him 16 interceptions for his career. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has started 53 games since entering the NFL with the Browns in 2004. The Bucs also were hoping to meet today with Browns free-agent safety Brodney Pool, 25. But Pool, whose career was threatened by several head injuries, agreed in principle to a one-year contract with the Jets late Thursday. Tampa Bay has been trying to set up a visit for Dolphins safety Gibril Wilson, 28. The Bucs are looking to ..."
Bucs invite another free agent safety for visit
Comment
March 11
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are continuing their effort to create competition among safeties in 2010. The Bucs plan to bring in unrestricted free agent safety Brodney Pool for a visit on Friday, according to his agent, Ben Dogra. On Thursday Tampa Bay played host to Philadelphia safety Sean Jones, 28, who was a 2004 second-round draft pick (59th overall) of the Cleveland Browns. Pool (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is visiting the New York Jets on Thursday. If he leaves without a contract, he will fly into Tampa on Friday."
Bucs' Morris on free agency: 'It's not Sam's Club'
Comment
March 11
Tampa Tribune
 
"Most of us wouldn't have believed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could actually be in worse shape now than they were at the end of last season, but the lads have pulled it off. They essentially replaced Antonio Bryant with journeyman Reggie Brown from Philadelphia - banking (key word there) no doubt on a return to greatness by Michael Clayton. On the Clayton reference, I trust you understand sarcasm when you read it. Bryant made nearly $10 million last season and at 29 years old would seem to be entering the prime of his career, a fact underscored by the four-year deal worth $28 million he signed Wednesday with Cincinnati after the Bucs told him to move on. My friends, this is what it is has ..."
After quiet start, Bucs ready to join free agency game
Comment
March 11
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offseason focus remains on the NFL Draft, but the team will entertain a few free agents in the coming days. Among those scheduled to visit on Thursday is safety Sean Jones, who started nine games last season for the Philadelphia Eagles. "I'm not going to say a name, but we've got people coming in for workouts, free-agent visits, guys who can help us, young pieces," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said on Wednesday. "Guys that can improve our football team, that fit our plan, fit what we want to do as an organization.'' Jones, 28, was a 2004 second-round draft pick (59th overall) of the Cleveland Browns. He has started 53 of 59 games played since earning a starter's role ..."
Wide receiver Antonio Bryant signs with Cincinnati Bengals
Comment
March 10
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"Antonio Bryant has agreed to a four-year deal with the Bengals worth $28 million. With incentives the deal could go to $29 million. The paperwork for the deal is still being completed. The team might not announce the deal until later today or tomorrow since coach Marvin Lewis has left for the NFL Competition Committee meetings. The eight-year veteran was considered to be the top unrestricted free agent wideout. Last year with Tampa Bay, he was hampered due to two knee injuries that happened during training camp. He played 13 games and had 39 receptions for 600 yards, an average of 15.4 yards per catch, with four touchdowns. In 2008, he enjoyed a career year with 83 receptions for 1,248 ..."
Bucs far from the only team treading lightly in free agency
Comment
March 10
Tampa Tribune
 
"Almost a week into the free agency signing period, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have yet to sign a free agent from another team. If Bucs fans are frustrated by that, they're probably not alone. Of the 32 teams in the league, 14 have yet to sign a free agent from another team, and some of the clubs who have decided so far to sit out free agency may be surprising. Dallas, Oakland and Washington, typically big spenders and major players in the free agent market, have not signed a single player from another team. The other teams that have yet to dip into the free agency pool are Arizona, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Green Bay, Houston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tennessee and the New York Jets. ..."
QB Garcia still wants to play, questions Bucs' philosophy
Comment
March 10
Tampa Tribune
 
"Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia realistically understands his situation. He is 40 years old, has been out the NFL for one season and would be a gamble for any team who signs him. Nevertheless, with the New York Giants showing interest in Garcia as a backup Eli Manning, he is ready for another shot at resuming his career. "It's one of those of these things where my agent is out there. He has talked to people and it sounds like there is some interest out there," Garcia said. "It's just a matter of that interest stepping over and becoming a reality and somebody offering me a contract and getting the chance to come in and be a part of their team and hopefully be in a role ..."
Buccaneers trying to bring in safety help
Comment
March 10
St. Petersburg Times
 
"One day after losing free agent Will Allen to the Steelers, the Bucs were busy Tuesday trying to land a safety. The Bucs are attempting to arrange a visit with Browns safety Brodney Pool and Dolphins safety Gibril Wilson. Pool, who left St. Louis without a contract Monday, was scheduled to visit the Jets today. The Bucs hope Pool visits Tampa Bay this week, said his agent, Ben Dogra. "It is tentative, but yes," Dogra said of the Bucs' plans to bring in Pool, who has a history of concussions with the Browns. Wilson will look to join his fourth team in as many years. He finished second on the Dolphins in tackles (91) after signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract Feb. 26, 2009. But he ..."
Former Bucs WR Brian Clark signs with Detroit Lions
Comment
March 10
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Detroit Lions made three roster moves on Monday, and every one of them involved a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player. The Lions signed receiver Brian Clark, re-signed tight end Will Heller and released defensive end Dewayne White. Clark was with the Bucs from 2007-09, Heller from 2003-05 and White from 2003-06 after the team selected him in the second round of the 2003 draft. Clark, a product of Chamberlain High, played in 14 games for the Bucs last season, catching six passes for 65 yards. The Lions expect Clark to compete at wide receiver and play special teams."
Buccaneers acquire Philadelphia Eagles WR Reggie Brown for sixth-round pick in 2011
Comment
March 9
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The first new target for quarterback Josh Freeman is another 29-year-old receiver who has had trouble finding the huddle, much less the end zone. On Monday, the Bucs acquired Eagles receiver Reggie Brown for a sixth-round pick in 2011. Originally a second-round choice out of Georgia in 2005, Brown has just 27 catches and one touchdown in the past two seasons. Brown will compete with Sammie Stroughter (31 catches as a rookie in 2009), Maurice Stovall (44 catches in four years), Michael Clayton (16 catches in '09) and former Bears and Chiefs receiver Mark Bradley (second-round pick) for playing time. Brown slipped steadily on the Eagles' depth chart the past two seasons and was their fifth ..."
Former Bucs safety Allen signs with Steelers
Comment
March 9
Tampa Tribune
 
"Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Will Allen signed a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. Pittsburgh announced the signing on its Web site, but terms of the deal were not disclosed. Allen, who was an unrestricted free agent, spent six seasons with the Bucs as the team's fourth-round draft pick in 2004. A backup most of his career, he started in 26 of the 84 games he played, including two in 2009. He finished 2009 on injured reserve with a broken thumb. The Buccaneers now have a void on special teams and in the secondary. Tampa Bay recently released cornerback Torrie Cox, a special teams standout, and Allen was the special teams captain."
State reduces charge against ex-Buc Phillips
Comment
March 9
Tampa Tribune
 
"Prosecutors have reduced a domestic battery charge against former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jermaine Phillips. The free agent will be arraigned on a misdemeanor battery charge April 19. He has been free on his own recognizance since his arrest in January. Phillips, 30, faced a third-degree felony charge of domestic battery after being arrested following an argument with his wife. Police said he admitted pushing his wife in the neck."
Bucs acquire WR Reggie Brown from Eagles
Comment
March 9
Tampa Tribune
 
