Bucs rookie Alex Cappa gets a look as first-team right guard

Bucs rookie Alex Cappa got his first work with the first-team offensive line Wednesday, challenging Caleb Benenoch for the starting job at right guard.

"This was his first day doing that, and we're just trying to create some competition with him and Caleb at right guard," Koetter said. "We're rotating a lot of guys with different groups, so don't read too much into that right now."

Benenoch was working with the second line, one day after Koetter volunteered the news that the third-year pro had been kicked out of practice Sunday for fighting with a teammate. The Bucs thought enough of Benenoch and Cappa that they didn't re-sign last year's starter, Kevin Pamphile, and cut another starting guard in J.R. Sweezy last month.

"Alex … is a guy that is smart and tough," Koetter said. "He's getting corrected on things by (offensive line) Coach (George) Warhop every day. He deserves a chance to get in there and compete a little bit, we feel like."

Cappa is making the leap from Div. II Humboldt State to the NFL, and while left guard Ali Marpet made a similar jump three years ago to starting immediately, Benenoch has much more experience, having started five games at right tackle last year.  Koetter called him a "wild card" for the right guard job in March, long before Sweezy had been let go.