Roster limits shrink practice pool In 45 days, the Bucs will play their first preseason game. Think about that. Just last week, the team wrapped up its offseason program, which began in March and included 14 voluntary workouts and a mandatory three-day minicamp. Players stay in shape all year. But contact is limited in the offseason, and it takes a week or so of training camp to knock off the cobwebs. Frankly, most players will tell you the preseason is too long. Nowadays, the goal of every coach is to make sure his team gets to the starting line with all its weapons healthy. That might be harder to accomplish this season with an NFL-mandated 80-man roster limit for training camp. "It's concerning. I don't know why we (are limited to) 80 guys," Jon Gruden said. "I'm sure there are going to be a couple guys on every team that are going to be (physically unable to play). … But it limits the amount of guys that practice and, therefore, the number of reps you can get. When you're out there with a 100-plus heat index, it's something you've got to keep your eye on. Still, repetition is the mother of learning." Gruden has adapted his camp schedule every year since the team went to Disney's Wide World of Sports in 2002. A year ago, about 12 to 15 players were placed on one-a-day duty. If you subtract four or five quarterbacks, the long snapper and kickers, that leaves about 60 players for the afternoon practice. To beat the heat, Gruden is planning a night workout. "I want to see our new punt returners and kick returners handle the ball in the lights," Gruden said. "We're going to play a Monday night game. We're going to play (in the preseason) against Miami in the lights, so we'll go out there and let our returners and receivers handle the ball. It's part of our evaluation. Some guys can't find the ball in the nighttime as well as they can in the daytime. I was one of those receivers." Work to be done Despite the long offseason, there's still much the Bucs have to iron out in training camp. • Quarterback: Jeff Garcia is the disgruntled starter. But who is No. 2? Brian Griese would seem to get a short-term nod, but Luke McCown is gaining ground. Rookie Josh Johnson can get ready for a redshirt year. (We'll deal with Chris Simms later.) • Receiver: Joey Galloway and Maurice Stovall have been recovering from surgery, and who knows how much better they'll be in five or six weeks? Antonio Bryant has made an impact, but he has to prove he's not another David Boston. Rookie Dexter Jackson is a kick returner trying to learn the position. It's an area the Bucs might wish they had addressed more in the offseason. "I'm still learning who we're playing with," Gruden said. "Maurice Stovall hasn't taken many snaps here in the offseason, nor has Joey or Ike (Hilliard), and we've had a lot of injuries. So I'm still learning about Cortez Hankton and Bryant and Jackson. … It's going to be very competitive, and we might add another receiver or two before camp." • Offensive line: Center Jeff Faine will make the Bucs better. But there is a battle to watch at left tackle. Nobody has seen much of Luke Petitgout, who is recovering from knee surgery. He'll battle Donald Penn. "He's really increased his strength; a credit to our strength coaches," Gruden said of Penn. "He's done some good things. He still has some plays here and there that he has to eliminate, but he's making progress." • Defensive line: The Bucs want to get more pressure on the quarterback, but they'll have to rely on the improvement of Gaines Adams for that. The Bucs added some pieces with rookie Dre Moore, and Marques Douglas gives them flexibility with Greg White outside. But the rotation is unsettled. • Simms: The guess here is he never makes it to the first practice. He might be forced to report and take a physical. Who knows? But this episode ends in either his release or a trade. Remember when it was inevitable Keyshawn Johnson was moving on? Johnson was going to be cut by the Bucs, and Dallas was cutting Galloway. The teams agreed to swap players. Other teams are trying to reach the 80-man limit, too. Maybe a receiver will become available and the Bucs can make another swap. Stay tuned. Rick Stroud, The St.Petersburg Times 23 June 2008