"As suitors for wide receiver Antonio Bryant began to gather Monday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took their first step toward replacing the dispatched playmaker. In their first move of the free-agency signing period, the Bucs traded a sixth-round draft pick in 2011 to the Philadelphia Eagles for former starting receiver Reggie Brown. Brown, 29, has 177 catches for 2,574 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career, but only nine of those catches came last season as Brown was edged out of the Eagles lineup by rookie Jeremy Maclin and second-year pro DeSean Jackson. A product of the University of Georgia, Brown was a second-round pick of the Eagles (35th overall) in 2005 who quickly stepped into the ..."
Eagles unload receiver Brown to Bucs
Comment
March 9
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Last September after the Eagles got rid of Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown admitted that he was torn about not being the wide receiver who was sent packing. In one season he had gone from a starting role to being inactive on game days. "Even a rose can grow out of a pound of bull [manure], so why can't I?" Brown said then. The receiver will have the opportunity to grow elsewhere after the Eagles announced last night that they had traded Brown to Tampa Bay for an undisclosed draft pick in 2011. Several media outlets reported that it will be a sixth-round pick. Attempts to reach Brown and his agent, William Johnson, were unsuccessful. With Brown gone, the Eagles have four remaining veteran ..."
Eagles trade Reggie Brown to Buccaneers for 2011 pick
Comment
March 9
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"Maybe someday we'll know what derailed Reggie Brown's career with the Eagles. For now, all we know is that Brown is out of roster purgatory, and on his way to Tampa. The Eagles announced last night they were trading Brown, a 2005 second-round draft choice, 35th overall in that draft, to the Bucs for an undisclosed 2011 pick, which the Tampa Tribune said would be a sixth-rounder. Brown, who seemed to be a rising star his first three seasons out of Georgia, went from a career-high 61 catches in 2007 to nine last season. He was carried on the 2009 roster only because the cap penalty for cutting him would have been so prohibitive - around $6 million - the Eagles couldn't afford to do it. In ..."
Derrick Brooks 'keeps door open,' but admits playing days likely over
Comment
March 5
Tampa Tribune
 
"Once Derrick Brooks stopped searching outside for answers, he found inner peace. A year after he was dropped by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a veteran purge, the future Hall of Fame linebacker has come to terms with his abrupt departure. Brooks, who turns 37 next month, worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN and Sirius Radio last fall. Although he hasn't officially announced his retirement as a player, Brooks knows his days of chasing down running backs in the flat are probably over. "You always keep your door open, but realistically, how good does the situation have to be for me to play again?'' Brooks told The Tampa Tribune during lunch at one of the Bay area's most exclusive golf clubs. "I ..."
Bucs release punters Bidwell, Johnson and cornerback Cox
Comment
March 5
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday released two punters, Josh Bidwell and Dirk Johnson, along with cornerback and special teams standout Torrie Cox. All three ended the 2009 season on injured reserve. Also, the Bucs officially extended tenders to all but four of the players scheduled to become restricted free agents when the new league year begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday. Left tackle Donald Penn, right tackle Jeremy Trueblood, running back Cadillac Williams and linebacker Barrett Ruud received tender offers as restricted free agents, as did part-time starting receiver Maurice Stovall and reserve wideout Mark Bradley."
Ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden tutors ex-Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow
Comment
March 5
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Tim Tebow wore a tank top despite the wind that howled off Lake Magdalene and swayed the goal posts at Carrollwood Day School. Half the field doubled as the outfield to a girls softball game just a check-down pass away. High school players rubbed the sting off of their hands as they tried to hold onto passes whipped toward them by the former Gators quarterback. For about an hour Thursday at the northwest Tampa school, Tebow worked on the NFL's most scrutinized passing delivery under the direction of former Bucs coach Jon Gruden. "This is 78-X, shallow cross," Gruden said to Tebow. "Get the ball out of your hand." Gruden positioned players, including son Deuce, a sophomore at the school, ..."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' free agency options are limited
Comment
March 4
St. Petersburg Times
 
"It has been a brutal winter for 212 NFL players who are part of the most severe free agent crop damage in history. That's how many players will become restricted free agents — rather than unrestricted — because there will be no salary cap in 2010 as the result of no new collective bargaining agreement being reached. Players such as Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall and Cowboys receiver Miles Austin might have received lots of interest from the Bucs and other clubs when the signing period begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday. But Marshall received a first-round tender and Austin a first- and third-round tender. Tenders represent the 2010 draft picks a team must give up in order to sign the players. ..."
Bucs won't jump right into NFL free-agent pool
Comment
March 4
Tampa Tribune
 
