Columns

Flirtation needs to become affair

By JOHN ROMANO
Published July 31, 2007

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, throws a pass during a drill at football training camp in Lake Buena Vista.
	[AP Photo]

ADVERTISEMENT Bucs training camp Health questions surround Simms | Video John Romano: Flirtation with Culpepper needs to become a full-blown affair Bucs notebook: Sears learning at double speed | The daily grind Today's updates: Get the latest Bucs news from camp | Get Bucs e-mail alerts Training camp: July 26 through Aug. 16, Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, Lake Buena Vista. Practices are free until moved to the Bucs' new training facility starting Aug. 17. | Schedule [Getty Images] Quarterback Daunte Culpepper #8 of the Miami Dolphins passes down field against the Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.

LAKE BUENA VISTA - At a time such as this, it is better to have faith.

You want to believe Chris Simms is completely healthy because he is a likable kid who deserves another shot at glory.

You want to believe Tampa Bay is flush with quarterbacks because you know the heartache of a thin depth chart.

You want to believe general manager Bruce Allen is trustworthy because the alternative seems so distasteful.

You want to believe it all.

Unfortunately, that requires more faith than I possess.

When Times staff writer Rick Stroud reported Monday that Simms is still suffering fallout from a splenectomy last year, several pieces began falling into place.

It suddenly made sense why the Buccaneers were flirting with Daunte Culpepper. And why Jon Gruden was still lobbying Jake Plummer in Idaho. It explained why Simms was looking more and more like a bystander at training camp, and why Gruden was raving about Luke McCown.

It even made sense for Allen to shoot down the report because that is what he does. Sort of the way he downplayed the severity of Simms' injury in September when the quarterback was receiving five pints of blood during emergency surgery.

"Physically, he is fine," Allen said Monday. "We'll just have to see if we can't get a little bit better each day."

So here we are, 40 days from the season opener, and once again we are left wondering whether the Bucs will be a quarterback shy of a full tank.

Turns out, chasing Culpepper was not a case of Gruden having a wandering eye or being greedy. He's just nervous.

Nervous about a starting quarterback, Jeff Garcia, who is 37. Nervous about Bruce Gradkowski being his top backup. Nervous about another losing season.

And so luring Culpepper to Tampa Bay is no longer some fanciful idea. It may yet be a necessity.

Maybe that's why the Bucs have taken a nothing-to-see-here approach to Simms' health. Perhaps they do not want the world, and particularly Culpepper, to know they are an ankle twist from desperation.

Because the Bucs can not afford to go into this season without a more dependable alternative in the second-string huddle. We have heard Gruden, time and again, say how difficult it was to compete in 2006 with a young quarterback.

With his job status likely hanging in the balance, it is difficult to imagine Gruden putting himself in that position again.

Between them, Gradkowski and McCown are 3-12 as starters in the NFL with a combined quarterback rating in the low 60s. In other words, they offer about as much guaranteed relief as the Devil Rays bullpen.

So is Culpepper, at 30, a sure bet? Hardly. He blew out his knee in 2005 and has yet to prove he is the same quarterback. Mobility was a large part of his game when he was a star in Minnesota, and that may forever be an issue.

It's a sad day when a gimpy quarterback cut loose by a 6-10 team is the key to your disaster-protection plan, but that's where the Bucs stand today.

It is worth noting that there have been no elbows thrown in the rush to get Culpepper signed. The Jaguars had interest, but Culpepper apparently priced himself out of the market. The Falcons are even more desperate than the Bucs for a quarterback, but they've indicated Culpepper is not in their plans.

A handful of other teams may poke around, but Tampa Bay probably makes the most sense for everyone involved. Garcia is No. 1, but it isn't like he is entrenched here. He hasn't played a full season since 2002, so it's not a stretch to imagine the Bucs will need a backup at some point this season.

That means it could simply be a matter of money for Culpepper, and the Bucs can not afford to get cheap now. If Gruden and Allen truly believe they have a playoff contender, they need to ensure they have a fallback plan at quarterback.

When asked Monday if Culpepper was still an option, Allen did his best to titillate and enlighten Bucs fans.

"I believe he is still a free agent," Allen said.

And do the Bucs still have interest in him?

"He's a free agent."

And have the Bucs had further contact with him?

"No."

Maybe this is all a moot point. Maybe Simms will show up at training camp today, flinging passes downfield and laughing at the idea of yet another quarterback coming to town. Maybe Allen is right, and Simms is the picture of health.

It just depends on what you choose to believe.

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com or 727 893-8811.

[Last modified July 31, 2007, 01:12:04]