Bruce was lovable, but this is what's best

Bruce Gradkowski is an easy guy to like. He's affable and charming, the kind of guy who gets along with everyone -- even us beat writers.

As a result, the human in you hates to see a guy like that get dumped. But let's face the undeniable fact here: this was inevitable. Ironically, it might also be the best thing that could have happened to him.

Gradkowski was not going to make the final roster. That much I think we all agree on. With every recent exchange I've had with him, it felt like there was an 800-pound gorilla in the room. But the alternative to being cut now was enduring a brutal training camp with next to no playing time in the preseason, only to be out of a job just prior to the regular season.

That's a bad time to get cut. Hitting the market now at least gives him a better chance to land on his feet as teams continue to evaluate their quarterback lineups. I think someone might scoop him up at some point because he has played a lot more football than most quarterbacks with two years of experience. I don't expect he'll be anything more than a No. 3 quarterback, but a paycheck's a paycheck, right?

What an odd sequence of events his time in Tampa Bay was, too. He went from a starring role -- okay, fine, maybe it was just a starting role -- as a rookie to forgotten man a year later in 2007.

On a related note, a byproduct of the Gradkowski move is that we now have a little more clarity on the status of Chris Simms. As it stands, unless the Bucs can swing a trade for him -- and there's been nothing to suggest they can -- Simms looks bound to the Bucs at least through training camp. They seem unlikely to release him now that Gradkowski is gone. The plan was to take five quarterbacks to camp, and Simms is No. 5. Of course, I suppose he could opt to not show for camp, but then again, he doesn't really have a lot of leverage, though he has been boycotting offseason workouts to force the team's hand.

And, for the record, I'm going to go ahead and predict the Bucs will keep four quarterbacks on the active roster for a second straight season. I get the sense they like having Brian Griese around and I think he is absolutely the backup if Jeff Garcia goes down. At the same time, I don't get the sense they're ready to give up on Luke McCown, who has shown some real promise despite his tendency to make critical gaffes. And, finally, rookie Josh Johnson will get plenty of time to develop, so he figures to stick around for awhile.

Regarding the re-signing of Jerramy Stevens to a one-year contract, I don't have to rehash his past troubles nor do I think I need to take a firm position on the decision. You'll have to make up your own mind on that one. I will, however, say this: if he makes one wrong move, the Bucs have to sever their ties and cut (pun intended) their losses. To his credit, he has undergone a lot of alcohol counseling and stayed clean last season. Maybe the Bucs saw enough to believe he can do it again.

With that said, I'll just throw this out there: the Bucs, and Jon Gruden, in particular, loved what Stevens did last season. Still, they opted not to re-sign him until nearly June. And when they did, they announced it via a quick press release sent out after the end of business and long after the evening newscasts were on the air. Perhaps it had something to do with this.

Bucs sign Stevens, release Gradkowski

The Bucs, looking for players capable of providing an offensive spark, have re-signed tight end Jerramy Stevens and parted ways with quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.

The move to re-sign Stevens was not a complete surprise, but the release of Gradkowski is the team's first effort to whittle down its stable of quarterbacks, which now stands at six including the retired Jake Plummer, whose rights the team still own.

The team could elect to go to training camp with the five active quarterbacks remaining with the team: Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, Luke McCown, rookie Josh Johnson and Chris Simms, who has been boycotting voluntary offseason workouts. General manager Bruce Allen has said the team planned to take no more than five quarterbacks to Disney when camp begins in July.

Gradkowski had a rocky stint with the Bucs since being drafted in the sixth round in 2006. He started 11 games in place of the injured Simms as a rookie in 2006, finishing 3-8 in those contests. Gradkowski must now clear waivers before he becomes a free agent because he is a player with less than four years of experience.

Stevens, meanwhile, emerged late last season as a important option in the passing game, as coach Jon Gruden made a concerted effort to feature the 6-7 veteran. His addition might be the biggest indication yet the Bucs aren't thrilled with their three top tight ends: Alex Smith, John Gilmore and Ben Troupe and are hoping to increase the level of competition in the unit.

Stevens served a one-game suspension last season for a DUI conviction in Arizona stemming from an arrest in March 2007.

Heads up on today's Gaines Adams piece

I assume there are some readers of the blog who are not necessarily readers of the newspaper, so I wanted to point out today's Gaines Adams feature that I made reference to on Wednesday.

In a nutshell, it's about how Adams has overhauled his diet to get in better physical shape while really hitting the weight room hard. Before now, he admits he had a consistent diet of junk food from McDonald's and other fast-food joints. You can already see a major difference in his physique, so the changes have had an impact.

And, just to be totally clear, this is not a rip job on Gaines. In fact, I say kudos to him for recognizing he was doing himself a disservice and committing to making changes. That's a sign of maturity and another reason why I think he'll be a pretty formidable player for a long time. He certainly looked quick and agile in last week's open practice and that's what his coaches hope to see on the field this fall.

[Brendan Fitterer, Times]

Super Bowl Bucs dwindling in number

Michael Pittman's move to the Broncos marks the beginning of a new chapter for the veteran running back. But it also means something else for the Bucs: It leaves just four holdovers from the 2002 Super Bowl roster.

Pittman was the last offensive player hanging on from a season that is beginning to feel more and more like ancient history with each passing year. The remaining players from the Super Bowl season are linebacker Derrick Brooks, cornerback Ronde Barber, safety Jermaine Phillips and linebacker Ryan Nece. The latter two, Phillips and Nece, were rookies that season, with Nece spending half the season on injured reserve with a knee injury.

