FAB 5. SR’s BUC SHOTS
• There were several great performances at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week, but there was a player I had never heard of that really intrigued me. Wide receiver Krishawn Hogan caught every thing in sight and looked smooth in on-field drills as a big-bodied receiver.

The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Hogan is from Marian, a small college in Indiana and absolutely dominated the NAIA scene. He had 82 catches for 1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2014, which was his first season at Marian. In 2015 he erupted for 101 receptions for 1,824 yards and 16 touchdowns, and added 15 more touchdowns and 130 yards on 39 carries – mostly out of the Wildcat formation. As a senior, Hogan had 80 receptions for 1,435 yards with 15 touchdowns, and added 43 more yards and 10 touchdowns as a Wildcat QB, in addition to throwing a TD pass as a first-team All-American and his conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Hogan ran a respectable 4.56, which is a good time for a big receiver. Keep in mind that Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans ran a 4.52 at the Combine. He’s a late-round/undrafted free agent type that is worth keeping an eye on.

Bucs DE Robert Ayers sacks Bears QB Jay Cutler – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

• It’s the end of an era in Chicago as the Bears cut long-time starter Jay Cutler. The Bears acquired Cutler in a trade in the 2009 offseason after he spent three years in Denver. I remember the trade caught former Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik off guard and flat-footed as he didn’t even know Cutler was on the trading block initially.

Keep in mind that 2009 was Dominik’s first year as an NFL general manager, but he told me he would have been interested in trading for Cutler had he been able to put in an offer that was acceptable. Instead, he spent Tampa Bay’s first-round pick that year on quarterback Josh Freeman, who was showed promise early in his Bucs career, but was released in his fifth year in 2013 due to some alleged substance abuse issues. Freeman bounced around the NFL and flamed out of the league two years later.

It’s hard to say how successful Cutler would have been in Tampa Bay or how his arrival would have changed the fortunes of the franchise eight years later, but it’s interesting to thing ponder.

• This is going to be a fun draft for Buccaneers fans – a sexy draft, if you will. Nothing excites a fan base like the addition of offensive skill players – quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs and tight ends. Tampa Bay spent first-round picks on wide receiver Mike Evans and quarterback Jameis Winston in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

This year I’m predicting the Bucs will draft at least one receiver or tight end and a running back before the fourth round. Expect Tampa Bay to come away with several toys for head coach and offensive playcaller Dirk Koetter – as many as two receivers, two tight ends and a running back. That’s three to five skill players that will fully stock the Bucs’ arsenal and give Winston plenty of weapons.

It’s a deep draft for wide receivers, running backs and tight ends and the Bucs will take full advantage. Be sure to check out PewterReport.com’s new 2017 Bucs’ 7-Round Mock Draft on Saturday.

Bucs LG Ali Marpet and C Evan Smith – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR

• It will be interesting to see what the Bucs do at center and if they end up re-signing Joe Hawley or whether they decide to convert Ali Marpet or Kevin Pamphile to center to help make way for J.R. Sweezy to start like he was brought here to do last year. The Bucs also feel comfortable having a veteran center on the team in Evan Smith, who is currently the top reserve at center and guard. Smith, who is entering a contract year, would also be in the mix for the starting center role if Hawley isn’t re-signed.

It doesn’t look like there is much of a market for Hawley – certainly not one that comes with a big payday. We’ll see.

I’m hearing Sweezy is fully healthy and ready to go, so that’s a good sign. He should help the Bucs’ run game and bring some nastiness to the offensive line.

• I’ve heard nothing new as of this report with regards to the Bucs’ safety position. It’s a foregone conclusion that Tampa Bay will draft a safety this year, perhaps in the first four rounds because there is plenty of talent and depth.

Yet the Bucs need at least four quality safeties and only have two in Keith Tandy and Chris Conte, who re-signed with the team on Thursday. Tampa Bay has made an offer to Bradley McDougald, who is testing his market value. The Bucs want to have him back, but only at the right price.

Tampa Bay is also interested on Dallas safety J.J. Wilcox, but I’m not sure to what degree. The guess here is that if McDougald moves on Wilcox could become a real target in free agency, but I’m not entirely sure that is the case.

• It was interesting to see Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy at the Oklahoma pro day on Wednesday along with Bucs scouts. McCoy is a big Sooners alum, but he’s also a Tampa Bay captain and perhaps the most well-respected player in the locker room. Was he there to help evaluate running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Dede Westbrook, both of whom could help the Bucs with their explosive playmaking ability but have a history of violent pasts?

Whether he was there just supporting his fellow Sooners or to help the Bucs’ scouting process I would certainly pick McCoy’s brain if I’m general manager Jason Licht because he is a man of high character and good judgment. I would trust McCoy’s opinion on Mixon and Westbrook – along with the scouts’ full evaluations – and would feel comfortable taking either Oklahoma star knowing that McCoy could help mentor them in Tampa.

• We have several new advertising partners to recognize, including BurgerFi, Bonefish Grill on N. Dale Mabry and Ford’s Garage. I’ve dined at all three restaurants and had delicious meals. I’ll discuss BurgerFi and Bonefish Grill in future SR’s Fab 5 columns, but let me tell you about Ford’s Garage.

This fast-growing chain offers up some of the tastiest burgers you’ll eat and has a tantalizing beer and cocktail menu to pair with your entree´. The food is amazing and the PewterReport.com staff frequents the Brandon location for our staff meetings and lunches. Ford’s Garage has two new locations opening soon in Countryside, Citrus Park and Wesley Chapel, which is in my neck of the woods.

I encourage you to visit FordsGarageUSA.com or click on the Ford’s Garage banner for their menu, locations and hours of operation. It’s a great place for lunch or dinner with the kids or on a date night. Ford’s Garage has signed on to be a major sponsor of PewterReport.com and will soon be sponsoring our Pewter Poll question. Please support the businesses that support PewterReport.com as our advertising partners allow us to provide you with all of this great Bucs content on a daily basis.

• And finally, thank you for allowing PewterReport.com to achieve record web traffic numbers during free agency and to allow our @PetwerReport Twitter account to grow to over 24,600, which allows us to have the largest Twitter following of any Bucs-related media entity outside of the Bucs organization itself. We appreciate your support and loyalty. If you’re not following us on Facebook click here to do so, and if you’re not following us on Twitter click here to do so.

A big thanks to our web design company Visual Realm, which gave us 100 percent website stability during periods of absolutely crazy web traffic. After years of struggling with other companies and hosting services that failed to keep PewterReport.com up during some peak traffic periods, we finally got it right, folks. Rejoice!

And a big thanks to Mark Cook and Trevor Sikkema for their hard work and up-to-the-minute stories and updates during free agency and we’re just getting started. Free gency continues and the 2017 NFL Draft is up next. The Bucs will be having a press conference for DeSean Jackson and Chris Baker on Saturday at One Buccaneer Place, so stay tuned to PewterReport.com for full coverage.