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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Buccaneers in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): This will only happen if coach Greg Schiano makes the transition from college to the NFL more like Jim Harbaugh than Nick Saban or Bobby Petrino. Harbaugh isn’t the norm in this category, but it’s possible Schiano could follow in his tracks. The cupboard isn’t bare, it just needs organizing. The Bucs have assembled a lot of young talent in recent drafts -- Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy, Brian Price, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Adrian Clayborn, Mark Barron, Doug Martin and Lavonte David -- and Schiano showed he can build during his time at Rutgers.

The key to it all is Freeman. Is he the quarterback who threw 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in a 10-6 season in 2010 or the guy that threw 22 interceptions and looked awfully anxious last season? Schiano and his staff firmly believe the 2010 version was the real Freeman and they’ve done everything possible to upgrade his supporting cast. They brought in Vincent Jackson to be the No. 1 receiver and guard Carl Nicks to bolster an offensive line that has a chance to be very good. They also drafted Martin and plan to use him as an every-down running back.

If Freeman is for real, he should bounce back strong from last year’s debacle. Lots of coaches and scouts around the league still believe in Freeman, but we’ll soon find out if he still believes in himself or if last year forever shattered his confidence. But, even if Freeman improves, the Bucs must be a lot better on defense than they were last season when they allowed more points (494) than any team in franchise history.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): As demonstrated by the likes of Saban and Petrino, NFL players don’t always respond well to hard-charging college coaches. There’s no doubt this team needs some order after the Wild West days of Raheem Morris, but Schiano must get his players to buy into the new order in their worlds or he could be in for trouble. Although ownership showed a willingness to spend in free agency and the Bucs have had some early draft picks in recent years, this job is far from paradise.

Few, if any, of those early draft picks have shown that they are the real deal. Maybe all they need is better coaching, but maybe the Bucs just haven’t drafted very well. If Freeman struggles again, the Bucs suddenly have a quarterback quandary on their hands. If they struggle on offense, there’s no way they can win games in the NFC South. You don’t win a lot of games with defense in the modern NFL and, at least on paper, Tampa Bay’s offense is much more talented than its defense.

If Freeman doesn’t take a step forward and the defense doesn’t show improvement, it will become last season all over again. This is not a franchise that can handle a lot more misery. Attendance has been lacking in recent years and the Bucs aren’t going to fill up their stadium until they escape obscurity and win consistently.

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.

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.

Breakdown: The Bucs will make only one appearance in a nationally televised prime-time game (Oct. 25 at Minnesota) -- to be expected for a team coming off a 4-12 season. But that might be good news for new coach Greg Schiano and his squad because the Bucs won’t get a lot of attention and could sneak up on some opponents.

Tampa Bay catches an early break, opening at home for the fourth consecutive year. That game comes Sept. 9, against Carolina. The contest should give us an early indication of which NFC South team coming off a losing season could be on the rise.

The Bucs have a chance to get off to a fast start. Three of their first four games come against teams that didn’t have winning records and didn’t make the playoffs last season. The big exception is the Sept. 16 game -- on the road against the defending-champion New York Giants. The Bucs have a Week 5 bye, followed by a home game with Kansas City before the schedule starts looking difficult. By then, the Bucs might be getting used to their new coaching staff and offensive and defensive schemes.

Complaint department: Unlike Atlanta, which doesn’t have to travel in back-to-back weeks all season, the Bucs face consecutive road games in two different instances. One comes in September, at the Giants and at Dallas. There also are back-to-back road games at Minnesota and Oakland in the middle of the season. The first time shouldn’t be all that difficult, but the second round of trips involve much longer flights. But on the bright side, the Bucs aren’t likely to face many cold-weather games, and we all know Tampa Bay’s history when playing in the cold isn’t that pretty. Indeed, there are only two potential cold-weather games on the schedule. The first is Nov. 18 at Carolina; the weather in Charlotte can go either way at that time of year. The Dec. 2 game in Denver isn’t likely to be played in balmy weather and the thought of defending Peyton Manning doesn’t bring warm thoughts to anyone.

