For Tampa Bay Bucs, IMG is Next Best Thing for Workouts

It might not have been One Buc Place, but Tampa Bay Buccaneers players said Bradenton's was a near ideal setting for Tuesday's unofficial team workouts.

Stuck in the midst of an NFL lockout that bars players from contact with their coaches and the team facilities in Tampa, Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman organized the minicamp at the 400-acre athletic complex off 43rd Street West.

About 50 players, including cornerback Aqib Talib, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, first-round draft pick Adrian Clayborn and much of the starting offensive line, showed up for the start of three days of workouts. The camp schedule includes weightlifting sessions, team meetings and practices on IMG's two football fields.

Freeman said it was important for the team to stick to its routine to be prepared for whenever the lockout ends.

"This is what our two-a-days are gonna be like, a camp atmosphere, just two solid weeks of work," Freeman said. "We didn't come out here to just sit around and look pretty, we came to get some work done."

The drills are being run by the staff of IMG's new Madden Football Academy, which is directed by Chris Weinke, a former Florida State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner. IMG has previously hosted a minicamp for the Minnesota Vikings, as well as numerous private workouts for individual players, including Freeman, staff members said.

IMG is actually a hotbed of NFL activity this week — it's also hosting the NFL Players Association's rookie symposium, dubbed the "Business of Football: Rookie Edition," which runs through Wednesday and gives first-year players a crash course on life in the pros.

The rookie workshop opened Monday night and included a talk from former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs and other presenters Tuesday. It concludes Wednesday with a community service event, the only portion to be open to the media.

The Bucs workouts and the rookie workshop are closed to the public.

Safety Cody Grimm said several of his teammates were staying in IMG's on-campus housing during the workouts, while others were driving down each day from the Tampa area. Grimm said he was impressed with the facilities so far.

"This place is pretty unreal," Grimm said. "A lot bigger than I expected."

Tight end Kellen Winslow agreed, while also taking a gentle jab at some of his teammates who didn't attend.

"Anytime you get the guys together like this, it's fun, and it's where you should be," Winslow said. "Everybody should be here. For the guys who aren't, you've just got to catch up. But it's really for the camaraderie, seeing the guys and getting the work in."

Offensive tackle Donald Penn, one of several linemen to run through a gauntlet of on-field drills, said Tuesday's workout was the first time he had gotten into a three-point stance since the end of last season.

Penn also said he was willing to bet the lockout would be over soon.

"I just feel there's too much to lose," Penn said. "It's America's game."