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Drafting Josh Johnson Was Jon Gruden's Way of Telling Bucs to Cut Chris Simms

Apparently, a few people in Tampa think Chris Simms has been properly compensated by the Buccaneers for giving his spleen for the cause, and it's time for them to cut him loose.

That had to be Jon Gruden's message to the team after he drafted University of San Diego QB Josh Johnson with the Bucs' fifth-round pick. Johnson was reportedly impressing his teammates in a minicamp last weekend. He seems like a natural fit for the Bucs, given that he played in a West Coast offense at San Diego and threw 43 touchdown passes and one interception last season -- impressive numbers at any level.

Still, Johnson is a project, and the Bucs are loaded up with quarterbacks. Jeff Garcia is old but clearly still capable, and Brian Griese and Luke McCown are serviceable backups.

Which brings us back to Simms. Nobody really knows his current form. His throwing motion was reportedly ruined after his spleen was removed. Has it recovered? Could he return to his 2005 form, when he led the Bucs to the playoffs? Or is he done as an NFL quarterback, and if so, are the Glazers just keeping him on the payroll out of guilt, or out of fear that he'll become a starter for another team?

The only thing for sure here is that Gruden really wants to move on without Simms. Perhaps the Bucs should as well.

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