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RB Darby Signed To Bucs Practice Squad

Published: Sep 3, 2007

TAMPA - The Bucs did not waste any time re-signing RB Kenneth Darby and six other players to their practice squad a day after their release.

Darby, CB Marcus Hamilton, TE Keith Heinrich, WR Chad Lucas, C/G Enoka Lucas, T Dennis Roland and FB Byron Storer were signed to practice squad contracts Sunday.

Retaining Darby is seemingly a good move for Tampa Bay, which drafted him out of Alabama in the seventh round earlier this year. Darby led Tampa Bay in rushing with 33 carries for 135 yards and one touchdown during the preseason, and considering the Bucs are only carrying four backs on their roster, he could be called upon if any of those players sustain an injury.

Sunday's practice squad signings were just part of several moves by Tampa Bay.

The Bucs also claimed WR Taye Biddle and CB Anthony Madison off waivers from Carolina and Pittsburgh, respectively. To make room for those new additions, the Bucs released CB Sammy Davis and LB Leon Joe.

In addition, the team placed T Chris Denman, WR Chas Gessner, CB Carlos Hendricks and WR Paris Warren on injured reserve.

However, the Bucs released G Jeb Terry from injured reserve after he reached an injury settlement with the club.

SIMS GETS FRESH START: Bucs DT Ryan Sims was expected to become a premier player in the NFL after Kansas City selected him with its first pick (sixth overall) in the 2002 draft.

Five years later, Sims is hoping to live up to those expectations as a new member of the Bucs.

Sims had 83 tackles in 2003, but had only 52 tackles in the past three seasons combined. Some of that decreased production can be attributed to a foot injury which caused him to miss 10 games in 2005, but Sims is looking forward to a new opportunity.

"Anytime you get a start with another team, it's a fresh slate. You have an empty chalkboard and what you do is what people around here are going to know you for," Sims said. "It was time to move on. I wasn't happy. Anytime you stop being happy with something you love doing, you got to move on."

Sims, who traded to Tampa Bay during the offseason, will back up Chris Hovan this season, but is optimistic he will finally live up to expectations.

"I got a lot more work to do. That's the key," Sims said. "I got to keep working and trying to get better. My goal is to be a playmaker. To help this team win. That's always been my goal, and it's still my goal right now."

WEST COAST BLUES: History has shown the farther Tampa Bay travels, the more likely the Bucs are to struggle.

Coach Jon Gruden is 0-5 on West Coast trips during his five-year tenure as Bucs coach, not counting Tampa Bay's Super Bowl victory against Oakland in San Diego in 2003.

San Francisco beat Tampa Bay in 2003 (24-7) and 2005 (15-10), while Oakland (30-20 in 2004), San Diego (31-24 in 2004) and Arizona (12-7 in 2004) all have home victories against Gruden.

"We haven't played good in San Francisco, we haven't played particularly well across the country," Gruden said. "Arizona was lackluster in my opinion. I'm not going to make any excuses.

"We have a first-class schedule. We fly out, we stay in a five-star hotel, we eat well, we're going to be well rested and well prepared. Seattle is going to be a difficult place to play, but we got to pick it up."

Anwar S. Richardson