Palmer and Clausen

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, 30, showed the Chicago Bears' coaching staff enough in the offseason program to enter training camp as the No. 2 quarterback, but Palmer's spot on the roster is far from secure. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, The most immediate threat to Palmer appears to be former Notre Dame standout and 2010 Carolina Panthers second-round draft choice Jimmy Clausen. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, Clausen was a late addition to the offseason roster, but he clearly impressed the coaching staff at the tail end of organized team activities and during the veteran minicamp after signing a one-year deal with the Bears on June 5. The Bears also spent a sixth-round draft choice on quarterback David Fales, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, who passed for 8,382 yards and 66 touchdowns in two seasons at San Jose State. "Right now, Jordan Palmer has the first shot at being No. 2, it's a competition," Bears head coach Marc Trestman said on Wednesday. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, "There are three guys who are up for the No. 2, but it's going to start with Jordan. We feel very good about Jimmy and we felt very good about David's performances as well. So we're going to work it like that. We're going to give Jordan the first shot. He's been here the longest. Jimmy Clausen has the most experience so we're going to work him in there, and we're going to provide David with opportunities throughout camp to play and perform not just in practice, but in games. "It'll be an on-going process day-to-day. We don't have to make a decision for quite some time and we'll get a chance to see a lot of plays of practice and certainly in the preseason games as well." Bears general manager Phil Emery described Clausen as having "a chip on his shoulder" and "eager to prove people wrong" after the quarterback started just 10 games for Carolina from 2010-13. Palmer has appeared in only four regular-season games since 2008 with the Cincinnati Bengals, completing 10-of-15 passes for 59 yards and two interceptions. Finding a serviceable No. 2 quarterback is essential for the Bears after injuries have forced incumbent starter Jay Cutler to miss 12 games over the past three seasons. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, Josh McCown thrived in the backup role in 2013, but the veteran signed a lucrative contract in the offseason to be the new starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, "It's going to be interesting," Cutler said of the battle for No. 2. "There's not going to be a lot of reps for them. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, I think a lot of it is going to play out in the preseason games. Because I'm going to get a lot of the reps in camp. Jordan, he's been around a long time, his older brother, he's been able to watch him a lot. Jimmy, he's played in big games at Notre Dame and kind of got the pedigree. He's a high-round pick; he was in a tough position in Carolina. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer, They're both very hungry, they've both worked extremely hard this offseason putting in the time mentally, which is probably more important for them right now, just trying to figure out the playbook so they can go to the line of scrimmage and be fluent in what they want to do. We'll see how it goes." Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jordan Palmer.

linebacker Jonathan Casillas

Start the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Jonathan Casillas has obviously liked what he’s seen so far from new quarterback Josh McCown. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  While praising McCown on a recent radio interview, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  Casillas compared him to former New Orleans Saints teammate Drew Brees. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  Casillas, who began his career with the Saints from 2009-2012, said repeatedly that he didn’t want to take anything away from second-year quarterback Mike Glennon. But he said on ESPN New York’s Dave Rothenberg Show that McCown is just “on another level right now, I believe.”  “McCown looks like he’s played a couple of years in this game,” Casillas said of the 12th-year veteran, who shined with the Chicago Bears last season as a replacement for injured starter Jay Cutler before signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent. “It’s a strong comparison, but he reminds me of Drew (Brees), Tampa Bay Buccaneers  not just the way he throws the ball, but his approach to the game. The first one in, the last one out, he’s always around. He’s very communicable, very personable. And you can tell he’s a born leader. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  “You know, he’s not even trying to do much now, but people are following him, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  just his approach to the game. And like I said, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  Glennon is learning a lot from him. So, if Glennon can beat him out this year, that will be great. Because at the end of the day, if Glennon can beat McCown out, then we’re going to get a good quarterback.” Tampa Bay Buccaneers   Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  who played with McCown early in their careers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  also praised McCown while participating in the Drew Brees Passing Academy, according to the Tampa Tribune, Tampa Bay Buccaneers .

