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Rattay poised to fill backup role for Bucs
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL - 2 hours ago
TAMPA -- When Luke McCown was hurt in an off-season drill two weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers breathed a sigh of relief as much that the misfortune didn't ...
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Sun, 25 Jun 2006 08:35:00 GMT

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[Gotham Dark Knight]

TAMPA -- When Luke McCown was hurt in an off-season drill two weeks ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers breathed a sigh of relief as much that the misfortune didn't strike Tim Rattay as McCown's ACL injury wasn't more severe.

Rattay appears set to be Tampa Bay's backup quarterback, poised to look over Chris Simms' shoulder and step in as the starter in case Simms falters or gets injured.

Pickings are slim and the team does not have enough salary cap room to sign a quality backup, maybe not even a guy like Jay Fiedler, who visited One Buc Place on Thursday.

There are no guarantees, either, that Simms, even though he led the Bucs to a NFC South Division championship last season, is going to be the long-term answer at quarterback.

The four-year veteran Simms is on a high-stakes trial, with a one-year contract. The Bucs may or may not choose to offer him a lucrative long-term deal, knowing that NFL quarterbacks often do not succeed long term with their original team.

Which leaves Rattay, 29, waiting in the wings, much like Brian Griese was two years ago, before Simms sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in 2004.

Like Griese, Rattay has previous experience as a starter elsewhere. He has 16 starts under his belt in five-plus NFL seasons, all with the San Francisco 49ers, who made him a seventh-round draft pick in 2000.

He has thrown 24 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions with a 60.8 career completion percentage and an 81.6 quarterback rating in 32 games.

"The fact that he's played and been in the battle, that really is his strength," said Bucs quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett on Thursday, when the team wrapped up its three-day minicamp. "He brings the experience that we really don't have with the other guys, to the group."

"Tim Rattay is a very solid player," said Bucs head coach Jon Gruden.

In limited playing time Rattay has piled up impressive enough stats...I am not so sure that Simms will go the distance...I hope he does...but...