Joe was a bit chagrin the Bucs did not retain fiery Joe Cullen as their defensive line coach. He did an OK job if not a good job, given what he had to work with.

However, Joe’s melancholy over Cullen being hired by the Crows was replaced when Joe learned who replaced him. That would be Jay Hayes, the long-time Bengals defensive line coach.

Hayes played defensive end in the USFL (Joe has a soft spot in his heart for the USFL and firmly believes it was 20 years or more ahead of its time) and has one helluva track record developing players. Shoot, he was able to make Ghost Johnson a decent defensive end. That alone tells Joe this guy knows what the hell he is doing.

Four of the last five years the Bengals have been a top-10 team in sacks. In 2011 and 2012, they were a top-five team. The one year the Bengals were not in the top-10 in sacks was 2014, when Ghost Johnson was shatting all over the field of the Den of Depression and Geno Atkins was dinged up.

In 2012, the Bengals’ front line recorded 40 sacks playing for Hayes — 40! — of the team’s 53 total sacks.

In 2012 and 2013, Hayes found a way to get 14 sacks (total) out of Wallace Gilberry, who, as you may remember, was not a Schiano Man.

One negative, sort of, with the Bengals is that they may go a wee bit over the line in terms of nastiness on defense. Damnit, isn’t it about time the Bucs get back to that?

Joe’s not talking dirty, but it’s about time offenses start wondering whether they will be able to walk a flight of stairs the next day from getting beat up by the Bucs.

Koetter already has said the Bucs need tougher football players. Well, this Hayes is a guy to coach toughness.

Yes, Joe was sad to see Cullen go. But Joe is even more excited to see what kind of magic Hayes can work. And it sure seems like the Bucs will target defensive players all offseason.

They need to.