ron gibson

Miller may miss start of season

The backup QB hasn't recovered from shoulder surgery as the Bucs start
training camp.

By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
St. Petersburg Times
published July 16, 2003
Click here to view larger version of graphic.

TAMPA - Veteran quarterback Jim Miller will not be ready for two-a-day
practices when training camp starts Saturday and could be out for the
first two months of the season.

Miller's right shoulder, which had rotator cuff surgery Jan. 7, has
suffered a setback, and the Bucs may be forced to place the free-agent
acquisition on the physically unable to perform list, coach Jon Gruden
said Tuesday.

By league rules it could sideline Miller, 32, the first nine games of
the season. That likely would leave Shaun King to back up starter Brad
Johnson, with unsigned rookie Chris Simms No. 3 on the depth chart.

"I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure he'll start the season on
(the unable to perform list)," Gruden said. "He won't be throwing the
ball right out of the gate. We won't be quite ready. That's where (we)
are mentally right now. ... Until we see him Friday, I can't say.

"I'm not going to say it's going to be 10 weeks. It could be 10 days. It
could be 10 weeks. It could be the year. It's something we knew we were
getting into."

Miller, expected to return from Chicago on Thursday, said he is
encouraged by the team's willingness to give him time to heal.

"Quite honestly, I view it as a positive," Miller said. "They see enough
potential in me to give me more time to get ready. I want to be ready.
That's been my focus since I got here, and I'm happy that they are
willing to give me the chance to do so."

Miller, who also had offseason ankle surgery, has been a staple at One
Buc Place since signing a one-year deal worth $650,000 on March 31. The
deal came with a $25,000 signing bonus.

His shoulder began improving and the 10-year veteran started throwing
short passes in May. But that was the end of the good news.

"I think he may have had a little bit of a setback going in," Gruden
said. "When you're doing short toss and you start throwing the ball a
little bit further, with a little flatter trajectory, it (showed) the
shoulder is not ready yet. It's still sore." Miller said the shoulder
had some swelling after a workout a few weeks ago.

"I probably got a little overzealous, but at some point you have to test
it," Miller said. "The thing is to get over the hurdles of the physical
problems. It's a blow to my ego because I'm a competitive person, and
not being able to do the things I know I can do is very frustrating."

The Bucs plan to keep Miller on the roster for camp with the hope he
shows improvement in the next six weeks.

"This is an investment, as I see it," Gruden said. "It might not pay a
dividend in July. It might not pay off for us in August. But in the big
picture I think this guy is a great teammate, a great leader and a solid
performer. It's a matter of physically getting him ready to go and not
being stupid, not rushing this guy into the physical aspects of football
that he's not ready for."

According to NFL rules there are two physically unable to perform
designations, active and reserve. If Miller is unable to practice
Saturday the Bucs likely will place him on the active list, enabling the
team to evaluate his progress in camp and activate him any time before
the final cutdown date.

After the final cuts on Aug. 31 the Bucs must place Miller either on the
reserve physically unable list, on injured reserve or release him.

If on the reserve physically unable list, Miller must sit out six weeks
of the season. The Bucs then would have a three-week period to evaluate
him or activate him. Before the start of the 10th week the team must
place Miller on injured reserve the rest of the season, release him or
activate him to the 53-man roster.

"When you're on (physically unable to perform), you can't (practice),"
Gruden said. "You can be in attendance, you can go to the meetings.
There's still value there, not that our system is that hard, but he
could sit in the meeting rooms and make the mental corrections. And with
a veteran player, an experienced guy, sometimes that's invaluable."

Miller said he plans to do some light work Saturday, though he expects
the team to closely monitor his routine.

"Hey, don't count me out yet," Miller said. "I expect a lot of myself,
and to have a chance only pushes me harder. I want to be ready for those
guys, because I know how hard they have worked."

Considering that at one point this offseason the Bucs had six
quarterbacks, sidelining Miller would help others get more repetitions.

"I'm grateful for any opportunity," King said. "I've been working real
hard, and I feel more comfortable and have a great command of what
happens. I'm trying to challenge Brad for the starting job. I feel like
I'm a starting quarterback in this league.

"If you just handle your job, you're going to perform well. Obviously
you never wish injury on anybody, but you have to approach the season
like you're the guy and not worry about (other player's injuries)."

Gruden said Miller's setback could be beneficial to King.

"I'm excited about Shaun King. I think he has some talent," Gruden said.
"It's going to be the second year for him in the same system. ... Well,
in my career as a coach, repetition is the mother of learning. ... We
need to get Shaun King some reps. He needs to play a lot."

Gruden said Simms also will get his share of repetitions and "might
surprise us all."

In an emergency the Bucs could turn to veteran punter Tom Tupa, who has
played quarterback in the NFL.

"Don't forget about Tupa, who can participate in some drill work, one on
one," Gruden said. "At the same time, he'll be a guy who strategically
(could) be your game-day third quarterback, which he has done in the
past. We don't want to lose sight of that."

--
Email - rsgibson@verizon.net
Home Page - http://rsgibson.com
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todd stephens

In message <dqfRa.10479$kI5.4095@nwrddc02.gnilink.net>, Ron Gibson mused:

Poor Brad. Once again he has to carry the burden of the offense squarely on
his bruised shoulders.


--
Todd Stephens

for email, emulate St. Patrick in the land of Jose Gaspar

jvlcs

The Bucs have been running Wesley Walls through some drills.

J

rsgibson

Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:19:22 UTC, jvlcs <jvlcs@verizon.net> Noted:

Can he play QB

todd stephens

In message <ujjRa.6832$EZ2.6618@nwrddc01.gnilink.net>, jvlcs mused:

If we are down to SK as #2, I wouldn't mind seeing Alstott run some passing
drills. He already has the ability to get the ball out of his hands
quickly


--
Todd Stephens

for email, emulate St. Patrick in the land of Jose Gaspar

rsgibson

Thu, 17 Jul 2003 02:42:23 UTC, Todd Stephens
<tbstep@tampaSNAKESbay.rr.com> Noted:

LOL! That's the best one liner to come around in a while.

BTW, I just did a strange thing kinda. I downloaded a ISO of Knopnix, a
distro that runs off of a bootable CD. I've seen Linux run off of CD's
before but it was a long time ago.

But this really has the bells and whistles. Runs KDE nicely. Big
download, 700MB.

Again, great quip.

jvlcs

The problem is that he's impatient and has been 'pushing' it. It's
good that he wants to compete, but he needs to be rationale about it.

J

rsgibson

Thu, 17 Jul 2003 11:40:31 UTC, jvlcs <jvlcs@verizon.net> Noted:

That's an injury that could easily take two years. IMO, hoping he could
be a back up this year was too far a reach.

You guys complained last year when Rob had to play. Just wait until King
shows his stuff. Come to think of it he did last year. How did ya
like it

jvlcs

...cough......................