"When NFL free agency begins Friday at 12:01 a.m., the Buccaneers probably will hit the snooze button. The Bucs heavily pursued defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and linebacker Jonathan Vilma last offseason and tried to pull off trades for quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Matt Cassel. This year, Tampa Bay expects to watch other teams pursue Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers, Denver receiver Brandon Marshall, Arizona linebacker Karlos Dansby and Houston cornerback Dunta Robinson. "We're really going to focus on the draft," Coach Raheem Morris said. "Free agency, it is what it is right now. We'll go out there and see if we can get anybody we feel that can be a part of our direction, but ..."
Iorio promises to keep alive Tampa's bid for 2014 Super Bowl
Comment
March 3
Tampa Tribune
 
"Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio vowed Tuesday to make a convincing case for returning the Super Bowl to the Bay area in 2014, despite a New York bid that appears to be gathering momentum among NFL owners. Arizona's withdrawal last week leaves Tampa Bay and South Florida as the only warm-weather alternatives to the joint New York-New Jersey effort to secure the 2014 game for an open-air stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., slated to house the Jets and Giants this fall. "We're the experts at Super Bowls - we know how to do it,'' said Iorio, who led the Bay area delegation to the nation's capital in 2005 for a Super Bowl presentation that ultimately led owners to award the 2009 game to Raymond James ..."
Bucs tender WR Maurice Stovall
Comment
March 1
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Bucs tendered WR Maurice Stovall at his original third-round draft pick level ($1.176 million) Sunday, meaning the team has the right to match any offer sheet he signs."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers might address offensive line at draft
Comment
February 28
St. Petersburg Times
 
"It was supposed to be the strength of the team, an offensive line that kept its quarterback clean and escorted running backs to the end zone like prom queens. They were a collection mostly of high draft picks that would thump with one heartbeat. But now the Bucs have two important questions to ask about their offensive line: How long can they keep it together? And do they want to? Both tackles, Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood, are restricted free agents. Penn is furious the team slapped a first- and third-round tender - the highest possible - on him last week rather than sign him to a long-term extension. Arron Sears left a big leak at left guard when his personal issues landed him on the ..."
To improve, Tampa Bay Buccaneers must explore all options
Comment
February 28
St. Petersburg Times
 
"If there is a single word that can describe the current state of the Tampa Bay Bucs, a simple syllable to be transformed into a battle cry for the Reloading Season ahead, it would sound something like this: Help. After all, help is a four-letter word, and don't the Bucs make a lot of those come to mind? In case those who run the Bucs are wondering, no one has forgotten what a mess they are. They are coming off a 3-13 season, and looking back, no one seems quite sure how they managed to win three. At various levels, these Bucs seem aimless, cheap and, worst of all, indifferent, the triple crown of lonely ticket salesmen. In a related story, NFL free agency begins Friday. From the sound ..."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik follows conventional wisdom
Comment
February 28
St. Petersburg Times
 
"It's easy to doubt the sincerity of the Bucs when they say they are committed to building through the draft. (Which team isn't?) Or they won't be big players in free agency (because the ownership won't spend the money). It's a cynical business, and a team that hasn't won a playoff game since 2002 has used up much of its credibility. But hanging around the scouting combine last week made two things clear. The 2010 draft class is one of the best and deepest in years thanks to the 53 juniors who declared. The 2010 free agent class is one of the worst in years thanks to the impending season without a salary cap. That turned more than 200 players who would've been unrestricted free agents into ..."
Suh would be a defensive boon for Bucs
Comment
February 28
Tampa Tribune
 
