Offensive line takes a hit as Joseph breaks a foot

TAMPA - Just as two of the four injured Tampa Bay starters returned to full practice on Tuesday, the Buccaneers suffered a major blow, when it was revealed that right guard Davin Joseph suffered a broken foot that will sideline him for at least four weeks.

The injury deals a huge setback to an offensive line that is developing a reputation as one of the best young units in the league.

Joseph, who was not at practice on Tuesday, was hurt in Sunday night's exhibition victory over the New England Patriots.

He was reported to be having surgery, even as Bucs head coach Jon Gruden said that he was undergoing "a battery of tests," and the team's stance was that the extent of the injury had not yet been determined.

"He's getting X-rays and examinations and all those things at this point in time, but I don't have anything concrete in terms of what the injury is," Gruden said.

Joseph, entering his third season after being drafted in the first round in 2006 out of Oklahoma, has been a mainstay of the offensive line as both a run blocker and a pass protector.

He was one of four linemen who started 17 games last year, including the NFC wild-card playoff loss to the New York Giants. As a rookie, Joseph started 12 games after missing the first three games because of a knee injury.

Joseph's absence will open the door for rookie third-round draft pick Jeremy Zuttah or veteran Dan Buenning, who was once a starter at left guard, to take over at right guard for at least the first two games of the regular season.

"We've got to find out what the injury is," Gruden said. "When I know, we'll address it and make a decision on where to go."

Zuttah and Buenning have both been learning both guard spots and the center position in training camp, while competing for the backup center job behind starter Jeff Faine.

Gruden can live with either one. "I can't say how pleased I am with (Zuttah)," Gruden said early in training camp. "He's learning a new offense and I really like him a lot."

He also has confidence in Buenning, who had started 23 games and a playoff game at left guard in his first two NFL seasons. He suffered a torn ACL in a 2006 Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys, which forced him to be inactive for the entire 2007 season.

The offensive line already has experience overcoming adversity. It lost Luke Petitgout in the fourth game last year to a torn ACL and obscure backup Donald Penn replaced him admirably.

The emphasis on adding quality depth on the offensive line is being counted on again in Joseph's absence.

"We lost our left tackle last year and Donald Penn came from nowhere and stepped up and helped us," Gruden said. "You've got to be ready to go in this league ... and you've got to be mentally tough, too. But Dan Buenning is that, and we do like some of the things we've seen."

Joseph was one of the building blocks of the team's reconstruction of its historically undistinguished offensive line, along with right tackle Jeremy Trueblood and second-year left guard Arron Sears. They signed free agent center Jeff Faine in the offseason, as the finishing touch on the line, to replace John Wade.

"I can see improvement and a confidence beginning to grow," said offensive line coach Bill Muir. "I just expect them to be better than they were a year ago."

The offensive line and the stability of four players starting every game was credited for the team's resurgence that led to the NFC South Division title.

"They blocked better. They executed their assignments better and they were much more physical than we've been," Gruden said.

"We're going to be better all the way around," Sears said. "We started 13 games altogether with Donald Penn. The sky is the limit for us, we just have to come out and keep working."

Bucs notebook

QB Jeff Garcia (strained calf muscle) practiced fully for the first time since the middle of training camp, as did DT Jovan Haye, whose groin strain is healed. WR Joey Galloway also returned, but on a limited basis.

Gruden was not prepared to say whether any of the three would play Saturday against the Jaguars, but Garcia thinks he will be ready.

"I'm just going to hopefully get as many of these snaps as I can this week, mentally prepare myself, get back into a rhythm and hopefully have a good solid half of going out there and competing on Saturday," Garcia said.

he Bucs moved practice up 21/2 hours to try and beat bad weather that was forecast.