Simms 'nervous' in first camp workout

Beleaguered quarterback Chris Simms returned to the practice field for the first time in nearly a year Saturday and admitted he squeezed the football a little too tightly at times.

"My biggest issues was just conquering nerves today,'' Simms said. "I told one guy, it was as nervous as I've been since maybe my first start in Texas-Oklahoma.

"It started right away when we started throwing routes against air," Simms said. "Like I said, being up in New Jersey or around here just throwing to a guy who's standing where he's supposed to be. Then you drop back and you see Ike Hilliard or Mike Clayton coming out of the cut. I choked a few times when I saw them coming out, but for the most part, I got through it.''

Simms, 27, has asked to be traded or released and last month said he couldn't work with coach Jon Gruden.

But he met with Gruden Friday night and smoothed things over a bit, although he admitted the situation was "awkward."

"He just came in and said, 'Nice to see you again. Good to have you back. Nice haircut,' " Simms said of Gruden. "And he told us he broke 80 in a golf game, so he was excited about that.

"I'm not going to lie. It was a little uncomfortable. But after we got over that initial seeing each other and talking. We just both realized we're here to get better and we'll see where the future takes us.''

Simms said he is not backing down from his earlier statements but is trying to do the best to move forward. He missed some easy throws early to Warrick Dunn but settled down to complete a few passes over the middle during team drills.

"I was between a rock and a hard place,'' Simms said. "I had to let my side be known, why I wasn't showing up, and that's all there really was to it.

"I'm sure there's people that have got their eye on the situation. I am worried about the rest of the league and what they think. But at the same time, I've got to conquer some of my own demons first.''

Comments

[James]

BACK, back, back, back, back, back, back backpeddling!

[randy]

Stick it to him James... And your point is? I am always stunned why so many people feel the need to criticize every comment, grammatical error, or mistake of other people.

[Tom]

Sorry Chris but your replacement is on the field. His name is Josh Johnson. He did great today and you know it. He has a quick release and a nice tight spiral. He hit his receivers. He did very good on those one on one drills (WR - DB drills). I came to practice to see how good you were doing and left very impressed with this Josh Johnson rookie.

[Football is boring]

Extra Extra! Read all about it! This just in! Breaking news! Chris Simms is nervous. Where is Favre? I thought for sure with all of the NON STOP coverage, he would be there today fielding questions. Huh. I guess that never happened.

[Vince]

Oh my God, ease up in this guy, he gave HIS SPLEEN in the line of duty for crying out loud!

[Shane]

boo hoo little chrissy gave his spleen for the bucs. Just kidding, Vince we all know what chris gave to the team but in all fairness it doesn't guarantee that he should still be here. Look at the more noticeable(and better) player that got shown the door because of injury, remember John Lynch? John hurt his neck and the next season he was gone.

[Scrops]

I always liked Sims but he handled this situation wrong. Yes he was badly injured and it gave us a glimpse of his err, intestinal fortitude BUT the team's ownership and GM bent over backward and took care of him last season.

He should have come in this season and proved his worth on the practice field, whatever it may be. Instead he decided to be a whiner, wanting more entitlement.

Personally, I have serious reservations about if he can return from this injury and play again. Getting back to his "old" level is not merely enough as he was still in development then. If I have reservations than certainly other NFL teams have reservations and the whining certainly hurt his case.

Of all people he apparently missed the point of his injury... that you show it on the field. He has kept it off the field as of late... and it shows.

BTW, Sims should know that Gruden would start Bin Laden, most hated man in America, if he was the best QB on the roster.

[Scrops]

I always liked Sims but he handled this situation wrong. Yes he was badly injured and it gave us a glimpse of his err, intestinal fortitude BUT the team's ownership and GM bent over backward and took care of him last season.

He should have come in this season and proved his worth on the practice field, whatever it may be. Instead he decided to be a whiner, wanting more entitlement.

Personally, I have serious reservations about if he can return from this injury and play again. Getting back to his "old" level is not merely enough as he was still in development then. If I have reservations than certainly other NFL teams have reservations and the whining certainly hurt his case.

Of all people he apparently missed the point of his injury... that you show it on the field. He has kept it off the field as of late... and it shows.

BTW, Sims should know that Gruden would start Bin Laden, most hated man in America, if he was the best QB on the roster.

[kurt]

after watching both morning sessions this weekend, i left unimpressed with simms' play; he has no short game. however, greise threw deep td passes sat to stovall & clayton while mccown hit stovall & jax today. those 2 look sharp - especially greise so far. also, adams, brooks, ruud & graham look like monsters while newcomers troupe, dunn, wilson & bennett looked sharp. offensive line first team are the same besides faine. d got a pick on the first play durring full squad drills - adams would have sacked him anyway. hope this helps some of you. i don't know why they don't report what goes on at practice?