#38. Bucs backup QB: Chris Simms vs. Bruce Gradkowski

Jeff Garcia hasn’t played 16 games since 2002 and was plagued by injuries in stops with Cleveland and Detroit. Both those teams had weak offensive lines. Tampa has struggled on the line for years. See where we’re going this?

Gradkowski is surprisingly the favorite going into camp. For all his massive struggles last season, he was a rookie and wasn’t any worse than Eli Manning or Alex Smith in their first year. A second-year improvement is likely and Jon Gruden still appears to believe in him. Simms has struggled to regain this throwing form and confidence since having his spleen removed last season. He's gone from a possible starter to a possible training camp cut, although that's unlikely. If he’s ever going to be a quality starter in the NFL, it may have to be away from Tampa.

I wouldn’t rush to pick either player up if Garcia is hurt this year, but don’t be surprised if one of these players starts multiple games for the Bucs. And Gruden’s history suggests he can squeeze yardage out of most any veteran.