SR’s Fab 5 is exclusively sponsored by Edmonson Electric • AC • Security –
the official smart home and security company of PewterReport.com.

For the past 40 years, Edmonson Electric • AC • Security has proudly served central Florida with electric services and now proud to add state-of-the-art “Smart Home” technology, security systems and air conditioning to its roster. Whether it’s surveillance cameras, home theaters to watch the Bucs play, or smart lighting, Edmonson Electric • AC • Security is automating your dream home.

Visit EdmonsonElectric.com to find out more about controlling, monitoring and securing your home or call 813.910.3403 for additional information.

Control. Monitor. Secure.

FAB 1. Did Something Go Awry Between The Bucs And Brady?

Was there more to Tom Brady’s retirement from the Bucs and the NFL that meets the eye? I’ve been thinking about that for the past week or so since Brady announced his retirement on February 1. Especially since he left the door open for a possible comeback a few days ago on February 7 with his “Never say never” comments.

There was no doubt that his family played a role in Brady calling it quits at age 44 after 22 years in the NFL. And the fact that Brady went out on top after winning his seventh Super Bowl in 2020 and leading the league in passing yards (5,313) and passing touchdowns (43) this past year in his 15th Pro Bowl season makes sense.

But was there something else driving Brady into retirement? The Bucs were four points away from beating the Rams and hosting the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. But that divisional round playoff loss was a frustrating game for Brady and the Bucs offense.

Was Brady growing unhappy with the coaches and how the game plans were being put together in Tampa Bay? I don’t know, but if that was the case I suspect that information will come out eventually.

A couple of NFL insiders have speculated that not everything was rosy in Tampa Bay in 2021 – and not just due to Antonio Brown’s hi-jinx behind the scenes or his abrupt departure during the third quarter of the Jets game. Former NFL safety Solomon Wilcots, who works for Pro Football Network and hosts The Opening Drive on SiriusXM NFL Radio, was a guest on Thursday’s JP Peterson Show and had some eye-opening remarks about Brady’s final season in Tampa Bay. Wilcots’ comments about the Bucs begin at the 5:00 mark of the interview.

Wilcots: “I think when it’s all said and done, do you think Tom Brady’s retirement – and I know he’s going through his own process – but on the scale had to be how this season was more tiring. It had to be more worrisome because by the end … remember last year they let Tom do Tom. They gave him everything he needed to run what he wanted to run. Now it’s as if at the end of the year they are taking it all back. They’re doing things differently offensively. Not allowing Tom to have complete control. ‘Hey, let’s do this. Let’s try this.’ It had to be tiresome for him.”

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, OC Byron Leftwich and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Peterson: “Well, we’ve heard these stories, and we’re not going to go into all the details. You and I have talked about this. But there is something there. Lavonte David said there was turmoil. Seth Wickersham, a confidant of Brady, said it was harder in the building.”

Wilcots: “It was harder!”

Peterson: “You’ve heard the same things. So that’s why I say maybe Brady isn’t done. Maybe this is Brady’s message to the Bucs saying, ‘Look, we’re either going to do it my way or we’re not going to do it.”

Wilcots: “They let him do it his way and he won them a championship. You would think that would be like money in the bank. That buys you equity –“

Peterson: (Interrupts) “You would think!”

Wilcots: “– to get more of your way than someone stepping in and saying, ‘No, let’s not do that.’ ‘What do you mean let’s not do that? We’ve already proven it works. Listen, I always enjoy watching Tampa. I love the Bucs. I love the way it all came together. In year two it should have been easier – not harder.”

Peterson: “Not harder, I totally agree.”

Aside from the protection issues that plagued the Bucs against the Rams, Tampa Bay rarely used tempo and went to a hurry-up offense, as Brady liked to do. The Bucs also didn’t use much play-action in 2021, which is one of Brady’s strongest attributes as a quarterback.

Peterson mentioned ESPN’s Wickersham, who wrote the book “It’s Better To Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness.” Wickersham has been dialed in to Brady for years and had this say on ESPN’s Outside The Lines show on January 31, talking about Brady’s retirement.

“I think there are a lot of factors at play,” Wickersham said on ESPN’s Outside The Lines. “I think number one, football is really hard to play. And it’s really hard to play if you’re 44 years old and you’re at the standard – and you’re accustomed to the standard that Tom Brady is used to playing at. I mean he played for 20 years under Bill Belichick, the greatest coach in modern history. And they have a certain way and a certain attention to detail that is maniacal, obsessive and haunting and ruthless, and I don’t think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quite have the same attention to detail. Not that he didn’t like those coaches personally, but things are a little bit different there. And I think that stuff weighs on Tom.

