Trade brings Brian Griese back, is Dunn next?

[John F]

Trade brings Griese back to Tampa Bay

And the Bucs are trying to reunite with Warrick Dunn, released Monday by Atlanta.

By RICK STROUD
Published March 4, 2008

TAMPA - Jon Gruden doesn't just like old players. He likes some of the Bucs' players of old.

For the second straight year, the Bucs traded for a veteran signal caller, reaching back to their past Monday by trading an undisclosed draft pick in 2009 to the Chicago Bears for Brian Griese.

But the reunion party might not end there.

Hours after being released by the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, running back Warrick Dunn met with Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen in Tampa.

"I can still play this game," Dunn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "This is tough. I'm not going to lie. I have a very strong base in Atlanta, a strong following, a lot of friends that I built over six years. ... They're family to me, and it's hard to leave family.

"I hope people always remember the way I played, and that was with all my heart. I left everything I had out there on the field - always. These are the hardest times as an athlete."

Dunn, 33, also has received interest from the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts. But the Bucs were hopeful they could reach an agreement Monday night.

One of the most popular and productive players in Falcons history, Dunn began his career as a first-round draft pick by the Bucs in 1997. He has more than 10,000 career rushing yards and 62 total touchdowns.

But because he split time at running back with Alstott in the early part of his career, Dunn still has some tread on his tires. And he still owns a home in Tampa and attended Alstott's retirement party Saturday.

Gruden has always thought Dunn would be a good fit in the Bucs offense and lamented his decision to sign with the Falcons as a free agent in 2002. That decision cost Dunn as well. He wasn't able to be a part of the Bucs' Super Bowl XXXVII championship team.

This will be Griese's second stint with Tampa Bay. He quarterbacked the Bucs in 2004-05, including a 5-1 start his final season before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Chris Simms went 6-5 down the stretch, leading the Bucs to the playoffs before a loss to Washington in the NFC wild-card game. In two seasons, Griese completed 345 of 510 (67.6 percent) of his passes for 3,768 yards with 27 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

The Bears needed to unload Griese before today, when he is scheduled to receive a $300,000 roster bonus. That payment will instead be made by the Bucs.

At the start of the '06 season, the Bucs balked at paying Griese a $2.6-million roster bonus, and he became a salary cap casualty, signing with the Bears.

Now the trade for Griese leaves Simms' future with the Bucs in doubt. Simms has not played a meaningful snap in about 16 months since undergoing a splenectomy and could be traded or released. The Bucs also have Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown. Bruce Gradkowski and Jake Plummer under contract.

The Bucs and Broncos have filed a grievance against Plummer, hoping to recoup more than $7-million in signing bonus money.

Simms would appear to be the odd man out. Griese and McCown will battle for the No. 2 spot, and Gradkowski will have to improve his play to return for a third season.

Griese, who turns 33 this month, started six games last year for the Bears and finished with a 3-3 record. His season ended after he suffered a minor shoulder injury Nov. 11 at Oakland and did not play again.

"He likes Gruden, and he was obviously very successful there," agent Ralph Cindrich said. "During the course of this deal, they let it be known they had tried to trade for him a couple times over the last few years."

Griese has three years remaining on his contract and will receive a base salary of $1.4-million in 2008, $1.8-million in 2009 and $2.2-million in 2010. Cindrich said Griese could earn an additional $1.5-million next season if he becomes the starter.

Meanwhile, the Bucs agreed to terms with outside linebacker Leon Joe, a four-year veteran. He played sparingly in eight games with Buffalo last season.

[John F]

This opinion piece is basically the phrase that I have repeated time and time again, season after season because of a player move by Los Buccaneeros.

The team has had many needs for years since they won their ring but the team (Gruden and Allen specifically) keep treating the Bucs like one piece away from repeating:

So many needs, and Bucs do this?

They desperately need a wide receiver. They could use another cornerback. It wouldn't hurt them to have another running back or another tight end or another defensive end.

By Gary Shelton, Times Columnist
Published March 4, 2008

They desperately need a wide receiver. They could use another cornerback. It wouldn't hurt them to have another running back or another tight end or another defensive end.

