TAMPA - It seemed like a good idea at the time.
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded with Jacksonville and moved back six spots in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft, dropping from No. 52 to No. 58, they pocketed two extra picks. Then the Bucs selected Dexter Jackson, a speedy receiver out of Appalachian State who was supposed to stretch opposing defenses.
But if Tampa Bay had kept its original spot in Round 2, the Bucs could have chosen Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, who ended up going to the Dolphins at No. 57.
All Henne did Monday night was rally Miami past the Jets 31-27 in his second pro start, subbing for an injured Chad Pennington.
After completing 20 of 26 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns, Henne drew praise from ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, the former Buc coach who was in the draft room on that fateful day 18 months ago when Henne was taken off the board one pick before Tampa Bay chose Jackson.
Jackson didn't catch a pass for the Bucs in his rookie season and he was released this summer. Carolina just picked Jackson up and he could be active for Sunday's game at Raymond James Stadium.
Meanwhile, Henne appears poised to take over Miami's quarterback duties on a permanent basis. Pennington, 33, is expected to miss the rest of the year with a shoulder injury.
"He wasn't just calm and cool out there on the field (Monday)," said Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown. "(Henne) was like that all week. He's just very comfortable."
Henne wasn't sacked or intercepted by one of the league's better defenses as he posted a passer rating of 130.4 against the Jets and improved to 2-0 as a starter.
One year after bypassing Henne, the Bucs used their first-round pick on quarterback Josh Freeman, who has moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart behind second-year pro Josh Johnson.
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