ESPN NFL

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t take long to unload Kellen Winslow, after telling the veteran tight end he was on the market for a trade.

The Bucs announced late Monday night that Winslow had been traded to the Seattle Seahawks for an undisclosed draft pick in 2013 and they quickly turned around and signed veteran Dallas Clark to replace him.

The move came after Winslow broke the news to Sirius XM NFL Radio on Monday morning that coach Greg Schiano had said the Bucs wanted to trade him. Winslow said Schiano expressed unhappiness that he wasn’t taking part in offseason workouts with his teammates.

Although it’s likely they got a late-round pick for Winslow, it’s a victory that the Bucs were able to get anything for a player who probably would have been released if no one offered anything in trade. Schiano is in the process of cleaning up Tampa Bay’s locker room and Winslow follows safety Tanard Jackson, who previously was released, as another player that didn’t fit the team’s new personality.

Clark may be a better fit in the locker room and he and Winslow might be an even exchange on the field at this point in their careers. Winslow had 218 catches for 2,377 yards and five touchdowns in three seasons with the Bucs. Winslow never missed a game in that span, but missed lots of practice time.

Clark may be on the downside of his career, but he may be a better fit in Schiano’s system. Clark spent the past nine seasons with Indianapolis. He started 111 of 114 career games, while catching 427 passes for 4,887 yards and 46 touchdowns.

"Dallas Clark is a consummate pro and proven playmaker," Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said. "He will be another asset, on and off the field, for our team. In addition to Luke Stocker's continued improvement in his ability as an every-down tight end, we feel we have both talent and depth at the tight end position."

The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints made this list of the NFL’s top-10 front offices.

No big surprise there. The Saints and Falcons have been consistent winners the past few years, and the front offices undoubtedly have played a big role.

But I am a little surprised that the Saints were ranked No. 9 and the Falcons came in at No. 6. New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis and the people that work for him, and Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff and the people that work with him are very good at what they do. But I think you have to give the Saints the edge here, because they have won a Super Bowl. The Falcons have won a lot of regular-season games since Dimitroff’s arrival, but they have yet to win a playoff game during his tenure.

Until that changes, I can’t justify putting the Falcons ahead of the Saints in this category. But Loomis obviously is at a critical point in his career. He has yet to get franchise quarterback Drew Brees signed to a long-term deal. Brees has admitted he’s frustrated with what he called a lack of communication. But I still think this deal will get done before the July 16 deadline for franchise players to sign long-term contracts.

If things somehow don’t get worked out and Brees sits out the season, then Loomis immediately falls off the top of this list. But Loomis has been creative and completed complicated contracts in the past. If he signs Brees to a long-term deal, then Loomis stays atop the list for the foreseeable future.

Dimitroff is a very solid No. 2 in the division. He’s had some good drafts and acquired guys like Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez. But Dimitroff needs guys like Ray Edwards, Dunta Robinson and Asante Samuel to step up. He also needs the Falcons to get some postseason wins.

The Panthers and Buccaneers didn’t make the list of the top-10 front offices. Given the recent history of the two franchises, that’s not surprising. But Carolina’s Marty Hurney is the dean of NFC South general managers, and he’s had some success in the past. Hurney took a major step in rebuilding the Panthers by drafting quarterback Cam Newton last year. If Newton can duplicate his rookie performance, Hurney has a chance to crack the top 10.

Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik is entering a crucial season. He outlasted former coach Raheem Morris, and Dominik's offseason looks good on paper, but he needs the players he’s drafted to start showing some positive results.

TAMPA, Fla. -- It appears there’s a growing trend among NFC South quarterbacks. At least some of them are changing body types this offseason.

Atlanta’s Matt Ryan is bulking up, saying he wants to stay fresh late in the season and into the postseason. Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman wants similar results, but he’s taking a different approach.

A slimmed-down Freeman spoke to the media after Tuesday’s organized team activity and said the decision to shed weight this offseason was entirely his.

“I feel good,’’ Freeman said. “I like this new stuff we’re doing.’’

