Bucs want Wilkerson back next season

The Bucs plan to use their remaining five games to determine which players to bring back next year.

Re-signing defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson appears to be a priority.

Wilkerson, 28, is in the last season of a two-year contract worth $3 million, but the Bucs are working hard to keep him from testing free agency.

"They've made it clear that they'd like to have him back, and Jimmy's made it clear that he wants to be back and we've been working toward that a little bit," said Harold C. Lewis, Wilkerson's agent. "We're not close to having anything finalized yet, but we have talked in parameters and hope we can get something done."

Wilkerson (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) has 52 tackles, 22 pressures and six sacks this season. He is considered a team leader by Tampa Bay's coaching staff.

Like old times

Corey Lynch has been there before.

Signed from Cincinnati's practice squad in September, the second-year safety joined Tampa Bay's festive block party Sunday in Atlanta, snuffing out a third-quarter punt by Michael Koenen to set up a touchdown in an eventual 20-17 loss.

Under the guidance of special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, the Bucs lead the league with five blocked kicks - deflecting two punts, one field-goal attempt and two extra-point tries.

"Right after the ball was moved, I got a good jump," said Lynch, who blocked six kicks at Appalachian State, including a deflected field goal in the final seconds at Michigan that sealed a monumental 34-32 upset. "I've always had a knack for doing it. ... I ended up blocking a bunch of kicks in college - and one famous one."

The Bucs need two more to match the franchise record of seven blocked kicks set in 2000.

Hello, old friend

When P Sam Paulescu signed with the Bucs on Tuesday, he didn't have to introduce himself to return specialist Clifton Smith.

He had already done that, in a big way.

On Smith's first NFL punt return, Paulescu nailed him with a jarring hit that knocked Tampa Bay's Pro Bowl return man flat on his back after a 20-yard dash at Dallas in October 2008.

"I know the guys have been giving (Smith) a little bit of a hard time," Paulescu said. "I might have nailed him, but believe me, it hurt me more than it hurt him. My neck was sore for the next four days."

Injury update

The Bucs are still recovering from that tough loss at the Georgia Dome.

WR Michael Clayton (knee) did not participate in Wednesday's practice and is not expected to play at Carolina. Seven injured Bucs were limited in practice, including four starters.

TE Kellen Winslow (knee), DE Stylez G. White (hand), CB Aqib Talib (hamstring) and LT Donald Penn (knee) had limited participation, along with WR Maurice Stovall (thigh), DL Roy Miller (ankle) and DL Michael Bennett (toe).

Eight Carolina players did not practice Wednesday, including QB Jake Delhomme (finger) and the powerful backfield tandem of DeAngelo Williams (ankle) and Jonathan Stewart (Achilles'). Backup QB Matt Moore, who may start Sunday, practiced with the first team Wednesday.

Extra points

Tampa Bay signed DE Josh Leonard and CB Jamar Love to the practice squad and released WR Darnell Jenkins. ... The Panthers lead the NFL with 29 giveaways, 10 more than all of last season. ... With 54 receptions, Winslow has 30 more catches than Tampa Bay's No. 2 target, rookie WR Sammie Stroughter.

Ira Kaufman, Roy Cummings