“Then you also have the family situation, and the fact that his wife has wanted him to retire for years. Remember when he left New England he signed a two-year contract, which he just finished. And she has said publicly that she doesn’t like seeing him get hit. She has said privately at times that you know he is so maniacal about his preparation in the offseason that she’ll say, ‘Is this a Tommy day or is this a family day?’ Kind of joking, but not joking. And I think finally, this year more than any other year, he ventured and really went full on into some other outside business endeavors and ventures, including his own Brady brand. I think that he is more excited about those types of things and the potential of the global cache than people realize.”

Bucs QB Tom Brady and OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: USA Today

As he alluded to in his Man In The Arena football documentary series for ESPN, football wasn’t fun for Brady anymore at the end of his stay in New England. A change of scenery to Tampa Bay brought new exciting challenges for Brady and playing for a more laid back Bruce Arians was like a breath of fresh air in 2020.

But last year did Brady miss the attention to detail from the Patriots that Wickersham mentioned? As Wilcots said, the 2021 season should have been easier for Brady in many ways, but it wasn’t. Despite having every offensive starter back, all the coaches back and another year in Arians’ system, 2021 was a challenge due to injuries. Especially down the stretch.

There was the frustrating 9-0 home loss to New Orleans, with several starters lost to injury. Two weeks later it took a touchdown pass in the final seconds to come-from-behind to beat the Jets in New York, 28-24, after Brown’s wild departure. Then a crushing three-point loss to the Rams in the playoffs in a game where the offense scored just three points in the first half.

Wickersham appeared on The Rich Eisen Show on February 1 and said that he saw Brady’s retirement coming.

“It was weird,” Wickersham said. “I think that those close to him and people inside the Bucs started to see this coming maybe about a month and a half ago. We did like a playoff predictions column on ESPN.com before the playoffs and I predicted that Brady would retire after this year. It wasn’t a report. It was a prediction, but I had just heard enough that, you know, I think that all of the strain from the game, all the opportunities beyond – it was just starting to crystalize for him.”

“And remember when he left New England he signed a two-year contract. I know that he renegotiated it in the offseason and was talking about playing until he was 55. But a lot of that was kind of for salary cap purposes. He signed a two-year deal … and I think the people that are kind of close to him were always kind of looking at that as an end date. Obviously he could change his mind at any time. But when Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington a week ago reported that he was non-committal towards returning to the Bucs, I think that was a huge tell. And then obviously the report over the weekend came out and it got some fierce blowback. But I think he was always going to retire. They always knew how this was going to end.”

Bucs QBs Blaine Gabbert and Tom Brady and QBs coach Clyde Christensen – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I interviewed Bucs quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen right before the Bucs hosted the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. The main focus of the interview was Kyle Trask, but I also asked Christensen for his thoughts on Blaine Gabbert. Those comments were featured in last week’s SR’s Fab 5.

But my final question to Christensen is one that I didn’t publish. Looking back on it now, it should have resonated with me more than it did at the time. I asked Christensen in early January if the Bucs’ quarterback situation was as good as it gets with the G.O.A.T as the starter, a veteran backup quarterback like Gabbert who had been in Arians’ offense for four years, and a young, developmental quarterback like Trask in the hopper.

“At this moment I think it’s as good a place as it’s ever been in,” Christensen said. “You’ve got a lot going on. You have possible opportunities for Byron [Leftwich]. You have Tom, who is certainly in the fourth quarter of his career. And you have B.A. who is in the fourth quarter, too. A lot of things can change really, really fast. Is it next month? Next year? Several years down the road? I don’t know. It can change fast though. Really, really fast.”

And it did change really, really fast. Brady’s sudden retirement caught some within the walls of the AdventHealth Training Center off guard. But Christensen’s comments sound like he almost knew it was coming.

I’m sure we’ll find out more about the reasons for Brady’s retirement in the weeks ahead. Gisele’s prodding and Brady’s brands outside of football were undoubtedly driving factors. But perhaps one of the reasons why he didn’t want to return for one more season with the Bucs was that something was awry in Tampa Bay behind the scenes.

Perhaps Brady will dispel that notion – or allude to it – in the 10th installment of Man In The Arena – the Bucs version.

