Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On the roster: Vincent Jackson, Mike Williams, Jheranie Boyd, Chris Denton, David Douglas, Jerry Johnson, Kevin Ogletree, Chris Owusu, Eric Page, Steve Smith, Tiquan Underwood, Tim Wright The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two outstanding starters in Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams, but as with seemingly every position on offense they lack quality depth. That's not because of a lack of wide receivers, though. They have more than a few of those. It's just that most of them lack the quality to make an impact. Who will be number three? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't necessarily looking for a slot receiver, but they do need someone to be the third wide receiver on passing downs. The Bucs like to move Vincent Jackson inside to the slot to take advantage of matchups and attack the middle of the field, so the receivers will have to show that they can play on the outside as well as the inside. Last year, Tiquan Underwood won that job, but that was mostly due to a lack of competition. After all, he was initially cut before being re-signed two weeks into the season. In the end he managed to grab 28 passes for 425 yards but seemed to struggle with the complicated Tampa Bay offense. More than once the receiver ran one route, while Josh Freeman anticipated a different route. He'll have to sort that out to hang on to his spot. Kevin Ogletree was brought in to earn that third receiver spot, but he hasn't exactly been productive. He managed 32 catches for 436 yards and four touchdown last season with the Dallas Cowboys, but was far from a consistent producer for Tony Romo. To be fair, he was the fourth target in an offense that featured Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Miles Austin, so there weren't many balls to go around. The third player who may find himself with this job is former New York Giant Steve Smith. He will be most familiar with the Buccaneers' offense, owing to his previous work with offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. Unfortunately the former Pro Bowler suffered a knee injury in 2010 and hasn't been productive since then. He has managed just 18 games over the past two seasons due to injury and poor play, catching a dismal 25 passes for 255 yards. Getting back to his former form looks like a very long shot, but if he can do it, he could be a very valuable contributor. The Big Guys Wide receivers with good size are always intriguing, even more so if they have some speed to go with it. The Bucs have a few of those players on the roster aside from Vincent Jackson. Rutgers rookie Tim Wright has great size at 6'4", 220 lbs but ran just a 4.65 40-yard dash at his pro day, per nfldraftscout.com. Jerry Johnson out of UCLA may be more intriguing at 6'3", 207 lbs and a 4.5 4--yard dash at his pro day, again according to nfldraftscout.com. Finally, 6'1", 187 lbs. Jheranie Boyd offers some decent size with a 4.43 40-yard dash. Speed and size is always a good combination, and he also put up stellar vertical jump and broad jump numbers. Boyd hasn't produced much in college, in part due to an injury as a senior, but he appears to have the athletic traits to become a possible surprise producer for the Buccaneers. The Small Guys Those small receivers often end up playing in the slot, using their short-area quickness to elude linebackers and produce after the catch. The Bucs have a number of guys who could play that role: Eric Page, Chris Denton, Chris Owusu and the aforementioned Steve Smith could all function in such a role. All of them measure 6'0" or less. There's also 6'1" David Douglas who I can't really fit in with either group, so I'll just talk about him here, too. Eric Page was tremendously productive in college, but played at lowly Toledo. He produced three consecutive seasons with over 1,100 yards receiving, although his per-catch average dropped from 14.1 in 2009 to 11.2 in 2010 and just 9.5 in 2011. Still, add in good production as a kick returner with four career kick return touchdowns and he may have a shot to make