Freeman said he now weighs between 240 and 245 pounds, after playing at about 258 to 260 pounds last season. But Freeman was clear in saying he doesn’t think his weight was the problem as he and the Bucs slumped last season. Freeman was quick to point out he played at 262 pounds in 2010, when he threw for 25 touchdowns and six interceptions and the Bucs went 10-6. But he said the weight loss should help with his conditioning.

“His desire to be great,’’ general manager Mark Dominik said when asked what prompted Freeman to lose weight. “He really, really wants to be great. The calmness you see can overshadow the desire inside.’’

Freeman said he took a two-pronged approach to dropping weight since the end of last season.

“I stopped going to Taco Bell late at night,’’ Freeman said.

He also worked with trainer Grant Gregory, who played quarterback at the University of South Florida and Kansas State, after Freeman departed.

But the sleek look isn’t the only thing new for Freeman. He’s adjusting to a new offense that’s being implemented by coordinator Mike Sullivan. Freeman said about 80 percent of the offense has been installed. He wouldn’t go into much detail about the offense, other than to reiterate coach Greg Schiano’s philosophy of running the ball consistently and taking shots down the field. But Freeman did say the new offensive scheme and the addition of wide receiver Vincent Jackson should lead to fun.

“We try to wreak havoc in the secondary,’’ Freeman said.

Can Josh Freeman bounce back?

The Tampa Bay quarterback had a dismal 2011 season. He threw 22 interceptions after throwing only six in a promise-filled 2010 season.

So which season is more indicative of what Freeman is capable of doing? The new Tampa Bay coaching staff seems to think the 2010 version was the real Freeman. Ever since Greg Schiano took over as head coach, he and every assistant have been raving about Freeman’s ability. I tend to agree with them, because I think Freeman has all the physical skills and intangibles.

Freeman certainly wasn’t without flaw or fault last season. But I think his problems were the result of the dysfunction all around him. Former coach Raheem Morris and his staff were unraveling, and the weak supporting cast around Freeman got exposed in a big way.

That’s why just about every move Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik have made this offseason seems aimed at making Freeman’s life easier. They got him a true No. 1 receiver in Vincent Jackson. They beefed up his protection by getting Carl Nicks, who might be the best guard in the league. Then, they drafted an all-purpose running back in Doug Martin.

The parts all seem to be in place. Now, it’s up to Freeman to make the most of them.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The 2012 NFL draft won’t be remembered as the flashiest in NFC South history. That honor belongs to the 2011 draft -- probably forever.

It’s tough to top a draft in which quarterback Cam Newton went No. 1 to Carolina, Atlanta traded up for receiver Julio Jones and New Orleans traded back into the first round to get running back Mark Ingram. Aside from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' pretty good splash, this year’s NFC South draft wasn’t filled with drama.

Instead, it was filled with very deliberate picks that addressed big needs all around the division.

BEST MOVE

No pick set the division's tone for this draft better than Carolina's selection of Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly at No. 9 overall.

There’s nothing really flashy about Kuechly, but the Panthers didn’t need flash this time around. They got that with Newton, and he gave them a prolific offense. But that offense was only enough to carry the Panthers to a 6-10 record last season. Carolina couldn’t play defense, and opponents have run all over the Panthers the last few seasons.

A lot of people thought the Panthers should go with a defensive tackle in the first round. But there were two reasons they didn’t. They weren’t enamored of any of the first-round prospects at that position. They also feel pretty good about what they already have at defensive tackle. Ron Edwards, a big free-agent pickup last year, is coming back from an injury that kept him out last season, and the Panthers think he can anchor their defensive line. They also used two third-round picks on defensive tackles Terrell McClain and Sione Fua last year.

The Panthers believe they have the personnel to clog up the middle. Kuechly should be able to come in and do what he does best. He can roam the field and be the kind of tackling machine he was in college. This guy had as few flaws as any player in the draft and is ready to make an instant impact. It remains to be seen whether Keuchly or Jon Beason will play the middle and which one will slide outside. It doesn’t really matter. Either way, the Panthers now have a deep linebacker corps that should be able to stop just about any running game.

RISKIEST MOVE

You could say the Saints made a risky move by using their first draft pick on a player who didn’t even play his college ball in the United States. They drafted Regina (Canada) defensive tackle Akiem Hicks with the No. 89 overall pick in the third round.

