Bucs waive former starter Gradkowski

BUCS DUMP BRUCE, BRING BACK STEVENS
Posted by Mike Florio on May 30, 2008, 6:48 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have pulled the plug on the Bruce Gradkowski experiment, cutting the 2006 sixth-round quarterback from Toledo.

The move leaves the Buccaneers with only 16 quaterbacks on the roster, give or take a few.

Gradkowski started 11 games as a rookie, after Chris Simms went down with a spleen injury. In 2007, however, Gradkowski made only four appearances. His career passer rating is 65.0.

Because he has less than four years of service, he must pass through waivers before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

More importantly (and more troublingly), the Bucs have re-signed tight end Jerramy Stevens, a turd extraordinaire due primarily to his antics while at the University of Washington. Stevens was a first-round pick of the Seahawks in 2001, and he signed a one-year deal with Tampa in 2007.

In January, PFT Planet was up in arms regarding Stevens’ history of misconduct, and we hope that the Bucs face strong criticism for their decision to continue to employ this man.

Courtesy of ProFootballTalk.com

GRADKOWSKI NOT YET RELEASED?
Posted by Michael David Smith on June 2, 2008, 1:03 p.m.
Last week the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that they were cutting Bruce Gradkowski, their 2006 sixth-round draft pick and one of the dozen or so quarterbacks on the roster.

But it appears that the Bucs just can’t cut a quarterback that easily. Howard Balzer of Sports XChange reports that Gradkowski has not officially been released yet.

According to Balzer, the Bucs may be looking to follow in the footsteps of the Minnesota Vikings, who figured out a way to pick up an extra draft pick by trading a player they had previously announced as having been placed on waivers. Last month the Vikings announced that they had waived Erasmus James, only to later rescind the move and trade James to the Washington Redskins in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick.

Balzer writes that by announcing the release of Gradkowski, the Bucs have basically declared themselves open for business in case any team is interested in making a trade and being sure they acquire Gradkowski, rather than hope he’s available on waivers. So while the Bucs have decided that Gradkowski won’t be on the team in 2008, they’re not ready to set him completely free just yet.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

We don't run a West Coast and I doubt if Gradkowski's any better than our current set of QB's. The only QB's on Tampa's roster that would even look at for our roster are Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese.

"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:

I remember when we played the Broncos back in 2002 (excellent game won on a Mare FG) and the announcers kept making suggestions as the heir apperants to Marino and Elway with Fiedler and Griese. I actually thought Griese was the better player at the time but he has become nothing more then a journyman. Crazy to think about the many stops he has had since joining the Dolphins back in 2003.

I'd rather look at Chris Simms then Griese and Garcia would be nothing more then a stop gap. Despite having, what, 7 quarterbacks? The Bucs have 1 and that 1 is almost done.

Well, if we're sticking with Henne/Beck for the future, it may be better to have a stop-gap. Evidently, Gruden must still think highly of Griese to send a draft pick over for. Even with his many stops, he has contributed well. Won a good portion of Chicago's W's as well as a load of come from behind victories. Likewise for Tampa and he did especially well in 04 while Feeley and Fiedler were stinking it up. I followed the son of Bob's career for a while and I'm amazed he hasn't found a place to sink his roots in (would've hoped it'd be Miami until "Turnstile" Smith wrecked everything). Might as well have a Michigan product mentor another more younger one.

I'm not impressed with Simms at all. Really more a Trent Dilfer game manager.

"Aqua4Ever04 wrote:

I thought he was doing pretty well early on in Denver. I guess Jake Plummer was the better fit. :confused2:

I think they were to infactuated with finding the next Elway rather then sticking with a competant passer.

Griese did get a Pro Bowl nod in Denver but regressed a bit with injuries to himself and his favorite target in McCaffrey. Factor out the injuries and Griese would've put up Plummer type numbers or better.

I think they were trying to find the next Elway though Cutler's on a good start so far. Then again so was Griese.