Got 2 Try A New Position: Quarterback

Now that the first preseason game is almost here, I thought it would be a good time to take another look at the roster and make the cut to 53 on my own. It's like I have to do everything around here.

Jeff Garcia: Garcia has been sharp in camp, quick to pick up the offense, and is married to a Playmate of the Year. If you look real close, you'll see cartoon bluebirds fluttering around him from time to time. Garcia will obviously be the starter and will be given every opportunity to succeed. Unless he in injured or sucks so incredibly bad that it can't be ignored (remember Detroit?), he will start for the entire season.

Luke McCown: McCown has been the surprise of camp. He is accurate, mobile, and has a great arm. The only thing he doesn't have is experience in game situations. He's not likely to get any this year because Garcia is generally a healthy and tough quarterback, but Jon Gruden wouldn't hesitate to put McCown in a game if he had to. Paul Hackett is the guy who insisted that the Bucs trade for McCown a couple years ago, and it turns out he may have been right.

Bruce Gradkowski: Gradkowski's improvements in camp have come in understanding the offense and reading and recognizing defenses. He still throws a decent short ball and a terrible deep one. This is trouble if he ever has to play because no defense is going to respect the deep pass. Like last year when he played. Opposing defenses will stack the line to stop the run and linebackers will have career days against Gradkowski. With Garcia at 37 and McCown coming off an ACL injury, it's not inconceivable that Gradkowski gets to play. Please, no.

Chris Simms: The little torch I was carrying for Simms finally burned out this offseason. Simms has had a miserable camp and is obviously not capable of leading an offense in a real game. The team can't keep four quarterbacks; there's just not enough roster room. Unless they put Simms on injured reserve, he will be released in the final cut to 53 in September. Sorry, Chris. We can still be friends, right? Not "ankle tattoo" friends, though. That still creeps me out.

Jake Plummer: Will never play for Tampa. I kind of thought the Bucs would trade him to a team desperate for some quarterback depth, but it turns out they'll just go after him for breach of contract and leave him in Idaho to play handball.

Making the team: Garcia (starter), McCown, Gradkowski