Some thoughts on missed OTAs | tampabay.com & Tampa Bay Times
No one's getting cut for that.

JoeBucsFan.com | Donald Penn Talks Bucs, Josh Freeman - Tampa Bay Bucs Football
Penn loves Nicks.

Freeman may be better without Winslow - NFC South Blog - ESPN
Maybe, but replacing Winslow with Clark isn't exactly a step up.

The Roger Goodell Dictatorship Will End In Disaster - SBNation.com
Somehow, I doubt it.

NFL Players Association files collusion claim against league - Jim Trotter - SI.com
This is going to be fun.

NFL - Many layers to NFLPA collusion case - ESPN
Andrew Brandt with the explanation.

NFLPA Files Collusion Complaint Against NFL, Alleges 'Secret' Cap In 2010 - SBNation.com
Labor peace? Nope.

Bucs have to look ahead to 2013 salary cap - NFC South Blog - ESPN
Don't expect a spending spree next year.

Bucs paid extra for undrafted rookies - NFC South Blog - ESPN
They always do. No real reason not to, really.

Are Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano's domineering ways good or bad? - Tampa Bay Times
I'll go with 'undetermined'.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers look at OTAs as 'an extended period of practice' - Tampa Bay Times
...isn't that how everyone sees OTAs?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't have to attend OTAs, but coaches note absences - Tampa Bay Times
It doesn't matter that much.

JoeBucsFan.com | Gerald McCoy Speaks - Tampa Bay Bucs Football
And Gerald McCoy gets an interview spot.

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Tonight the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held a VIP party at One Buc Place. Luckily, I was invited and jumped at the chance to see the facilities and meet Coach Schiano. He is as advertised. He spoke about the culture change taking place here in Tampa. He stressed accountability and leadership. After speaking he welcomed questions. The first question asked was "Why did you get rid of our #1 receiving threat?" He answered the question as PC as he could from a high level. He basically said he thinks the move makes the team better, even though it may not seem like it now. After he answered this question I started clapping...However, I noticed I was the only one clapping...he looked at me at said "Thanks"...

Here is a clip of him speaking about the NFL draft and Mark Barron during the party.

Schiano talks about Mark Barron.

I spoke to him later and told him that I loved what he is doing here in Tampa. I told him that I loved the Eric Legrand signing and I also agreed with him about Winslow. He thanked me and said "Ya gotta do what ya gotta do". I can't wait to see how he turns this team around. Great character man that demands accountability and discipline.

If you're interested in seeing photos touring One Buc Place...make the jump.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have now traded Kellen Winslow to the Seattle Seahawks and signed Dallas Clark to a one-year contract as a replacement. Is this part of a culture change enacted by Greg Schiano, or did they just want to get rid of an expensive and declining player on the a team?

Either way, the Bucs have made yet another high-profile move in a really busy offseason already. In fact, with Kellen Winslow removed, the Bucs will probably have seven new starters on their team next year - if not more. The overhaul of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is continuing at a startling pace, and in a manner that suggests the Bucs aren't content to just re-build: they want to compete, now.

In any case, what do you think of these two moves? Give us your opinion on the signing of Dallas Clark and the Kellen Winslow trade via the comments and the poll.

Since Kellen Winslow has been traded to the Seattle Seahawks, a lot of negative opinions concerning the veteran tight end have arisen, as well as a lot of speculation as to the real reasons for his release. He's been called a locker room cancer, compared to Jeremy Shockey by JoeBucsFan and Terrell Owens by fans, accused of being lazy and all sorts of unseemly things. JoeBucsFan directly compared the situation with Winslow now to the situation with Eli Manning and Jeremy Shockey in 2007, and played 'connect the dots' by involving new offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan in the narrative. That's a lot of speculation and very little actual evidence. And, quite frankly, a lot of that just doesn't feel right.

Let's start with the basis of Kellen Winslow's poor reputation among Bucs fans: a little sideline spat late last season with Josh Freeman. After the umpteenth poor throw by the quarterback in a losing effort, the cameras showed the two players jawing at each other. Note: at each other. Is this really such a big deal? A tight end can't speak up when his quarterback is playing poorly? Is Josh Freeman so frail he can't handle a little talkback?

Other than that, there's not a lot of concrete evidence that Winslow was ever a poor teammate in Tampa. He never spoke out in the press, and was in fact very reclusive. He didn't create a sideshow. He didn't create any controversies. In fact, his coaches and teammates only ever spoke positively about him. He was, by all accounts, a very hard worker in practice and an outstanding competitor who cared about the game. Yes, he was limited in practice - because of a serious, structural knee injury that had to be managed. That wasn't Winslow being lazy, it was Winslow being injured.

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Outsports, a part of the SB Nation network, has talked to a number of NFL players about the issue of gay teammates in the NFL. It makes for an interesting read on a controversial topic, and a very accepting view by NFL players. We also have a video and an article from SBNation.com on the issue. Give it a read (and watch).

