Camp ends, evaluating need for 5th QB begins

By ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 9, 2000

TAMPA -- Randall Cunningham is off the market, but that doesn't mean the Bucs will stop searching for another veteran quarterback.

Cunningham, released by Minnesota last week, made his decision official on Thursday by signing with Dallas.

But Bucs coach Tony Dungy and general manager Rich McKay said it's possible the team may add a fifth quarterback to a roster that includes starter Shaun King, rookie Joe Hamilton and veterans Eric Zeier and Scott Milanovich, who is playing for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe.

The decision will hinge on the performance evaluations coming out of the team's voluntary camp, which concluded on Thursday after 14 workouts.

"We haven't contacted anyone else so maybe that's an indication," McKay said. "We kind of wanted to go through this camp and see where the guys were. See where Joe Hamilton was, see where Zeier was and let Milanovich play his World League time. We kind of wanted to see that prior to making any decisions.

"In February, when we sat down and kind of planned, we initially thought we would end up with Shaun and two veterans, one being Zeier and one being some other veteran. The plan changed when we drafted Joe. I think we're pretty comfortable about where we are, but today, I wouldn't rule out that we wouldn't pursue another quarterback down the road. That remains to be seen."

Dungy said the pursuit of Cunningham was unique because of his abilities, but that he wasn't disappointed with his decision to sign with the Cowboys.

"We just wanted to point out the situation we had and if that was something he was interested in, great," Dungy said. "If not, we understood. It wasn't something we planned for and it would have been just a plus for us.

"We thought that Randall Cunningham was obviously an outstanding talent, a guy you had to look at, but we weren't going into it with the idea we needed a fifth quarterback."

SATISFIED: Dungy came away from the voluntary workouts pleased. He said the installation of Les Steckel's offense has gone well and now the players just need to prepare for training camp, which begins July 23 at Tampa's Pepin/Rood Field.

"The biggest thing they need to do now is get away from the coaches a little bit and stop hearing us browbeat them. They pretty much know where they're at. Each guy has to individually get himself ready to go as best as he can be on July 23.

"We've got enough talent to get where we want to go. I really like where we're sitting right now. It really becomes coaches, players, everyone getting themselves ready to have a great training camp."

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Asked about the Africa trip he's taking with Derrick Brooks and a group of Tampa youths, Dungy said it will include a talent search. "We will be looking. I think people kind of put this to bed with Randall Cunningham, but if we can find some talent over there ... we'll keep our eyes open."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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