TAMPA - He arrived in a trade for Keyshawn Johnson, but there isn't any guarantee that new receiver Joey Galloway will be a starter for the Bucs.
Bucs coach Jon Gruden, while delighted to have Galloway's big-play potential, deeply appreciates starters Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius, who missed the bulk of the season with a knee injury.
Galloway said he's not making any demands to be a starter.
"I don't think it's fair to either one of those guys," he said. "I think that both guys (McCardell and Jurevicius) are talented receivers that have been in the league for a long time, and I don't know that it would be fair for me to come in and say, "Am I going to start ahead of one of these guys that's been there, that's done it with this team.'
"So, I think, really, all I can do is come in and compete. I do what I do, they do what they do, which is totally different. It's going to be up to the coaches to decide (who) they want to put on the field."
In fact, if Jurevicius' knee recovers fully, the Bucs receiving corps looks attractive, considering Charles Lee's play late last season.
"I don't expect any guarantees," Galloway said.
THE HITS KEEP COMING: To date, the Bucs have signed 16 new players since the start of the free agency period March 3. Not bad for a team facing salary cap desperation one month ago.
So, is general manager Bruce Allen a creative accountant, or are the Bucs pulling in veterans on cheap?
"We're quite pleased in some of the players, and they have all had to work within our restraints," Allen said. "Cap-wise it has shown a great commitment to want to be a Buccaneer. Each one of them has custom-fitted their particular contract needs to fit our system."
The Bucs also have restructured the contracts of Derrick Brooks and Brian Kelly and released the likes of John Lynch and Ken Dilger to create room under the cap.
THE HIGH ROAD: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted that the lack of continuity in the Cowboys quarterback situation might have affected Galloway's play. But credit the veteran receiver for not throwing his owner, coaches or quarterbacks under the bus.
"I have never in my career been one to say anything negative about any one of my teammates, and that's including the quarterbacks," he said. "We weren't successful there. We didn't win enough. We weren't good enough on offense. That's really all I have to say about that."
MENDING FENCES: The Bucs begin their offseason conditioning program Monday and quarterback orientation Tuesday. That will put starter Brad Johnson in a room with Gruden on the heels of the Bucs' pursuit of Mark Brunell and Jeff Garcia.
Gruden routinely has restated his admiration for Johnson and Allen said there are no hard feelings.
"(Brad's) agent (Phil Williams) was in this week, and we had a good dialogue with him," Allen said. "I don't believe there could be any friction. Brad probably has benefited more from our offseason signings than anyone else, with the four offensive linemen we have acquired. I know he's pleased with (tackle) Todd Steussie and Todd Steussie is looking forward to protecting him."
