Tampa Bay Bucs' Problem with Arron Sears Takes a New Turn

Tampa Bay Buccaneer offensive lineman Arron Sears is in hiding.

And that's not a good thing with the team scheduled to report for training camp in a week.

Stephen Holder and Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times have released a story centered around one of them actually going to the hometown of Sears, Russellville, AL, to see if they could find Sears and talk to him.

Call it "old school" investigative reporting.

Sears was located but would not face the reporter.

The reporter was at the house of Henrietta Woods, Sears's mother. She declined to comment on her son's condition. While the reporter was there, Sears pulled into the driveway in a car but wouldn't roll down the window.

It just gets stranger and stranger, doesn't it?

It was a long way to travel to come away with a "no comment," from Mrs. Woods and the snub by Sears.

Sears snubbed the Bucs in June with his absence from mini-camp.

The Bucs aren't talking about this one.

But something is terribly wrong here.

If you look at the circumstances, it doesn't look favorable for Sears reporting to camp or even suiting up for the Buccaneers this year.

Suddenly, the area of strength for the team, the offensive line, could take a blow in the depth department.

The impending Sears absence will draw plenty of attention this time next week and at some point in time, the team will have to face the issue and make a statement.

Stayed tuned on this one.