Gruden trying to Get Phil more active with Bucs.

It is not every family tree that produces a Super Bowl winning quarterback let alone two, but that could happen for the Simms; If Chris Simms becomes the quarterback that his father once was. I think the Buccaneers are on the right track and I think Chris Simms will be our quarterback of the future. I have been down on Simms in the past and even one point last season, I would have preferred Tim Rattay. However, Chris Simms silenced this critic and turned me into a fan. I am so glad Simms is the starter and Griese is gone. But like Coach Jon Gruden, I wish Phil Simms would get more involved with the Bucs and help coach his son. Here is what Coach Gruden had to say.

Gruden he hopes to convince Simms' father, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Phil, to have some level of involvement with the Bucs.

"He doesn't come around," Gruden said. "We're trying to get him to come around
some more because I'd like to be around Phil Simms. He gives me confidence
being around guys like that." It might be tricky with Phil working for CBS
during the season. Plus, as Gruden said, Phil "likes to stay in the
background."

That won't stop Gruden:

"I'm trying to encourage him to get a little closer to the situation
because I think he could help us."

This could be huge is Gruden could somehow get Phil Simms to assist the Bucs and his son Chris Simms even if it was only for a few days. I am not sure it will happen with Phil Simms busy schedule, but even a couple days at training camp would be nice.

Chris Simms has said several times that it is an honor being Phil Simms son and he has no problem with that tag.

Other New: My good blog buddy JD over at JDs chronicle is back up and running. He has a nice Patriots Blog, and talks a little other NFL football too. He also had Super nice things to say about this Blog and Cutthroat Pirate, so if you get a chance check his blog out. It makes for good reading. Welcome back JD

NFL News:
What are the Dolphins doing. I am not sure I agree with this move, but Lions quarterback Joey Harrington was leaning toward agreeing to a contract proposed by the Dolphins on Saturday, according to the Miami Herald. The deal is reportedly for two years and would be worth about $2 million this season. The Bengals also have an offer on the table to the former first-round pick. Once Harrington agrees to a deal, the Lions and Dolphins will need to work out a trade that will likely net the Lions a Day 2 pick. Miami doesn't have a fifth- or sixth-round pick this year, but they could trade away one next year. Harrington prefers South Beach to Cincinnati because he and his agent, who also represents Carson Palmer, think he has a better chance of getting playing time in Miami this year while Daunte Culpepper recovers from his knee injury and learns a new system.

Here is one for JD: The Patriots are interested in acquiring the services of free agent wideout Peerless Price, who played in Dallas last season before being cut in November, according to ESPN.com. This could help the Patriots in depth at WR. Price had a few good season in Buffalo as the number two wide out behind Moulds, but when he arrived in Atlanta, he never had what it took to be the man. So with Branch as the Pats number one guy, Price could be a nice number 2 again.

Nate Burleson will be running routes for the NFC champs this season. The Vikings confirmed to the Minneapolis Star Tribune late Friday afternoon that they are not matching the contract offer that the Seahawks made to their restricted free agent wide receiver. Burleson will make $49 million over the seven year deal. The contract, which includes a pair of "poison pills" that prevented the Vikings from matching, is back-loaded, so Burleson will make $14.5 million over the first four years. As compensation, the Vikings will receive the Seahawks third round pick in next month's draft. Burleson appeared on the verge of becoming a super star after his breakout 2004 campaign, but injuries and the general ineptitude of the Vikings offense limited him to 328 yards and one touchdown in 2005. The Vikings now have five picks in the first three rounds of April's draft.