Bucs' Adams put on notice, not on the bench

The thought began rolling around inside Bucs coach Raheem Morris's head late Sunday night.

After throwing the idea at his staff and the player himself, however, Morris decided against putting Gaines Adams on the bench and has opted instead to put his beleaguered defensive end on notice.

"Yes, we thought about it," Morris said of benching Adams, the 2007 first-round draft pick who has no sacks and was called out for a lack of effort following the Bucs' 33-20 loss to Buffalo last week.

"He and I discussed it, the two of us together," Morris said. "But I'm going to leave him in there. I'm not taking him out. I'm sticking with him, and I expect him to respond this week."

Morris wouldn't say what his plans are should Adams fail to respond, but a reduction in playing time and a demotion to the second team are possibilities.

Both of those options were discussed during Morris' meeting with Adams, where the prime objective was to learn precisely how the Bucs can get the most out of their third-year starter

"It was more to find out how to help him," Morris said. "Whether he's getting too many snaps and maybe needs to be a part-time player right now and have success doing that first.

"Whether he'd be better off coming in fresh, or if he just needs to play as hard as he can in practice and take that to the field on Sunday. We're really just trying to figure out how he can use all his tools, all his weapons."

If the meeting instilled in Adams the fear that he might lose his job as the Bucs' starting right end, he didn't acknowledge that Wednesday.

He said he "can't worry" about the consequences of his substandard play at this point, but that players of his ilk are the ones who have to improve the most if the Bucs are going break out of their slump.

"We're 0-2, so it's not just me that has to work harder," he said. "The guys that are in the spotlight need to make more plays. The guys that are depended on, such as myself, they all need to make more plays."

The Bucs started depending on Adams as soon as they drafted him with the fourth overall pick in 2007. Since then, though, he has just 13.5 sacks in 27 starts, including one playoff game.

Adams has one sack, against Oakland in the season finale last year, in his past six games. He acknowledged Wednesday that sacks are how he always will be judged.

The Bucs, though, also are judging Adams on his effort. While Adams disagreed with Morris' assessment that his effort was lacking during the loss at Buffalo, he said he intends to work harder.

"I feel I am (working hard), but we all have our different aspects on things," Adams said. "And I respect Raheem to the utmost, so if he's saying that , then I have to give him more of an effort."

Adams apparently gave him a lot more of an effort Wednesday. Morris said Adams' approach to his job both on and off the field was exemplary, a sign that his message got through.

"The way he responded (Wednesday), that was encouraging," Morris said. "I saw extra effort from him. I saw him working hard on every single snap. He practiced just like a professional athlete is supposed to.

"His mentality, his makeup, the way he sat in meetings, the way he carried his book around, the way he sat down with (defensive ends coach) Todd Wash and got extra help.

"What I saw from Gaines (on Wednesday) was 180 degrees the other way. It was as if he said to himself, 'It's time to get going.' The intensity level I saw from him, if I get that on Sunday, I'm good."