LSU defensive backs coach Ron Cooper has left the Tigers to take the same position with the Buccaneers, the school confirmed. Under Cooper, the Tigers' secondary accounted for 16 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries and 12 forced fumbles. LSU led the nation in turnover margin (+1.69) and ranked fifth in total interceptions with 18. The Tigers allowed just seven passing touchdowns all season, the fewest by an LSU team since it allowed only five in 1989.
The Buccaneers have signed TE Chase Coffman, who was on Cincinnati's practice squad last season. The news was first reported Tuesday by Howard Balzer of 101 ESPN in St. Louis. Coffman had been a third-round pick of the Bengals in 2009, but ihe had just three receptions in six games, all in 2010. He missed all of his rookie year because of aggravated bone spurs in his left ankle, which forced him onto injured reserve. The signing adds depth behind starting TE Kellen Winslow.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and starting left guard Jeremy Zuttah have already agreed on what is sometimes the most difficult aspect of any free agency negotiation. "The team wants the player and the player wants the team," Zuttah's agent, Noel LaMontagne, told the Tribune on Monday. "That's the most important progress you can have. The rest just comes down to dollars and cents." Zuttah, a third-round pick out of Rutgers in 2008, will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time this spring, but... [Read More]
The Buccaneers have added one more addition to Greg Schiano’s staff as PewterReport can confirm that Tampa Bay has hired former NFL running back Earnest Byner to coach running backs. Byner finished his 14-year NFL career ranked 16th on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 8,261 yards on 2,095 carries, with 56 touchdowns. After his playing career was over Byner joined the front office of the Ravens as Director of Player Development then later joined the Redskins as running back coach. In 2008 Byner joined Jeff Fisher in... [Read More]
The Sports Xchange reports that new Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan said the biggest reason for joining the Bucs might be the chance to work with quarterback Josh Freeman. "I'll be honest with you," Sullivan said. "The attraction (was) having an opportunity to work with a special talent like Josh Freeman." Sullivan succeeds Greg Olson as the team's offensive coordinator. The old scheme is likely to change substantially, but Sullivan is confident the Bucs can produce good outcomes... [Read More]
Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com writes that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could consider releasing TE Kellen Winslow and adds that such a move wouldn’t count against their cap best of the unique contract that Winslow singed with Buc’s upon being traded. Lets just point out that the Buc’s are one of the few teams that isn’t in need of extra cap space considering that they’re currently sitting with $68 million to spend. The move instead would be based on Winslow’s declining production. You could make the argument that no one on... [Read More]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Bob Bostad to be the offensive line coach, according to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com. Bostad comes from Pitt where he just landed after leaving Wisconsin to follow Paul Chryst, the new Panthers’ head coach. Three of Bostad’s linemen were drafted last April, including tackle Gabe Carimi, a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears. Bostad had been rumored to be headed to the Bears to work under Mike Tice but he ended up leaving Pitt after a very short stay to go to the Bucs. Bostad will... [Read More]
The scoreboard at Raymond James Stadium caught fire Saturday morning according to the Tampa Tribune. Several passing motorists called 911 to report that the scoreboard was burning early Saturday morning, said Lt. William Ferguson, spokesman for the Tampa Police Department. Tampa officers responded and found fire coming from the the speaker system above the north scoreboard, Ferguson said. Tampa Fire Rescue firefighters put out the fire, which was determined to be caused by an electrical problem, Ferguson said. ... [Read More]
According to the Ohio State Lantern, which is the university's school newspaper, Ohio State defensive coach Bill Sheridan has accepted a job with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sheridan will reportedly be the defensive coordinator under new Bucs head coach Greg Schiano. Sheridan was Urban Meyer's most recent hire after former defensive backs coach Taver Johnson left for a coaching job at Arkansas, he spent 2011 and 2010 coaching the Dolphins' linebackers after flopping as the Giants' 2009 defensive coordinator. The... [Read More]
Former Miami Dolphins linebackers coach Bill Sheridan, who recently joined Urban Meyer's staff at Ohio State to coach cornerbacks, interviewed Wednesday for the Bucs defensive coordinator position, according to Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg-Times. Sheridan has a wealth of NFL experience and won a Super Bowl during his five seasons with the New York Giants.
As new Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano continues to add to his coaching staff, former coach Raheem Morris, fired last season, looks back and thinks, well, everything during his tenure was fine. “I wouldn’t change anything about it,” Moriss told WDAE in Tampa, via sportsradiointerviews.com. “You put yourself in a position of power and you put yourself out there and you want to go out there and want to be great and we had the opportunity and almost pulled it off. I take no ill-will, no negative feelings toward those guys,... [Read More]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the release of veteran defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth on Wednesday. Claimed off waivers from the New England Patriots last November, the 6-foot-6, 350-pound Haynesworth started six of seven games for the Buccaneers, totaling 20 tackles and a pair of passes defensed. As a vested veteran, Haynesworth is not subject to waivers and is free to sign with another club. Haynesworth was scheduled to earn $7.2 million between base salary ($6.7 million), roster bonus ($400,000) and workout... [Read More]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the addition of Jimmy Raye to the team's coaching staff on Wednesday. One day after hiring Butch Davis as a senior defensive assistant, first-year head coach Greg Schiano has added Raye as a senior assistant on the offensive side of the ball. "With over 30 years of NFL experience, Coach Raye has attained a wealth of knowledge that will be an invaluable resource to our coaches and players," said Schiano. Raye has been an offensive coordinator for seven NFL teams, including... [Read More]
According to Pro Football Talk, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently $25.05 million under the salary cap and will be allowed to carry over all that cap space to next season. Meanwhile, the Bucs have committed $93 million to the salary cap next season. Detract from that Albert Haynesworth's $7.2 million cap number, as the Bucs are exceedingly likely to cut him rather than paying him that kind of money, and we come up with the following number: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will likely have $63.2 million in salary cap space... [Read More]
Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, who becomes a free agent next month and has been pondering retirement, said he remains noncommittal on next season. But don't think the 36-year-old has closed the door on returning for a 16th season. “Things have to play themselves out like they did last year,” Barber said Saturday night at former teammate Shelton Quarles’ charity event at the Don Cesar in St. Pete Beach. “We’ll have a meeting of the minds like we did last year and if I fit in, we’ll go from there.” That would... [Read More]
