LANDOVER, Md. - Once in a while, Tim Brown looks at his helmet and jersey and feels like he has put the uniform on by mistake.
After 16 seasons with the Raiders, the offense may be the only thing he seems perfectly suited for.
"It's obviously going to be very different, no doubt," Brown said of today's season opener with the Bucs. "I was asked a little earlier, "Do you ever take a look at the helmet and still go, "Wow!" ' Certainly, I do. The other day, (coach Jon) Gruden had me call the team up and I said my few words. But when I got ready to say, "On three, go Bucs!' I mean, I literally had to say to myself, "Go-o-o-o-o B-u-c-s. Make sure we say Bucs, here, okay?' I mean, after thousands of times saying Raiders, it would have been very easy for that to slip out."
It won't be much different for running back Charlie Garner, receiver Joey Galloway or tackles Derrick Deese and Todd Steussie.
Free agency has a way of turning veterans into gypsies late in their careers. The only color that never changes is the green they are paid to play.
That's why it's so hard to know what to expect from the Bucs offense today against the Redskins at FedEx Field.
Quarterback Brad Johnson, fullback Mike Alstott, tight end Ken Dilger and guard Cosey Coleman are the only players who remain from the unit that won the Super Bowl two years ago.
Moreover, the 11 players who will start on offense never played a snap together in the preseason.
"Continuity hasn't been a strong suit since I've been here," Gruden said. "This is the third year that we've had the same press conference if you want me to be honest with you. You win a Super Bowl, your MVP is gone in free agency, you lose Al Singleton and shortly after that, we lose ( Joe) Jurevicius and Alstott and Brian Kelly.
"We've not been the most together bunch in terms of who's in the media guide. But there's a lot of pride in this locker room. There's a lot of veterans who've played extremely well in their past and we have reason to believe they can play well again. We've got a lot of character here. And I believe if we can just hang together and fight together we've got a chance to be a pretty good football team."
Even if he isn't used to seeing himself in pewter and red, Brown said the change was needed.
"I told my wife the day after I got here and I was on the field running routes, I told her I know this is going to be very difficult, the transition and all that stuff," the 38-year-old receiver said. "And I don't know if I'm going to catch five balls or 50 balls. It just felt so fresh. I knew I'd made the right decision."
HAPPY RETURNS: Speaking of Galloway, he could have an impact on special teams. At 32, the free-agent receiver will be asked to return punts.
"Actually, I'm excited about it," Galloway said. "It is a little crazy because you've got 10 guys running full speed that want to take your head off."
NO HANGOVER: Coming off a Super Bowl or a losing season, it doesn't matter to Gruden on opening day. Every year is a new year.
"It doesn't feel any different, really. Going to Philadelphia and playing on Monday night in a new stadium was a handful, a tall order for us," Gruden said of opening day 2003. "I'm excited about the future with the Buccaneers and certainly with the group of players that we have. It'll be a fun time."
HAIR TODAY: Bald is beautiful, but several veterans have spent training camp letting their hair down. Apparently, there was a wager about who could grow it and who could not.
"As you can see, I still have hair, I'm not bald," linebacker Derrick Brooks said. "I may keep it this way, I don't know. It makes me look younger."
