Bucs give Barber shot at running back

Ronde's twin brother, Tiki, is a star RB, and coach Jon Gruden wants to know if success at the position runs in the family.

[Times photo: Bill Serne] Ronde Barber, normally a cornerback, takes off after a handoff from Brad Johnson.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA - It just got harder to tell the Barber twins apart.

The Bucs are considering using cornerback Ronde Barber at running back, the position played by his twin brother, Tiki, with the Giants.

For the first time in seven NFL seasons Barber practiced lining up in the backfield and took handoffs from quarterback Brad Johnson in a drill during the team's first training camp workout.

"I call him Robo Barber," coach Jon Gruden said. "There's a Tiki Barber I know in New York that can play offense, and I saw we had a Barber wearing No. 20. I did do some research over the summer, checking in on Thomas Jones and what he did at Virginia. And I happened to look at old Ronde Barber's high school statistics, and he's had a knack for making some plays, also."

Barber, 28, said he has not played offense since he shared the backfield with Tiki at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Va.

"I flirted with it a little bit in college, but never anything in the game," Barber said. "It'll be fun. Fun to toy with and see how fierce we can really come with it.

"Just watching Tiki, I remember him being inspiring when I was in high school and college and stuff. But I never really thought about it. My job is hard enough as it is."

You can't blame Gruden for wanting to use Barber on offense.

For starters, the Bucs running back situation is clouded, with Michael Pittman facing two felony assault charges and Jones recently arriving in a trade with Arizona.

Gruden also hopes to tap into the genetic pool, knowing Tiki led the NFC last season with 1,984 total yards (1,387 rushing for 11 TDs, 597 receiving).

"It won't be just to get the fans excited, it's a play," Johnson said of Ronde lining up on offense. "He's not going to waste his time with just a showboat play. It's going to mean something, and he thinks it's going to help us somewhere down the line. I don't question him."

This is not the first time Gruden has put a defensive player on the offense. Last season the Bucs offensive savant used defensive tackle Warren Sapp at tight end in short-yardage and mostly goal-line situations. Although he didn't catch a pass, Sapp blocked at the point of attack for several touchdowns.

"I have some bizarre thoughts in the offseason," Gruden said.

When Gruden approached Barber about playing running back, Barber wasn't sure he was serious.

"I think Gruden is just messing around," Barber said. "He throws ideas out there. You almost have to take him seriously. We'll see what comes of it. He might just be trying to fool you guys.

"I'm playing kind of a flanker. That F guy. That wing guy that people use in high school and some of those smaller schools use in college. ... He said I'm the Robo Barber because Tiki is just a running back. I do it all."

Of course, Barber's primary job will remain at cornerback, where he earned a spot on the NFC Pro Bowl team in 2001 before being snubbed last year despite an outstanding season.

Despite playing with a thumb fracture and a torn right posterior cruciate ligament, Barber had one of the most dominant defensive performances in NFC Championship Game history. He forced a fumble, recorded a sack and sealed a win over Philadelphia with his 92-yard interception return for a touchdown.

"These training camp deals can be long and repetitive," Barber said. "It's definitely a good break for me. I get to do something a little different and make it interesting for us, especially these first couple days."

Said Gruden: "You never know how many (backs and wideouts) you're going to have on game day, and to have a guy who can make plays is something we might look at."

But fans will swear they're seeing double.

- Times staff photographer Bill Serne contributed to this report.

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