25-year old RB Clifton Smith and 24-year old WR Sammie Stroughter will duke it out for the starting kickoff return job in training camp.  Smith has had concussion problems in the past but he’s a go for this year.  Smith played in 11 games for the Bucs last season and he returned 31 kickoffs for 902 yards (29.1 avg).  He has now played in 20 games for the Bucs and he has returned 67 kickoffs for 1,894 yards (28.3 avg) with 1 TD return.  Smith is a excellent return man and I think he will get his old job back if healthy.

Sammie Stroughter stepped in for Smith when he got injured.  Stroughter played in 13 games as a rookie for the Bucs last season and he returned 11 kickoffs for 324 yards 29.7 avg) with 1 TD return.  Despite his success returning kicks he might be more important to the Bucs on offense in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR  THE BUCCANEERS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  A

LT Donald Penn is a improving player as he’s a decent pass and run blocker.  LG Jeremy Zuttah also brings a lot of power in the running game but he could improve a tad in pass blocking.  Center Jeff Faine is one of the better technicians at center in the league.  But he can also get blown up and knocked backwards by big time power players in the middle.  RG Davin Joseph is by far the best run blocker on the Bucs as he plays with a very nasty attitude.  RT Jeremy Trueblood is a high strung player who commits too many penalties but he still has a nice upside.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BUCCANEERS O-LINE in 2010:  B

The Buccaneers have claimed 25-year old TE Martin Rucker off waivers from the Eagles.  He did not get into any games last season.  Rucker played in 5 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Browns in 2008 and he caught 2 passes for 17 yards (8.5 avg).  Rucker has the reputation of being a solid receiver but he hasn’t shown it in the NFL as of yet.  He will have a very hard time making the Bucs who have a lot of depth at TE.

UPDATE:  Martin Rucker failed his physical today so the Bucs waived him.  No loss here.

33-year old head coach Raheem Morris got a baptism by fire last season as a rookie coach.  He fired a lot of coaches before the season even started which was a very bad sign as the Buccaneers finished 3-13 (18.8%).  But the Bucs were 3-6 after the bye week and the wins they had were over the Packers (home), Seahawks (away) and Saints (away).  So maybe the light clicked on for both Morris and the Bucs in the second half of the year.  It will be interesting to see what the Bucs do this season because they have not improved much on the offensive side of the ball…..but the defense could be a lot better in 2010.

24-year old Connor Barth will face competition from undrafted rookie Hunter Lawrence out of Texas if he wants to keep his job as the Bucs’ placekicker.  Barth played in 9 games for the Buccaneers last season and he connected on 14 of 19 field goals (73.7%) and 12 of 12 extra points good for 54 points.  He has now played in 19 games in his NFL career and he has made 24 of 31 field goals (77.4%) and all 36 of his extra points good for 108 points.  It will be interesting to see if Barth (who has a edge heading into training camp) can hold off Lawrence for the starting job at kicker.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BUCCANEERS KICKERS in 2010:  C-