Raheem’s return: The Sept. 30 game with the Washington Redskins will be a homecoming for Raheem Morris. He spent three seasons coaching the Buccaneers but was fired after losing his final 10 games last season. Morris is now Washington’s defensive backs coach. That’s appropriate because Morris is at his best when he’s coaching just the secondary. He’s a nice guy, but the Bucs made him their head coach long before he was ready and it didn’t work. Morris needs to coach defensive backs for a year or two and move up to a defensive coordinator job for a bit. A few years from now, he might be seasoned enough to become a good head coach.

Buccaneers Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, Carolina, 4:15 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at NY Giants, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Dallas, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, Washington, 4:15 PM
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, Kansas City, 1:00 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, New Orleans, 1:00 PM
Week 8: Thursday, Oct. 25, at Minnesota, 8:20 PM
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at Oakland, 4:05 PM
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, San Diego, 1:00 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, at Carolina, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, Atlanta, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Denver, 4:05 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, Philadelphia, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at New Orleans, 1:00 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, St. Louis, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Atlanta, 1:00 PM

The best thing about living in much of the South is that you can leave the door open in December and January. The flip side is, you never know who’s going to walk in.

That’s been demonstrated repeatedly throughout most of the decade the NFC South has been in existence. Worst to first isn’t just a hokey slogan in this division. It’s been a reality.

Not counting the inaugural season (because there was no defending champion or reigning last-place team in a division that didn’t exist before 2002), there have been six NFC South teams that finished fourth in the division one season and ended up winning it the following year. The trend started with the Carolina Panthers and their miraculous run to the Super Bowl in the 2003 season.

The Atlanta Falcons pulled off worst to first in 2004. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did it twice -- in 2005 and 2007. So did the New Orleans Saints. They did it in 2006 and again in 2009, the season after which they won their only Super Bowl.

But the worst-to-first trend has stopped since then. The Saints and Falcons have stayed consistently good and managed only to flip back and forth between first and second place.

This could be the season in which things get back to normal. Let’s be clear that I’m not ready to write off the Saints, as long as they have Drew Brees at quarterback, or an Atlanta roster that’s loaded with talent and has the potential to click at any moment.

But you look at what has happened in New Orleans and what hasn’t happened in Atlanta this offseason and you have to wonder if it’s at least possible that new Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano is about to pull off a miracle on Dale Mabry Highway or if Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis knew what he was talking about when he said the Panthers are headed for the Super Bowl.

The Saints’ bounty program has left them without coach Sean Payton for the entire season and they have little chance of pulling anything off in the draft because they don’t have a pick until the third round. They lost some free agents, like Carl Nicks and Tracy Porter. Plus, there’s the very real possibility that multiple players could face suspensions for their roles in the bounty program. Maybe adversity becomes a rallying cry for the Saints and they stay atop the division. Or maybe the bottom falls out of what was a great three-year run.

If that happens, the Falcons would seem the logical choice to step up. They did go 10-6 last season, although you could say they underachieved slightly throughout the regular season and tremendously in their playoff loss to the New York Giants. And what have the Falcons done to improve their roster this offseason?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present linebacker Lofa Tatupu and guard Vince Manuwai, two guys who didn’t play in the NFL last season.

Yeah, I know how the Falcons like to point to their roster continuity and changes at offensive and defensive coordinator as reasons they’ll be better this season. Those are valid points. But, still, the way last season ended, you have to at least wonder if the Falcons have already started their downhill slide.

Then, you look at the Buccaneers and Panthers and you see two teams that almost have to be on the rise. In the case of the Bucs, that’s mainly because they can’t go any lower.

Tampa Bay ended last season on a 10-game losing streak. Raheem Morris left for London at 4-2 last October, looking like the NFL’s next great coach. That guy hasn’t been seen since. But Schiano is in his office now and he seems to be saying and doing all the right things. He got rid of safety Tanard Jackson and coaxed safety Ronde Barber into coming back for one more year. Plus, Schiano has one luxury Morris didn’t last year -- a free-agent class.