In the not-so-distant future, it's plausible the remaining four could be cut by half, if not more. Brooks is nearing the end of his stellar career, and Barber is getting closer than some will admit. Nece has continued to defy the odds and has kept his job the past six years despite the team's annual influx of linebackers. But he'll have to beat out competition again this year. Phillips might be in the best position to stick around long term as he is one of several players for whom the Bucs are considering a contract extension.

Pittman's departure was one of several in the last couple seasons involving key players from the Super Bowl squad. Last year, Simeon Rice and Shelton Quarles were released. And earlier this year, Mike Alstott called it a career.

Just goes to show you that six years is a lifetime in the ever-changing NFL.

On a separate, unrelated note, you might want to check out tomorrow's story on Gaines Adams in which he makes a pretty honest admission about a bad habit of his. You'll see what I mean.

Michael Pittman to the Broncos

Just got confirmation from agent Drew Rosenhaus that former Bucs running back Michael Pittman has agreed to the terms of a one-year contract with the Broncos.

Pittman became a free agent in February and said at the time he hoped to play elsewhere in 2008. But he did not find a big market for his services, at least in part because of his age (32). And with Tampa Bay addressing its running back stable with the addition of Warrick Dunn and the re-signing of Michael Bennett, there was little room left for another veteran.

Pittman leaves the Bucs after six seasons with the organization. He is coming off a 2007 season in which he missed six games and played sparingly in several others because of a high ankle sprain. He finished with 286 rushing yards and caught 26 passes for 191 yards.

In his best season with the Bucs, Pittman rushed for a career-high 926 yards in 2004. But he might best be remembered in Tampa Bay for his 124-yard performance in the Bucs' Super Bowl XXXVII victory against Oakland.

Pittman was looking for an expanded role, and Denver is a place he at least has a chance to accomplish that goal. Incumbent starter Travis Henry is recovering from a hamstring injury, perhaps giving Pittman a chance to shine in the offseason.

[Brian Cassella, Times files]

Warrick Dunn gets some national pub

Over the years, we've told you plenty about Warrick Dunn's charitable efforts in the community.

But I thought I'd pass along this link to Seth Wickersham's column on ESPN.com where the author makes a comparison between Dunn's efforts and the less-involved efforts of some other athletes. Nothing new, but it's always good to hear good stuff about Warrick.

Click here to access the story.

A behind the scenes look at Bucs practice

New Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib stretches during the morning workout. [Edmund D. Fountain, Times]

Us beat writers don't get to view entire practices most of the year with the exception of three weeks during training camp. But thanks to an NFL policy that requires teams to open several practices each summer to the media, we got a long look at the team today in a morning workout at Raymond James Stadium.

For starters, we'll point out an apparent confirmation of something that had been rumored for awhile: Defensive end Greg White worked almost exclusively at left defensive end, lining up opposite Gaines Adams on the right. That seems to be a lineup the Bucs are strongly considering using, though there is likely to be a lot of mixing and matching among the front four -- particularly in the interior.

On offense, we saw a lot of balls thrown to running back Warrick Dunn, which is something I think we should all get very used to. The Bucs have always made good use of the checkdown option by throwing to backs as a secondary target. But the Bucs haven't had a back who is an ideal target like Dunn is, because he is shifty and quick enough to get valuable yards if you get him the ball in space.

As for the quarterbacks, it seems like it'll be awhile before we get much of a look at Josh Johnson. The rookie, along with Bruce Gradkowski, didn't get much of a crack in today's workout. Quarterbacks coach Greg Olson told me this week it's been tough to get everyone enough snaps during practices. Jon Gruden said today that the team has been using something of a rotation to get everyone enough work, though it appears Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese and Luke McCown are getting the majority of the work. They certainly took virtually all the snaps today. Gruden said Johnson's got to learn the snap counts and such a little more before he can be handed the keys to the offense.

As a whole, the offense wasn't very sharp, which drew a lot of yelling from Gruden. But that's to be expected, I suppose, in the second-to-last week of May. Still, botched snaps, dropped passes and the like were the order of the day.

Elsewhere, linebacker Cato June broke his foot in January and missed the team's lone playoff game, but he told me today he's cleared to practice again, although he sat out today's workout. June said he's been practicing here and there but taking light because "I'm just trying to be smart about it," he said.

Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia searches downfield during a passing drill at the morning workout. [Edmund D. Fountain, Times]

Bucs audition three WRs

The Bucs still are shaking the bushes looking for help at receiver.

Coach Jon Gruden said the team worked out three receivers Monday: Eric Moulds, Eddie Kennison and Bryan Gilmore.

Kennison, 35, was plagued by a hamstring injury with the Kansas City Chiefs last season and caught just 13 passes for 101 yards and no touchdowns.

Moulds, 34, caught 34 passes for 342 yards last season with the Tennessee Titans and is an unrestricted free agent.

Gilmore, 30, caught just seven passes for 111 yards with the 49ers last season.

""We're still looking for some more players, not just at that position, but other positions as well,'' Gruden said.

The Bucs didn't do much to address the receiver position in the off-season, aside from signing troubled but talented veteran Antonio Bryant and using a second-round pick on Appalachian State's Dexter Jackson, who primarily is a kick returner.

   

             

Garcia has at least one supporter

Veteran defensive lineman Kevin Carter chimed in on Jeff Garcia's contract dispute today and made it clear he wants to see his quarterback and friend taken care of.

"I'm a little biased because I love Jeff," Carter (left) said. "I love playing here. That's why I'm, again, a Buc, because I love to be here. That being said . . . we need to get it worked out. We need to put all this aside and get a deal done."

