Archives for March 9, 2002

‘Two weeks after Gruden was introduced as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new coach, Johnson agreed to terms on a free agent contract Saturday.’

‘”I can’t wait to get to work with Coach Gruden and his staff,” Rob Johnson said in a statement released by the Bucs. “He is a special coach and this team has special players. I look forward to competing and contributing here.”‘

‘Clearly, the Bucs organization believes that Johnson possesses too much physical skill to ignore, but it’s not his athletic ability that has ever been questioned. Johnson never fit in with the Bills and did not make himself a part of the Buffalo community. He never bought a home, even rented an apartment, and lived in a hotel during the season there.’

‘In Rob Johnson, who threw for Gruden Friday morning and delayed his original flight out of Tampa to begin immediate negotiations that evening, the Bucs have found another intriguing option, an intelligent and tough passer with a strong arm and excellent mobility.’

‘Donahoe said the Bills have not decided on whether to try tackle John Fina at center.’

‘Dinkins is the most intriguing of the seven players the Bills are shipping overseas.’

‘The $2.3 million the county has set aside for rehabilitation work at Ralph Wilson Stadium will allow the team to replace the outdoor grass practice field with an artificial-turf field, according to county officials.’

‘He is looking to secure a starting role and has targeted Houston as his most desired destination. However, Johnson reportedly was put off by the Texans’ plans to draft David Carr at No. 1 overall and immediately begin grooming him as their starter. He also was said to be unhappy with the Texans’ offer of $1 million for one year.’

‘As for Johnson’s visit with the Bucs, the team has three quarterbacks on its roster (Brad Johnson, Shaun King and Joe Hamilton), but Gruden has said he planned to bring in more to work out with the team, which has a quarterbacks camp scheduled March 25.’

Dave Moore, a tight end who played at Pitt, said he wants to come back and play in Pittsburgh. Instead, he might be reunited with his former Panthers quarterback in Buffalo. Moore, an unrestricted free agent from Tampa Bay, was considering an offer from the Bills, where he would be reunited with former Pitt quarterback Alex Van Pelt. The Steelers talked with Moore yesterday about a position where he would compete with Jerame Tuman for their No. 2 tight end job and also serve as their long-snapper. However, Buffalo has made him an offer where he could become their No. 1 tight end.’

‘"Being out of coaching for a year really made me appreciate how much I missed being a part of it all," Gilbride said. "The competitiveness of football – the scheming, the working, the interaction with the players and coaches. That’s what made me say I thought I could enjoy doing what the media does, and I did enjoy it. It was a great experience and it gives you a different feel for things."’

‘I’d rather go with AVP as my caretaker, and draft my potential QB of the future next month. Unless Tom Donahoe and Gregg Williams believe Blake can win the big game for them, why waste time and precious salary cap money on him?’

‘"We felt last year he showed tremendous toughness and leadership on our team," Bills general manager Tom Donahoe said. "We’re happy to have him because we think he’s a good young player and we appreciate all that he did last year, playing hurt."’