Young Raheem Morris Losing Control Of Buccaneer Players

As of approximately 1 a.m., two young members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary were facing punishments, one from the law, and the other with the Bucs organization.

Only a couple of hours out of training camp where Raheem Morris stressed being safe and not getting in trouble, Aqib Talib was arrested on charges of simple battery and resisting arrest for allegedly throwing a punch at a cab driver. Talib is free on bail but looks to be punished if not by commissioner Roger Goodell, the Bucs would most likely handle it internally.

Earlier in the week, the news broke of Safety Tanard Jackson's positive drug test and a four game suspension was handed down from the team and league.

Adam Shefter said in an interview Wednesday morning while on a morning radio station, "It takes three positive tests for the league to take action. He must have known about the first two and expected the third would mean a suspension."

Tanard Jackson has a history of trouble that had seemed to be pushed aside for his first couple years with the Bucs. He has played well and his reckless ways from college had seemed to be forgotten until now.

Jackson has what seems to be a big problem with some sort of banned substance (speculated weed) that he says continued from college. Tanard refused to comment in his press conference when apologizing to the team and league. 

Jackson said, "This was not a surprise, I'm not going to go into what it was but it has been something since college that has stayed with me."

Jackson's lists of trouble from college include being stabbed in the chest at a fraternity party breaking up a fight at Syracuse, two positive drug tests, and a suspension from his Head Coach for conduct detrimental to the team. He had managed to stay clean until now in the NFL but has received his first suspension for what Jackson claims is a lingering problem.

If Aqib Talib is suspended, for being arrested, the Buccaneers defense will take a huge hit. Ronde Barber is struggling to stay with receivers in his new defensive role. Plus with the loss of Tanard Jackson, the defense is already thin.

Jermaine Phillips, who has already been moved once during the training camp for the Bucs from linebacker to safety, is now being moved back to safety to fill the hole left by Jackson's suspension. Talib will probably be replaced by Elbert Mack, who has showed some bright spots during nickel package coverages. Mack the second year man out of Troy will do his best if he is needed to start, but he is no Talib yet.

Without much veteran leadership and coaching, the Bucs young players seem to be losing focus a bit. Granted it is pre-season and their have only been a few incidents, these back to back occurrences in the same week is certainly not what first year head coach Raheem Morris envisioned for week two.

The odds are already stacked against Morris and the Bucs this upcoming season, but things seem to have just gotten a little bit tougher.