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Welcome back to #BucsBracket. Let’s keep things going in the unofficial competition, set to determine the most popular and beloved Buccaneers of all time. This edition is the Selmon division, named after the first Buccaneer to make the Hall of Fame. Be sure to cast your vote in each matchup, because every vote counts! Sound off in the comments and let us know why you made the picks you made, because we will use comments on the blog as tiebreakers, in case of a tie. As usual we’ll keep the descriptions short and to the point so you can make your choices and get all the information you need. 1 seed: Lee Roy Selmon, Defensive End, 1976-1984 What else can be said about the original Buccaneer? Selmon was a star from day one, earning Pro Bowl bids and a Hall of Fame induction during the Bucs formative years. With 78.5 sacks and 28 forced fumbles in his career, Selmon was a disruptive force on the defensive line and a great man on and off the field. He passed away just a couple of years ago, and his impact on the Tampa Bay Area with both the Buccaneers and the USF Bulls Athletic Program will live on for years and years to come. 16 seed: Ian Beckles, Guard, 1990-1996 A name that most local Buccaneer fans likely hear more often in relation to his radio job or his recent police incident, Beckles was a very good guard for the Buccaneers during the early 90′s. He helped pave the way for some strong rushing attacks and played alongside Tony Mayberry to provide a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing franchise. Select your favorite between these two former Buccaneers here: Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. 8 seed: Davin Joseph, Guard, 2006-Present Davin Joseph is a team leader and a key member of the Buccaneers’ strong offensive line heading into 2013. He’s active in the community, and a captain for the Buccaneers. 9 seed: Cedric Brown, Safety, 1976-1984 One of the original Buccaneers, Cedric was a safety out of Kent State who secured 29 interceptions during his career in Tampa Bay, including 9 in 1981. He scored three return touchdowns, setting the playmaking precedent for Buccaneer defenders for years to come. Which of these Bucs do you pick to move on to the next round? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. 5 seed: Anthony McFarland, Defensive Tackle, 1999-2006 Booger, as he is more commonly known, was the lesser known of the two Buccaneers’ defensive tackles during the Super Bowl run. But he was still a key cog in the system that produced some of the most dominant defensive performances in NFL history, and was disruptive enough despite mainly being in his position to create space for others. 12 seed: Dexter Jackson, Safety, 1999-2002, 2004-2005 It’s strange that a Super Bowl MVP would be so low in the seeding, but Jackson had such a short time as a prominent player with the Buccaneers that his valuable performance in the Super Bowl was a rare highlight. Jackson appeared in 73 games for the Bucs, logging eight interceptions and forcing three fumbles. It was his two interceptions in the Super Bowl against the Raiders that are more well-remembered, and cemented his name in the team’s history books. They both won a ring with the Buccaneers, but which one wins the matchup? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. 4 seed: Richard Wood, Linebacker, 1976-1984 Richard Wood was an incredibly productive linebacker for the newly opened Buccaneers’ franchise, logging tackles all over the field and starting game after game in the middle of a strong defense. He was one of the men to score in the Buccaneers first victory in 1977, and was known for his scoring on defensive plays in addition to his tackling ability. 13 seed: Mark Carrier, Wide Receiver, 1987-1992 Mark C

Are the Buccaneers replacing Josh Freeman already, or is something else going on? Panic! The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a quarterback in the third round! What are they thinking? They have Josh Freeman, their franchise quarterback! And Mike Glennon isn't even all that good. He has accuracy issues. He has issues reading coverage. He has issues throwing under pressure. This is ridiculous, right? There's something to be said for that view. But this selection also teaches us something about how the Buccaneers view the quarterback position, because Glennon has a few traits that make him an intriguing prospect. Glennon has a good arm and he can make every throw on the field. He doesn't have a true cannon like Joe Flacco or Cam Newton, but it's not far off. He shows the ability to stand in the pocket, take a hit and still deliver the football. At times he moves in the pocket to evade pressure. He played behind a bad offensive line at North Carolina State, which certainly didn't help. But there are two things that are impossible to ignore, and they just stand out on tape. They are poor decision making and erratic accuracy. Glennon can make the prettiest throws and hit players on a dime -- but he'll follow those throws by just missing players high or behind. Those are issues you can't ignore. The fact that the Buccaneers took him in the third round tells me they think there's a chance they can fix those issues. And if they can, Glennon has the talent to be a very goof NFL quarterback. But what does this mean for the Buccaneers now, and in the long term? Josh Freeman drove this pick So why would the Buccaneers pick a quarterback in the third round this season? The reason is quite simple: they don't know what the future will bring with Josh Freeman. The 2009 first-round pick has shown extended brilliance at times, most notably during a mid-game stretch last season, when he threw for 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions over six-game span, capped off by one of the most amazing comebacks I've ever seen from a Tampa Bay team when they traveled to Carolina. But Freeman has shown some erratic traits as well, and those traits have to concern the Buccaneers. He showed some scattershot accuracy throughout the season and really throughout his career, completing just 55% of his passes last year. Yes, a large part of that is the offensive design -- but there's no denying that Freeman simply missed too many throws. Similarly, he seems to struggle recognizing coverages at times and makes a few too many ill-advised throws. Those are simple, undeniable facts -- and if we can recognize that, the Buccaneers can recognize it, too. The question is: can Freeman fix those problems? I don't know the answer to that question. The Buccaneers don't know the answer to that question. Not even Josh Freeman himself knows the answer to that question. That's why Freeman is now entering the final year of his contract with no talks of an extension. It is also why the Buccaneers took Mike Glennon in the third round today. Glennon is not competition, but insurance That's not to say that Josh Freeman has to fear for his job right now. That's patently ludicrous. When you watch the tape on Glennon (and I suggest you do -- use Draft Breakdown for an excellent collection) you will see a quarterback who is quite simply worse than Freeman in every aspect of his game. Glennon has traits that make you think he can become a good NFL quarterback down the line, but right now he is a less well-developed Josh Freeman with more question marks. He's not beating out Freeman, and I wouldn't even expect a legitimate training camp competition. Greg Schiano heavily recruited Mike Glennon out of high school, which may help explain this pick. That, at least, what Glennon told the media after the pick, and Schiano confirmed it in his post-draft conference. That may point to Schiano being heavily involved here, but you can't really look at Josh Freeman's flaws and then decide tha

