Bucs Bring Back Griese, Meet With Dunn The Bucs brought back one of their former starting quarterbacks Monday. Will one of their former starting tailbacks be the next to return? While the Bucs were completing a trade with Chicago for Brian Griese, Warrick Dunn was making the Bucs his first stop on a free-agent tour sparked by his release from the Falcons earlier in the day. The meeting, which ended before 8 p.m. Monday, brought to fruition a scenario that first gained notoriety Saturday, when it was learned the Falcons were entertaining thoughts of signing fellow running back Michael Turner. Turner's signing of a six-year deal Sunday resulted in Dunn's release Monday morning and his agent, Jim Steiner, immediately placed the Bucs on the short list of teams Dunn would consider signing with. "Warrick's interest is to be with a playoff contender, of which Tampa is one," Steiner said. "But we're just getting started on this, so we'll have to see where this goes." One place it likely will go is Indianapolis. Though he has expressed a desire to return to Tampa, where he still owns a home, Dunn also has expressed a desire to reunite with former Bucs coach Tony Dungy, who now leads the Colts. The Broncos, Cowboys and Texans are also believed to have some interest in at least talking with Dunn, who recently turned 33 and whose production clearly slipped last season. After three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns, Dunn gained just 720 yards on 227 carries (3.2 average) in 2007. But even at that rate he still could help the Bucs. Tampa Bay is in the market for a back with Dunn's versatility and ability because it still doesn't know what, if anything, it will get in 2008 from feature back Cadillac Williams. The Bucs likely will lean on Earnest Graham in the event Williams is unable or slow to return from his torn patellar tendon injury. They also have the speedy Michael Bennett as an option. Beyond that, though, all they have is second-year pro Kenneth Darby, who struggled just to stay on the roster, much less earn a spot on the field on game day, in 2007. As a result the Bucs have been shopping for a back since the free-agency signing period opened. They offered former Buc Aaron Stecker a three-year contract but Stecker opted to stay in New Orleans on a one-year deal. They also have had preliminary discussions with Chris Brown of the Titans. As of late Monday, though, the Bucs had neither invited Brown for a visit nor entered into contract talks with him. Dunn may be the reason. It has been widely speculated for days that Dunn would be released as soon as Turner was signed and that domino fell on Monday. So did one involving Griese. He was expected to be either released or traded after the Bears signed fellow quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton to new contracts last week. The Bucs didn't wait for his release, trading a 2009 second-day draft pick for him. Though they are rife with quarterbacks, the Bucs don't have a veteran whom Coach Jon Gruden is completely comfortable with. Griese, who was 9-7 as a Bucs starter in 2004-05, fills that need. He spent the past two years backing up Grossman, playing in 13 games and starting six, and is expected to battle with Luke McCown, Chris Simms and Bruce Gradkowski for the right to back up starter Jeff Garcia in training camp. Griese, who has thrown 114 touchdown passes, 92 interceptions and has a career passer rating of 83.6, became the fourth player the Bucs have acquired since the free-agency signing period began. He joins center Jeff Faine, tight end John Gilmore and reserve defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson as newcomers to the Bucs, who spent part of Monday visiting with defensive back Eugene Wilson and linebacker Teddy Lehman. Wilson, who has spent his entire five-year career with the Patriots, could fill the need the Bucs have at cornerback. Lehman could fill the need for a backup linebacker. The Bucs are also believed to still be in the market for a wide receiver and a tight end. They may have a shot at signing receiver Bryant Johnson (Cardinals), but only if Johnson gets out of Buffalo without signing a deal. They also still may be in the running for tight end Ben Troupe, who also was visiting Buffalo on Monday. Roy Cummings, The Tampa Tribune 4 March 2008