'I don't know if I deserve to be here'

Gramatica questions his future as Bucs plan to go with a new kicker.

By RICK STROUD
Published November 30, 2004

TAMPA - Finding a person who can make a case for him staying on the team is hard for Martin Gramatica.

Even when the Bucs kicker looks in the mirror.

"I don't know if I deserve to have a job here," Gramatica said Monday. "That's just the way it is. I've done everything I could as far as working out and being prepared and being as strong and healthy as possible. It's just things haven't worked out."

One day after watching Gramatica miss three field goals in a 21-14 loss at Carolina, coach Jon Gruden said he plans to find a free agent to handle the placekicking Sunday against the Falcons.

Gruden said the team will hold a workout for kickers today but stopped short of saying whether Gramatica will continue to wear a Tampa Bay uniform: "I don't know what I'm considering right now. All I know is I'm considering doing everything we've got to do to improve that aspect of our football team. Clearly, it's been a sore thumb for us."

No prospects were revealed, but a likely candidate is Jay Taylor of the Arena Football League's Orlando Predators. Taylor was 18-for-25 with a long of 50 yards and had one field goal blocked in 2004. The 28-year-old out of West Virginia was released from the Bucs' practice squad two weeks ago.

Among the veterans available are Brett Conway (Giants/Redskins), Mike Hollis (Jaguars, Giants) and Danny Kight (Colts, Jets). Rob Bironas (Auburn), Tim Duncan (Oklahoma) and Todd France (Toledo) are other possibilities.

Gramatica, nicknamed "Automatica" for his accuracy earlier in his career, has been in a slump since helping the team win a Super Bowl two years ago. Though strong and accurate in practice and pregame warmups, he has made just 11-of-19 field goals this season and is 4-of-11 on tries from 30 or more yards. He hasn't kicked a field goal of more than 22 yards since Oct. 10.

On Sunday, Gramatica hooked his first attempt, a 39-yarder in the first quarter, wide left. His second try, a 26-yarder in the second quarter, appeared low and was blocked by Carolina's Julius Peppers.

After the Bucs rallied to tie the score at 14 in the fourth quarter, Gramatica hooked a 37-yard attempt wide left with 1:53 remaining. Five plays later, Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme hit wideout Keary Colbert with a winning 40-yard touchdown.

Gramatica said he has watched film of his errant kicks and is unable to pinpoint the problem.

"I mean, if I had the reason, I'd tell you," he said. "Or if I had the answer, I would've correct it. But the team needs to win games and, obviously, I'm not helping. So I'm prepared for whatever happens. I wish I could stay here, and I'm going to give the team all I've got. That's what I've always done. I've given all my effort and that's basically all I can do."

Gruden said Monday that parting with the 2000 Pro Bowl kicker would not be easy. The sixth-year pro is the team's career scoring leader who set club records with 32 field goals and 128 points in 2002. There also would be a salary cap hit. The Bucs signed Gramatica to a seven-year contract worth about $12-million in January 2002, a deal that included a $1.7-million signing bonus. The next year, the team restructured his deal, paying $1.17-million of his salary in signing bonus.

"All I know is he missed three field goals (Sunday)," Gruden said. "He missed a couple in St. Louis, missed one in the dome in New Orleans. We had struggles with an extra point, with a high snap I guess, against Kansas City. His kickoffs have improved. But that's an aspect of your football team that where I come from, every team I think I've been on, the kicker is your leading scorer at the end of every season and those are plays that need to be made. Is his confidence shaken? He needs to answer that, but I would think it is, yes."

Certainly, Gruden has lost confidence in the 29-year-old kicker. Three weeks ago, the Bucs lost 24-14 at Atlanta after Gruden passed up a chance to try a 45-yard field goal that could have tied the score at 17 late in the fourth quarter.

"Unfortunately, we've had a lot to swallow," Gruden said. "Some of these losses are ... I don't know the word I'm looking for ... "maddening' is the word I'm looking for. Maddening. Not only to the players, not only to the coaches, but to our fans. You're counting on certain aspects of your football team to come through for you and clearly it's been a problem.

"The guy has got to make his shots and we will go to extreme measures to acquire a guy to get that done."

Not even Gramatica will argue with that.

"I feel bad that I'm letting people that believe in me down," he said.

[Last modified November 30, 2004, 05:04:21]