A year after punter Michael Koenen was their big addition in free agency, the Bucs went out and made one of the league’s biggest splashes. They signed receiver Vincent Jackson, Nicks and cornerback Eric Wright.

Mix those guys in with some young talent (Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy, Adrian Clayborn and some others), let Schiano restore a little order in the locker room and on the practice fields and worst to first at least seems like a possibility.

But, even if the Saints and Falcons slip, the Panthers could be ahead of the Bucs. They only won six games last season, but it might have been the most positive six-win season in NFL history. With Ron Rivera taking over for John Fox, the Panthers suddenly realized the NFL became a passing league a few years ago and started playing catch-up. They used the No. 1 overall draft pick on Cam Newton and suddenly had one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses.

The problem was the Panthers couldn’t do the one thing they always did under Fox -- play defense. That was largely because defensive tackle Ron Edwards was lost to injury in training camp and linebackers Jon Beason and Davis quickly followed. All three are expected back and that instantly should give Carolina a better defense. It only needs to be a little better, because Newton and that offense are going to score enough points for the Panthers to stay in the game with anyone.

Can the Panthers and/or the Bucs pass the Saints and Falcons?

We’ll see. It’s only April and the NFC South door looks to be wide open. Let’s see if it's still ajar -- or maybe even off the hinges -- in December.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Tanard Jackson on Tuesday, but I have little doubt he’ll end up with a new job very shortly.

Yes, Jackson’s had some off-field issues, and they might have factored in as Tampa Bay goes through a housecleaning with the arrival of new coach Greg Schiano. But Jackson has talent, and the rest of the NFL knows it.

Some teams might be scared off by the off-field issues, but some teams might be willing to take a shot on Jackson. As NFC East colleague Dan Graziano points out, the Washington Redskins might be at the top of that list.

Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris was Jackson’s head coach in Tampa Bay the past three seasons, and his secondary coach before that. The two have a strong relationship, and Morris has stood by Jackson in the past.

Jackson also has another strong tie to the Redskins. Washington general manager Bruce Allen was Tampa Bay’s general manager when Jackson was drafted.

Interesting roster move down in Tampa Bay today, as the Buccaneers cut 26-year-old safety Tanard Jackson. They said it was because he failed a physical, but indications are that last year's shoulder injury won't keep him from helping someone in 2012. There's a new coach in Tampa Bay, and as Pat Yasinskas suggests in that link, it's possible that Jackson, who comes with plenty of issues, was cut to send a message to other players on the roster. But he's good enough and young enough that he's likely to find a home somewhere, and don't be surprised if you hear the Washington Redskins mentioned as a possible suitor.

The Redskins have major needs in the secondary, even after signing Brandon Meriweather and Cedric Griffin already this offseason. And their new secondary coach, Raheem Morris, was Jackson's head coach in Tampa Bay for the past three seasons. Morris and Jackson had a very strong relationship and Morris believes in him and has stood by him through his drug suspension. Surely, Morris believes he could keep Jackson in line and coach productivity out of him should the Redskins decide to give him a chance.

It's no slam dunk, though. Mike Shanahan has preached the value of character on his roster, and if he's got concerns about off-field issues or work ethic, he's not likely to bring in Jackson just because Morris likes the guy. It's Shanahan's team, not Morris' team, after all. But a drug suspension doesn't always equate to low character. It can, in certain circumstances, equate merely to immaturity or poor judgment. The 2012 Redskins will count, after all, on major contributions from Trent Williams and Fred Davis, each of whom missed the final four games of 2011 due to drug suspensions. Shanahan doesn't question their character -- merely their judgment. If he's convinced Jackson can help the team and won't hurt the locker room, he could pursue him. And it's a fair bet that Morris will at least try to convince him.

USA Today sports television writer Michael Hiestand throws out a fascinating suggestion, writing that the New Orleans Saints should be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks’’ this summer.

It would be a fascinating story -- a close-up look at a team preparing to go through a season without suspended head coach Sean Payton. There could be even many more layers to this story before training camp arrives. Bill Parcells could be in Payton’s place and it’s possible multiple players also could be facing suspensions. This is unprecedented stuff for an NFL team and the drama could be tremendous.

