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Bucs figure in realignment

By RICK STROUD, Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 28, 2001

PALM DESERT, Calif. -- The Bucs could be placed in the NFC East with the Giants, Redskins and Eagles in one of the dozen or so realignment models NFL owners considered Tuesday.

But the likeliest scenario has the Bucs moving to a new NFC South division with Atlanta, Carolina and New Orleans.

"We know we're moving," coach Tony Dungy said. "We're resigned to that."

Owners are expected to vote on realignment at their meeting in Chicago in late May.

The only scenario that would have the Bucs in the NFC East involves the Dallas relocating to the NFC West with Arizona, San Francisco and Seattle.

However, the Cowboys most likely will remain in the NFC East to preserve rivalries with the Redskins, Eagles and Giants.

"The NFC East and Central and AFC East and AFC West seem pretty well set," commissioner Paul Tagliabue said. "The more difficult decisions are in the others."

The expansion Houston Texans, who begin play in 2002, will be placed in the AFC with San Diego or Seattle switching conferences.

CHIEFS CONCERN: Rams quarterback Trent Green and former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman remain in the plans for the Chiefs.

Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil said the team will try to trade for Green until the draft. The Rams have asked for first- and third-round choices in exchange for Green.

If no deal is made, Vermeil said, the Chiefs might opt to sign Aikman.

"We have such tremendous respect for Troy that we wouldn't bring him in just to bring him in," Vermeil said. "If we brought him in, it would be because we've decided to sign a veteran quarterback who could take over the starting job now and allow Todd Collins to grow behind him. We haven't made that final decision because we have the possibility of trading (for Green)."

Ex-Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer, who visited the Chiefs last week, is still a possibility.

BUCS UPDATE: General manager Rich McKay met with the agents for tackle Jerry Wunsch and cornerback Ronde Barber, but no agreements were near, he said.

AMMO FOR NEW SCHEDULE: The league passed out information highlighting how infrequently some teams have played others under the weighted schedule. The NFL plans to go to a balanced schedule in 2002.

The list presented anomalies for every team, such as the Jets not playing in Philadelphia since 1978 and the Cardinals not playing in Chicago since 1982. The Cardinals once were based in Chicago before moving to St. Louis and then to Tempe, Ariz.

"Under the new schedule formula, a team will play every team in the conference every three years, and from the other conference every four years," Tagliabue said. "It is built-in and guaranteed under the formula."

That means such nationally popular teams as the Cowboys and Raiders won't be strangers to certain cities. Dallas won't go 30 years with only one appearance in Kansas City. Oakland won't go 20 years without visiting Pittsburgh.

Also under the new format, 12 teams will qualify for the playoffs, four division winners and two wild-card teams from each conference.

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