Carter recently went through a tough negotiation of his own with the Bucs after being released in February. After rejecting an initial offer to re-sign with the team and remaining a free agent for a few weeks, Carter signed with the Bucs days after visiting with Oakland, which was poised to offer a more lucrative deal.

Now that he's back onboard, Carter is thinking about what lies ahead, and he likes the direction of the team.

"I feel good about it," he said. "I think we're better now than we were in January. As a team I think our chemistry hasn't (wavered). I think we've gained some guys in free agency. But more than anything, the experience of our younger guys is gonna help us a lot. . . Our goals are to be playing there (he says this while pointing his finger) in February."

"There" is Raymond James Stadium, which was off in the distance and will be the site of Super Bowl XLIII.

[Brendan Fitterer, Times photo files]

Owners' CBA position: Do you buy it?

By now, you've probably heard the NFL owners opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement, putting the league at risk for an uncapped season in 2010 and a potential lockout in 2011.

I'll share with you here the details of the league's press release on the matter, but I'll leave it you to decide for yourself. I'm skeptical, which is natural when all you have is the word of 32 billionaires who say they're being punished by an unfair labor agreement (the league is not required to open its books because it is not a public company). Owners are doling out roughly 60 percent of revenues to player salaries and costs, totaling about $4.5-billion. That's clearly substantial. But league revenues exceed $8-billion.

I'll have some more perspective in tomorrow's newspaper, including what this might mean for the Bucs or your favorite team. But for now, what do you think: Are the owners being greedy or are the players expecting too much?

The gist of the league's press release is as follows:

"A collective bargaining agreement has to work for both sides.  If the agreement provides inadequate incentives to invest in the future, it will not work for management or labor.  And, in the context of a professional sports league, if the agreement does not afford all clubs an opportunity to be competitive, the league can lose its appeal.   

"The NFL earns very substantial revenues.  But the clubs are obligated by the CBA to spend substantially more than half their revenues – almost $4.5 billion this year alone -- on player costs.  In addition, as we have explained to the union, the clubs must spend significant and growing amounts on stadium construction, operations and improvements to respond to the interests and demands of our fans.  The current labor agreement does not adequately recognize the costs of generating the revenues of which the players receive the largest share; nor does the agreement recognize that those costs have increased substantially -- and at an ever increasing rate -- in recent years during a difficult economic climate in our country.  As a result, under the terms of the current agreement, the clubs’ incentive to invest in the game is threatened. 

"There are substantial other elements of the deal that simply are not working.  For example, as interpreted by the courts, the current CBA effectively prohibits the clubs from recouping bonuses paid to players who subsequently breach their player contacts or refuse to perform.  That is simply irrational and unfair to both fans and players who honor their contracts. Also irrational is that in the current system some rookies are able to secure contracts that pay them more than top proven veterans.

"Our objective is to fix these problems in a new CBA, one that will provide adequate incentives to grow the game, ensure the unparalleled competitive balance that has sustained our fans’ interest, and afford the players fair and increasing compensation and benefits."

Graham still a no-show; Talib takes it in

Running back Earnest Graham was absent from Bucs workouts, which continued Tuesday at One Buc Place.

The voluntary workout was cut short due to lightning, but the few reps first-round pick Aqib Talib took at corner left a pretty big impression on the former Kansas star. He said the pace was much faster than the rookie camp a few weeks ago, and it'll likely take him a few workouts to get used to the speed.

"The reps I did get, it went pretty good," Talib said. "But this is a lot faster (than rookie minicamp). There were a lot more players thrown at you here. Plus you got (guys in) motion so you’ve got to know exactly what to check, exactly what to do. It was kind of overwhelming, but a couple more practice and I should be in tune with the situation."

Talib said he's worked the past two weeks to get in better shape - and brush up on the playbook. And though he didn't get much time to chat with veterans like Ronde Barber, Talib had his first welcome-to-the-NFL moment.

"It's sunk in now- my locker is right next to Derrick Brooks," Talib said with a grin. "I'm a Tampa Bay Buccaneer now."

Jeff Garcia was here at the workout, though there's been no new updates on any contract negotiations.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Aqib Talib, Bucs rookies to get eyeful this week

This will be an interesting week for the Bucs' 2008 draft picks.

Each of the team's selections will return to Tampa Bay after sitting out last week's OTA offseason sessions because of an NFL rule that limits them to one mini-camp before the end of their school's current academic session, even for those who are no longer enrolled.

So, with all the rookies' respective schools now done for the summer, they can begin practicing. The last time they were here, it was for the rookie minicamp that included mostly players who won't make a roster this fall. When they line up with the full squad on Tuesday, it'll be a whole different experience.

First-round pick Aqib Talib (left) will get his first taste of playing against the big boys, as will Dexter Jackson and the rest of the draft class. We'll also get a chance to see how much of their playbooks they learned in the two weeks since they left. I recall quarterback Josh Johnson saying he was going back to San Diego with his playbook and planned to run as many plays as possible with his school's receivers.

It will probably be a very humbling day for the rookies, who will be shown no mercy either by coaches or veterans. Remember how hard coaches and the vets were on Gaines Adams at this time last year?

As for the rule that keeps rookies away for awhile, the Bucs were lucky since their rookies missed only two days of work last week. But other players on other teams might fall into a situation where their schools operate on funky academic calendars, meaning they can miss some valuable time on the field in the coming weeks.