FAB 2. The Price Of Brady’s Retirement For Tampa Bay

The price of Tom Brady not playing in Tampa Bay in 2022 isn’t just missing another shot at a possible Super Bowl. It’s $32 million in dead salary cap money.

As it stands right now, Brady, who announced his retirement after 22 seasons in the NFL, including the last two in Tampa Bay, will occupy $20,270,588 on the team’s 2022 salary cap. That’s a big chunk to occupy for a player who doesn’t plan on playing for the Bucs – or anyone else – anymore.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and GM Jason Licht

The cost to release Brady will be $32 million due to bonus money that was spread out over voidable years from 2023-25. Brady is due $15 million of his $20 million signing bonus on February 4, 2022. However, since Brady is retiring, the Bucs have a right to recoup $16 million of that signing bonus.

Expect some sort of contract restructuring to occur to help the Bucs’ salary cap situation.

“That’s really a moot point,” Bucs general manager Jason Licht said. We’ve been talking with Tom’s agents. We have a great relationship with Don Yee and Steve Dubin and we’ve been talking about that. That’s really a moot point and we knew that if we were in this scenario that we would be able to work that out. Besides, I don’t like to talk about contracts publicly, but we’ll be able to work that out.”

But Brady’s bonus money doesn’t have any affect on the Bucs’ dead cap situation.

One thing is for sure. The Bucs will likely keep Brady on their roster until June 2. That’s when they can put him on the retired/reserve list and reduce the dead salary cap impact in 2022 from $32 million to just $8 million. Then Tampa Bay would push the remaining $24 million of Brady’s dead cap money into 2023. The salary cap is expected make a big leap next year. That will better help Tampa Bay absorb Brady’s dead salary cap hit.

But Jason Fitzgerald from OverTheCap believes that a restructure is coming for Brady, which will further benefit of the Bucs’ salary cap situation in 2022.

“The more likely option would be a contract renegotiation for salary cap purposes. Under this scenario the Buccaneers would lower Brady’s base salary and roster bonus from $10.4 million to $1.12 million and remove any incentives from the contract. This would lower his salary cap charge from $20.27 million to $9.12 million. They would still have to carry him until June and at that point the $8 million/$24 million salary cap split would occur.”

“The benefit of this strategy is that it immediately opens up around $11.2 million in cap space that can be used to help acquire a quarterback in a trade immediately at the start of the new league year. There should be names available this year such as Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, and Derek Carr and the cap space would be very beneficial in acquiring one of those players. If they opt to turn to second-round pick Kyle Trask to run the show then the added money can be used to keep as much talent as possible around him.”

Bucs QB Tom Brady and OC Byron Leftwich – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When Brady signed his one-year contract extension in 2021 it wasn’t necessarily to play one more season in Tampa Bay, although Brady certainly had the right to do so if he wanted. It was more for salary cap management reasons to help the Bucs’ cap.

One thing seems certain. Brady isn’t going to play anywhere else because the Bucs can’t afford to cut or trade him before June 2. Brady is meticulous about his preparation. He isn’t going to want to learn a new offense, staff and teammates in such a short period of time. Not before beginning his 23rd season.

Brady is either going to be a Buccaneer in 2022 or he’ll be retired.

FAB 3. Draft Sleepers For The Bucs – Offense

Bucs general manager Jason Licht has drafted a few small school sleepers on the offensive side of the ball. Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet played at Hobart College and guard Alex Cappa played at Humboldt State. Here are a couple of sleepers  – some from small schools – to be aware of during the pre-draft process. These players would be considered Bucs fits.

Quarterback – SE Louisiana’s Cole Kelley

At 6-foot-7, 260 pounds, Kelley is a big pocket passer with a big, strong arm. After spending the first two years at Arkansas, Kelley, a Louisiana native, transferred to Southeast Louisiana. While at Arkansas, he started three games as a freshman, including a 38-37 come-from-behind win against Ole Miss. Kelley rallied the Lions from a 24-0 deficit, which was the largest comeback win in Razorbacks history.

At SE Louisiana, he passed for 10 touchdowns and ran for 10 more as a backup QB in 2019. Kelley completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 2,662 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2020. He also ran for seven TDs that season and caught two touchdown passes as well.

