Buccaneers Sending Three Players To PUP List, According To Report

According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers are starting off their season with three defensive players on the physically unable to perform list. Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye and linebacker Adam Hayward are all nursing injuries that will likely cause them not to participate in training camp.

Okoye had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in June and Bowers tore his Achilles tendon in May. Hayward is the mystery of the group as there are no prior reports of an injury to the fifth year linebacker.

Training camp will start for the Buccaneers on Thursday. All three players can be pulled from the PUP list at any time, but if they are still on the list when the regular season starts they will be required to stay on the list until after week six of the season.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign Mark Barron, According To Report

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were finally able to sign their first round draft pick, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is reporting that Mark Barron and the team have come to terms.

The No. 7 overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft will receive a fully-guaranteed contract, including a signing bonus of $8.961 million. His base salary over the four-year deal will be $390,000 in 2012, $1.047 million in 2013, $1.705 million in 2014 and $2.362 million in 2015.

Barron was a standout safety at Alabama, leading to his selection in the top-10 picks of the draft. He is now expected to arrive to training camp on time later this month.

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The Buccaneers and Patriots Will Participate In Joint Practices During Camp

Often times in the NFL, teams will hold joint practices during training camp to provide players with fresh competition. It gives coaches a different look they can use to continue to evaluate players as they try to wittle the team to 53 players.

However, it's been 10 years since the Buccaneers practiced in a joint practice, although they announced on Twitter today that particular streak would come to an end in August. The New England Patriots will be in Tampa Bay for their August 24 preseason game against the Buccaneers and have instead decided to organize a joint practice with the team on August 22-23.

Per the Buccaneers official Twitter account, this is the first time Tampa Bay has had a joint training camp with another team since they met the Miami Dolphins in Orlando in 2001 for some practices. The Buccaneers are already excited about the potential for these practices:

The Bucs-Patriots practices will be great opp. for some 1-on-1 work. Think Vincent Jackson vs. D. McCourty, or Vince Wilfork vs. Carl Nicks.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) July 20, 2012

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Josh Freeman Drops Weight For 2012

Josh Freeman is officially listed on the Buccaneers roster as 6-6, 248 pounds, making him easily one of the largest quarterbacks in the NFL. He will likely be a little smaller in 2012, though, as Fox Sports reports that the former first round pick has made weight loss a priority this offseason.

One of the elements of the Bucs' spring minicamps and OTAs, a component that was elevated to national security status levels, was pegging exactly have many pounds the former first-rounder (2009) has dropped since the end of last season.

After a phenomenal sophomore campaign in which he threw 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions, Freeman followed with a disappointing 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. His QB rating plummeted and he fell from the 6th ranked QB in 2010 to 25th in 2011.

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2012 NFL Power Rankings: Buccaneers Rank 26th In Poll

Any time a team earns a selection in the top five in the NFL Draft, the expectations for that team in the following year are usually pretty low. While the Buccaneers ultimately selected seventh in the 2012 NFL Draft, they did earn the fifth overall selection with a 4-12 record before trading it to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That's why it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone to see the Buccaneers rank towards the bottom of most power rankings, including the latest from ProFootballTalk. The website ranks the Bucs as the 26th best team in the NFL, but speaks of the potential impact of new head coach Greg Schiano.

Greg Schiano made an immediate imprint on his team, bringing a college-style structure to a team that sorely needed some kind of discipline.

Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, though, they play in the, always tough, NFC South that will likely include the Falcons and Saints battling for the division title and the significantly improved Panthers just behind.

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Gerald McCoy Injury: Buccaneers Defensive Tackle Ready For 2012 Training Camp

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy enters his third training camp with a new attitude coming off his second straight biceps injury. McCoy's 2011 season ended when he tore his left biceps against the Saints, forcing him to miss final ten games of his sophomore season in the NFL. In 2010, he missed his final three games after tearing the biceps in his right arm. But the big Oklahoma defensive tackle says he's motivated and determined to play a full campaign, and he'll go even harder in 2012. Via Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune:

"They are going to make me play harder because people get hurt when you slow down,'' McCoy said. "People going full speed usually don't get hurt, so to prevent injuries, I'm going to go harder.''

