Of the Bucs' five new practice squad members, only DE Chartric Darby played for Tampa Bay this preseason
Last year, eight different players spent at least one week on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad; the year before, nine. So, while the Buccaneers formed their practice squad for the 2000 season on Monday, one should keep in mind that it is often a work in progress.
On the other hand, three of those eight practice-squaders from '99 made the Bucs' active roster at some point, including current Tampa Bay players Aaron Stecker and DeMarcus Curry. A fourth, RB Autry Denson, is an active player for the Miami Dolphins, and three of the remaining four were back with the Bucs in training camp this summer.
So it is with high hopes that the following five players joined the Bucs' 2000 practice squad on Monday: DE Chartric Darby, FB Matt Keller, CB Anthony Midget, RB/WR Frank Murphy and QB Ted White.
Only the first name may be familiar to Buc fans, as only Darby spent the 2000 preseason with the Bucs. Tampa Bay dipped into the former roster pools of Arizona, Atlanta, Chicago and Kansas City for the other four.
Darby (6-1, 273) played in all four preseason games with Tampa Bay before being released this past Sunday (August 27). He was signed by Tampa Bay in July after completing a stint with the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe. With the Bucs, he finished with five tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in the preseason. He played collegiately at South Carolina State.
Keller (5-11, 236) spent the past summer in training camp with the Arizona Cardinals prior to being released on August 21. A three-year starter out of Ohio State, Keller rushed for 582 yards on 136 carries and posted 62 receptions for 704 yards for the Buckeyes.
Midget (5-11, 193), a fifth-round pick in the 2000 draft of the Atlanta Falcons, picked off two interceptions in the preseason, including one he returned 43 yards for a touchdown. He was waived in the Falcons' final cutdown on Sunday. Midget earned third-team All-America honors and first-team All-Big East accolades as a senior at Virginia Tech. A four-year letterman, he finished his career with 121 tackles and five interceptions
Murphy (5-11, 206), who was released by Chicago on Sunday, was drafted by the Bears out of Kansas State in the sixth round of the 2000 draft. Murphy rushed for 60 yards on 15 carries with one TD this preseason and added six receptions for 43 yards. At Kansas State, he rushed for 541 yards and six touchdowns as a senior.
White (6-2, 225), entering his second NFL season, completed 16 of 35 passes for 116 yards and two interceptions this preseason with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was released by the Chiefs on August 27. White spent the 2000 offseason in NFL Europe with the Frankfurt Galaxy, for whom he completed 73 of 158 passes for 891 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions. White, who played collegiately at Howard University, originally signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent on April 20, 1999.