The fact Hicks didn’t play against elite completion means there is obvious risk with this pick. But why not take a shot when you’re this late in the third round? Hicks has tremendous upside, and he was good enough to be recruited to LSU before leaving for Canada. The Saints have a great history of discovering gems (Jimmy Graham, Jahri Evans and Marques Colston) later in the draft. They took a risk, but it might pay off.

Hicks should at least have a chance at some playing time early on. The Saints don’t have much behind Brodrick Bunkley and Sedrick Ellis at defensive tackle. Hicks could end up in the rotation very quickly, and the Saints could end up looking very smart for taking this risk.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

The Bucs haven’t been exciting in any way in quite some time. But they provided virtually all of the excitement within the division in this draft. General manager Mark Dominik shrewdly made some trades that gave the Bucs the ammunition to move up twice and come out of the draft with three instant starters.

Get over the fact that Dominik used the No. 7 overall pick on a safety, Alabama’s Mark Barron. The Bucs weren’t sold on LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne for reasons we don’t know. They were sold on Barron, and safety might have been the weakest position on their roster heading into the draft. Trading down from No. 5 to No. 7 started a process in which Dominik was able to manipulate the draft with trades that gave him two other starters -- running back Doug Martin and outside linebacker Lavonte David.

The Bucs traded back into the first round to get Martin late Thursday night. They were without a second-round pick Friday night. But they saw David sitting there, they had the ammunition, and they pounced. No NFC South team needed more help from this draft than the Buccaneers, and Dominik made sure they got help that will matter right from the start.

FILE IT AWAY

Atlanta’s selection of Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing in the fifth round might not seem like a big deal on the surface. For now, Ewing is probably nothing more than a special-teams player. But the Falcons also were looking a year or two down the road when they made this pick. Veteran fullback Ovie Mughelli is coming off a major injury, and he’ll turn 32 in June. It was time to find someone to groom as Mughelli’s eventual successor.

TAMPA, Fla. -- General manager Mark Dominik and coach Greg Schiano just spoke about Boise State running back Doug Martin, who they drafted with the 31^st overall pick Thursday night.

Funny, but they described him pretty much the way they did when talking about Alabama safety Mark Barron, who they took at No. 7 overall. They described him as a leader, team captain and a guy who played for a very successful college program. In other words, he fits the profile of the new "Buccaneer Man."

That’s great. The Bucs needed to add things like character and leadership. They also needed to add something to a backfield that had LeGarrette Blount and not much else.

Schiano used the phrases “all-around back’’ and “the totality of what he can do’’ in describing Martin. That’s significant. Blount has some good qualities (power running), but struggled as a pass blocker and receiver the past two seasons. Schiano also used the term “three-down back’’ about Martin. In other words, Blount will still have a role, but Martin is going to spend more time on the field.

Schiano smiled as he was asked if Martin reminded him of Baltimore’s Ray Rice, who he coached at Rutgers.

“I do see some of it,’’ Schiano said. “To tell you the truth I do. I see a guy who runs hard and plays hard.’’

There was one other ulterior motive in giving up their second-round choice and a fourth-round pick in return for the right to take Martin at the end of the first round, while sliding down to later in the fourth round.

Dominik pointed to the new collective bargaining agreement. In that, first-round picks can sign five-year contracts. Players taken after the first round can’t sign deals longer than four years.

Sounds like the Bucs are planning on having Martin around for a long time.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Before he was even asked a question about his first pick as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Greg Schiano was painting a portrait that probably still is invisible to most Tampa Bay fans.

Schiano had just stunned his fan base -- and probably the rest of the world -- by taking Alabama safety Mark Barron at No. 7. A safety at No. 7? This guy had better be the second coming of Ronnie Lott and Ed Reed put together or, at very least, John Lynch Jr. You don’t take a safety at No. 7, and say you gladly would have taken him at No. 5, unless you think he’s special. Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik definitely thought Barron was special.

“I think he fits into what we do defensively perfectly,’’ Schiano said. “You couldn’t draw it up any better.’’

That probably doesn’t excite you, especially if you wanted the Bucs to stay put at No. 5 and draft LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. And I know there was a contingent of Tampa Bay fans who thought Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly would be a perfect fit after the Bucs traded out of No. 5 and Claiborne went to Dallas at No. 6.

