Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris confirmed on Thursday that the team is keeping an eye on Plaxico Burress. The team contacted Burress last week, but there hasn't been any serious discussion. Burress is due in court June 15 for a hearing on weapons charges, and Morris said Tampa Bay is monitoring the situation. "Plaxico has got to deal with his issue with the league," Morris said. "We'll see how that plays out. But he's a great player."

The Buccaneers have made contact with free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress. Steve Wyche of NFL.com described the conversation as "exploratory" and wrote that the call focused mainly on the personal issues Burress is dealing with. Agent Drew Rosenhaus claims that two teams are "seriously" interested in Burress, but declined to reveal those clubs this week. The Jets are believed to be the other team interested in the receiver.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made contact with free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress to gauge his offseason progress, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The conversation was explained as exploratory and that the call focused mainly on Burress' well-being. The Buccaneers declined to comment when reached by phone Thursday. Burress' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said two teams have called to express interest in Burress, but in an interview with NFL.com this week at the Spring Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he declined to disclose the teams. The New York Jets are reportedly the other team that has inquired about the former Super Bowl MVP.

Former Bucs coach Jon Gruden is replacing Tony Kornheiser on ESPN?s Monday Night Football broadcast team. Kornheiser cited a fear of flying in his decision to leave after three years. The network said Monday that Gruden will be in the booth with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski when the show starts its 40th season, according to an Associated Press report.

The Buccaneers, Chiefs, Packers, 49ers and Eagles all have more than $20 million in cap space, according to Pro Football Talk. The figures, however, do not include the $947,000 that the league recently added to each team's total. Fourteen teams, not including the five mentioned above, have more than $10 million in space.

Antonio Bryant was about to test the free agent market before the Buccaneers designated their franchise tag on him in February. He will make $9.5 million this season. "I can't do anything about that," Bryant said of his contract status. "It is what it is. I'm here, I'm at my job, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and I'm gonna do it 110 percent."

The Buccaneers have a number of quarterbacks under contract, but Luke McCown believes that the starting job is his to lose. "Absolutely," McCown told the St. Petersburg Times. "This has been a long time coming for me and I'm not letting anybody take it from me. And it's the first legitimate opportunity. Say what you want about getting three starts at the end of a season [two, in 2007]. "But this is my first real opportunity to be the starter, to be the guy. And I look at it as mine and you're going to have to shoot me." Tampa Bay drafted Josh Freeman in the first round of last month's NFL draft, and signed veteran Byron Leftwich to compete for snaps.

New Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow told the team ahead of time that he would miss their first offseason training activity on Tuesday. "The coaching staff was aware that he wasn't going to be here," the team said. "They've been in contact with Kellen, and they understand why he wasn't there." Winslow's absence drew criticism from former Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who now works as an analyst for the NFL Network.

While the Miami Dolphins don't appear eager to bring back Jason Taylor, the Patriots and Buccaneers both have a strong interest, according to sources. "We haven't talked about it too much, to be honest with you," said Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland. "That's one of our acorns sitting on the ground. We haven't made a decision."