"Naturally, Bernadette Suh had concerns. It didn't matter that her son, Ndamukong, would be the biggest kid on the field. He could still get hurt playing football, she reasoned. "Nonsense," Ndamukong argued when he first expressed an interest in playing football as a youth. "I'll be the one attacking and hurting people." Little did Suh know that the hurt he eventually would inflict would include breaking the hearts of just about every NFL coach and general manager that fails to get him in this year's draft. "He's definitely one of the two best players in this draft," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said of the Nebraska defensive tackle. "He's a guy that can help any team in the league ..."
You be the GM: Linebackers
Comment
February 28
Tampa Tribune
 
"The NFL free agency period begins at 12:01 a.m. March 5. For seven straight days, The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com will feature one position each day. We'll provide an analysis of the position and list the players to consider: Bucs under contract for 2010 and Bucs and notable NFL players scheduled to become free agents. OK, Bucs fans. You're the general manager. Linebacker The Bucs are in pretty good shape at this position. They have one of the league's best tacklers in middle linebacker Barrett Ruud, a dynamic playmaker in weakside linebacker Geno Hayes and a budding talent in strongside linebacker Quincy Black. Though scheduled to become a free agent, Ruud received a tender from the Bucs on ..."
Arizona drops bid for 2014 Super Bowl, leaving South Florida, New York-area and Tampa
Comment
February 27
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee's decision to drop its bid for the 2014 Super Bowl is thought to bolster the New York Jets' and Giants' joint bid to host the game in the new Meadowlands Stadium. NFL team owners, who will choose the host site in May, granted the New York-area the right to bid after waiving game requirements for a 50-degree average daily temperature or domed venue. But South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee officials, who hosted Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7, were not conceding Friday. Tampa is also bidding. "They've got a real snowstorm going through New York right now. Planes can't get in and out. It's a great place for a Super Bowl," said South Florida host committee ..."
Tampa Bay Buccaneers' tenders may hurt some players' feelings
Comment
February 27
St. Petersburg Times
 
"GM Mark Dominik let some players know this week how much they are valued by the Bucs. Some will be happier than others. LT Donald Penn was given a first- and third-round tender ($3.168 million). LB Barrett Ruud was given a first- and third-round tender ($3.268 million). But RT Jeremy Trueblood was given a tender for his original second-round draft pick ($1.759 million). RB Cadillac Williams was technically tendered as a first-round pick, but he will be offered a contract at 110 percent of his 2009 salary. It also means that any bonuses or incentives from last year's contract will carry over to his 2010 contract. By placing the highest possible tenders on Penn and Ruud, and the ..."
Tennessee Volunteers safety Eric Berry likes idea of being a Tampa Bay Buccaneer
Comment
February 27
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Monte Kiffin had never seen or heard anything like it. More than 100,000 fans at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., chanting, "Err-ic! Err-ic!" It's not that screaming your lungs out for a football star at Tennessee is so unusual. But the serenade was for Eric Berry - a safety. "He's special," said Kiffin, the longtime Bucs defensive coordinator who coached Berry last season as Vols defensive coordinator. "I'm not just saying this. He's the real deal. He's a football junkie and was watching tape right away. "We had a rule when I was coaching (former Bucs safety) John Lynch. We called it the Lynch Rule when we brought him down in the box. I brought in the Berry Rule." Berry, 21, has read ..."
Bucs need home run in this draft
Comment
February 27
Tampa Tribune
 
"For Bucs fans out there whose eyes have yet to uncross - ditch Antonio Bryant, man with hands, keep Michael Clayton, man without hands? - the gang that couldn't shoot straight might just get lucky. Granted, the Bucs could use it, as they are the only NFL organization to have an employee, during a Senior Bowl player interview, ask former Florida State safety Myron Rolle, who left FSU early to be a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and one day plans to be a neurosurgeon, if he felt like he had "deserted" his teammates. That'll learn him. Way to go, Bucs! I think I just found the first brain Rolle needs to crack when he becomes a neurosurgeon. Back to work. Word from the NFL Scouting Combine is that ..."
You be the GM: Offensive line
Comment
February 27
Tampa Tribune
 
