Buccaneers depth chart: What’s Chucky cooking?

By Os Davis  |   Monday, August 13, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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To put it abstractly, Jon Gruden is looking to recapture the magic last seen in 2005, when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers piled up double-digit wins and a playoff bid. Less abstractly, he's coaching for his job.

So what will it be this year? Will the 2007 edition of the Buccaneers more resemble the low-scoring, grind-it-out 11-5 version of two years ago or the mistake-making chaotic mix of last season that went a dismal 4-12?

Official depth charts were released by teams around the NFL last week in preparation for most clubs' preseason openers, and few were anticipated more heavily than that of Chucky, a man desperately seeking that elusive and correct combination of personnel. A quick run through of the proposed scheme, then.

The defensive line. In terms of name recognition, a noteworthy move was made about four weeks ago with the release of 33-year-old Simeon Rice, who reportedly failed a physical. For the 13-10 win over the New England Patriots this past Friday, Gruden's tinkering with his specialty here resulted in a first team including Greg Spires, Chris Hovan, Jovan Haye and Patrick Chukwurah.

Spires, 30, will be duking it out with Kevin Carter, 33. Hovan, a first-round pick back in 2000, is entering his third year with the team and has performed well enough to threaten Ryan Sims, acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs, as starter. Haye's listing as No. 1 under tackle is most likely cursory, with seven-year Buc Ellis Wyms or even Sims to take this position over by September.

Finally, one wonders here if Gruden, by putting free-agent acquisition Chukwurah over much-ballyhooed first-rounder Gaines Adams, is sending the young guy a message or wants to save him for the regular season. In any case, Adams endeared himself to the football-viewing public at large by rejecting a Tom Brady pass like Yao Ming, flicking the ball aside as if it was nothing. We'll see how his standing with Gruden improves...

The linebackers. No real surprises are apparent here with Cato June, Barrett Ruud and Derrick Brooks listed as starters in the 4-3 formation. Riding shotgun on the strong side is a third-rounder out of the University of New Mexico, Quincy Black, who should see much playing time on passing downs. Ryan Nece has been shifted from Sam linebacker to Mike and is reportedly still adapting to that switch. Like Black, Nece may be seen often in the speedy Tampa 2 defense.

The secondary. Maybe the most shocking thing to happen on the depth chart here was, well, the lack of changes. Particularly porous last season, Tampa's secondary allowed 26 TD strikes against just 11 interceptions. Ronde Barber hauled in three of those and was the team's only Pro Bowler. For the time being, 10-year veteran Brian Kelly, who missed most of last season thanks to injury, is bookending Barber at cornerback. Jermaine Phillips and Will Allen are also returning. Not only are the changes scant here, but the depth chart is currently quite thin. Rookie safeties Tanard Jackson and Sabby Piscitelli figure to see some quality playing time in the regular season as a result.

The offensive line. Even more dismal than the secondary in 2006 was the O-line, but this version, promises Gruden is "better; we're a better offensive line than we've been. I can only compare that to the last four or five training camps - we're better."

Gruden singled out right guard Davin Joseph for praise, saying "the right guard has had a tremendous camp. I mean he's been stellar. He's done a hell of a job."

Also impressing has been second-rounder Arron Sears, currently listed ahead of Anthony Davis at the other guard. At tackle, it'll be free-agent pickup Luke Petitgout and sophomore Jeremy Trueblood, switched to the right side.

Runners and receivers. At wide receiver, it's still a bit of a battle for positioning. For the game against the Pats, Gruden had Maurice Stovall as the slot receiver, Michael Clayton, Ike Hilliard, and Paris Warren as options 1-4. However, Joey Galloway did in fact play early Friday night, albeit not for long. David Boston, who hopes to stay in the mix while on the comeback trail, caught just one short-route pass in the exhibition game. Plus, Chad Lucas and Jovon Bouknight are getting serious consideration in camp. This list should be completely different in a month.

At halfback, Carnell Williams is solid as starter, but might Gruden be considering a 1-2 attack with Michael Pittman seeing lots of play as well? Pittman looked great in the final two weeks of last season and averaged 5.0 yards per carry while getting two or three attempts a game the rest of the time. It's hard to tell from Friday's game, as the leading runner for Tampa Bay was seventh-round draft pick Kenneth Darby, who hauled it 15 times for 84 yards. Dude wasn't even listed on the depth chart -- think he'll be sticking around now?

Problematic is fullback, with Gruden seemingly forced to start B.J. Askew, a decent blocking back with just 27 carries in four seasons played, in the wake of Mike Alstott's season- (and maybe career-) ending injury.

Quarterback. As painful as the Bucs' season was in '06, nowhere was there more hurt for the fans than at the helm. Gruden's frustration with Bruce Gradkowski and Tim Rattay was cringe-inducing even among non-fans after No. 1 choice Chris Simms went down early and truly has yet to get back up.

One of my favorite plays (and surely Gruden's choice) from full preseason weekend No. 1? Check out the official NFL highlight reel ('cause that's all you can get online these days): In the first quarter, Jeff Garcia play-actions left and, seeing a big-enough hole, momentarily forgets it's the preseason. He bulls forward for 4 yards and the Bucs have to punt; the play has essentially no effect in a "meaningless" game.

But you can bet Gruden ate it up with that faintly lopsided smile: Pure Chuckyball, it was.

If he can inspire gritty play like that in the other 21 starters, Gruden may yet have a future in Tampa Bay.

RealFootball365.com: Where news and analysis are atop the depth chart all year round.
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's...
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