McCoy said he's not going to change the way he plays the game, but he did indicate that new coach Greg Schiano has implemented drills to improve his tackling -- hopefully something that will help him avoid a recurring injury:

"Coach Schiano has us doing (that) tackling circuit before every practice and I've never done anything like that, so it's teaching me how to tackle,'' McCoy said. "I was just playing football before, but him putting us through that tackling circuit, it's really helping us get better."

He has the potential to be the solid anchor in the center of Schiano's defense for years to come, and it's good to see that there will be no carry-over effects from last season's injury.

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Eric Wright DUI: Buccaneers CB Arrested In L.A.

Buccaneers cornerback Eric Wright was arrested for a felony DUI on Monday morning, according to a report.

Greg Schiano And The Buccaneers Return To Order

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano is bringing order back into the building and players are beginning to notice.

Buccaneers Announce Training Camp Schedule, Nine Practices Open To The Public

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced their 2012 training camp schedule, according to Stephen Holder of the Tampa Bay Times. The camp will be held at One Buc Place in Tampa Bay for the fourth straight year.

The Bucs will have nine practices, all free of charge, that will be open to the public. This includes a free Saturday night practice at Raymond James Stadium on August 4.

Training camp public schedule

July 27: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

July 28: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

July 29: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 1: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 3: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 4: 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. (Raymond James Stadium)

Aug. 6: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 7: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Aug. 12: 8:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The training camp will be the first opportunity for Bucs fans to see free agent signings such as wide receiver Vincent Jackson and first round draft picks safety Mark Barron and running back Doug Martin.

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LeGarrette Blount's Role Likely To Be Limited With Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Times reported on Monday that running back LeGarrette Blount will still have a role in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. Blount's role, however, is likely to be limited following the team's acquisition of Boise State running back Doug Martin in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Blount will most likely be an option on first downs and again when the team is running out the clock, something the Buccaneers no doubt happens more often in 2012 than it did last year. That will still be a fairly minimal role for Blount.

On passing downs, Martin will likely be the go-to guy in the Tampa Bay backfield, both for his ability as a pass catcher as well his knack for pass blocking.

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Gerald McCoy Says Greg Schiano's Drills Teach Him How To Tackle

How could a former USA Today high school defensive player of the year not know how to tackle? Apparently it happened to the 2005 winner, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, according to an article on Pro Football Talk by Michael David Smith. Its only now with new head coach Greg Schiano that McCoy is starting to learn proper tackling technique.

"We do a tackling circuit before every practice, and I've never done anything like that before," McCoy said. "I realize now that, before, I was just playing football. Now, I'm really learning how to tackle and I think it's going to help me a lot."

Even though the drill right now are still non-contact, Schiano is stressing the proper form for tackling in his practices. Safety Ronde Barber says that Schiano really hammers home the emphasis on details.

"Everybody talks about fundamentals, but he hammers it," Barber said. "We get fundamentals every day. He's definitely a teacher and that's a good thing."

If the proper technique helps the Buccaneers defense this season, things could rapidly turn around for Tampa Bay.

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Buccaneers Minicamp: Players Buying In Quickly To Greg Schiano's Style

One of the most difficult things about bringing in a new coach to a team is having the players buy in quickly to the new style the coach brings with him. New Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano brought in a tougher, more disciplined mentality than his predecessor, Raheem Morris. So far, it appears that the Bucs players are quickly buying in to how Schiano runs this team.

Given that the team lost 10 games in a row to end the 2011 season, many of the players don't want to have that kind of feeling again, according to an article by NFL.com writer Jeff Darlington.

"That was one of the first things Coach Schiano said when he got here: The sooner everybody buys in, the faster we'll start winning," [tackle Donald] Penn said Thursday. "And I think everybody is buying in. Last year was real tough on everybody. Losing that many games in a row at the end is tough; it's real tough. I don't think anybody in that locker room wants to have that feeling again."

The Bucs know that they can't dawdle around now when it comes to merely getting water or showing up for meetings. Hopefully this new mentality will lead to more wins in 2012.