Either of those would have fit the profile of what we’ve come to expect from the Buccaneers, stretching back to Tony Dungy, running through the Jon Gruden era (with Monte Kiffin as the bridge) and right through the ugly final days of Raheem Morris.

But here’s the thing: Those days are over. This is Schiano’s team now.

Unless you’re a die-hard Rutgers fan, you don’t have any clue what a Schiano team looks like. Even if all your Knights are scarlet, you might see some changes as Schiano adjusts to the NFL. He’s not about to publicly share his X's and O's, but he certainly has implied this team is going to look a lot different in a lot of ways. Believe it or not, that might start at safety because Barron is going to be tied to Schiano forever, for better or worse.

“I think our safeties have to be more dynamic than in most schemes,’’ Schiano said.

At 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, Barron is big enough to play in the box and make an impact on a run defense that needs improvement. With 12 career interceptions, Barron also has shown the ability to make plays in coverage.

“He needs to be able to do a lot of things, and he is capable of them,’’ Schiano said.

He’s going to have to cover wide receivers man to man, Schiano said. That’s a change from the days of Kiffin’s Cover 2, when safeties picked up wide receivers only after they got past the cornerbacks and Lynch often played the role of a linebacker. That may not be enough in an NFC South in which Drew Brees has thrown for 5,000 yards in a season and Cam Newton and Matt Ryan can put up big numbers. In case you haven’t noticed, that’s not just an NFC South trend. All around the league, teams are throwing the heck out of the ball.

“Safety has become an extremely important position now,’’ Dominik said.

More important than cornerback? Where the Bucs have Eric Wright, an aging Ronde Barber and a question mark in Aqib Talib?

Obviously, the Bucs think so. Dominik said the Bucs would have chosen Barron at No. 5 if they had stayed put. That means they would have chosen him over Claiborne, who was widely considered the best cornerback in this draft.

That’s a pretty strong statement from a team that has chosen only two defensive backs in the first round in its history and both of those were cornerbacks. There’s even a bit more pure football logic about this pick.

The Bucs had a big need at safety after releasing Tanard Jackson. They were left with Cody Grimm, a possible move to safety by Barber and not much else. Barron fills that need.

But I don’t think this pick was completely about X's and O's and pure football ability.

I think the selection of Barron was another sign that Schiano is going to do things much differently than in the past. Something obviously cooled the Bucs on Claiborne. Maybe it was that he reportedly had a low Wonderlic score or maybe it was something else.

Schiano said he and Dominik saw sparks the first time they watched film of Barron. By the time they interviewed him at the combine, there was a flame. As they talked about Barron, Schiano and Dominik both mentioned that he was a two-time captain for a team that won two national championships during his stint.

“He fits who we are and what we are,’’ Schiano said.

I get the impression Schiano cares a lot about what guys bring as players, but I’m getting an even stronger sense he cares about what they bring as people and how that can translate into winning. That’s sort of a new concept around here, at least since the Dungy days.

“He fits who we are and what we are,’’ Schiano said.

In other words, the Bucs think Barron can step right in and be a leader on a team that desperately lacked leadership and personality in the Morris days.

“Our coaches are excited to get their hands on him and mold him into a Buccaneer Man,’’ Dominik said.

We’ve heard the phrase “Buccaneer Man’’ a lot since Schiano took over. The problem is we have no idea what the new Buccaneer Man is supposed to be. But now we’re starting to get a bit of a portrait.

With Barron, there’s a face and maybe an outline of a body and a personality. Looks a little like a good athlete, a natural leader and a guy who was asking if there was a way to get his hands on a playbook Thursday night, even though he’s scheduled to fly to Tampa first thing Friday morning.

Maybe the Barron pick doesn’t look so bad -- or blank -- after all.

TAMPA, Fla. – A lot of people thought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would end up with the best cornerback in the draft. Instead, they wound up with the best safety.

After trading down from No. 5 to No. 7, the Bucs drafted Alabama safety Mark Barron.

That may come as a surprise to those who expected Tampa Bay to come away with LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. But maybe the Bucs weren’t as sold on Claiborne as everyone thought.

