Season ends for Simms
Putting the Bucs QB on IR opens roster spot for RB.
By RICK STROUD
Published October 10, 2007
TAMPA - Quarterback Chris Simms will be placed on injured reserve today, just a few months after Bucs officials insisted there was nothing wrong with his health.
But needing a roster spot to fill the void at running back, general manager Bruce Allen said Tuesday that Simms has been unable to regain his strength after a splenectomy on Sept.24, 2006.
"This is what we feel is the best move for Chris to regain his full strength," Allen said during a conference call. "We've been very hopeful, as has Chris, that his recovery from the splenectomy, that he would've recovered by now. It's just taking longer than both Chris and we had hoped for. We'll make another roster move to add a player today."
The Bucs plan to fill Simms' roster spot with a running back after severe injuries in consecutive weeks to Cadillac Williams and Michael Pittman. Williams was placed on injured reserve last week after surgery for a torn patellar tendon in his right knee, and Pittman will miss 6-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Allen said the Bucs are likely to select from a list of four free-agent running backs the team worked out Tuesday. According to the list submitted to the league office, those running backs are Kevan Barlow (seventh year out of Pittsburgh), Ciatrick Fason (third, Florida), Shaud Williams (fourth, Alabama) and Tony Fisher (sixth, Notre Dame).
Last week, the Bucs worked out former Florida State fullback Zack Crockett, who played for Jon Gruden in Oakland.
Moving Simms to injured reserve, meaning he is out for the season, would seem to contradict Allen's claim during training camp that Simms' "arm is not an issue. His health is not an issue." In fact, he indicated at the time that Simms was not a candidate for injured reserve.
The fifth-year player out of Texas has not missed a practice since training camp began or appeared on the injury report.
"He's out here practicing. He's healthy," Gruden said in August. "Why the hell would he go on (injured reserve)? I'm not trying to mislead anyone; although I have to be honest at times and say we've cleared him to practice. If he was injured, he wouldn't be practicing and throwing 125 balls a day."
On Tuesday, Allen insisted there was no contradiction.
"There's a difference between your health and being able to play football, and playing at the level that Chris was playing before his surgery," Allen said. "Chris is doing everything he can to regain his full strength and will be working here every day. You'll get to see him, no doubt, tomorrow. I don't think there is any contradiction. We all know that Chris hasn't got what I refer to as his A game back. Until he does, he's got to keep working towards that goal."
Simms, 27, could not be reached for comment. He played in just one preseason game but insisted he was ready to go when the regular season opened on Sept.9 at Seattle.
"I think we've finally got a handle on this thing," Simms said two weeks ago. "I know if you've watched me throw out here, you can see there's been improvement each day."
Tests on Pittman's ankle revealed no fracture, which means the Bucs believe he could return this season and don't want to put him on injured reserve. So Tampa Bay needed the roster spot to add a healthy running back since it has only three available - Earnest Graham, rookie Kenneth Darby and fullback B.J. Askew.
The Bucs could opt to sign Crockett and utilize Askew as a running back if necessary. The Bucs have had trade discussions with the Vikings about running back Mewelde Moore, but Allen said deals are rarely struck during the season. The NFL trading deadline is Tuesday.
Simms began throwing again in December when the Bucs signed him to a two-year extension that included a $3-million signing bonus. His $2-million base salary for '07 was essentially guaranteed when the Bucs decided to keep him on the 53-man roster as one of four quarterbacks.
But Simms struggled because of the side effects from surgery and was slow to regain his mechanics and body coordination. He took just six snaps in the preseason and quickly fell to fourth on the depth chart behind free agent Jeff Garcia, Bruce Gradkowski and Luke McCown. He has been inactive for all five games during the regular season.
"Chris and I met the last couple days and discuss his situation," Allen said. "No, we have not tried to trade Chris. It was never our intention to. Our goal when we signed him last year in December was to have Chris Simms come back as Chris Simms - the player we had known before the injury.
"We had discussed it and where he is physically. He wants to get his A game back. He is working very hard at it and will continue to. We are very confident that he will recover completely."
Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@sptimes.com.