To be honest, the rule is more or less a joke when you consider the overwhelming majority of players drafted have no intention of even setting foot back on campus after the draft (Maurice Stovall was a rare exception in 2006 when he graduated from Notre Dame a few weeks after draft day). I suppose the NFL likes to appear it's concerned about emphasizing education even though I think we all know better.

Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib during rookie mini-camp on May 4th. [Brian Cassella, Times]

Bucs, B.J. Askew agree to four-year extension

Even while things remain at a standstill with Jeff Garcia's and Earnest Graham's contract negotiations, the Bucs have locked up fullback B.J. Askew by signing him to a 4-year contract extension today.

His agent, Scott Smith of XAM Sports, just confirmed the news to us. Askew is believed to have signed a package that includes a total of $8.6-million, including a signing bonus of $2-million.

Askew (left), 27, was one of several young players the Bucs approached about contract extensions earlier this year, so there could be more to come. He was entering the final year of a two-year deal he signed with the Bucs last summer.

The move shows a continued commitment to the running game given Askew's impressive performance as a lead blocker in 2007. He also proved proficient as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 18 passes for 175 yards.

Staying in Tampa long term was Askew's hope, and the new deal makes that possible.

"The goal was to find a home in Tampa, and he's thrilled that it worked out," Smith said. "And he feels like his style of play is appreciated in Tampa."

You might recall that Askew played much of the latter half of the season with a severely sprained ankle that caused him to miss three games. Playing through the injury before being coaxed into resting it went a long toward gaining the trust of coaches and teammates.

"His toughness earned him some respect," Smith added. "Showing that kind of toughness does make a statement."

[Brian Cassella, Times files]

Matt Walsh comes clean on Spygate and the Bucs

I know you're sick of Spygate, but get a load of this.

Former Patriots videographer Matt Walsh (left) sat down this week for an in-depth interview with HBO's Real Sports that is set to air Friday evening at 8 p.m.

Among the revelations is a very detailed account of the Patriots' first usage of film containing an opponent's defensive signals. We previously learned that occurred against the Bucs in the 2000 season opener. Now, Walsh sheds some light on how it all unfolded and explains that it proved to be an unbelievable advantage, even though the Bucs won 21-16.

He said he learned the ins and outs from a Patriots quarterback whom he did not identify (Tom Brady perhaps?) who was called into coach Bill Belichick's office and informed by then-offensive coordinator Charlie Weis that the team was in possession of film containing the Bucs' signals. The signals were filmed during a preseason game against Tampa Bay a few weeks earlier. The coaches asked the quarterback to learn the signals and assist in relaying them to starter Drew Bledsoe. Suffice it to say the plan worked beautifully.

Read the excerpts below provided to us today by HBO. All of the quotes are from Walsh.

"I had spoken with one of our quarterbacks that said he was called into Coach Belichick's office shortly before the Tampa Bay game. In the office was Ernie Adams, Charlie Weis, and Coach Belichick. They closed the door, Charlie said to him, 'You know, we've got tape of the Buccaneers' coaches defensive signals. What we're going to do is have you learn this, then we’re going to have you next to Charlie on the sideline, when he's calling in the play to Drew over the coach-to-quarterback communication system. Drew's got the, the earpiece in the helmet, and you're going to tell Charlie the defense that's being called, and we're going to relay the information, or use that in calling the play into Drew.' The quarterback later told me that within two to three seconds of when Monte Kiffin sent a play call into  John Lynch, Drew Bledsoe had it in his helmet."

It was so successful, it seems the Patriots could no longer resist.

"After the first game when we played the Buccaneers in the first season, after the tapes would have already been utilized, I went up to one of our quarterbacks. . . I said, 'Was the footage that I shot of the opposing coaches' signals, you know, any use for you guys?  Did it help at all?  And one of the quarterbacks told me, he said, probably about 75 percent of the time Tampa Bay ran the defense that we thought they were going to run."

[AP Photo]

GM Allen addresses Garcia, Graham

General manager Bruce Allen took a few minutes following Wednesday's workout to address talks regarding the contracts of quarterback Jeff Garcia, running back Earnest Graham and others.

Garcia has been outspoken about the lack of progress on talks for a contract extension and even hinted Tuesday he could miss some off-season practices. He has one year left on his contract that includes a $2-million base salary.

Allen said he wasn't concerned that Garcia has vented his frustrations in public.

"Each player has to handle his business how he sees fit,'' Allen said. "I've had plenty of dialogue with all of the representatives of our players and (with) our players and I know what their feelings are.'

""Jeff, for the last five years -- it's been well-documented -- he's been with five teams. I know he enjoyed the great success with coach Gruden and wants that to continue. That's not bad news, that's good news. We've got seven months to free agency and we've got plenty of time. But our focus is we have 70 days to training camp and we want to get our best 80 players ready.''

One player who is staying away from the Bucs' off-season workout program is running back Earnest Graham, who rushed for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 starts last season. Graham is in the final year of his contract and apparently not satisfied with negotiations.

"Earnest performed well for us last year and he wasn't at most of the off-season program last year,'' Allen said. ""He's a young man that takes care of himself and I'm sure he'll be prepared.'

Garcia has suggested that the slow pace of talks may begin to wear on him mentally. Allen said that can be a concern.

""All the players, their state of mind is a concern,' Allen said. ""What we're trying to do is get ready to win some football games. We're focused on the upcoming season and we're hoping all the players are focused on that.'

Garcia vs. Bruce: who blinks first?

The more I think about this Jeff Garcia contract dispute, the more difficult it becomes to guess how it will end.

