blake sims.jpg

Alabama quarterback Blake Sims looks for a receiver during an SEC game against Mississippi State on Nov. 15, 2014, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

(Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com)

Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims' professional football journey has included appearances in the rookie minicamps of the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins and the training camp of the Toronto Argonauts and spots on the active roster of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the practice squads of the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers without ever getting on the field for a regular-season game.

He also signed with the Wollongong Devils of the National Gridiron League, but the Australian league delayed its planned 2016 launch.

Sims officially resumes his pursuit of his NFL dream on Monday, when the Buccaneers start their offseason program.

Sims signed a reserve/future contract with the Bucs the day after the regular season ended and six days after he'd joined Tampa Bay's practice squad in the final week of the regular season.

Sims has been working at D1 Sports Training in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to prepare for this opportunity.

"I'm hungry, man," Sims told WRCB-TV in Chattanooga. "I've got a lot of people to prove wrong, and I have a lot of people that has helped me out on my journey. I want them to see that the hard work you have put in for me didn't go to waste."

Sims spent 10 days on the Falcons' practice squad in September. He found his first experience with a full NFL team eye-opening.

"My journey at the Falcons, it just woke me up," Sims said, "and let me understand what I've been doing wasn't good enough. I needed to go an extra step."

Sims set Alabama's single-season record for passing yardage with 3,487 in 2014, but he's on the Tampa Bay roster as a running back.

"I've always wanted to play in the NFL," Sims said, "and if I had to change my position to play, I was going to do it."

Sims is one of six running backs on Tampa Bay's roster, including their top four rushers from the 2016 season.

Jacquizz Rodgers wasn't on the Bucs' roster when the season opened, but he ended up as Tampa Bay's leading rusher in 2016 with 560 yards in 10 games.

Doug Martin and Charles Sims were supposed to be the Buccaneers' top two ball-carriers, but injuries limited Martin to eight games and Sims to seven. Martin ran for 421 yards and Sims 149 in 2016.

An undrafted rookie, Peyton Barber from Auburn ran for 223 yards on 55 carries.

Russell Hansbrough was on the practice squads of the Buccaneers and New York Giants as a rookie last season.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM'S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE