Gruden likes offensive moves thus far

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
In print: Tuesday, April 1, 2008

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ADVERTISEMENT [Getty Images] Antonio Bryant last played in 2006 with the 49ers. The receiver has 250 catches but has had off-field trouble.

PALM BEACH — So, where are all those playmakers the Bucs admittedly needed to acquire?

Put the question to coach Jon Gruden and he'll argue the team has already landed a few.

"We have a long way to go (in the offseason), so I'll fall back on that," Gruden said, referring to the draft and the rest of free agency. "But we have Warrick Dunn who has (more than 10,000) yards rushing. What kind of playmaker are you looking for? He's still one hell of a football player and I have tape to prove it.

"And we're hoping that (tight end) Ben Troupe can get back to making some plays like he did as a rookie. He's got talent. He had 88 catches in his first two years."

It's clear Gruden is also very intrigued with troubled receiver Antonio Bryant. The Bucs signed him last month after he was away from football in 2007, in part because of a substance-abuse suspension.

The Bucs, who seem to love a good reclamation project, have an interesting one in Bryant, who caught 40 passes for San Francisco in 2006. In 2005, with the Browns, Bryant had 1,009 yards on 69 catches, both career highs.

"This kid, Antonio Bryant, if we can get him going, he can be very good," Gruden said. "When he plays, he plays good. Now, can we get him going and sustain it?"

It's a legitimate question. Bryant was arrested in 2006 and sentenced to one year of probation. He also was suspended four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy that year. And he has had dustups with coaches Bill Parcells in Dallas and Mike Nolan in San Francisco.

"I know some guys who have coached him," Gruden said. "Walt Harris coached him at Pitt but (defensive line coach) Larry Coyer was on that staff. Jeff Garcia played with him in Cleveland. So did Luke McCown. So, we have an environment for him to take off. Whether he does or not will depend on him."

TOUGH SELL: The league's move to try to make late-season games more competitive by altering the playoff-seeding process has been met by much opposition.

The league is proposing that playoff seeds 3-6 in each conference be determined by overall record, rather than guaranteeing division winners seeds 3 and 4. The aim is to pressure teams that clinch division titles early to make a more concerted effort to win their late games.

"If you're in those (strong) divisions, and you win your division, you shouldn't be penalized," said Colts coach Tony Dungy, whose fellow teams in the AFC South are Jacksonville, Tennessee and Houston.

Even Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who said he was somewhat noncommittal, indicated he felt his team could be adversely affected because the depth of the NFC East could take a toll on a team's won-loss record.

The issue might be voted down Wednesday but the league will continue to pursue the point, though possibly with a different plan.

"I asked the competition committee to consider what are some alternatives to ensure our late-season games continue to be attractive to our fans," commissioner Roger Goodell said.

NO FOUL: Gruden said he has cleared the air with Chiefs coach Herm Edwards after the latter seemed to indicate last week the Bucs had inappropriate contact with free-agent center Jeff Faine before the free agent signing period.

"We did play within the rules," Gruden said. "I've been doing this a long time, 11 years as a head coach, and never done anything outside the rules."

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.