He clearly is peeved about the situation as we told you earlier today. And there are still more comments that you can read tomorrow in the newspaper (or online, if you prefer), like this very telling statement about how this might potentially affect things on the field for him and others, like Earnest Graham.

"I understand (general manager Bruce Allen) kind of has us in a tough situation because we're under contract and we're obligated to play," Garcia said. "But we also understand what kind of contributions we made on the field last year and where people at our positions are getting paid and where we're at. So, it just makes it a real difficult thing to overcome when you think about your emotional and mental approach every day. That's when you can become almost negative and counterproductive to what the focus of the team is because you're caught up in some of the negative situations that are going on above you."

I'm not sure he even took a breath while spitting out that mouthful. But seriously, this isn't a healthy situation. Clearly, it needs to end. But right now, it sure feels like a resolution is a long way off.

So, let's look at the two sides of this coin.

Garcia clearly was the difference in the team last year. He certainly got my vote in the media poll for team MVP. He is the most talented quarterback on the roster, even if he is the oldest. Besides, he didn't play like he was 37 last year, did he? And, of course, as we told you long ago, he is understandably upset about missing out on the incentive money he likely would have qualified for had Jon Gruden not benched him for the final six quarters of 2007. Maybe Gruden should reimburse Garcia seeing how the coach earned his rich contract extension in part because of his quarterback's play. Just a thought.

Now, let's play devil's advocate. (And for you conspiracy theorists who think we have a grudge against anyone employed by the Bucs, no, that's not my subtle way of calling Allen the devil! Besides, Garcia pretty much did that already.) As I was saying, the Bucs have a compelling case, too. Garcia's age is his worst enemy. Any contract renegotiation is likely to include an additional year, if for no other reason than to lessen the salary-cap hit. How much would you be comfortable committing to a 38-year-old quarterback?

Furthermore, the injury risk is very real with Garcia. He's rarely come through a season wire to wire in his career, even going back to San Francisco. Last year was no different. And we're not just talking about the back injury that cost him nearly three games. Don't forget he was knocked out (literally) of the Seattle game at a very critical time, giving way to Luke McCown who managed to squander the Bucs' chances in what was a close game at the time. When a guy takes as many hits as Garcia, his health is always going to be a primary concern.

Lastly, the Bucs know for Garcia, it's quite possibly their way or the highway. Unlike a player such as Chad Johnson, who also wants to get paid, there would not be great demand for Garcia -- at least as a starter -- on the open market. In fact, there wasn't that big of a market for him in 2007 when he signed with the Bucs. That's part of the reason they got him on the cheap.

Hopefully that adds some context to this story. Now, as for who's right and who's wrong, well, that's an unanswerable question. If you ask me what the outcome should be, I suggest that the sides find a workable compromise. Maybe Garcia gets a small raise but agrees to a contract structure that is team-friendly.

Those answers are best determined by people who make a lot more than I do. But this much I know: this needs to get settled sooner rather than later because it will only get uglier. The longer this drags out, the higher the stakes become. Garcia puts possibly the last season of his career in jeopardy. The Bucs will be in danger of having their starting quarterback hold out. Neither is a good option.

Cooler heads need to prevail here -- and fast.

A quick Cadillac update

With all of Jeff Garcia's drama today, I failed to mention that we ran into Cadillac Williams who is still working toward returning to the lineup after last season's devastating patellar tendon tear.

Williams isn't backing off his stated goal of participating in training camp in some capacity, even though he remains a long way from gaining medical clearance to take the field.

"It's a matter of when I'm going to be back," he said. "I know I'm going to be playing on this field again. I know I'm going to be productive."

Now that he's further into his rehab, Williams can get a better sense for the pace of his recovery.

"It's a long progress, but I've come a long way," he said. "Earlier on, there were bumps in the road. But now, things are starting to smooth out. I'm starting to do things on the field, a little cutting here and there. I'm just taking it day by day, just continuing to work and seeing how the process goes. We're going to make a decision in July and take it from there."

That decision will be key. It's too early to know what Williams' status will be at that point, but the Bucs will have to decide prior to training camp whether to place Williams on the Physically Unable to Perform List. This is the most likely outcome because it will provide the team the flexibility to move Williams back to the active roster at some point if he shows improvement. If a player starts training camp on the PUP List, he can be activated at any time during camp. If he remains there after the start of the regular season, he must stay on PUP for at least the first six games and can be activated as late as Week 10.

Though it sounds ambitious, Williams offered this final bit before heading off the finish his rehab: "Me, personally, once training camp starts, I (think) I will be on the field and be able to do some things. I do. I feel like by July, I should be ready to play ball."

Griese says he's glad to be back with Bucs

   Quarterback Brian Griese admits he gave coach Jon Gruden and earful for trading for him in March.

   The Chicago Bears were set to cut Griese when the Bucs sent them a sixth-round pick in exchange.

   Making his first practice appearance with the Bucs' during Tuesday's OTA's, Griese said he was unhappy the team decided to part ways with him after the 2005 season.

   Griese had gone 5-1 as a starter that year before suffering torn knee ligaments against the Miami Dolphins.

   Griese was under contract, but the Bucs had decided to go with Chris Simms as their starter in 2006 and wanted their injured quarterback to take a pay cut. He refused, was released and wound up signing with the Bears.

   So Griese insists he has some unfinished business in Tampa Bay.

   "It's tough. It was tough to go out like that with an injury that early in the season, especially with us being 5-1'' Griese said. "It hurt. It hurt bad. There's no doubt about it that I have unfinished business here. I felt very comfortable and never really wanted to leave here. I really wanted to be here and so two years later, it's good to be back. I'm off my hiatus and ready to go back to work.''

