As expected the Washington Redskins have released DE Jason Taylor. Expect the Buccaneers to at least kick the tires on Taylor. They were on the verge of trading a draft pick for him during last off-seasons NFL Draft. This year they have his former Defensive Coach in Jim Bates, the Bucs new Defensive Coordinator.

You might think Taylor's age (34) would preclude the Bucs from pursuing him, but his familiarity with Bates defense could go a long way in helping the rest of the defense get over the learning curve. Taylor struggled last season with injuries by only appearing in 13 games and starting 8 of those games. He still registered 29 tackles (21 solo), 3.5 sacks, and 9 pass deflections. At this point who knows if he can stay healthy for a full season, but at the very least he could push Greg Stylez White and give he and Gaines a breather from time to time. It's doubtful he'd accept the money that comes with that type of role.

Don't look now, but there's another former Bates product on the market as well in LB Zach Thomas... Just sayin'