Linebackers
53 Larry Ball Played in all but one game in1976 having also been a member of the 1972 perfect Dolphins alongside DT Maulty Moore. 56 Bubba Broussard Was a 6th round pick of the Vikings but came to the Bucs in the allocation draft from Chicago. Did not make the team and never ever suited up for a pre-season game. 54 Steve Colavito Undrafted linebacker who played four games with the Eagles late in the 1975 season. Did not make the Bucs' team. 56 Bert Cooper Played in 12 games with three starts before going on IR having been injured in the loss to the Oakland Raiders. Was released after the season ended. 96 Larry Ely Was an expansion draft selection from the Bears but did not make the 1976 Buccaneers out of training camp and never even suited up for a pre-season game. 55 Charles Hunt Played Weeks 5 through 9 as a special teamer and back- up linebacker and amassed one tackle in each area before being released. 47 Ted Jornov Was a 13th round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1974 draft but never played in the NFL at all. Did not make the roster but did start the pre-season opener. 59 Mike Lemon Was signed midway through 1976 and wound up being with the Bucs for parts of two seasons as a special teamer. Originally a 1975 5th round pick of the Saints. 58 Calvin Peterson Started the first four games and then hurt his knee. Returned for the Denver game but went on IR for good after that. 52 Steve Reese Was obtained with the Jets in a trade and started 10 games for the 1976 Buccaneers. Also played in the World Football League in 1974. 55 Jimmie Sims Went by the name of "Psycho" and played the final two games of the 1976 season having been signed as a free agent. Doug Swift Did not even attend camp. Miami exposed him in the draft knowing he was quitting the game and did not tell anyone else. 54 Richard Wood Went on to a very successful 10-year career with the Bucs playing in over 130 games. Known as "The Batman".
59 Pete Barnes NFL veteran of three other teams who played in the final three pre-season games but was released in the final roster cutdown. 55 Warren Capone Former Dallas Cowboy who played in the final three pre-season games but was released in the final roster cutdown. 48 Ralph Coleman Was an 8th round pick of the Cowboys in 1972 and his NFL career amounted to just one game with them that season. Never even suited up for a pre-season game. Bruce Elia Was selected in the expansion draft but was then traded two days later to the 49ers alongside WR Willie McGee for QB Steve Spurrier. 30 Jimmy Gunn Made the most starts of any linebacker in 1976 for the Bucs but was not able to keep his job the following year and was cut in training camp. 59 Leroy Johnson Undrafted free agent linebacker who never played in the NFL at all and did not make the team. Only played in the first pre-season game. 50 Tim Kearney First obtained in the expansion draft and traded and then re-signed as a free agent in Week 2. Declared inactive for one game and then cut. 50 Steve Maughan Was placed on IR with a shoulder injury during training camp and then missed all of 1977 with Hodgkins' disease. Did play in the first pre-season game. 57 Jim Peterson Played in the first three games with two starts before going on IR with a knee injury. Was a camp cut in 1977. Had spent two prior seasons with the Rams. 91 Steadman Scavella Rookie out of Miami who was released during the pre- season campaign and never played in the NFL at all. Never even suited up for a game. 55 Sid Smith Switched from center to middle linebacker for his senior year at college and hence got himself drafted but never played in the NFL. 49 Tom West Played running back and tight end in college but was drafted as a linebacker despite not having played the position since high school.