I don't see the big concern with Coach Schiano saying Glennon has a shot at winning the starting QB position. Our current starter is NOT the leader of the team. He's the starter at his position. That's it. Looking at the roster the previous two years, there was no competition for him whatsoever. And he still hasn't taken the title as the leader of the team though he's at the head of the offense. As the starting QB, Freeman had one good season and was anointed the "Franchise QB" title and the coaching staff put the responsibility/weight/burden of carrying the team on his shoulders and it proved too much. Coach Schiano has seen him up close and personal for a full season and apparently hasn't been won over. The previous coach was given 3 years to prove himself with a less talented roster. There's no way any coach wouldn't explore every option to win when he realistically looks at how short of a window he has to become successful. At let's be completely honest here...Freeman isn't playing this year for a bigger contract; he's playing for an opportunity to stay employed in Tampa. That's important to recognize. He's a few bad games away from being that guy that just "flashed" top level talent.Freeman, in my honest opinion,has the first 7 games of the season to make a big impact on Schiano and the League. And they don't all have to result in Wins, but he has to put on the performances of his career to earn the right to continue playing as the starter for the BUCS. I can't see Coach Schiano taking the risk of having his 2nd year as Head Coach being marred by a QB that should be winning, but isn't. I think he'd take the chance on his guy instead and that would at least give him the leeway of the GM and owners by Glennon's being a rookie as opposed to Freeman, who would be looked at as a struggling vet. The Buccaneers have to win this season. Period. There has to be a Playoff push. For Freeman, just getting to Playoffs may not even be enough(again..this is my opinion). The Freeman-led BUCs may need to get past the Wild Card to keep him in the big contract talks. If he's expected to be paid like a "Franchise QB", the level at which he ends this season has to be indicative of where the Franchise can be expected to be each year. If Glennon finds his way on the field this season, he doesn't have to prove himself as "elite" or a "Franchise QB". He just has to be a game manager that doesn't literally throw away games and keep himself composed. He's a rookie. He's expected to make rookie mistakes. But he won't be allowed to be horrible or incompetent. The BUCS fans won't allow it. They'll be calling for the drafting a much more highly touted QB next year if Glennon fails to remain poised as a rookie if/when he gets the opportunity to play this season. I've no clue what rookie QB, Mike Glennon, is capable of during this football season. Funny/Sad thing is: I've no clue what Freeman, the current starter, is capable of this upcoming season.

