Sunday, September 04, 2005
Actual 53 Man Roster (And hey, I'm pretty good at this!)
Cut day has come and gone, and now we know how the roster will look when the season starts, barring of course any practice injuries in the next week. I have to say, I was pretty spot on, with only a couple of misses. Below are the guys who made it, and the guys who didn't, position by position.
One other note - the nine man practice squad (the ninth man will be an international exemption) will be announced later in the week, and of course I'll have something on that when it breaks.
Quarterbacks
-----------------
IN: Brian Griese, Chris Simms, Luke McCown
OUT: None
Nothing more to be said. The extra guy, Jared Allen, was cut in the last round. There was no fat to trim.
Runningbacks
-------------------
IN: Carnell Williams, Michael Pittman, Earnest Graham, Mike Alstott (FB),
Jameel Cook (FB), Rick Razzano (FB)
OUT: Derek Watson
It's a minor surprise that Watson was cut and Razzano is staying on. I guess the plan is to have Mike Alstott work purely as a situational, short-yardage guy, and not to use him at fullback at all. Derek Watson has some ability, but a bad attitude and the impressive (amazing?) preseason by Earnest Graham made him expendable.
Wide Receiver
------------------
IN: Michael Clayton, Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, Edell Sheppard, Larry Brackins, Paris Warren, JR Russell
OUT: DeAndrew Rubin, Derek McCoy, Terrance Metcalf
I can't honestly say I've ever seen a team take seven healthy wide receivers into the season. In the end, Brackins, Warren, and Russell all did enough to stay on board. I guess it's not a bad idea, considering the injury history of Galloway and Hilliard, and the slight build of Edell Sheppard. It also indicates that Galloway and Hilliard may be coming to the end of their tenures after this season.
TE
----
IN: Anthony Becht, Alex Smith, Dave Moore, Nate Lawrie
OUT: Will Heller
Another surprise, the team keeps four tight ends. I suppose Dave Moore is going to be more used as a longsnapper than from scrimmage, and Nate Lawrie was too impressive in the preseason to cut.
OL
----
IN: Anthony Davis, Matt Stinchcomb, Jeb Terry, Sean Mahan, John Wade, Chris Colmer, Dan Buenning, Kenyatta Walker, Todd Steussie
OUT: Derrick Deese, Sam Lightbody, Jon Clicksdale, Scott Jackson
Deese is the big name cut of the team. His inability to recover from his foot injury made him expendable, as did the emergence of Anthony Davis. The other three cuts were predictable.
DL
----
IN: Anthony McFarland, Chris Hovan, Ellis Wyms, Simeon Rice, Greg Spires, Dewayne White, Anthony Bryant, Jon Bradley
OUT: Delbert Cowsette, Josh Savage, Brian Save, Andrew Williams
This was predictable, except for unheralded Jon Bradley beating out Andrew Williams and Josh Savage for the final job. I can't wait to see this kid on the field - Savage and Williams can play, so he must have some real ability.
LB
---
IN: Derrick Brooks, Shelton Quarles, Marquis Cooper, Barrett Ruud, Ryan Nece
OUT: Matt Grootegoed, Josh Buhl, Jermaine Taylor
IR: Jeff Gooch
The flipside shocker to the team keeping seven wideouts is the team only keeping five linebackers. That's a frightening prospect, and should a couple of guys get hurt - which is plausible - we could see a street free agent starting two days after being signed. I certainly thought that if Gooch were IRed, which he was, the team would keep Buhl or Grootegoed for depth purposes. Undoubtedly, one or more of these guys will find their way to the practice squad.
DB
----
IN: Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Donte Nicholson, Dexter Jackson, Jermaine Phillips, Blue Adams, Juran Bolden, Torrie Cox
OUT: Hamza Abdullah, Kalvin Pearson, James Patrick
No real surprises here. Blue Adams was the only guy really fighting for his spot. Abdullah is the only guy drafted this year, out of about a dozen guys, to be cut. That's the sign of either a good draft or a terrible team. Both, in this case.
Specialists
-------------
IN: Matt Bryant (K), Josh Bidwell (P)
OUT: Todd France (K), Brian Simjanovski (P)
As I predicted, Gruden went with the known commodity in Bryant. Simjanovski was only here to audition for other teams and keep Bidwell's leg fresh.
