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Some think Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians is being strategic when expressing ambivalence, at best, regarding the prospect of keeping quarterback Jameis Winston. Former Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, who was once babysat by Bruce, knows that Bruce ain’t bluffing.

“Look, I’ve known Bruce for a long time,” Barber said last week on 820 AM in Tampa. “He’s known me my entire life. What he says, he’s not mincing words. That’s the way I can say it.”

So what is Arians trying to do?

“From an organizational perspective, you know, they’re looking at a way to get better,” Barber said. “That’s what teams do in the offseason. They look for a way to get better, however that is. And the first way that they’re going to do that is they’re going to franchise [tag] Shaq Barrett. I mean the guy had a phenomenal year. . . . [The franchise tag] really gives you time to sign a long-term contract. I think with the way that this defense played last year, he’s the priority.

“There’s a lot of options [at quarterback]. There’s a ton of options. And there’s no reason to believe that Tampa isn’t an attractive destination for some of these free-agent quarterbacks because of the way the defense has the ability to play. They’re young in some places. They probably need a safety. They have good young corners. They have two great linebackers. Their D-line, if they get’em all back, which they’re trying to do, statedly trying to do, they’re going to be damn good.

“So if you’re looking at the one piece where you can make leaps and bounds, it’s quarterback. So to me, Jameis, as much as I love him, he’s going into the pool with all those other free agents. I think that’s the best way to kind of feel what they’re going to do at the position.”

This meshes with the idea that the Bucs will try to pursue a quarterback or two from said pool, retreating to Jameis only if their wish list goes nowhere. But there’s still risk in keeping Jameis.

“Jameis is the guy that goes to a table and puts half his money on red and half his money on black,” Barber said. “What are you gettin’ from him, you know? It’s hard to win that way. It’s definitely exciting. He is a talented quarterback, though, but you got to look at the long-term health of your franchise. And there’s no more important position than quarterback.”

Winston threw for 5,109 yards last year, the eighth largest total of all time. But he also threw 30 interceptions, becoming the charter member of the 30-30 club.