National Football League

Bucs Youboty remains patient in new situation

Published Aug. 16, 2011 8:30 p.m. ET

foxsports

As a veteran cornerback thrust onto a new team after the start of the preseason, Ashton Youboty needs to make something happen fast.

Or not. It helps that he already knows the Buccaneers' defense pretty well.

''There's no urgency,'' Youboty said Tuesday after intercepting a pass in his second day of practice with the Bucs. ''I think It's more about responsibility and knowing what you're trying to do, where they need you and playing within the scheme of a defense.

''Football is like chess. They teach you about the pieces and you know where they've got to be. They just do their jobs and the guys who make plays turn into rooks, pawns or whatever.''

The 27-year-old Youboty signed a two-year contract with Tampa Bay on Monday. He played his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, most of it using the Tampa-2 defense with which he is now reunited.

''Even going back to college (at Ohio State), I've just tried to be an aggressive corner. So I'm familiar with all of this, the footwork . . . we ran the same things, but there are some unique differences in where they want their players to be.''

Nothing has been said to Youboty about what his role will be with the Bucs, or whether he will play in Thursday night's preseason game against the New England Patriots.

''Really we just want to see him go out there and compete, and then we'll put him into his role if he can find himself one,'' said coach Raheem Morris.

The Bucs are big believers in depth at cornerback, but there are some questions. The starters are 15-year veteran Ronde Barber and Aqib Talib, who missed the last five games of 2010 with a hip injury. Young backups Myron Lewis and E.J. Biggers are virtually certain to make the team.

''When we're talking about corners, we're looking for guys that can go out there and play man-to-man and bump,'' Morris said. ''(Youboty) has been one of those guys in his career, and when they get here we teach those guys about situational football and what they can do for us.''

Even when he was drafted in the third round back in 2006, Youboty said the Bucs were one of the teams showing the most interest in him. Now he is trying to make the team.

''They've seen tape on me, but I still have to prove it here so they can see it with their own eyes,'' he said. ''I'm trying to show them I know where to be within the scheme. When the plays come, they'll come. You can't rush it. I can't tell the quarterback to throw it to me. I've tried, but they don't listen.''

Tuesday was the official end of training camp for the Bucs, who will get three straight non-practice days after Thursday night's game

Asked for his assessment of camp, Morris said: ''I think the assessment was the other night when those guys came out playing fast, playing smart, playing hard and playing consistent (in a 25-0 exhibition victory at Kansas City). But there are still a lot of places we can improve, things we can simulate in practice and become a better football team.''