There you have it, your 2005 Buccaneers opening day roster. I will post the practice squad, or any waivers claims, when they occur.
One other note - the nine man practice squad (the ninth man will be an international exemption) will be announced later in the week, and of course I'll have something on that when it breaks.
Quarterbacks
-----------------
IN: Brian Griese, Chris Simms, Luke McCown
OUT: None
Nothing more to be said. The extra guy, Jared Allen, was cut in the last round. There was no fat to trim.
Runningbacks
-------------------
IN: Carnell Williams, Michael Pittman, Earnest Graham, Mike Alstott (FB),
Jameel Cook (FB), Rick Razzano (FB)OUT: Derek Watson
It's a minor surprise that Watson was cut and Razzano is staying on. I guess the plan is to have Mike Alstott work purely as a situational, short-yardage guy, and not to use him at fullback at all. Derek Watson has some ability, but a bad attitude and the impressive (amazing?) preseason by Earnest Graham made him expendable.
Wide Receiver
------------------
IN: Michael Clayton, Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, Edell Sheppard, Larry Brackins, Paris Warren, JR Russell
OUT: DeAndrew Rubin, Derek McCoy, Terrance Metcalf
I can't honestly say I've ever seen a team take seven healthy wide receivers into the season. In the end, Brackins, Warren, and Russell all did enough to stay on board. I guess it's not a bad idea, considering the injury history of Galloway and Hilliard, and the slight build of Edell Sheppard. It also indicates that Galloway and Hilliard may be coming to the end of their tenures after this season.
TE
----
IN: Anthony Becht, Alex Smith, Dave Moore, Nate Lawrie
OUT: Will Heller
Another surprise, the team keeps four tight ends. I suppose Dave Moore is going to be more used as a longsnapper than from scrimmage, and Nate Lawrie was too impressive in the preseason to cut.
OL
----
IN: Anthony Davis, Matt Stinchcomb, Jeb Terry, Sean Mahan, John Wade, Chris Colmer, Dan Buenning, Kenyatta Walker, Todd Steussie
OUT: Derrick Deese, Sam Lightbody, Jon Clicksdale, Scott Jackson
Deese is the big name cut of the team. His inability to recover from his foot injury made him expendable, as did the emergence of Anthony Davis. The other three cuts were predictable.
DL----
IN: Anthony McFarland, Chris Hovan, Ellis Wyms, Simeon Rice, Greg Spires, Dewayne White, Anthony Bryant, Jon Bradley
OUT: Delbert Cowsette, Josh Savage, Brian Save, Andrew Williams
This was predictable, except for unheralded Jon Bradley beating out Andrew Williams and Josh Savage for the final job. I can't wait to see this kid on the field - Savage and Williams can play, so he must have some real ability.
LB
---
IN: Derrick Brooks, Shelton Quarles, Marquis Cooper, Barrett Ruud, Ryan Nece
OUT: Matt Grootegoed, Josh Buhl, Jermaine Taylor
IR: Jeff Gooch
The flipside shocker to the team keeping seven wideouts is the team only keeping five linebackers. That's a frightening prospect, and should a couple of guys get hurt - which is plausible - we could see a street free agent starting two days after being signed. I certainly thought that if Gooch were IRed, which he was, the team would keep Buhl or Grootegoed for depth purposes. Undoubtedly, one or more of these guys will find their way to the practice squad.
DB
----
IN: Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Donte Nicholson, Dexter Jackson, Jermaine Phillips, Blue Adams, Juran Bolden, Torrie Cox
OUT: Hamza Abdullah, Kalvin Pearson, James Patrick
No real surprises here. Blue Adams was the only guy really fighting for his spot. Abdullah is the only guy drafted this year, out of about a dozen guys, to be cut. That's the sign of either a good draft or a terrible team. Both, in this case.
Specialists
-------------
IN: Matt Bryant (K), Josh Bidwell (P)
OUT: Todd France (K), Brian Simjanovski (P)
As I predicted, Gruden went with the known commodity in Bryant. Simjanovski was only here to audition for other teams and keep Bidwell's leg fresh.
There you have it, your 2005 Buccaneers opening day roster. I will post the practice squad, or any waivers claims, when they occur.
# posted by Buccaneer Fan : 3:52 AM
