Bucs/NFL

Bucs push for rule allowing penalties to be challenged

By RICK STROUD and STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published March 28, 2006

LAKE BUENA VISTA - Bucs coach Jon Gruden believes instant replay should be used to correct all mistakes - including those made by officials.

NFL owners will vote on a proposal by Tampa Bay to expand the instant replay challenge system to include penalties.

"I think replay is a great tool to correct errors," Gruden said. "I think that's what the No.1 objective of instant replay was, to correct errors. And down-by-contact is an issue to correct further error. And I think plays that aren't just reception plays or turnover plays or down-by-contact plays, I think you ought to make it all a very conclusive thing where if you're going to challenge a play, it's to correct an error that is obvious.

"If there's a facemask call, if there's a roughing-the-passer penalty that's called that obviously isn't a penalty that you want to risk your challenge for, those plays have as much outcome on games as any play in the game. A 38-yard run that's called back ... I believe instant replay the way I perceive it is to correct an obvious error, and to broaden the perspective of instant replay I think would be beneficial."

WOODSON PLANS: Reading between the lines, it appears the Bucs' interest in Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson is for him to play safety.

Woodson visited One Buc Place last week but left without an offer. He became a free agent March 11 when the Raiders declined to use their franchise tag on him as they had the two previous seasons.

"Free agency is not just making acquisitions, it's the interview process," Gruden said. "Charles is a friend of mine and now that he's a free agent it's a chance to resume some friendships. I care about him. He's a great player and was a great player when I was with him, I know that.

"I look at Charles as a football player. That's how he won the Heisman Trophy, playing offense, playing defense. And as you watched him play (last) year, he played strong safety, free safety, left and right corner. He's a football player. His role, if we were to be able to get him, would be determined as the days unfold. He is a hell of a football player, a great guy and obviously we're pursuing him like a lot of other teams are."

LINE DANCE: The re-signing of free-agent tackle Kenyatta Walker last week means the Bucs will have all five offensive linemen who started 17 games in 2005.

But the Bucs still plan to add offensive linemen. They signed Chargers and Vikings guard Toniu Fonoti to a one-year contract last week.

"We did interview several candidates," Gruden said. "There are still a couple guys available that we have interviewed and talked to. But I think to have five linemen go wire-to-wire for 17 games was maybe the greatest feat in the history of the franchise. And to have continuity on the line is a start to getting better. If you have an area that you want to improve, sometimes reaching out into free agency is what you think you need to do, but at the end of the day, sometimes it's not always the best thing to do."

QB OR NOT QB: Gruden said the Bucs want to add a quarterback before the start of training camp if possible. They received a visit last week from the Seahawks' Seneca Wallace , a restricted free agent, who has not been given an offer sheet.

"We feel great about getting Chris Simms back and the performance he laid out there the last 10 games and the progress he made during the three-day quarterback orientation was a good start," Gruden said. "We're excited about having him back. Obviously, we lost a really good player in Brian Griese to Chicago. But Luke McCown has made progress. He's going into his third season now. And Tim Rattay has played, he's a veteran guy.

"As always, we're going to be looking for other quarterbacks, whether they be through the trade, like we did last year to get McCown and Rattay, through free agency or through the draft."

NO FUN LEAGUE: If a series of rules changes proposed by the league's competition committee are passed this week, many of the end-zone celebrations seen last season would be met with 15-yard penalties.

Atlanta general manager Rich McKay and Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher , the group's co-chairs, said language in the proposed rules would prohibit players from going to the ground during a celebration, using the ball as a prop, or any sort of prolonged celebration that delays the game. Infractions would draw a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

On other competition-related issues, the committee is recommending changes that would soften enforcement of false starts in some instances and would tweak rules on "down-by-contact" situations that currently aren't able to be overturned on replay.

Owners will vote by Wednesday on the recommendations. Passage requires 24 votes.

MORE PICKS: The Bucs were granted sixth- and seventh-round compensatory picks by the Management Council.

Compensatory picks are given to teams that lost more or better compensatory free agents in the previous season. The Bucs' sixth-round pick is No. 202 overall and their seventh will be 244th.

[Last modified March 28, 2006, 03:01:29]