Bates happy with Phillips' work at Bucs LB, so far

The early returns on the Jermaine Phillips experiment appear promising.

Tampa Bay's 30-year-old strong safety is attempting a position change to outside linebacker at the behest of rookie Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris and new defensive coordinator Jim Bates.

"We haven't put the pads on, and nobody's coming at him at 100 miles an hour, but he has comprehended the scheme, and his transition, I think, is ahead of schedule,'' Bates said. "Jermaine's ahead of where we thought he'd be in terms of making that type of transition.''

Phillips has played safety since his junior year at Georgia in 2000, when he switched from wide receiver. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, the man affectionately known as "Flip'' has earned an NFL reputation as a big hitter who excels in run support.

"When we proposed it to him, he spent extra time preparing,'' Bates said. "He's into it, and everything's been encouraging so far. Is it a given that he's going to be what we hope he is? We won't know that until we get to the preseason games. But right now, he's on track.''

The Bucs are hoping Phillips makes a smooth transition to the weakside linebacker spot Derrick Brooks filled with distinction for 14 seasons.

Sabby Piscitelli, a third-year pro pining for more playing time, would replace Phillips at strong safety if all goes according to plan.

Bates has some experience in helping a player shift from safety to linebacker.

Tommy Hendricks played safety at Michigan before signing in 2000 with Miami, where Bates served as defensive coordinator. Hendricks added 25 pounds to his 6-foot-2 frame and lasted four seasons with the Dolphins as a 235-pound backup linebacker.

"Flip has played a lot of football and he understands football," said Bates. "He's already been in the league and he has played at a high level. We're always looking at safety because sometimes, they can fit in at a linebacker role."