Would the Saints accept if the show is offered to them? Tough question. In normal years, I’d say no. Payton runs a tight ship and I’d have a tough time seeing him giving cameras total access to his team. But this is not a normal year. Despite all the turmoil that has come out of the bounty program, the Saints have some charming players that could put this team back in a positive light. This might not be a bad move.

Could any other NFC South teams be candidates for the show?

The Atlanta Falcons last year made some vague statements that they could be interested if the time was right. Atlanta has the kind of veteran team that could probably handle the distractions that might come with this. But I have a tough time seeing coach Mike Smith being in favor of opening up his locker room and meeting rooms to the world.

The Carolina Panthers are viewed as a team on the rise and quarterback Cam Newton is a media darling. That could make the Panthers interesting to HBO and NFL Films. But as long as Marty Hurney is the general manager, I don’t see the Panthers going down this road.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were courted for the show last season and former coach Raheem Morris was lobbying for his team to be on the show. Ultimately, the Bucs declined. They said they wanted to make sure their young team was at a point in its development where it could handle potential distractions. That was probably a wise move because last season showed the Bucs were far from a finished product. My early impressions of new coach Greg Schiano are that he’s not the kind of guy that would want to put his team in the spotlight. That could change once Schiano’s been around a year or two, but I’m guessing the Bucs aren’t interested this year.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers get a little jump on the rest of the NFC South on Monday.

The Bucs get to start their offseason program -- two weeks before the Falcons, Panthers and Saints are allowed to start. That’s because league rules allow teams with a new coach a head start on their offseason programs early. Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano and his staff have been allowed only limited contact with their players up until now and this will represent their first chance to teach what will be new schemes on offense and defense.

“There are tremendous challenges when you implement new systems,’’ Schiano said during last week’s owners meetings. “It’s a game of reps, so the more times we can install, the better we’ll be. You just keep teaching. It’s like the old saying, 'it’s not what you know, it’s what they know.' You can have things in a playbook, but if they can’t do it on the field, on demand, it’s wasted knowledge. We’ll certainly challenge them mentally, but we’re not going to paralyze them mentally.’’

Schiano and his assistants have spent the past few months reviewing a 2011 season in which the Bucs lost their final 10 games and former coach Raheem Morris was fired.

“Other than to evaluate personnel and steal whatever scheme things we like, I didn’t try to over-analyze,’’ Schiano said. “Things kind of got going in the wrong direction and, when that happens, you can try to over-analyze everything. A lot of guys I think are excited about having a fresh start. A lot of people in the organization are looking to start over. The old saying is 'adversity reveals character, it doesn’t build it.' We’ll have our share of adversity. One of the things you train for and prepare is that adversity. To me, that’s mental toughness and there’s certain ways you can build mental toughness. We’ll approach that as a staff. Until you’re in the fire, you don’t know how guys will react. We’ll see.’’

Here’s the bright side: This is probably the start of a healing process for the Buccaneers. It’s hard to imagine things getting much worse than they were late last season. Schiano is known for his organizational skills and ability to build. Morris ran a very loose ship and some players seemed to give limited effort as the losing streak dragged on. Some of those players might already be gone. The ones who return have a lot to prove to Schiano. There’s really nowhere to go but up for the Buccaneers and their new coach.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Tampa Bay’s new head coach Greg Schiano spent the last hour speaking with the media. He was insightful, entertaining and even humorous at times. He didn’t reveal any earth-shattering news, but there was one message that came through loud and clear and running back LeGarrette Blount better be listening.

At two different times, Schiano was asked about Blount. Both times, Schiano gave a similar answer. He first complimented Blount and, then, sent a strong message.

“I think LeGarrette has tons of ability,’’ Schiano said. “No one who touches the football will get touches if they don’t protect the football. That is one of our core covenants -- the ball. It’s so important they named the game after it. We make a big deal about it.’’

