So now we know it's not just a matter of a sore left throwing elbow. Chris Simms said it felt fine several days ago.

And if the fifth-year pro just needs to knock the rust off, then why is he a spectator almost every practice except for two or three passes during individual drills or seven-on-seven?

The Bucs play their first preseason game Friday against the Patriots and it's not going out on a limb to suggest you won't see Simms play then, either.

"He's just got to get to the point where everything is back status quo and I want to hear it from his two lips," said coach Jon Gruden. "And when I do, you'll see a little bit more of him."

In other words, Simms will tell the Bucs when Simms is ready to go.

Don't expect that to be any time soon.

Simms has already said what the Bucs are reluctant to admit: he is having trouble re-connecting his arm with the rest of his body. You can be pretty sure a team physician knows the name for this condition and that it is related to surgery to remove his spleen last Sept. 24.

If you put a receiver in a spot and tell Simms to throw the football to him, he can do it with relative ease. But when he has to move and read and react to receivers, the football tends to squirt out of his hand like a wet bar of soap. That's why Simms is no longer getting passing reps in 11-on-11 periods.

The problem is that the Bucs are taking the stance that Simms has nothing wrong with him physically. That's true to the extent that he can run and jump and take a hit.

Not that he ever actually took a physical before training camp. He was simply asked if anything would prevent him from practicing and of course the answer to that question was no.

But Simms has struggled with this condition since he resumed throwing in December. He has tried throwing hundreds of footballs. He has taken time off. Nothing seems to work.

Unless something changes in the next five weeks, Simms won't be a part of the Bucs in 2007. Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown and Bruce Gradkowski are the top three quarterbacks. Assuming they all remain healthy, that order isn't likely to change and the Bucs aren't going to keep four quarterbacks.

Simms is in a tough position. If he goes out there before he is ready, he could embarrass himself on film and the Bucs will simply release him for poor performance. If he doesn't, they could release him anyway and claim he was physically cleared to play at the start of training camp, taking the team off the hook for any remaining salary.

Injured reserve is a possibility, but that's for players who have physical ailments and the Bucs already have said Simms is healthy. Anybody smell a grievance?

The guess here is the Bucs will wait until the final roster cutdown to deal with Simms. Hopefully, he will be better by then, but it's probably a longshot.

"I might have to see him throw the ball with accuracy and earn them back," Gruden said. "He still is working back into it. Hopefully (today), you'll see a few reps on his behalf.

"Until I know he's ready to roll, I'm not going to throw a wrench into the rotation we have. It's gone smoothly."

For the Bucs maybe, but not for Simms.

CAMP CALENDAR
The Bucs reported to Disney's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Thursday, July 26. The first practice was Friday, July 27 at 8 a.m. Camp ends Aug. 16.

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