1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Season - Preseason

Preseason

The expected preseason quarterback battle between Mike Boryla and Gary Huff failed to occur, as both suffered knee injuries in the first two preseason games. This left the team with just two healthy quarterbacks: Parnell Dickinson, who had less than a full year's experience due to a knee injury, and rookie Randy Hedberg. Jeb Blount was eventually claimed off waivers from the Oakland Raiders. Hedberg won the starting job with strong performances in the final two preseason games. Dickinson proved prone to throwing interceptions, due to trouble reading defenses and a tendency to throw late passes over the middle, and was cut from the team during training camp. The former Minot State quarterback Hedberg's surprising rise from fourth-stringer to opening-day starter led to shouts of "Why not Minot?", sales of "RH Positive" t-shirts, and the addition of a radio affiliate in faraway North Dakota.

A building strategy that emphasized developing young players instead of playing veterans who didn't fit into the team's future plans led the team to trade veteran offensive tackle Mike Current to the Miami Dolphins for troubled former first-round draft pick Darryl Carlton. McKay called Carlton "amazing", and said that "he just doesn't make mental mistakes". Dan Medlin and Jeff Winans, a pair of guards obtained from the Raiders via trade, were touted as the first Buccaneer guards with the speed to lead running plays. The team tried to address their lack of experience at linebacker by arranging a trade for Jack 'Hacksaw' Reynolds, at the time a training camp holdout from the Los Angeles Rams. Reynolds questioned the validity of his contract, and refused to report to what his agent called "Outer Mongolia". The Buccaneers eventually negated the trade, and obtained Rik Bonness from the Raiders. Bonness, a former Nebraska center in only his second season as a linebacker, added depth but not experience. Former 1974 first-round draft choice Bill Kollar came to Tampa Bay after being let go by the Cincinnati Bengals due to injury concerns. Jeris White came over from the Miami Dolphins to solidify the trouble spot at left cornerback.