And so the Bucs obtained another quarterback Monday.

Of course they did.

Well, gotcha! In their latest misdirection play, the Bucs have traded away a 2009 draft pick to bring Brian Griese back to town. Another quarterback sneak, you might say. If you saw this coming, frankly, you were looking in the wrong place.

Recommended reaction to this trade: "Huh?"

Recommended follow-up: "Why?"

As it turns out, we were all wrong about the Bucs. What they were missing last year was not speed or explosiveness or toughness over the middle. What they were missing was another backup quarterback. Who knew?

Let's be honest. We should have had an inkling. No matter how questionable the offense is, with Gruden the answer is often, "Get me another quarterback." Some people collect coins, and some collect stamps, and some collect interest.

As for Gruden, he collects quarterbacks.

As for the rest of us, we collect conversations that begin with, "What in the world is Gruden going to do with all of those quarterbacks?"

Yes, Jeff Garcia is still the starter. Let's don't talk crazy. The biggest difference in the awful season of 2006 and the playoff season of 2007 was Garcia. If Garcia is standing, he's starting.

After that, it's Griese. Say what you want about Luke McCown, who had his moments last year, but a team doesn't trade for a veteran quarterback to be the third quarterback.

Gruden loved Griese when he was with Tampa Bay. To a coach, a smart quarterback is a safe quarterback. Once, Gruden was asked how long he would like to have Griese play for him. "How about infinity?" Gruden said.

After that, it gets murky. There is McCown, there is Bruce Gradkowski, and, for the time being, there is Chris Simms. You might want to check back about that last name.

Does this trade mean the end for Simms as a Buc? It's hard to interpret it any other way. Simms is a likeable kid, but he has a large contract, and he hasn't won a game in a very long time. It's easier to imagine Jake Plummer on the roster than Simms.

Aha. Perhaps that is what the Bucs are going to do for a big-play receiver. They're going to tell Simms to go long!

In a way, this move fits perfectly, because it has been a muddled, mystifying offseason so far. Given how badly the Bucs need to jump-start their offense, given how much money they had to spend, you might have expected them to do a little shopping in free agency. So far, they have not.

On the other hand, wait until you see Jeff Faine in the open field.

Just kidding, of course. If the Bucs are right about Faine -- and they have seen him twice a year - then bolstering the offensive line is a swell idea. Still, wouldn't you have liked to have seen a few more touchdown scorers by now?

Which brings us to this: More than ever, the Bucs need a differencemaker among their receivers.

Which also brings us to this: No, I wouldn't have paid the contracts given to the members of this year's gaggle, either.

First things first: When it comes to the Bucs spending their money, everyone is all for it. I still haven't figured out why they didn't spent more last year. And who doesn't want a few more fireworks on offense?

And, yet, it is hard not to shake your head at some of these contracts. The Vikings gave $42-million($16-million of it guaranteed) to Bernard Berrian? The same Berrian the Bears would not franchise? The Browns gave $35-million to Donte Stallworth? The same Stallworth who keeps bouncing from team to team? The Jaguars gave $30-million to Jerry Porter? The same Porter who has driven coaches crazy?

Put it this way: The Bucs need more help than Berrian or Stallworth or Porter.

So who does that leave? Javon Walker, perhaps. If his knee is healthy, Walker could be worth the trouble. If the Cardinals want to trade Larry Fitzgerald(and if his outsized contract could be restructured), the Bucs should listen. Otherwise, they might be looking at the draft.

Remember this: When the Patriots were looking for receivers last year, they signed two in free agency and traded for two. The two in free agency were Stallworth and Kelley Washington (who combined for 46 receptions). The two they traded for were Randy Moss and Wes Welker (who combined for 210). In other words, it's easier to trade for an impact player than find one that somebody else threw away.

Besides, if the Bucs don't end up with a receiver, there is always hope.

Maybe McCown is willing to catch the ball across the middle.

[lorentrook]

I feel ya man, I could put the same thing about the Panthers.
I don't get it, they get paid for what they now about FB. Yet year after year this crap happens? We keep hearing about cap space, where in the hell do the other teams come up with money? Year after year, I mean.