"The NFL free agency period begins at 12:01 a.m. March 5. For seven straight days, the Tampa Tribune and TBO.com will feature one position each day. We'll provide an analysis of the position and list the players to consider: Bucs under contract for 2010, and Bucs and notable NFL players scheduled to become free agents. Okay, Bucs fans. You be the general manager. Offensive line A unit that was expected to be a strength of the 2009 Bucs struggled on most Sundays last fall. Tampa Bay failed to establish an offensive identity, and the underachievers up front must take some responsibility. Left guard Arron Sears missed the entire season due to lingering personal problems. Jeremy Zuttah was ..."
Dominik: Draft pool this year is deep
Comment
February 27
Tampa Tribune
 
"The 2010 NFL draft is shaping up to be one of the deepest in recent memory. Bucs General Manager Mark Dominik had a feeling it would be. That is why he has spent the past year stocking up on draft picks. Dominik said he always looks ahead a year to the next draft, and when he looked ahead to this year's draft he realized it would be one of the richest ever in terms of talent. "You always try to forward think and forward plan," he said. "It's a good way to determine the avenue you want to take each year in building your team, and that's why we're putting so much emphasis on the draft this year. "It's a talented pool, and as the process continues to move on, as it's viewed by fans watching ..."
Bucs make strong plays to keep Penn, Ruud and Cadillac
Comment
February 26
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done just about everything possible to keep rival clubs from stealing linebacker Barrett Ruud, left tackle Donald Penn and running back Cadillac Williams during free agency. With the deadline for tendering contracts to restricted free agents less than a week away, the Bucs placed the highest-possible tenders on Ruud and Penn and the second-highest on Williams. The moves mean any team signing Penn or Ruud would have to give the Bucs first- and third-round draft picks as compensation, while a team signing Williams would have to give Tampa Bay a first-round pick. The tenders call for Ruud and Penn to earn $3.168 million in 2010. Williams' salary would increase ..."
Buccaneers will end ties with receiver Antonio Bryant
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February 26
St. Petersburg Times
 
"The Bucs want to surround QB Josh Freeman with playmakers, but they won't include his best and most experienced receiver. Coach Raheem Morris said Thursday that Antonio Bryant's career in Tampa Bay is over. "Antonio missed a significant amount of time last year," Morris said. "And I'm not going to blame Antonio, but … we're going in a young direction. We're going to choose to move on." Bryant, who turns 29 on March 9 and was the Bucs' franchise player last season, will become an unrestricted free agent March 5. He struggled to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery that forced him to miss the preseason. He caught just 39 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. That's ..."
Coach Raheem Morris says Tampa Bay Buccaneers are "light-years" ahead of where they were this time last year
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February 26
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Raheem Morris sat inside a coffee shop at the Omni Hotel in Indianapolis, just a long punt from Lucas Oil Stadium where the NFL scouting combine is being held this week. Speaking at length with the media for the first time since Jan. 4, the day after the Bucs' final regular-season game against Atlanta, Morris looked relaxed and confident. Why shouldn't he be? The youngest head coach in the NFL survived a brutal rookie season in which he fired both coordinators, spun a roulette wheel of three quarterbacks and lost his first 10 games before finishing 3-13, the Bucs' worst record since 1991. But armed with franchise quarterback Josh Freeman and committed to building through the draft, Morris ..."
Bucs to part ways with receiver Antonio Bryant
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February 26
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a young football team last year. They're going to be even younger this year, especially at wide receiver, where veteran Antonio Bryant will not be a part of the 2010 squad. Though they plan to make a point of improving the talent around quarterback Josh Freeman, the Bucs have decided to part ways with the playmaker they tagged as their franchise player just a year ago this week. "Antonio missed a lot of time last year, and I'm not trying to blame Antonio but really, right now, we're going in a young direction," Bucs coach Raheem Morris said Thursday during a break at the NFL Scouting Combine. "So we're going to choose to move on there. Antonio is going to test ..."