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Buccaneers Mini-Camp: Brian Price May Miss Start Because Of Sister's Death

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers begin their mandatory mini-camp this week. While most of the team is expected to be present for the beginning of this mini-camp, defensive tackle Brian Price may not be in Tampa Bay for the start of this mini-camp according to a report by Stephen Holder of the Tampa Bay Times, because of the death of his sister.

Despite this tragedy, Price has been working out back in California to keep himself ready for the upcoming season.

He has been absent from OTAs (offseason team activities) in recent weeks following the death of his sister last month. Price, according to his agent, has been working in California with a noted personal trainer who is trying to get Price back to optimum shape and health - with the blessing of the team.

Last season, Price played in 15 games and started 14 as he recorded 24 combined tackles and three sacks in his second year with Tampa Bay. He was drafted No. 35 overall in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of UCLA.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Josh Freeman Welcomes Return To Running Game

The 2011 campaign was a lost season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Josh Freeman. With a new coaching staff taking over, lead by head man Greg Schiano, Tampa Bay is expected to place heavy emphasis on the running game, something Freeman is indeed quite happy and comfortable with.

Via Stephen Holder of the Tampa Bay Times:

"It's about winning with me," he said. "If I go out and stink it up and we win, I'd be a lot happier than if I go out and throw for monster numbers and we lose.

"Coach Schiano obviously loves the running game. I love the running game. There's no better feeling than when LeGarrette or any of our guys are out there tearing it up and you can sit back and pick apart a defense that's worried about stopping the run."

Freeman threw 511 passes last season, the third-most in franchise history. He was picked off 22 times. The team was a woeful 4-12. In 2010, Tampa Bay ran the ball 45 percent of the time, and that team amassed over 2,000 yards on the ground. Freeman sounds like he is ready for a return to that offense and winning.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers To Name New Ring Of Honor Member Wednesday

On Wednesday, the Tampa Buccaneers are set to announce the newest addition to the club's Ring of Honor, according to Stephen Holder of Bucs Beat at the Tampa Bay Times. While no name has been given, Holder thinks that Doug Williams might be the next choice:

Who is it? So far, no one's talking. But we can certainly make some educated guesses. The most obvious candidate is Doug Williams, the team's former quarterback who helped take Tampa Bay to the 1979 NFC Championship Game. Most thought Williams was the most likely candidate to be named after Lee Roy Selmon and coach John McKay, but it's believed lingering feelings from his unceremonious exit from the front office two years ago played a role in keeping him out in 2011.

If not Williams, Holder also mentions running back James Wilder, offensive tackle Paul Gruber and linebacker Richard Wood as possibilities. While the first three names -- Selmon, McKay and tight end Jimmie Giles -- were chosen chronologically, Derrick Brooks and Mike Alstott could be options if the team deviates from that.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign 1st-Round Pick RB Doug Martin

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced on Monday that the team agreed to terms with Doug Martin, the 31st overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Martin signed a five-year deal, the terms of which were not disclosed at this time.

A running back from Boise State, Martin is the sixth draft pick signed by the Buccaneers out of seven total picks. The only unsigned draft pick in Tampa Bay now is safety Mark Barron, the seventh overall pick in the draft this year. Because Martin was a first-round pick, the team can give him a five-year deal. Players drafted in the second round or later are allowed a maximum of four years on their rookie contracts.

Widely regarded as the second-best running back in the draft, behind only Trent Richardson, Martin is expected to upgrade the Buccaneers rushing attack. He will pair with LaGarrette Blount in what looks to be a very potent offense.

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Vincent Jackson A 'Matchup Buster', According To ESPN

Are fans concerned that the signing of wide receiver Vincent Jackson was for too much and could potentially cause problems given Jackson's history? Well according to an article posted by ESPN's KC Joyner, Jackson should be well worth the money the Bucs paid for him as he is listed as the biggest 'Matchup Buster' in the NFL.

A 'Matchup Buster' according to Joyner is a receiver that gets more than eight yards per attempt against cornerbacks that allow less than nine yards per attempt. By that metric, Jackson averages 11.5 yards per attempt. By comparison, the next highest 'Matchup Buster', Victor Cruz of the New York Giants, averages 10.9 yards per attempt.

