"If you're not the guy, you play special teams," Herron said. "You have to."

And if you join a team 11 weeks into a season, you better be ready for some wind sprints and wedge-busting.

Herron was signed this week by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the season-ending ankle injury to Earnest Graham. As the Bucs (7-3) look to Sunday's road game against the winless Detroit Lions (0-10), Herron is doing a crash course on his new offense.

He already knows how to run downfield on kicks and make tackles. Barring another setback to the Bucs' backfield, that'll be his primary function against the Lions.

Herron has not played in a regular-season game since the 2006 season, having spent all of '07 on injured reserve with a torn meniscus suffered in the final exhibition game. He was released by Green Bay in September, but previously was a productive player when called upon in limited duty and on special teams.

"We could sure use some help," Bucs Coach Jon Gruden said of Herron. "He is a quick study, a smart guy who's played in the league before. With his body, his size, he can help us on the punt team covering kicks and doing a lot of things."

Williams awaits debut

The Bucs will have the option of activating RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams to the game-day roster, but Gruden sounded less-than-certain that Williams would make his highly anticipated debut from a season-ending knee injury in '07.

"He'll be given every opportunity when we all agree that it's the right thing to do for our team," Gruden said of Williams. "We like what he's done. There's a chance he'll be up this week, but we've got to evaluate the entire picture here."

Etc.

CB Brian Kelly will be one of seven ex-Bucs playing for the Lions, joining Coach Rod Marinelli, a popular assistant at Tampa Bay for 10 years ('96-05). . . .

WR Joey Galloway, who has caught just four passes in three games since missing five games with a foot injury, revealed on his weekly radio show that he had a break in the foot. The Bucs had portrayed the injury a lot less severely, with coaches and players teasing the speedster for his rare sightings during practice. . . .

TE Alex Smith (ankle) was held out of practice while SS Jermaine Phillips (forearm) took part on a limited basis.