The NFL has voted on and passed a number of rule changes, and two of them could be pertinent to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season.

First, there's the extension of the trade deadline. In-season trades have been really infrequent in the NFL, but the Buccaneers have actually been fairly active on that front in the past years. They traded defensive end Gaines Adams for a second-round pick in 2009 and traded for DE Alex Magee in 2010. The NFL has now extended the trade deadline to week 8, which will give the Bucs a little more room to swing one of those trades. And it's possible they will. The Bucs have been steadily overhauling their roster, and that could continue into the season. If by midseason it's clear they're not going to compete for much, they may want to get rid of a valuable commodity who is not in their long-term plans. One player clearly comes to mind: Aqib Talib, but other victims could include draft picks who have underperformed.

The other relevant rule is the addition of an injured reserve exemption, which will allow one player to return from IR later in the season. This is relevant right now because of one player: Da'Quan Bowers. The talented defensive end tore his Achilles earlier this year, but he hasn't been placed on IR and the Bucs are hopeful he can make it back to play in a few games late in the season. He's likely to be placed on the PUP-list, which would allow him to come back by midseason. If his recovery takes longer, though, the Bucs are likely to place him on injured reserve. This exemption could still allow him to come back later in the season.

Finally, the NFL owners made knee and thigh pads mandatory, starting in 2013.

Dallas Clark deal low risk for Buccaneers - NFC South Blog - ESPN
Low-reward, too.

Dallas Clark says injuries are behind him | tampabay.com & Tampa Bay Times
Move along, nothing to see here.

Schiano: "Time Is Our Enemy" | Pewter Report
Time is money, chit-chat is not money.

Greg Schiano doesn’t want to talk about Kellen Winslow | ProFootballTalk
Not part of the team.

Greg Schiano emphasizes control of Bucs by trading Kellen Winslow - Peter King - SI.com
Control freak.

From Peyton Manning To The Sugarhill Gang: Simplicity Kills - SBNation.com
Complexity in football is overrated.

On first day, Bucs TE Clark seeks comfort with new team | TBO.com
I would seek production.

Schiano wants Bucs to have conditioning edge in hot weather | TBO.com
Nothing new there.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers hope uptempo workouts give club advantage in heat - Tampa Bay Times
Hey, same story.

NFL rising above PR nightmare to change culture of game - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN
Interesting take.

Clark: "Everyday You Have To Prove Yourself" | Pewter Report
Let's hope he can.

NFL passes new pad rules, extends trade deadline | TBO.com
Hurray.

Schiano: Winslow trade not about sending message - Yahoo! Sports
If Schiano said it was about sending a message, the NFLPA would be on his case right quick.

Bucs save plenty of bucks by swapping out Winslow for Clark | ProFootballTalk
They don't save that much. A little, though.

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Josh Freeman has problems. Not, you know, personal problems (that I know of) - but issues with the art of quarterbacking. That should be obvious to anyone who watched him play in 2011, but it's hard to get to the core reasons for his struggles. It's easy to say "he's inaccurate", it's harder to pinpoint why and whether it can be fixed. Well, in comes Greg Cosell of NFL Films, who has written one outstanding article on the struggles of Sam Bradford and Josh Freeman. I'd advise you to give the whole thing a read, but here are some of the most relevant quotes (emphasis mine):

But here's the issue, and it still exists after two full seasons as a starter: There are too many plays in which Freeman's footwork and balance are uneven as he drops and sets in the pocket. He just does not look the same drop after drop. That negatively affects his weight transfer, which impacts his ability to drive through his throws and ultimately reduces his arm strength. The result is that a quarterback with a strong arm doesn't always throw that way.

[..]

I already mentioned his technique issues, but they were exacerbated by a nagging tendency to drift in the pocket, rather than drop straight back on what we call the midline. His accuracy was at times scattershot; he missed on too many throws that you need to make.

[..]

Those issues remained in 2011, and consequently Freeman's third season spiraled downhill fairly quickly. I remember finishing the San Francisco tape on the season's fifth Sunday - a game Tampa Bay lost 48-3 - and being very surprised at what a poor job Freeman did recognizing and reading coverage. He missed basic reads. He left the pocket too early, with no pressure forcing him to do so, because he was not getting a clear picture of the defense. Two weeks later against the Bears, he continued to struggle with his reads, his decision making and his accuracy. Make no mistake, the erratic accuracy is a serious matter.

[..]

As Freeman enters the 2012 season, he remains a work in progress, a talented signal caller who has yet to refine the subtle disciplines of NFL quarterback play. He's more sporadic playmaker than precise passer. There's no question he has the tools to take that next step, and with a new coaching staff, I would not be surprised if we see significant improvement.

Hit the jump for a few of my thoughts.

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