As a fifth-year senior, Kelley really opened up the offense. He completed 73.6 percent of his passes for 5,124 yards with 44 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. After running for just 46 yards in 2020, Kelley showed off his mobility, running for 491 yards and a single-season, school-record 16 touchdowns. Kelley had seven 400-yard passing games for the Lions, in addition to a 647-yard, three-TD game against Incarnate Word. SE Louisiana finished 9-4 last season and was second in the division behind Incarnate Word (10-3).

Kelley was named a first-team All-American at the FCS level. He won the Walter Payton Award for the best FCS player. He led the National Team to a come-from-behind victory in the NFLPA Bowl, where he was named the MVP. Kelley completed 12-of-17 passes for 150 yards and the game-winning TD and 2-point conversion pass. Kelley looks like a perfect fit for Bruce Arians’ offense. He’s a pocket passer that throws the ball downfield and attacks the seam. The Bucs just drafted Kyle Trask in the second round. But using a Day 3 pick on Kelley to provide competition might be a good idea.

Running Back – South Carolina’s ZaQuandre White

I almost featured South Dakota’s Pierre Strong, Jr. But he was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl and scored a touchdown. South Carolina is a big Power 5 school to produce a sleeper. But White fits that bill because he really only starred for the Gamecocks for one year. And he split carries with Kevin Harris, so he wasn’t even a feature back.

White began his career at Florida State playing linebacker before transferring to Iowa Western Community College where he moved back to running back. After transferring to South Carolina he struggled with fumbles as a junior. Then he played safety when injuries hit that position hard. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder finally moved back to running back as a senior where he cleaned up his ball security issues. His play forced the Gamecocks coaches to split carries between White and Harris.

White carried the ball 88 times for 583 yards (6.6 avg.) and a pair of scores. He also caught 19 passes for 202 yards (10.6 avg.) and three touchdowns. White had 128 yards on the ground and 39 yards through the air with a pair of TDs against Eastern Illinois in the opener. He also rushed for 111 yards in a win over Florida. White also had 99 yards rushing against Auburn and three catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Despite little production he did earn an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine due to his speed and athleticism. His running and receiving style is reminiscent of Kansas City halfback Jerrick McKinnon. White probably goes undrafted, but may be a late-round pick if he tests well at the Combine.

Wide Receiver: Nicholls State’s Dai’Jean Dixon

Tampa Bay could definitely use another wide receiver with Antonio Brown’s departure and Tyler Johnson and Scotty Miller underwhelming. The Bucs like receivers with speed, but also ones with size. Think 6-foot-5 Mike Evans, and even though Chris Godwin is 6-foot-1, he’s a solid 208 pounds.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds at Nicholls State, Dixon weighed in at the NFLPA Bowl all-star game at just over 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, which still keeps him in the “big receiver” category. Especially with 32.5-inch arms and nearly an 80-foot wingspan.

Dixon caught 236 passes for 3,802 yards (16.1 avg.) and 35 touchdowns for the Colonels, which ranked second, third and fourth in Southland Conference history, respectively. He had a school record 13 career 100-yard games, and caught a pass in 50 straight games, which was two shy of the FCS all-time record. Dixon was a steady touchdown producer with no fewer than seven TDs in any of his four seasons at Nicholls State.

Dixon is a downfield vertical threat that can play above the rim and make contested catches. He lined up in the slot one third of the time last year and did a lot of his damage down the seam, which should appeal to Bruce Arians. Dixon earned a 91 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last year and was the sixth-best receiver according to PFF. He would be an absolute gem on Day 3, especially after starring at the NFLPA Bowl with a game-high six catches for 131 yards (21.8 avg.) and one touchdown.

Tight End: Iowa State’s Chase Allen

How can a Power 5 tight end like Allen from Iowa State be considered a sleeper? Teammate Charlie Kolar received all of the recognition on the Cyclones as a first-team All Big XII selection. Yet Allen, who was Kolar’s backup, was so well regarded in the conference that he was chosen as the second-team All-Big XII tight end.

NFL scouts agree, and Allen was given an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound tight end is the son of former college head coach Terry Allen and has grown up around the game. Known for his energy and selfless play at Iowa State, Allen was known as a blocking tight end for the Cyclones. He paved the way for NFL prospect Breece Hall, who had three 1,000-yard seasons at Iowa State.

Allen played five years at Iowa State where he recorded 74 catches for 810 yards (10.9 avg.) and scored six touchdowns. He had a personal-best 26 catches for 284 yards and two TDs as a fifth-year senior in 2021. Allen’s best games came against Baylor (7-98) and TCU (3-55-1).