Jackson was the only wideout to top the 11-yard mark in this category. Any concerns that this was due to his working extra hard to land a big free-agent contract should be alleviated by the fact that Jackson posted an 11.7 YPA on 60 targets in this category in 2009, his last full NFL season. This just provides more evidence that Tampa Bay quite possibly made the best free-agent pickup this offseason when they signed Jackson. He gives Josh Freeman a dangerous downfield target, something that was lacking for Tampa Bay last year.

If Jackson can replicate this level of success in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers' offense should have much more explosiveness in 2012.

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Buccaneers OTAs: Could Tampa Bay Go From Worst To First In NFC South?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a bad 2011 season. One year after winning 10-games, they lost their last 10 games in a row to finish 4-12. However, with a new coach and a new crop of players drafted, the Bucs are one of eight teams that SB Nation's Joel Thorman thinks can win their division after finishing in last place the previous year.

The Bucs could very well end up being better than most -- if not all -- of the teams already listed here. Josh Freeman is a young quarterback who should get better, and he now has a major receiving weapon in Vincent Jackson. The Bucs' rushing attack should get better as well with Doug Martin pairing with LeGarrette Blount. They were a 10-win team just two years ago, so it's not unreasonable to think they can do the same in 2012.

The one thing that Thorman addresses that could torpedo that idea is the fact that they are in one of, if not the most difficult division in the league in the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons already have two of the most potent offenses in the league and the Carolina Panthers should be much improved as well.

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Buccaneers OTAs: Josh Freeman Adjusting To New Coaches

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is adjusting to life with a new coaching staff. To be more specific, his mechanics are adjusting as the new coaching staff works to get their young signal caller back into form for the season ahead.

Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan talked about the matter on SiriusXM this Saturday. Freeman's decision making with the ball in his hand will also be under scrutiny from Sullivan and the coaching staff. As reported via JoeBucsFan.com:

"I think when you take a look at some of the things we were able to assess on film, and some of the specifics, it could be some mechanics," Sullivan said. "It could be some certain things that would affect the accuracy. Ultimately, though a lot it is the decisions sometimes that are made. We don't know necessrily what was going into the decision, why the decision was made.

This will be Freeman's fourth season in the NFL. Last year, he threw 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. It was not the expected follow up from his sophomore season in which he threw for 25 touchdowns and six interceptions.

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Preston Parker, Buccaneers Agree To One-Year Extension

Wide receiver Preston Parker emerged as a solid offensive contributor at wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season with 40 receptions for 554 yards and three touchdowns. He also showed the ability to be productive returning kickoffs and punts. On Tuesday, the Bucs and Parker agreed to a one-year contract extension according to a report by Brian McIntyre of NFL.com.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed wide receiver Preston Parker to a one-year contract extension earlier this month, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed Tuesday.

Parker was due to earn $540,000 in non-guaranteed base salary as an exclusive rights free agent this season. As part of the extension, Parker received a $50,000 signing bonus (the only portion of the contract that is guaranteed) and is scheduled to earn $1 million in base salary in 2013.

Parker was originally signed by the Bucs as an undrafted free agent out of North Alabama, transferring to the school after some off the field issues at Florida State.

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2012 NFL Offseason: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign Second Round Draft Pick Lavonte David

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed their second round draft pick, lineback Lavonte David to a four-year contract. David was picked at No. 58 in the second round of the NFL Draft back in April. According to Bucs Nation, David should be a three-down linebacker for the Bucs, hopefully to be used in coverage situations.

Lavonte David is projected to be a three-down starter at weakside linebacker, as the undersized but versatile linebacker should immediately be one of the best coverage linebackers on the team.

This signing only leaves first round draft picks Doug Martin and Mark Barron unsigned by the team.

David played his college football at Nebraska. Last season, David accounted for 133 total tackles, including 12 for loss. David also recorded 5.5 sacks, forced three fumbles, broke up two passes and recorded two interceptions for the Huskers. He's a tad undersized at 6'1" and 225 pounds, but with enough work, he will be a key part of the Tampa Bay defense for years to come.

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2012 NFL Offseason: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign Kicker Connor Barth To A Four-Year Deal

After designating him with the franchise tag a few months ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed kicker Connor Barth to a four-year deal according to the team's twitter page.

