...It appears that our old fearless leader Jon Gruden caught on with the NFL Network prior to the NFL combine last week. What I heard today on 620-WDAE is that Gruden and Sapp were apparently on the set together, but Gruden sat with his back to Sapp and no words were exchanged on the air. Yaay, schoolyard drama!!! Still looking for a link for that, so put one up if you have one.
...Per Mike Florio on SportingNews.com, the Bucs are one of six teams that would be a good fit for Matt Cassel. Because the Patriots placed their non-exclusive franchise tag on Cassel, the Bucs could make an offer to him and if he signs an offer sheet and the Patriots don't match, the Bucs would send New England two first round picks. Heh. Two things Mike is missing here. First of all, first round selections are solid gold. Don't mess with them unless you're getting a sure-fire return. Parting with one first round pick is considered worthy if you're trading for an established, pro-bowl player. Giving up TWO first round picks is insane. Such a move would stunt the depth and long-term development of this team. Next, what do we know about Matt Cassel? Would I take a chance on him in free agency? Yes, he'd be worthy of a good look as a UFA. He LOOKS like a nice player based on one year of work.... but it would be foolhardy to assume that he was the next Tom Brady. He led the Patriots offense for fricks sakes! He had Welker, Moss, Gaffney, and a huge offensive line to cover his backside. (That said... he did take some games over and make accurate throws (remember that second Jets game?)) It seems like a risk that could either get the Bucs a quality player or set the franchise back years.... which is a risk that new management probably would not, or should not, be willing to take in its first offseason