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Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Toledo Rockets QB Bruce Gradkowski
SLAM! Sports, Canada - 12 hours ago
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Sixth-round draft pick Bruce Gradkowski signed a contract Monday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A three-year ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers SFCPressPoint (press release)
Notebook: Seton-La Salle's Gradkowski signs with Tampa Bay Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
QB Bruce Gradkowski will soon be getting a lot of one-on-one ... Buccaneers.com
The Ledger - all 11 related

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 22:29:00 GMT

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[Lefty Noob]

Anyone see this kid Gradkowski play at Toledo? Lots of potential here. He's very underrated, and I think he has a good chance of making the team and then eventually becoming something real special in the NFL. As this article points out, Gradkowski was "the first quarterback in major college football history to complete more than 70 per cent of his passes in consecutive seasons, in 2003 and 2004. He finished with a career completion percentage of 68.2, a Division I-A record." What do you think of his career prospects?

[UofToledo]

I saw just about all of his games while he was at Toledo and the kid is a real gamer. He could have a little more arm strength but he has great field smarts, a guick release, and moves well when he's forced out of the pocket. He also throws well on the run.

If he stays healthy, he'll do well once he learns Gruden's system.

[Lefty Noob]

Hey, welcome to GoTeamsGo, UofToledo. Glad to have you here!

So how long do you think it'll take Gradkowski to learn the Gruden offense? Any chance he's a future starter in the NFL?

[UofToledo]

Thanks for the welcome, Left Noob. The Toledo offensive schemes, while not coming close to the complexities of an NFL system, are still fairly complicated and Gradkowski picked things right up as a sophomore, his first as a starter.

Toledo's former offensive coordinator, Rob Spence, is now the OC at Clemson so if you viewed any of the Clemson games on TV last season, you'll get a bit of an idea as to what the Toledo offense is like. Spence did simplify things in his first year at Clemson however.

I can't say how long it will take Bruce to thoroughly grasp your system, but I would bet that he has a good bit of it down coming into camp.

I do think he'll eventually become a starter.

By the way, Tampa Bay picked up a lot of instant fans up here in Toledo when Bruce went to the Bucs. Aside from his obvious football talents, he's a genuinely likeable young man from a great family. You'll understand what I mean if you get the chance to meet him.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by UofToledo

Thanks for the welcome, Left Noob. The Toledo offensive schemes, while not coming close to the complexities of an NFL system, are still fairly complicated and Gradkowski picked things right up as a sophomore, his first as a starter.

Toledo's former offensive coordinator, Rob Spence, is now the OC at Clemson so if you viewed any of the Clemson games on TV last season, you'll get a bit of an idea as to what the Toledo offense is like. Spence did simplify things in his first year at Clemson however.

I can't say how long it will take Bruce to thoroughly grasp your system, but I would bet that he has a good bit of it down coming into camp.

I do think he'll eventually become a starter.

By the way, Tampa Bay picked up a lot of instant fans up here in Toledo when Bruce went to the Bucs. Aside from his obvious football talents, he's a genuinely likeable young man from a great family. You'll understand what I mean if you get the chance to meet him.

Welcome UofToledo. You really think this kid can unseat Rattay and McCown to get into the rotation? I think he is going to have atough time unseating the two boys from Luisiana Tech.

[UofToledo]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Welcome UofToledo. You really think this kid can unseat Rattay and McCown to get into the rotation? I think he is going to have atough time unseating the two boys from Luisiana Tech.

I don't know if Bruce can unseat Rattay or McCowan, at least right out of the blocks, but he will be a starter some day, if not for the Bucs, then for another NFL team.

I know that's a pretty strong statement to make, given the odds, but people keep telling him he can't do this or that, and he just keeps proving them wrong.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by UofToledo

I don't know if Bruce can unseat Rattay or McCowan, at least right out of the blocks, but he will be a starter some day, if not for the Bucs, then for another NFL team.

I know that's a pretty strong statement to make, given the odds, but people keep telling him he can't do this or that, and he just keeps proving them wrong.

On the off chance he doesn't make it with the Bucs, what team would he be a good fit into?...I am thinking he could catch on as a third stringer for Dallas or the Colts.

[UofToledo]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

On the off chance he doesn't make it with the Bucs, what team would he be a good fit into?...I am thinking he could catch on as a third stringer for Dallas or the Colts.

Given my druthers between Dallas and the Colts, I wouldn't mind seeing him at Indianapolis, but I really think Bruce will work out just fine where he is right now, playing under Gruden at T.B.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by UofToledo

Given my druthers between Dallas and the Colts, I wouldn't mind seeing him at Indianapolis, but I really think Bruce will work out just fine where he is right now, playing under Gruden at T.B.

I think Indy would probably have been the best bet...but why Gruden?...do you think he will run a West Coast type offense that can cash in on the pin point passing of Gradkowski?

[UofToledo]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

I think Indy would probably have been the best bet...but why Gruden?...do you think he will run a West Coast type offense that can cash in on the pin point passing of Gradkowski?

Why Gruden?

Because I think. in this case, both coach and player will be good for each other. Gradkowski couldn't ask for a more fortuitous situation to break into the NFL. Just watch how things play out.

From Gary Shelton's latest column:

Say hello to Tampa Bay's next cult figure. Gradkowski is raw and reckless, and he is a long way from taking over a huddle, but there is a charisma to the way the guy plays quarterback. Considering the team's lack of depth at quarterback, Bucs fans might spend a lot of the preseason watching Gradkowski play. Gruden has already.

"I love him," Gruden said. "I do. I don't want to say it too many times, but I like the magic this guy has about him. If you watched him play in the big games (while at Toledo), he rises to the occasion. He likes the kitchen hot. He likes the competition."

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Gradkowski had a big game against the Dolphins tonight. He looked highly mobile in the pocket, and threw well, leading the Dolphins to a touchdown in the 4th quarter. Looks like he will have a home in the NFL.

[UofToledo]

It was early pre-season last night but Bruce was just doing what he has done so many times in the past when wearing a Toledo uniform: energinze the offense and engineer scoring drives. He just fell a little short this time.

I see on another Buc's message forum that fans are calling for him to start. I wouldn't even entertain that thought, but I think his performace as the No.3 QB has earned him a chance to move up to see how he produces working with the immediate back-ups.

G-Man has still so much to learn about playing in the NFL, but he does learn quickly.

There were many of us in Toledo following the course of last evening's game against the Dolphins.

[Lefty Noob]

I missed the game. What kind of numbers did Gradkowski put up?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

I missed the game. What kind of numbers did Gradkowski put up?

11 out of 14 for 193 yards one TD and one pick.