Quarterbacks

Speaking of signal callers (see the Tight Ends below before this reading this post), the Bucs come into this season a little thin, having lost Luke McCown for at least half of the season, and having signed Jay Fiedler, who is still not 100% with the banged up shoulder. The Bucs currently have Rattay and Gradkowski (their 6th round pick) backing up Chris Simms. Rattay has 16 games under his belt, and should be able to run the offense in a pinch, but he clearly has a lack of arm strength, which can hinder what is becoming a more wide open passing offense. Gradkowski seems to be the better athlete and has a pretty strong arm, but he's a rookie, and this offense is not kind to rookies. The Bucs would rather not have to throw him into the fire, as it would likely tank the season, unless the offensive line is good enough to keep the running game going against 9 man fronts.

But while the Bucs lack depth, for now, at the QB spot, what they do appear to have is a QB that just might be a franchise signal caller. Simms, after a rough start, came in and began to move the ball nearly as well as Griese had done before. But where Simms had an advantage from the start, was with the deep ball. Is uncanny ability to accurately hit the deeper passes, allowed Galloway and Shepherd to stretch defenses and score big TD's. Simms also developed a knack for rallying the team in the fourth quarter, winning most, and losing some, in that effort. What Simms showed by the end of the season was that he could do the little things that made some QB's great. Never underestimate how hard it is to bring teams back in the fourth quarter. Now, coming into the new season, Simms lit it up in the OTA's and seems to be doing the same in camp. He's become more vocal in the huddle, and reads defenses much quicker. The Bucs are even using special methods to improve his ability to get the ball past the defensive linemen, reducing the number of batted passes. Add this stable of receivers, tight ends, and backs, and Simms now has targets that can attack every spot of the field, and he has the arm to get the ball there. Make no mistake, he will still screw up a lot this year, as he's still got less than a full season under his belt, but he will also burn teams, and could lead this offense to new heights if he continue to improve and stay healthy.

It's exciting to think about how good Simms might just turn out to be. It's still early, but he's already shown a lot of those key traits you look for in a top flight QB. This will be the season that will likely make or break his career as a Buc. Let's just hope he stays healthy, as his backups aren't looking to great at the moment.