Eight backs are in camp although one of course is restricted from practicing with the team, that being Cadillac Williams.  He is eligible to come off the Physically-unable-to-perform List at any time until around mid-season, but would count as a roster spot at that point. 

After looking back at that terrible knee injury he sustained against Carolina last October, I would say that anything we get from Carnell this season is a bonus.  Enough of a glimpse of him playing again will leave both player and team looking towards a full return in 2009.

So armed with a new contract, carrying the load again will be Earnest Graham.  Mr.August became Mr.Rest of the Year during 2007 and came close to a 1,000-yard season and went into double figures for touchdowns during his first season as a starter.  Graham reminds me so much of Errict Rhett in the way he runs and a full 16 games in the starting backfield could see Graham getting near the four-figure mark that Rhett did in his first two NFL seasons.

Michael Pittman has gone after six solid years in Tampa, leaving the back-up roles apparently between Michael Bennett and Warrick Dunn.  Bennett admittedly had trouble picking up the playbook after arriving from Kansas City in a mid-season trade, but he looked good when he had the chance to play and is a heck of a lot faster than Graham.

Warrick Dunn is the sentimental story in returing to the Bucs after six years in Atlanta.  This is not the Warrick Dunn of 1997 who set the NFL on fire during his first month in the pros.  He has a ton of mileage on his legs and I really cannot see him making that much of an impact, however much of a nice guy he is.  In fact, if Cadillac Williams comes back by mid-season, I can see Dunn being the player to make room for him.

No Mike Alstott stories at all at full-back for the first time since 1996. The A-Train has been replaced by .. the A-Train.  Askew that is, BJ Askew.  One of the quieter off-season contract moves was a four-year extension for the former Jet who had a very good if not that noticeable season in 2007.  Look to see more of BJ catching balls out of the backfield this year as he is an excellent receiver.

If the Bucs do keep five backs and two of them being full backs as expected, then second year man Byron Storer will make the roster.  He had but two small receptions in 2007 but did a lot on special teams during his half season on the full roster. 

2007 draft pick Kenneth Darby and rookies Clifton Smith and Carl Stewart could be there just to make up the numbers in the final reckoning but will doubtless get some pre-season carries during the second halves of the exhibition games.