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Another day, another problem

As practices start without Derrick Brooks, the Bucs are dealt their first injury when punter Mark Royals hurts his knee after colliding with another player.

[Times photo: James Borchuck] Bucs punter Mark Royals leaves the field on a cart after suffering a knee injury Monday on the first day of training camp.

By RICK STROUD

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 31, 2001

TAMPA -- What the Bucs officially have here is a false start. The lead car in the parade has a flat, the countdown to the Super Bowl has been scrubbed.

After two days of training camp, two starters already are out and it's too early to know for how long.

Photo gallery: Training camp opens

[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] Fullback Mike Alstott rips off some yardage on a long run on Monday morning.

First, it was linebacker Derrick Brooks holding out. On Monday, punter Mark Royals was lost because a teammate couldn't hold up.

Royals collided with a player in a punt-blocking drill and sustained an injury to the knee of his right kicking leg. The team would not name the player who collided with Royals.

Royals, a 13-year veteran, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital for a X-rays and an MRI exam, but the extent of the injury will not be known until doctors examine those results today.

Bucs officials would not speculate on the severity of Royals' injury, but general manager Rich McKay seemed to indicate he might not be ready for the regular season. "He'll miss some weeks," McKay said.

The worst case is Royals has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which would mean he would be lost for the season.

Royals' injury occurred shortly after 4 p.m., in the second practice of the afternoon and the second of training camp.

"He got run into in a punting drill," coach Tony Dungy said. "The doctors will check it, and we really don't the extent of the injury at this point.

"It's a drill we do every day and we've done every day since we've been here. We've got to learn how to protect the punter. ... There's no other way to do it. It's unfortunate, but we'll take a look at what happened and see if we can avoid it in the future. It's just an unfortunate thing."

Placekicker Martin Gramatica, who has been inseparable from Royals since coming to Tampa Bay two years ago, said the Bucs punter was in discomfort after being taken to the training room at the Martinez Sports Center on the University of Tampa campus.

"I know he was very sore, but it didn't look that swollen," Gramatica said. "I blew out my ACL when I was in college and it wasn't swollen either. Mark's a veteran and I know he'll be able to handle it."

Gramatica said the injury might have been worse if it had occurred on his non-kicking leg.

"Technically, the other leg could be worse because that's the leg you plant on," he said.

The Bucs have one other punter on their roster -- first-year pro Andrew Bayes, a free agent from East Carolina who punted for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe.

Even if the prognosis is good, the Bucs are expected to sign a veteran punter.

"Andrew Bayes is here and he'll do a good job for us," Dungy said. "We'll take a look at Mark's situation and if it's going to be long term, we'd obviously look to bring another guy in. But I think that's all premature right now."

Royals' injury came as players were coping with the holdout of Brooks.

Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who rooms with Brooks, said the absence of the four-time Pro Bowl linebacker was immediate.

"I told Tony (Dungy) last night he needs to get me an alarm clock or somebody needs to get in there," Sapp said. "I'm not a morning guy. But we got it situated. My wife brought me an alarm clock with extra batteries and everything.

"It's the first time in four years I wasn't (sleeping) with either my wife or Brooks. I was just by myself."

Brooks continued his holdout Monday because of the failure to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

Linebacker Jeff Gooch, who was traded in the off-season to the Rams but failed a physical and returned to Tampa Bay, took Brooks' spot Monday at weakside linebacker.

A few months ago, the Bucs wanted a fifth-round draft pick for Gooch; now they want him to be like No. 55.

"It's not a distraction, but it was a bit strange," Gooch said. "He's the leader of our group. Right now, Jamie (Duncan) is making all the calls on defense. Myself and Shelton (Quarles) have to speak up in the huddle, too. It's a group effort."

Gooch's appointment may be temporary, however.

If Brooks' holdout goes into the regular season, Dungy indicated the team may move Quarles to the weakside spot.

"We haven't finalized it," Dungy said. "It's something we're still talking through. If we move Shelton, we have to move two people."

Sapp was careful to neither defend nor criticize Brooks, his roommate since the two were taken in the first round of the 1995 draft.

He said the Bucs have to treat Brooks' absence as they would an injury.

"That's how Tony has always done it," Sapp said. "It's kind of put us all at a disadvantage sometimes. Because I hurt my hand one time and we were playing Minnesota and he was like, "Okay.'

"I felt (terrible). I said, "Don't you miss me at all?' But that's the way he is. If somebody is not here, we can't worry about it. We've got to go out and perform."

Dungy said he did not notice any distraction in the wake of Brooks' absence.

"It was business as usual," he said. "And I think that's one of the reasons we've had success and I think our players understand that. You care about family members, it's not that you don't have empathy. But when Warrick (Dunn) can't play on Monday night, we can't go into a shell. When Warren Sapp can't play the second half against Miami, we've got to go out there and win the game.

"I remember when I was with the Steelers and I was coming off the field and learned I'd been traded to the 49ers. I thought they'd stop practice and have a moment of silence. But they were still practicing.

"It shocked me that Coach (Chuck) Noll didn't stop practice, but they went on and won the Super Bowl without me. I didn't really think that was possible."

-- Staff writer Roger Mills contributed to this report.

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