Twitter had some things to say about Greg Schiano's comments on Mike Glennon and Josh Freeman. I can’t do this. RT @bucs_nation: Greg Schiano says Mike Glennon can win the starting job for the Buccaneers #Bucs sbn.to/15Ywi48 — Mark Ennis (@Mengus22) May 19, 2013 *Pukes* RT @bucs_nation: Greg Schiano says Mike Glennon can win the starting job for the Buccaneers #Bucs sbn.to/15Ywi48 — JP (@Joey_Powell) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation what an ass. — Matt (@MattMalachi) May 19, 2013 "@bucs_nation: Greg Schiano says Mike Glennon can win the starting job for the Buccaneers #Bucs sbn.to/15Ywi48" — Michael Weber (@m_weber) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation I'm a cautious freeman fan, but it's funny how many ppl hated on him and now suddenly don't like the competition #hypocrites — Rich Striffolino (@RStriff27) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation One hopes this is a ploy to light a fire under Freeman, but it's horrible to joke about something like that! — Conor Philpott (@cphilpott95) May 19, 2013 Throws up "@bucs_nation: Greg Schiano says Mike Glennon can win the starting job for the Buccaneers #Bucs sbn.to/15Ywi48" — Austin Mobley (@austin_mobley) May 19, 2013 "@rstriff27: @bucs_nation I know right, it cracks me up I wounded it it would have been different if they would have took Barkley. — Throwdown (@Throwback58) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation Wait.....so...when did the NFL put a ban on rushing the QB? #Only explanation #Statue — Craig Smith (@CraigInTampa) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation Schiano is answering honestly-it's highly unlikely Glennon wins the job but why just hand it to Josh on a silver platter? — Andrew(@A_Katzman83) May 19, 2013 Wait, what? RT @bucs_nation: Greg Schiano says Mike Glennon can win the starting job for the Buccaneers #Bucs sbn.to/15Ywi48 — Will Thompson (@thrillis4) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation Ofcourse he can. Like I can get on a date with Kate Upton. Both are very unlikely to happen. — Hrvoje Vujani? (@VujaKralj) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation Would be more upset if he came out and said Free was the starter before fully evaluating Glennon.4 months left to make decision — Taylor Secrest (@taylorsecrest) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation how many more seasons does Schiano have on his contract? I bet he doesn't make it past this season — Aimal Arsalla (@aimalarsalla) May 19, 2013 *faints* RT "@bucs_nation: Greg Schiano says Mike Glennon can win the starting job for the Buccaneers #Bucs sbn.to/15Ywi48" — Buc It (@Buc_It) May 19, 2013 @buc_it @bucs_nation If this happens, say goodbye to our chances of making the playoffs. — Tom Schrey (@RealKidSchrey) May 19, 2013 @taylorsecrest @bucs_nation If Napoleon Dynamite plays this year for the Bucs, that means we are picking top 5 in the draft. — ReturnOfTheLivinDead (@RtrnofLivngDead) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation kinda like watching vick outplay kolb in '10 pre season & saying wow vick is way better. I still think free is better than kolb — revolushens (@revolushens76) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation stop! Glennon looks like napoleon dynamite — Michael Boganowski (@MichaelBigbog80) May 19, 2013 @bucs_nation If Free lets Glennon beat him out then he deserves the bench. Dont care what Glennon looks like though, as long as he wins. — Alexander Taylor (@takingbackoj) May 19, 2013 @realkidschrey @buc_it @bucs_nation it's called motivating your starting QB who has underachieved! Chill out #BucsNation — Brandon Cooper (@CoopaLoop1185) May 19, 2013 @thrillis4 @bucs_nation that will make 3 #NCSU QB's starting in #NFL joining @dangerusswilson n P Rivers — Robert Strother (@rob32869) May 19, 2013 Surprisingly, the only Tebow fan who showed up later said he was joking. @bucs_na

Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano tried to recruit quarterback Mike Glennon when he was at Rutgers but lost out. Schiano and the Bucs took Glennon in the third round of the NFL Draft. Two quarterbacks, E.J. Manuel and Geno Smith, were chosen ahead of him, Manuel in the first round by the Bills and Smith in the second by the Jets. But Glennon’s chance of succeeding in the NFL might be as good as any rookie quarterback, Dan Pompei of the National Football Post reports. Schiano said he believes Glennon “can play quickly” if he is needed. “But our situation will be only if he’s needed,” he said. “Or if he wins the job. Look, I’m not against that. We have a starting quarterback. It’s not like we’re looking to find a starter. But competition is competition. Mike Glennon is a fierce competitor. I knew that when he was coming out of high school. Now being able to work with him a little, you can see it on the practice field.”

Finding Black's Replacement At Strongside Linebacker | Pewter ReportWhoever wins a six-man competition in training camp. NFP Sunday Blitz | National Football PostGreg Schiano gets his quarterback. NFL news: Dwight Freeney signs, NFL bringing rugby to the U.S.? - SBNation.comNews roundup. NFLPA Rookie Premiere 2013 - SBNation.comThe orokies having lots of fun. Jets considering veteran QB after David Garrard retirement - SBNation.comThey do. Slow news day, apparently.

