Sapp to play offense?

It's no joke, the big defensive tackle and sometimes critic of the offense might line up as a blocking back, tight end or guard.

By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 31, 2002

[Times photo: James Borchuck] Warren Sapp might get in on some fun with Jon Gruden's offense, potentially lining up in the backfield or elsewhere in certain situations.

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- Defensive tackle Warren Sapp never has been afraid to critique the Bucs offense. Now he may get a chance to contribute to it.

Coach Jon Gruden and a number of coaches on offense have discussed using Sapp on offense as a tight end, fullback or guard, in addition to his duties on the defensive line.

Sapp, recruited as a tight end at the University of Miami, made an appearance at fullback as a Bucs rookie in 1995.

"There's a chance that I'm going to ask Warren Sapp to do a lot of things," Gruden said Tuesday. "It might be at fullback, it might be at guard, it might be at tight end. You haven't seen it yet, so you would be speculating."

Asked what he thought about playing on offense Sapp replied: "Anything for a W."

Gruden, who believes in giving the best player a chance to contribute, said it would be premature to pencil Sapp in with the offense in any particular situation. But he hinted observant fans could be in for a treat in coming practices.

"As time goes on we're going to get into some situations and more and more things are going to become specific," Gruden said. "I'm not going to get into the X's and O's (but) I'm not going to close practices."

Running back coach Kirby Wilson and tight ends coach Art Valero said they have discussed situations in which Sapp could help the offense.

Wilson, in his fifth season coaching, said Gruden showed the coaching staff convincing film of Sapp playing fullback.

"I saw some early film on him in some situations where he was a fullback and I was impressed," Wilson said. "It was the NFL. I don't know where they dug it up from, but he looked really good.

"When coach showed it to us, the whole staff were like, 'Whoa! Man, he's all right.' It wasn't like we laughed."

With Mike Alstott and Jameel Cook in camp, the Bucs appear set at fullback. But using Sapp's 6-foot-2, 303-pound frame on goal-line and short-yardage situations is tempting.

"He's a great athlete and if he really wanted to he could play in any of those positions," Wilson said. "I know it's something Coach talked about. So, if it's on his mind, there's a possibility."

Valero said Sapp raised the idea of contributing at tight end.

"Warren was All-America in high school as a tight end. That was one of the first things he told us when he came in -- how good he was," Valero said. "We did a couple of things with him to see, and he's every bit as athletic on that (offensive) side of the ball as he is on the other.

"He's an athlete, he's a competitor. And when you get down in that situation you want to make sure you've got guys who are going to find a way to get it done. That's the things he's shown us so far. Hopefully, we can fit him into some packages and do some things, and it'll be fun."

-- Staff writer Rick Stroud contributed to this report.

Today's lineup

Bucs