Tackle happy to be hitting instead of sitting

By JOANNE KORTH
Published August 25, 2005

TAMPA - Left tackle Anthony Davis hasn't let it sink in yet that he is the starter for the season-opening game at Minnesota. He's just glad to be at practice.

Davis, a second-year pro, missed a week with a deep thigh bruise. Ironically, it was during his absence that coach Jon Gruden announced Davis had won the job.

"I'd never sat out," Davis said Wednesday. "That was the first major injury I've had since I've been playing football. It was tough. But I did my treatment, got in the training room and got back on the field, so I'm ready to go now."

Davis, 6 feet 4 and 322 pounds, won the job in the absence of veteran Derrick Deese, whose return from a left foot injury is uncertain. Davis split time Wednesday with veteran Todd Steussie during drills with the first-team offense, but Davis expects to start Saturday's preseason game at Miami.

"My thigh is feeling good," said Davis, who wore a small pad on his leg to act as a shield. "I'm getting a lot of work. Hopefully, I'll get to play a lot and get back in the flow."

Coaches like Davis' aggressive style, especially for run blocking.

"Sometimes I'm too aggressive," Davis said, "but I love hitting."

STORM WARNING: The Bucs are keeping an eye on the weather in South Florida. Tropical Storm Katrina is gaining strength and forecasted to make landfall along the southeast Florida coast Friday, the Bucs' travel day.

"I'm done with contingency plans," Gruden said. "We just hope the weather passes through. If it's raining, then it's raining and it's raining and we're going to have to deal with the rain. It's part of life; it's part of football. ... I had to think there was some kind of tropical deal going on with all this humidity."

DEADLINE LOOMS: The Bucs have 91 players on the roster, but must trim to 65 by Tuesday. Saturday's game will be an important final opportunity for several players to make an impression.

"For a lot of guys, it will be their last game this season as a Buc," Gruden said. "It's a sensitive time for them and for us. There's been a lot of hard work put in by a lot of people."

Gruden said he will balance giving the starters playing time to prepare for the regular season with making sure coaches see enough of young players to make evaluations.

"We're going to try to do it all in this game," he said. "We're going to try to play our starters enough to get a legitimate look to see where they are, and they're going to give way at some point in the second quarter to a lot of new players."

INJURY REPORT: Right tackle Kenyatta Walker, who had offseason knee surgery, did not practice. Walker practiced Monday and Tuesday but avoids going three straight days as a precaution, Gruden said.

[Last modified August 25, 2005, 01:23:19]