They must have been sold on Barron. Not sure this will fly with fans, but Barron does fill a big need. The Bucs released safety Tanard Jackson recently. Aside from Cody Grimm, they have very little else at safety.

I’ll be back with much more analysis on this after we hear from coach Greg Schiano and general manager Mark Dominik and get Barron on a conference call.

Back when Greg Schiano was hiring his staff, the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach took a lot of heat for hiring so many assistants straight from the college ranks.

I didn’t think then the criticism was justified because some of those guys had previous NFL experience. I also didn’t think it was justified because them Schiano worked with in the past. He wouldn’t have hired him if he didn’t like them or didn’t think they’re good coaches.

But there’s another positive to having a staff filled with college ties and I didn’t really think about that until general manager Mark Dominik brought it up in his pre-draft session with the media last week. Many of Schiano’s assistants have been keeping close tabs on this year’s draft prospects since high school.

“We’ve had a lot of advantage in terms of getting to know these young men before they even went to college,’’ Dominik said. “They sat in their living rooms. 'I know where this kid grew up. He was from Miami-Dade’ or wherever it was. Because we have a lot of coaches that were with Rutgers, because we have a Bob Bostad (offensive line coach) and guys that were with very successful programs as well, they know who these young men are inside and out as well, on and off the field, and that’s an important element for us. It’s been a great benefit and I hope to be able to use that for the next four or five years as those guys are still going to know the incoming freshman class as they come into their current university.”

TAMPA, Fla. -- As you might have expected, Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik wasn’t tipping off his draft plans when he met with the media Thursday afternoon. But Dominik did address a few questions about an issue that’s been talked about a lot among Tampa Bay fans.

There’s been wide-spread media speculation that LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne could be Tampa Bay’s choice as the No. 5 overall pick. But numerous reports that said Claiborne had a low Wonderlic score have some fans suggesting the Bucs may go in a different direction. The Wonderlic test is given to all players who attend the scouting combine and it supposed to provide a gauge on intellect.

Dominik said the Buccaneers put some stock into Wonderlic scores, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle.

“To me, it is all about the relevance of what the player does,’’ Dominik said. “How does he learn the position? How much can he retain? How much can he regurgitate when you have a chance to sit with him one-on-one, whether it is at the combine or (during) individual visits."

There’s no doubt the Bucs have spent time with Claiborne and, like other teams, they probably have spent time talking to his former coaches and teammates.

“You have to know the entire picture of it and make sure you get an accurate understanding of the Wonderlic score and how it correlates to any individual player,’’ Dominik said.

But Dominik wouldn’t go into detail about what the Buccaneers think of Claiborne. We might get an answer on that -- one way or another -- if Claiborne is available when the Bucs make their pick next week.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- We’ll find out in the fall if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ signings of free agents Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright will help the team on the field. But that trio already has made an impact at the box office.

That’s significant for a team that’s struggled to sell tickets in recent years. Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said Tuesday at the NFL owners meeting the team has seen an increase in ticket sales since the free-agency splash.

“Definitely,’’ Glazer said. “First of all, our season-ticket holders from last year, we’ve seen the enthusiasm through the renewals. In new sales, we’ve had a great response. You just sense it in the community. There’s an excitement and a connection going on and a re-engagement that maybe hasn’t been there the last couple of years. We’re going to build on that in a lot of different areas to get our fans more engaged.’’

That should be nothing but good news for a team that has sold out only two home games in the past two seasons. Glazer wouldn’t go into specifics about the team’s season-ticket base and he wasn’t ready to say local television blackouts of home games will permanently end just yet.

“That’s our goal,’’ Glazer said. “That’s extremely important to us, but we have work to do there. We’re rolling up our sleeves. For the fourth year in a row, we’ve lowered our ticket prices. We’ve created ticket pricing for all fans and it’s very important for us to be accessible to all fans.’’

But committing more than $140 million to the three free-agents wasn’t a move designed to be a publicity stunt to create traffic at the box office. It’s part of a much larger plan.