   

Jovan Haye signs

Defensive tackle Jovan Haye, as expected, has signed his one-year restricted free agent tender after he and the Bucs failed to come to terms on a long-term deal.

Haye was tendered at a level that required first-round pick compensation, so his corresponding salary is $2.09-million.

The starter at under tackle last season Haye tallied six sacks and 97 tackles, the most among the team's defensive linemen. He also registered four fumble recoveries.

Garcia dismayed by status of contract talks

Quarterback Jeff Garcia has long been disappointed by the Bucs' apparent unwillingness to renegotiate his contract.

Today, in making his first comments on the matter in several weeks, Garcia was practically fuming over the lack of progress in contract talks with the Bucs while implying he might resort to measures that will pressure the club to address his deal.

"This is a physical game and you want players to go out and give everything they have and lay their bodies on the line, lay their hearts on the line," Garcia said, in an apparent message to team management. "Well, we want you to lay something on the line."

Garcia, 38, said he might not continue to attend voluntary offseason practices, though he was present for today's workout. He stopped short of saying the contract dispute would affect his reporting to training camp or next month's mandatory mini-camp, but he ruled nothing out. Garcia is entering the final year of a two-year contract and will make a base salary of $2-million, which he considers a bargain for a quarterback coming off a Pro Bowl season.

He also made light of other players' struggles to address their contracts, namely running back Earnest Graham, who Garcia indicated is not a priority of management. Graham was not present and has been absent for each of the team's four organized team activity days since last month.

As for Garcia's presence, don't count on him being around much longer.

"There might be a time when I have to stand up," he said. "I hate to do that to jeopardize my teammates because they're out here and I don't want to let them down in any sort of way. But i think at some point, you just want to see the respect (from) up top given."

We'll have more on this story throughout the day, so check back soon.

Spires to the Raiders?

Greg Spires' tenure in Tampa Bay ended unceremoniously when he was released just prior to the start of free agency.

But it appears the 33-year-old defensive end will have at least one more chance to ressurrect his career, as he reportedly has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Raiders.

The news was reported Sunday by the San Francisco Chronicle and comes a little over a month after Oakland made a run at another Bucs free agent end, Kevin Carter. He re-signed with the Bucs days after visiting with the Raiders, leaving Oakland's need at defensive end unaddressed.

Spires is coming off a tough year cut short by a calf injury that limited him to 10 games. He finished with two sacks, his fewest since 1999. Ironically, Spires had one of his most memorable performances against the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, finishing with a sack and a pass deflection.

An offseason progress report

You've probably been wondering where we've been around here. Well, when you cover the NFL 24/7, you have to take a break at those precious few times when things slow down. When you start sleeping with a BlackBerry under your pillow, you're really overdue for some time off.

But I digress. Let's talk football.

We are pretty much done with free agency, for all intents and purposes. The draft also is in the books. So, now seems like a good time to ask: where did the Bucs improve most this offseason?

They addressed several areas of the team, notably the defensive line, running back (Warrick Dunn), tight end, offensive line and receiver (sort of). There's no obvious answer because what the Bucs did this offseason was more tweaking than overhauling. But it's still worth considering.

I would argue the Bucs did their best work on the offensive line, where they scooped up the top free-agent center, Jeff Faine, and added what I think could be a very valuable third-round draft pick, do-it-all Jeremy Zuttah of Rutgers. Faine should be a substantial upgrade over former center John Wade and don't be surprised if Zuttah sees the field a lot this fall. Hard to say where because he plays all over the place, but he's learning center and is quite adept at playing guard and tackle, too.

While all that is very nice, it probably doesn't excite you a whole lot. I'm with you. But I can't make a case that the Bucs are a whole lot better at tight end because Ben Troupe is a couple years removed from a half-decent season and, well, what do we really know about John Gilmore?

I would try to argue the running back corps is substantially better with the addition of Dunn, but the jury is still out, if you ask me. Dunn is at a stage of his career where the potential for a dropoff is huge. Plus, he'll be best utilized in small doses, which might limit his overall impact.

On the defensive line, the Bucs obviously felt they needed to upgrade, thus their interest in defensive end Jared Allen, who was traded from Kansas City to Minnesota. What they did was cut Greg Spires, bring back Kevin Carter, signed Marques Douglas and Jimmy Wilkerson and drafted fourth-rounder Dre Moore. I'm certainly not ready to proclaim that a better lineup than last year, though I suspect it'll be something of an upgrade.

And then we come to receiver, where we must reserve judgment until the season starts. There are too many questions. The newcomers are the embattled Antonio Bryant and second-round pick Dexter Jackson. Bryant has to keep his nose clean and return to form after a year off while Jackson must prove he can have an impact beyond special teams. Plus, the Bucs are relying somewhat heavily on Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall having bounce-back seasons, which is a bit of a risky proposition.

As a side note, I think we can all agree that the secondary is better with the addition of first-round pick Aqib Talib. It's just that no one was losing sleep over that area of the team to begin with. I did, however, think it was a good pick, even if it didn't address an immediate need.

So, the Bucs clearly have tightened some screws this offseason, which probably makes them a better team. How much better? That's up for debate.

Ex-Buc Abdullah arrested

Former Bucs running back Rabih Abdullah, 33, was arrested Wednesday night in New Tampa on an outstanding warrant of driving with a license that is revoked, suspended, or canceled.

Abdullah played for the Buccaneers from 1998 to 2001. He also played for New England and Chicago. He has been out of the NFL since 2004.

He pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in 2004 and also was arrested in 2006 on charges of DUI, as well as carrying a gun and marijuana in his car.

-- Lisa Greene, Times staff

Bucs sign four prospects

We told you last night that former USF receiver Amarri Jackson would be signing with the Bucs after his showing in the weekend's rookie mini-camp.

We now know he'll be joined by three others: Troy defensive tackle Chris Bradwell, Miami center John Rochford and Fresno State running back Clifton Smith.

The Bucs will have a chance to get a longer look at the quartet in the coming weeks when the team resumes offseason workouts. Because there's almost guaranteed to be further roster shuffling through the summer, it's not certain all four will make it to training camp. However, as of today, they are on the roster.

Coaches indicated over the weekend that Bradwell had made an impression, so his signing his no surprise. As for Rochford, he plays a position (center) where the Bucs are looking for depth. And Smith was a dynamic return man in college and could potentially provide a boost there, although second-round pick Dexter Jackson looks likely to handle return duties in 2008.

All four of today's signees participated in rookie camp on tryout contracts after going undrafted the previous weekend.

Bucs sign USF's Jackson

Former USF receiver Amarri Jackson, passed over in last weekend's NFL Draft, showed enough in a three-day rookie minicamp with the Bucs that he's agreed to a free-agent contract with Tampa Bay, according to his agent.

"They offered him a deal," Tim Rogers said Monday night. "It's not official because we haven't signed it yet, but I've got the contract."

Jackson, one of 38 undrafted players brought in to battle for a handful of contracts, will report back to the Bucs in two weeks for the first session of OTAs, which open on his 23rd birthday. Rogers said Jackson will be one of 12 receivers the Bucs take to camp, so he'll still face a tough numbers crunch to make the Bucs' 53-man roster in August.

Jackson is the fourth member of this year's USF senior class to sign with an NFL team, joining cornerbacks Mike Jenkins (first round, Cowboys) and Trae Williams (fifth, Jaguars) and linebacker Ben Moffitt, who signed a free-agent deal with the Texans.

-- GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

Former USF receiver Amarri Jackson, passed over in last weekend's NFL Draft, showed enough in a three-day rookie minicamp with the Bucs that he's agreed to a free-agent contract with Tampa Bay, according to his agent.

"They offered him a deal," Tim Rogers said Monday night. "It's not official because we haven't signed it yet, but I've got the contract."

Jackson, one of 38 undrafted players brought in to battle for a handful of contracts, will report back to the Bucs in two weeks for the first session of OTAs, which open on his 23rd birthday. Rogers said Jackson will be one of 12 receivers the Bucs take to camp, so he'll still face a tough numbers crunch to make the Bucs' 53-man roster in August.

Jackson is the fourth member of this year's USF senior class to sign with an NFL team, joining cornerbacks Mike Jenkins (first round, Cowboys) and Trae Williams (fifth, Jaguars) and linebacker Ben Moffitt, who signed a free-agent deal with the Texans.

-- GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

A few prospects to stick around?

Seems there were a few long shots who managed to catch the eyes of coaches during this weekend's rookie mini-camp.

Jon Gruden says the staff is taking a long look at some unnamed players who Gruden indicated the team is considering signing. He just won't say who they are yet.

"I would," Gruden said. "I just don't want the other teams to know who we're thinking about. But I will say there were three or four guys who really did some good things out here and were impressive."

We get the feeling Troy defensive lineman Chris Bradwell, formerly of Florida State, might be a guy they deem worthy of a longer look. He received some high praise from coaches today and throughout the weekend.

If any of the prospects are signed, we should hear about it in the coming days and we'll let you know.

Coaching staff shakeup

We learned today that Larry Coyer will no longer coach the defensive line, but rather fulfill the duties that his title of assistant head coach implies.

Coyer will be involved in coaching several areas of the team, including the offensive line, giving coach Jon Gruden and others the ability to use Coyer as a greater resource.

Todd Wash, who joined the Bucs last year as a defensive quality control coach, will take over day-to-day duties coaching the defensive line.

Coyer was hired last year after serving four seasons as the Broncos' defensive coordinator.

Jackson held out; other camp notes

Second-round pick Dexter Jackson was held out of the majority of this afternoon's practice after participating in the morning walkthrough, though coach Jon Gruden wasn't specific about what was ailing the receiver/return.

However, we can tell you that we've learned that Jackson tweaked his hamstring early in Friday's practice, which might account for his missing today's workout.

Whatever the issue, it certainly isn't the kind of first impression Jackson was hoping to make in Tampa Bay.

Elsewhere this afternoon, we learned a little more about fourth-round pick Dre Moore. He has been working exclusively at under tackle and defenisve coordinator Monte Kiffin told me he has a real chance to work his way into the regular rotation. They like his ability to bullrush, which Moore says he combines with his noticeable quickness once he wears down his opponents. I'll have more on Moore in a story that runs in Monday's paper.

Also today, we heard from former TCU defensive lineman Tommy Blake, who has battled well-documented issues with depression and social anxiety disorder and now is seen as a long shot. But his mere presence here tells you a lot about him, Gruden said. See Sunday's paper for more on Blake.

Rookie camp isn't pretty

The Bucs wrapped up their first day of rookie camp a little while ago here at One Buc Place.

It's an annual event that really can provide some interesting stories as guys from various backgrounds and a wide variety of talent levels try to follow their NFL dreams.

It can also be an adventure for coaches, who have only one day of preparation to get these guys on the same page -- even though they've probably never met and certainly haven't played together.