The quarterback controversy continues! This time, Greg Schiano fuels the Mike Glennon/Josh Freeman quarterback controversy, while simultaneously reinforcing that Josh Freeman is the starter. Oh yes, good fun. Here's what he told Dan Pompei of the National Football Post. Schiano said he believes Glennon "can play quickly" if he is needed. "But our situation will be only if he's needed," he said. "Or if he wins the job. Look, I'm not against that. We have a starting quarterback. It's not like we're looking to find a starter. But competition is competition. Mike Glennon is a fierce competitor. I knew that when he was coming out of high school. Now being able to work with him a little, you can see it on the practice field." I'm just going to go ahead and bang my head against the wall a couple of times. Mike Glennon is insurance for the Bucs Mike Glennon was drafted to offer insurance in case Freeman gets injured, plays poorly or isn't offered an extension after the 2013 season. Photo credit: US PRESSWIRE Right, with a newly formed headache, I can look at this a little more clearly. In part, this is Schiano reaffirming his motto of competition at every position. In part it's simply reaffirming what we already knew: that the Buccaneers aren't completely sold on Freeman, which is perfectly reasonable given his inconsistent play so far. And yet, this is the first time the Bucs have come out and said that Glennon really could win the starting job and would compete directly with Freeman. Not that it's particularly likely that Glennon wins the starting job. There's a lot to like about Mike Glennon, but he had a lot of issues in college too. Which is why he fell to the third round in a very weak quarterback class. The Bucs like Glennon, but they did pass on him in the second round to take Johnthan Banks. Obviously, they didn't feel he was an immediate franchise quarterback, either. Add in the fact that this team desperately wants to win now, and rookie quarterbacks tend to stand in the way of winning now (Glennon is no RG3) and Freeman is almost certain to remain the starting quarterback. Plus, Schiano did throw a compliment Freeman's way. "[Glennon] has the ability, and Josh [Freeman] has the ultimate ability to keep the eyes downfield," he told Pompei. "I've never seen a guy who is as good at keeping his eyes down the field as Josh. Josh has more mobility." Still, the Buccaneers are setting Mike Glennon up to take over at any point this season if Freeman falters. Whether that faltering comes during the season or in the preseason, we may see Glennon show up as a starter. Of course, if Freeman doesn't falter we may not see Glennon at all. Read more: Training camp preview: tight ends Josh Freeman ranks 25th for NFL.com Dwight Freeney signs with the Chargers Glennon competes, or something

Daniel Shirey – USA Today Sports Images Along with two other teams in the NFC South, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the 2012 NFL season with a record of only 7-9 and outside the picture for the postseason. They were hoping for a breakout season as a franchise, but instead enjoyed more of an individual breakout season from their rookie running back, Doug Martin, who tore through the competition in his first season in the league. Now there’s another rookie on the Bucs roster that is looking to make some noise and to have a breakout season for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers drafted quarterback Mike Glennon in the third round of this year’s draft and he already seems poised to become a player that is going to make serious noise in Tampa. Reports from earlier this week said that Glennon was already threatening to take the starting job from incumbent starter Josh Freeman, but those reports have been dispelled by the coaching staff. However, the early reports do indicate that Glennon has been impressive thus far in rookie camp and is looking like someone who can do some damage. This means that Freeman will likely have a much shorter leash this season. Last year has to be characterized as a disappointment for Freeman. After coming on strong in 2010 and at the end of the 2011 season, he submitted a relative stinker in 2012. He completed just 54.8 percent of his passes, the lowest mark since his rookie season, and threw 17 INTs. He did throw for 4,065 yards and 27 touchdowns, but he wasn’t nearly as impressive as many projected him to be. He’s going to have to play up to expectations this coming year, though, or his starting job may not be his much longer. This is a league that has time and again shown the value of having a franchise quarterback. Based on last season when he was supposed to make the leap, Freeman may not be that guy. If he doesn’t show the organization otherwise, Glennon may very likely get the chance to show if he’s their franchise guy. Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20 and like his Facebook page.

Just a few years ago, Josh Freeman was seen as a rising star and a top 10 quarterback. That came after his amazing 2010 season, a year dominated by scrambles and plays outside of structure that are mostly random and fell the right way for Freeman. But it was also a year in which Freeman produced several fourth-quarter comebacks, dominated on third down and genuinely played some good football. He just wasn't a finished product. Three seasons later, and Freeman still isn't a finished product. The entire team fell apart in 2011 and Josh Freeman was no exception, but he wasn't helped by awful skill position play and the lack of a consistent running game. Those reasons disappeared in 2012 and Freeman's play immediately improved -- but inconsistency remained and with it, questions about his future. Is Freeman a rising star who just needs a second year in a very complicated offense, or is he an inconsistent player whose 2010 season was just a mirage? That's the question he'll have to answer this year. He will get the opportunity to do so, and by season's end we'll likely know whether his future lies with the Buccaneers or elsewhere. Popular opinion on the quarterback doesn't appear to be great, however. A quarterback controversy has been manufactured out of (mostly) thin air, while NFL.com's Marc Sessler just ranked him 25th under the "How can I trust you?" category. That, to me, is a little ridiculous. Sure, Freeman struggled at the end of the season -- but we're awfully quick to forget that he looked stellar during a seven-game midseason stretch. How can you rank Philip Rivers, Sam Bradford, Jay Cutler, Alex Smith and Andy Dalton ahead of Freeman, when all of them have significant questions they need to answer before you can trust them? But at least he's ahead of Mark Sanchez, right? Read more: Mike Glennon competes, or something Dwight Freeney signs with the Chargers Training camp preview: tight ends