By JOANNE KORTH, RICK STROUD
Published September 2, 2003
TAMPA - Tampa Bay signed veteran Tony McGee to a one-year contract Monday, giving coach Jon Gruden four tight ends for Monday's season opener against the Eagles.
Terms were not disclosed.
McGee, an 11th-year pro with 150 career starts, caught 23 passes for 294 yards and one touchdown last season for the Cowboys. Dallas released him Sunday. "Tony is a solid veteran who has played at a high level in this league for a number of years," general manager Rich McKay said in a statement. "Hopefully he can come in and contribute to our ballclub."
The need arose after veteran Rickey Dudley suffered a high ankle sprain in Thursday's preseason finale against the Texans. The Bucs reached an injury settlement with Dudley, but that left just three tight ends: Ken Dilger, backup Todd Yoder, who has a sprained knee, and rookie Will Heller.
Gruden likes tight ends, using several multiple sets in his offense.
McGee, 32, has 322 career catches for 4,089 yards with 21 touchdowns. A former second-round draft pick of the Bengals, he played nine seasons in Cincinnati before signing with the Cowboys in 2002. At 6 feet 4, 241 pounds, he makes tough catches over the middle and is a solid blocker.
To make room on the 53-man roster, the Bucs released rookie offensive tackle Lance Nimmo, a fourth-round draft pick out of West Virginia. Nimmo becomes a strong candidate for the practice squad.
LINE DANCING: Gruden continues to tinker with the offensive line, where he has six players worthy of starting but only five positions. Could there be a changing of the guard? Or tackle?
"We've been game-planning and practicing our line, working up to where we see it Week 1," Gruden said. "But, at the same time, we have some versatility that we're going to creatively have to utilize some way, somehow."
The Bucs started the same line in all five preseason games: center John Wade, guards Cosey Coleman and Kerry Jenkins and tackles Kenyatta Walker and Roman Oben.
Guard Jason Whittle was acquired in March to take over for Coleman at right guard. What the Bucs could not have predicted was Whittle breaking his leg in May or Coleman playing so well in extended time with the first unit.
Now that Whittle is healthy, Gruden is experimenting with line combinations, including one that puts Whittle at right and moves Coleman to left guard and Jenkins to left tackle. Jenkins played tackle with the second team against Houston, making a key block to spring Aaron Stecker's 25-yard touchdown run.
"We don't want to make anything known to anybody right now," Gruden said. "We're closing in on our destination and we'll give our players a clear direction on Wednesday where we're heading."
CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Players voted for six team captains: Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp and John Lynch on defense and Brad Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Mike Alstott on offense.
