Cadillac Williams, who will be a free agent when the NFL lockout ends, hopes to remain with the Buccaneers. The seven-year veteran has only played for Tampa Bay. "Tampa is a very special place for me," Williams told The Tampa Tribune. "This is the team that drafted me. It's a team that has been through the good times and bad times with me. At the lowest point of my career, the organization was definitely behind me. "The fan base in and out the community, dealing with different people, it's a very special place to me. I've grown accustomed to the area and living here. Tampa is a great city, great place and most of all, a really great place to play. It's definitely a place I would love to play and finish out my career, but only time will tell." Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris has indicated that he would like the team to re-sign the running back.

Even though it may have appeared that the two men had issues last season, Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris says he has no bad blood with Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Saturday that Lewis was angry with Tampa Bay for signing rookie wideout Dezmon Briscoe to its practice squad last September, after the Bengals released the 2010 sixth-round pick in hopes he would wind up on their practice squad. Briscoe chose the Buccaneers over the Bengals because Tampa Bay offered him the rookie minimum of about $325,000, favorable to the roughly $100,000 practice squad contract the Bengals planned to field. "That's business, this is about the community and the bigger picture," Morris said. "It's not about whether you have a disagreement on the field or whether I like him on game day. "I wanted to come in for Marvin and be supportive of him because he's always been supportive of me."

Buccaneers second-year wide receiver Arrelious Benn has recovered faster than expected from his knee injury. Been tore his ACL in Week 16 of last season, but took part in unofficial workouts with some of his teammates this past week. "I'm new to the knee injury thing. ... I didn't think that I'd be back this fast," Benn said. "I kind of feel like it never happened. But I have to be smart. I still have things coming back together in my knee. I might not feel it, but I'm young right now, so I heal fast."

Buccaneers center Jeff Faine wrote an open letter to the St. Petersburg Times vowing to attend upcoming practices after he caught wind of criticism from fans and bloggers because of his absence from the player-only workouts he earlier mocked. "I don't typically respond to blogs but I found it necessary to respond to a recent post when my dedication to my team and the quality of my character as a captain was questioned," Faine wrote. "The Buccaneers fans deserve to hear the truth directly from me. There is nothing more I'd rather be doing than going through the offseason program and preparing for the upcoming season with my teammates on our journey to compete for a championship." In February, Faine indicated that player-led workouts would be a challenge to organize and execute.

A grand jury in Texas has returned an indictment for Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib, two months after he was charged with firing a gun at his sister's boyfriend. Police, who arrested Talib on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, have said they believe Talib and his mother, Okolo Talib, shot at the man March 21. The man was not injured. Talib, 25, has been out on $25,000 bond since March 30.

Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow's right knee is pain-free for the first time in years. "I feel good," Winslow said. "Last year, I was hurting for whatever reason. I know how to rehab my knee better. I feel good now. I feel as ready as I can be right now." Winslow's knee feels so good, he did not have it scoped this offseason. The last time he went without that traditional offseason procedure was in 2008. One reason for Winslow's newfound health is his learning to use a knee simulation machine more effectively. "I was using it the wrong way, so it was affecting my knee in a certain way," Winslow said. "That was what was going on last year when I was hurting and why I wasn't practicing in training camp. "I was hurting, but I've learned how to basically use the machine better, so my knee feels better."

The Buccaneers say their offices will be closed next week and that team employees could face additional unpaid furloughs if the labor stoppage extends into the fall and winter. The Bucs announced the move in a brief statement posted Thursday on the club's web site, noting that employees will be fully reimbursed for lost wages for Memorial Day week if the labor dispute between owners and players is "resolved without the loss of any regular-season games."

Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris has an idea of which players he'd like to see on the sidelines next season. If things go according to his plan, linebacker Barrett Ruud and running back Cadillac Williams will be re-signed as free agents after the lockout. "First of all, you mentioned two guys with great character," Morris said. "Two leaders in our community and two guys that gave us great service throughout their time and hopefully it can continue. "We'll get a chance to sit down when all the collective bargaining agreement stuff is solved. We'll get a chance to find out if we can have both of those guys back on our football team, the two guys that we know we'll have in free agency right now. We'll just have to wait and see."

Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman says he has been organizing team workouts since late March. "You have got to be up to speed and be ready to go out and win football games and we're taking steps right now to be in a position like that," Freeman said. Freeman admitted the workouts haven't been the near-minicamps that some teams have had, but said they have had steady participation and sometimes had more than 20 players in a session. "We're trying to stay together as a team and keep working on things. We watch some film and talk over plays and stuff like that -- just do the stuff a football team should be doing," Freeman said.

Buccaneers defensive tackle Brian Price is continuing his rehab from the pelvic fracture that cost him most of his rookie season. Price has returned to Tampa Bay and admits that the road back is long. He said that missing out on last season has made him hungrier and given him a unique perspective. "I'm easing my way back," Price said. "I'm not worrying about it. It's a rare injury but everybody goes through something. I don't play this game for money. I just want to be great. I want to be in the Hall of Fame. I'm focused. I don't even have a haircut right now. I look grimy. I'm just working, man."