By RICK STROUD, GREG AUMAN
Published April 27, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - Running back Michael Pittman surrendered to authorities at the Estrella Tent Facility in Maricopa County, Ariz., Monday to begin his 30-day jail sentence for pleading guilty to felony endangerment.
Pittman will not be eligible for release until May 8. He is allowed only three 30-minute visits per week from out-of-county residents.
Coach Jon Gruden said Monday the team plans to keep a spot on the roster for Pittman, who is subject to a multigame suspension by the NFL for twice violating the code of conduct policy.
If Pittman is suspended, Gruden said it would not count against the team's 53-man roster.
"Michael has made mistakes, some serious mistakes," Gruden said. "He's taken some heat and we have had our share. But we're going to help him turn this thing around."
The case is under review by the NFL, according to spokesman Michael Signora.
STRIKING GOLD: The Bucs are considering signing Broncos free-agent linebacker Ian Gold, who played in six games last season before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
Gold visited One Buc Place in Tampa on Sunday and took a physical.
"He's a good football player now, I'll tell you that," Gruden said. "(The knee) is pretty good. He's been given physicals. I don't know what I can say under the collective-bargaining agreement. I don't know if I can say anything. He'll be ready to roll (for training camp)."
The pursuit of Gold did not affect the Bucs' plans of considering a linebacker in the first round of the draft.
"We didn't look at that at all," Gruden said. "We looked at the draft as, when it's our time to pick, let's get a good player, let's get the best player available when we pick. This situation has nothing to do with the draft."
ANOTHER BUC: Brigham Young center Scott Jackson signed as an undrafted free agent, according to the Desert Morning News.
Jackson, 6 feet 5 and 300 pounds, started the past two seasons for the Cougars and chose the Bucs over offers from Jacksonville and Buffalo, the Utah newspaper reported. At 25, Jackson is older than most draft prospects, having served a two-year mission after redshirting his first season at BYU in 1997.
With Jackson, the Bucs have four players listed as centers on their roster: starter John Wade; Austin King, a draft pick last season; and free agent Ben Claxton, currently playing in NFL Europe.
The Bucs did not release the names of any undrafted rookie free agents Monday.
NOW TEAMMATES: Tight end Nate Lawrie, the Bucs' sixth-round pick out of Yale, went to high school in Indianapolis and modeled himself as a young player after Colts tight end Ken Dilger. Now the two are teammates, and ultimately, competing for roster spots, but Lawrie said he'll be honored to have the chance to line up alongside a player he's watched for the past decade.
"I looked up to him a lot as a youngster, watched him as I learned the position," Lawrie said. "It's nice to be able to come in and learn from some seasoned veterans."
Contributing on special teams can help a low-round pick make a team, and the 262-pound Lawrie can do so in a surprising way: punting. He was Yale's punter last season, averaging 35.0 yards on 40 attempts, and while he's not going to take Josh Bidwell's job, it's one skill he can bring that could help the Bucs in the event of an injury during a game.
"It's not something I'm coming into the league to do," Lawrie said. "But it is an asset I can bring to the team, and I'll do anything they ask me to do."
