Off-Season Update It’s been a somewhat quiet off-season in Tampa Bay, with the only really significant news being that John Wade has moved to Oakland, and the A-Train has retired; both of these departures have been expected for a while, and whilst it’s always sad to lose players that have been around a while (Or for what seems like eternity, in a positive sense, with Mike Alstott), it’s the nature of sports. What’s interesting when comparing the two players, is that Wade has only missed 8 (regular season) games for the Bucs (all in the 2004 season) whilst in the same period Alstott has missed 30. Now, if you remove the fact that #40 was on IR all through this last year, it’s 8-14 in Wade’s favour. For all the fact that he’s become known in recent years more for his injuries than his actual ability, in missing only six games more than a center isn’t that bad going – in fact it’s quite surprising. Sure, A-Train didn’t start all these games, but full backs rarely do. With regards to our incoming players, Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen have been almost scrooge-like in their dealings – aside from Ben Troupe, John Gilmore and Jeff Faine, all of whom I’m a fan of (God bless the internet) – signing roster players to bump up the depth chart. The era of the Juran Bolden’s has ended – the Buccaneers are signing players with experience and a point to prove – arguably the most dangerous form of player in the NFL is someone with a Jon Gruden sized dent in their shoulder – they play harder, faster, and meaner – they’re fighting for their careers, which means in turn they’re fighting for the Buccaneers - these aren’t the Charlie Garner’s of the NFL, at the tail end of their career who are merely looking for a final significant paycheque. Next up, the draft. With WR (Not Smurf Jackson please) and CB at the top of our list, I imagine we’ll address both these needs in the opening three rounds, although one player I feel would be an outstanding prospect, is Xavier Adibi at outside linebacker – he has the speed to easily slot into a Cover-2, and with improved awareness could, potentially, be #55’s heir. I've seen a couple of tapes of him, and he comes across as being no-nonsense – much like #55. My ideal scenario? WR Malcolm Kelly in R1, Adibi in R2, and CB Patrick Lee of Auburn in R3 if he somehow falls that low – otherwise Charles Godfrey. Richard Lowe, April 2008