“People question why this didn’t happen two or three years ago,’’ Glazer said. “Well, when we settled on this plan a few years ago, the plan was draft, develop and, at the appropriate time, add veterans. To bring in veterans early on to us just puts you on the wrong path. This was the appropriate time. Not only was it the appropriate time, you had some unique players out there, the kind of players that we could add that could add something to our football team and in the locker room. I think the complement was fantastic, the timing was as we always expected. We’re excited. It’s energized our fans. It’s energized our organization.’’

We’ve talked about the Bucs’ plan here many times in recent years. There’s a misconception by some out there that ownership simply was cheap for a few years and made a huge shift in organizational philosophy this offseason. That’s not at all true. The Glazers and general manager Mark Dominik simply are following a plan that has a proven history of success in the modern NFL.

That’s to build through the draft, keep your key players and add appropriate free agents at the right time. In the NFC South alone, I’ve seen similar plans work in Atlanta and Carolina, to varying degrees and at different times (the Saints have had success with a plan that involves the draft, but also relies a good deal on free agency). I’ve seen similar plans work elsewhere in the league – think New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, who have won recent Super Bowl teams.

Then, I think about the teams that have spent tons in free agency in recent years. Dallas and Washington haven’t accomplished all that much in recent years. Philadelphia’s “Dream Team’’ turned into a bit of a nightmare last year.

I think the Bucs are on the right path. These things don’t happen overnight. But if the Bucs stay on the path they’re on, they’ll get back to a point where Raymond James Stadium isn’t filled with empty seats on Sundays.

No big surprise here. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released veteran center Jeff Faine.

The move came on the same day the Bucs signed guard Carl Nicks from New Orleans in a move that will change the dynamics of the offensive line. Nicks and Davin Joseph, both Pro Bowlers last season, will be the starting guards. Jeremy Zuttah, who recently signed a new contract, will move from guard to center to take Faine’s place.

Faine’s release frees up just under $6 million in salary-cap room for the Buccaneers. Faine had a solid four-year run in Tampa Bay, but his age (he'll turn 31 next month) was working against him. Faine started 15 games last season, but missed a total of 16 games in the previous two seasons with injuries.

"I appreciate the leadership Jeff has provided to our franchise, both on and off the field," general manager Mark Dominik. "He has been a true professional during his time here. We wish him all the best and are confident he will have continued success in the future."

TAMPA, Fla. -- Here’s the final price tag on Tampa Bay’s free-agent shopping spree: $141,055,554.

That’s the total value of the contracts the Buccaneers gave to receiver Vincent Jackson, cornerback Eric Wright and guard Carl Nicks, and $67 million of that is guaranteed.

It’s tempting to say it’s a new day in Tampa Bay, but that slogan was used once (back when the Glazer family bought the team in the mid-1990s) and it doesn’t accurately portray what’s happened in the last 24 hours.

Yeah, the Bucs have spent way more than they did in salary to the entire team last season, but they really aren’t steering clear of the plan they’ve talked about since general manager Mark Dominik and coach Raheem Morris came to power in 2009. Morris is gone now and has been replaced by Greg Schiano, but the Bucs are still insisting they have been -- and will continue to be -- a team that builds primarily through the college draft.

This was not a sudden surge off course.

“It was the perfect time,’’ Schiano said. It was the perfect storm. Everybody is new.’’

What the Bucs needed was a quick shot of energy into their building plan. That tends to happen when you go 4-12 and have only sold out two home games in the last two seasons. But that’s really not the main reason the Bucs are spending money this year after not spending a lot last year.

“We’ve stayed the course,’’ Dominik said. “When we talk about this football team and how it’s built, part of the reason we’re here today was we’ve built a nucleus of young players and we’re in a position now for those young players now to grow with some veterans from other organizations that can really help this team continue to grow as an entire unit.

“It’s not every day that Vincent Jackson, Eric Wright and Carl Nicks are going to hit the free-agent market. It’s a unique year. That’s kind of the way we projected back in 2010. A lot of people talked about why weren’t we more active in free agency last year. The way that the timing was, the CBA, the uncertainty and the lockout ... this felt like the time to add the players to this football team that could grow with us not only during the season, but in the offseason and become a team together.’’

