Now Lee is angry over playing time

By JOANNE KORTH and ROGER MILLS
Published November 25, 2004

TAMPA - Receiver Charles Lee expressed anger in being left off the active roster for Sunday's victory against the 49ers, adding the team is not showing him respect.

"My play speaks for itself," Lee said Wednesday in the locker room at One Buc Place. "I've produced. I could see if I was dropping passes or running wrong routes or making mental errors.

"But just from a standpoint of not knowing what's going on and no one having any answers for you, it's frustrating. At some point the frustration goes away and you just become p----- off. I'm past frustration. I'm very angry."

Lee, a fifth-year pro, has 15 catches for 207 yards in seven games this season. Hamstring and knee injuries kept him out of the opener against Washington and the Oct. 24 game against the Bears. Lee said he was healthy Sunday.

"The last two weeks I haven't been doing anything," Lee said. "I haven't been getting reps in practice. I'm basically just standing and watching practice like I'm a spectator."

Lee said he planned to speak to coach Jon Gruden before Wednesday afternoon's practice, but, based on the outcome of previous discussions, was not optimistic.

"It seems like once that's been done, it pretty much goes back to square one," Lee said. "We might have our little talk like we've done in the past and it's, "Be patient, be patient; your time's going to come.' Then it seems like the same old story."

Lee's knee injury, sustained Oct. 18 in a loss at St. Louis, coincided with the returns of injured receivers Joe Jurevicius and Joey Galloway. Against the 49ers, Jurevicius caught five passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns, Galloway three for 22.

Gruden declined to comment about Lee.

"Joe Jurevicius is back playing; Galloway's playing," Gruden said. "There's a lot of guys, I'm sure, who would like to get more reps. When you have a lot of great players, it's hard to get them all opportunities. ... I'm not going to address that publicly."

Last week, Jurevicius spoke to Gruden about wanting a bigger role in the offense coming off knee and back surgery. Against the 49ers, Jurevicius' production increased.

"I don't think being quiet helps," Lee said. "I think people sometimes take your niceness for granted. Just because you're a passive, laid-back guy, people tend to take that like you can just run over the guy. Certainly, it's not that way at all."

Lee, who played with quarterback Daunte Culpepper at Central Florida, joined the Bucs as a free agent Oct. 1, 2001, but in two seasons had three catches for 32 yards and 1 touchdown in eight games. Lee emerged as a playmaker late last season with 33 catches for 432 yards and two touchdowns - all career highs - and five starts in eight games.

HARSH WORDS: It didn't take long for the trash talk to heat up between Bucs right tackle Kenyatta Walker and Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers. The players have a well-documented disdain for each other and have engaged in some heated battles.

On a conference call with Tampa Bay media, Peppers was asked if Walker seemed a different player this season than in the past.

"I see the same guy on tape," Peppers said. "Same style, same hands to the face when he's playing against a speed rusher. When he's playing against somebody who's going to power him up, he really doesn't try that as much. He tries to get his base wider and tries to hold them. He's doing the same old stuff he's been doing."

Bucs offensive line coach Bill Muir defended his player.

"I don't know what he's watching," Muir said. "I'm not being coy. I understand history, but how many games are we into the season? If that is a perpetual action, where are all the calls?"

Walker took a more diplomatic approach. "He's playing well and I'm not playing too bad either," Walker said.

ROSTER MOVE: Defensive tackle Anthony McFarland was placed in the injured reserve list and his spot on the 53-man roster was filled by running back Ian Smart.

"I've been going against the best defense in the league," said Smart, who was on the practice squad. "They're helping me out and I hope I've been helping them out."

Smart, who spent parts of the past two seasons with the Jets, has turned heads in practice and said he looks forward to being active on game day. He also has been working on the punt return team.

The Bucs filled Smart's spot on the practice squad with defensive tackle Anthony Wright, who spent most of the season on the Colts practice squad before being released on Nov. 1.

INJURY REPORT: Linebacker Keith Burns (hamstring), cornerback Mario Edwards (chest), center Sean Mahan (shoulder) and safety Dwight Smith (knee) are probable. Cornerback Corey Ivy (knee) is questionable. Safety Jermaine Phillips (arm) is out.

[Last modified November 25, 2004, 00:12:21]