Wyms, Winborn, Prominent Among Buccaneers' Released

Sep 2, 2007, 6:04 GMT

Tampa, FL - Defensive tackle Ellis Wyms and linebacker Jamie Winborn were among the 22 players waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, as Jon Gruden's squad reduced its roster to 53 in accordance with NFL rules.

Wyms had played in 66 games with Buccaneers since entering the league as a sixth-round draft choice out of Mississippi State in 2001, and started a career-high eight games during the 2006 season. But the offseason acquisition of ex-Titan and Dolphin Kevin Carter made Wyms expendable, prompting the cut that came Saturday.

Winborn appeared in 14 games with Tampa Bay as a reserve linebacker and special-teamer last season, recording 12 tackles on the year. The former second-round draft choice out of Vanderbilt appeared poised to fill a similar role this season, but the Buccaneers pushed Winborn out after drafting two linebackers and acquiring a trio of free agents at the position in the offseason.

Also released on Saturday were defensive tackle Darrell Campbell, running back Kenneth Darby, tackle Chris Denman (waived/injured), running back Lionel Gates, wide receiver Chas Gessner (waived/injured), cornerback Marcus Hamilton, cornerback Carlos Hendricks (waived/injured), tight end Keith Heinrich, defensive end Julian Jenkins, wide receiver Mark Jones, tight end C.J. Leak, wide receiver Chad Lucas, offensive lineman Enoka Lucas, linebacker Jerry Mackey, safety Donte Nicholson, tackle Dennis Roland, fullback Byron Storer, wide receiver Paris Warren (waived/injured), and cornerback Alan Zemaitis.

Prominent among that group were Darby, Denman, and Hamilton three seventh- round draft choices in 2007; Jones, who handled punt return duties for Tampa Bay on a part-time basis last season and played in 23 games as a Buc over the last two years; Warren, who scored four touchdowns in the preseason but suffered a dislocated ankle on Thursday; and Zemaitis, a fourth-round pick in the 2006 Draft out of Penn State.

Tampa Bay chose to keep four quarterbacks on the roster for the time being, with Jeff Garcia, Bruce Gradkowski, Luke McCown, and Chris Simms still listed at the position. Simms, who is recovering from a ruptured spleen, did not appear in any preseason games.

As expected, the Bucs also placed cornerback Torrie Cox on the reserve/suspended list, where he will reside for four games after violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

The Bucs will begin the 2007 regular season slate on Sept. 9, when they travel to meet the Seattle Seahawks.

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