It may be hard to picture after watching the Bucs lose 10 straight games to end last season, but Dominik is serious (and perhaps right) when he talks about Tampa Bay’s young nucleus. Get defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price healthy and back on the field. Give defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and Da’Quan Bowers their first full NFL offseason and get quarterback Josh Freeman back on the track he was on in 2010.

Then, throw in Nicks, Jackson and Wright and it’s not that difficult to picture a bright future for the Buccaneers. We’re not talking about the kind of 30-something free agents that were common in the days of former coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen. We’re talking about three free agents still in their prime, with Jackson the oldest at 29. All three were wanted back by their former teams, which faced some salary-cap challenges. The Bucs, who entered free agency with almost $43 million in cap space, didn’t have the same constraints and they capitalized.

They got the best receiver in free agency, perhaps the best guard in the NFL and a very solid cornerback.

“I’m a big believer in quality,’’ Dominik said.

But the shopping trip isn’t going to continue. Dominik said the Bucs will continue to monitor free agency and implied there could be some minor moves here and there, but the team’s focus now moves onto the NFL draft at the end of April.

The Bucs have the No. 5 overall pick and are likely to get a quality player there.

Take that guy and all the other young talent on the roster. Throw in Jackson, Wright and Nicks and maybe the Bucs have figured out the formula for something they’ve been lacking for nearly a decade --sustained success by a team that’s grown up together.

TAMPA, Fla. -- I’ll be back in a bit with more analysis on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ big free-agent signings.

But, first, a few newsy tidbits on the Bucs.

• General manager Mark Dominik said the signing of Eric Wright doesn’t change anything in relation to Ronde Barber. Dominik said the team still would like Barber back for a 16th season. The team has told that to Barber, who is an unrestricted free agent. Barber has asked for time to decide his future. Dominik said there still is time.

• Although there are reports that the Bucs have signed quarterback Dan Orlovsky as a backup for Josh Freeman, Dominik said there is no agreement with Orlovsky. But he didn’t deny that there have been talks with his agent.

• It sounds as if previous reports that center Jeff Faine will be released will come true. When asked if the signing of guard Carl Nicks means Jeremy Zuttah will move to center and what that means for Faine’s future, Dominik said he’d be discussing that situation with Faine’s agent later Wednesday. The Bucs would free up nearly $6 million in cap space by releasing Faine.

• Although there have been reports and suggestions by the team that Mason Foster will move to outside linebacker, Dominik said, after reviewing film of his rookie year, the new coaching staff believes there is a chance Foster will stay at middle linebacker.

• Wright, Nicks and Vincent Jackson posed with jerseys at the end of the news conference. For the record, Jackson had No. 83, Wright held No. 21 and Nicks had No. 77.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head-first plunge into free agency is that the team isn’t mortgaging its future.

I just got a look at full contract details for receiver Vincent Jackson and cornerback Eric Wright (I’ll get you guard Carl Nicks later) and the Bucs so far haven’t used a dime in signing bonuses. In keeping with the recent philosophy of general manager Mark Dominik, the Bucs aren’t spreading out salary-cap money with bonuses that are prorated throughout the life of the contract. Instead, they’re paying big money up front.

Jackson’s five-year deal averages $11,111,111 per season, but much of that money will be paid in the early years of the contract. Jackson will make $11 million in base salary this season and add another $2 million in a roster bonus when he reports to training camp.

In 2013, Jackson’s base salary will reach its peak at $13 million. Jackson’s base salaries in 2012 and 2013 are fully guaranteed. After that, Jackson’s salary begins a gradual dip and he has no more bonuses scheduled. His 2014 salary is scheduled to be $10 million. His base salary for 2015 is $9.778 million and it remains the same in 2016.

Wright’s deal isn’t as lucrative, but it’s structured in a similar way to keep the Bucs from having a ton of money spread out in future years. Wright’s five-year deal is worth $38 million.

Like Jackson, Wright received no signing bonus, but he’ll get paid lots of money early on. Wright’s base salary for 2012 is $7.75 million and it’s the same for 2013. Wright also will receive a $500,000 bonus if he takes part in an unspecified amount of this year’s offseason workout program.

Wright’s base salary drops to $7.25 million in 2014 and remains the same in 2015. In 2016, his base salary is scheduled to be $7.5 million.