Lehman hopes to get a fresh start with Tampa Bay

By Mike Kays
Phoenix Sports Editor

June 27, 2008 12:08 am

— Nothing like a little sunshine to brighten things up.
In Tampa, Fla., at least for a season, that’s what Teddy Lehman should get plenty of.
Lehman, who was in Tahlequah on Thursday working in one of Ken Heupel’s “Day of Champions” camps at Markoma School, is looking at a restart of sorts to an NFL career that’s been haggled by an injury bug that never seemed to fly in his vicinity in his days at Fort Gibson High School, then at the University of Oklahoma. The former Detroit Lions linebacker signed a one-year free agent contract with the Buccaneers in March.
“It’s kind of like going through the draft again,” the second-round pick of the Lions in 2004 said by phone earlier this week. “You’re not sure what’s going to happen after the season and it’s just wait, wait, wait until March.”
Maybe a change of scenery will do good for the 26-year-old entering his fifth season in the NFL. The all-state standout at Fort Gibson who won the Butkus and Bednarik awards as the nation’s top linebacker and defensive player his senior year at Oklahoma had a solid rookie season, totaling 120 tackles (80 solo). He also had one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 16 starts.
The following season saw a reversal in fortune. He suffered a Lisfranc (midfoot) fracture early in an October 2005 game against Chicago and did not return until Week 8 of 2006. He missed the last four games due to a hamstring injury that he said was related to the foot injury.
“I hadn’t had any football in a year and a half and I was working (the foot) pretty hard,” he said. “It’s a tough, stressful deal being on the sideline. You feel like you’re getting left behind, forgotten, like it’s not going to get any better, yet you’ve got to keep trying, keep digging, knowing the reality of things in this profession is you can’t stay injured and stay in the league.”
He managed an injury-free 2007 but a new coaching staff and new system didn’t make things easy. He played special teams and spot duty on defense yet played in all 16 games.
The system in Tampa is like the one he came into when ex-Lions coach Steve Mariucci drafted him in the second round in a 2004 class that included Texas receiver Roy Williams — who has had his share of injury issues with the Lions as well over the same period.
Tampa was Lehman’s only visit as a free agent. “It was time for new scenery and it’s an opportunity to make things right for myself,” he said.
Even if it’s just a one-year deal, which Lehman said was just fine with him. Concerns about his health prevented anything but that. He’s listed as a reserve inside linebacker, behind Nebraska product Barrett Rudd, the starter.
“They didn’t want a long-term deal and my agent and I didn’t want to get into that either,” Lehman said. “I want to have a good year, a healthy year, and after that be free to take another look at my options.”
One plus about Tampa is being around former Sooner teammates. Offensive lineman Davin Joseph and defensive back Donte Nicholson are with the Bucs. Nicholson was one year behind Lehman, Joseph two. They were all part of the 2003 squad that was being looked upon as one of the best college teams in history until a derailment in the Big 12 championship game against Kansas State. The staggering Sooners then lost the BCS championship to LSU in the Sugar Bowl.
Another Bucs teammate, outside linebacker Cato June, grew up in Muskogee but moved to Washington, D.C. before high school. June was with the Indianapolis Colts when they won Super Bowl XLI in 2007.
“It’s good to be around familiar faces,” Lehman said. “I didn’t really know Cato then. I had an older cousin (Dustin Dickmann) who knew him well.”
Lehman’s living a portion of the year in Norman with his wife since February, Erin Davis, who is from Norman.
The Buccaneers and Lehman begin training camp at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on July 25.

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