Bucs likely won't be able to trade quarterback Simms

TAMPA — For sale: Left-handed quarterback, 27, with starting experience in the NFL. Hasn't played in 20 months. Good pedigree. Plenty of guts. Missing spleen. Must be willing to pick up $2-million salary. Any draft pick or best offer.

No team is buying what the Bucs are selling. At this point, it's very unlikely any will trade for Chris Simms.

Tampa Bay shopped Simms and Bruce Gradkowski during the draft last weekend with no success.

General manager Bruce Allen denied a report that two teams offered the Bucs a sixth- or seventh-round pick for Simms.

Two other club officials confirmed no teams contacted the Bucs about Simms, who hasn't played since rupturing his spleen Sept. 24, 2006.

Simms is boycotting the Bucs' offseason workouts in hopes of being traded or released. There are several reasons why no team is inclined to trade for him. Start with the fact he's scheduled to earn a $2-million base salary.

Simms maintains he is 100 percent healthy, but any team interested in trading for him would want to schedule a workout and medical evaluation.

Finally, whatever cravings a team had for dealing for Simms disappeared after the Bucs used a fifth-round pick for San Diego quarterback Josh Johnson.

The Bucs will have seven quarterbacks under contract, including Jake Plummer. Allen says the team will take five to training camp. That makes it almost a lock that Simms, 27, will be released some time beforehand.

"There's been a lot of people saying we have six quarterbacks," coach Jon Gruden said. "I haven't seen Plummer yet, and Chris, unfortunately, hasn't played in the last couple of years. (And) we have had a tremendous amount of injuries.

"We're not like some of these teams that have enjoyed the good fortune of having the same starter for five, six, eight, 12, 15 seasons. We've had three different starters play in (two out of the past four) seasons."

Jeff Garcia, 38, will be the starter. Brian Griese, 33, would appear to be his backup. That leaves Luke McCown, Gradkowski and Johnson battling for the No. 3 spot.

McCown, 26, is in the final year of his contract. He's entering his fifth season, meaning he probably needs to win the job over Griese for the No. 2 spot. The Bucs took Johnson in the fifth round hoping to use the next few seasons to develop him for the future. Don't look for them to try and sneak him onto the practice squad, which requires putting him through waivers.

"He's a charismatic guy," Gruden said of Johnson. "He's an athletic guy. He's raw. The timing of the patterns, the speed of the patterns, everything is different. So it's a big, beautiful candidate, but I'm really excited about him. … He learned quick, and it's just a matter of harnessing the fundamentals and putting it together with the ability. It'll take a while, but he'll get it."

As for Simms, he no longer fits into the depth chart. The Bucs believe he has value in part because they paid him more than $7-million over the past two seasons.

At best, they can wait until July and hope he reports to training camp and proves he's healthy in the preseason. Maybe by then, injuries will leave a team short at quarterback.

But Simms doesn't want to play in Tampa Bay anymore. The Bucs need to unload at least one quarterback.

It's a long summer, but it doesn't look like things are going to go as advertised.

Comments on this article

by DR	May 9, 2008 11:29 AM
There is nothing worse in the NFL than a 6'4" QB who gets balls batted down all the time. I take that back, giving this same guy a $7M contract after a severe injury and not proving himself has gotta be one of the worst moves ever made in the NFL.

by James	May 9, 2008 11:11 AM
I agree with Eric Gruden is or the gm need to screw their heads on straight Greasy,Grakowski,both stink,and McCown maybe one day in a couple of years.Y is plumer Still on the Roster hes washed up 2. will Garcia even make it Through the Year. I hope.

