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LAKE BUENA VISTA — Some of the most tossed around questions of this Tampa Bay training camp involve the possibility of Michael Clayton regaining his rookie form.

A 6-4, 215-pound LSU product, Clayton had a dream of a first year, setting team rookie records for receptions (80), receiving yards (1,193) and touchdowns (seven).

But bothered by injuries, particularly in a knee, that began even before training camp, Clayton hobbled through a disappointing 2005, when he managed just 32 receptions for 372 yards and no touchdowns.

Because of the injuries, Clayton could not work himself into form.

"I was overweight and out of shape and I felt it, really," Clayton said.

After two days of training camp workouts at Disney's Wide World of Sports, the company line is Clayton is fine, although he struggled a bit with footwork and hanging onto the ball during the first three workouts. On Saturday afternoon, though, Clayton made a twisting, diving grab on a deep ball that was so impressive one longtime Bucs observer called it the best training-camp catch ever.

"Quick and in shape," said Bucs coach Jon Gruden of his early impressions of Clayton.

Said Clayton: "Got my body back right physically. My body feels great. I'm bouncing around. You really feel the explosiveness."

Don't read too much into that just yet. Just as the Bucs are not going to overanalyze Clayton's first two seasons.

Associated Press

Bucs running back Carnell Williams signs autographs for fans after Saturday's morning practice session in Lake Buena Vista.

"We're going to put last year behind us," Gruden said. "We're going to put his rookie year behind us. You remember when he did play as a rookie, (Keenan) McCardell held out, (Joe) Jurevicius was out, Joey Galloway got hurt the first snap of the game against Washington and Edell Shepherd was out for the year at Cincinnati.

"So we thrust him into a role that he responded to and we expect him to respond to this challenge in the same way."

Clayton said he has dropped 7-9 "bad pounds" and he considers this training camp to be "a critical moment."

"There's a lot of guys in football that have been in similar situations that Michael Clayton's in right now," Gruden said. "But to become great, you've got to be there every Sunday for your football team. He knows that."

CADILLAC BACK: Second-year running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams returned to action on Saturday morning after leaving Friday's first workout early and missing the afternoon session because of back spasms.

"Oh, it's fine," Williams said. "I came out and didn't warm up too well and was out there making cuts and just kind of tweaked it. I got a little treatment, massage, yesterday and woke up this morning feeling a whole lot better."

He looked fine, showing the same — or maybe more — quickness despite adding 6 to 7 pounds (to 216 now) to his 5-foot-11 frame.

OVERALL: Gruden wasn't nearly as thrilled with his team on the second day of training camp as he was after the first.

"We dropped some footballs," he said. "Our 7-on-7 drill, we didn't handle the ball particularly well. I thought our blitz period, our third-and-3 segment was pretty good.

"We've got a long way to go. This ain't the dream team right now."

EARNESTLY: Williams spoke glowingly Saturday of his backups, particularly Earnest Graham, a 5-9, 255-pound Cape Coral native in his third season out of the University of Florida.

"He can do a lot of things," Williams said. "Graham's real tough. He's got that low center of gravity and he's got real nice shoulder lean where he can take a lot of pounding and break a lot of tackles."

Last season, Graham played in all 16 games, primarily on special teams where he had 18 tackles and four kickoff returns for an 18.5-yard average. He also rushed 28 times for 83 yards.

"I like Earnest, he's a versatile guy, he's a great teammate," Gruden said. "He does a lot of things for us well, and he's a guy we're going to lean on, obviously, in some key situations."

MOUSING AROUND? The Bucs are putting the finishing touches on their new — and apparently lavish — team headquarters, which will be within walking distance of Raymond James Stadium.

One Buc Place has been located several miles away, on Westshore Boulevard.

Among other amenities and offices, the facility (which covers 14.2 acres) houses three practice fields.

So does this mean the Bucs no longer will hold training camps at Disney's Wide World of Sports, where the Bucs have held it since 2002 after 14 years at the University of Tampa?

"Well, I don't know that," Gruden said. "I just know this has been a great setting for us. I've always been one to believe that if you can get away from where you live a little bit, it gives you an opportunity to isolate your team a little bit where they can come together and focus on what they have to do."

But there are negatives, particularly for the players with families.

Veteran linebacker Shelton Quarles would not mourn a return to Tampa, but he understands where Gruden is coming from.

"I really don't like (training at Wide World of Sports) because it's too far away from home," Quarles said. "But it's good because it gives you a chance to get away and concentrate on football.

"The other bad part is I have a young family. My oldest (child) is 6 and (I have) two that are younger than 6. So it's tough for me to get away and help them understand that I'm really just working. They think I'm just playing football and I could go home afterwards, when this is actually my job."

LOOSE ENDS: Rookie tight end T.J. Williams (Achilles' heel) will not play this season and tight end Tim Massaquoi went down with a lower back strain on Friday, causing him to miss most of the afternoon workout and Saturday's sessions. He is expected to return today.

Center John Wade had to exit Saturday morning's workouts because of cramps.

RAYJAY A SOLD OUT HOUSE: The Bucs announced on Saturday that all eight home regular-season games have been sold out for the ninth consecutive year.

"The limited number of single game tickets on sale this morning were sold out in a matter of minutes," said Eric Land, the Bucs chief operating officer. "What we do have left are a few — a very few — tickets for our two preseason home games (vs. the Jets on Aug. 11 and against Miami on Aug. 19)."