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Buenning Battling For Backup Berth

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Dan Buenning at center during the afternoon practice at Disney's Wide World of Sports.

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By IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 4, 2008

LAKE BUENA VISTA - Your first year on the job is a blast, but then you throw your back out. You find yourself in traction, stuck on disability leave until doctors clear you to return to the office.

While you mend, a co-worker calls to tell you the boss hired some hotshots out of college to take your job.

Have a nice day.

Welcome to Dan Buenning's world.

Buenning's rookie season in Tampa couldn't have gone much better for the big farm kid out of Wisconsin. He started all 16 games at left guard in 2005 as the Bucs won the NFC South title, and his stout blocking helped running back Cadillac Williams earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

"Dan's a guy who had a lot to do with us winning in '05," Coach Jon Gruden said. "Since then, he's been dealing with a lot of adversity."

When Tampa Bay used its 2006 first-round draft choice to select lineman Davin Joseph, Buenning merely shrugged because Joseph was ticketed for right guard from the start.

But trouble was waiting that fall at Texas Stadium.

A sprained ankle hobbled Buenning at the start of his sophomore season. Just when Buenning was starting to feel comfortable again, the Bucs visited Big D on Thanksgiving Day.

That's D as in disaster.

In a 38-10 loss at Dallas, Buenning tore his right ACL when his foot stuck in the turf while Bruce Gradkowski was getting sacked.

End of season.

Start of story.

"I don't doubt Dan Buenning's resolve," Bucs offensive line coach Bill Muir said. "Injuries are a devastating thing, both to the football team and more pointedly to the player. The first thing they think about is how quickly can I come back? Will I come back?"

While Buenning rehabbed, the Bucs reloaded. In the second round of the 2007 draft, Tampa Bay chose Arron Sears, a tough, aggressive guard out of Tennessee.

"We believe in the American way - competition brings out the best in everyone," Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said.

Buenning never made it back on the field last year, inactive for all 16 regular-season games and a playoff matchup against the Giants.

"I'm right there now, healthy as a horse," said Buenning, now fighting for a roster spot at guard or center. "It was an ACL and that's usually a year. They didn't feel I was ready to go last season and besides, Sears was doing a good job."

Tampa Bay's official depth chart isn't out yet, but there's little mystery about where Buenning dwells - firmly behind Sears and Joseph at guard and hoping to back up newcomer Jeff Faine, the NFL's highest-paid center.

The hits kept coming this spring as the Bucs drafted versatile lineman Jeremy Zuttah in the third round.

Zuttah has been working at guard and center. Sound familiar?

Everyone seems to know Buenning is fighting for a backup job, except No. 72.

"I'm a starter and I'm going to start," Buenning said. "If you don't have that attitude, you don't belong in this league. Somebody's going to win and somebody's going to lose. The best players are going to be on the field. If you think you're a backup, you'll either be on the bench or on the street."

Buenning figures to make the final 53-man roster, but there may be a string of Sundays this fall when he dresses in jeans rather than a jersey.

"I don't think Dan's going to be intimidated or go in the tank," Gruden said. "He knows how I feel about him. He's got a heart of gold and he's a courageous son of a gun."

That glorious 2005 season seems like a distant memory as Buenning scraps for NFL survival.

Sears, Joseph and Faine are eager to provide the Bucs with the best interior line play in franchise history. Zuttah has two good knees and is generating daily plaudits from Gruden in camp.

But Dan Buenning remains in the arena, eager for another opportunity to prove his rookie year was merely a prelude to a long and accomplished pro career.

"It's the story of the National Football League," Muir said. "The nature of this business is somebody gets hurt, somebody else steps up."

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