Schiano’s had time to review film of last year’s Bucs and it’s obvious one thing stood out to him about Tampa Bay’s top running back last season. Blount fumbled five times and lost three of them. Those fumbles came at critical times and it’s important to note that not a single one came during Tampa Bay’s 4-2 start. They all came during a 10-game losing streak to finish the season that cost Raheem Morris his job.

In fact, you can trace Tampa Bay’s collapse straight to Blount’s fumbles. The Bucs were on a five-game losing streak, but still playing most opponents closely. Then, they went to Tennessee on Nov. 27 and played well enough to win. They didn’t. They lost 23-17, mainly because Blount lost two fumbles.

After that, the Bucs weren’t even competitive.

Schiano likes to say everyone is getting a fresh start with him. That may be true, but the new coach obviously already has formed an opinion of Blount and he didn’t even talk about how Tampa Bay’s previous staff felt the need to use other running backs in passing situations.

I’m not saying Schiano’s going to go out and draft Alabama’s Trent Richardson with the No. 5 overall pick. But that’s not out of the realm of possibility. Schiano talked about how Ray Rice turned around his program at Rutgers. He also talked about how he likes to have a “bell-cow’’ back.

When asked if Richardson is a “bell-cow’’ back, Schiano said: “He could be. He’s done it in what is arguably the toughest league in college football.’’

The Bucs very well could draft LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne in the first round and that move would make lots of sense. Blount’s going to be on the roster, but there’s no doubt the Bucs will add a running back or two at some point in the draft or later in free agency.

Blount may get an opportunity to still be the main runner. But it’s apparent he’ll only stay in that role -- or get on the field -- if he shows he’s solved his fumbling problems.

Let’s take a moment to weigh in on one NFC South item that doesn’t deserve to get lost in the shuffle of the New Orleans Saints punishment for their bounty program.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced that they’ve agreed to contract terms with veteran cornerback Ronde Barber on a one-year deal that means Barber will play his 16th season with the team.

This is significant on several levels. First off, even though he'll be 37 next month, Barber still can play. He weighed retirement, but the Bucs wanted him back, mainly because they need him. Although they did sign free-agent cornerback Eric Wright, there’s uncertainty elsewhere at the position. Starter Aqib Talib has an April trial in Texas on an assault charge. Talib could face prison time or a suspension by the NFL. With Barber and Wright, the Bucs are guaranteed of having two quality corners. They also have some young corners and could add more in the draft.

So there’s some stability at the position, but more importantly, Barber’s return assures some stability in the locker room. Although Barber isn’t known as a classic vocal leader, he’s a good guy to have in the locker room. He conducts himself very professionally and it’s likely some of that will rub off on some of the young players and help them develop into leaders.

Finally, I think this move is significant for coach Greg Schiano as he adjusts to the NFL. He's got a veteran guy that's been to Pro Bowls and that's nice to have around. This is a better start to the Schiano era than the start predecessor Raheem Morris got off to in 2009. Soon after being named the coach, Morris and the Bucs parted ways with iconic linebacker Derrick Brooks and that created a huge leadership void in the locker room.

New Washington Redskins defensive backs coach Raheem Morris has his first project. According to Adam Schefter, the Redskins have agreed to terms with free-agent safety Brandon Meriweather, who was cut last year by both the Patriots and the Bears but is likely in line for a starting job in Washington.

The Redskins' starting safeties in 2011 were LaRon Landry and O.J. Atogwe, but the perpetually injured Landry is on his way out as a free agent, and the team cut Atogwe earlier this week in a salary-cap move. Meriweather is the replacement for Landry, and much will be expected of him. He's a former first-round pick whose best year came in 2009, but he didn't fit with the Bears' Cover 2 defense last year. The Redskins likely believe that Morris, whom they hired as defensive backs coach this offseason after he was fired as head coach of the Buccaneers, is the coach to get Meriweather focused and motivated and draw the talent out of him.

Washington will continue to look to upgrade its secondary, and is scheduled to bring in former Giants cornerback Aaron Ross for a visit this week. The Redskins like young safety DeJon Gomes, whom they drafted last year, but it's unclear whether they think he's ready to be a full-time starter or whether Reed Doughty can handle that job. Washington might look to add another safety via free agency.

