Garcia has 'big lead' at quarterback

Bucs coach Jon Gruden all but anointed free agent pickup Jeff Garcia, left, the Bucs' starting quarterback while addressing an audience of business people and fans during a question and answer session at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast Friday morning at the Belleview Biltmore.

"There's not a lot of controversy in my eyes right now,'' Gruden said. "If you want to catch up to Jeff Garcia, our young quarterbacks have some work to do. Garcia has done a great job from day one, since he's been here.

"He understands the position, he's moved offenses wherever he's been, and right now Jeff Garcia has a big lead, to me, on the quarterback position. He brings a lot of juice and enthusiasm to our offensive team.

"I'm not discounting that there won't be a competition in training camp. I do believe Chris Simms and Bruce Gradkowski can make it interesting, and Luke McCown is also doing some good things. But Jeff Garcia is clearly the leader in the clubhouse right now, and we are excited about that.''

Comments

[Bob]

At what point does Gruden say he "wants" Garcia to be QB, as the headline states?
He says Garcia is a better QB and has the lead for the job but never says he "wants" Garcia to be QB.
But now Stroud can ask Simms, "Jon Gruden said he wants Garcia to be starting QB, what do you think of that?" And then Gary Shelton can complain that Gruden is being a big meanie.
Or did you mean he "wants" Garcia to be "a" QB? 'Cause I heard he can play Defensive Tackle, in the right scheme.

[hardly]

Wait a minute! Daunte Culpepper just became available. Can Jon resist?

[Martin]

I'm sorry but Gruden's offense requires smarts over athelticism (paging Mr. Johnson, Dr. Brad Johnson, your Superbowl ring is ready for pickup) and Daunte just doesn't have the mental horsepower I'm afraid.

I actually find it disconcerting that we have an offensive system that is so hard to master that we're basically sunk if our starter goes down. But thems the cards we've been dealt.

[Leo James]

Even if Simms had been an iron man the past three years -- remember he was going to play in 2004, not Griese, if he'd stayed healthy but he replaced Griese in 2005 and went down again early in 2006 -- he'd be behind a guy with Garcia's experience in a West Coast scheme who's a Pro Bowl player. That's neither an indictment of Gruden nor Simms. That's just the way it is.

[Larry]

I also like Garcia, he would be a great leader for this year. But the thing is he is 37 years old which is a considerably old age for an NFL quarterback. How many years does he have left?The Bucs are looking to build for the future, what will happen in a year or two? What will we be looking at? Using an untried rookie? hoping there is a halfway decent free agent? Yeah Garcia may be good, but while we are rebuilding our defense and offensive line we should be working on our QB so that the team grows at the same pace. That way maybe we could be strong as a team, not the best defense with a weak offense, or a strong backfield but no Safetys. Lets use the rebuilding time to rebuild all positions. Use Garcia as a backup and give Simms a good solid year to pull it together. I'm tired of seeing our young QBs go to other teams and become stars.

[Leo James]

I don't think Gruden's living in the same universe you are Larry. He knows he squeezed one last great season out of an "over the hill" Brad Johnson and won a Super Bowl. He thinks 2006 was the fluke because his QBs went down and plans to build on and exceed 2005 with Garcia. Gruden thinks he can win with him.

[REB]

TIME WILL TELL ... GARCIA OR SIMMS ?
JEFF HAS THE UPPER HAND CAUSE HE AND JON ARE LIKE FATHER / SON. THEY THINK ALIKE, HAVE THE HUNGER AND EVEN THE SAME BAD MOUTH. IT WILL BE JON / JEFF.
HOWEVER, I LIKE LARRY'S WAY IF THERE IS A CLOSE BATTLE .. GO WITH SIMMS AND KEEP THE YOUNGER GUYS WORKING AS A TEAM. SIMMS MAY BE BETTER WITH THE DEEP BALL AND USING THE SHOTGUN.

[David]

It's nice to see Simms isn't giving the job just because he's the younger guy. Gruden needs to win, regardless of the age of the guy taking the snap. All things equal, Simms should be the one to start given his age. But by Gruden's comments, all things aren't equal because Garcia is outplaying Simms and the other young guys.

As a Minnesota Vikings fan, you DO NOT want Culpepper

Gruden has become a mad man there is something wrong, he is not mentally stable. I can't believe professional football players put up with his crap.

[TBBlood]

Reading Mr Shelton's article on the "status" of the quarterback position was a very entertaining analysis of Jeff Garcia and Chris Simms, however suggesting "In the category of life's metaphors..." signing autographs ..."in a sweltering corridor...behind a bloodmobile...that "Simms was in the back of the bus" is so ironic. A civic minded Chris Simms was actually giving back to the community, paying forward for one of life's miracles after nearly bleeding out on a football field. Mr Shelton seems to downplay the community support that Chris has shown with his comments. Is Mr Shelton a blood donor? If he or any member of his family has ever needed blood, he would know of the sacrifice of giving that community blood donors provide every day!

[Fan for life.]

I think Daunte would be a good fit here in Tampa. The town went Goo Goo over Shaun King because he was a local kid that made it to show. And he did a good job when given the chance. But in that same draft there was another semi local kid with a lot of local family ties. Who would have been a league MVP had P. Manning not just had one of the most sickest seasons known to man. He's going to be released and we can get him for farely cheap. I think it's a risk worth taking because him at 75% is still better than what we've had the last few years. Besides he has all the qualities Gruden likes in a QB: strong, mobile, big arm. And best of all he's a vetran, but still young enough to have a good six to seven years left in him. Besides what could it hurt?

[ForumGhost]

Echo.

This place is dead.

go to www.bucschat.com for a real place to discuss Buccaneers football.

[Martin]

Er, except what Gruden likes is not a mobile QB, not a running QB. Big arms don't mean anything to him because in a perfect game no ball would stay in the air past 9 yards. He prefers mismathces and crossing routes by big receivers who make up all the yards after the catch. He also prefers smart QBs that can grasp the (impossibly) complex verbiage of his system.

Daunte does not have the qualities that Gruden likes. Sims big arm was only used (grudgingly) by Gruden when he had no other choice. You know that's true because as soon as another option came along he jumped at it.

If you truly believe you know what Gruden prefers then you can't sit here and be baffled when he shows you what he prefers, an older veteran with smarts who will protect the ball, and buy enough time with his feet to make short high percentage passes.

[Larry]

Well I have to adjust my earlier comment. With reviewing the Bucs first 5 games and Chris Simms own comments that he has developed some weak mechanics and still isn't 100% I think Garcia is the proper choice at this time. We need to see our starting QB getting the bulk of the reps at this time. Hopefully Simms can overcome any nagging problems he may have and be our QB of the future.

[Aaron]

All of the emphasis seems to be on Garcia and Simms, of course. Why is it that everyone forgets about Gradkowski, he did a just fine as a rookie and his stats are well beyond the first year of fellow rookies and non- rookies. Heart. Love of the Game. When was the last time you loved something for 37 years. Bruce...Should've kept his number, but man enough to give it to someone who wiil not(be able to)abuse it.