The Bucs could use another developmental tight end that can block, catch and play on special teams. Allen would be an intriguing late Day 3 selection if he performs well athletically at the Combine.

Offensive Line: Tulsa’s Tyler Smith

With limited salary cap space and both Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and right guard Alex Cappa slated to hit free agency, the Bucs will likely only bring one back. Jensen would be the priority because he plays a more important position. If Cappa leaves that would create a void at right guard. Tampa Bay could re-sign Aaron Stinnie as a cheaper option. The Bucs also have a pair of developmental players in Nick Leverett and Sadarius Hutcherson that could compete. Drafting an offensive lineman to throw in the mix could also be a wise option on Day 3.

Jason Licht likes to draft offensive tackles and move them inside to the interior offensive line. He’s done that three times with Ali Marpet, Cappa and Hainsey. Smith played left tackle at Tulsa, but doesn’t have the knee bend and the athleticism to play that position in the NFL. At 6-foot-6, 332 pounds he would make an ideal guard and an option to be a backup right tackle in Tampa Bay.

Smith had an impressive 92.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last year, including a 93.9 run block grade with an 88.6 gap grade. He has the size, power and mobility to be effective inside in Tampa Bay’s duo run blocking concepts.

After a slow start against Oklahoma State and Ohio State, Smith improved as the season went on. He excelled against Memphis (88.8), USF (90.2), Navy (88.7), Cincinnati (78.2), Temple (81.4), SMU (84.6) and Old Dominion (92). Smith allowed five hurries, including two sacks and two QB hits last year. Those are the only two sacks he’s surrendered as a three-year starter.

FAB 4. Draft Sleepers For The Bucs – Defense

After looking at some sleepers on the offensive side of the ball, let’s turn our attention to the defense for some small school and lesser known products that could be a fit in Tampa Bay.

Defensive Tackle: UCONN’s Travis Jones

UCONN is one of the worst college football programs in the country with a record of 4-32 since 2018 (the school did not play football in 2020 due to COVID-19). But the Huskies have one of the better players in the draft in Jones. The massive, 6-foot-4, 324-pound defensive tackle starred in three seasons at UCONN and is considered to be a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jones totaled 134 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks with a fumble recovery. That career allowed him to go to the Senior Bowl where he used his brute force to shine in 1-on-1 drills before NFL scouts and coaches. Jones recorded a sack in the game.

While Jones may not be a household name for most college football and NFL fans, he’s well known in the scouting community. He earned a Top 5 overall grade among interior defensive linemen (87.6), according to Pro Football Focus. During Senior Bowl practices, Jones earned a 92.2 pass-rush grade while leading all defensive tackles in pass-rush win rate (42.5 percent).

Jones has the size and physicality the Bucs like at defensive tackle. He played in the B-gap most of the time at UCONN, but has the stature to also play nose tackle if necessary. Jones’ playing style is reminiscent of that of Ndamukong Suh’s. He’ll go through an offensive lineman rather than around him.

Outside Linebacker: Jackson State’s James Houston IV

Chances are that Houston won’t play on the edge at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds. Even if he were to gain 10 pounds of muscle at the NFL level that’s still incredibly light. Tampa Bay Pro Bowler Shaquil Barrett is 6-foot-1, 250 pounds. Bucs reserve Cam Gill is 6-foot-3, 240 pounds.

But after playing linebacker for three seasons at Florida where he recorded 101 tackles and 4.5 sacks in three seasons, Houston transferred to Jackson State. Head coach Deion Sanders asked him to make the switch to edge rusher. That move paid off for Houston in a big way with a monster year.

Houston recorded 70 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown, and a pick-six. That’s a great career for some college defenders. It was a heck of a season for Houston, who plays with heart, a high motor and big-time hustle.

But at his size he’ll have to move back to linebacker to earn a roster spot in the NFL. Houston split time between linebacker and edge rusher in the NFLPA Bowl where he broke up a pass in the end zone and had several QB hurries. In a scheme like Tampa Bay’s where linebackers are asked to blitz, Houston could be a fit. And his experience and production off the edge could make him a situational pass rusher as a Day 3 find.

Inside Linebacker: Montana State’s Troy Andersen

The Bucs have a Montana State product on their roster already with Travis Jonsen, so they are plenty familiar with the FCS school. While Jonsen was an undrafted free agent, Andersen, who played quarterback and linebacker for the Bobcats, will get drafted – likely early on Day 3.