K Connor Barth, who received the franchise tag in March, signed a new four-year deal with the Buccaneers today.

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) May 17, 2012

Last season, Barth was 26 for 28 on field goals and hit all 23 extra points. Barth also hit 17 of those field goals from 40 yards or more, three from over 50 yards with a 55 yard field goal against the Houston Texans on November 13 as a season and a career long.

Barth went undrafted out of college after playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He was signed by the Buccaneers in 2009 and has never missed and extra point and has also hit nine 50 plus yard field goals.

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LeGarratte Blount Loses Weight For OTAs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LeGarratte Blount has shown up to OTAs having lost some weight after last season. Blount was interviewed by Rick Stroud, NFL writer for the Tampa Bay Times, and claimed to have lost five to ten pounds because of fear of possibly losing his job to a drafted running back.

Blount says he has trimmed down during the off-season, losing between five and 10 lbs. "I had the idea they were going to draft another guy

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) May 15, 2012

Last year, Blount rushed for 781 yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Blount did lose two fumbles during the season so his ball control is hopefully something that will get better with his slimmed down physique.

This will be Blount's third year with the team after he was claimed off of waivers in September 2010.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign WR Tiquan Underwood, Another Former Rutgers Player

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed another former Rutgers player on Monday. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Bucs reached a deal with former New England Patriots wide receiver Tiquan Underwood.

Underwood spent the last two seasons in New England. He played in 16 games and caught just 11 passes during that stretch. He was originally a 7th-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano knows Underwood well from his time as the Rutgers head coach. The latest addition makes it six former Scarlet Knights on the roster in Tampa Bay. Some of those players may not make the final cut in the fall, including Underwood who becomes the latest addition at a crowded roster spot.

Underwood broke the news himself on Twitter earlier on Monday.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Taking My Talents & Hair To Florida

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sign Former LSU QB Jordan Jefferson

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will give former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson a shot at the NFL. Over the weekend, the Tampa Bay Time reported that the Bucs signed Jefferson to a contract following an intriguing performance at the team's rookie minicamp.

Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano spoke highly of Jefferson's work at the team's facility over the weekend.

"He's an athletic guy who has a strong arm," Schiano said. "We wanted to gauge his development as a quarterback. I thought he made consistent improvement all weekend. There's a lot of upside there, so I think we would like to have a chance to work with him."

Jefferson was the starting quarterback for the Tigers last year, who finished the season with a loss to Alabama in the National Championship game. Jefferson was 24-8 as a starter with LSU. He faces an uphill battle for the third quarterback job.

For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offseason, visit SB Nation's Bucs blog Bucs Nation.

John McCargo Released By Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have trimmed their roster on Wednesday afternoon, releasing defensive tackle John McCargo according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Tampa Bay released DT John McCargo today.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 2, 2012

McCargo was originally the 26th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2006 NFL Draft, much to the surprise of most draft experts. McCargo has dealt with injuries and struggled to make a real impact at his position. The Buccaneers signed McCargo in free agency in 2011, but was waived shortly afterward only to be re-signed once again due to an injury by Gerald McCoy.

McCargo was once again released by the Bucs when the team picked up Albert Haynesworth and was re-signed a week later after another defensive line injury. McCargo played in just five games for the Bucs last season.

For more on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offseason, visit SB Nation's Bucs blog Bucs Nation.

Buccaneers Try Ronde Barber At Safety

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began offseason workouts on Tuesday with their brand new coaching staff. The Bucs brought back veteran cornerback Ronde Barber for one more season, but he might not be playing cornerback for the Bucs once the 2012 NFL Season starts. In the first day of workouts, the Bucs tried Barber out at safety according to the Tampa Bay Times.

"That's one of those (experiments)," new head coach Greg Schiano told the Tampa Bay Times after practice. "I think Ronde can certainly do it and did a good job (Tuesday). How do we get the best 11 on the field?''

The Buccaneers signed cornerback Eric Wright to a long term contract in the offseason and are thought to be a potential landing spot for LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne in the 2012 NFL Draft, so it's possible Barber could provide safety depth by cross training or even start if necessary.

For more on Ronde Barber and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, visit SB Nation's Bucs blog Bucs Nation.