By RICK STROUD and ROGER MILLS
Published April 7, 2004
TAMPA - Jon Gruden is known to wake before the rooster and now he has made sure the Bucs beat most of the NFL to the practice field.
Gruden held the first organized team activity Tuesday, beginning full-squad, voluntary workouts that normally are scheduled for May or June.
The reason? The Bucs are nearing the 80-man roster limit for training camp, excluding exemptions for NFL Europe players, and will have to cut players to make room to sign members of their 2004 draft class.
About 75 players attended Tuesday's practice, including more than 20 signed since the start of free agency. Each team is limited to 14 organized team activities and the Bucs will burn three during workouts that conclude Friday.
"I'm very pleased," Gruden said. "We've got a lot of guys here for this time of year, working hard, and we got a lot of good work done.
"You can't have practice like this before the draft unless you put the coaches on the service squad, or whatever. But when you've got three and four deep at certain positions, let's take them out here, let's get three good days before the draft, see what we have, see where we are and use the draft as another vehicle to address any needs we feel we have."
But the best sight for Gruden was the return of several players who were injured last season, including fullback Mike Alstott, receiver Joe Jurevicius and defensive backs Brian Kelly and Torrie Cox."
NEW ROLE FOR BROOKS: When he gathered with members of the media for the first time since changes swept through One Buc Place, linebacker Derrick Brooks introduced himself and shook the hand of several reporters.
"Hi, I'm Derrick Brooks," he joked after voluntary team workouts. "Nice to meet you."
But playful introductions aside, Brooks was making the point that as the team's elder statesman, he has had to shake quite a few hands and meet quite a few new people.
With about 30 players acquired since the end of the 2003 season, getting familiar with new teammates is the foundation for building a team.
"A prime example is (new offensive tackle) Todd Steussie," Brooks said. "I faced him every year in this league, playing against each other. Now, it's getting his respect as an opponent and keeping his respect as a teammate. Those are things. ... Those (are the things that) go beyond the boundaries of football, the (things) this team is going to have to stand on."
Of course, the workout did seem devoid of two dominant personalities: defensive tackle Warren Sapp and safety John Lynch, who moved on to the Raiders and Broncos, respectively.
"Hitting the field without them, that was pretty weird," Brooks said. "It's going to get a little bit better every day when you distance yourself and focus in on the football team we have here."
Brooks said in the absence of two of the franchise's most visible and outspoken personalities, he has no intention of changing his role.
"I'll just be myself," Brooks said. "I think the guys coming here know I have earned their respect by them seeing the way I play and the way I do things."
Gruden agreed: "I don't see his leadership role is going to change. He's as dynamic a leader as they get. We're going to have some other ones emerge now and it's exciting to see that happen."
ALSTOTT BACK ON TRACK: Cleared to play by doctors after early offseason neck surgery, a fit looking Alstott (250 pounds) was back in the mix Tuesday.
"I feel great," he said. "At first, I was a little rusty, my footwork and some of my steps were a little off. But I think that's with everyone coming into the offseason. As far as physically, my neck, my body feels great."
Alstott, 30, injured his neck in the second game of the 2003 season and finally was placed on injured reserve Oct.7. Alstott said he is in top physical shape because he has been working out since late last year and he has no concerns about re-injuring his neck.
"I can feel it, I can tell my body is normal now," he said. "I have no pain, I have no symptoms and I'm doing everything the same as the other guys. Nothing's keeping me back from any of the drills."
But the Bucs still are months from full contact drills and pads, expected to be a milestone for Alstott. He can't wait.
"When does camp open up?" he said. "Unless (members of the media) want to come out next week and put the pads on."
WORKING HIS WAY BACK: While Alstott rejoined teammates on the field, running back Charlie Garner was inside One Buc Place continuing to rehab his left knee. Garner, signed in March to a six-year, $20-million deal that came with a $4-million signing bonus, is coming off left knee surgery and may not be ready until May.
"He's a few weeks away," Gruden said. "But he's here, in town, getting himself ready to go. He's trying to meet his new teammates and get himself acclimated to our system. It's going to be a process, but he's not far away."
SELMON'S FOR LUNCH: Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon attended the workout and was the guest of general manager Bruce Allen for lunch.
The location: The Lee Roy Selmon room at One Buc Place.
Allen had Selmon's name affixed to the door of a room that used to house the team's director of player personnel. Now it has been remodeled to serve as a conference room for Bucs scouts and it contains the team's draft boards.
Though the Bucs' 28-year-old facility will be destroyed after a new complex is completed in 2006, Selmon was appreciative of the gesture.
"It's humbling, because that's something done out of the goodness of one's heart," Selmon told buccaneers.com. "For Coach Gruden, Bruce Allen and the organization to do something like that is really special. It's something that I don't take for granted, and I thank God above for all the kindness and love that's been shown."
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "There are a lot of Williamses in this draft. Roy, Mike and Reggie and D.J. It's good to be a Williams. Pick a Williams and tell me which one we got."
- Gruden on the number of Williamses expected to go in the first round.