At Montana State, Andersen was a running quarterback before moving to linebacker. He rushed for 1,412 yards with 21 TDs and a 6.9 average. Additionally, he threw three TDs and seven INTs before switching to linebacker full-time.

A great athlete with ideal size at 6-3, 242 and good speed, Andersen logged 147 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, two sacks, seven passes broken up and two interceptions as a senior. He even punted the ball four times with three inside the 20 and a 36.5 avg. Andersen’s NFL future is at linebacker, but his all-around skill set could make him a valuable addition on a game day roster.

Andersen showed he belonged at the Senior Bowl where he displayed the ability to attack the line of scrimmage and drop into coverage. He finished the game with four tackles and improved his draft stock. Andersen’s football I.Q. and experience at quarterback helps him see what’s coming from offenses on the defensive side of the ball. He has the traits and tools to be a fit in Tampa Bay and possibly compete for the right to one day replace Lavonte David.

Defensive Back: Sam Houston State’s Zyon McCollum

McCollum was a Senior Bowl invite after a stellar career for the Bearkats. Listed at 6-foot-4, 200, McCollum weighed in at the Senior Bowl at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds, which is still great size for a cornerback. He didn’t really stand out in practices nor did he shine in the game itself. But it’s a big leap from Sam Houston State to the NFL level.

McCollum used his length and athleticism to post some serious numbers for the Bearkats. In five seasons at Sam Houston State, McCollum recorded 205 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, an amazing 54 pass breakups, 13 interceptions, six forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks and a blocked kick. He also had two pick-sixes in college.

McCollum was a model of consistency with three interceptions in four of his five seasons at Sam Houston State. He earned a 79.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021, which was up from his 65.8 grade in 2020. He had a career-best 80 grade from PFF in 2019.

The Bucs like tall corners that can play press-man coverage. McCollum certainly has the size to play outside in Tampa Bay’s scheme. He’s far from being a finished product as he went against small school competition, but he has intriguing tools that could be developed as a Day 3 selection.

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• NEW PEWTER REPORT 2022 BUCS 7-ROUND MOCK DRAFT COMING SUNDAY: Pewter Report’s initial 2022 Bucs 7-Round Mock Draft was published right before the Senior Bowl a few weeks ago. You can click here to see who Pewter Report had the Bucs drafting. The second edition of Pewter Report’s 2022 Bucs 7-Round Mock Draft will be published on Super Bowl Sunday. Make sure to visit PewterReport.com to see who we have the Bucs selecting.

• BUCS WILL HAVE ANOTHER HALL OF FAMER OR TWO IN A FEW YEARS: While the Hall of Fame snubbed legendary Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber once again, Tampa Bay should have a few more former players enshrined in Canton, Ohio in a few years. The retirement of Tom Brady means he’s eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2027. If tight end Rob Gronkowski also retires, he would join Brady as a first-ballot Hall of Famer that year, too.

• BUCS OFFSEASON OUTLOOK DISCUSSED ON THE PEWTER REPORT PODCAST: The Pewter Report Podcast is energized by CELSIUS and broadcasts four live episodes each week. Pewter Report Podcasts will be on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday typically at 4:00 pm EST unless we have a special guest. Last week the Pewter Report team featured every defensive position with an Offseason Outlook podcast. This week’s podcasts will feature the offensive positions.

On Monday, Scott Reynolds and Jon Ledyard looked at the Bucs defensive line position.

Inside linebackers and outside linebackers were the focus for Reynolds and Matt Matera on Tuesday.

Reynolds and Ledyard analyzed the Bucs’ cornerback situation on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Ledyard and Matera discussed the safety position in Tampa Bay.

Watch the Pewter Report Podcasts live on our PewterReportTV channel on YouTube.com and please subscribe (it’s free) and add your comments. We archive all Pewter Report Podcasts. So you can watch the recorded episodes if you missed them live.

There is no better time to listen to or watch a new Pewter Report Podcast – energized by CELSIUS – than Friday afternoon on the way home from work. Or early Saturday morning during your workout or while running errands.

The popularity of the Pewter Report Podcast continues to grow. In addition to listening to the Pewter Report Podcasts on PewterReport.com you can also subscribe to the free podcasts at PodBean by clicking here and on SoundCloud by clicking here. And of course the Pewter Report Podcast is also available on iTunes and YouTube. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode.

• BRADY WAS THE WINNINGEST QB IN RAY-JAY HISTORY: Here’s another amazing Tom Brady stat for you.