Sears won't rejoin Bucs on field for a while

Now that offensive lineman Arron Sears is back, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers plan is take it slow with him.

Real slow.

Back after an absence due to a personal matter that dates back to April, Sears will spend this week working out individually with Bucs strength and conditioning coach Kurtis Shultz. It will be next week at the earliest before he returns to the practice field and possibly next season before he sees game action.

"In my mind it would be wishful thinking to think he can contribute this year,'' Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said. "He has to get himself into really good shape, he has to get himself comfortable with a playbook that he really doesn't know, and that's a lot to ask over the last seven weeks of the regular season.''

The Bucs have two weeks to decide what to do next with Sears. He could be reinstated to the 53-man roster or he could be placed on any number of reserve lists, Dominik said.

As for the problem that has beset Tampa Bay's young guard, the Bucs still aren't saying. Nor is Sears.

As part of his slow indoctrination back into pro football, the Bucs plan to keep him away from the media until next week at the earliest.

"We're going to take it slow with him,'' Dominik said. "It's important for us to let Arron feel comfortable coming back into the building, getting reacquainted with the team."

Sears returned to the Bucs on his own, Dominik said.

"In talking to him, I got a sense of hunger and desire in him,'' Dominik said. "I know he wouldn't be here if he didn't want to be here. I know he's very excited, very happy to be with Kurtis today. He's fired up about it.''

Sears, 25, was a second-round pick in 2007 who started two seasons at left guard before surprising teammates and coaches by declining to participate in Tampa Bay's offseason program and failing to report to training camp.

The Bucs placed the former Tennessee standout on the Reserve/Did Not Report list July 31 and elevated second-year pro Jeremy Zuttah into Sears' starting spot.