by Eric	May 8, 2008 5:22 PM
Simms is the best back up we have he looked better on the field than everybody else has they have all stunk it up garcia is the only one that is good and he is 40 come on The front line is why passes got batted and spleans got ruptered

by John	May 8, 2008 2:31 PM
Simm's nice young man and had real nerve, but was too slow at wind-up and throw so that is why he got so many sacks and blocked passes. If the Schumucks have a tough D then Garcia will win some games

by George	May 5, 2008 5:17 PM
I think that Chris Simms will battle Griese for the backup QB and QB Johnson will be the 4th QB, and rest will get there walking papers. Plus I hope Garcia will get a two yr extention. With now Tampa can get down to business and get all the qb's

by Lex	May 5, 2008 2:57 PM
Stroud, you're such an effing tool! Stirring it up again because you're too lazy and cut off to get a truthful reliable story! What an asinine remark..."it doesn't look like things are going to go as advertised"... WTF?

by Junior	May 5, 2008 2:31 PM
McKown could easily compete for the starting position, but just like Ernest Graham, he'll languish on the sideline. Gruden has no eye for talent, and he gives up on players too easily.

by Milton	May 5, 2008 2:30 PM
The handling of Simms is the biggest reason Gruden's contract shouldn't have been extended. Simms was a waste: his passes were often intercepted or knocked down. Yet, they gave him $7, million. Gruden will be done in two years leaving behin

by Jon	May 5, 2008 2:29 PM
Another crap article. Simms might be able to beat Greise for the #2. If Jackson looks really promising then maybe they keep Simms and go with Jackson as the developmental QB. The QB situation on the Bucs is very fluid. Gruden is right.

by Matt	May 5, 2008 2:28 PM
We'll (the Bears) take him!!!

by Bruce	May 5, 2008 2:20 PM
Stroud says "But Simms doesn't want to play in Tampa Bay anymore." Where the hell did that come from, Rick? Is it your 'professional opinion'?

by Geo	May 5, 2008 2:17 PM
I wish I could stay home when I didn't like how things were going at my job.

by Renegade44e	May 5, 2008 2:16 PM
After nearly dying due to the incompetence of the Bucaneers medical staff who can blame him (or Jake Plummer)for not wanting to play

by Carol	May 5, 2008 2:14 PM
Tampa needs to make Simms #2 or let him go...If he is healthy, why haven't we used him? He has had enough time to either get it or not get it....

by mark	May 5, 2008 2:11 PM
Just goes to show you the "GREAT" chucky don't have a clue. How are you gonna diss the son of PHIL simmply cause you don't like lefties?. No wonder we (giants) came down there & stomped you out.And you won the SB in

by Mark	May 5, 2008 2:11 PM
What do you mean that Simms doesn't want to play in Tampa anymore. Who else is going to pick him up. He's an average quarterback...at best. Rather than being a prima dona he should work on his resume. Today, he's a sub par, $300K q

by zeus	May 5, 2008 2:10 PM
I think they should just drop Chris Simms and then trade Luke McCown or Bruce Gradkowski

by Josh	May 5, 2008 2:00 PM
I love the Bucs. Things were pretty bad a while ago. last year the started to come back. They did becuase bad was because they were unprepared for the loss of Chris Simms. I have a feeling though that I'll be wearinmg my Bucs Simms jersey this f

by ben	May 5, 2008 1:56 PM
In my opinion it is about time the Bucs cut some dead weight from the roster. I never thought simms was good, in my opinion he rode his dads name into the NFL. There is a reason no one wants him.

by Nick	May 5, 2008 1:37 PM
Well if he doesn't want to play here is one thing. But if this kid is healthy, he's the best QB on the roster jands down. 7-0 when sacked 2 or less time, 0-6 when sacked 2 or more times. Give this kid protection, the shot gun and

by Jake	May 5, 2008 1:32 PM
Why do we even talk about Plummer? He is done. He doesn't count.

by JB	May 5, 2008 1:23 PM
It's interesting how Gradkowksi went from 2006 preseason darling and emergency starter to an afterthought here in 2008. With Griese, McCown, and now Johnson, he's probably as anxious as Simms to get out of Tampa.