"For all these guys, it's a big learning curve," coach Jon Gruden said. "Some of these guys were in a spread offense and have never been in a two-back set. A lot of college football teams we styudy don't even use a fullback. So, for some of our linebackers to read a two-back set, it's almost impossible. They've never done it."

It turns into something of a fire drill at times.

"To try to get 42 or 44 new faces on the same page, understanding the snap count and getting the center-quarterback exchange can be challenging," he said.

But the players did as well as can be expected, Gruden said. Perhaps that's because they've been here since a little after dawn prepping and installing a handful of plays.

Here are some of the guys who are hoping to see their dreams fulfilled this weekend, even if they are all considered long shots:

DE Tommy Blake, TCU
DT Chris Bradwell, Troy
DE Daniel Brooks, Jackson State
K Art Carmody, Louisville
T Jared Carnes, USF
G Jackie Claude, Florida State
LB Derrick Doggett, Oregon State
WR Wes Doyle, San Diego
CB Bryan Flowers, Jacksonville
DE Vegas Franklin, Miami
CB Byron Garvin, Kansas State
RB Lavarius Giles, Jackson State
K Chris Gould, Virginia
T, Floyd Headen, West Texas State
WR Bruce Hocker, Duquesne
S Anthony Houlis, Florida State
WR Amari Jackson, USF
CB Brandon Jackson, Georgia Southern
S Kyle Jackson, Florida State
FB Langston Johnson, Yale
LB Adam Kadela, Northwestern
QB Sam Keller, Nebraska
T Adam Kieft, Central Michigan
TE Gerard Landry, Southern
TE Jon Loyte, Boston College
LB, Ron McCullough, Bethune-Cookman
LB Corey McKeon, Nebraska
DT Tywain Miles, Tarleton State
DT Alphonso Moran, Kansas State
WR Derrick Richards, Utah
C John Rochford, Miami
CB Junior Rosegreen, Auburn
LS Garrison Sanborn, Florida State
G Pat Schwenke, West Texas A&M
RB Clifton Smith, Fresno State
LB Gian Villante, Hofstra
OL Walter Walker, USF
FB  Stan White, Ohio State

[Daniel Wallace, Times]

Former Buc sentenced to five years for robbery

Former Bucs and UCF wide receiver Charles Lee, accused of robbing a UCF student at gunpoint, will spend the next five years in prison after pleading guilty to robbery on Thursday, according to WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando.

Lee was arrested December 5, 2007, a week after he held up two students at Pegasus Landing, an off-campus student housing complex near UCF. Lee stole more than $11,000 in cash from his victims at gunpoint.

Five rookie free agents signed

The Bucs have announced their rookie free agents who will be partaking in this weekend's rookie camp, beginning this afternoon at One Buc Place.

There will be a host of others participating, but the remaining players are likely on tryout contracts, meaning they'll have to make quite an impression to stick around beyond Sunday.

Here are those signed to official contracts:

* OT Chris Clark, Southern Miss, 6-5, 290

* S/CB Jonathan Hefney, Tennessee, 5-8, 190

* CB Elbert Mack, Troy, 5-10, 168

* FB Carl Stewart, Auburn, 6-1, 230

* TE Tyrice Thompson, Arizona State, 6-5, 220

Bucs looking at blitzing?

If you've watched the Bucs' defense for any length of time, you probably know not to expect much (if any) blitzing from defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

I get the sense it's not his favorite thing and, truth be told, it may or may not work so well within the Tampa 2 scheme.

But I'm starting to get the feeling Tampa Bay is looking at some ways to implement some more blitz packages into its system. There have been bits and pieces of conversations this offseason with Kiffin and others that lead me to believe this. And when Jon Gruden mentioned the possibility during the draft on Saturday, I really started to pay attention.

After drafting Aqib Talib and in trying to convey the current strength of the secondary, Gruden said, "We do have the ability now, I think, in the secondary to mix up coverages if we choose to blitz a little bit more -- which is a big part of the National Football League these days. It's good to have some ball-hawking guys back there that can cover man-to-man and instinctively play the football when it's in flight."

It's an important point. If the Bucs are to mix in some blitz, they'll have to play something that at least resembles man-to-man coverage against receivers. Most times, it's linebackers (and sometimes safeties) that do the blitzing. So, if you were to send a linebacker or two, you would not have them available in pass coverage, as is customary in the Bucs' zone defense.

Something that can't be underestimated here is the impression other team's blitzes have made on Gruden. He went on and on before and after January's playoff game about the Giants' blitzes, almost lustfully. Hard to blame him considering how effective New York was in using them.

Now that I'm putting all this together, I guess it's a question I need to ask a little more directly when the opportunity arises. But there was definitely some experimentation underway in the secondary last season with a variety of other coverages. And Kiffin himself has told me that even though their scheme is effective, they are constantly trying to find ways to tweak it to be a little less predictable.

One way to do that would be to throw something new into the mix -- like a little more blitz.

An interesting tryout prospect

Another one of the players who will work out with the Bucs this weekend is former Fresno State running back Clifton Smith.

Smith led the Bulldogs last season in all-purpose yards with 1,367 -- 317 of those coming on punt returns. That last part is perhaps why the Bucs want to take a look at the 5-8, 190-pound Fresno native who averaged 105.2 all-purpose yards per game. As a running back, he rushed for 654 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. And he was productive as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 33 passes for 352 yards.

I'm told we might get a complete list of the camp participants by late this afternoon. If so, we'll pass it along because I know the suspense is killing you!