Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik says that the team isn't currently interested in Plaxico Burress. Tampa Bay is looking for receivers to back up starters Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton. "We're going to let Brian Clark, Maurice Stovall and even Dexter Jackson compete and go from there," Dominik said.

Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik says that the team's goal is to let rookie quarterback Josh Freeman sit and learn. "The ultimate goal is to let Josh Freeman sit back and learn," Dominik told the St. Petersburg Times. A few weeks ago quarterbacks coach Greg Olsen suggested that Freeman might begin the season as the team's starting quarterback. "I still think he's a 21-year-old quarterback who came out as a true junior," Dominik said of Freeman. "You'd like for him to grow and mature into his role and not be forced into it."

Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who signed a $100 million contract with the Redskins, claims that he could have made more with the Buccaneers. "No, I could've made more money with Tampa Bay if I had really wanted to," Haynesworth said when asked by Sirius NFL Radio if money was the determining factor in his decision. "They offered me a whole lot more, and even with their tax situation, it could have been 20 percent more." Based on his claims, Tampa Bay was willing to give him a deal worth a total of more than $120 million. "You look at Washington, they've got a lot of the pieces together," Haynesworth said. "They're right there. They're in a huge market. It's one of the largest markets in the world. You've just got a large, huge media outlet and it can be life beyond football. Going to Tampa, I mean, great city. "Looking at it from the offseason standpoint, I love the water. I love to be out in the sun. It's just awesome, but it would've been like another Nashville. Tampa doesn't have that big market and they don't have a huge fan base like the Washington Redskins do, so I think it was just a choice just to look at it that way." Haynesworth added that the Giants made an offer, and that the Falcons and Broncos had interest in his services.

The Buccaneers spent a lot to get tight end Kellen Winslow, and they are reaping early dividends. "Absolutely! He made a catch two weeks ago where I threw a back-shoulder throw on a fade (route)," quarterback Luke McCown said. "I threw it short because it was good coverage, and (Winslow) reaches back with one hand and makes the grab. It was unbelievable." Safety Sabby Piscitelli, who was covering Winslow, had a pretty good vantage point. "I was like, 'He caught that?' I went back to the film room and, as competitive as I am, I was mad for six hours after that," Piscitelli said. "But I went back to the film, and there was really nothing else I could have done. ... A catch like that, you just have to go back and say, 'That was a heck of a catch.' " Tampa Bay plans to use Winslow's versatility. "We have Kellen playing everything," receiver Michael Clayton said. "He's playing tight end, he's out wide. ? His routes are amazing, man. He's basically a receiver. He knows everything about coverages. He's an intelligent guy and knows a lot about the game. "You can see why he's so special."

Free-agent linebacker Derrick Brooks said Wednesday that he plans to play in the NFL this season. Brooks added that the Buccaneers, his former team, could be a possible destination. "I could still be a Buccaneer," Brooks said. "Stranger things that have happened. Teams are talking to me so I'm going to make sure I continue to stay in shape."

Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman has a chance to contend for Tampa Bay's starting job. Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich have been battling out for the team's starting role. Freeman has shown progress in recent weeks, leading the coaching staff to contemplate injecting him into the race. "We discussed the Freeman plan [last week] and decided we'll probably go a week into training camp and revisit it and maybe expedite what he's doing," quarterbacks coach Greg Olson said. "We may get him involved earlier than we thought."

Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris says that the team has not discussed signing free-agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress. "To be honest with you, there was never really discussion about bringing him in," Morris said. "He has close friends on our team [Derrick Ward and Antonio Bryant] and he contacted those guys and showed interest himself. We got no problem with that." Burress faces two second-degree felony charges, which carry a minimum sentence of 3-1/2 years in prison, and his next court date is September 23.

Plaxico Burress is unlikely to face a suspension at the start of the NFL season due to postponement of his trail. His next court date on weapons charges will be Sept. 23. The Buccaneers have shown interest in Burress, but the questions that follow his legal woes could turn the NFC South team off.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus has reached out to the Buccaneers about re-signing Michael Pittman. Pittman played fullback for Tampa Bay in 2007. "That would be nice to get back on the Bucs and finish my career here," Pittman said. "That's why Drew told them I would play fullback and catch some passes out of the backfield because that's the position I played full-time during camp last year up in Denver. If they have room for me it would be nice to come back."

Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown have begun battling for the starting quarterback job in Tampa Bay. "We're charting it. We're looking at it, and it's tight. It's exactly what we said we wanted," Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris said. "We wanted competition, and we've got it. If they're going to (create) tough decisions for us, that's great. I don't want anybody to give it to them. I don't want anybody to win by default. "I want it to be a guy where we all jump on his back and say, 'That's our guy. Let's go with him.' "