Bucs stand ready to make a deal

The team has a few “specific players” on its trade radar, coach Jon Gruden says.

By RICK STROUD
Published October 16, 2006

TAMPA — The difference in the Bucs’ season may boil down to one or two plays. Coach Jon Gruden thinks it could be one or two players as well.

The Bucs are targeting a few “specific players’’ to acquire before today’s 4 p.m. trading deadline, Gruden said.
He wouldn’t reveal his wish list, but the team seems willing to part with a player, draft picks or a combination of both to help dig out of a 1-4 start.

“We’re always going to be in a position to make deals, I hope, if we feel like a deal can help our team,” Gruden said Monday at his news conference. “And we are looking into some specific players in the league. Not everybody, but we are targeting specific players and the opportunity of acquiring them. And that’s all I can say on that matter, but we’ll see what happens.”

Last year, the Bucs traded a sixth-round draft pick for quarterback Tim Rattay.

Tampa Bay’s biggest needs seem to be in the secondary or on the defensive line.

Cornerback Brian Kelly has missed three games this season with a recurring turf-toe injury, and Gruden expects him to be doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have the league’s No. 1 passing offense.

Gruden suggested that Kelly might need surgery to repair a degenerative toe injury.

“They tell me there’s a chance surgery could fix that,” Gruden said. “It’s unfortunate. It’s just not getting better, and he’s unable to go right now. Until he can go, we’ll continue to play the guys who are well enough.

“I can just go on what I hear from the trainer, and that’s that it’s just a sore toe and he’s not feeling good enough to play. I can’t say much more than that other than it’s a day-to-day thing. But he was unable to play again (Sunday against the Bengals).”

Perhaps not coincidentally, Kelly has been the subject of trade speculation. One report Sunday on Foxsports.com said Kelly and defensive tackle Anthony McFarland were among several underachieving defensive players that the Bucs were shopping for a trade.

Gruden wouldn’t comment Monday on speculation the Bucs may be willing to part with some of their defensive stars.

“I am not going to speculate on defensive players, offensive players or future draft picks,” Gruden said. “There are specific guys that we would like to have, that’s all I’ll say. At the same time, we like what we’re doing as a football team. We feel like the last couple games got away from us. Games we should have won, could have won. We’re going to continue to try to and improve our team and defend against the Eagles.”

The NFL used to be known as the no trade league, but a provision in the new collective bargaining agreement makes it easier to get deals done. Under the old agreement, a team trading a player had to absorb the entire acceleration of any signing bonus immediately.

Under the new system, teams can put off dealing with such a huge cap hit until the following year.

Kelly expressed some disappointment in the offseason that the Bucs did not approach him about restructuring his contract when they extended the deal of cornerback Ronde Barber. In August, Barber signed a five-year, $24-million extension. But Kelly has two more years remaining on his contract.

Kelly’s team-leading 17 interceptions since 2002 ranks 10th in the NFL during that stretch.

“All I know is Batman never showed up without Robin,” Kelly said at the time.

With Kelly out, the Bucs have been forced to play with Juran Bolden at cornerback and Torrie Cox as the nickel defensive back. Bolden yielded a 51-yard reception to Bengals receiver Chad Johnson on Sunday.

And the Bucs recently claimed cornerback Derrick Strait off waivers from the Jets.

One player who might be available through a trade is Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements, who will become an unrestricted free agent next season.

Gruden would not handicap the Bucs’ chances of pulling off a deal.

“Oh, I don’t put a percentage on whether or not we can make a trade or we’ll make a trade,” Gruden said. “I’ll just say there are some specific guys that we are trying to acquire. That’ll be the same case every year.”

[Last modified October 16, 2006, 22:56:17]