The Washington Post reports that Meriweather's deal is for $6 million over two years. The Denver Broncos also had interest in Meriweather.

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.

It’s sounding like there’s a decent chance starting cornerbacks Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib could return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season.

There has been lots of speculation that might not be the case because Barber is a free agent at an age (36) where retirement is possibility and Talib has had a history of off-field troubles.

But speaking at the combine Thursday, coach Greg Schiano addressed both situations in the most detail he has since taking the job in January.

Schiano said he has met briefly with Barber already, but he and general manager Mark Dominik will meet with the captain again after they return from the combine.

"I just need to tell him what my vision is for the football team and hear from him how he sees how he fits in that,’’ Schiano said. “I think it’s going to be a great exchange. He knows what this is about, he’s been doing it so long. And he’s a Buc.

"I mean, he knows it’s near the end whether it’s a year, two or three. But I think no one knows better than Ronde what’s best for all parties involved. So I’m anxious to hear what he has to say. We visited briefly and it was good. I mean, what a bright guy to visit with. But I think this next time, we’ll talk more about the specifics of football and all that.''

Sounds to me like Schiano is basically saying if Barber wants to play another season, he can do it with the Bucs.

Talib’s situation is a bit different because it could end up depending on external variables. Talib faces a March trial in Texas for an assault term. Prison is a possibility if he’s convicted and so is disciplinary action by the NFL.

There had been a school of thought that Schiano, who is known as more of a disciplinarian than predecessor Raheem Morris, might decide to part ways with Talib as part of sending a message to the rest of his players.

But Schiano sounded like a coach who would give Talib a chance at a fresh start if the legal system doesn’t get in the way. Schiano said Talib said he’s confident the legal situation will be resolved in a positive manner.

"Then from there, we’re just going to go,’’ Schiano said. “Every guy on this football team will know our expectations. There won’t be any, 'Well, I thoughts.’ I think most of the time, frustration comes out as the result of unfulfilled expectations, my frustration and theirs. So if you make the expectations clear, then discipline really isn’t discipline, it’s a choice. You knew if you did this, everything is cool and if you don’t, there’s going to be consequences. That, to me, is not that complicated. But you have to make sure you’re very, very clear on what it is your expectations are."

Mike Sullivan was more than comfortable as quarterbacks coach of the New York Giants. He had Eli Manning and a hand in winning a Super Bowl trophy. So why was he willing to give all that up to become offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

“I will be honest with you, it was the attraction to work with a special talent like Josh Freeman,’’ Sullivan said Wednesday as he formally was introduced to the media at One Buccaneer Place.

Yeah, Freeman’s not coming off a special season. Nobody with the Buccaneers is. They went 4-12 and that’s why Raheem Morris and the previous coaching staff are gone. That’s why it’s got to be refreshing to the ownership, front office and fans to hear the man that’s going to direct the offense speak so highly of the quarterback that already is in place.

To this point, Freeman’s career has been marked by one flare shooting to the sky and another coming back to earth. After throwing 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010 while in his first full season as a starter, Freeman threw 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions in 2011.

Sure, Freeman deserves some of the blame for what went wrong last year. He made some poor decisions and poor throws. But talk to personnel people around the league and they’ll tell Tampa Bay’s offensive problems had more to do with the supporting cast and coaching. Those same people will tell you Freeman, who turned 24 in January, remains an enormous talent with plenty of upside.

Sullivan is obviously going to have a big say in whatever Tampa Bay’s offense does going forward and he’s starting off by putting plenty of faith in Freeman.

“I think everyone knows it is a quarterback-driven league,’’ Sullivan said. “No matter how you slice it -- and, ultimately, defense wins championships -- but you have to get a quarterback. I think a lot of things you look at with a guy like Josh Freeman -- the skill set he possesses, the youth, the ability, the size and the strength -- there is an awful lot there and I am chomping at the bit to work with.’’