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Roster Moves and Free Agency

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free agency opens tomorrow and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of work to do. The good news is Lovie Smith has had plenty of time to asses the team and decide what the holes in the roster are. The better news is the Buccaneers have about $19 million in cap space Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith knows the importance of free agency and plans to take full advantage of it. No one wants to wait until the draft to fill critical positions on the team if they can be acquired in free agency Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have a few needs that could be addressed now and the addition of veteran players instead of rookies would help provide role models and leadership in a struggling team. Tampa Bay Buccaneers In preparation for free agency the Buccaneers have already made a few roster moves, most notably signing linebacker Jonathan Casillas to a one-year contract and releasing guard Davin Joseph. Signing Casillas was a no-brainer. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  He played 12 games last season before his season ending injury and in that time he racked up 24 tackles. He’s a solid player with a proven record last year and during his three seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Davin Joseph’s release did not exactly come as a surprise but it did sting a little. The two time Pro Bowl guard has been with the team for eight years and in that time has been an asset on the field and a good man in the community taking an active role in charity work in Tampa. Though his play has been on the decline, Tampa Bay Buccaneers  he’s not incapable and he will be missed by fans. I expect he’ll find a new home in the NFL, ultimately he just didn’t fit whatever plan Lovie Smith has for the future of the Buccaneers. Going into free agency there are key positions that need filling and a few names turning up as being possible fits for the Buccaneers. Let’s take a look: Quarterback: Quarterback is a tricky one. Buccaneer fans seem to be undecided as to whether or not current quarterback Mike Glennon can be a franchise quarterback. He had some rough games and he had some glimpses of good as well. I’m afraid I fall on the side of thinking the Buccaneers can do better. Whether or not you agree it’s a fact that the Buccaneers need another quarterback. They need someone to at least challenge if not replace Glennon and a veteran acquisition would be a great way to take care of this need. A name that keeps coming up as a contender is Chicago Bears back-up quarterback Josh McCown. He has a lot going for him. He pulled off a very successful series of games when he stepped in for an injured Jay Cutler last year. So successful in fact that many thought he should get the starter job. That didn’t happen, but it seems other teams took notice. If he can find a starting job, or the possibility or competing for one, elsewhere, he’s likely to take it. The Buccaneers have the need and McCown has played for Lovie Smith before. It seems like the obvious choice. Defensive End: The Buccaneers need a pass rusher immediately. It’s one of their weakest areas. The best solution would be to bring back current Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett. He was a Buccaneer and he was productive. His last season with the Buccaneers he had 41 tackles, 9 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers the Seahawks picked him up last year in free agency. While I think this would be the best solution, I’m not sure how likely it is. First, there’s the chance he’ll stay with the Seahawks. He was a crucial part of their Super Bowl winning season and he would probably stay if the pay was right. The problem of course is the Seahawks have limited cap space and Bennett may slip through the cracks. The other road block is the Chicago Bears. The Bears are reportedly pursuing him and have the added sway of his brother Martellus Bennett currently on their roster. It sounds like a done deal, but a girl can dream. Who does that leave the Buccaneers with? Word is Lovie Smith has his eye on the Cincinnati Bengals Michael Johnson. Cornerback: True the Buccaneers have Derrelle Revis, but they can still use some help in the secondary. More depth at this position sure wouldn’t hurt. As it turns out Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman is a free agent and Lovie Smith should be very eager to bring him in. Smith was key in shaping Tillman’s talents, having coached him for 9 years with the Bears. Tillman is an all-star who would be a great pick-up and Smith’s relationship with the player may be enough to pursued him to come to Tampa. Wide Receiver: Yes, the Buccaneers have an all-star receiver in Vincent Jackson. They have a couple of decent if inconsistent other targets too. Tampa Bay Buccaneers However, this is another position where the Buccaneers have room for improvement and the essentially released Chicago Bears’ Devin Hester would be a huge get for the team. Again, there are ties to Lovie Smith. Smith drafted Hester and coached him for the majority of his career. Hester has recently been used as primarily a punt and kick returner but he’s fantastic at it. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Buccaneers certainly have need for a consistent, dynamic returner but make no mistake, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Smith knows what an asset Hester can be and will probably use him in multiple roles. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hester is probably one of the biggest acquisitions the Buccaneers can hope to pick up in free agency and almost certainly the most willing. Tampa Bay Buccaneers When discussing his moving on from the Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers